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shanaqui's reviews
1161 reviews
Lost Falls by Curt Pires, Antonio Fuso, Pierluigi Minotti
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
This was... incoherent and nonsensical. Like there were huge chunks missing. The art was completely indistinct -- I kept mixing up several characters who I think were separate people.
Unlikeable Female Characters by Anna Bogutskaya
reflective
medium-paced
1.0
I really liked Anna Bogutskaya's book on horror, but I found Unlikeable Female Characters really... well, obvious? It didn't feel particularly insightful, more like a regurgitation of the plots of various movies and TV series, many of which I was already familiar with.
To be honest, I feel like the question is less why people are so against unlikeable female characters and more why they hate female characters in general, and that's part of why this doesn't satisfy. Growing up being interested in fandom, Gundam Wing and Final Fantasy VIII, there was such rabid hate for characters like Relena Peacecraft and Rinoa Heartily, and on an adult assessment... actually, they were really nice girls.
Digging into that was probably more what I would've been interested in, but even so I found this rather repetitive and unoriginal. I've read this listicle, basically. It makes me wonder if the book on horror was less insightful than I thought, and more obvious to a fan of horror... This was disappointing, anyway.
To be honest, I feel like the question is less why people are so against unlikeable female characters and more why they hate female characters in general, and that's part of why this doesn't satisfy. Growing up being interested in fandom, Gundam Wing and Final Fantasy VIII, there was such rabid hate for characters like Relena Peacecraft and Rinoa Heartily, and on an adult assessment... actually, they were really nice girls.
Digging into that was probably more what I would've been interested in, but even so I found this rather repetitive and unoriginal. I've read this listicle, basically. It makes me wonder if the book on horror was less insightful than I thought, and more obvious to a fan of horror... This was disappointing, anyway.
The Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Received to review via Netgalley
Charlotte Bond's The Bloodless Princes is a pretty immediate follow-up to The Fireborne Blade, so definitely start by reading that. It took me a little bit to get myself back into the world and characters, especially as I experienced the end of the first book as being rather dark and ambiguous, and all signs point here to Bond not... having intended that, and thinking of Maddileh and Saralene as unambiguously "good guys", totally justified in what they did, without any hint of darkness about it. But... sorry, no matter how awful someone has been, using weird dragon/blood magic to take over their body and thus kill them isn't morally neutral.
Once I got past that dissonance, it was still a fun enough read, but I wasn't expecting as much from it, since it kind of retroactively edited The Fireborne Blade to be more straightforwardly heroic than I'd originally thought it. Maddileh and Saralene become a romance plot with more than a hint of Orpheus and Eurydice, and it's kind of predictable. There's some fun lore, and it's nice to understand more about the dragons and how they view their relationship with humans.
It ticks along at a good pace, and I enjoyed it for what it was, but depending on how you felt about The Fireborne Blade other than "ooh, female knight! girl power!", it might be rather disappointing.
Charlotte Bond's The Bloodless Princes is a pretty immediate follow-up to The Fireborne Blade, so definitely start by reading that. It took me a little bit to get myself back into the world and characters, especially as I experienced the end of the first book as being rather dark and ambiguous, and all signs point here to Bond not... having intended that, and thinking of Maddileh and Saralene as unambiguously "good guys", totally justified in what they did, without any hint of darkness about it. But... sorry, no matter how awful someone has been, using weird dragon/blood magic to take over their body and thus kill them isn't morally neutral.
Once I got past that dissonance, it was still a fun enough read, but I wasn't expecting as much from it, since it kind of retroactively edited The Fireborne Blade to be more straightforwardly heroic than I'd originally thought it. Maddileh and Saralene become a romance plot with more than a hint of Orpheus and Eurydice, and it's kind of predictable. There's some fun lore, and it's nice to understand more about the dragons and how they view their relationship with humans.
It ticks along at a good pace, and I enjoyed it for what it was, but depending on how you felt about The Fireborne Blade other than "ooh, female knight! girl power!", it might be rather disappointing.
Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
Received to review via Netgalley
I needed to sit with Seth Haddon's Volatile Memory after I'd finished it, because it left me feeling surprisingly unsettled by its violence and vengeance, the dysphoria of the characters, the intensity of the situations they go through -- the book never stops, lurching from one crisis to another, so that the shock of one event never fully catches up to the characters before the next hits them.
