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tallangryplanet's reviews
43 reviews
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A group of aliens from different species get stranded in a space rest stop whose manager tries to get them to eat cake. That's it, that's the plot. This book is incredibly character driven, and yet there wasn't a single moment where I wished it would just move faster. We get to explore the character's motivations, their pasts, and their expectations of the future. It is part of a series, but the story is self contained enough and with just the right amount of worldbuilding so that you can read it as a standalone.
This is the kind of book that you pull out every once in a while, on a rainy Sunday afternoon after a particularly hard week, and it reminds you that yes, life is a mess, but it is so worth living. None of the characters are human, and yet they feel as if they represent some sort of Universal Human Experience, the experience of messing up but never giving up on yourself and others. It is an incredibly comforting book that I would absolutely recommend to everybody.
This is the kind of book that you pull out every once in a while, on a rainy Sunday afternoon after a particularly hard week, and it reminds you that yes, life is a mess, but it is so worth living. None of the characters are human, and yet they feel as if they represent some sort of Universal Human Experience, the experience of messing up but never giving up on yourself and others. It is an incredibly comforting book that I would absolutely recommend to everybody.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
The Priory of the Orange Tree is... amazing. There are a million things going on at once, but they all fit into one great story, the desire to live. As with most fantasy books, I spent the first few chapters completely disoriented, but soon everything started to make sense, and it was beautiful. I was dragged in and could barely put the book down to deal with my real-world responsibilities, this world just absorbed me.
The story is told through different POVs, and they are all wonderfully chosen, following the characters who will play the most important parts in saving humanity from a painful, fiery death. They all feel incredibly alive, real people with inner worlds and sometimes very questionable decision making. Fitting such a complete world and story into just about 800 pages was a very ambitious undertaking, but Samantha Shannon absolutely crushed it.
The story is told through different POVs, and they are all wonderfully chosen, following the characters who will play the most important parts in saving humanity from a painful, fiery death. They all feel incredibly alive, real people with inner worlds and sometimes very questionable decision making. Fitting such a complete world and story into just about 800 pages was a very ambitious undertaking, but Samantha Shannon absolutely crushed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There comes a moment in almost every young adult fantasy series where the protagonist must make a painful choice. This book is all about Alina's choice, and what she must do to save Ravka (and possibly the entire world) from the Darkling.
This book has great pace, the characters go through ups and downs, both in their mission and in their inner worlds, and yet I couldn't help but feel disappointed in its resolution, especially considering it's the last book of the trilogy. Don't get me wrong, it does a great job of tying in the ends while at the same time leaving enough questions to set up the later books (the King of Scars duology), but the more I think about it the less in character it seems.
However, this shouldn't discourage people from picking up this book if they're looking for a fun fantasy read; it's full of action and it kept me on the edge of my seat, as I was never sure what new problems the characters might have to face and how they would solve them. I also really enjoyed the relationships they built with each other throughout the series and especially towards the end. All in all, it's a great book to spend a couple of afternoons with.
This book has great pace, the characters go through ups and downs, both in their mission and in their inner worlds, and yet I couldn't help but feel disappointed in its resolution, especially considering it's the last book of the trilogy. Don't get me wrong, it does a great job of tying in the ends while at the same time leaving enough questions to set up the later books (the King of Scars duology), but the more I think about it the less in character it seems.
However, this shouldn't discourage people from picking up this book if they're looking for a fun fantasy read; it's full of action and it kept me on the edge of my seat, as I was never sure what new problems the characters might have to face and how they would solve them. I also really enjoyed the relationships they built with each other throughout the series and especially towards the end. All in all, it's a great book to spend a couple of afternoons with.
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