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wyrdwit's Reviews (383)
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not everyone wants to know the original stories behind reimaginings before diving in, but I prefer to have at least baseline knowledge so I can better focus on what makes a reimagining unique from its origin—the fresh perspectives, creative flourishes, and richness added by a different author who has a new tale to tell.
If you aren't familiar with Bluebeard and don't care to be, skip the rest of this paragraph. If you aren't familiar but want a very high level overview without spoiling the ending:Bluebeard is a force of destruction characterized by the death he leaves in his wake, his fast-growing, claw-like fingernails, his beard that seems gives off a blue-ish hue (especially when he's in A Mood), and a sense of loneliness seated so deeply inside that no woman he takes as a wife survives long thereafter. When each new wife uncovers the secret of him having murdered an increasing number of wives before her, he kills her as well and moves to the next town in hopes of finally finding the one who will never leave him.
Overall, this reimagining didn't really do it for me. It didn't add much to the original tale of Bluebeard, and the characters themselves weren't interesting or exciting enough to elevate the otherwise pretty straightforward storyline. To be blunt, I was a little bored and had a harder and harder time picking the book back up each time I put it down.
Be prepared for a story dripping with physical abuse, manipulation, and gaslighting but somehow still lacking the kind of depth I would expect from a nearly 250-page book.
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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
If you aren't familiar with Bluebeard and don't care to be, skip the rest of this paragraph. If you aren't familiar but want a very high level overview without spoiling the ending:
Overall, this reimagining didn't really do it for me. It didn't add much to the original tale of Bluebeard, and the characters themselves weren't interesting or exciting enough to elevate the otherwise pretty straightforward storyline. To be blunt, I was a little bored and had a harder and harder time picking the book back up each time I put it down.
Be prepared for a story dripping with physical abuse, manipulation, and gaslighting but somehow still lacking the kind of depth I would expect from a nearly 250-page book.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Physical abuse
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Tusks of Extinction is ~100 pages of rapidly setting a stage and sprinting to its mammoth ending.
This somehow strangely feels like everything Jurassic Park should’ve been. The characters are complex, and it’s wild Naylor was able to contain relationship arcs this big within a book this small. It has just the right amount of science and tech to make it intriguing but not inaccessible. It’s bloodier than I expected, but the violence makes sense, and the emotions tied to those amplify its immersive experience.
This somehow strangely feels like everything Jurassic Park should’ve been. The characters are complex, and it’s wild Naylor was able to contain relationship arcs this big within a book this small. It has just the right amount of science and tech to make it intriguing but not inaccessible. It’s bloodier than I expected, but the violence makes sense, and the emotions tied to those amplify its immersive experience.
funny
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun and freaky. Quirky and queer. A dash of sugar and a spoonful of violence.
Not for me, but maybe for you?
The premise of Freakslaw is 4/5 stars. Flett uses the carnival performers as a medium for representation, a clever play on the LGBTQIA+ community being viewed as "freaks" in some circles. I'm also in my "burn it down" era, so the anarchist undertones were really doing it for me.
But why do I so badly want this book to stop feeling like it's trying so hard? The real reason—I realized while reading this—is I straight up don't like satire. The over-the-top, in-your-face nature of satirical horror is jarring, and when all the characters are caricatures, the overemphasis on their lack of depth makes it hard for me to get locked into the story.
That being said, I would recommend Freakslaw to folks who enjoy this style of writing—Flett serves up satirical horror in one of the least grating and most palatable ways I've dared ingest.
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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Not for me, but maybe for you?
The premise of Freakslaw is 4/5 stars. Flett uses the carnival performers as a medium for representation, a clever play on the LGBTQIA+ community being viewed as "freaks" in some circles. I'm also in my "burn it down" era, so the anarchist undertones were really doing it for me.
But why do I so badly want this book to stop feeling like it's trying so hard? The real reason—I realized while reading this—is I straight up don't like satire. The over-the-top, in-your-face nature of satirical horror is jarring, and when all the characters are caricatures, the overemphasis on their lack of depth makes it hard for me to get locked into the story.
That being said, I would recommend Freakslaw to folks who enjoy this style of writing—Flett serves up satirical horror in one of the least grating and most palatable ways I've dared ingest.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hummingbird Salamander started out like a stop-motion film and—out of nowhere—transformed into Mission Impossible. It was incredibly slow and kind of boring. Until it wasn’t. From 0 to 1000. Did I mention how abruptly the story shifted? I’m writing this review months later, and I think I still have whiplash.
