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pewter's reviews
85 reviews
What the Hell Did I Just Read by David Wong
4.0
The 2nd in the series is still the strongest, but What the Hell delivers a high intensity dose of both the first book (wacky) and second (emotional). Admittedly I ate through my advanced copy with haste, and enjoyed the romp, but thinking back now I feel like perhaps Soy Sauce is a little too much Deus Ex Machina nowadays. The cast grows - I'm indeed waiting to see what happens in the next installment.
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
5.0
Finally a book that outshines its hype. The Marrow Thieves is excellent. Excellent adventure, excellent writing, excellent world development, and excellent social commentary. This should be a must read for Canadian (and beyond) High Schools.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? No
3.75
This book has almost everything I'm looking for in a fantasy setting - some excellent writing, an interesting plot hook, an established and thoroughly developed world, and a fantastic magic system that brings all of these together. Aside from some poor character development and problematic pacing and editing, this makes for a fun and engaging read from start to finish.
It's clearly the first book in a trilogy, which often bears the heaviest responsibility to weave the world, develop the cast of characters, and gain the reader's trust. The world is lovingly crafted, and he magic systems are especially exciting - it feels practical and real, and doesn't require extreme suspension of disbelief. It feels right at home with most other magical worlds and classical fantasy settings, while also standing out in it's own ways.
But the cast of characters feels shallow. Aside from the protagonist, Kvothe, the most interesting supporting characters get little page time, while the bland ones seem to get the most. Occasionally we get a glimpse of a real gem, only to never see them again.
We get a first-hand feel for Kvothe, as the narrator; his motivations are clear. His attitudes are strong. His narration is clever and feels like I'm sitting beside him chatting. It's warm and inviting. There is no mistaking what he is good at - so many skills, in fact, that we're certainly toeing the line of a Mary Sue character. Rothfuss unfortunately has leaned into the idea that intelligence also comes hand-in-hand with mean-ness. Snarkiness, clever quips, and theatrical vengeance doesn't exactly endear Kvothe to an audience that is tired of internet trolls, and his unfortunate background doesn't excuse his assholery. However, since Kvothe is actively narrating the story, we do get the occasional "looking back, this was a mistake" musings, which remind us that he is a child during the main story.
However, Kvothe as a narrator brings up a number of problems, specifically around the roles other characters, especially women, play. Because he is the narrator, this world is almost entirely described through his (rather arrogant) lens. This leads to some pretty poor writing about the other cast, and leaves most women as damsel, demon, or devoted love interest. It's hard to tell where Kvothe's attitudes end and Rothfuss' picks up. Either way, it doesn't read well.
The plot pacing also needed a bit of editing. Many arcs don't ever finish, but are instead abandoned for a new sudden development, never to be revisited. Parts of the plot that need more pages to grow are left rushed, while others are long and needed some clipping. One could argue that life doesn't clean up neatly... but I'd still like some closure.
A beginning of a trilogy also has the pleasure of opening many mysteries which it doesn't need to resolve yet. So many of these mysteries remain at the end of the book, that it's hard to imagine everything being tied up - more of a reason to excitedly grab the next in the series.
All in all, the strengths of this book lie in the world, the magic, and the clever writing, while the cast and protagonist are rather disappointing. The potential is here, though, and if we see some growth in both Kvothe and the author, we might really get to see something great.
It's clearly the first book in a trilogy, which often bears the heaviest responsibility to weave the world, develop the cast of characters, and gain the reader's trust. The world is lovingly crafted, and he magic systems are especially exciting - it feels practical and real, and doesn't require extreme suspension of disbelief. It feels right at home with most other magical worlds and classical fantasy settings, while also standing out in it's own ways.
But the cast of characters feels shallow. Aside from the protagonist, Kvothe, the most interesting supporting characters get little page time, while the bland ones seem to get the most. Occasionally we get a glimpse of a real gem, only to never see them again.
