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savvylit's reviews
443 reviews
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice
Moon of the Turning Leaves is such a satisfying and captivating continuation of the events from the first book. It was genuinely fascinating to experience more of Rice's post-apocalyptic world through the eyes of the exploratory walking group. Gradually, as the group ventures further South, more and more is revealed about how the first days after the blackout went for the rest of so-called Ontario.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? No
4.0
Moon of the Turning Leaves is such a satisfying and captivating continuation of the events from the first book. It was genuinely fascinating to experience more of Rice's post-apocalyptic world through the eyes of the exploratory walking group. Gradually, as the group ventures further South, more and more is revealed about how the first days after the blackout went for the rest of so-called Ontario.
The most major strength of this novel lies in the perspective of Nangohns, Evan's teenage daughter. Nangohns had been so young when the post-apocalyptic era began that the world outside her community is practically unknown to her. Nangohns is living proof of her people's ability to continue in and adapt to the changing world. Furthermore, this book's events show how clear it is that she is her father's daughter; Nangohns, like Evan, is deeply committed to protecting her people and continuing the Anishinaabe way of life.
Moon of the Turning Leaves is decidedly a sequel and thus would likely not make sense as a standalone thriller. However, when paired with its predecessor, Rice has written yet another truly riveting saga of indigenous resilience.
Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the advance reader copy of Moon of the Turning Leaves in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own. Moon of the Turning Leaves is out now in both the US and Canada!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
The Free People's Village by Sim Kern
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The concept of the Free People's Village? Amazing. I love the idea of autonomous zones, especially ones that crop up in protest. Some of the aspects of the Village - including group meals, art builds, and horizontal organization - warmed my leftist heart to see illustrated on the page. I also really appreciated many of the anti-authoritarian & abolitionist sentiments shared by the character of Gestas. He reminded me of people I know & love in real life.
Beyond the aspects mentioned above, though, I did not enjoy this book. I tried to write a thorough review explaining all of the reasons why but I ran into the Instagram character limit. Thus, I present to you a list of qualms:
1. Maddie is irritatingly spineless and naive. She has nearly zero personality beyond being in love & being afraid.
2. Maddie constantly demands the emotional labor of people of color to assuage her fears and extreme naivete.
3. The love interest, Red, is sexy but super toxic. It seemed we were supposed to be rooting for xim & Maddie. I couldn't.
4. The structure of this book is uneven and jumbled. It's a journal but the jumps in time are often abrupt.
5. Everything in this novel is heavy-handed and over-explained. All of part 1, in which the characters are introduced in unnecessarily repetitive detail, could have been eliminated & the story would have been better for it.
6. Relatedly to the above, this is a New Adult story that relies on constantly telling versus showing. I know that Kern has a background in teaching, but I didn't enjoy feeling like one of their students.
7. Parallels & meta nods to our real-world timeline were made. They were cheesy and awkward.
Beyond the aspects mentioned above, though, I did not enjoy this book. I tried to write a thorough review explaining all of the reasons why but I ran into the Instagram character limit. Thus, I present to you a list of qualms:
1. Maddie is irritatingly spineless and naive. She has nearly zero personality beyond being in love & being afraid.
2. Maddie constantly demands the emotional labor of people of color to assuage her fears and extreme naivete.
3. The love interest, Red, is sexy but super toxic. It seemed we were supposed to be rooting for xim & Maddie. I couldn't.
4. The structure of this book is uneven and jumbled. It's a journal but the jumps in time are often abrupt.
5. Everything in this novel is heavy-handed and over-explained. All of part 1, in which the characters are introduced in unnecessarily repetitive detail, could have been eliminated & the story would have been better for it.
6. Relatedly to the above, this is a New Adult story that relies on constantly telling versus showing. I know that Kern has a background in teaching, but I didn't enjoy feeling like one of their students.
