porgyreads's reviews
148 reviews

Frost by C.N. Crawford

2.25

Read as a palette cleanser bc easy thoughtless vibes but I think I’m gonna have to swear off the fae books because kellen graves is the goat and if it’s not the Ross blood series it’s not hitting for me.

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

5.0

The way I knewwww it had to end in the way it did but didn’t deep how much each character would fight till the bitter end. Fonda Lee’s incorporation of soft power in this book? Her mind is massive. The progressing social-political landscape of Kekon was just as riveting to me as the characters and the writing. That strategist experience in the CV was working overtime. Shed a few tears for the Kaul family (not even going to say who because it’s not fair and I’m in denial) loved the depictions of masculinity and it’s ties to power esp alongside such nuanced depictions of femininity enduring in a masculine environment. Ayt Mada aka one of the best villains in a fantasy series ever. Genuinely don’t think I’ve read such a robust trilogy of books apart from the Daevabad trilogy: it started strong and got stronger because all it’s characters did the same. 

Jade War by Fonda Lee

4.5

This was kind of epic. I just finished it so no coherent review can me written yet but the action to politics ratio is such a fine line that Fonda Lee really walks with ease. Everything slots together so neatly, everything is so well considered, almost scared to read jade legacy if I’m honest. 

Jade City by Fonda Lee

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I know this is going to sound ridiculous but Jade City is like Batman if the Wayne family had multiple siblings and they had to try and do what Batman does as a family WITH a magic system thrown in the mix. When I first started it I wasn’t in the mood for a political fantasy but this second try just worked for me on the back of me watching the dark knight trilogy. In my head Janloon is soooo Gotham coded it’s crazy but still very much it’s own world. 

Heart HURT at this ending purely for Anden and I’m legit scared for whatever his future is looking like in the next two books.

Craft wise this is how you write a fucking fantasy book christttt. Every piece of info you get is connected to the action and relates directly the scene you’re in or about to get. The religious aspects and how they were intertwined with story were sublime and would love to see more of how that lore informs the trilogy. Midpoint climax completely rearranged the chess board for the characters. The descriptions were beautiful but weren’t flowery and I appreciated how befitting they were with the world created - lots of metaphors and similise regarding animals in characters speech. The lore based phrases/euphemism like coming down from the forest or the whispering of a persons name contributed to the establishment of the world. The set up of the clans: fingers, fists, pillars, horns, weathermen etc was just clever and easy to follow. 

The magic system was intelligent, complex and most importantly cool, and though the magic itself wasn’t the central theme of conflict in terms of its physical use in the story I could never be mad at this departure from tradition. Jade is so allegorically rich it lends itself to political intrigue that manoeuvres the book. Fonda Lee interrogates magic as a means of power that provides a social commentary and it’s not heavy handed or reductive hence all the awards and praise. 

The only reason it’s not getting the full 5 is because I have hopes for the next books to surpass it and don’t want to be too hasty so it’s like a 4.5 really. 

The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman

4.75

When I say I devoured this?? I don’t think I’ve been this invested in a novel in a minute honestly. For something I picked up on a whim rec online, in the middle of the day, I could barely tear myself away to have dinner and finished it promptly afterwords. 80% in I had no idea where it was going to go but I knew where I didn’t want it to go and what about Y I did and didn’t want to be true but wow. I can see that some people might think the end was somewhat anticlimactic or unrealistic even but I didn’t think so. Also. “He’s not ready to be the person he is” CORKER of a last line.

The Power by Naomi Alderman

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I understand what it aim was: that skewing the distribution of power in the world doesn’t actually mean anything will change. Absolute power corrupts absolutely etc etc. But honestly it’s too nihilistic for me to believe in it’s supposed brilliance,  suffers from a plot hole of an ending that undermines its extensive research and coasts on the potential of its premise. Granted, I do accept it’s a very hard premise to execute because of the scope and the endless angles at which the subject can be interrogated. But I think the nuance in terms of gender constructs and where trans and non binary people would sit in the world would contribute so much to the narrative and is left completely untapped. Shame.

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I’m not sure what I was expecting but it was better than that, and yet it still missed a mark I cannot (currently) identify.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

slow-paced

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

5.0

Second attempt at finishing the novel but it was worth it. 

Intimations by Zadie Smith

hopeful informative medium-paced

3.5

Overall, I enjoyed it. Definitely a good essay collection but i wouldn’t say it blew my mind.

The final essay is brilliant and the penultimate essay probably should’ve been cut. 

My first zadie smith and I’m not overwhelmed but I’m intrigued to see what her fiction is saying.

Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent

2.75

dnfed in January. Returned to give it another go and the ending did not make me want to read what happens next so… flop!