mrtvavrana's reviews
833 reviews

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter

challenging informative mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I am not sure where to begin with this book review. I have so many mixed feelings and so much to say, but I am going to keep it short. 

 

Murder in the Family is a murder mystery, a book promising you an adventure: your own killer hunt! The book is written as a TV show transcript, accompanied by some extras—screenshots of conversations, emails, news clippings, maps, etc. I loved this concept SO much! It was fun and entertaining, and it kept going. Basically, the whole book is dialogue with some descriptions. 

 

The story itself is quite entertaining; it will absolutely seduce you. The characters are quite diverse, and I think we learn a lot about them in the process. But unfortunately, there is zero character development. I did not particularly connect with anyone; all the characters were horrible people, but I think it worked well with the story. 

 

My biggest issue, though, were the plot twists. The first two or three were great, but after that, the story just kept getting more and more ridiculous and improbably. And the final revelation of who the killer really was was terrible, horrible, awful, no good. It made no sense whatsoever. It felt like 90% of the book was pointless, just because of that one little detail. 

 

Another thing I did not enjoy much was how chaotic and hard to follow things were because of the amount of characters. But I think it would have been easier if I listened to the audiobook as I was reading. 

 

The book was advertised as interactive, but I don’t think there is enough material for the readers to feel like they're solving anything. It was not difficult to guess who the killer was very early on, but the constant twists make you question it up until the “big” reveal.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

challenging dark informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 

If We Were Villains is one of those books that people seem to either love or hate. I somehow managed to go into it without encountering a single spoiler, which I think is a miracle. 

 

The book starts off very... boring. During the first (maybe) 90 pages, I was considering just dropping the book. Thankfully, it got quite interesting. 

 

The book is about the messy lives of 7 art students. It's filed with Shakespeare, alcohol, drugs, sex, parties, and more Shakespeare. Oh, and a murder. 

 

The murder mystery, for me, was very predictable, all the way to the smallest details. Honestly, I did enjoy it, even despite the predictability of the plot. What I did not enjoy were all those endless Shakespeare quotations. At times this felt more like a literature lecture than a dark academic novel. Sometimes less is more. 

 

When it comes to the characters, well, I was disappointed. I did not think any of the characters met their full potential. Not even Oliver, our narrator. While we do learn a lot about every single one of them, their past and relationships, they fell quite one-dimensional. I couldn’t really connect with them, perhaps save for James. Not to mention how bloody annoying they all were! 

 

I also disliked the slut-shaming, sexism, and constant commentary on Meredith´s body. At times it felt like the others only found her fascinating because of her incredible looks, which is exactly the opposite of what she wanted. 

 

I also hated how stereotypical Alexander was—a feminine gay, a party animal, and, of course, an addict. Not to mention there are moments where he is described as a predator. 

 

At first I was quite excited about the possible romance between James and Oliver, but that soon turned to sour disappointment. Literally nothing happens, and then James (possibly?) dies.

Just another extremely vague and unhappy ending. 

 

I did enjoy the novel, but there were so many things wrong with it.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

 

Whenever I´m torn about reading a book, I go and read the reviews. Usually, I only read them after I´m finished to see if I have missed anything. And I think I might have made a mistake reading them this time. I was ready to be disappointed, but that never happened. 

 

The Death of Jane Lawrence was weird, confusing, and surprising. I did not know what or how to feel. I did not like Jane or Augustine, or any of the other characters, really. I did come to like Elodie, though, and Jane for trying to help her. I found Jane nosy and annoying, and Augustine cruel and selfish. I hoped to see some growth in the both of them, but they only became worse. The other characters seemed quite random and strange. 

 

Despite that, I think the story evens it out. I liked the pace slowly increasing; I also enjoyed the medicine and science aspects. I have noticed many reviewers were, rightfully, confused by the magic and how it worked, and eventually what Jane herself achieved. 

 

I cannot say I perfectly understood the magic or what Jane was doing, but I found it fascinating. It was raw, painful, and haunting. I was genuinely spooked on multiple occasions and had to put the book down. I really loved the atmosphere in the first half of the book, but I feel like the magic kind of ruined the atmosphere in the second half. It did remind me of Crimson Peak and partly also of M. Flanagan´s The Haunting of Hill House. 

 

The ending was quite underwhelming for me; I kind of expected more after all that buildup. Overall, I think this was a decent scary read, very fit for autumn. But definitely not fit for everyone.

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 

I picked this book up at a second-hand store because I really loved the cover and the description. I do not particularly enjoy books with the first-person narrative, but this one really worked for me as it was written as a diary. 

 

At times I wished there would be more information, mostly about the other characters. Jack does not tell us in detail about his companions and the early stages of their expedition. 

 

My favourite aspect of Dark Matter was definitely the fear and paranoia slowly creeping in just as the sun was disappearing. I also loved how Jack managed to turn around his opinion on dogs and befriend Isaak. 

