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slowreaderpeter's Reviews (212)
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
I’m honestly not sure why the reviews for this book are so low. I’ll admit I didn’t care for the first few pages, it dumped us a little too abruptly into the world without anything to latch onto to absorb the world-building and terminology. But after that, I enjoyed this whole story.
It reminds me of a futuristic fairy tale. The most immediate comparisons I can think of are mashing up Nimona, Silver in the Wood, and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (the Studio Ghibli film), with just a hint of elemental magic (the will draw most comparisons to Avatar the Last Airbender). It has a folkloric feel as we explore the notions of imperialism and industrialization, of destroying Indigenous peoples and wild portions of land because “progress” is paramount.
While I could understand some arguments being made that the metaphors and allusions came across heavy-handed, I think that was largely the point, and with the fairytale and folklore mode of storytelling it worked! It felt like how those story would use those conventions.
We are also given time to explore the notions of family and what that means, as well as the more subtle mechanisms and displays of power. How small demonstrations of strength over time, or even in seemingly harmless ways can be incredibly powerful acts of violence.
This was honestly a fascinating read and I loved it!
It reminds me of a futuristic fairy tale. The most immediate comparisons I can think of are mashing up Nimona, Silver in the Wood, and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (the Studio Ghibli film), with just a hint of elemental magic (the will draw most comparisons to Avatar the Last Airbender). It has a folkloric feel as we explore the notions of imperialism and industrialization, of destroying Indigenous peoples and wild portions of land because “progress” is paramount.
While I could understand some arguments being made that the metaphors and allusions came across heavy-handed, I think that was largely the point, and with the fairytale and folklore mode of storytelling it worked! It felt like how those story would use those conventions.
We are also given time to explore the notions of family and what that means, as well as the more subtle mechanisms and displays of power. How small demonstrations of strength over time, or even in seemingly harmless ways can be incredibly powerful acts of violence.
This was honestly a fascinating read and I loved it!
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
One of my biggest complaints about the first book in this series, Chilling Effect, was how much it focused solely on the MC Eva. To a detriment. We followed Eva all over the universe, and were told a lot of information about the rest of the crew, but we never spent any time with them. I knew the histories of everyone else in the book, but it all just felt like a bunch of things I’m told, info the author regurgitated to me.
This book solved almost all of that. This is Eva’s story, clearly, without a doubt. But the rest of the cast felt like characters we actually got to know and absorb. Not just persons throw in there to populate a world. It’s a seemingly small change, but it made a world of difference between books 1 and 2. I’m very excited to see book 3 and how much it can improve on what came before it!
This book solved almost all of that. This is Eva’s story, clearly, without a doubt. But the rest of the cast felt like characters we actually got to know and absorb. Not just persons throw in there to populate a world. It’s a seemingly small change, but it made a world of difference between books 1 and 2. I’m very excited to see book 3 and how much it can improve on what came before it!
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
This was truly a fascinating book. Written in 1974, McKillip’s words come across almost lyrical in The Forgotten Beasts of Eld. Almost poetic in a way.
The story begins like a fairytale, or a retelling of some folkloric story. Mysterious magics and wizards, secluding themselves away in a mountain, calling to them mysterious and powerful beasts of myth and legend. We are led through several generations of men before meeting a woman wizard who now controls the beasts, before she is ultimately called upon to raise an infant left at her doorstep.
From this point we go on a tale of family, learning, and wonder before taking a sharp turn towards feminine rage.
Ultimately, this story is about the family we create, the power of both anger and love, and that revenge can only take you so far before it eats you from the inside. Forgiveness goes a long way, for whoever is willing to give and to receive.
I will definitely be sitting on this story for a while, letting some thoughts percolate in my head. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in this read.
The story begins like a fairytale, or a retelling of some folkloric story. Mysterious magics and wizards, secluding themselves away in a mountain, calling to them mysterious and powerful beasts of myth and legend. We are led through several generations of men before meeting a woman wizard who now controls the beasts, before she is ultimately called upon to raise an infant left at her doorstep.
From this point we go on a tale of family, learning, and wonder before taking a sharp turn towards feminine rage.