This is the least on-brand work of VanderMeer’s. It’s not particularly weird (by his standards) or fantastical/supernatural (by his standards)—It’s more so giving detective noir mixed with Narcos and How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
One constant across his books that we also find in Hummingbird Salamander is his skill in bringing to life some of my most heinous tactile, olfactory, and gustatory nightmares. I have not been able to rid myself of the sensory horrors he subjected me to in this book—the scrape of a beak against your skin, the permeating stench and crackle of fat assaulting your nose, the taste of how an animal smells lingering on your tongue… Thanks, I hate it.
Overall, an entertaining read full of clever quips and funny moments (I’m looking at you, purse tampons) but a little bit of a bummer in that it wasn’t as absurd as I’ve come to expect from VanderMeer.
This is the least on-brand work of VanderMeer’s. It’s not particularly weird (by his standards) or fantastical/supernatural (by his standards)—It’s more so giving detective noir mixed with Narcos and How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
One constant across his books that we also find in Hummingbird Salamander is his skill in bringing to life some of my most heinous tactile, olfactory, and gustatory nightmares. I have not been able to rid myself of the sensory horrors he subjected me to in this book—the scrape of a beak against your skin, the permeating stench and crackle of fat assaulting your nose, the taste of how an animal smells lingering on your tongue… Thanks, I hate it.
Overall, an entertaining read full of clever quips and funny moments (I’m looking at you, purse tampons) but a little bit of a bummer in that it wasn’t as absurd as I’ve come to expect from VanderMeer.
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What fun to get a glimpse into the formative years of the person most of us know as the Wicked Witch of the West.
We are all, in part, a product of our environment—Elphaba Thropp is no different. Elphie experiences prejudice for being born with green skin, beginning within her own family. She is on the receiving end of her parents’ lack of emotional maturity and inability to meet her needs. She learns to accept solitude and neglect as her younger siblings require more attention because it grants her some freedom from her family’s criticism. She bears the scars of generational trauma. But occasionally, she encounters—maybe not kind, but kinder—souls who help alter the trajectory of her life as a traveling minister’s daughter into one that will continue to open and satiate her curious mind, sending her on her path to Shiz University where we first met her in “Wicked.”
My biggest piece of criticism is the length of the book—I think this could’ve been just as good as a novella since there are so many other books in the series that paint a great picture of Elphaba and the world of Oz, but I think learning about what planted the seeds in her mind in the years leading up to Shiz gives additional dimension to her character.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
We are all, in part, a product of our environment—Elphaba Thropp is no different. Elphie experiences prejudice for being born with green skin, beginning within her own family. She is on the receiving end of her parents’ lack of emotional maturity and inability to meet her needs. She learns to accept solitude and neglect as her younger siblings require more attention because it grants her some freedom from her family’s criticism. She bears the scars of generational trauma. But occasionally, she encounters—maybe not kind, but kinder—souls who help alter the trajectory of her life as a traveling minister’s daughter into one that will continue to open and satiate her curious mind, sending her on her path to Shiz University where we first met her in “Wicked.”
My biggest piece of criticism is the length of the book—I think this could’ve been just as good as a novella since there are so many other books in the series that paint a great picture of Elphaba and the world of Oz, but I think learning about what planted the seeds in her mind in the years leading up to Shiz gives additional dimension to her character.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Nearly 30 years after watching the movie that sparked the single biggest interest/ fascination/ hyperfixation of my life, I finally caved to the book—the source had to be evaluated.
This was a pretty straightforward read as someone with a STEM background, but to set the scene, Crichton uses a lot of science jargon that might not interest some folks. Push past the bioengineering stuff—Dr. Grant will break it all down for you later.
This is very much a plot-driven book, and the characters are generally pretty flat and boring. Don't expect to develop any sort of attachment to them.
My favorite aspect is that the book and movie are similar enough to satisfy core Jurassic Park cravings, but there are plenty of differences that keep it from feeling like you’re reading a play-by-play of the film. The only examples I’ll give:
This was a pretty straightforward read as someone with a STEM background, but to set the scene, Crichton uses a lot of science jargon that might not interest some folks. Push past the bioengineering stuff—Dr. Grant will break it all down for you later.
This is very much a plot-driven book, and the characters are generally pretty flat and boring. Don't expect to develop any sort of attachment to them.
My favorite aspect is that the book and movie are similar enough to satisfy core Jurassic Park cravings, but there are plenty of differences that keep it from feeling like you’re reading a play-by-play of the film. The only examples I’ll give:
- There’s much more gore and violence.
- Ian Malcom is more central to the story, although he’s not quite as suave as he is in the movie (you should absolutely still visualize him as Jeff Goldblum though).