 

Recently I have also read Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill, and while I might have been influenced by it, Dark Matter really made me think of Frankenstein. Up until the end, I kept wishing for Frankenstein´s Monster. 

 

As I have already mentioned, the only character we learn in detail about throughout the novel is our narrator, Jack. Unfortunately, I did not quite connect with him; he was quite arrogant and mean, and instead I preferred Gus. It might have been because Jack was so fond of him, but either way I hoped we´d get a better look at him and his story, even more so since him and Jack had to separate. 

 

The most interesting character was definitely Mr. Bjørvik. I found it admirable that he managed to survive in the wild all on his own. 

 

While I loved the creepy and the haunting, the complete isolation, and while I enjoyed how it all progressed, I feel like it came down too fast.

I hoped Jack´s sexuality and his relationship with Gus would be explored in more depth. Unfortunately, as it often happens, the gays did not get a happy ending.

 

All that being said, Dark Matter is a great story for the spooky months, and I definitely recommend reading it.

Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 

At first, I did not know what I felt like after reading Shanghai Immortal. While I enjoyed the story and came to like the characters, there are things I definitely did not like. 

 

What excited me the most was the century-old female main character with a younger love interest, as we usually see the opposite. Unfortunately, my hopes were kind of crushed. I expected a grown-up, serious woman, but instead Lady Jing is a rude and annoying kid. She constantly swears, spits, and acts recklessly, causing trouble not only for herself but for everyone around. 

 

I am not saying I disliked Lady Jing—I actually grew fond of her as the novel progressed. I simply hoped for something else. I liked the other characters from the start, and I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Lee was a clumsy, shy dummy. I am so fed up with all the alpha-macho man bullshit we are seeing in romance and fantasy lately. 

 

The pace of the book was nice and very steady up until the end. I loved the storytelling; A Y Chao´s descriptions are captivating, and I was sucked in immediately. I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and I was worried about how it would affect the story. Honestly, I can´t say I enjoyed it (I was shouting “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!” every few chapters), but it was not the worst I have encountered. I am also not a fan of the first-person narrative, but I think it went well with the story. 

 

Also, when picking up the book, I had no idea there would be a sequel next year. I am already so excited to read it. I really hope we will see more growth and much less spitting.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

I have read this book as a part of The StoryGraph Reads the World Challenge, as my entry for Ghana. 

 

Transcendent Kingdom is another book on my “reading out of the comfort zone” book list this year. What I expected from this book was a life story, but it ended up being so much more. 

 

This book explores grief and loss, coping with addiction, immigration, racism, mental illnesses, and difficulties of relationships—with friends, family, and religion. Despite how short this book is, I think it explored all of these topics in depth. 

 

What I did not enjoy very much was all the retrospection. At times it was pretty confusing to follow, as we jumped from the present into the past and then even further into the past. It took me a while to put the pieces together, and I am still not sure I got everything right. 

 

I´m also not sure how I feel about the very last chapter—I would have preferred an open ending, but I also feel like it brought everything together nicely. The characters were all so beautifully written, and their stories and fates were laid out without any sugar coating. 

 

Being raised Catholic (and leaving the church) and having lost family members to addiction, I was worried of the pictures I would see described in this novel. But, in all honesty, it brought me comfort. Sometimes we just need to hear and see that we are not alone, and everything will be okay. 

 

I loved to see so much of Gifty, from her early childhood all the way to adulthood. I loved how the novel explored her questions about life, science, and religion and that she ultimately found what she was looking for. I truly appreciated that Gyasi did research in neuroscience, and I enjoyed learning new facts. 

 

Transcendent Kingdom is a beautifully heartbreaking novel, and I honestly cannot wait to read more.

Ako vypiecť s kúzlami. Monin sprievodca obranným pečením by T. Kingfisher

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 

I have read this book in Slovak. 

 

A Wizard´s Guide to Defensive Baking is a very sweet and whimsical read, full of very odd and unexpected events. It combines baking and magic, including some dead and undead things. 

 

One thing I absolutely adore about T. Kingfisher is how incredible and realistic her characters are. This was the first time in a long while I have read a book about a 14-year-old who was truly 14. Mona is not a hero, and she is definitely not the next big wizard. She is just a girl who kind of tried to save everyone from a disaster. It was very easy to connect with her and the other characters. 

 

I enjoyed how most of the characters were genuinely nice people, ready to help Mona and her friend Spindle at any cost. A few times I found myself waiting for a plot twist, a betrayal, but there were none. The community around Mona was so loving. 

 

I loved how it was acknowledged that Mona, a literal child, had to save everyone from the mess caused by adults. This is something we see in most of the young adult and fantasy novels, but A Wizard´s Guide to Defensive Baking acknowledges that what Mona was put through was cruel, terrible, and unfair. 

