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skylacine's reviews
1064 reviews
The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag by Jim Corbett
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.0
The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet by Nadina Galle
Interesting book about the relationship between humans and nature in modern times, especially in cities. However, it didn't hook me completely (especially the first hundred pages or so were a bit boring to me) and I was also kinda hoping for more focus on human-animal relations.
To me "nature" isn't just plants and trees and such, but the entirety of ecosystems including animals. And 95% of this book really just focuses on plants, there's very little focus on animals. Which I thought was a bit disappointing. I get it, plants are super important, but it feels a bit neglectful to exclude talking about animals in your book that's supposedly about nature. If you really want to focus on plants, that's fine, but then don't put the word "nature" in your title.
3.5
Interesting book about the relationship between humans and nature in modern times, especially in cities. However, it didn't hook me completely (especially the first hundred pages or so were a bit boring to me) and I was also kinda hoping for more focus on human-animal relations.
To me "nature" isn't just plants and trees and such, but the entirety of ecosystems including animals. And 95% of this book really just focuses on plants, there's very little focus on animals. Which I thought was a bit disappointing. I get it, plants are super important, but it feels a bit neglectful to exclude talking about animals in your book that's supposedly about nature. If you really want to focus on plants, that's fine, but then don't put the word "nature" in your title.
Wulfie het wolfsjong by Veronica Nahmias
fast-paced
3.0
Kinda just a nothing-burger of a book, even by children's book standards. Girl can't find her wolf puppy. Wolf puppy returns. The end.
I really expected there to be a little bit more conflict or characters being proactive or just SOMETHING happening, because right now the book presents and issue that resolves itself without anyone doing anything about the situation. Wouldn't it have been a stronger message for the younger audience if they actually had the girl protagonist somehow resolve the issue of losing Wulfie? Instead of the pup just coming back by himself.
I don't know, for what it's trying to do (be a simple story and presenting some information about humans in prehistoric times) it could've been stronger. I don't need this to be a super in-depth book with super deep conflict and characters or anything, but the execution right now feels like it's really just. Bland and super forgettable. Book presents an issue and it is resolved by itself within the next thirty pages. Nobody is really pro-active here or solves the problem, it is solved by the story itself. No growth or character development whatsoever.
I really expected there to be a little bit more conflict or characters being proactive or just SOMETHING happening, because right now the book presents and issue that resolves itself without anyone doing anything about the situation. Wouldn't it have been a stronger message for the younger audience if they actually had the girl protagonist somehow resolve the issue of losing Wulfie? Instead of the pup just coming back by himself.
I don't know, for what it's trying to do (be a simple story and presenting some information about humans in prehistoric times) it could've been stronger. I don't need this to be a super in-depth book with super deep conflict and characters or anything, but the execution right now feels like it's really just. Bland and super forgettable. Book presents an issue and it is resolved by itself within the next thirty pages. Nobody is really pro-active here or solves the problem, it is solved by the story itself. No growth or character development whatsoever.
De reuzenkopbever by Rob van den Berg, Bram Langeveld, Peter de Bruijn, Ingrid de Bruijn
A topic I really wanted to read more about because I love reading about natural history and extinct fauna, but the execution had me a bit mixed. I lost interest sometimes because this book has quite a few "list chapters" where the authors just list off various things in short sections (e.g. parts of the body of Trogontherium, or locations where you might find its bones). I personally would've preferred it had it been more of a flowing narrative without constant sub-sections and listing things, it was a bit tiring to read.
Still an interesting topic though, and not a bad book by any means. It just didn't read as pleasantly as I'd hoped.
informative
3.5
A topic I really wanted to read more about because I love reading about natural history and extinct fauna, but the execution had me a bit mixed. I lost interest sometimes because this book has quite a few "list chapters" where the authors just list off various things in short sections (e.g. parts of the body of Trogontherium, or locations where you might find its bones). I personally would've preferred it had it been more of a flowing narrative without constant sub-sections and listing things, it was a bit tiring to read.
Still an interesting topic though, and not a bad book by any means. It just didn't read as pleasantly as I'd hoped.
Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator That Ever Lived by Tim Flannery, Emma Flannery
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Interesting non-fiction on megalodon sharks. Definitely made me appreciate these critters a lot more. Very engaging.
In een groen knollenland by Bibi Dumon Tak
fast-paced
2.0
Good message I agree with (I'm generally speaking anti-hunting) but the way in which it was delivered just didn't work for me.
The book is mostly just the author angrily yelling and swearing at hunters, rather than her actually taking the time to carefully debunk pro-hunting arguments. The book also feels very one-note as it pretty much only talks about hobby hunting in the Netherlands. There are other countries with other cultures and such where hunting might be looked at through a different lens, or where it might even be necesarry for survival. But she adresses none of these points in favor of just calling hunters names.
I agree with the moral but I don't think this'll be changing anyone's mind on hunting if they are pro-.
The book is mostly just the author angrily yelling and swearing at hunters, rather than her actually taking the time to carefully debunk pro-hunting arguments. The book also feels very one-note as it pretty much only talks about hobby hunting in the Netherlands. There are other countries with other cultures and such where hunting might be looked at through a different lens, or where it might even be necesarry for survival. But she adresses none of these points in favor of just calling hunters names.
I agree with the moral but I don't think this'll be changing anyone's mind on hunting if they are pro-.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Moderate: Ableism
Slimmer dan je denkt by Lotte Stegeman
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
3.5
Beautifully illustrated but substance-wise each section is very short and kinda rushed.
The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett
adventurous
challenging
dark
5.0
Yet another interesting book about Corbett hunting down various man-eating animals. Same level of quality as the first, I just love reading about his adventures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death