We get a first-hand feel for Kvothe, as the narrator; his motivations are clear. His attitudes are strong. His narration is clever and feels like I'm sitting beside him chatting. It's warm and inviting. There is no mistaking what he is good at - so many skills, in fact, that we're certainly toeing the line of a Mary Sue character. Rothfuss unfortunately has leaned into the idea that intelligence also comes hand-in-hand with mean-ness. Snarkiness, clever quips, and theatrical vengeance doesn't exactly endear Kvothe to an audience that is tired of internet trolls, and his unfortunate background doesn't excuse his assholery. However, since Kvothe is actively narrating the story, we do get the occasional "looking back, this was a mistake" musings, which remind us that he is a child during the main story.
However, Kvothe as a narrator brings up a number of problems, specifically around the roles other characters, especially women, play. Because he is the narrator, this world is almost entirely described through his (rather arrogant) lens. This leads to some pretty poor writing about the other cast, and leaves most women as damsel, demon, or devoted love interest. It's hard to tell where Kvothe's attitudes end and Rothfuss' picks up. Either way, it doesn't read well.
The plot pacing also needed a bit of editing. Many arcs don't ever finish, but are instead abandoned for a new sudden development, never to be revisited. Parts of the plot that need more pages to grow are left rushed, while others are long and needed some clipping. One could argue that life doesn't clean up neatly... but I'd still like some closure.
A beginning of a trilogy also has the pleasure of opening many mysteries which it doesn't need to resolve yet. So many of these mysteries remain at the end of the book, that it's hard to imagine everything being tied up - more of a reason to excitedly grab the next in the series.
All in all, the strengths of this book lie in the world, the magic, and the clever writing, while the cast and protagonist are rather disappointing. The potential is here, though, and if we see some growth in both Kvothe and the author, we might really get to see something great.
These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Although YA books are getting less and less relate-able as I grow older, I'm still a total sucker for the suspension of disbelief and quick plot that comes with the territory. These Witches Don't Burn is no exception; the world-building feels natural, the characters real, and the magic feels believable, even if not everything is fully explained. Not-always-reliable narrators always lead to some fun mystery, and this pretty large (and diverse!) cast of characters leaves a lot to consider.
These days it's impossible not to compare magical stories to the big HP, but TWDB also brings to mind vibes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, X-Men, and other YA fiction that I ate up in my youth. My queer heart soared the most during the very mundane arcs of the book: not the WLW kisses, but the everyday realities for LGBTQ folks (assuming someone was a lesbian when they were bi, having people treat someone differently after they've come out, etc.) truly felt as if they fell out of my life and onto the pages.
Those praises being said, I still have a few bones to pick with TWDB. The story tends towards a breakneck pace, to the point where I wonder how any real people could be keeping up. It felt like every moment of these folks lives were filled with danger, and it was a bit exhausting. Those mundane moments that this book nails are a complete relief, but almost always are cut short by another sudden disaster - and a lot of the supporting characters completely roll with it, making it even harder to swallow. Some of the characters start out strong, and fizzle a bit towards then end, and others are a bit of a caricature of what "rich jock" or "girl's bestie" would be. However, I can't really fault a YA book for being a YA book and hitting that core demographic which I've graduated. For the most part, these characters ring true, and the dialogue was very natural and well written.
All in all, this was a great magical YA story willed with a great deal of suspense and mystery, and I'd be foolish not to suggest it to my friends, queer or otherwise. Fun, well-written, and leaves me waiting for a sequel!
These days it's impossible not to compare magical stories to the big HP, but TWDB also brings to mind vibes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, X-Men, and other YA fiction that I ate up in my youth. My queer heart soared the most during the very mundane arcs of the book: not the WLW kisses, but the everyday realities for LGBTQ folks (assuming someone was a lesbian when they were bi, having people treat someone differently after they've come out, etc.) truly felt as if they fell out of my life and onto the pages.