Solid, entertaining read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
What a mind-fuck.
While the style of "Borne" and "The Strange Bird" are very similar, "Dead Astronauts" slams into you like something out of the Southern Reach. The hard, unexpected shift in vibe really threw me at first. Some real Lowry shit. Annotate. Take notes. Pay attention. There are obscure hints all over the place (and likely some diversions, if I have VanderMeer pinned like I think I do). If I wasn't doing a buddy read, we probably both would have missed the single greatest detail in the entire book—2 sentences about 50 pages apart—that connected enough for me (hint: fish mouths ) to overturn my initial frustration when I finished the book with not understanding what the fuck happened.
JVM, you're a menace. Why do these books feel so crucial to one another, yet each also feels like it could stand on its own? There are so many layers of depth and complexity that only reading this series once is unthinkable. Am I fabricating all these connections? Or did you actually put those little treasures in there for us to discover? GIVE ME MORE!
While the style of "Borne" and "The Strange Bird" are very similar, "Dead Astronauts" slams into you like something out of the Southern Reach. The hard, unexpected shift in vibe really threw me at first. Some real Lowry shit. Annotate. Take notes. Pay attention. There are obscure hints all over the place (and likely some diversions, if I have VanderMeer pinned like I think I do). If I wasn't doing a buddy read, we probably both would have missed the single greatest detail in the entire book—2 sentences about 50 pages apart—that connected enough for me (
JVM, you're a menace. Why do these books feel so crucial to one another, yet each also feels like it could stand on its own? There are so many layers of depth and complexity that only reading this series once is unthinkable. Am I fabricating all these connections? Or did you actually put those little treasures in there for us to discover? GIVE ME MORE!
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In the same vein as Borne, VanderMeer manages—yet again—to create a story where all characters hold space for pain and joy. There are moments of such intense helplessness and sorrow, but they’re beautifully balanced with a playfulness and wild optimism made possible through the small handful of positive encounters throughout the story. I can’t even count the number of times I caught a soft smile on my face, despite giving in to tears at so many others.
The Strange Bird is another tale in which VanderMeer demonstrates that no one is inherently good or evil—that both reside in us all—and that each decision we make drives us closer to one or the other. How he does this in ~100 pages is beyond me.
The Strange Bird is another tale in which VanderMeer demonstrates that no one is inherently good or evil—that both reside in us all—and that each decision we make drives us closer to one or the other. How he does this in ~100 pages is beyond me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Should I tell you all the ways in which this broke my heart? How I have maybe never held a character so close as I now do with Borne?
A dystopian future. A mysterious biotech company. A couple of scavengers. A monstrous flying bear. And a squid / sea anemone creature whose adolescent joy and quirky yet unsettling sense of humor often seem like the sole reasons these characters (and me) don’t remain in a state of utter despair throughout the entire story.
How is a book this strange—this weird and incomprehensible—able to coalesce into something so beautiful, deep, and meaningful? You'll have to experience that for yourself.
TL;DR (my review, not the book): Unsettling and disturbing yet somehow weirdly playful. Why is this so fun and also so sad.
A dystopian future. A mysterious biotech company. A couple of scavengers. A monstrous flying bear. And a squid / sea anemone creature whose adolescent joy and quirky yet unsettling sense of humor often seem like the sole reasons these characters (and me) don’t remain in a state of utter despair throughout the entire story.
How is a book this strange—this weird and incomprehensible—able to coalesce into something so beautiful, deep, and meaningful? You'll have to experience that for yourself.
TL;DR (my review, not the book): Unsettling and disturbing yet somehow weirdly playful. Why is this so fun and also so sad.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Malinalli is a tale of the woman many have blamed for the fall of the Aztec Empire—the indigenous woman who translated for Cortés during his rampage across Mexico.
I love reimaginings of pivotal moments in history, especially when they bring depth to crucial players who we've heard of but don't know much about. There are so many retellings of Greek mythology out there, and I would've loved for this to have more deeply explored the mythos of the indigenous peoples of Mexico. It felt like there was just a touch of magical realism, and maybe that's by design, but I think this really could've benefitted from leaning more heavily into the lore.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I love reimaginings of pivotal moments in history, especially when they bring depth to crucial players who we've heard of but don't know much about. There are so many retellings of Greek mythology out there, and I would've loved for this to have more deeply explored the mythos of the indigenous peoples of Mexico. It felt like there was just a touch of magical realism, and maybe that's by design, but I think this really could've benefitted from leaning more heavily into the lore.
---
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.