watermelleon's reviews
252 reviews

Wicked: The Graphic Novel Part I: An Enchanting Graphic Novelization of the Inspiration for the Major Motion Picture by Gregory Maguire

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

The artistic interpretation of the original book is a 10/10, and I'm absolutely bowled over by the gelphie/turtle heart/fiyero-elphaba content. While I would feel more comfortable recommending this version to others over the original, the abridgement of certain scenes to me sometimes makes the plot flow slightly awkwardly as a result (i.e. characters appearing later than they should, then acting like they've been there longer than they have!!) 

I was a bit worried about how some of the characters would be drawn (Nessa rose especially) but it felt like a very good adaptation to me while still respectful. I would have liked a wider range of skin tones though (looking at fiyero especially)

When is the second one coming out because I so desperately need to see elphaba with sarima and her kids pls and thanks!!!

Definitely a good way to absorb the story in a medium that is a bit more accessible than the wordiness that can be the original. While it has been abridged I still wouldn't confidently say this version is child friendly, but possibly may be a more palatable choice for young adults wanting to try the book.

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A slightly weaker entry in the series, but a necessary slow burn that results in some absolutely immaculate writing!! The web maguire successfully weaves through this series is incredible talent! This feels like a very strong set up for what I predict may be a 5* book 4!

Also the aknowledgements  is literally insane and made me GASP! save it as a little treat for when the book is over!!

Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

Woweeee

This sequel is a whole different game to it's predecessor - while one focusses on the story of elphaba and issues that affects her as a woman, son of a which completely inverts the world from the perspective of her son liir, a young boy who has had very little support in life and goes through the motions of radicalisation that many young men without direction may find themselves in. Liir cannot see himself as a valuable person, and falls into whichever dangerous figures will take him, until more certain figures allow him the space to question what he has learned. Liir subsequently begins to learn the lessons of the women that struggle around him, and his place within that struggle (including finally understanding the emotional insights of his mother, and why she was so distant to him). Seeing him develop into (and understand that he always was) the best and worst attributes of his mother and father was such an interesting journey, and I have so much to think about!!

I think overall wicked feels slightly stronger, possibly owing to it covering a far longer period of time, but this was a pure delight and a huge thematic surprise!! I also did feel the pacing slowed a bit more, but the ending built up well and was an incredibly fast and tense finale!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

5.0

How am I ever meant to recommend this book to anyone??? 

Grit by Emily Oldfield

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Margins and Murmurations by Otter Lieffe
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.

I gave this the one hour rule - despite being a wonderfully diverse book, the writing style was not for me and perhaps needs some maturing in writing style- it feels like some editing may be needed. I tend to enjoy books more that show rather than tell, and at times it felt a little bit too much pushing of good political ideas (that I do agree with) instead of subtly integrating them for maximum impact.

In Place of Fear by Aneurin Bevan

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Everyone should read this book. And there is not a better time to do it.

The scariest book i have ever read.

The Circling Song by Nawal El Saadawi

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a completely blind read, and am I shocked to see the rating on this so low!!

"A Circling Song" found me, when I was in a public library craving a short novella to demolish! This book looked so tiny and unassuming on the shelf, and hadn't been checked out since 2012. I know now that this fact is an absolute disgrace.

The description of this book as a "kaleidoscope" was so perfect. The story comes across as a feeling and an idea, a string of consciousness contemplating the reality of gender and politics in Egypt. Narratives weave and blend and interconnect. Somehow, a world so culturally different from mine is explained in a way that I have never heard yet fully understood.

The feminist potential of the Arabic language was the most beautiful discourse I have ever heard. With so many languages discussing gramatical gender the fact that a simple dash is the sole difference between the masculine and feminine is something fascinating to reflect on.

Cried a lot, reflected a lot. Learned a lot. Love!!!

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Yellowface [Abridged] by R.F. Kuang

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

*Review based on the abridged audiobook from radio 4 *

Good bits: 

• An excellent deconstruction of key systemic issues within the publishing industry!
• A very bold choice was made to use an unreliable and unlikeable narrator. I absolutely hated the protagonist and it was used sucessfully as a vehicle for suspense and the thriller elements of the book. Seen other opinions on this, but it worked for me!
• A great summary of the alt right pipeline, how it works, and examples of the tiny grains (and buckets) of enabling sand that eventually pool into a beach of ideology.
• Easily the scariest book i have read in a while for mirroring reality so well - the protagonist reminded me of multiple key figures that opperate in a similar way in the news currently.

The questionable bits:

• The book began to feel a bit long and samey in parts, and I wonder if in the full version there may be some reading fatigue as a result? 
• While some excellent ideas are discussed, im not fully convinced that yellowface gives the reader enough to learn and change their own perspectives. I worry that only those with understanding of the key issues will get everything going on in a "yes, this reflects real life as i understand it" way, over a "now i understand issues such as cultural appropriation and how i am a part of the problem a bit easier" way. While books dont always need to be an education, i fear that those who need it most will miss the important nuances without this context, or fail to finish it completely.
• Not sure where im sat on
  the character of candice and where she ends up. What started as a promising character possibly falls a bit flat in the name of vengeance. This is okay in some instances,  but i personally initally read candice as a non-white character which created a bitter taste in it falling the way it did.
• Sometimes i felt the author's opinion voice teetering the line of being too strong, putting it in danger of becoming a brash ideology piece(thinking about pullman as a good example of this). Which is a shame, because the points are overall good, but fell on the page too strongly at times which ,ay be offputting to some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol