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writervid's reviews
129 reviews
The Wicked King by Holly Black
4.0
I was waiting to read this because I felt that Holly Black might leave me waiting in sick anticipation for the next installment again...and she did. All the strengths of the first book remain, with many expanded upon (like Jude and Cardan's relationship and their power dynamic), and I'm a sucker for court intrigue. Why is it not five stars? Because there was sometimes too much going on. That sounds picky, but since Black did so well at continuing the threads of the first book, there was often not enough time to go into them in depth while maintaining pacing, and oftentimes the places she expanded were not the most dynamic or interesting. Simultaneously, some threads got repetitive. I feel less attached to the characters this time around than the first, although I'm still plenty attached. An excellent read, just a few nitpicks that, when all put together, knock off some points.
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
3.0
Reread! I first read this series when I didn't have Goodreads, before Immortal Reign was released, which I never got around to reading. That being said, I remember very little of what had happened; I only remembered Magnus and Cleo's names and roles, and a bit about the Elementia. Rereading this did feel like turning fresh eyes to it because of that.
Ultimately, I think this is the weakest book in the series (excluding the fact that I haven't read Immortal Reign). It relies heavily on fantasy cliches that we're all familiar with without expanding upon them very much--the fiery princess who doesn't want to get married, the dark prince grappling between goodness and intimidation, the scrappy rebel who wants to make a change, the magical sorceress, etcetera, etcetera. My notes from my first read say "very stereotypical fantasy," which is still true. While the book attempts to vary it up through worldbuilding and character description, exposition often feels clunky and forced. There's also a bit too much of the idea that everyone falls in love with the two main female characters, which tires me.
That being said, I really enjoy this series, and this book within it. While some of the schemes read as simplistic as opposed to complex, and the prose isn't vivid, I think what Rhodes does well here is set up the characters for complex arcs and a fascinating world. Juggling that many perspectives is no easy task, and she keeps the narrative balanced between each one in a way that other large cast novels often do not. While the idea of a continent divided by region is common in fantasy, I enjoy hearing how different characters view things based on their context and origin. I think that Jonas' character provides some interesting socialist viewpoints which I hadn't realized before, but I'm very into the "seize the means of production" vibe he has.
A decent start to a series, and an addictive one. Excited to continue my reread!
Ultimately, I think this is the weakest book in the series (excluding the fact that I haven't read Immortal Reign). It relies heavily on fantasy cliches that we're all familiar with without expanding upon them very much--the fiery princess who doesn't want to get married, the dark prince grappling between goodness and intimidation, the scrappy rebel who wants to make a change, the magical sorceress, etcetera, etcetera. My notes from my first read say "very stereotypical fantasy," which is still true. While the book attempts to vary it up through worldbuilding and character description, exposition often feels clunky and forced. There's also a bit too much of the idea that everyone falls in love with the two main female characters, which tires me.
That being said, I really enjoy this series, and this book within it. While some of the schemes read as simplistic as opposed to complex, and the prose isn't vivid, I think what Rhodes does well here is set up the characters for complex arcs and a fascinating world. Juggling that many perspectives is no easy task, and she keeps the narrative balanced between each one in a way that other large cast novels often do not. While the idea of a continent divided by region is common in fantasy, I enjoy hearing how different characters view things based on their context and origin. I think that Jonas' character provides some interesting socialist viewpoints which I hadn't realized before, but I'm very into the "seize the means of production" vibe he has.
A decent start to a series, and an addictive one. Excited to continue my reread!
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
4.0
Reread (and I think I've reread the HOO more than the original series? Wow.)
This was definitely not a critical read-through. This was me feeling nostalgic and wanting to go back to comfort books. And...I was correct. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the formula used in pretty much all of these books of quest -> somewhat humorous monsters -> quest completion. Where this book completely shines is Piper's arc and character growth, and while I wish that there was more acceleration at the same rate (and that Jason...had more of an arc here?), it's just a strong novel overall that kicks off the series well. It's smart not to start with Percy, because he's the fan favorite, but instead to ground readers in a familiar world and slowly reveal the more Roman aspects.
