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midwifereading's reviews
818 reviews
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really don't know how to rate this book. I can't say that I liked it, but I don't know if I have to like it to respect it as a powerful Black story that I can probably never fully appreciate.
The story is based, at least in part, on the real stories of former enslaved people, gathered by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930's, and is a wide window into the day-to-day lives of Black people living in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War.
It reminded me a lot of Toni Morrison's Beloved in tone and theme, and in its otherworldly feel. It's filled with beautiful imagery, and a strong sense of place. The plantation is almost a character in itself. It's haunting and sad and bittersweet.
It's definitely a darker story (of course, considering the subject matter), but the loose threads do all come together powerfully in the final chapters, and the ending is rather poetic.
I do think it deserves 5 stars, even though it isn't a story I would typically have all the feels about. I don't know if it matters what I think, honestly. Now that I have written all this out, I can see that it's an amazing piece of fiction. I wouldn't be surprised if this showed up as classroom reading in high school or college in the next few years. It's a story that needs to be told.
The story is based, at least in part, on the real stories of former enslaved people, gathered by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930's, and is a wide window into the day-to-day lives of Black people living in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War.
It reminded me a lot of Toni Morrison's Beloved in tone and theme, and in its otherworldly feel. It's filled with beautiful imagery, and a strong sense of place. The plantation is almost a character in itself. It's haunting and sad and bittersweet.
It's definitely a darker story (of course, considering the subject matter), but the loose threads do all come together powerfully in the final chapters, and the ending is rather poetic.
I do think it deserves 5 stars, even though it isn't a story I would typically have all the feels about. I don't know if it matters what I think, honestly. Now that I have written all this out, I can see that it's an amazing piece of fiction. I wouldn't be surprised if this showed up as classroom reading in high school or college in the next few years. It's a story that needs to be told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Torture, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Rape, Terminal illness, and War
Content: There is one short s** scene that isn't explicitly graphic, but is emotionally descriptive.
The Book: A Cover-To-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time by Keith Houston
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
Amazing. The synopsis describes The Book as an "...invitingly tactile history of this 2,000-year-old medium", and this description is as apt as anything I could come up with.
From the very construction of the book itself, to the labels describing every part of the book, to the illustrations, to the nitty-gritty details describing every facet of all that goes into book making, I was delighted! I loved how often the author wrote, "If you look at the ___ of this book, you'll see an example of ___."
The nerd in me is pretty sure we died and went to heaven. 🤓
I was the kid who wanted to know how things were put together, but was never really satisfied with the explanation. Don't get me wrong, that crayon video on Mr. Rogers was amazing, but I always wondered how they came up with the machine that made the crayon, and how they made THAT machine.
This book answers that, but for books. Excuse me: codices. 😁 Down to the last detail. I found myself googling some of the processes so I could watch a video, and giggling at the drama between rival printers and paper makers. I touched the illustrations with a bit of reverence for the artistry, skill, and even the practicality that lead to me holding THIS book, at THIS time, in MY hands. *swoon*
It's smart, accessible, detailed, and highly readable, if you like that sort of thing. It goes deep into the weeds of history, page by page. Some would call it dry or slow, but I usually end up liking it if I'm interested in the topic. Books definitely qualify. 📚
From the very construction of the book itself, to the labels describing every part of the book, to the illustrations, to the nitty-gritty details describing every facet of all that goes into book making, I was delighted! I loved how often the author wrote, "If you look at the ___ of this book, you'll see an example of ___."
The nerd in me is pretty sure we died and went to heaven. 🤓
I was the kid who wanted to know how things were put together, but was never really satisfied with the explanation. Don't get me wrong, that crayon video on Mr. Rogers was amazing, but I always wondered how they came up with the machine that made the crayon, and how they made THAT machine.
