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857 reviews
Just Kids by Patti Smith
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
“I stand naked when I draw. God holds my hand and we sing together.”
This memoir pulled me in from the first page with wonderful prose, as empathetic and musical as Patti Smith’s lyrics and poetry, and then kept my attention with a mixture of personal recollections, reminiscence on the nature of art, and an assortment of anecdotes that illustrate the epoch. At times, I felt a little lost when I didn’t immediately recognize a name or somesuch; this is definitely a book aimed at someone who already has an idea of the musical and art scene of the 70s, and while I’m decently familiar with the music parts, sometimes I had to stop reading and pull up Google.
Robert Mapplethorpe feels like the true main character, even when he isn’t directly appearing on the page. I don’t think I really fell under the charm of his personality, no matter how much the narrative tried to pull me under and how much I didn’t mind succumbing. But I really liked the depiction of the bond he and Patti shared, how tightly entwined their lives remained even as their relationship changed from lovers to friends to something family-like in ways that defy strict categorization. I think what they shared is as close as it gets to finding a soulmate.
I really enjoyed how the book was structured, the narrative kind of growing denser and more expansive as it progressed. First we get the daily existence of someone striving to find something *more*, something that will give their life meaning. Then comes the part about the young starving artists that feels both freeing and a tiny bit claustrophobic, that endless juxtaposition of unleashed creativity and struggling in small apartments with limited funds. And then by the time we get close to the Chelsea Hotel times, more and more actors keep entering the stage, and the kaleidoscope of names and events grows and grows, sweeping you away.
When it comes to flaws, I guess I didn’t really like how much the author put Robert on the pedestal. She didn’t exactly shy away from depicting his flaws, but she always hurried to make excuses for him or to downplay the extent of the objectively shitty things he did, likeinitiating sex when he knew he had an actively symptomatic STI . I can’t exactly fault her for it, given how important this man was for her and how much his loss hurt her. It’s kind of hard to be critical of someone in these circumstances! But still, I think the reason he was borderline my least favorite person to read about here was that the writing was pushing me to adore him no matter what, and I got kind of contrary.
This memoir pulled me in from the first page with wonderful prose, as empathetic and musical as Patti Smith’s lyrics and poetry, and then kept my attention with a mixture of personal recollections, reminiscence on the nature of art, and an assortment of anecdotes that illustrate the epoch. At times, I felt a little lost when I didn’t immediately recognize a name or somesuch; this is definitely a book aimed at someone who already has an idea of the musical and art scene of the 70s, and while I’m decently familiar with the music parts, sometimes I had to stop reading and pull up Google.
Robert Mapplethorpe feels like the true main character, even when he isn’t directly appearing on the page. I don’t think I really fell under the charm of his personality, no matter how much the narrative tried to pull me under and how much I didn’t mind succumbing. But I really liked the depiction of the bond he and Patti shared, how tightly entwined their lives remained even as their relationship changed from lovers to friends to something family-like in ways that defy strict categorization. I think what they shared is as close as it gets to finding a soulmate.
I really enjoyed how the book was structured, the narrative kind of growing denser and more expansive as it progressed. First we get the daily existence of someone striving to find something *more*, something that will give their life meaning. Then comes the part about the young starving artists that feels both freeing and a tiny bit claustrophobic, that endless juxtaposition of unleashed creativity and struggling in small apartments with limited funds. And then by the time we get close to the Chelsea Hotel times, more and more actors keep entering the stage, and the kaleidoscope of names and events grows and grows, sweeping you away.
When it comes to flaws, I guess I didn’t really like how much the author put Robert on the pedestal. She didn’t exactly shy away from depicting his flaws, but she always hurried to make excuses for him or to downplay the extent of the objectively shitty things he did, like
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
This book and I had a bit of a rocky start. Normally, I really appreciate beginnings like it has: the kind where instead of easing you into the setting, the author just starts off describing/explaining exactly as much as the POV character native to the setting would care to linger on and trusts the reader to make sense of things as they go along. I find this approach fun and immersive, and I don’t mind feeling a little lost for the first few pages. In this case, though, I felt lost a bit longer than was comfortable. I think it was because of the nature of the events the first chapter or two focuses on. It’s not very clear which parts are the baseline “normal” here, which events stand out but aren’t wholly unexpected for characters in these positions, and which parts are completely out of the ordinary—because the ordinary hasn’t been established yet. Without having that understanding, I couldn’t judge the stakes or fully grasp the significance of the characters’ choices.
Gradually, though, things got a lot more exciting, especially due to more moving around the very exciting city and more exposure to the magic system that is definitely the strongest point of the book. It’s a hard magic system, and it’s kind of layered in that sense: there is a specific rigid set of rules, there is the MC who intuitively breaks some of them, and then there are the actual rules behind the rules that he does in fact intuitively follow. I really enjoyed exploring the whole magical aspect of the world, both the acts of alchemy and the interactions with other dimensions with all their denizens and alchemical ingredients and wonders. I also really enjoyed the interactions between the magic and the society structure/class issues. There were a bunch of small side plot threads focused on it all that were really interesting to follow.
The characters were likable enough, but kind of lacked depth. They did have clear goals and mostly clear motivations, but I felt like a lot of the time their “screen time” was more built around what they can do/what skills they possess rather than who they are and what’s important to them. My favorite is definitely Zagiri; her arc is a bit stereotypical, but she’s got a really fun voice and personality and I really enjoyed hanging out with her. Siyon, the MC, initially hooked me with his thirst for knowledge that he couldn’t realize because of the social constraints, but as the story progressed, I couldn’t fully retain my interest in him as a fictional person as he felt more like a plot devise all too often.
In big part, that’s because the plot events escalated so quickly. On one hand, the events were really exciting and, vibes-vise, kind of reminded me of the Tarot Sequence books that I love very much. On the other hand, Rune from the Tarot Sequence starts off in a position where it’s completely understandable why he’d go toe to toe with the movers and shakers of his world. With Siyon, all those high-octane plot points with the Demon Queen and such didn’t feel like such a natural progression of events. Perhaps if the journey he undertakes here was spread over two-three books, the stakes escalated more gradually, etc, there would be less sense of disconnect. That would also provide more opportunities to explore the setting with that awesome magic system, because really, with the turns the plot takes here, it feels like we’ve jumped straight from the basics to the very top, missing out on all the cool bits in the middle.
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m the best practitioner you’ve never heard of.
This book and I had a bit of a rocky start. Normally, I really appreciate beginnings like it has: the kind where instead of easing you into the setting, the author just starts off describing/explaining exactly as much as the POV character native to the setting would care to linger on and trusts the reader to make sense of things as they go along. I find this approach fun and immersive, and I don’t mind feeling a little lost for the first few pages. In this case, though, I felt lost a bit longer than was comfortable. I think it was because of the nature of the events the first chapter or two focuses on. It’s not very clear which parts are the baseline “normal” here, which events stand out but aren’t wholly unexpected for characters in these positions, and which parts are completely out of the ordinary—because the ordinary hasn’t been established yet. Without having that understanding, I couldn’t judge the stakes or fully grasp the significance of the characters’ choices.
Gradually, though, things got a lot more exciting, especially due to more moving around the very exciting city and more exposure to the magic system that is definitely the strongest point of the book. It’s a hard magic system, and it’s kind of layered in that sense: there is a specific rigid set of rules, there is the MC who intuitively breaks some of them, and then there are the actual rules behind the rules that he does in fact intuitively follow. I really enjoyed exploring the whole magical aspect of the world, both the acts of alchemy and the interactions with other dimensions with all their denizens and alchemical ingredients and wonders. I also really enjoyed the interactions between the magic and the society structure/class issues. There were a bunch of small side plot threads focused on it all that were really interesting to follow.
The characters were likable enough, but kind of lacked depth. They did have clear goals and mostly clear motivations, but I felt like a lot of the time their “screen time” was more built around what they can do/what skills they possess rather than who they are and what’s important to them. My favorite is definitely Zagiri; her arc is a bit stereotypical, but she’s got a really fun voice and personality and I really enjoyed hanging out with her. Siyon, the MC, initially hooked me with his thirst for knowledge that he couldn’t realize because of the social constraints, but as the story progressed, I couldn’t fully retain my interest in him as a fictional person as he felt more like a plot devise all too often.
In big part, that’s because the plot events escalated so quickly. On one hand, the events were really exciting and, vibes-vise, kind of reminded me of the Tarot Sequence books that I love very much. On the other hand, Rune from the Tarot Sequence starts off in a position where it’s completely understandable why he’d go toe to toe with the movers and shakers of his world. With Siyon, all those high-octane plot points with the Demon Queen and such didn’t feel like such a natural progression of events. Perhaps if the journey he undertakes here was spread over two-three books, the stakes escalated more gradually, etc, there would be less sense of disconnect. That would also provide more opportunities to explore the setting with that awesome magic system, because really, with the turns the plot takes here, it feels like we’ve jumped straight from the basics to the very top, missing out on all the cool bits in the middle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Infidelity
Redshirts by John Scalzi
I suspect I would have enjoyed this one even more if I were a Trekkie (I know enough of Star Trek to grasp the core concepts, but I’ve always been more of a Babylon 5 person with a bit of Farscape on the side). As it was, I definitely found it easy to grasp the core concepts, but I kept feeling, especially in the latter half of the story, that there might be a lot of references that I was missing out on. Or maybe i was overthinking. That’s possible, too.
Anyway, even with limited knowledge of the source of satire, I did enjoy it a lot. A lot of the dialogue is simply priceless—I kept chuckling around as I read, even though I wouldn’t call the writing outright comical. Rather, wry and quirky, and that’s the kind of humor that often gets me the most when done well. I also really liked how most of it was structured (except for the parts I lowkey hated—more on that later). There was this sly, steady build-up to the big meta revelation that made me completely forget what was coming even though I was aware of this aspect of the book going in. I was just so caught up in the weirdness of the ship and all the quirkiness and how the characters interacted. The prose style took a tiny bit of getting used to, but overall, the story pulled me in fast. The mix of adventure, mystery, and that “story about a story” aspect never stopped being entertaining.
My one gripe with the book is the ending.I kind of wish it ended with chapter 23, but without its last paragraph. Even the full version of chapter 23 wouldn’t be *too* bad. I mean, it would be a truly terrible wtf moment, but it would also be kind of in line with the metafiction part of it all, and at least it would be a memorable last paragraph. But the entire (tiny) chapter 24 being basically AHAHA JUST KIDDING was annoying and created a weird sense of ambiguity—I now legit have no idea how it ended, if I should trust that one paragraph or the JUST KIDDING chapter, and it frustrates me. And the three codas that came afterward, while one of them did contain some fun musings about writer’s block and the like, added next to nothing to the story itself.
All in all, up until the very ending I was thoroughly entertained, and I’m definitely seeing why my friends kept insisting I read something by John Scalzi. His brand of wit appeals to me a lot, and I intend to pick up more of his works later in the year.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“What we’ve been told,” Collins said, “is that as the flagship of the Dub U, the Intrepid takes on a larger share of sensitive diplomatic, military and research missions than any other ship in the fleet. Because of that, there is commensurate increase of risk, and thus a statistically larger chance crew lives will be lost. It’s part of the risk of such a high-profile posting.”
“In other words, crew deaths are a feature, not a bug,” Cassaway said, dryly.
I suspect I would have enjoyed this one even more if I were a Trekkie (I know enough of Star Trek to grasp the core concepts, but I’ve always been more of a Babylon 5 person with a bit of Farscape on the side). As it was, I definitely found it easy to grasp the core concepts, but I kept feeling, especially in the latter half of the story, that there might be a lot of references that I was missing out on. Or maybe i was overthinking. That’s possible, too.
Anyway, even with limited knowledge of the source of satire, I did enjoy it a lot. A lot of the dialogue is simply priceless—I kept chuckling around as I read, even though I wouldn’t call the writing outright comical. Rather, wry and quirky, and that’s the kind of humor that often gets me the most when done well. I also really liked how most of it was structured (except for the parts I lowkey hated—more on that later). There was this sly, steady build-up to the big meta revelation that made me completely forget what was coming even though I was aware of this aspect of the book going in. I was just so caught up in the weirdness of the ship and all the quirkiness and how the characters interacted. The prose style took a tiny bit of getting used to, but overall, the story pulled me in fast. The mix of adventure, mystery, and that “story about a story” aspect never stopped being entertaining.
My one gripe with the book is the ending.
All in all, up until the very ending I was thoroughly entertained, and I’m definitely seeing why my friends kept insisting I read something by John Scalzi. His brand of wit appeals to me a lot, and I intend to pick up more of his works later in the year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail
Tide of Tricks by Ariana Nash
I’ve picked this book practically at random and without much active memory of what went on in the first part of the series, but the early chapters did a great job drawing me back into this secretive, magical version of London. I think I’ve enjoyed this second installment more, for a variety of reasons, not least of them being that this time I went in knowing what to expect: an urban fantasy novel with romantic queer subplots on the side, not a romance in an urban fantasy setting. But also, I think there’s a much better balance here between action, mystery, and character-focused moments. Also, I’m kind of a sucker for stories about the MC’s dark past catching up to them and for “magic-induced descent into madness” narratives (listen, I’m a lovecraftian horror at heart). So this book definitely delivered.
I enjoyed a slightly deeper dive into the worldbuilding, learning more about latents and their tricks and all the bad ways in which humans handle this. The danger Dom had been in throughout the book because of the failed competency test felt pressing and palpable, the serial killer mystery plot was exciting, and I can’t imagine not picking up the third novel now because damn, that cliffhanger is simply unfair. I need to know what happens next. Will Kempthorne get what he wants this time, and how? How is Dom going to fare where he is? Which things that Kage says and does are true and which are lying lies? Yup, I definitely will be picking up the next one soon.
The love triangle keeps being very, ah, triangular—in the sense that there remains a fair degree of uncertainty on which love interest is supposed to be the “true” one, though I think my money’s on Kempthorne at this point. The chemistry there is just so much stronger, now that the situation between him and Dom has gained more layers, and Dom’s attraction feels more genuine. With Kage, it felt like he was actively talking himself into giving this a chance to be more than sex; with Kempthorne, he was constantly talking himself out of acting on the attraction. The latter’s definitely more promising.
All in all, a fun, tense, fast-paced urban fantasy romp that hits all the classic beats for the genre and makes it very gay.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve had considerable experience in running from my past. You never get very far.
I’ve picked this book practically at random and without much active memory of what went on in the first part of the series, but the early chapters did a great job drawing me back into this secretive, magical version of London. I think I’ve enjoyed this second installment more, for a variety of reasons, not least of them being that this time I went in knowing what to expect: an urban fantasy novel with romantic queer subplots on the side, not a romance in an urban fantasy setting. But also, I think there’s a much better balance here between action, mystery, and character-focused moments. Also, I’m kind of a sucker for stories about the MC’s dark past catching up to them and for “magic-induced descent into madness” narratives (listen, I’m a lovecraftian horror at heart). So this book definitely delivered.
I enjoyed a slightly deeper dive into the worldbuilding, learning more about latents and their tricks and all the bad ways in which humans handle this. The danger Dom had been in throughout the book because of the failed competency test felt pressing and palpable, the serial killer mystery plot was exciting, and I can’t imagine not picking up the third novel now because damn, that cliffhanger is simply unfair. I need to know what happens next. Will Kempthorne get what he wants this time, and how? How is Dom going to fare where he is? Which things that Kage says and does are true and which are lying lies? Yup, I definitely will be picking up the next one soon.
The love triangle keeps being very, ah, triangular—in the sense that there remains a fair degree of uncertainty on which love interest is supposed to be the “true” one, though I think my money’s on Kempthorne at this point. The chemistry there is just so much stronger, now that the situation between him and Dom has gained more layers, and Dom’s attraction feels more genuine. With Kage, it felt like he was actively talking himself into giving this a chance to be more than sex; with Kempthorne, he was constantly talking himself out of acting on the attraction. The latter’s definitely more promising.
All in all, a fun, tense, fast-paced urban fantasy romp that hits all the classic beats for the genre and makes it very gay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicide
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
I think I might be genuinely too old for this type of YA. You know, the kind where it’s all about feeling not quite right in your skin, and then figuring out why, and then trying to decide what to do about it, and where you hope your life to lead you, and how to go about the obstacles that stand in your way (which often involve your parents). I love that these books exist, especially the diverse, queer ones. I wish they existed within my reach when I was the protagonists’ age. Looking back at those times, and then at these books, I can definitely relate in that “yeah, been there” way. But at this point, to remain truly invested, I really need something else to be happening around all the coming of age to stay focused and invested.
In this book, there wasn’t much in the way of something else. I definitely enjoyed learning more about queer history and Chinese American culture and the surrounding politics. The parts based around the titular club were fun and immersive, although the girls’ first trip to the club took place way later in the book than I expected and it generally played a smaller part than the cover, title, and blurb all led me to believe. The writing flowed really well. Lily is a compelling, fully realized protagonist, Kath is a less richly written but nonetheless lovable love interest, and there are a lot of poignant moments that really touched me. And all of that was just really, really steeped in that specific coming of age arc, which is absolutely not a bad thing! Focused stories like this are great objectively, for the right audience. It’s just that I’m not really it.
In terms of weaknesses, it might be strange to say so of a 400+ pages book, but I wish it was longer. Over the first 75% or so I got used to the slow, stead, thorough storytelling, and when the pacing suddenly sped up in the last section, it took me aback a bit. I feel like the end of the last chapter and the epilogue could easily be expanded in a separate multi-chapter part. It was strange to see those final crucial steps of Lily’s arc so condensed, and it contrasted with the flow of the rest of the book a lot. Despite that, the very ending brought a smile to my face, and I generally liked how the story wrapped up. I would just prefer it if it was less rushed.
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
It was like finding water after a drought. She couldn’t drink enough, and her thirst made her ashamed, and the shame made her angry.
I think I might be genuinely too old for this type of YA. You know, the kind where it’s all about feeling not quite right in your skin, and then figuring out why, and then trying to decide what to do about it, and where you hope your life to lead you, and how to go about the obstacles that stand in your way (which often involve your parents). I love that these books exist, especially the diverse, queer ones. I wish they existed within my reach when I was the protagonists’ age. Looking back at those times, and then at these books, I can definitely relate in that “yeah, been there” way. But at this point, to remain truly invested, I really need something else to be happening around all the coming of age to stay focused and invested.
In this book, there wasn’t much in the way of something else. I definitely enjoyed learning more about queer history and Chinese American culture and the surrounding politics. The parts based around the titular club were fun and immersive, although the girls’ first trip to the club took place way later in the book than I expected and it generally played a smaller part than the cover, title, and blurb all led me to believe. The writing flowed really well. Lily is a compelling, fully realized protagonist, Kath is a less richly written but nonetheless lovable love interest, and there are a lot of poignant moments that really touched me. And all of that was just really, really steeped in that specific coming of age arc, which is absolutely not a bad thing! Focused stories like this are great objectively, for the right audience. It’s just that I’m not really it.
In terms of weaknesses, it might be strange to say so of a 400+ pages book, but I wish it was longer. Over the first 75% or so I got used to the slow, stead, thorough storytelling, and when the pacing suddenly sped up in the last section, it took me aback a bit. I feel like the end of the last chapter and the epilogue could easily be expanded in a separate multi-chapter part. It was strange to see those final crucial steps of Lily’s arc so condensed, and it contrasted with the flow of the rest of the book a lot. Despite that, the very ending brought a smile to my face, and I generally liked how the story wrapped up. I would just prefer it if it was less rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
For the first 25% or so, this was shaping to be close to a five-star read for me. I definitely took note of the writing being rough around the edges and how transparently beat after beat got lifted from the most prominent books in the genre. But there was so much soul here, so much emotion, and Zetian was so relatable in her all-consuming anger. For as long as she had that very specific first goal in front of her and pushed toward with all the force of that anger, I was absolutely hooked.
Unfortunately, past that mark the story steadily began to meander and loose its footing. I didn’t so much have problems with what was on the page as with what was missing. The worldbuilding was solid when it came to how the giant mechas and the fighters’ energies operate, but everything else? I definitely have more questions than answers. The central theme of the novel is the oppression of women, with all the attitudes around it largely lifted wholesale from history and dropped into a technologically advanced, futuristic setting with magic without changing shape much. And like, please don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m not buying extreme levels of misogyny in an advanced setting. I mean, we all literally live in one, and I’m pretty conscious of what’s going on around me. But the specific shapes oppression takes tend to change and shift through the ages. Between the technologies, the reasonably well-understood magic, the war history, etc, it is hard to imagine that nothing about the society’s attitudes would fluctuate.
Then there’s the war against the giant alien things that is supposedly at the heart of the story, except the way it is presented, it doesn’t feel like a battle for survival. It’s just something that happens so that the evil men in charge can, a) entertain the masses with endless violent livestreams a-la Hunger Games (except without the internally consistent underlying reasoning the actual Hunger Games had), and b) kill and oppress women. If this is an ongoing struggle for survival and safety, it is very strange of the people in charge to literally go, “Well, we need to fight it in a way that doesn’t damage the fragile male egos and doesn’t give a single woman a boost of confidence, even if it means not using our resources to the fullest potential. This is very important. More so than our actual continued existence.” This is… not how these things happen. These things, to be realistic, should be more complex, with a focus on the war commandment achieving maximum efficiency on the battlefield with the resources they have, including training women with high spirit pressure as pilots in their own right, and the political leaders figuring out the mental gymnastics they need to teach the masses for that to keep co-existing with the biases they’re interested in keeping—and to be ready for some things to change shape while keeping their toxic essence that’s very much worse raging against.
