Ash
DNF @ 15%I quite enjoyed Polk's other Regency-inspired fantasy story, [b:Witchmark 36187110 Witchmark (The Kingston Cycle, #1) C.L. Polk https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1505338133l/36187110.SY75.jpg 57809962], but Midnight Bargain feels like it was written by a different person. I understand that Witchmark is marketed as adult SFF, while this one is YA, but I still found the writing here too juvenile compared to the author's other works. For example, right from the beginning of chapter 1 we are bombarded with a bunch of exclamation marks... and to what effect?The doorbell jingled as Beatrice crossed into the book-keeper's domain. Harriman's! O dust and ink and leather binding, O map-scrolls and star-prints and poetry chapbooks–and the grimoire, somewhere within!Who writes like this? And worse, who thinks like this?? Beatrice sounds like an overly excitable tween, which is not supposed to be her personality since she is a young woman on the cusp of marriage. The faux-Regency language is exaggerated, and anyone who has read an actual Regency novel knows this. This I find is a pitfall of many faux-Regency novels, but that might be more of a personal preference thing.The fact that the story jumps right into the romance is also a bit jarring as it feels like there's no set up for the magic system, nor any time for the reader to discover who the characters are. From the first few pages I could already guess the whole plot, which is obviously not a very exciting read. Beatrice's meeting with the siblings is so contrived, it's hard to suspend disbelief. This random guy declares that a nobody (Beatrice) and his aristocratic sister should be friends because they want the same book... yeah, ok, and the sister, who is a witch and logically can sense Beatrice the same way Beatrice senses her, decides to play the ignorance game because....???Like I said at the start of this ‘review,' I like Polk's adult books, but this YA one just doesn't hit the same way. There are some fantastic YA fantasy books out there, but this one doesn't make my list.
I had such high hopes... This was supposed to be a time travelling/high seas adventure, but it ended up being about a whiny, annoying, obnoxious girl with no feelings whatsoever for people other than herself. I'm used to insta-romances in YA but this was beyond ridiculous. The only redeeming quality this book has is having a Black man as the leading character.
This was just too much nope for me. If you want to read a fun, YA time travel narrative, don't waste your time on Passenger and read A Thousand Pieces of You instead.
DNF 28%
Rating: 2.5 ⭐This keeps happening to me... I'm doomed to dislike award-winning books. Whenever a book receives high praise and tons of media and literary attention, I always find it falls short of the hype and expectations. I know myself as a highly critical reader of anything that presents itself as high literature, so take my analysis with a grain of salt.SummaryBored and restless gods Apollo and Hermes decide to place a wager on whether or not dogs can die happy if given human consciousness. The brothers decide to test out their theory by giving fifteen dogs in a kennel the gift of human thinking, but it soon becomes clear that humanity is a burden on the animals, and so Apollo and Hermes watch as the dogs attempt to navigate life with their newfound sense of self.ReviewMy biggest gripe with Fifteen Dogs is that it is a very dry and uninteresting prose. The writing reminds me a lot of [b:Normal People 41057294 Normal People Sally Rooney https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571423190l/41057294.SY75.jpg 59141209], which I also disliked, so maybe that explains things. Fifteen Dogs drags in many places, and the pacing is inconsistent. I found myself bored more often than not, and, surprisingly despite the themes of the book, I felt zero emotional attachement to the characters. The dogs lead horrible lives and die in horrible ways thanks to humans, gods, and fellow dogs, too. However, the emotional impact was not as strong as what was intended. The author's extended moralistic allegory is repetitive and dull. Moreover, there were quite a number of plot holes that required a higher level of suspension of disbelief to get over them.For example, Majnoun and Nira have a conversation about god during which Nira asks if he believes in a higher power. Majnoun explains that the concept is completely foreign to dogs, and so it is difficult for him to form a definitive opinion about the topic. However, some 20-30 pages later, Atticus builds an altar in the park and sacrifices to god (Zeus) because he believes in a “master of all master.” How can one dog have no concept of religion, yet another not only knows of the idea, but even understands ancient rituals to appease his god of choice? Speaking of gods, Zeus is sorely misrepresented as a benevolent and caring god. Anyone who knows Greek mythology knows he is anything but kind to mortals. By contrast, Apollo and Hermes are made more cruel than what they already are in mythos. Another thing that is never explained nor revisited is the idea that the dogs have a different clock and calendar system than humans. Why was this detail included if it wasn't relevant to the story?One of the strong points of the book, however, was the inclusion of poems that, once recited out loud, contain the name of a dog in the story. This was a clever mechanism that ensures that 1) the book is revisited after it's over and 2) that the dogs are remembered for their lives and sacrifices.Overall, Fifteen Dogs was a miss for me. I would have DNFed it save for the fact that I had to read it for work. I don't regret giving it a shot, but I know that I will not be rereading it any time soon.