This book answers that, but for books. Excuse me: codices. 😁 Down to the last detail. I found myself googling some of the processes so I could watch a video, and giggling at the drama between rival printers and paper makers. I touched the illustrations with a bit of reverence for the artistry, skill, and even the practicality that lead to me holding THIS book, at THIS time, in MY hands. *swoon*
It's smart, accessible, detailed, and highly readable, if you like that sort of thing. It goes deep into the weeds of history, page by page. Some would call it dry or slow, but I usually end up liking it if I'm interested in the topic. Books definitely qualify. 📚
Go as a River by Shelley Read
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Lyrical prose and a plot following a meandering and purposeful path through the mountains of Colorado mark this book one of the most visually stunning stories I've ever read.
The sense of place is so richly drawn, that the mountains, the river, and the orchard are almost a whole character in themselves. The pacing is somehow meandering and purposeful at the same time, like a river winding it's way along the path of least resistance without a lot of fuss. It's a calm, slow, thoughtful, tragic, and beautiful story. I loved it.
However, I almost put it down, because Victoria, the main character, experiences loss after loss after loss after loss, and my heart couldn't take it. For those who need to know, the river of this story does spill over into a place of hope, though it's not a tidy ending. It's very real, though, and I like to think Victoria got her happily ever after.
The sense of place is so richly drawn, that the mountains, the river, and the orchard are almost a whole character in themselves. The pacing is somehow meandering and purposeful at the same time, like a river winding it's way along the path of least resistance without a lot of fuss. It's a calm, slow, thoughtful, tragic, and beautiful story. I loved it.
However, I almost put it down, because Victoria, the main character, experiences loss after loss after loss after loss, and my heart couldn't take it. For those who need to know, the river of this story does spill over into a place of hope, though it's not a tidy ending. It's very real, though, and I like to think Victoria got her happily ever after.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Car accident, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, and Sexual content
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I didn't quite love it, but I definitely enjoyed and appreciated it. It's everything I remembered it to be--I read it for school way back in jr. high--and more. Reading it in my 40's certainly lends the story far more weight than it did as a middle school kid.
It's darkly funny, deeply sad, and feels almost too true in some ways. This might be one of the few books that I think everyone should read if they get the chance.
It's darkly funny, deeply sad, and feels almost too true in some ways. This might be one of the few books that I think everyone should read if they get the chance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Violence
If you don't like insects, maybe leave this one alone.
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I think I read this book through the wrong filter in my brain, which is why it's taking me so long to figure out a review. Suffice to say, I felt very much that I ought to turn back to page one and begin again. But, not right now.
When Women Were Dragons is a beautiful coming of age story, written with a lyrical style that suits the themes of growing up, unfolding identity, motherhood, and even a bit of the road less traveled.
It's hard for me to say much more than that, because I think I missed a lot this first time through. It wasn't what I expected, and it was both more and less.
I loved it. And I plan to reread it this year sometime. (But we all know how that can go...)
When Women Were Dragons is a beautiful coming of age story, written with a lyrical style that suits the themes of growing up, unfolding identity, motherhood, and even a bit of the road less traveled.
It's hard for me to say much more than that, because I think I missed a lot this first time through. It wasn't what I expected, and it was both more and less.
I loved it. And I plan to reread it this year sometime. (But we all know how that can go...)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Severe child neglect and parentification of an oldest daughter
Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Pavlac Glyer
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Bandersnatch is a short, academic study of the Inklings and their impact on one another's published works. While I knew about the friendship between Lewis and Tolkien, as well as the existence of the Inklings, I didn't really know more than that.
This book was positively inspiring! Though it's academic, it's accessible and easy to read and understand. Creative collaboration is more than simply working together directly. It takes place in pubs over a pint, on walks, in letters, and more. For the Inklings, it especially took place on Thursday nights, when they would read their current works aloud to the group and receive encouragement, sharp criticism, suggestions, and challenges to do better.
I have to admit I'm a little jealous. I'm not good at taking criticism, a fault I sometimes despair of ever being rid of. Anyway, I loved it!
This book was positively inspiring! Though it's academic, it's accessible and easy to read and understand. Creative collaboration is more than simply working together directly. It takes place in pubs over a pint, on walks, in letters, and more. For the Inklings, it especially took place on Thursday nights, when they would read their current works aloud to the group and receive encouragement, sharp criticism, suggestions, and challenges to do better.