Of course, I do acknowledge that the MC is a teenager in highly specific circumstances, and she simply may not see how the larger world functions. But that’s where my other problem lies: while I have no problem with Zetian being an unreliable narrator who is caught up in her own experiences and emotions and the limited information she has, I don’t think the narrative does a good enough job of treating her as one. On the contrary, it often feels like the book is trying to present the protagonist’s truth as the One Actual Truth, and I think the book grows weaker for that. It would have been great to have more layers to the world and the characters surrounding Zetian, to have them all display traits, qualities, etc that don’t neatly tie into Zetian’s narrative. It’s a tricky thing to achieve for sure when you’re writing in first person POV and your protagonist is an angry teenager, and I empathize with the difficulty of the task, but the absence of these layers kind of made the story start falling apart for me at some point.
What still kept me reading, though, was that anger that I keep mentioning—so relatable and so well-portrayed. I’ve seen reviews that mentioned how it’s strange that Zetian is so angry at the patriarchy yet doesn’t bond with the women around her, instead looking down on them. And I absolutely get where this opinion is coming from, but also, the way I see it, she’s in this place where she’s just so terribly angry at the oppression. She explicitly recognizes that other women—like her grandmother who broke her feet in the name of disabling beauty standards, or her mother who’s been brought down by her marriage yet considers it a pinnacle of happiness to see her daughter also married of, or the girls who act content with their lot in life—are victims of the system she hates. But the ugly thing about systems of oppression is that they turn their victims into accomplices, and when you get infuriated enough at the system, you turn your rage on everyone who upholds it, whether they do it because they want to, because they can, or because the system itself makes them to do. You just rage and want to burn the entire system down. It’s not fair. It’s not just. It’s how it is. I’ve spent almost three years feeling that type of anger every waking moment, even if it’s aimed at a different sort of evil, and it’s been incredibly validating to read a book full of it. I feel seen. I also feel both sad and happy that I don’t have a magical mecha.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can’t afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favor. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force.
For the first 25% or so, this was shaping to be close to a five-star read for me. I definitely took note of the writing being rough around the edges and how transparently beat after beat got lifted from the most prominent books in the genre. But there was so much soul here, so much emotion, and Zetian was so relatable in her all-consuming anger. For as long as she had that very specific first goal in front of her and pushed toward with all the force of that anger, I was absolutely hooked.
Unfortunately, past that mark the story steadily began to meander and loose its footing. I didn’t so much have problems with what was on the page as with what was missing. The worldbuilding was solid when it came to how the giant mechas and the fighters’ energies operate, but everything else? I definitely have more questions than answers. The central theme of the novel is the oppression of women, with all the attitudes around it largely lifted wholesale from history and dropped into a technologically advanced, futuristic setting with magic without changing shape much. And like, please don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m not buying extreme levels of misogyny in an advanced setting. I mean, we all literally live in one, and I’m pretty conscious of what’s going on around me. But the specific shapes oppression takes tend to change and shift through the ages. Between the technologies, the reasonably well-understood magic, the war history, etc, it is hard to imagine that nothing about the society’s attitudes would fluctuate.
Then there’s the war against the giant alien things that is supposedly at the heart of the story, except the way it is presented, it doesn’t feel like a battle for survival. It’s just something that happens so that the evil men in charge can, a) entertain the masses with endless violent livestreams a-la Hunger Games (except without the internally consistent underlying reasoning the actual Hunger Games had), and b) kill and oppress women. If this is an ongoing struggle for survival and safety, it is very strange of the people in charge to literally go, “Well, we need to fight it in a way that doesn’t damage the fragile male egos and doesn’t give a single woman a boost of confidence, even if it means not using our resources to the fullest potential. This is very important. More so than our actual continued existence.” This is… not how these things happen. These things, to be realistic, should be more complex, with a focus on the war commandment achieving maximum efficiency on the battlefield with the resources they have, including training women with high spirit pressure as pilots in their own right, and the political leaders figuring out the mental gymnastics they need to teach the masses for that to keep co-existing with the biases they’re interested in keeping—and to be ready for some things to change shape while keeping their toxic essence that’s very much worse raging against.
Of course, I do acknowledge that the MC is a teenager in highly specific circumstances, and she simply may not see how the larger world functions. But that’s where my other problem lies: while I have no problem with Zetian being an unreliable narrator who is caught up in her own experiences and emotions and the limited information she has, I don’t think the narrative does a good enough job of treating her as one. On the contrary, it often feels like the book is trying to present the protagonist’s truth as the One Actual Truth, and I think the book grows weaker for that. It would have been great to have more layers to the world and the characters surrounding Zetian, to have them all display traits, qualities, etc that don’t neatly tie into Zetian’s narrative. It’s a tricky thing to achieve for sure when you’re writing in first person POV and your protagonist is an angry teenager, and I empathize with the difficulty of the task, but the absence of these layers kind of made the story start falling apart for me at some point.
What still kept me reading, though, was that anger that I keep mentioning—so relatable and so well-portrayed. I’ve seen reviews that mentioned how it’s strange that Zetian is so angry at the patriarchy yet doesn’t bond with the women around her, instead looking down on them. And I absolutely get where this opinion is coming from, but also, the way I see it, she’s in this place where she’s just so terribly angry at the oppression. She explicitly recognizes that other women—like her grandmother who broke her feet in the name of disabling beauty standards, or her mother who’s been brought down by her marriage yet considers it a pinnacle of happiness to see her daughter also married of, or the girls who act content with their lot in life—are victims of the system she hates. But the ugly thing about systems of oppression is that they turn their victims into accomplices, and when you get infuriated enough at the system, you turn your rage on everyone who upholds it, whether they do it because they want to, because they can, or because the system itself makes them to do. You just rage and want to burn the entire system down. It’s not fair. It’s not just. It’s how it is. I’ve spent almost three years feeling that type of anger every waking moment, even if it’s aimed at a different sort of evil, and it’s been incredibly validating to read a book full of it. I feel seen. I also feel both sad and happy that I don’t have a magical mecha.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape
Necropolis by Jordan L. Hawk
We are once again leaving Widdershins, this time to go across the globe, and I’m beginning to sense a pattern here: one book in the city, one book on an adventure elsewhere. I’m curious to see if it’s going to be upheld throughout the series. The change of scenery this time was pretty fun, reminding me of that Relic Hunter tv show I used to love as a kid, except make it lovecraftian. I admit I have some doubts about the level of research that went into the setting, but there are some fun details, and it’s internally consistent, and hey, we’re here on an adventure.
