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ominousspectre's reviews
242 reviews
Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
3.0
Hard to rate because it's very well written as her books always are, but I just didn't much care for it. A little too close to home in the ways of trauma if you will. I was starting to get a little 🧐 noticing that there's a pretty consistent theme in her male leads (white), but never fear, she knows that not all of us white boys can be one of the good ones lol. This jackass certainly isn't, I was praying on his downfall from the time he stepped foot on page.
I think I also like my murder mysteries/thrillers a bit more breezy and...fun? Which is weird because in movies I'm fine with the opposite. Anyways!
I think I also like my murder mysteries/thrillers a bit more breezy and...fun? Which is weird because in movies I'm fine with the opposite. Anyways!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
5.0
Baldwin had such a punishing ability to rake out these little aspects of the human condition we don't want to face. It genuinely boggles my mind sometimes.
Through the sickening and suffocating societal pressures he brings forth many ugly truths, though most poignantly in this story is that the only thing queer men learn to hate more than each other is themselves. All the more horrifying is how women are seen as empty shells to carry the burden of their hatred until they just can't take it anymore, and then they're discarded.
May we someday find that love need not be confined to rooms where they're shielded in shame but that we can share it proudly with the world, and more importantly, ourselves.
Through the sickening and suffocating societal pressures he brings forth many ugly truths, though most poignantly in this story is that the only thing queer men learn to hate more than each other is themselves. All the more horrifying is how women are seen as empty shells to carry the burden of their hatred until they just can't take it anymore, and then they're discarded.
May we someday find that love need not be confined to rooms where they're shielded in shame but that we can share it proudly with the world, and more importantly, ourselves.
Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
I will pick this up again later, as I was liking it. I've been in a reading rut lately, and I think starting a fantasy trilogy might be too big of an ask for my brain right now :/
Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview: A Decolonized Approach to Christian Doctrine (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology) by Randy S. Woodley, H. Daniel Zacharias
5.0
It was during that time when someone asked me, “Why don’t you just interpret scripture through your Indigenous eyes?” I was kind of offended at that, and I didn’t get it right away, but I eventually realized that Jesus was not an Enlightenment-bound thinker. Jesus was an Indigenous man. In fact, none of the scriptures were written from an Enlightenment view, but they were taught to me that way. So I began to understand the scriptures differently and more importantly, I began to understand Jesus differently.
One of the best nonfiction reads I've had in a while, though I knew it was going to be a challenging one. I was never raised religious and have always been averse to Christianity because of how much harm it's caused. This book obviously hasn't made me walk down the path to Jesus or anything, but it has helped me understand those who still choose to in spite of everything.
Separating out Jesus as an indigenous man and an important spirit regardless of what you believe was really interesting reframing to me. I learned a lot from this, and he pulls no punches when it comes to criticizing current Christian ideology compared to what was likely Aramaic oral traditions from centuries ago. Nor does he shy away from how Christianity and Western Worldview have caused hyper nationalism and genocide for centuries.
There are plenty of indigenous stories in here as well that I really enjoyed. Idk overall, I really recommend this!
One of the best nonfiction reads I've had in a while, though I knew it was going to be a challenging one. I was never raised religious and have always been averse to Christianity because of how much harm it's caused. This book obviously hasn't made me walk down the path to Jesus or anything, but it has helped me understand those who still choose to in spite of everything.
Separating out Jesus as an indigenous man and an important spirit regardless of what you believe was really interesting reframing to me. I learned a lot from this, and he pulls no punches when it comes to criticizing current Christian ideology compared to what was likely Aramaic oral traditions from centuries ago. Nor does he shy away from how Christianity and Western Worldview have caused hyper nationalism and genocide for centuries.
There are plenty of indigenous stories in here as well that I really enjoyed. Idk overall, I really recommend this!
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
4.75
I'm very picky about apocalypse/dystopian stories, but this lived up to its title as a classic. The first chapter alone could serve as an essay about colonialism and the hubris of humanity. And for when it was written, it really is vocally anti colonialist. The setting of Britain of all places is very purposeful.
Parts genuinely disturbed me with how they reflected real life. The mass exodus from London reminded me so much of the Partition of India it hurt a little (predictively so, as this book was written over 40 years before that event). The level of inaction, arrogance, and callousness smelled so strongly of the pandemic.
I think that's the main reason I like reading classics, because it reminds me that someone several decades, centuries, or even millenia ago can feel and articulate the same things we do now.
Parts genuinely disturbed me with how they reflected real life. The mass exodus from London reminded me so much of the Partition of India it hurt a little (predictively so, as this book was written over 40 years before that event). The level of inaction, arrogance, and callousness smelled so strongly of the pandemic.
I think that's the main reason I like reading classics, because it reminds me that someone several decades, centuries, or even millenia ago can feel and articulate the same things we do now.
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
2.5
Okay listen. This was bad. And I kinda knew that going in. It's like when you seek out a B flick horror movie because this is not the time for art house themes, this is the time for rolling your eyes and hehe'ing. And that's what this book was for me.
The twists are obvious. Everyone is a horrible person besides Kiera and Poppy. The social justice topics are very heavy handed, it's like the author wrote someone saying an off colored thing specifically so the protagonist could be like that isn't right of them! Now let me explain my thoughts on the subject and how I am still learning 😌☝️ because I am not like other white girls
The scene where they introduced each other was so insane, like I know I would've gotten misgendered like crazy in there.also Kiera deserved to kill Taylor specifically for that comment she made about slavery
But did I have a great time? Genuinely yes
The twists are obvious. Everyone is a horrible person besides Kiera and Poppy. The social justice topics are very heavy handed, it's like the author wrote someone saying an off colored thing specifically so the protagonist could be like that isn't right of them! Now let me explain my thoughts on the subject and how I am still learning 😌☝️ because I am not like other white girls
The scene where they introduced each other was so insane, like I know I would've gotten misgendered like crazy in there.
But did I have a great time? Genuinely yes
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
3.5
I know this is supposed to be a meditation on guilt/the ills of alcoholism but it is kinda wild that Poe connected the abuse of animals as a trait for eventual killers and really nailed the narcissistic aspect of it.
what I can also tell you is I will be kissing my black cat on the forehead as penance for reading this with my own two eyes
what I can also tell you is I will be kissing my black cat on the forehead as penance for reading this with my own two eyes
The Outsider by H.P. Lovecraft
3.25
under no circumstances do I "gotta hand it to HP Lovecraft"
but this was.. good. REALLY reminiscent of Frankenstein though so... realistically go read Frankenstein
but this was.. good. REALLY reminiscent of Frankenstein though so... realistically go read Frankenstein
The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
3.5
Ignoring the Orientalism I should have expected of a story from this time period, it's a good little be careful what you wish for sort of tale