The characters are both queer and both messy and, I guess, "problematic". Wylla isn't the perfect transwoman, Sable's not the perfect... well, let's not get into spoilers. The point is that they turn to violence, they roil in fear and indecision, they rush into things, and you root for them anyway while knowing they are making some awful choices. (Knowing, too, that there aren't any better choices, because that's what their society does, the hands they've been dealt.)
I found the narration really well done: it begins as second person POV, addressed to Wylla, but the speaker also resolves into a character who starts talking about themself in the first person as well. Still, the tone is intimate -- this story is being told to Wylla, in a sense. It makes it all feel very immediate. The story doesn't try to explain itself too much: you have to get on board yourself and figure things out -- and I found that it all fell into place beautifully, without too much of a pause for exposition.
I needed to sit with Seth Haddon's Volatile Memory after I'd finished it, because it left me feeling surprisingly unsettled by its violence and vengeance, the dysphoria of the characters, the intensity of the situations they go through -- the book never stops, lurching from one crisis to another, so that the shock of one event never fully catches up to the characters before the next hits them.
The characters are both queer and both messy and, I guess, "problematic". Wylla isn't the perfect transwoman, Sable's not the perfect... well, let's not get into spoilers. The point is that they turn to violence, they roil in fear and indecision, they rush into things, and you root for them anyway while knowing they are making some awful choices. (Knowing, too, that there aren't any better choices, because that's what their society does, the hands they've been dealt.)
I found the narration really well done: it begins as second person POV, addressed to Wylla, but the speaker also resolves into a character who starts talking about themself in the first person as well. Still, the tone is intimate -- this story is being told to Wylla, in a sense. It makes it all feel very immediate. The story doesn't try to explain itself too much: you have to get on board yourself and figure things out -- and I found that it all fell into place beautifully, without too much of a pause for exposition.
Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
adventurous
emotional
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Received to review via Netgalley
Neon Yang's Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame is a book I'm definitely getting for my sister once it's out -- which, to those who know me/my sister tells you something right up front, but I'll elaborate for the rest of the world! There are dragons, a female protagonist, and a lesbian relationship, which also meets her criteria that the lesbians don't come to a tragic end.
It's also a story of belonging, of dislocation from culture and finding your way back into it, which I'm sure will resonate for a lot of readers, even if the stakes aren't as high as these for most people. Yeva is initially very divorced from her body and her "foreign" appearance, hiding it all to make her own place among the guildknights, but rest assured: that isn't allowed to stand unchallenged (while at the same time she maintains some bond to her adopted home, in the form of her one friendship).
It's a novella, so we don't get large-scale worldbuilding or a very slow build relationship, but what we do get works well for me: Yeva's fumbling attempts to fit into her new place, her confused loyalties, and her growing feelings for Lady Sookhee.
I predicted the twist of the story fairly swiftly, but it was still satisfying to see it play out. I'd have loved a little more play with the strangeness of... well, a certain character (not Yeva), but maybe that would've given the game away too much.
Overall, I really liked it.
Neon Yang's Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame is a book I'm definitely getting for my sister once it's out -- which, to those who know me/my sister tells you something right up front, but I'll elaborate for the rest of the world! There are dragons, a female protagonist, and a lesbian relationship, which also meets her criteria that the lesbians don't come to a tragic end.
It's also a story of belonging, of dislocation from culture and finding your way back into it, which I'm sure will resonate for a lot of readers, even if the stakes aren't as high as these for most people. Yeva is initially very divorced from her body and her "foreign" appearance, hiding it all to make her own place among the guildknights, but rest assured: that isn't allowed to stand unchallenged (while at the same time she maintains some bond to her adopted home, in the form of her one friendship).
It's a novella, so we don't get large-scale worldbuilding or a very slow build relationship, but what we do get works well for me: Yeva's fumbling attempts to fit into her new place, her confused loyalties, and her growing feelings for Lady Sookhee.
I predicted the twist of the story fairly swiftly, but it was still satisfying to see it play out. I'd have loved a little more play with the strangeness of... well, a certain character (not Yeva), but maybe that would've given the game away too much.
