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rigbees's reviews
268 reviews
The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The trouble with retellings is that the retelling is constantly in the shadow of its source material. Trying to match the wonderful stagings of Hamlet that I've seen is such a hard standard to meet! And for a debut? That''s gutsy.
The Death I Gave Him mostly succeeds. It knew how to manipulate the dramatic irony of the events to great effect. This was a very good way to approach it, given that it's based on source material the typical reader would be familiar with! Where it fell really feels like the ending to me - it tries to build on the tragedy of Hamlet and I think felt deflationary. The book had written itself into a corner where it had to engage, however, since it had introduced sci-fi elements that weren't in the original
In general, I would recommend this as a good take on Hamlet. I'll likely revisit it as I work on my own retellings, since it gives me some ideas of how to work around the limitations of that type of storytelling.
The Death I Gave Him mostly succeeds. It knew how to manipulate the dramatic irony of the events to great effect. This was a very good way to approach it, given that it's based on source material the typical reader would be familiar with! Where it fell really feels like the ending to me - it tries to build on the tragedy of Hamlet and I think felt deflationary. The book had written itself into a corner where it had to engage, however, since it had introduced sci-fi elements that weren't in the original
In general, I would recommend this as a good take on Hamlet. I'll likely revisit it as I work on my own retellings, since it gives me some ideas of how to work around the limitations of that type of storytelling.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Audiobook read
This book was strong enough that I started taking craft notes to dissect what it was doing. It's a strong epic - and I mean the type of epic that was told orally at the campfire, not dragons-and-knights epic. It is about heroes swept up in a perilous adventure, though, so someone looking for dragons-and-knights would probably be satisfied. The writing blends action and lyrical writing perfectly.
The one thing to note is that it's long. I read it in two parts because my library checkout of the audiobook expired before I could finish it on the first go around. The first half of the novel is also the foundation for what comes later. It's a slower start, but once you hit the tipping point, it falls into each other. It ends strongly, wrapping up an epic in a remarkable artful what that other works in the genre would do well to imitate.
This book was strong enough that I started taking craft notes to dissect what it was doing. It's a strong epic - and I mean the type of epic that was told orally at the campfire, not dragons-and-knights epic. It is about heroes swept up in a perilous adventure, though, so someone looking for dragons-and-knights would probably be satisfied. The writing blends action and lyrical writing perfectly.
The one thing to note is that it's long. I read it in two parts because my library checkout of the audiobook expired before I could finish it on the first go around. The first half of the novel is also the foundation for what comes later. It's a slower start, but once you hit the tipping point, it falls into each other. It ends strongly, wrapping up an epic in a remarkable artful what that other works in the genre would do well to imitate.
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm not typically a romance reader, but I read this book for my LGBT+ book discussion group. This book is notable for its strong emotional arc, the way that characters are each operating in realistic (but different!) levels of emotional intelligence. This feels like the natural growth of "characters are in therapy and trying to do their best but they are still people". Likewise, this book uses place and space very well - it does a great job of moving between locations and possibilities for the main character.
Honestly, I think this book is very well crafted, and it's amazing that it's the service of a plot point focused on "what if you fall in love with your not-boyfriend's dad".
Honestly, I think this book is very well crafted, and it's amazing that it's the service of a plot point focused on "what if you fall in love with your not-boyfriend's dad".
Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Aboreality is the well-deserved winner of the Urusla K Le Guin prize for Fiction. It's an expansion of a novella. In some ways, I think I struggled a bit with this book (and why it's a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star) because it feels more like interconnected short stories at times, and a novella at others. Now, I don't think that works need to align perfectly to a genre/form, but this also is connected to how I feel about the book's focus changing. It begins with a professor at a university trying to save portions of the library's collection before it's lost and ends as a multigenerational story about rebuilding after catastrophes.
This is where I feel like there's a less-than-perfect connection from the original work and where the story goes. However, both parts are wonderfully written with an eye toward imagining a future after devastation. It's one of the works that have resonated with me about what my life and world looks like post-COVID pandemic, esp in all the ways that the world and I have changed since 2020.
This is where I feel like there's a less-than-perfect connection from the original work and where the story goes. However, both parts are wonderfully written with an eye toward imagining a future after devastation. It's one of the works that have resonated with me about what my life and world looks like post-COVID pandemic, esp in all the ways that the world and I have changed since 2020.
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Received this from a book box and decided to listen to the audio book. Very YA plot, so it wasn't the right pick for me.
The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dang, the Broken Earth trilogy has such a strong voice and vision to it. It also has N.K. Jemisin's strong writing that helps her do the work that this book does. The Stone Sky is the conclusion that the series needs. I strongly recommend the entire series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
NK Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy won Hugos for each installment; as I work through it, I understand why. I felt like the ending of the first book (and its twist!) had wrapped up the first installment so well that the second book needed to do significant work in resetting the stakes and building up additional mystery. It delivered! Of course, it helps that the book is in a post-apocalyptic setting and the main character's questions are around saving the world..... but even saving the world requires build-up!
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I don't know if it's the audiobooks I listened to, or reading a novel I've far outgrown, but I just struggled to retain the content of this book. It seemed to literally go in one ear and out the other. I don't think it's a fault of the novel itself, per se, but it didn't work for me. I'll probably try the next book in the series via physical copy instead of audiobook and see if it clicks (if not, I'll probably chalk it up to being a novel for a much younger audience!).
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Damn, this book was good. The first 100 pages and the premise are deception - it's very much a story about living under fascism and then learning about how you've been wrong. Since I'm now in my 30s, I can't really talk much about if I think the teen characters feel like teen, but it feels like there's a great arc around realizing that the thing you want is actively harmful to the world.
When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A horror novel that mostly takes place during the plantation wedding of the Black main character's white high school friend. In this Southern horror novel, the past literally haunts the town where the characters live. It's well-paced with each reveal happening at a satisfying time. The work also strongly speaks to the way the past affects the current future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Slavery