7. Parallels & meta nods to our real-world timeline were made. They were cheesy and awkward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Death, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, and Grief
Homie: Poems by Danez Smith
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
"& how many times have you loved me without my asking? how often have i loved a thing because you loved it? including me"
Homie is a declaration of enduring and joyous love. Smith's deep compassion for their friends is a uniting theme in this structurally playful collection. Smith weaves their own identity as a Black, poz, queer, and nonbinary person through poems that capture how loving & living can be frustrating and beautiful at the same time.
.
.
This was my second read for #transrightsreadathon 2024.
Homie is a declaration of enduring and joyous love. Smith's deep compassion for their friends is a uniting theme in this structurally playful collection. Smith weaves their own identity as a Black, poz, queer, and nonbinary person through poems that capture how loving & living can be frustrating and beautiful at the same time.
.
.
This was my second read for #transrightsreadathon 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Grief, and Suicide
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
adventurous
funny
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? Yes
3.0
Distilled down to its essence, Paul takes the form of a mortal girl is a horny, genderfluid coming-of-age novel. Paul is a messy protagonist who doesn't seem to have any goals beyond sleeping with everyone he deems cute or cool. Paul does ultimately have some character development, though it takes a while. Getting to know and then mirroring himself after older queer folks eventually allows him to realize who and how he wants to be.
While this novel is unique conceptually, I didn't love it merely because I am not the intended audience. I think that this novel would be so meaningful and powerful to someone young & queer in the early 1990s, when this book is set. There were so many era-specific cultural references that I could feel going completely over my head. Furthermore, and maybe I'm a prude (?) but I enjoy a little bit more plot or characterization beyond "Paul had sex with this person and then this person" over and over again. Large swaths of the novel were composed entirely of detailed descriptions of Paul's conquests.
I am doing @openbookopen's Queer Your Year reading challenge and one of the prompts is "Genderfuckery!" and if Paul takes the form of a mortal girl could be summed up in one word, it would definitely be that. Also - this was my first read of #transrightsreadathon 2024!
While this novel is unique conceptually, I didn't love it merely because I am not the intended audience. I think that this novel would be so meaningful and powerful to someone young & queer in the early 1990s, when this book is set. There were so many era-specific cultural references that I could feel going completely over my head. Furthermore, and maybe I'm a prude (?) but I enjoy a little bit more plot or characterization beyond "Paul had sex with this person and then this person" over and over again. Large swaths of the novel were composed entirely of detailed descriptions of Paul's conquests.
I am doing @openbookopen's Queer Your Year reading challenge and one of the prompts is "Genderfuckery!" and if Paul takes the form of a mortal girl could be summed up in one word, it would definitely be that. Also - this was my first read of #transrightsreadathon 2024!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Drug abuse
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, Beautyland is an exceptional novel. With a poet's clarity, Bertino writes astute observations about humankind that range from devastating to comic to astonishing. The characterization in Beautyland is rich and empathetic. I absolutely loved Adina, Toni, Térèse, and Dominic. The nuances of their familial and platonic love are remarkable.
If you'd like to read a book that refuses to shy away from dark, gritty detail yet leaves you feeling hopeful -- you should read Beautyland as soon as you get a chance.
If you'd like to read a book that refuses to shy away from dark, gritty detail yet leaves you feeling hopeful -- you should read Beautyland as soon as you get a chance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical content, and Acephobia/Arophobia
James by Percival Everett
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-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
James is a darkly comic expansion of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Everett has taken characters well-known (Huck Finn) and less-developed (Jim) and made them each richer, more complex, and human. James as protagonist is intelligent, compassionate, skilled, and determined. Much like in the original text, Huck & Jim spend the novel "adventuring" along the Mississippi River. Unlike in the original text, though, there is an undercurrent of terror throughout the narrative. It's a terror specific to Jim's status as a runaway slave in antebellum America. At every turn, there's a possibility that Jim could be captured, beaten, or hung by the white owning class that lurks in every town or hamlet along the river. This element of fear adds a more realistic approach to the so-called adventures for the era in which it's set.
Regardless of your familiarity with Mark Twain's original story and characters, James is a very enjoyable and well-paced historical novel injected with Everett's signature wit.
Thank you @netgalley & @doubledaybooks for the advance reader copy of James in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Regardless of your familiarity with Mark Twain's original story and characters, James is a very enjoyable and well-paced historical novel injected with Everett's signature wit.