The thing that sets this book off from greatness is the climax and the Tristan McLean plotline. While rescuing her dad assisted so much of Piper's arc, it extended the climax in a way that lowered the stakes because it's hard to remain at that high of a level throughout multiple scenes, or return to that level once you've been there. It also felt somewhat like a false relief after his rescue? This might be assisted by the fact that it just felt like Piper switched secrets halfway through the book.
Anyways, shoutout to the Kindle store for finding a way for me to read this immediately. I missed it.
This was definitely not a critical read-through. This was me feeling nostalgic and wanting to go back to comfort books. And...I was correct. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the formula used in pretty much all of these books of quest -> somewhat humorous monsters -> quest completion. Where this book completely shines is Piper's arc and character growth, and while I wish that there was more acceleration at the same rate (and that Jason...had more of an arc here?), it's just a strong novel overall that kicks off the series well. It's smart not to start with Percy, because he's the fan favorite, but instead to ground readers in a familiar world and slowly reveal the more Roman aspects.
The thing that sets this book off from greatness is the climax and the Tristan McLean plotline. While rescuing her dad assisted so much of Piper's arc, it extended the climax in a way that lowered the stakes because it's hard to remain at that high of a level throughout multiple scenes, or return to that level once you've been there. It also felt somewhat like a false relief after his rescue? This might be assisted by the fact that it just felt like Piper switched secrets halfway through the book.
Anyways, shoutout to the Kindle store for finding a way for me to read this immediately. I missed it.
Seafire by Natalie C. Parker
Reread. 4.5/5. So good? The way the world and Caledonia's arcs are framed, the interactions with the crew. Very excited to read the sequel!
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
5.0
There are certain books that offer very little conflict in how you perceive them. For me, The Night Circus is one of those books.
I entered this book knowing I would like it. I've seen people wax poetic about the angsty relationship, the gorgeous prose, and the sparkling atmosphere. I was a fan of The Crown's Game, which has been compared to The Night Circus. And for me, those expectations were met. I found the characters realistic, the setting stunning and atmospheric, and the prose cinematic.
I understand the complaints with the book--that there are too many POVs, that there is too much atmosphere and not enough substance, that it is hard to follow. And I'll admit, there is emphasis on atmosphere. But I'd argue that it is substance that creates the atmosphere. Every line adds, emphasizes, or contrasts to the character motivations, and the different plotlines strengthen the ideas of the circus overall. Without the Rêveurs and Bailey there's no one to prove that the circus has an impact, or that it matters to people; without Tara and Chandresh, there's no one to prove any negative impacts of the circus.
This is a book that's beautiful, but it's one you need to take your time with. If you skim, you'll miss something, and if you blink, the circus is gone. I'd argue that that's what good literature is: each sentence adding and creating, making it so you have to read each one. And the need to savor the story before it's gone feels like one of the greater themes of The Night Circus overall.
5/5 stars.
I entered this book knowing I would like it. I've seen people wax poetic about the angsty relationship, the gorgeous prose, and the sparkling atmosphere. I was a fan of The Crown's Game, which has been compared to The Night Circus. And for me, those expectations were met. I found the characters realistic, the setting stunning and atmospheric, and the prose cinematic.
I understand the complaints with the book--that there are too many POVs, that there is too much atmosphere and not enough substance, that it is hard to follow. And I'll admit, there is emphasis on atmosphere. But I'd argue that it is substance that creates the atmosphere. Every line adds, emphasizes, or contrasts to the character motivations, and the different plotlines strengthen the ideas of the circus overall. Without the Rêveurs and Bailey there's no one to prove that the circus has an impact, or that it matters to people; without Tara and Chandresh, there's no one to prove any negative impacts of the circus.
This is a book that's beautiful, but it's one you need to take your time with. If you skim, you'll miss something, and if you blink, the circus is gone. I'd argue that that's what good literature is: each sentence adding and creating, making it so you have to read each one. And the need to savor the story before it's gone feels like one of the greater themes of The Night Circus overall.
5/5 stars.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3.0
(3.5 stars)
Whenever I asked about The Great Gatsby, I found that most people tended to love it or hate it. Those who loved it tended to be a fan of the writing style, and those who hated it tended to think it was too dense. After reading it, I have to agree with both sides of the story.
