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verumsolum's reviews
2704 reviews
Letters from the Little Blue Room: An Intimate Portrait of World War I by Daisy Thomson Gigg
4.0
This isn’t a bad book … but I was frustrated by not having a good sense of what was fiction and what was true (and in what ways). I think the editors/publishers of this book should make clearer to readers what the book is. Especially since my assumption appears to have been mistaken.
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
4.5
Another strong book, as I continue to read Pratchett’s Discworld books. This one feels like it has a firmer hand on the plot than the first two I read.
Bocchi the Rock!, Vol. 5 by Aki Hamazi
4.75
Another strong volume of this series. I know I don’t “get” everything that is going on, but as somebody who used to work as a musician, it is fun to see what another girl’s experiences might have been (even though my background is different in many ways from hers, both personally and musically)
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
This is a very good book, let down slightly by an underwhelming ending. I really loved the story of this "bridge" and her relationship to somebody brought from the past to the present day. Their relationship was, to me, the heart of this book. And… the way it is left… is unfortunate. I'll also be clear: I don't know how it should have ended, but the ending the author has given us doesn't satisfy me: it leaves so much unresolved. It does somewhat resolve much of the larger narrative, but that plot didn't grab me quite so much. And even then, not so much resolution, in my view. I'm left wanting more: either another book to continue to explore this world or another chapter to help me make sense of how it's ending. Maybe the author wanted readers to end in that ambiguity… but I don't find it, in this case, to be an enjoyable ambiguity. That said, bar the ending, I wholeheartedly recommend the book… but the ending was too disappointing for a full 5-star rating
The Best American Short Stories 2024 by Heidi Pitlor, Lauren Groff
4.25
This is a tough one, because… all of the stories were of a high quality and I enjoyed reading most of them, but that is despite so many of them being focused on characters that I did not enjoy. Were there really no more uplifting or pleasant stories that deserved to be among those chosen for this year's edition?
Friends of Dorothy by Sandi Toksvig
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wow! I knew I'd enjoy a book that Sandi Toksvig wrote: every TV appearance I've ever seen of hers assured me of that, but I had no idea what to expect from a novel from her. And… I'm so glad I read it. There is a part of me that wishes I could visit the places she's written about and meet the characters she's brought to life through this book's pages. As somebody who cut off a family member (eventually) after coming out, I appreciated how one character's family and their relationships with their lesbian daughter were handled: neither sugar-coating them, nor building them up to be an ever-present source of conflict. In short, she handled them realistically.
In fact, I have some sadness at finishing this book: I don't want to let the characters go. But this definitely feels like Toksvig has told their story and there isn't a jumping-off point for a series (not that I expect she has enough time to write one, given how busy a woman she is), and I'm glad to have "met" them, even if only for the length of a book.
In fact, I have some sadness at finishing this book: I don't want to let the characters go. But this definitely feels like Toksvig has told their story and there isn't a jumping-off point for a series (not that I expect she has enough time to write one, given how busy a woman she is), and I'm glad to have "met" them, even if only for the length of a book.