Whyborne continues to grow on me; I think it’s a combination of his character development and my getting used to certain peculiarities of his thinking. It’s been amusing to notice how off his perceptions are sometimes not just about what other people around him may be thinking and feeling, but about what’s going on in his own head, too. “This spell hasn’t been working out, but today I am feeling very calm and certain I can nail it. DAMN IT, HOW COULD CHRISTINE EXPECT THIS OF ME. I am feeling very calm and focused.” Lol, right.
Speaking of Christine, I really loved how much she got to shine in this book, and the overall shape of her arc so far. She steadfastly remembers my very favorite character, and I love how she never feels like a third wheel alongside the main couple. In fact, sometimes I get the feeling that in the long run, she’s the glue that is keeping this little found family together, because like… where would Whyborne be without someone to talk sense into him now and then? Or Griffin without someone to call him out at certain occasions? It’s also nice to be seeing her getting a dose of her own personal happiness—I hope it works out!
What I didn’t really love about this book was the villain. Or rather, I liked how parts of the deal were handled—I largely called what was happening super early on, but then let the author lull me into a false sense of security and was genuinely surprised by the reveal. But honestly,Daphne was done so dirty by the story. I appreciate that there were some attempts at compassion re: the abuse she suffered and the situation it drove her into, but they were rather weak and unconvincing for me. She deserved better, and this whole topic deserve much better, and I wish half the care that this series channels into empathizing with the male character’s suffering went into this plotline. This is really a big grip I have with this book.
Outside of that, though, all the adventuring and mystery-solving was fun, I liked that Whyborne got to geek out properly about languages, I love his friendship with Christine, and I wonder what’s going to happen to his arc, the plot, and his relationship with Griffin now that he’s made a certain decision at the end of the story. Also, there was that hint about a potential secret concerning him that is just so intriguing??? I immediately developed a theory once it was dropped, and then was like, “Hang on, if I turn out to be correct, I really wish this would’ve been foreshadowed since book 1,” and then I realized that the theory I’m having has in fact been foreshadowed since book 1, so now I can’t wait to know if I’m right or wrong!
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
This is an unforgiving land, old chap. Those who fail to tread cautiously soon cease to tread at all.
We are once again leaving Widdershins, this time to go across the globe, and I’m beginning to sense a pattern here: one book in the city, one book on an adventure elsewhere. I’m curious to see if it’s going to be upheld throughout the series. The change of scenery this time was pretty fun, reminding me of that Relic Hunter tv show I used to love as a kid, except make it lovecraftian. I admit I have some doubts about the level of research that went into the setting, but there are some fun details, and it’s internally consistent, and hey, we’re here on an adventure.
Whyborne continues to grow on me; I think it’s a combination of his character development and my getting used to certain peculiarities of his thinking. It’s been amusing to notice how off his perceptions are sometimes not just about what other people around him may be thinking and feeling, but about what’s going on in his own head, too. “This spell hasn’t been working out, but today I am feeling very calm and certain I can nail it. DAMN IT, HOW COULD CHRISTINE EXPECT THIS OF ME. I am feeling very calm and focused.” Lol, right.
Speaking of Christine, I really loved how much she got to shine in this book, and the overall shape of her arc so far. She steadfastly remembers my very favorite character, and I love how she never feels like a third wheel alongside the main couple. In fact, sometimes I get the feeling that in the long run, she’s the glue that is keeping this little found family together, because like… where would Whyborne be without someone to talk sense into him now and then? Or Griffin without someone to call him out at certain occasions? It’s also nice to be seeing her getting a dose of her own personal happiness—I hope it works out!
What I didn’t really love about this book was the villain. Or rather, I liked how parts of the deal were handled—I largely called what was happening super early on, but then let the author lull me into a false sense of security and was genuinely surprised by the reveal. But honestly,
Outside of that, though, all the adventuring and mystery-solving was fun, I liked that Whyborne got to geek out properly about languages, I love his friendship with Christine, and I wonder what’s going to happen to his arc, the plot, and his relationship with Griffin now that he’s made a certain decision at the end of the story. Also, there was that hint about a potential secret concerning him that is just so intriguing??? I immediately developed a theory once it was dropped, and then was like, “Hang on, if I turn out to be correct, I really wish this would’ve been foreshadowed since book 1,” and then I realized that the theory I’m having has in fact been foreshadowed since book 1, so now I can’t wait to know if I’m right or wrong!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse
Minor: Cannibalism
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
I tried to persevere with this one, but when I asked myself why I wanted to continue, I couldn't really find an answer. The characters are fun enough, but over 100 pages in, I can't tell you what the book is really about. There are some murders going on, and some of the characters are vaguely interested in that, but how does it all tie together? It's like a bunch of different books loosely tied together, or maybe just a bunch of backstories/introductions that are going on and on and on. And if my impression from skimming forward to random points is correct, it looks like all the characters and storylines are going to come together only at around 70% (please note this is a 500-pages book). That's... kind of discouraging.