I have to admit I'm a little jealous. I'm not good at taking criticism, a fault I sometimes despair of ever being rid of. Anyway, I loved it!
Earth: a Novel by David Brin
This book is slow, smart, and fascinating. The premise is ridiculous and unique, and I was drawn in immediately. Who doesn't want to find out what would happen in the near future if someone accidentally dropped a micro black hole into the earth and they had to go find it?
The only reason it's not getting four full stars is that I am still feeling ambivalent about the ending. Then again, it's clear the author doesn't intend for the ending to answer all our questions. Instead, it leaves us with food for thought about the nature of consciousness, the future of humanity, and how the Earth itself may influence life.
I loved the many loose threads, in the form of characters and storylines, all came together at the end to form a confusing, yet cohesive whole. I also appreciated how accurate Brin was with his near future world. The book was published in 1990, but takes place in 2038, and while technology isn't anywhere near the book, it felt very plausible and familiar.
His terminology for various things is different, because those things weren't invented in 1990. People carry around plaques, rather than smartphones. They use programs called ferrets to seek information on the World Data Net, rather than using a search engine to browse the Internet. It was so easy to immerse myself in this Earth, and fit right in with the characters.
Though the pacing is slow, I had a hard time putting it down, and the action sequences were vibrant, tense, and exciting! The setting and atmosphere are tangible and immersive, rich with color and life. I felt like I was really there.
If you like science fiction that believes the best of humanity without discounting our folly and wickedness, looks forward to a future that is hard, but good, and doesn't have a pat, easy answer, then you're going to like this one.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book is slow, smart, and fascinating. The premise is ridiculous and unique, and I was drawn in immediately. Who doesn't want to find out what would happen in the near future if someone accidentally dropped a micro black hole into the earth and they had to go find it?
The only reason it's not getting four full stars is that I am still feeling ambivalent about the ending. Then again, it's clear the author doesn't intend for the ending to answer all our questions. Instead, it leaves us with food for thought about the nature of consciousness, the future of humanity, and how the Earth itself may influence life.
I loved the many loose threads, in the form of characters and storylines, all came together at the end to form a confusing, yet cohesive whole. I also appreciated how accurate Brin was with his near future world. The book was published in 1990, but takes place in 2038, and while technology isn't anywhere near the book, it felt very plausible and familiar.
His terminology for various things is different, because those things weren't invented in 1990. People carry around plaques, rather than smartphones. They use programs called ferrets to seek information on the World Data Net, rather than using a search engine to browse the Internet. It was so easy to immerse myself in this Earth, and fit right in with the characters.
Though the pacing is slow, I had a hard time putting it down, and the action sequences were vibrant, tense, and exciting! The setting and atmosphere are tangible and immersive, rich with color and life. I felt like I was really there.
If you like science fiction that believes the best of humanity without discounting our folly and wickedness, looks forward to a future that is hard, but good, and doesn't have a pat, easy answer, then you're going to like this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Minor: War
The worst of the violence is near the end, and is short-lived. It's more far removed during the rest of the book.
The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I liked it, simple as that. It's a cozy, easy read full of charm, wit, and intelligence. I am not a big fan of Miss Marple, really, but I do love Agatha Christie's writing style and humor.
This book is the kind of palate cleanser I appreciate most. Light, quick, and very well-written.
This book is the kind of palate cleanser I appreciate most. Light, quick, and very well-written.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This one, while there is so much good to be said, disappointed me a bit. I suppose it's the trouble with sequels sometimes, but this felt less like a story and more like a lesson or a sermon.
I still loved the characters, especially the kids, and ESPECIALLY Chauncey--you can't tell me he's not perfect. And David was a delightful and sweet addition to the family!
And the moments between Arthur as the phoenix with Phee and Theodore were so beautiful! Lucy's character development was inspiring and adorable. Poor Linus trying to keep everyone safe and behaving properly -- dude is such a sweetie pie. There are so many great things to be said for the kids and the family. I would love to visit them and go on a Saturday adventure. Just saying.
However, the villain felt so much like a cartoon, the plot felt forced, and there were a lot of smaller foreshadowing details that never paid off. For example: Miss Marblemaw wearing heavy coats in the heat was mentioned so many times, and you never find out why. I actually started thinking she would end up being a closeted magical being, but no.