The dramatic scenes are done remarkably well, and the writing style is lyrical and stunning. The clothes scene (while I thought it was a bit overhyped) holds metaphoric integrity, and almost every scene adds to the plot and the characters. It's clear to see why English classes all over the States mark this as required reading: it's a gold mine of thematic imagery and a great source of discussion.
However, the craft behind the story isn't translatable into an enjoyable time reading. I found that there were too many steps to getting Nick to be friends with Gatsby, whom we meet incredibly far into the story. I feel as though we spend too much time with Nick, who is just bland enough to draw us in to the mystery of Gatsby's world and provide some good context to it. There is so much time spent establishing and trying to space out that establishment that I felt bogged down by exposition. As a relatively quick reader, this took me a good chunk of time to get through, and was harder to get into each time I picked it up.
Ultimately, I'm glad I read this book. I think it serves as a different perspective of the 1920s from our modern one, and is one of the best writing styles I've ever read. But am I falling over myself to reread it? Not anytime soon.
Whenever I asked about The Great Gatsby, I found that most people tended to love it or hate it. Those who loved it tended to be a fan of the writing style, and those who hated it tended to think it was too dense. After reading it, I have to agree with both sides of the story.
The dramatic scenes are done remarkably well, and the writing style is lyrical and stunning. The clothes scene (while I thought it was a bit overhyped) holds metaphoric integrity, and almost every scene adds to the plot and the characters. It's clear to see why English classes all over the States mark this as required reading: it's a gold mine of thematic imagery and a great source of discussion.
However, the craft behind the story isn't translatable into an enjoyable time reading. I found that there were too many steps to getting Nick to be friends with Gatsby, whom we meet incredibly far into the story. I feel as though we spend too much time with Nick, who is just bland enough to draw us in to the mystery of Gatsby's world and provide some good context to it. There is so much time spent establishing and trying to space out that establishment that I felt bogged down by exposition. As a relatively quick reader, this took me a good chunk of time to get through, and was harder to get into each time I picked it up.
Ultimately, I'm glad I read this book. I think it serves as a different perspective of the 1920s from our modern one, and is one of the best writing styles I've ever read. But am I falling over myself to reread it? Not anytime soon.
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
4.0
I'm very unclear as to how to start this review. I'm not here to gush, though it is a gushworthy book. And I'm not here to complain; I greatly enjoyed my time reading this. It's a story of humanity, LGBTQ+ rights, Ireland's journey as a country, and as one man's tale to finding himself. Split up in seven year segments throughout his life, we follow Cyril Avery from his infancy to three months before his death.
The style of this is wonderful, the character development throughout it is executed well, and the decision to meet up with Cyril every seven years creates cliffhangers after every section and makes the reader want to read on. However, I would also argue that that decision can cause a loss of tension as readers head into the next chapter. All the same, John Boyne's skillful use of dramatic irony and coincidences throughout the story kept me interested and invested.
I find that we tend to look at the journey of homosexuality throughout history as starting with the HIV/AIDS crisis, and ending with the legalization of gay marriage in many countries. However, The Heart's Invisible Furies shows the truth behind how the oppression of sexuality hurts people. This story is increasingly relevant as one of how judgement can still exist even after people say they don't have any, and how homophobia pervades society, and how society picks on those it oppresses. Its relevance increases when you look at Boyne's decision to make Cyril's character arc mirror that of Ireland's itself. Throughout reading this story, I gained a new perspective, and learned more about the history of a community I am proud to be a part of.
Despite the great historical perspective gained, one thing I found lacking was the way characters spoke in absolutes and weren't corrected. Cyril was either terrible or fantastic (which was a justified view for a few characters), as was Ireland; gay people were either terrible or "you should've come out sooner! I would have accepted you!" This disparity felt unnatural and made me long to come into the story and argue. All the same, with the myriad of side characters in this book, there were quite a few views displayed, and for most of the characters that expressed these views, it made sense for their characters. All the same, there were so many extreme views repeated without correction by many different characters (which does make me think that there perhaps should have been more characters with more objective views of things) that I felt as though I had to include it in my review.