Overall, I really liked it.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I'd been looking forward to Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop for quite a while, because I do love my cosy reads, and I especially loved the idea of a sentient spider plant being a major character. And Caz certainly didn't disappoint, and is an excellent sidekick. I also liked what we see of the world, the magic, and of course, the love of books.
In the end, I think I felt a bit dissatisfied because it felt like a world created just for the story -- I didn't have a good sense of what lay beyond its edges, and I don't just mean in terms of a map -- and because the romance felt rushed. It tries to add depth to that with some history between the characters, but it didn't ultimately ring true to me. Adding the depth didn't work because, OK, Larran remembers Kiela, but she doesn't remember him. So things should, at least, have taken more time on her side.
I do love Caz, though, and then the addition of Meep. It was a fun read as long as I didn't think too deeply into it, ultimately. And it is pretty cosy, despite the opening being a flight from a burning capital city during a revolution, and despite some peril for Kiela and another character.
In the end, I think I felt a bit dissatisfied because it felt like a world created just for the story -- I didn't have a good sense of what lay beyond its edges, and I don't just mean in terms of a map -- and because the romance felt rushed. It tries to add depth to that with some history between the characters, but it didn't ultimately ring true to me. Adding the depth didn't work because, OK, Larran remembers Kiela, but she doesn't remember him. So things should, at least, have taken more time on her side.
I do love Caz, though, and then the addition of Meep. It was a fun read as long as I didn't think too deeply into it, ultimately. And it is pretty cosy, despite the opening being a flight from a burning capital city during a revolution, and despite some peril for Kiela and another character.
The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I'm glad I got round to reading Anna Katharine Green's The Leavenworth Case, because it's one of the early detective novels, and one of the rarer female voices that hasn't been totally forgotten from the early years of the genre. That said... I'm glad I read it via Serial Reader, and thus in small bites, because it's pretty tedious at times -- overwrought, and of course, sexist.
Even with a female author, you ask? Yes: the detective ultimately says he didn't really suspect a woman because (drumroll) a woman would never clean a pistol after firing. All the women are beautiful angels with amazing manners (though Mary Leavenworth does show a bit of spirit and isn't totally vilified for... well, I won't spoiler, even at this late date).
Really, it's just very much of its time. The culprit was fairly obvious to me, and it was a bit excruciating how long it took to gather up the evidence.
In the end, glad I read it, but glad it's finished.
Even with a female author, you ask? Yes: the detective ultimately says he didn't really suspect a woman because (drumroll) a woman would never clean a pistol after firing. All the women are beautiful angels with amazing manners (though Mary Leavenworth does show a bit of spirit and isn't totally vilified for... well, I won't spoiler, even at this late date).
Really, it's just very much of its time. The culprit was fairly obvious to me, and it was a bit excruciating how long it took to gather up the evidence.
In the end, glad I read it, but glad it's finished.
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really liked Nghi Vo's The City in Glass, but I can imagine that some people loathed it, for exactly the same reason: it's more of a mood than a story. There's a story, yes: angels destroy the city the demon Vitrine loves, and she curses one of them in retaliation. Cast out from his people, he watches her try to rebuild, and she slowly heals -- and draws him closer to her, eventually -- and learns to love the new shape of her city, of herself, and of him.
As you see, it's possible to summarise a plot arc here, but most of it feels like a dream, glimpses of Vitrine's life, a few moments of something that could go on forever without real beginning or end. If you're looking for a beginning, an ending, and a journey in the middle... you'll probably not be satisfied. It's beautifully written and atmospheric, and there are moments of fraught emotion and of joy, but very little actually happens. It's Vitrine's daily meddling, Vitrine's anger, Vitrine's grief.
To be clear: I really, really enjoyed it, and read it really fast. But if you're looking for a solid plot, for character development, in other words for a traditional story, it's probably not entirely for you.
As you see, it's possible to summarise a plot arc here, but most of it feels like a dream, glimpses of Vitrine's life, a few moments of something that could go on forever without real beginning or end. If you're looking for a beginning, an ending, and a journey in the middle... you'll probably not be satisfied. It's beautifully written and atmospheric, and there are moments of fraught emotion and of joy, but very little actually happens. It's Vitrine's daily meddling, Vitrine's anger, Vitrine's grief.