Ultimately, this story is about the family we create, the power of both anger and love, and that revenge can only take you so far before it eats you from the inside. Forgiveness goes a long way, for whoever is willing to give and to receive.
I will definitely be sitting on this story for a while, letting some thoughts percolate in my head. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in this read.
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Just like the first book in this series, I found this to be fun, funny, and highly informative. I don’t really think this review needs to be a whole lot. If you liked the first book, you’ll like this one. If you haven’t read the first book, I’d definitely recommend it!
challenging
medium-paced
This book was honestly quite frustrating, and I feel I’m gonna have trouble explaining why.
To me, this book at times felt like a complete idea with incomplete execution, and at other times an incomplete idea with completed execution. No part of it felt fully there. Some metaphors were almost there. Some elements were introduced to feel like a metaphor, but never materialized into anything.
The very idea of the story couldn’t decide what it was critiquing or commenting on, whether or was academia or prison labor or capitalism. And if it was going for all three, then none of them fully satisfied (though I suppose academia came the closest).
All-in-all, I cannot really say I’d recommend this to anyone. I think Samatar’s writing ability, from a technical aspect is quite good, and that is honestly doing a fair amount of heavy lifting for my review. If it weren’t for that, I would probably have gone for a 3 stars or lower.
I wanted desperately to like this, and ended up largely unsure of what to do with any of it.
To me, this book at times felt like a complete idea with incomplete execution, and at other times an incomplete idea with completed execution. No part of it felt fully there. Some metaphors were almost there. Some elements were introduced to feel like a metaphor, but never materialized into anything.
The very idea of the story couldn’t decide what it was critiquing or commenting on, whether or was academia or prison labor or capitalism. And if it was going for all three, then none of them fully satisfied (though I suppose academia came the closest).
All-in-all, I cannot really say I’d recommend this to anyone. I think Samatar’s writing ability, from a technical aspect is quite good, and that is honestly doing a fair amount of heavy lifting for my review. If it weren’t for that, I would probably have gone for a 3 stars or lower.
I wanted desperately to like this, and ended up largely unsure of what to do with any of it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Walking Practice is without a doubt one of the wildest books I’ve ever read. This was a TRIP!
We have here a horror-comedy, with some dark humor at that. It’s a trans allegory, about not feeling at home in your own body, not being sure of who you are or are supposed to be. We have a poignant dissection of anxiety and of physical disability, of sex work. And all of this wrapped up in a little novella about an alien refugee trapped on Earth. This was funny and sad and a wonderful time!
We have here a horror-comedy, with some dark humor at that. It’s a trans allegory, about not feeling at home in your own body, not being sure of who you are or are supposed to be. We have a poignant dissection of anxiety and of physical disability, of sex work. And all of this wrapped up in a little novella about an alien refugee trapped on Earth. This was funny and sad and a wonderful time!
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This book was solid! Honestly better than I was expecting it to be. I always have a worry about a book not living up to the hype train it eventually lands on, and Legendborn ended up being a pleasant surprise.
Deonn’s writing was technically more proficient and sound than many YA books I have read in recent years. And she straddles the line pretty finely between holding your hand to provide information or context and letting you come to things on your own. There are some things that, due to unintentional bias and prejudice, some people just will not understand without having their hand held and led through things (in this case, many of the Black-centered elements of the story).
One of the things I did not like as much, or found lacking, was the depth and expansion of the world. While we are provided with a lot of context or exposition to fill in information about King Arthur, the round table, and the histories surrounding it to expand the magical world, the world the characters exist in felt rather small. We are in the town of Chapel Hill, and yet we see almost none of the town. They are on the UNC campus, and yet we don’t see or experience much of that except for the lawn/quad and one other location. Even Bree and Alice’s dorm doesn’t really seem to exist outside of their single bedroom. It would have been nice to feel that these various places and people exist outside of Bree and the immediate story, but as it ended up they really feel tied explicitly to Bree.
That said, I do think the focus on Bree and grief and themes surrounding being Black in traditionally white spaces came through phenomenally. For me, things really became much more interesting around halfway through (though I’ll keep that secret for spoilers sake).