2.5 ⭐SummaryGu Yu escapes his hellish family life by moving hours away to Yan City to attend university. Once there, he rekindles with an old childhood friend and gets involved in his family affairs. Gu Yu starts to dream about inexplicable things: demons, ghosts, and monsters haunt him, but in his dreams, he also sees a strange man in Daoist robes. Gu Yu quickly finds out that the man, Wen Jiubo, is very much real, and works as an exorcist near the university. Wen Jiubo hires Gu Yu to work at his store, and eventually the two team up to solve supernatural cases all the while Gu Yu tries to uncover the mystery behind his new employer.ReviewI'm of two minds with this book. 1) It really isn't that great when you look at its construction, but 2) the premise is interesting enough to keep me reading despite all the plot holes. Seriously, there are more plot holes in this thing than in Swiss cheese. The translation is also really iffy, and the editing is seriously lacking. Now, I'm no stranger to reading fan translated works, and I can overlook a lot of things for the sake of the story, but in this case, this is not technically a fan translation. It's a finished, published product that I bought, so I expected a higher quality read. I'm just going to list a bunch of pros/cons to simplify this review.Pros• The premise: I love a good ghost story, especially when it features an investigative team that solves crimes and mysteries. Urban Tales is interesting because it features several cases that are all weird and unusual. It reminds me a tiny bit of [b:Ghost Hunt, Vol. 1 555430 Ghost Hunt, Vol. 1 (Ghost Hunt, #1) Shiho Inada https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320558736l/555430.SY75.jpg 542635], except GH is leaps and bounds superior in quality and in plot.• Wen Jiubo: The strange long-haired Daoist exorcist makes for an interesting lead character. We don't know much about him, and we don't know how he knows Gu Yu so intimately, but he clearly has a backstory that has yet to be revealed. This makes him mysterious and interesting to read about. He seemed OOC at times, but in general, he is a fun second protagonist.• Folklore: Although not really the focus of the story, the few moments where Wen Jiubo talks about the types of ghosts and demons is actually quite interesting.Cons• Gu Yu: He is one of the worst MCs I've read in a long time. Gu Yu acts very irrationally most of the time. He gets angry for no reason and lashes out at people (especially Wen Jiubo). When he's not angry, he's irritating and whiny. He doesn't feel “real” and is more a caricature of a young man than an actual person. • Plot holes: Once again, there are so many plot holes in this novel that the whole thing is just one giant hole at this point.• Choices that lack common sense: Why is Su allowed to bring her cat to school? Why does Gu Yu's mother insist on dressing him like a girl? Why did Bai hide himself for so long, only to pop up and claim he'd been looking for Grandma Li for years? What even happened to Bai after the case with Xiaoying? He just vanished from the story?? How come Wen Jiubo walks around in ancient clothes all day long, and no one bats an eye (the story takes place in modern times, fyi). Needless to say, the bad outweighs the good in this story, which doesn't make me inclined to continue with this series. There are tons of better reads out there, so I know I won't be returning to this particular world any time soon.
Format read: paperbackReading time: A couple of months (it was on hiatus for way too long)Tags: wuxia, xianxia, fantasy, translation, trauma, found family, friendship, lgbt (m/m), enemies-to-lovers, politics, philosophyOwn a copy: yesReread likelihood: 10/10ReviewWe part at the ends of the sky, only to meet at the edges of the sea.Book 2 is rife with political schemes, plots, and betrayals, even more so than book 1. In this volume, Shen Qiao finds himself at the centre of quite a few clan feuds, and he somehow gets dragged into all of their fights despite his weakened physical state. Like in book 1, Yan Wushi leaves him to fend for himself, driving him to the very edge of exhaustion before sweeping in and helping (if at all). Shen Qiao is repeatedly forced to fight despite his injuries and damaged martial abilities, yet this push to the extreme ultimately pays off as he gains more stamina and strength throughout the book. Shen Qiao is the epitome of selflessness and peace. As a Daoist, he fully embraces the qualities of kindness, goodness, generosity, etc. and extends a helping hand to anyone who needs it, even if the person has mistreated or betrayed him (coughYan Wushicough). Whenever Shen Qiao fights, there are passages of the [b:Daodejing 2693939 Daodejing Lao Tzu https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609192624l/2693939.SY75.jpg 100074] that illustrate the various sword techniques as well as Shen Qiao's philosophy. These quotes are especially beautiful and inspiring, and it's a pleasure to read them in this context. Meng Xi Si's writing remains one of the most beautiful out of all the danmei authors. Her work only rivals with Cang Wu Bin Bi's [b:Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 62629580 Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 Cang Wu Bin Bai https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663531919l/62629580.SY75.jpg 98392913] in terms of the vivid and literary descriptions. All of the sword techniques are inspired by nature, and their names and descriptions reveal a deep connection between the two. In terms of Shen Qiao's character, this makes perfect sense since for him the Dao is connected to everything else in the world, but we see this philosophy utilized by other non-Daoist characters, too. Thus, it is clear that the dominating philosophy in this universe is that of the Dao even though many of the characters are unaware.To know the world, one must know themselves. Then they must forget themselves. Once they forgot both the world and themselves, never again would they be moved by worldly gains and losses. (p.325)The political aspect of the book can be a bit dense at times, and I understand why many danmei fans have a hard time getting through QQ because of it. Unlike other stories, QQ moves very slowly with minimal movement, much like the Dao itself, and it reads like a journey of discovery alongside Shen Qiao who learns to overcome his own mortal shortcomings in favour of a more enlightened path.Overall, I greatly enjoy this series from the point of view of a xianxia/politically-focused story. Shen Qiao keeps surprising me in each new chapter, and I'm excited to see what he'll do next.
Format read: paperbackReading time: 7-8hTags: wuxia, xianxia, military fantasy, translation, trauma, found family, friendship, magic, lgbt (m/m), enemies-to-loversOwn a copy: yesReread likelihood: 10/10Recommended similar reads: ⭐ [b:Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1 62145799 Stars of Chaos Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1 (Stars of Chaos Sha Po Lang, #1) Priest https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682111621l/62145799.SX50.jpg 97934661]⭐ [b:Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 62629580 Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 Cang Wu Bin Bai https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663531919l/62629580.SY75.jpg 98392913]⭐ [b:The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 1 60583047 The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 1 Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1664205970l/60583047.SX50.jpg 196767353]⭐ [b:Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 58701673 Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633385186l/58701673.SX50.jpg 92367991]ReviewBook two gave me so many feelings, both good and bad. We start this volume by meeting a new character, Murong Chuyi, the master artificer and aloof relative of Murong Lian and Yue Chenqing. First of all, can we acknowledge how similar Chuyi and Chu Wanning (from ErHa) are? They are obviously not the same person, but the similarities are striking. Even the