To be clear: I really, really enjoyed it, and read it really fast. But if you're looking for a solid plot, for character development, in other words for a traditional story, it's probably not entirely for you.
The Shortest Way to Hades by Sarah Caudwell
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I enjoyed the second book in Sarah Caudwell's Hilary Tamar series quite a bit. The Shortest Way to Hades centres once more around the same group of lawyers, this time entangled with a case that each of them find themselves representing part of. It's not quite as reliant on letters at first but then Serena heads off on a voyage and the case seems to follow her -- and trouble does, too.
I'm a bit bemused to read about how fascinated other people are with trying to figure out what gender Hilary Tamar is meant to be. It's intentionally ambiguous, and it's also totally irrelevant. I'm not even going to participate in the debate -- or hey, I view Hilary as a non-binary protagonist, now, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
Ahem. Anyway. As I said, Hilary's gender is totally irrelevant to the story, though they do get themselves a bit more involved in the mystery this time, actually following Serena to Greece in order to help untangle the problem.
The humour of the whole thing remains a light touch: it's there, and woven throughout the whole story, but not in a way that gets too cringy or gets in the way. I'm not normally one for humour in stories, but it's hard to describe quite how it works here. My best effort is: this book knows it's clever and funny, but doesn't keep trying to demand you laugh.
I'm eager to get the next book!
I'm a bit bemused to read about how fascinated other people are with trying to figure out what gender Hilary Tamar is meant to be. It's intentionally ambiguous, and it's also totally irrelevant. I'm not even going to participate in the debate -- or hey, I view Hilary as a non-binary protagonist, now, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
Ahem. Anyway. As I said, Hilary's gender is totally irrelevant to the story, though they do get themselves a bit more involved in the mystery this time, actually following Serena to Greece in order to help untangle the problem.
The humour of the whole thing remains a light touch: it's there, and woven throughout the whole story, but not in a way that gets too cringy or gets in the way. I'm not normally one for humour in stories, but it's hard to describe quite how it works here. My best effort is: this book knows it's clever and funny, but doesn't keep trying to demand you laugh.
I'm eager to get the next book!
The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger
informative
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
Zoë Schlanger's The Light Eaters very much came across as a science writer's book rather than a scientist's, larded heavily with personal observations of feeling very inspired by plants, and not very discriminating in the choice of sources -- or at least, in how to describe them. When a study has failed replication, maybe say that right away before you spend a whole chapter discussing it, for instance.
I think it was mostly that experience, early in the book, that made me wary of the whole thing. There are some fascinating studies mentioned, and the citations are not numbered but still fairly clear and easy to follow-up: the studies about the effects of (some) anaesthetics on plants were genuinely fascinating, and didn't seem to be too much over-hyped, for instance.
I think in the end, it's not that I dislike the conclusions Schlanger's reaching for: the effort to recognise that plants have much more agency and intelligence than we attribute to them, and that humans are so animal-centric, we have way too much difficulty grasping that there are other ways to be, among us all the time, and lives we impact that we don't even think about. She highlights genuinely interesting studies and views. It's just... when something fails replication, that's not trivial. It happens even when something is true, because the conditions aren't exactly replicated, but it means something, and should never be handwaved away.
So I guess my thoughts on this one are "read with care", but not an anti-recommendation.
I think it was mostly that experience, early in the book, that made me wary of the whole thing. There are some fascinating studies mentioned, and the citations are not numbered but still fairly clear and easy to follow-up: the studies about the effects of (some) anaesthetics on plants were genuinely fascinating, and didn't seem to be too much over-hyped, for instance.
I think in the end, it's not that I dislike the conclusions Schlanger's reaching for: the effort to recognise that plants have much more agency and intelligence than we attribute to them, and that humans are so animal-centric, we have way too much difficulty grasping that there are other ways to be, among us all the time, and lives we impact that we don't even think about. She highlights genuinely interesting studies and views. It's just... when something fails replication, that's not trivial. It happens even when something is true, because the conditions aren't exactly replicated, but it means something, and should never be handwaved away.
So I guess my thoughts on this one are "read with care", but not an anti-recommendation.