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powerpuffgoat's reviews
73 reviews
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
What a sad and beautiful book. I'm not usually a fan of child POV chapters, but Melanie's perspective was done very well, showing the world through her eyes, her mind shifting from innocent and inquisitive to recognizing the state of affairs.
There was a good balance of adult POVs, everyone carrying their own trauma in this post-apocalyptic setting. And speaking of the setting, it was executed so well!Some may say it fits the horror genre, what with the "zombie" tropes, but I love the fungal threat and the borderline sci-fi feel of this book. Plus, Helen's ultimate fate is pure horror.
I'm hesitant to read the sequel because part of me wants more of that world, and part of me worries that it won't be as good as the first book and taint the overall experience.
There was a good balance of adult POVs, everyone carrying their own trauma in this post-apocalyptic setting. And speaking of the setting, it was executed so well!
I'm hesitant to read the sequel because part of me wants more of that world, and part of me worries that it won't be as good as the first book and taint the overall experience.
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
3.25
This book was okay. It started pretty well, and although I found Sophie's chapters quite bland, the past timeline following Tallulah was fascinating and heartbreaking. I just couldn't help but worry about this girl, trying her best to please everyone, still discovering who she is - as we all did at that age. Seeing the devastation that her disappearance created for her mum made the reveal even more heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, the final part of the book also seemed to drag on. The endingwas bittersweet. On one hand, they recovered Tallulah. On the other, can you imagine how traumatized that girl is? And even though there is seemingly retribution for the people who tortured her, including Zach, it just felt sad.
It's a good read to pick up when you want something easy to read, though the subjects here are rather heavy.
Unfortunately, the final part of the book also seemed to drag on. The ending
It's a good read to pick up when you want something easy to read, though the subjects here are rather heavy.
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
This book was a disappointment, especially compared to the first installment. I appreciate that I have to account for things lost in translation, but even so, the narration was incredibly dry and Wikipedia-like.
And the dialogue, oh my god, the dialogue. It was pretty much one exposition dump after another. Oh look, there is a scientist explaining some concept in layman's terms. Oh look, there is a military personnel explaining some military strategy in layman's terms. Oh look, there is a nurse briefing a person who just woke up how the world has changed. And probably the most cartoonish instance - wall breakers announcing who they were and doing the whole villain speech.
Aside from bad dialogue, there were leaps in logic that just felt ridiculous. What was the purpose of wall breakers revealing who they are? Why wouldn't they simply sabotage the wallfacers plans - I mean, the thing blocking solar frequencies did exactly that, no grand announcement. Why would you do a nuclear test on Mercury and not consider how that would affect the solar system as a whole? Why would a wallfacer kill himself after his plan was uncovered?
The first book had some interesting concepts, and the exploration of how humans react to a completely alien civilization, and how that reflects the dynamic on Earth.
This book felt twice as long (even though there were maybe 20-25% more pages) with heaps and heaps of boring. I like the dark forest theory, but by the time we reach that part, it was delivered in such an exhausting way (yes, exposition dialogue again) I barely cared anymore.
Then there is the whole perfect woman subplot. Aside from being icky, I don't feel like to propelled the plot in any way, all it did for me is make it difficult to sympathise with Luo Ji. Actually, because of the narration style, I pretty much didn't care about any individual character.
And the dialogue, oh my god, the dialogue. It was pretty much one exposition dump after another. Oh look, there is a scientist explaining some concept in layman's terms. Oh look, there is a military personnel explaining some military strategy in layman's terms. Oh look, there is a nurse briefing a person who just woke up how the world has changed. And probably the most cartoonish instance - wall breakers announcing who they were and doing the whole villain speech.
Aside from bad dialogue, there were leaps in logic that just felt ridiculous. What was the purpose of wall breakers revealing who they are? Why wouldn't they simply sabotage the wallfacers plans - I mean, the thing blocking solar frequencies did exactly that, no grand announcement. Why would you do a nuclear test on Mercury and not consider how that would affect the solar system as a whole? Why would a wallfacer kill himself after his plan was uncovered?
The first book had some interesting concepts, and the exploration of how humans react to a completely alien civilization, and how that reflects the dynamic on Earth.
This book felt twice as long (even though there were maybe 20-25% more pages) with heaps and heaps of boring. I like the dark forest theory, but by the time we reach that part, it was delivered in such an exhausting way (yes, exposition dialogue again) I barely cared anymore.