The first book felt like a cozy vacation wrapped in clouds and glitter. A story with depth, warmth, healing, hope, and grounded in love. The hard things felt real and heavy, but the plot unfolded so naturally and beautifully! The themes of family, belonging, the challenges of being different and others were woven in so naturally. It touched my heart.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea lost that somehow. It's still a good story, but it feels less like Klune was writing a story, and more like he was writing an allegory. A well done allegory, but an allegory nonetheless. While the first book was great at just showing me without telling me, allowing me to experience the struggle and triumph with the characters, this second made me feel like a spectator, like I couldn't quite get lost in the pages the way I could have.
I kept getting startled out of the story so I could take in the message. In some ways, the story felt like a vehicle for the message instead of the themes being a golden thread that tied it all together.
And that felt like a letdown. Even though the message is a good one. No one likes to be preached at.
It's hard to explain. I did finish it, because of the characters. I just love them SO MUCH. And they can't disappoint me. I can't say I liked the book, but I LOVED the characters and their growth.
I still loved the characters, especially the kids, and ESPECIALLY Chauncey--you can't tell me he's not perfect. And David was a delightful and sweet addition to the family!
And the moments between Arthur as the phoenix with Phee and Theodore were so beautiful! Lucy's character development was inspiring and adorable. Poor Linus trying to keep everyone safe and behaving properly -- dude is such a sweetie pie. There are so many great things to be said for the kids and the family. I would love to visit them and go on a Saturday adventure. Just saying.
However, the villain felt so much like a cartoon, the plot felt forced, and there were a lot of smaller foreshadowing details that never paid off. For example: Miss Marblemaw wearing heavy coats in the heat was mentioned so many times, and you never find out why. I actually started thinking she would end up being a closeted magical being, but no.
The first book felt like a cozy vacation wrapped in clouds and glitter. A story with depth, warmth, healing, hope, and grounded in love. The hard things felt real and heavy, but the plot unfolded so naturally and beautifully! The themes of family, belonging, the challenges of being different and others were woven in so naturally. It touched my heart.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea lost that somehow. It's still a good story, but it feels less like Klune was writing a story, and more like he was writing an allegory. A well done allegory, but an allegory nonetheless. While the first book was great at just showing me without telling me, allowing me to experience the struggle and triumph with the characters, this second made me feel like a spectator, like I couldn't quite get lost in the pages the way I could have.
I kept getting startled out of the story so I could take in the message. In some ways, the story felt like a vehicle for the message instead of the themes being a golden thread that tied it all together.
And that felt like a letdown. Even though the message is a good one. No one likes to be preached at.
It's hard to explain. I did finish it, because of the characters. I just love them SO MUCH. And they can't disappoint me. I can't say I liked the book, but I LOVED the characters and their growth.
A Lot Like Christmas: Stories by Connie Willis
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I loved it!
This is a collection of brilliant, playful, funny, offbeat, thoughtful, and (sometimes) a little romantic, science fiction Christmas stories. Which is a poor description, frankly.
No two stories are quite the same, and I enjoyed every one of them. My very favorite one is titled, "Inn." It's beautiful and a bit haunting.
"All Seated On the Ground" was the funniest. "In Coppelius's Toy Shop" was the most unsettling, but in a rather satisfying, that's-what-he-gets kind of way. "Epiphany" left me hanging---AAAARRRGH!!! Each one was great, for different reasons.
I can see myself rereading this one.
This is a collection of brilliant, playful, funny, offbeat, thoughtful, and (sometimes) a little romantic, science fiction Christmas stories. Which is a poor description, frankly.
No two stories are quite the same, and I enjoyed every one of them. My very favorite one is titled, "Inn." It's beautiful and a bit haunting.
"All Seated On the Ground" was the funniest. "In Coppelius's Toy Shop" was the most unsettling, but in a rather satisfying, that's-what-he-gets kind of way. "Epiphany" left me hanging---AAAARRRGH!!! Each one was great, for different reasons.
I can see myself rereading this one.