 

The story was genuinely good and rich, and I liked that the magic system did not require a lot of explaining. It was age-appropriate and funny; it had great pacing, dramatic moments, and charismatic characters. 

 

What I did not enjoy much was the first-person narrative. Some scenes seemed repetitive, and I hoped for more descriptions, as we only get a vague idea of what the characters, including Mona, look like. 

 

Sometimes I feel like T. Kingfisher is the only author who understands me and my frustrations with young adult and fantasy literature.

A Cat, a Man, and Two Women by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

adventurous lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

 

This short novella is one of multiple books I have labeled "The Japanese Cat Books“ in my possession. It started as a fun joke when me and my friend exchanged Japanese cat books both on our birthdays and Christmas. 

 

I have read this expecting a sweet story, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that is not what this novella offers. We are presented with quite a realistic look into the lives of three people, who are all connected (and manipulated) by a cat. 

 

None of the three main characters are very likable. They´re all deeply flawed in their own ways, and they are all trying to use the cat for their own benefit. The cat herself is also quite unpredictable and causes some mischief. It sometimes makes it difficult for the main characters to get what they want. But I have to say that in the end, they all get exactly what they deserve. 

 

I liked the idea of this novella. The execution—not so much. I think the translation might have been at fault. The story was at times repetitive and choppy, lacking fluidity. Despite that, it was difficult for me to put the book down. The story, despite its shortness, really sucked me in. I think A Cat, A Man, and Two Women is a perfect early autumn read; you can sit outside sipping tea or coffee and read it one go. 

 

I think Tanizaki perfectly described what cats and life with them is really like—including their flaws, claws, and awful farts. And how, despite everything, we still adore them unconditionally. I cannot wait to read more from Tanizaki in the future.

Generál jeho veličenstva by Daphne du Maurier

adventurous challenging emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 

I have read this book in Slovak. 

 

This is my third du Maurier novel, and so far it is the most boring one. 

 

If you love history and romance, this book will definitely be right for you. While the writing is incredible and detailed, the novel itself is more on the slow side. There are chapters where nothing of importance happens, filled with information on the English civil war. 

 

The characters were not particularly likeable, but I really loved the fact that our female main character, Honor, is a disabled woman. I don’t think there is enough representation of disabled people in books, and she is even the main love interest. Unfortunately, the relationship is extremely complicated and definitely not happy. 

 

The male main character, Richard, was genuinely just terrible. I think he kind of reminded me of Mr. Big from HBO´s Sex and the City TV series. Bossy, annoying, always gets what he wants. His sister, Gartred, was no better, but I enjoyed having a character like her around. Seeing her play her games was intriguing. Similarly to Richard, she also always gets what she wants. None of the other characters stood out to me or captured my interest. 

 

The pace of this book is steady; the story (minus all the info about the civil war) is quite nice, but definitely not du Maurier´s best. The ending seemed quite dry and a bit underwhelming, but I think it fits perfectly with the rest of the story.

Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen

adventurous inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

 

After reading Skin of the Sea and my initial disappointment, my hope for Soul of the Deep was not that high. But, I am afraid, it did not make a difference. 

 

While the worldbuilding remained impressive and immersive, it was at the expense of characters and the story itself. I am almost certain this duology would have been much better if it was twice as long and the characters had more space for growth. I think it would help the story too—spacing out the events and not rushing from one big thing to another. 

 

Again, the story was dragging until like halfway through the book, and then we had a train of very significant events happening in a very short span of time. The plot was predictable, and I cannot say that a single thing has surprised me. The plot twists were quite clever and fit with the story; unfortunately, the foreshadowing was obvious and the big reveals lacked surprise. 

 

Another thing I did not like were the characters Ara and Folasade.

Ara´s whole story felt only like a filler; she did not seem important to the plot up until she suddenly was. And (unsurprisingly), she was a villain. On the other hand, Folasade was introduced as a character that will be SO important, but unfortunately, her only job was to die to further move Adekola´s really weird storyline. Even the death was poorly executed.

I did not really understand why introduce more characters when the ones that were already a part of the story were still very flat and underdeveloped. 

 

If you hope to see more of Kola and Simi´s blossoming romance, you will be gravely disappointed. Simi had a much better romantic dynamic with

. Esu (yes, that one),

and her relationship with Kola only progress in the last few chapters.

And that is solely because he magically became Orisa! Nothing is properly explained, but he is not fully human anymore, so they can finally be together, right? Right??

 

 

The book ends on a cliffhanger, with Simi leaving (again), this time because she simply has to go on this big journey all by herself. Once again, we are left with a very open ending, hinting towards another adventure. 

 

I can't deny that Soul of the Deep, similarly to Skin of the Sea, was a very entertaining and quick read. I liked so many aspects of the stories, but unfortunately my expectations were too high, and I ended up very disappointed.