Then there is the whole perfect woman subplot. Aside from being icky, I don't feel like to propelled the plot in any way, all it did for me is make it difficult to sympathise with Luo Ji. Actually, because of the narration style, I pretty much didn't care about any individual character.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
5.0
Man, I never expected to enjoy this strange story as much as I did. It evoked such strong emotions in me - longing, indignation, protectiveness, regret, fear. I swallowed the book in one sitting (granted, it was short).
I also loved the humour in this book. So dry, it made me genuinely chuckle.
I also loved the humour in this book. So dry, it made me genuinely chuckle.
Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
1.0
Steaming pile of trash. I was not a fan of Tremblay based on previous books I'd read, but this was something else. Had it not been for a book club, I would have long given up.
For such a short book, it felt like it went on forever, and nothing happened. Just pretentious ramblings of young filmmakers who want to make this fuck-you-Hollywood horror movie and call it *checks notes* Horror Movie. Oh, and the story goes over the same scenes multiple times, including badly written screen that tells you how you feel.
For such a short book, it felt like it went on forever, and nothing happened. Just pretentious ramblings of young filmmakers who want to make this fuck-you-Hollywood horror movie and call it *checks notes* Horror Movie. Oh, and the story goes over the same scenes multiple times, including badly written screen that tells you how you feel.
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
fast-paced
2.0
Not a fan. Multiple POVs, two of them told from a child's POVs, which is already a downside for me. Predictable narrative, which wouldn't be bad in itself, but with characters doing things "for the plot" it just felt hammy.
Also, the sheer number of characters translates to the audio format quite poorly. You have a small town, and you gotta name every person, their parents, grandparents, cousins, and dogs? Really?
The only redeeming quality is the horror of the situation, the captivity - for years - and the fear that comes with it.
Also, the sheer number of characters translates to the audio format quite poorly. You have a small town, and you gotta name every person, their parents, grandparents, cousins, and dogs? Really?
The only redeeming quality is the horror of the situation, the captivity - for years - and the fear that comes with it.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
There is a reason why the Hannibal series took off - the first installment does an excellent job setting the scene and laying out the background and motivations of key players.
I think it particularly benefits from introducing Hannibal as a side character; someone who contributed to Will's mindset and the relationship between Will and Jack before the event of Red Dragon began.
Characters like Dr Alan Bloom, Freddy Lounds and even the titular Red Dragon get a great deal of freshing out without exposition dumps.
The present story unfolds at a nice pace, quite masterly really.
However, I found all the female characters written poorly, like they were props, or caricatures, or aliens. I kept thinking, Why do women talk like that in this book? Has the author not met a woman before? Does he think they are a different species?
It tainted my overall impression of the book, and made me somewhat reluctant to read Silence of the Lambs, since it centers around a female character and I don't want her to feel like she breasted boobily down the stairs.
I think it particularly benefits from introducing Hannibal as a side character; someone who contributed to Will's mindset and the relationship between Will and Jack before the event of Red Dragon began.
Characters like Dr Alan Bloom, Freddy Lounds and even the titular Red Dragon get a great deal of freshing out without exposition dumps.
The present story unfolds at a nice pace, quite masterly really.
However, I found all the female characters written poorly, like they were props, or caricatures, or aliens. I kept thinking, Why do women talk like that in this book? Has the author not met a woman before? Does he think they are a different species?
It tainted my overall impression of the book, and made me somewhat reluctant to read Silence of the Lambs, since it centers around a female character and I don't want her to feel like she breasted boobily down the stairs.
The Chain by Adrian McKinty
2.5
Good idea, lackluster (and frankly, ridiculous at times) execution.
As a premise for a thriller, a system that forces regular people hand over their money and commit crimes to provide the bad guys with blackmail material - excellent.
In reality, there were a lot of things that stood in my way of enjoying this book.
The main characters are surprisingly unlikeable, and as much as I understand that they were in a stressful situation, there were some very stupid decisions made by Rachel and Pete. I honestly felt more interested in the story of Eric, but sadly we have to stick with our initial pair (and Rachel's 13-year-old daughter who either sounds too young or too old).
The bad guys behind the whole scheme... Sigh. Another reader made the perfect comparison to Scooby Doo villains, whose motivation and behaviour is so cartoonish it's hard to take at face value. Even in the midst of action, they stop to deliver quippy lines.
While the first part of the book features some really dumb decisions, the second part gets progressively worse, and culminates in the most drawn-out nonsense standoff I've ever read.
It doesn't help that the writing dives into strange, uber-specific passages about how technology works, or the exact type of gun someone has, or the exact type of car they drive... Including an app that gives incredibly verbose instructions.