Those praises being said, I still have a few bones to pick with TWDB. The story tends towards a breakneck pace, to the point where I wonder how any real people could be keeping up. It felt like every moment of these folks lives were filled with danger, and it was a bit exhausting. Those mundane moments that this book nails are a complete relief, but almost always are cut short by another sudden disaster - and a lot of the supporting characters completely roll with it, making it even harder to swallow. Some of the characters start out strong, and fizzle a bit towards then end, and others are a bit of a caricature of what "rich jock" or "girl's bestie" would be. However, I can't really fault a YA book for being a YA book and hitting that core demographic which I've graduated. For the most part, these characters ring true, and the dialogue was very natural and well written.
All in all, this was a great magical YA story willed with a great deal of suspense and mystery, and I'd be foolish not to suggest it to my friends, queer or otherwise. Fun, well-written, and leaves me waiting for a sequel!
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Oh dear. Rothfuss' clever writing, amazing magic system, and excellent world-building struggles to make up for shallow characters and meandering plot points in the second installment of the Kingkiller Chronicle.
The Wise Man's Fear suffers from a lack of flow. The novel reads like a list of plot-points that Rothfuss needed to include, but didn't know how to put together. The result: 4 or 5 very distinct stories about Kvothe being awesome, ending almost exactly where we began.
To be clear, this isn't all bad: it is exciting to see the world that Rothfuss has built, and refreshing to see some new characters and cultures. New mysteries are introduced (though almost no old ones resolved), and old, tired plot points (student rivalry, continuing financial struggles) are thankfully put on hold while we explore a more adult world - a world where Kvothe's unending snark, intelligence, magical abilities, and musical talents are still often, but not exclusively, the solution to all his problems. And Kvothe is such an asshole, that when he does something genuinely kind, it seems out of character or strange.
Unfortunately, we see Rothfuss true weakness divulged: character development. Throughout all his travels, Kvothe's attitudes don't change. Not one bit. And there's plenty of opportunity - in fact, one of the last main adventures focused on Kvothe having to learn new languages and new ways of thinking and acting, and new societal norms - and amazingly he walks away without any growth at all.
Somehow, Kvothe spends months with a community of Adem, and doesn't pick up any of the lessons on Lethani? He gains their trust, learns the culture, earns his place... and 5 days later he murders an entire troop of (bad) people without blinking an eye, and then sabotages Ambrose some more for no reason. Seriously? He doesn't even discuss the transition back into his own language, or any of the mindfulness or lessons. This is infuriating, and shows that the author simply needed a quick way to give him sword skills and nothing else. Lazy prep work for book 3.
The meandering tangents could have been incredibly satisfying if the protagonist, Kvothe, came back from them with any character development at all. Kvothe commits some pretty dark deeds with his arcane abilities, but it doesn't matter. There is no consequences for the snarky, smartass Kvothe. Inexplicably, the climax of this book was somewhere near the midway point, with everything else seemingly tacked on as either preparation for the next book, or cringe-worthy author self-insert.
However, the largest issue in the book was not the pacing, the character development, or the meandering. It was revelation that the books poor writing and attitudes re: women were not just Kvothe's childish narration, but the author's real feelings.
Author fantasy is the only reason Kvothe could have spent so long fucking a sex goddess. It was completely unrelated to the rest of the story and was only added to make Kvothe good at even more things. And now he's a woman expert? Good lord, Rothfuss, this is an embarrassing revelation on what you think women are! And if it's Kvothe that feels this way, not you, why would I want to read it?
Kvothe's new (inexplicable) sexual prowess in this book suddenly give way to incredibly misogynistic moments such as "each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, and finely played, to have at least her own true music made" (WOW) Almost all his new female teachers and peers all want a piece. Are there any women in this series that aren't sexual objects? Even his friend Denna has become this treasure that he yearns for, just out of reach.