artwork seems to agree! The first few chapters are dedicated to wrapping up the gruesome case from book 1, complete with a very long flashback of the culprit's past. This is truly Meatbun-esque, as we see a very similar device in ErHa (see the orange tree girl in book 1). In any case, the story is neatly resolved and then makes room for Mo Xi and Gu Mang's relationship to develop.Mo Xi wins the right to keep Gu Mang in his manor rather than at Luomei, but naturally this doesn't mean that Gu Mang is any less a prisoner. In fact, Mo Xi becomes incredibly impatient and even cruel with Gu Mang the more the story progresses. This is an important change of character coming out of book 1 where Mo Xi was pining and assessing his feelings for Gu Mang on every other page. In book 2, Mo Xi shuts down emotionally and becomes irascible; every little thing that Gu Mang does (or doesn't do) irritates and angers him to a point where his emotions become very volatile. One minute he is calm and composed, and the next he is being irrational and demanding for no apparent reason.Meanwhile, Gu Mang still struggles from his loss of memory, and his emotions remain severely underdeveloped. When Mo Xi is moody around him, Gu Mang simply accepts it and doesn't retaliate. Gu Mang understands the world around him like an animal: Mo Xi is his leader, the alpha wolf of the pack who provides him with food, clothes, and shelter, therefore Gu Mang has no issues with following whatever Mo Xi says, or even enduring his bad temper. Gu Mang sees himself as Mo Xi's weaker companion, but Mo Xi does not perceive him as the same thing. To Mo Xi, the current Gu Mang is not the Gu-shixiong of the past whom he adored so completely. Even though they have the same face, voice, and name, this broken Gu Mang can never be what Mo Xi wants him to be.The Gu Mang he wanted, the Gu Mang he hated, the Gu-shixiong he admired–they should all be whole. They should be capable of fighting him, of wielding a blade to meet or to match him. Only within the enmity of betrayal could he draw gasping breath; only there would he have a future to strive for. (p.127)Despite Mo Xi's changing moods, he still treats Gu Mang well, making sure he has enough to eat and that he isn't mistreated by others. Mo Xi promises him that Xihe Manor is not like Luomei, and Gu Mang will no longer have to worry about being beaten or tortured while he is in Mo Xi's care. Even though Mo Xi is unkind in his words, he keeps his promise and even protects Gu Mang from outsiders like Murong Lian. While the emperor may not be a central character, his plotting and machinations directly impact Gu Mang. Mo Xi learns that the emperor plans to execute Gu Mang one day, and that nothing–and no one–will get in the way of this plan. Mo Xi is also ordered to put a slave collar on Gu Mang to further control him, much to Mo Xi's dismay. Though Gu Mang does not remember what the collar is and what it symbolises, he was once incredibly hurt by this device and fought long and hard to be free from his slave status. Mo Xi is forced to reinstate his status, which hurts him more than the oblivious Gu Mang who has forgotten what it means to be some else's property. However, even though Gu Mang recognizes Mo Xi as his master, Mo Xi refuses to take ownership of another human, especially not the love of his life.Mo Xi laughed long and hard, his back pressed to a wooden pillar. As Gu Mang watched him, he slowly pulled his hands away from his ears, and then raised them–this time, to touch Mo Xi's face. [...] “Princess.” Gu Mang murmured, and then said, inexplicably, “Can I have your name on the back of the plaque?” (p.185)Book 2 nears its completion with Gu Mang starting to recover some small pieces of his memory. Mo Xi becomes more and more anxious as to what Gu Mang will remember, but he is also painfully aware that if he remembers all of his past, he will be confronted with terribly dark demons that could tear his mind apart. The emperor wants Gu Mang to remember as many things as possible, with no regard for his well-being, which naturally unnerves Mo Xi.Book 2 lost a star in the rating only because of Mo Xi's behavior. The change in his mood from book 1 to 2 seems sudden and strange, even though we understand why he acts this way and just how much pain he's carrying. Still, it's no reason for him to take out his frustrations on the unwitting Gu Mang who, at this point in the story, is very simple-minded and childlike. Meatbun does it again with the constant stream of pain, and the more I become attached to these characters, the more keenly I feel their suffering. I'm looking forward to seeing where this journey with Yuwu takes me.