To top it off, there's some cringe "philosophical" musings sprinkled into seemingly random moments throughout the story.
It reminded me (not in a good way) of Blake Crouch, so maybe it's just one of those things that isn't for me.
As a premise for a thriller, a system that forces regular people hand over their money and commit crimes to provide the bad guys with blackmail material - excellent.
In reality, there were a lot of things that stood in my way of enjoying this book.
The main characters are surprisingly unlikeable, and as much as I understand that they were in a stressful situation, there were some very stupid decisions made by Rachel and Pete. I honestly felt more interested in the story of Eric, but sadly we have to stick with our initial pair (and Rachel's 13-year-old daughter who either sounds too young or too old).
The bad guys behind the whole scheme... Sigh. Another reader made the perfect comparison to Scooby Doo villains, whose motivation and behaviour is so cartoonish it's hard to take at face value. Even in the midst of action, they stop to deliver quippy lines.
While the first part of the book features some really dumb decisions, the second part gets progressively worse, and culminates in the most drawn-out nonsense standoff I've ever read.
It doesn't help that the writing dives into strange, uber-specific passages about how technology works, or the exact type of gun someone has, or the exact type of car they drive... Including an app that gives incredibly verbose instructions.
To top it off, there's some cringe "philosophical" musings sprinkled into seemingly random moments throughout the story.
It reminded me (not in a good way) of Blake Crouch, so maybe it's just one of those things that isn't for me.
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
3.25
Going into it, I admit I was biased because I didn't like the only other book by Tremblay I've read. However, I opted for an audiobook this time in hopes that more passive absorption of the text would help. To an extent, it did.
Good things first. The premise isn't new (zombie-like pandemic that affects humans and other animals). The book was published in 2020, so I assume it was written before COVID unraveled, and it's incredible how much the author nailed the vibe. The not quite knowing what you're supposed to do. The haphazard handling of the pandemic by the authorities. The overrun hospitals and overworked medical staff. The right-wing anti-wax crowds that are as cowardly as they are stupid. Uncanny.
Unfortunately, I was faced with the same issue as I encountered in The Cabin. The pacing switches between high-action, present tense chapters and painful ruminations of the main characters. Natalie's character was difficult to sympathise with, both her dialogue and her recordings to her future baby were kind of annoying. Yes-yes, I know she is in a terrible situation, but I feel like the author expects us to excuse anything Natalie does based on the fact she is pregnant.
And now we come to my biggest issue with the novel. I feel like many stories use children or pregnancy as a "hack" to up the stakes and get the viewer or reader to root for these vulnerable characters. It felt cheap, even cheaper because of the fate of two young men who helped Natalie and Ramola and the bus full of other mothers and babies our characters shamelessly exposed to sick Natalie.
I hated the way Natalie latches onto the idea of Ramola raising the child, even though she was clearly not keen on it. I hate that Ramola ends up raising the baby anyway because... Women, right? Give 'em a baby, even if they say they don't want one, they will end up a great mother figure!
Good things first. The premise isn't new (zombie-like pandemic that affects humans and other animals). The book was published in 2020, so I assume it was written before COVID unraveled, and it's incredible how much the author nailed the vibe. The not quite knowing what you're supposed to do. The haphazard handling of the pandemic by the authorities. The overrun hospitals and overworked medical staff. The right-wing anti-wax crowds that are as cowardly as they are stupid. Uncanny.
Unfortunately, I was faced with the same issue as I encountered in The Cabin. The pacing switches between high-action, present tense chapters and painful ruminations of the main characters. Natalie's character was difficult to sympathise with, both her dialogue and her recordings to her future baby were kind of annoying. Yes-yes, I know she is in a terrible situation, but I feel like the author expects us to excuse anything Natalie does based on the fact she is pregnant.
And now we come to my biggest issue with the novel. I feel like many stories use children or pregnancy as a "hack" to up the stakes and get the viewer or reader to root for these vulnerable characters. It felt cheap, even cheaper because of the fate of two young men who helped Natalie and Ramola and the bus full of other mothers and babies our characters shamelessly exposed to sick Natalie.
FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven
- Strong character development? No
2.0
What a huge disappointment. From the premise and the first couple of chapters, I got excited. I really shouldn't have.
Lack of cohesion
A good documentary structures the story around a small circle of key players, using interviews with other people to provide context and characterization. A good documentary (just like any story) unfolds gradually, planting seeds, developing characters, piling things on, and leading to some sort of culmination or big reveal.