Thank you @netgalley & @doubledaybooks for the advance reader copy of James in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Death, Child abuse, Racism, Alcoholism, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, and Alcohol
Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind is a truly terrific anti-work novel. In writing this, McGhee has created an uncomfortable sci-fi setting that feels nearly plausible and also perfectly illustrates the pitfalls of unethical employment. Abernathy as protagonist is a comically gullible and often unlikable young man. His naivete tiptoes the line between believability and satire in a way that kept me riveted throughout. Clearly, McGhee has a deep understanding of American work culture and the desperation that many feel when it comes to finding literally ANY job that may offer a sliver of stability. Though the job that Abernathy accepts is fantastical in nature, it serves as a perfect stand-in for any one of the myriad jobs in this country that ask employees to give up way too much of themselves.
Thank you @astrahousebooks for the advance reader copy of Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you @astrahousebooks for the advance reader copy of Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Confinement, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
The majority of the stories in this collection blend themes of girlhood with Native Hawaiian legend. The folklore figures all have incredibly memorable and ominous presences. There are Menehune, an ancient race of dwarf people. There are Night Marchers, malevolent groups of ancient warrior ghosts. Another unforgettable figure is the Madwoman - who exists only in the pages of Every Drop - but feels as though she could be lurking in the shallows at this very moment. Part-mermaid and part-demon, the Madwoman is one mother's creation to impart lessons on a child who she increasingly doesn't recognize.
On the whole, Every Drop is a Man's Nightmare is a delightfully magical examination of sexuality, gender, race, and class in modern Hawaii. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves stories about girlhood, magical realism, folklore-inspired stories, or indigenous perspectives.
On the whole, Every Drop is a Man's Nightmare is a delightfully magical examination of sexuality, gender, race, and class in modern Hawaii. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves stories about girlhood, magical realism, folklore-inspired stories, or indigenous perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Grief, and Blood
Simple Passion by Annie Ernaux
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Yet again, I have found myself blown away by an Annie Ernaux memoir! Simple Passion is a no-holds-barred account of an affair that Ernaux had with an unnamed married man. In many ways, the narrative paints a rather unflattering portrait of Ernaux as her obsession with her lover consumes her every moment. For instance, Ernaux flies to another country just to be able to send him a postcard! And yet, somehow, the ugly details of her affair are refreshing in a voyeuristic way. Loaded with Ernaux's searing signature honesty, Simple Passion is genuinely a masterpiece of self-reflection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Infidelity
Moderate: Abortion
Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fruit of the Dead is an excellent retelling. By making the Hades character a titan of industry, a lord of addictive pills, Lyon has created a fresh and vivid take on a classic story of Greek mythology. Cory is a perfect Persephone; beautiful, rebellious, and gullible. Emer is also a perfect Demeter; ferociously protective, a little bit wild, man-hating. Essentially, Lyon's vision of the modern underworld is as intoxicating as the fictional pharmaceutical at the center of this novel, Granadone.
Beyond the compelling interpretation of mythology, Fruit of the Dead is loaded with memorable and evocative environs. In particular, Rolo's compound as a setting is so meticulously described that every scene there has a cinematic quality. Perhaps it's because I recently watched Priscilla, but I think this book would translate so well as a Sofia Coppola film. Like in Coppola's films, the focus on girlhood and luxury is a nearly tangible aesthetic.
Thank you @netgalley, @scribnerbooks, and @regality_bites for the advance reader copy of Fruit of the Dead in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Beyond the compelling interpretation of mythology, Fruit of the Dead is loaded with memorable and evocative environs. In particular, Rolo's compound as a setting is so meticulously described that every scene there has a cinematic quality. Perhaps it's because I recently watched Priscilla, but I think this book would translate so well as a Sofia Coppola film. Like in Coppola's films, the focus on girlhood and luxury is a nearly tangible aesthetic.
Thank you @netgalley, @scribnerbooks, and @regality_bites for the advance reader copy of Fruit of the Dead in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Rape