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ribbenkast's reviews
108 reviews
Kafka: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Nishioka Kyodai
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.75
The art in this manga/graphic novel was stunning. I deeply connected with it. Even without the text it felt like visual poetry. Every "shot" felt so intentional and the framing was so well done I wish I could give this book 5 stars just for that. Some highlights: The Vulture, The Trial, The Hunger Artist.
However, as an adaptation it doesn't really work. I'm sorry to admit that I have yet to read any actual Kafka. I bought this book both for the art and I to dip my toe in the water of his work. Some of the short stories are nearly incomprehensible if you haven't read the original unfortunately. Even though the metamorphosis is quite arguably one of Kafka's most famous stories, I found it really hard to follow. This felt a bit alienating to me, as I don't think you can expect your reader to read 9 whole other books in order to comprehend a 170 page manga.
It did make me excited to actually start reading Kafka now.
However, as an adaptation it doesn't really work. I'm sorry to admit that I have yet to read any actual Kafka. I bought this book both for the art and I to dip my toe in the water of his work. Some of the short stories are nearly incomprehensible if you haven't read the original unfortunately. Even though the metamorphosis is quite arguably one of Kafka's most famous stories, I found it really hard to follow. This felt a bit alienating to me, as I don't think you can expect your reader to read 9 whole other books in order to comprehend a 170 page manga.
It did make me excited to actually start reading Kafka now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Intervals by Marianne Brooker
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
It's well written, and it's a serious indictment to the state of the NHS, the right to choose and how money affects qaulity of live and end of live care. I gave it a good try, it just wasn't for me.
Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Published in 2023, The Reformatory will hopefully become an important historical classic in the future. Coming from a long line of civil rights activitis, Tananarive Due did her due dilligence with her research for this novel, which is an homage to her family and her real love relative Robert Stephens who died in a real live "Reformatory" in 1937.
This is horror how horror should be. The ghosts, or haints, are an excellent tool to show the real live horrors that went on. The supernatural world building was amazing, it was made so believable that it made me wonder why our world isn't filled with vengeful ghosts. The prose was very strong and the tension was so real and my heart whept for every character, dead or alive.
I'm going to be honest, the first 20 chapters are kind of slow. But they are necessary to paint the picture of the times. Many minor characters get extra attention because of this (for example the Jewish state worker, the NAACP lawyer). Showing what it was like to live in such times. The main point of the book is to show that there wasn't just one person being racist and horrific, it's that the whole system is rotten.
If you don't like slow paced books, maybe skip this one. The plot really kicks off after chapter 20 so if you've picked this up and you think of quitting, keep holding out!
The acknowledgements are also a must read. Due has put in the sources she used for her research and lists many non fiction books about this subject. I know I'll be picking some of these up to learn more.
This is horror how horror should be. The ghosts, or haints, are an excellent tool to show the real live horrors that went on. The supernatural world building was amazing, it was made so believable that it made me wonder why our world isn't filled with vengeful ghosts. The prose was very strong and the tension was so real and my heart whept for every character, dead or alive.
I'm going to be honest, the first 20 chapters are kind of slow. But they are necessary to paint the picture of the times. Many minor characters get extra attention because of this (for example the Jewish state worker, the NAACP lawyer). Showing what it was like to live in such times. The main point of the book is to show that there wasn't just one person being racist and horrific, it's that the whole system is rotten.
If you don't like slow paced books, maybe skip this one. The plot really kicks off after chapter 20 so if you've picked this up and you think of quitting, keep holding out!
The acknowledgements are also a must read. Due has put in the sources she used for her research and lists many non fiction books about this subject. I know I'll be picking some of these up to learn more.
Leegland by Marjan Brouwers
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Ik was van te voren erg enthousiast. Een Nederlandse distopie die gebruik maakt van ons unieke landschap dat onder de zeespiegel ligt sprak mij erg aan. Het idee is ontzettend sterk en geeft veel mogelijkheden voor een zeer interessant verhaal. Dolblij heb ik mijn reservering van de bieb opgehaald.
Helaas heb in dit boek al na 27 pagina's weg moeten leggen. Ik ben niet zo snel een afhaker, maar binnen deze gelezen 27 pagina's ging er naar mijn mening al zoveel fout dat in de moed verloor voor de rest van het boek. Ik heb het idee dat de schrijfster een goed idee had, dit in een rits heeft opgeschreven en verder geen onderzoek heeft gedaan.
Op plaatsen waar plek was voor creativiteit miste ik die (wat voor naam is vikingvirus) en op plaatsen waar je als auteur toch wat onderzoek hoort te doen klopten de details niet (een dodelijk virus kan geen 25 jaar stabiel blijven, zo werkt een microscoop niet etc.) Ik heb toch graag wat meer realistische en voornamelij goed onderbouwde science in mijn science fiction.