If you're uncomfortable with a lot of talk about sexual content (no sexual content is depicted graphically) I do NOT recommend this book for you. Trigger warning for homophobia and violence. I would recommend this book if you are interested in the history of Ireland's treatment of LGBTQ+ people, or in literary fiction. It's a beautiful story I hope more people pick up.
The style of this is wonderful, the character development throughout it is executed well, and the decision to meet up with Cyril every seven years creates cliffhangers after every section and makes the reader want to read on. However, I would also argue that that decision can cause a loss of tension as readers head into the next chapter. All the same, John Boyne's skillful use of dramatic irony and coincidences throughout the story kept me interested and invested.
I find that we tend to look at the journey of homosexuality throughout history as starting with the HIV/AIDS crisis, and ending with the legalization of gay marriage in many countries. However, The Heart's Invisible Furies shows the truth behind how the oppression of sexuality hurts people. This story is increasingly relevant as one of how judgement can still exist even after people say they don't have any, and how homophobia pervades society, and how society picks on those it oppresses. Its relevance increases when you look at Boyne's decision to make Cyril's character arc mirror that of Ireland's itself. Throughout reading this story, I gained a new perspective, and learned more about the history of a community I am proud to be a part of.
Despite the great historical perspective gained, one thing I found lacking was the way characters spoke in absolutes and weren't corrected. Cyril was either terrible or fantastic (which was a justified view for a few characters), as was Ireland; gay people were either terrible or "you should've come out sooner! I would have accepted you!" This disparity felt unnatural and made me long to come into the story and argue. All the same, with the myriad of side characters in this book, there were quite a few views displayed, and for most of the characters that expressed these views, it made sense for their characters. All the same, there were so many extreme views repeated without correction by many different characters (which does make me think that there perhaps should have been more characters with more objective views of things) that I felt as though I had to include it in my review.
If you're uncomfortable with a lot of talk about sexual content (no sexual content is depicted graphically) I do NOT recommend this book for you. Trigger warning for homophobia and violence. I would recommend this book if you are interested in the history of Ireland's treatment of LGBTQ+ people, or in literary fiction. It's a beautiful story I hope more people pick up.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
4.0
I greatly enjoyed The Song of Achilles, but all the same, I found myself disappointed by it. Perhaps that's because my expectations were so high? Or maybe it's because I haven't seen Troy (2004), or read the Illiad.
I think the strength of this book lies in Miller's ability to paint a picture of the times and of the people that make them. It's not an entirely thematic story, which is where I felt it lacked. Instead, it's an epic that, as far as I know, sticks closely to The Illiad. It depicts Greece as a sexist, violent place, and sheds light on the toxic masculinity and reputation building that are still issues today. I felt like I was in all of the places she brought us, and the ways she characterized the heroes and gods felt more honest than other interpretations. As much as I hated questioning Achilles' humanity, it made a richer adaptation.
The weakness of this novel, for me, lies in Patroclus. I didn't find him terribly interesting, and while he had to make some interesting choices that defined his character (which were wonderful to read), I think he suffers from the Nick Carroway curse of being just interesting enough to tell the story, but doesn't have much interest throughout a lot of it (until, of course, he has to make those wonderful choices). I just couldn't entirely understand why Achilles loved him.
Fantastically written, beautifully done. Just not a fan of Patroclus as much as I liked their romance.
I think the strength of this book lies in Miller's ability to paint a picture of the times and of the people that make them. It's not an entirely thematic story, which is where I felt it lacked. Instead, it's an epic that, as far as I know, sticks closely to The Illiad. It depicts Greece as a sexist, violent place, and sheds light on the toxic masculinity and reputation building that are still issues today. I felt like I was in all of the places she brought us, and the ways she characterized the heroes and gods felt more honest than other interpretations. As much as I hated questioning Achilles' humanity, it made a richer adaptation.
The weakness of this novel, for me, lies in Patroclus. I didn't find him terribly interesting, and while he had to make some interesting choices that defined his character (which were wonderful to read), I think he suffers from the Nick Carroway curse of being just interesting enough to tell the story, but doesn't have much interest throughout a lot of it (until, of course, he has to make those wonderful choices). I just couldn't entirely understand why Achilles loved him.
Fantastically written, beautifully done. Just not a fan of Patroclus as much as I liked their romance.