All in all, this book is cringey male fantasy at it's ugliest. The beautiful writing and lovely world-building cannot hide the problems. The protagonist Kvothe: the smartest, most talented, most clever, funny, snarky student has now gained the best physical abilities and best sexual powers, and he didn't even have to learn or change anything! My eyes cannot roll far enough. Kvothe - the protagonist built for internet trolls and incels - makes it very hard to enjoy such a lovingly built world.
2.75 stars because there was some pretty clever rhyming fae couplets that attention wasn't called to at all - deserved to be read out loud. But that's all you get, Rothfuss, unless your next one really nails it out of the park.
The Wise Man's Fear suffers from a lack of flow. The novel reads like a list of plot-points that Rothfuss needed to include, but didn't know how to put together. The result: 4 or 5 very distinct stories about Kvothe being awesome, ending almost exactly where we began.
To be clear, this isn't all bad: it is exciting to see the world that Rothfuss has built, and refreshing to see some new characters and cultures. New mysteries are introduced (though almost no old ones resolved), and old, tired plot points (student rivalry, continuing financial struggles) are thankfully put on hold while we explore a more adult world - a world where Kvothe's unending snark, intelligence, magical abilities, and musical talents are still often, but not exclusively, the solution to all his problems. And Kvothe is such an asshole, that when he does something genuinely kind, it seems out of character or strange.
Unfortunately, we see Rothfuss true weakness divulged: character development. Throughout all his travels, Kvothe's attitudes don't change. Not one bit. And there's plenty of opportunity - in fact, one of the last main adventures focused on Kvothe having to learn new languages and new ways of thinking and acting, and new societal norms - and amazingly he walks away without any growth at all.
Somehow, Kvothe spends months with a community of Adem, and doesn't pick up any of the lessons on Lethani? He gains their trust, learns the culture, earns his place... and 5 days later he murders an entire troop of (bad) people without blinking an eye, and then sabotages Ambrose some more for no reason. Seriously? He doesn't even discuss the transition back into his own language, or any of the mindfulness or lessons. This is infuriating, and shows that the author simply needed a quick way to give him sword skills and nothing else. Lazy prep work for book 3.
The meandering tangents could have been incredibly satisfying if the protagonist, Kvothe, came back from them with any character development at all. Kvothe commits some pretty dark deeds with his arcane abilities, but it doesn't matter. There is no consequences for the snarky, smartass Kvothe. Inexplicably, the climax of this book was somewhere near the midway point, with everything else seemingly tacked on as either preparation for the next book, or cringe-worthy author self-insert.
However, the largest issue in the book was not the pacing, the character development, or the meandering. It was revelation that the books poor writing and attitudes re: women were not just Kvothe's childish narration, but the author's real feelings.
Author fantasy is the only reason Kvothe could have spent so long fucking a sex goddess. It was completely unrelated to the rest of the story and was only added to make Kvothe good at even more things. And now he's a woman expert? Good lord, Rothfuss, this is an embarrassing revelation on what you think women are! And if it's Kvothe that feels this way, not you, why would I want to read it?
Kvothe's new (inexplicable) sexual prowess in this book suddenly give way to incredibly misogynistic moments such as "each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, and finely played, to have at least her own true music made" (WOW) Almost all his new female teachers and peers all want a piece. Are there any women in this series that aren't sexual objects? Even his friend Denna has become this treasure that he yearns for, just out of reach.
All in all, this book is cringey male fantasy at it's ugliest. The beautiful writing and lovely world-building cannot hide the problems. The protagonist Kvothe: the smartest, most talented, most clever, funny, snarky student has now gained the best physical abilities and best sexual powers, and he didn't even have to learn or change anything! My eyes cannot roll far enough. Kvothe - the protagonist built for internet trolls and incels - makes it very hard to enjoy such a lovingly built world.
2.75 stars because there was some pretty clever rhyming fae couplets that attention wasn't called to at all - deserved to be read out loud. But that's all you get, Rothfuss, unless your next one really nails it out of the park.