Sadly, the way this book was structured worked against it. The interviews were disjointed, each person's account written from start to finish, really seeping tension out of the narrative.
The number of players also made it hard to relate stories to one another. You're expecting me to remember this or that person by name, including whatever happened to them or whatever tribe they were a part of? This is even harder because I listened to the audiobook, so it's not like I could flip back a few pages and check who was who.
Lack of reasoning
There doesn't seem to be a trigger for the violence, a viable reason why things devolved into violence, especially at such a rapid pace.
It's not enough to say, "and then they split into tribes and started killing each other". You have to have a trigger or put it into context that makes sense.
Whether it's a strange dystopian society or a deserted island, a monster that requires sacrifice or a lack of resources. With the exception of the fictional amusement park, the book is set in our reality. It's not enough to manufacture a nonsense reason for people to be without their phones and cite boredom as the reason dozens or hundreds of people turn into savages.
Murky timeline
How long were these people stuck in the park? Several times throughout the book, there is reference to a few weeks, but this could mean anything from like three to 8-9 weeks. The start of the book says the Florida national guard entered the grounds on 20th October, at the end of the book, we have a different date in November referencing a distress signal (so, presumably, before any rescue teams made it there).
Furthermore, the onset of violence, territorial fights and formation of factions seems to have happened almost immediately after these people are trapped in the park.
Stereotyping
I'm still unclear on the ages of the young people trapped in this book (college? High school? Mid-twenties?) but the author seems to have painted everyone with the same brush. These young people are vapid, obsessed with social media, with zero empathy or critical thinking, with no personality.
It was hard to relate to these caricatures of people, and at times this felt like a big manifesto that condemns social media and a whole generation.
Overall, it feels like a great concept with lackluster execution. A missed opportunity to focus on corporate greed, ill-preparedness for natural disasters, the struggle of rescue services... It could have explored the ethical dilemmas we face trying to survive in extreme circumstances, like that hospital where patients were eithanized during a hurricane. Instead, it's "Young people can have shelter and food, but without Facebook they revolt".
Rated 2 because the audiobook narrators did a good job and the premise was promising.
Lack of cohesion
A good documentary structures the story around a small circle of key players, using interviews with other people to provide context and characterization. A good documentary (just like any story) unfolds gradually, planting seeds, developing characters, piling things on, and leading to some sort of culmination or big reveal.
Sadly, the way this book was structured worked against it. The interviews were disjointed, each person's account written from start to finish, really seeping tension out of the narrative.
The number of players also made it hard to relate stories to one another. You're expecting me to remember this or that person by name, including whatever happened to them or whatever tribe they were a part of? This is even harder because I listened to the audiobook, so it's not like I could flip back a few pages and check who was who.
Lack of reasoning
There doesn't seem to be a trigger for the violence, a viable reason why things devolved into violence, especially at such a rapid pace.
It's not enough to say, "and then they split into tribes and started killing each other". You have to have a trigger or put it into context that makes sense.
Whether it's a strange dystopian society or a deserted island, a monster that requires sacrifice or a lack of resources. With the exception of the fictional amusement park, the book is set in our reality. It's not enough to manufacture a nonsense reason for people to be without their phones and cite boredom as the reason dozens or hundreds of people turn into savages.
Murky timeline
How long were these people stuck in the park? Several times throughout the book, there is reference to a few weeks, but this could mean anything from like three to 8-9 weeks. The start of the book says the Florida national guard entered the grounds on 20th October, at the end of the book, we have a different date in November referencing a distress signal (so, presumably, before any rescue teams made it there).
Furthermore, the onset of violence, territorial fights and formation of factions seems to have happened almost immediately after these people are trapped in the park.
Stereotyping
I'm still unclear on the ages of the young people trapped in this book (college? High school? Mid-twenties?) but the author seems to have painted everyone with the same brush. These young people are vapid, obsessed with social media, with zero empathy or critical thinking, with no personality.
It was hard to relate to these caricatures of people, and at times this felt like a big manifesto that condemns social media and a whole generation.
Overall, it feels like a great concept with lackluster execution. A missed opportunity to focus on corporate greed, ill-preparedness for natural disasters, the struggle of rescue services... It could have explored the ethical dilemmas we face trying to survive in extreme circumstances, like that hospital where patients were eithanized during a hurricane. Instead, it's "Young people can have shelter and food, but without Facebook they revolt".
Rated 2 because the audiobook narrators did a good job and the premise was promising.