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sarahdm's reviews
207 reviews
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
3.5
The ideas about this book I feel like are really dated, especially with trans and non-binary being in the main stream. I understand how it could be ground breaking in 1969 when it was publish. However, the language in this book is VERY gendered despite the whole idea of being that the aliens do not have gender/sex. I understand that the main character Ai does not understand the culture so his use of the gendered language makes sense up until he becomes more excepting. But Ai never switches to a less gendered language. Singular they/them has been English canon for 500 years, there was nothing stopping Guin from using none gendered language.
The first half of the book does drag and honestly I thought about DNF-ing but I was doing a buddy read so I stuck with it. The story really hits the ground at about chapter 13 and I got fully invested. I really grew to love the two main characters and their relationship, which I feel like is the real story here.
I love these characters, I love their relationship. this book has some banger quotes like "A friend. What is a friend, in a world where any friend may be a lover at a new phase of the moon?” I have read another Guin book "The Dispossessed" and in comparison, while I think Dispossessed's ideas aged better, Left Hand has a better plot and characters. I think this book is work reading. Solid 3.5 stars I think, just maybe curb your expectations. If you are on the fence, I could also recommend BBC's radio adoptions of this book which is a lot more condensed but still very fun.
The first half of the book does drag and honestly I thought about DNF-ing but I was doing a buddy read so I stuck with it. The story really hits the ground at about chapter 13 and I got fully invested. I really grew to love the two main characters and their relationship, which I feel like is the real story here.
I love these characters, I love their relationship. this book has some banger quotes like "A friend. What is a friend, in a world where any friend may be a lover at a new phase of the moon?” I have read another Guin book "The Dispossessed" and in comparison, while I think Dispossessed's ideas aged better, Left Hand has a better plot and characters. I think this book is work reading. Solid 3.5 stars I think, just maybe curb your expectations. If you are on the fence, I could also recommend BBC's radio adoptions of this book which is a lot more condensed but still very fun.
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
2.5
This was cute but I didn't really like any of the characters. Definitely not for me.
The Departure by K.A. Applegate
3.0
Cassie walks in the woods and chats morals and philosophy. Cassie is a hypocrite and can't just MAKE A CHOICE or decide what the fuck she actually values.
Anyway, last half of the book is really good. Really enjoy Jake's chapter's this book.
Anyway, last half of the book is really good. Really enjoy Jake's chapter's this book.
In the Time of Dinosaurs by K.A. Applegate
5.0
On the surface this is a goofy adventure where the kids see dinosaurs. But a lot of dark themes and trauma are explored in this one.
Jake almost dying (again). Cassie kills. Tobias and Ax choose genocide. Rachel....well actually our resident Miss Murder is actually fine. (Honestly she's thriving). And of course the kids look on as they contemplate their own annihilation and a world-ending event as they witness 66 million years of Earth's history flash before their eyes.
This series really is at its best when its exploring the physical and mental trauma that these little child soldiers are going through.
Jake almost dying (again). Cassie kills. Tobias and Ax choose genocide. Rachel....well actually our resident Miss Murder is actually fine. (Honestly she's thriving). And of course the kids look on as they contemplate their own annihilation and a world-ending event as they witness 66 million years of Earth's history flash before their eyes.
This series really is at its best when its exploring the physical and mental trauma that these little child soldiers are going through.
Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures by Katherine Rundell
3.0
Cute, short, a nice little break. Although it is basically a collection of wikipedia pages.
The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan
4.0
If "The Crown Tower" endeared me to Hadrian "The Crown Tower" has endeared me to Royce.
Royce shows off his personality a lot in this book. We get a glimpse into the how and why of this little psycho and watch as he tried to figure out how to function as a normal human being (and fail at it). Its like watching a feral cat be pet for the first time in his life and I love it.
Hadrian, while not the star of this book, also had some great moments that made me love him even more.
I'm pretty neutral on Rueben but I liked watching as he became just another cog in the huge mess/twist in the last half of the book. Hoping that we get to see him be changed by these events.
Missed Gwen a lot this book. Always wanna see more of here.
Honestly the only problem with this book is that its a little slow. But I really think this book is better than "The Crown Tower." I think for this if this is the spot in the story that you decide to start you really gotta give it 2 books to get its hooks in you.
Royce shows off his personality a lot in this book. We get a glimpse into the how and why of this little psycho and watch as he tried to figure out how to function as a normal human being (and fail at it). Its like watching a feral cat be pet for the first time in his life and I love it.
Hadrian, while not the star of this book, also had some great moments that made me love him even more.
I'm pretty neutral on Rueben but I liked watching as he became just another cog in the huge mess/twist in the last half of the book. Hoping that we get to see him be changed by these events.
Missed Gwen a lot this book. Always wanna see more of here.
Honestly the only problem with this book is that its a little slow. But I really think this book is better than "The Crown Tower." I think for this if this is the spot in the story that you decide to start you really gotta give it 2 books to get its hooks in you.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Omnibus) Vol. 1-2 by Uoto
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
I think my biggest negative is just how wordy this manga is. Some of these panels were just walls of text.
I do really like the art! I love when the manga uses full pages and wide panels. Close ups of eyes and faces looked great. (This artist REALLY likes drawling eyes) Gore and violence scene with full pages were great.
I did skim the entire series.I think that its interesting that this manga does really focus on one character but the theory talked about in the story itself. (the inquisitor is the only consistent character) Like heliocentrism and thaumazein is the actual main character.
I'm sad that the subject matter didn't hook be because the art and panel presentation is something I really enjoy. Definitely something you should pic up if you like historical fiction.
I do really like the art! I love when the manga uses full pages and wide panels. Close ups of eyes and faces looked great. (This artist REALLY likes drawling eyes) Gore and violence scene with full pages were great.
I did skim the entire series.
I'm sad that the subject matter didn't hook be because the art and panel presentation is something I really enjoy. Definitely something you should pic up if you like historical fiction.
The Decision by K.A. Applegate
4.0
"Its a terrible thing, living when so many others had died."
This book honestly goes so hard. Its a little slow in the beginning but Ax gets a lot of character development in this one. Really get an insight into the kind of culture he grew up in. Also a ton of cool sci-fi stuff going down in this one. Definitely a favorite now.
This book honestly goes so hard. Its a little slow in the beginning but Ax gets a lot of character development in this one. Really get an insight into the kind of culture he grew up in. Also a ton of cool sci-fi stuff going down in this one. Definitely a favorite now.
Let It Glow by Joanne Levy, Marissa Meyer
2.0
Holiday version of the parent trap sounds fun. Unfortunately it just wasn't working for me.
I felt like the author didn't really focus enough on either holidays traditions and meanings. It was almost like the book was trying very hard to be secular. I know both holidays can be pretty secular traditions (Christmas especially and Hanukkah is a pretty minor Jewish holiday) but it just makes the book feel like it doesn't really have anything to say. I'm not even religious I don't know why this bothered me so much.
Also I didn't really like either of the main characters, Aviva being the worse of the two. The author sure can write selfish 12 year olds very realistically I'll tell you that.
This was cute, but it just felt empty.
I felt like the author didn't really focus enough on either holidays traditions and meanings. It was almost like the book was trying very hard to be secular. I know both holidays can be pretty secular traditions (Christmas especially and Hanukkah is a pretty minor Jewish holiday) but it just makes the book feel like it doesn't really have anything to say. I'm not even religious I don't know why this bothered me so much.
Also I didn't really like either of the main characters, Aviva being the worse of the two. The author sure can write selfish 12 year olds very realistically I'll tell you that.
This was cute, but it just felt empty.