Ook ben ik geen fan van hoe snel de actie verliep. Karakters vergeten hun eigen veiligheid om dingen hardop te zeggen die ze onder het geimpliceerde regime nooit hardop kunnen zeggen. Dit eigenlijk vooral om deze informatie met de lezer te delen in plaats van met elkaar. Binnen 27 pagina's werd al duidelijk dat de karakters erg vlak waren met slechts één uitvergroot karakter detail (neem een shot elke keer als Senna over Yasmin begint). Voor een "slimme" wetenschapper is Julius ook nogal traag van begrip.
Erg jammer, het concept is en blijft namelijk heel sterk. Helaas denk ik dat Marjan Brouwer nog niet de schrijfvaardigheid heeft ontwikkeld om zo'n ambitieus boek te schrijven.
Helaas heb in dit boek al na 27 pagina's weg moeten leggen. Ik ben niet zo snel een afhaker, maar binnen deze gelezen 27 pagina's ging er naar mijn mening al zoveel fout dat in de moed verloor voor de rest van het boek. Ik heb het idee dat de schrijfster een goed idee had, dit in een rits heeft opgeschreven en verder geen onderzoek heeft gedaan.
Op plaatsen waar plek was voor creativiteit miste ik die (wat voor naam is vikingvirus) en op plaatsen waar je als auteur toch wat onderzoek hoort te doen klopten de details niet (een dodelijk virus kan geen 25 jaar stabiel blijven, zo werkt een microscoop niet etc.) Ik heb toch graag wat meer realistische en voornamelij goed onderbouwde science in mijn science fiction.
Ook ben ik geen fan van hoe snel de actie verliep. Karakters vergeten hun eigen veiligheid om dingen hardop te zeggen die ze onder het geimpliceerde regime nooit hardop kunnen zeggen. Dit eigenlijk vooral om deze informatie met de lezer te delen in plaats van met elkaar. Binnen 27 pagina's werd al duidelijk dat de karakters erg vlak waren met slechts één uitvergroot karakter detail (neem een shot elke keer als Senna over Yasmin begint). Voor een "slimme" wetenschapper is Julius ook nogal traag van begrip.
Erg jammer, het concept is en blijft namelijk heel sterk. Helaas denk ik dat Marjan Brouwer nog niet de schrijfvaardigheid heeft ontwikkeld om zo'n ambitieus boek te schrijven.
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
This book is exactly what the title suggests: a complete fever dream.
The prose and storytelling devise were interesting enough. I liked the themes of motherhood, grief and the various motives used by the author. Overall I think this book is very clever and has all the checkmarks of becoming a future classic.
But (and this might be a translation issue) I found it hard to understand what was going on. Despite It's overall literary quality I couldn't quite manage to connect with the book personally. I like unreliable narrotors, especially ones that also have no clue about what is actually happening, but I felt like the hints that are supposed to tell the reader what was actually going on where too hidden away in throwaway lines and are easily missed. You have to be paying attention to every single little word in every sentence and whilst I can respect that whenever an author is doing that, I just didnt care much for it with this particular story.
Also, the back blurb and especially the recommendation qoutes on the inside promised me a bone chilling horror story that would "make me lock the doors at night". Why? The "danger" in the book (if you could call it that) has nothing to do with horror and does not leave you spooked.
The prose and storytelling devise were interesting enough. I liked the themes of motherhood, grief and the various motives used by the author. Overall I think this book is very clever and has all the checkmarks of becoming a future classic.
But (and this might be a translation issue) I found it hard to understand what was going on. Despite It's overall literary quality I couldn't quite manage to connect with the book personally. I like unreliable narrotors, especially ones that also have no clue about what is actually happening, but I felt like the hints that are supposed to tell the reader what was actually going on where too hidden away in throwaway lines and are easily missed. You have to be paying attention to every single little word in every sentence and whilst I can respect that whenever an author is doing that, I just didnt care much for it with this particular story.
Also, the back blurb and especially the recommendation qoutes on the inside promised me a bone chilling horror story that would "make me lock the doors at night". Why? The "danger" in the book (if you could call it that) has nothing to do with horror and does not leave you spooked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is the first book that promised me weirdness and actually deliverd. None of the dialogue feels realistic, every single character in this book is deeply flawed, unlikeable and quite frankly invented new ways to be insane. But that's exactly the point.
The writing is unlike anything I've ever read. Jen Beagin is amazing with language. Some sentences feel like a punch in the face, but it somehow feels good.
I understand that it's a defisive book, it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea and that's okay. Personally I had an amazing time with it and I will ad it to my list of favourites.
If you think Sheena Patel's 'I'm a fan' and Melissa Broder's 'Milk Fed' were fun but you wanted something more out there, than this is the book for you.
The writing is unlike anything I've ever read. Jen Beagin is amazing with language. Some sentences feel like a punch in the face, but it somehow feels good.
I understand that it's a defisive book, it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea and that's okay. Personally I had an amazing time with it and I will ad it to my list of favourites.
If you think Sheena Patel's 'I'm a fan' and Melissa Broder's 'Milk Fed' were fun but you wanted something more out there, than this is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
The consent between Greta and Big Swiss is kind of dubious the entire time since Greta is obviously lying about who she is.