All-in-all, this was a very solid book with some interesting thematic work and character work, but could have used a more expansive world, or one that was filled in a little more.
Deonn’s writing was technically more proficient and sound than many YA books I have read in recent years. And she straddles the line pretty finely between holding your hand to provide information or context and letting you come to things on your own. There are some things that, due to unintentional bias and prejudice, some people just will not understand without having their hand held and led through things (in this case, many of the Black-centered elements of the story).
One of the things I did not like as much, or found lacking, was the depth and expansion of the world. While we are provided with a lot of context or exposition to fill in information about King Arthur, the round table, and the histories surrounding it to expand the magical world, the world the characters exist in felt rather small. We are in the town of Chapel Hill, and yet we see almost none of the town. They are on the UNC campus, and yet we don’t see or experience much of that except for the lawn/quad and one other location. Even Bree and Alice’s dorm doesn’t really seem to exist outside of their single bedroom. It would have been nice to feel that these various places and people exist outside of Bree and the immediate story, but as it ended up they really feel tied explicitly to Bree.
That said, I do think the focus on Bree and grief and themes surrounding being Black in traditionally white spaces came through phenomenally. For me, things really became much more interesting around halfway through (though I’ll keep that secret for spoilers sake).
All-in-all, this was a very solid book with some interesting thematic work and character work, but could have used a more expansive world, or one that was filled in a little more.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
This was one of the most difficult, yet profound books I’ve ever read.
The style she writes in, and the perspectives she chooses to tell this story from, almost make the entire book all the more unsettling. As we follow the progression of Yeoung-hye through the eyes of others, only to see the flaws, warts, hopes, and depravity in each one.
At times I cannot tell you if I loved this book or absolutely hated every minute of it. But it is truly profound, I will definitely say that. And massive credit to the translator, Deborah Smith, for capturing the essence of the words across each page. For conveying them so well across languages.
(Edit: after a few weeks I have raised my rating from 4 to 5 stars)
The style she writes in, and the perspectives she chooses to tell this story from, almost make the entire book all the more unsettling. As we follow the progression of Yeoung-hye through the eyes of others, only to see the flaws, warts, hopes, and depravity in each one.
At times I cannot tell you if I loved this book or absolutely hated every minute of it. But it is truly profound, I will definitely say that. And massive credit to the translator, Deborah Smith, for capturing the essence of the words across each page. For conveying them so well across languages.
(Edit: after a few weeks I have raised my rating from 4 to 5 stars)
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
In terms of pure magic systems, this has to be one of the most unique and clever books I’ve read in a while. The idea of scriving, how it works, and the intricacies it can present are truly inventive as hell! Massive props to Robert Jackson Bennett.
Additionally, the pacing of this novel was phenomenal. It never really slowed down, but neither did it feel rushed or break-neck speed. It simply knew how to keep the story moving and progressing at an engaging rate. Something I don’t often see.
I think the biggest detractors, to me, were in some of the early descriptions in the book. Of objects or people. The words chosen often feel at times either blunt, insensitive, or intentionally “edgy,” as though a young author is trying to get attention. But once we get beyond those few moments and the narrative really finds its legs, it takes off running marvelously.
A very solid read, and one I definitely recommend!
Additionally, the pacing of this novel was phenomenal. It never really slowed down, but neither did it feel rushed or break-neck speed. It simply knew how to keep the story moving and progressing at an engaging rate. Something I don’t often see.
I think the biggest detractors, to me, were in some of the early descriptions in the book. Of objects or people. The words chosen often feel at times either blunt, insensitive, or intentionally “edgy,” as though a young author is trying to get attention. But once we get beyond those few moments and the narrative really finds its legs, it takes off running marvelously.
A very solid read, and one I definitely recommend!
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
This is a phenomenal and angering book. It is filled to the brim with micro-aggressions towards women. Macro-aggressions too, but especially the every day societal micro-aggressions that do such unrelenting damage. I would recommend this book to anyone, but can tragically see it going over the heads of many.