violetturtledove's reviews
403 reviews

Angels of the North Notable Women of the North East by Joyce Quin and Moira Kilkenny

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informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

I found this a really informative read, I hadn't heard, or knew very little of, most of the women mentioned in this. 
I found it a little dry at times, a lot of the entries relate to politics and while I can see the relevance of the issues, I zone out a little at lots of mentions of seats, ballots etc.  
That's more of a problem with my attention span rather than the book though, it really is a varied and interesting read. 
Wielding a Red Sword by Piers Anthony

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challenging medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Oh dear. I've given this series a lot of leeway on some things because of the genre and when it was written, and apart from the bits that made me cringe they've been pretty readable with some interesting ideas. But this one... The misogyny really stands out and in an attempt to be more diverse (I think?) we also end up with a bunch of unflattering ethnic stereotypes and tropes. The Western world has flying cars and teleporters, but in the East it's like Arabian Nights. 
There's not any especially interesting mechanics in the way the role of War works, the standard challenge from Satan didn't hold my attention, and by the time the main character falls in love for the third time it barely seemed relevant. As far as I can see this one doesn't add anything to the overarching plot, so I'm fairly confident in saying this is one to skip.
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Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

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dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I often find it difficult to rate story collections because the quality can vary, or I may just not connect with some stories as much as others, but I feel like every one of these stories is going to stick with me. They are moving, disturbing, relatable and insightful, taking themes like womanhood, motherhood, identity, indigenous culture and self image, and giving them all a darker twist. Everyday experiences, some familiar to me, some not, are described in a way I've not seen done before, with small details that make you think 'yes that's exactly how it is', while at the same time hinting at otherworldliness.
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

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emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

This book is many things; it's touching, slow, brave , depressing, beautiful and an all-encompassing story of the queer experience.
I found it especially slow at first, it starts before the protagonists birth and spends quite a while on her childhood. For all the love of Morton, it's only on leaving it that the story really starts. But it's beautifully written, there were many times I felt a phrase was familiar and I'm not sure if it's been quoted a lot or simply absorbed into the queer literature that has followed it.
Whereas modern books might focus on some aspects of the queer experience, this being a 'first of its kind' packs it all in, and there's a lot of philosophising on aspects such as the demoralising results of being rejected by society, the pressure of being a 'pioneer' trying to change society for others like you, or the dilemma of living in society but denying yourself.
There's a strong theme of the love of nature, and the contrast with those who see the characters as 'unnatural'. 
A lot of what is said probably seems commonplace or obvious today, but it may not even be discussed today if not for books like this.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Someone said to me when I started this 'just assume everything Austen says is sarcastic and you'll be fine'. I've never read or watched this story before, and only had it in my head that it was a great romance... I never considered that it was also a satire of regency society. It is packed with witty lines, silly characters and polite insults. And by the end I could see why it is so popular, being the inspiration for countless rom-coms and enemies-to-lovers tales.
That said, I didn't find it a particularly enjoyable read, especially at first. There was a lot of dialogue at the start which I found hard to get into, and a lot of the wit in hidden in layers of politeness, insinuation and double negatives so it was a bit of a challenge to untangle it all to see what was really being said (I guess that's part of the fun?).
Ultimately, although I found it slow at times, and this is not a historical period I feel much of an affinity for, the characters are entertaining and memorable, and the love story drew me in and charmed me despite the silliness.
With a Tangled Skein by Piers Anthony

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I think I had some expectations and apprehensions going into this book. The series so far seems to follow a certain pattern; a mortal taking on the role of an Incarnation, learning the various aspects of the job, and an eventual struggle with Satan. The stories don't occur chronologically (the 'Time' one is actually backwards) so there's not much of a feeling of progression towards the eventual 'show down'. Considering that there are five incarnations, and it was originally planned as a five book series, I can't help but wonder how it was meant to end.
However, in this book we do see a bit more of the overall plan, the backstoried and connections between some previously mentioned characters are explained in more detail so it's starting to feel more intricate. 
As the books are set in a sort of alternate history with science and magic, it's hard to tell when some bits are set.. some elements of the start of this story seem particularly old fashioned, and it's a little confusing when considering the technology used in later parts.
I also feel like this author doesn't write the most nuanced female characters, so I wasn't sure what to expect from a female-led book, and the start did have me groaning a bit, but I realised that really none of the characters are especially complex in their personalities, there are a lot of stereotypes.
What he does do really well are the mechanics of the various fantasy concepts, and some parodying of tropes; these are fun and generally are making the series very readable for me. On the other hand, there's a scene in a dojo which just seemed like an excuse to show off his judo knowledge.
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Bearing an Hourglass by Piers Anthony

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adventurous challenging funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

As the second of a series, this follows the same basic plot as the first: someone takes on the office of one of the 'incarnations of immortality' (in this case, Time), we are introduced to the various aspects of the role as he learns the job, and a large plot point hangs on a woman being offered as a prize or incentive.
This one was much more imaginative than the first, I think maybe I've seen other stories of Death personified, so the concepts regarding Time here come across as much more original. The time-magic aspect does get very confusing, and I'm not convinced it all makes sense, but it works well enough to carry the story along.
There are some quite silly 'side quests', which on one hand I do understand are poking fun at more typical fantasy/scifi tropes, but they do drag on a bit. I also noticed a repeated device where the main character will 'feel something not quite right' with an idea or explanation, which is a hint to the reader that there's a twist they may be able to figure out. Some of these are fairly obvious in the situation, some are more obtuse, and one was something I thought the main character had already figured out chapters ago.
On the whole, a fun (if a bit ridiculous) read, and I'm going to carry on with the series.
The Wheel is Spinning but the Hamster is Dead: A Journey Around the World in Idioms, Proverbs and General Nonsense by Adam Sharp

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funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

I giggled throughout this book, it was pretty much everything I expected it to be. Perfect if you like languages and silly words, even more so if you like rude words. 
My only slight quibble with it was that once the author put in a joke example, I was then questioning everything. Some of them just seem too funny to be real, and although I could see more that were clearly just jokes, I felt like I couldn't trust the others. 
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I feel like I should be a little tentative when judging the first book in a series like this, it's a good opening but it really all depends on how the rest of the series plays out.
The world is a fun mix of fantasy and futuristic technology, it's set in our world but at an unspecified future date. It's lively and easy to get into, the serious subjects are kept light with puns and surreal aspects, and it has a fun bureaucratic take on the afterlife.
On the subject of the incarnations themselves... It's hard not to make comparisons to The Sandman and Discworld; this was earlier than one and the other was just getting started. They deal with some similar themes but I feel the morality is a bit more heavy-handed here.
There's also the fact that this author can be a little crass when dealing with sex and female characters - there's quite a gross plot point involving virginity, but other than that it's not too bad (opinions may vary on this, some of his work I feel has aged quite badly).
On the whole, it may not be mind-blowingly original to a modern reader with a larger range of fantasy to compare it to, but it's certainly engaging enough to make me want to continue with the series.
Life Below Stairs: Domestic Servants in England from Victorian Times by Frank Edward Huggett

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

This is fairly interesting book and a good overview of servant life, with some interesting pictures. 
This book was published in 1977 and there's a certain romanticising of the era that I don't think would be done in the same way today (plus the chapter on 'fallen women' would probably use some slightly different phrasing) but it hasn't really aged badly. In fact it benefits from being a bit closer to the era; the author was able to speak to some people who remembered the end of it.