I did like what I've seen from the characters, in particular what I've seen of Vehan and Aurelian (I tend to like these prince and bodyguard dynamics, and they also both seem generally fun and compelling), and I'm generally very here for all-queer casts and faerie-focused urban fantasies. But the way it's structured just makes it really hard to focus on anything for me.
I did like what I've seen from the characters, in particular what I've seen of Vehan and Aurelian (I tend to like these prince and bodyguard dynamics, and they also both seem generally fun and compelling), and I'm generally very here for all-queer casts and faerie-focused urban fantasies. But the way it's structured just makes it really hard to focus on anything for me.
Unbreakable by Mira Grant
This is such a hard book for me to review, because I genuinely loved the ideas it contains. The big concepts, the mixture of sci-fi and magic, this whole innovative, engaging take on the magical girls trope—it’s chef’s kiss. And I loved, in that “fuck this hurts” sort of way, how some of the themes from Velveteen vs were further vivisected here, as well as some themes from the Wayward Children. I loved Yuina and Piper and wished I could really get to know them, with proper arcs and all.
But alas, I didn’t at all love how this story was told.
I think that it really suffers from being shoved into the slim novella format. Perhaps with some percolation, it could make an awesome novel, or even a series—or at least a collection of loosely interconnected shorts like Dying with Her Cheer Pants On. As it is, at the beginning there are whole long chapters that are basically just worldbuilding, to the point that getting through them didn’t feel like engaging with a story, it felt like listening to a friend excitedly ramble about this cool awesome new setting they invented. Yes, these chapters were smart and voicey, especially Piper’s parts, and yes, I mostly enjoyed reading them. Like I said, the setting is amazing! But as a result, the setting felt like something I was told of, not pulled into, and this was quite a lengthy set-up for such a short book. And then when the actual events started happening, stuff worth lingering on was rushed past, or sometimes all but skipped over, and there was that sudden POV switch that would have worked far better in a bigger work, and I got confused at least once because of how the narrative was just jumping from one thing to another. Also, I really wish there could have been more flashbacks or something about the fallen teammates, because Paisley, Ashley, and Elena all sound awesome and deserved to be more fully realized, even if just as memories. But at the same time, I understand that no way was there room for that here, given the format.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
We got to fight the war. We got to bury the fallen. We never got to tell our story.
This is such a hard book for me to review, because I genuinely loved the ideas it contains. The big concepts, the mixture of sci-fi and magic, this whole innovative, engaging take on the magical girls trope—it’s chef’s kiss. And I loved, in that “fuck this hurts” sort of way, how some of the themes from Velveteen vs were further vivisected here, as well as some themes from the Wayward Children. I loved Yuina and Piper and wished I could really get to know them, with proper arcs and all.
But alas, I didn’t at all love how this story was told.
I think that it really suffers from being shoved into the slim novella format. Perhaps with some percolation, it could make an awesome novel, or even a series—or at least a collection of loosely interconnected shorts like Dying with Her Cheer Pants On. As it is, at the beginning there are whole long chapters that are basically just worldbuilding, to the point that getting through them didn’t feel like engaging with a story, it felt like listening to a friend excitedly ramble about this cool awesome new setting they invented. Yes, these chapters were smart and voicey, especially Piper’s parts, and yes, I mostly enjoyed reading them. Like I said, the setting is amazing! But as a result, the setting felt like something I was told of, not pulled into, and this was quite a lengthy set-up for such a short book. And then when the actual events started happening, stuff worth lingering on was rushed past, or sometimes all but skipped over, and there was that sudden POV switch that would have worked far better in a bigger work, and I got confused at least once because of how the narrative was just jumping from one thing to another. Also, I really wish there could have been more flashbacks or something about the fallen teammates, because Paisley, Ashley, and Elena all sound awesome and deserved to be more fully realized, even if just as memories. But at the same time, I understand that no way was there room for that here, given the format.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Grief, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
If you like dark academia and gothic, explorations of misogyny, themes like the impact of stories, and romance subplots focus on healing, definitely pick this one up. Especially if you also value vibes over plot and get that special longing, anxious feeling in your chest whenever you so much as think about the sea.
This was a slow read for me, and I changed my opinion about it a bunch of times, but ultimately, I liked far more about it than I didn’t. The prose, in particular, is such a strong part of the book, doing so much to create a heavy, uncertain, gothic atmosphere and to support the themes of the book. This is indeed a study in drowning: because of the Drowning as an event important to the setting, because the sea creates a threat, because Effy spends almost the entirety of the story metaphorically drowning. And so the prose is pretty much full of water. There are water-themed metaphors and similes everywhere, water-related colors and qualities to the various scene settings, and every time there is a word choice that can be even remotely associated with water, you bet the author takes it. The watery themes just never let go, and it creates a beautiful effect.
The worldbuilding was occasionally confusing. The bigger concepts, like the politics, the folklore, the academic and literature culture, were really well-realized. On the smaller scale, though, while the vibes were impeccable, I struggled to actually feel grounded. It was kind of like listening to a “decrepit gothic mansion by the sea” soundtrack without getting a visual. The setting is a secondary world that has phones, cars, indoors plumbing, ceiling fans, etc—but for the love of the sea, I can’t tell you what era or mix of eras one should be envisioning with them all. 1920s? 1950s? 1980s? Might be a “me” problem, but I legit don’t know. Guess this isn’t particularly important; but it kept making me feeling shaky and uncertain. If the setting was farther divorced from the real world, I would be completely fine with the existing level of descriptions, I think. But here, it was like… hmmm… like when you’re learning a language that has a lot of common with your native one. You really need to explicitly understand the differences and the similarities.
The plotting was probably the weakest part of the story. The central mystery about the real authorship of the novel Angharad was rather predictable and kind of… oddly executed? The specific actions Effy and Preston took and their mindsets throughout the investigation felt less like “we’re solving a mystery” and more like “we’ve got this conspiracy theory we want to spread.” Also, the reveal is pretty much based on one glaring plot hole that I won’t comment on in detail to avoid spoilers, and I also kind of understand how you can squint and ignore the hole-ness of it in favor of focusing on the themes, but still, it felt pretty meh to me. In general, there were times when that central plot felt like it was just interfering with the vibes and the characters’ inner journeys rather than helping both.
Speaking of characters, I really loved Effy throughout the book, and I felt for her a lot: the pain she was in, the survival mechanisms she’s developed, her quiet strength mixed with anxiety, the way she gave herself the chance to heal. She’s really been dealt a shitty lot in life, but I feel like she’s going to be fine eventually. Preston was a cinnamon roll, and I appreciated how supportive he was of Effie and how focused on lifting her up. It’s worth noting that the book promises enemies to lovers and doesn’t deliver—they’re barely rivals, tbh, and even though there’s some light animosity at the start, it gives way quickly enough to seeking understanding. Which, I feel, really suits these characters and the story. They just aren’t the kind to get locked in a more typical enemies-to-lovers type of dynamic—good for them! Though i do feel there were some missed opportunities here, in particular with the impact the politics of the world might have on their relationship given that, even though his mother is Llyrian, Preston has Argantian origins and the tensions between the countries are considerable, to say the least. It felt like the book did try to explore that at first, with Effy’s preconceived notions about Preston, but that line of thinking was quickly dropped in favor of other themes.
Overall, I’m a big fan of the work the author does with the prose and the vibes, and when the next book comes out, I’m quite likely to pick it up. It will be interesting to see further character development from both leads, and I’m looking forward to once again feeling like my ereader now smells of the sea. 🌊
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Writing that book was like shining a beacon from a lighthouse, I suppose. Are there any ships on the horizon? Will they signal back to me?
If you like dark academia and gothic, explorations of misogyny, themes like the impact of stories, and romance subplots focus on healing, definitely pick this one up. Especially if you also value vibes over plot and get that special longing, anxious feeling in your chest whenever you so much as think about the sea.
This was a slow read for me, and I changed my opinion about it a bunch of times, but ultimately, I liked far more about it than I didn’t. The prose, in particular, is such a strong part of the book, doing so much to create a heavy, uncertain, gothic atmosphere and to support the themes of the book. This is indeed a study in drowning: because of the Drowning as an event important to the setting, because the sea creates a threat, because Effy spends almost the entirety of the story metaphorically drowning. And so the prose is pretty much full of water. There are water-themed metaphors and similes everywhere, water-related colors and qualities to the various scene settings, and every time there is a word choice that can be even remotely associated with water, you bet the author takes it. The watery themes just never let go, and it creates a beautiful effect.
The worldbuilding was occasionally confusing. The bigger concepts, like the politics, the folklore, the academic and literature culture, were really well-realized. On the smaller scale, though, while the vibes were impeccable, I struggled to actually feel grounded. It was kind of like listening to a “decrepit gothic mansion by the sea” soundtrack without getting a visual. The setting is a secondary world that has phones, cars, indoors plumbing, ceiling fans, etc—but for the love of the sea, I can’t tell you what era or mix of eras one should be envisioning with them all. 1920s? 1950s? 1980s? Might be a “me” problem, but I legit don’t know. Guess this isn’t particularly important; but it kept making me feeling shaky and uncertain. If the setting was farther divorced from the real world, I would be completely fine with the existing level of descriptions, I think. But here, it was like… hmmm… like when you’re learning a language that has a lot of common with your native one. You really need to explicitly understand the differences and the similarities.
The plotting was probably the weakest part of the story. The central mystery about the real authorship of the novel Angharad was rather predictable and kind of… oddly executed? The specific actions Effy and Preston took and their mindsets throughout the investigation felt less like “we’re solving a mystery” and more like “we’ve got this conspiracy theory we want to spread.” Also, the reveal is pretty much based on one glaring plot hole that I won’t comment on in detail to avoid spoilers, and I also kind of understand how you can squint and ignore the hole-ness of it in favor of focusing on the themes, but still, it felt pretty meh to me. In general, there were times when that central plot felt like it was just interfering with the vibes and the characters’ inner journeys rather than helping both.
Speaking of characters, I really loved Effy throughout the book, and I felt for her a lot: the pain she was in, the survival mechanisms she’s developed, her quiet strength mixed with anxiety, the way she gave herself the chance to heal. She’s really been dealt a shitty lot in life, but I feel like she’s going to be fine eventually. Preston was a cinnamon roll, and I appreciated how supportive he was of Effie and how focused on lifting her up. It’s worth noting that the book promises enemies to lovers and doesn’t deliver—they’re barely rivals, tbh, and even though there’s some light animosity at the start, it gives way quickly enough to seeking understanding. Which, I feel, really suits these characters and the story. They just aren’t the kind to get locked in a more typical enemies-to-lovers type of dynamic—good for them! Though i do feel there were some missed opportunities here, in particular with the impact the politics of the world might have on their relationship given that, even though his mother is Llyrian, Preston has Argantian origins and the tensions between the countries are considerable, to say the least. It felt like the book did try to explore that at first, with Effy’s preconceived notions about Preston, but that line of thinking was quickly dropped in favor of other themes.
Overall, I’m a big fan of the work the author does with the prose and the vibes, and when the next book comes out, I’m quite likely to pick it up. It will be interesting to see further character development from both leads, and I’m looking forward to once again feeling like my ereader now smells of the sea. 🌊
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Medical content, Death of parent