3.5 ⭐
The first chapter and the last couple of panels of the final chapter made the read worthwhile. It's nice seeing Seiichiro take charge and be more confident at the palace. His plan to stop the miasma is pretty cool, and it comes from a place of wanting to help Yua return home. He's a good guy who's been dealt a bad hand, but he's making the most of it.
The last panels are nice because we finally see Seiichiro admit that he cares about Aresh. It took him 4 whole books, but we're getting there.
Meanwhile, Aresh's aggressive caring is starting to be juuuuust a bit too much. It was cute and quirky in book 1, but now it's starting to feel overbearing. No wonder Sei wants to run away from him half the time
Format read: paperbackReading time: 7-8hTags: wuxia, xianxia, military fantasy, translation, trauma, found family, friendship, magic, lgbt (m/m), enemies-to-loversOwn a copy: yesReread likelihood: 10/10Recommended similar reads: ⭐ [b:Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1 62145799 Stars of Chaos Sha Po Lang, Vol. 1 (Stars of Chaos Sha Po Lang, #1) Priest https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682111621l/62145799.SX50.jpg 97934661]⭐ [b:Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 62629580 Golden Terrace, Vol. 1 Cang Wu Bin Bai https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663531919l/62629580.SY75.jpg 98392913]⭐ [b:The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 1 60583047 The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 1 Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1664205970l/60583047.SX50.jpg 196767353]Review“Don't...” Gu Mang had once lost the power of speech, and now that he was scared, he spoke slowly and shakily. “Kill me...” Bestial light flashed in those azure eyes. He pleaded so clumsily, so painstakingly. “I...” His lips parted. “I...want to live...”Oh, Meatbun, what have you done. Once again, I am faced with a devastating piece of literature that I suspect will live in my brain rent free for an extremely long time.ErHa is Meatbun's masterpiece, hands down. Yuwu, however, is not any less emotionally impactful. While ErHa goes hard with all the triggers and all the warnings you could ever imagine, Yuwu is relatively tame in comparison. It's richness is really with the characters and how they slowly develop and evolve over the chapters. From the first page, we are introduced to the two leads, Mo Xi and Gu Mang, who were once the Twin Jades of the capital. Inseparable brothers-in-arms and equally powerful generals in their own rights, the pair also shared a secret, that of their intimate relationship. When Gu Mang defected to the enemy country of Liao and betrayed all the ones who loved and respected him, Mo Xi was left behind with a broken heart and a profound hatred for the man he once loved all-consumingly.However, not all is as it seems. Gu Mang was born a slave and expected to remain as such for his entire life. When the old emperor granted him freedom, Gu Mang was allowed to become the greatest general that Chonghua had ever seen. However, when the new emperor took up the throne, Gu Mang and his comrades were betrayed and reinstated as slaves. Gu Mang couldn't handle the fact that his fallen soldiers could not be properly buried because of this decree, and so, he defected to Liao with nothing but black hatred in his heart.Fastforward 10 years, and Gu Mang is slated to return to the capital as a prisoner of war. Mo Xi, who has been part of the border garrison for the last 2 years, has no desire to participate in whatever fate the emperor has in store for the traitor, yet when he finds out that Gu Mang has been sent to a horrible place in the capital, he can't help but feel worried about his old comrade and lover.Why did that make his heart ache so much...? Yes, true, Gu Mang had given him friendship and redemption, but Mo Xi had done everything he could to repay him–had nearly sacrificed his life to pull Gu Mang back from the brink! Did Mo Xi owe him anything else? [...] So many years of obsession, only to receive this emptiness... [...] Mo Xi closed his eyes, agonized. After so many years, he'd thought he had freed himself from this fixation, but in truth, he had been lying to himself. Gu Mang was too important to him. (pp. 110-111)To add even more suffering to his poor heart, Mo Xi quickly finds out that Gu Mang has come back from Liao completely broken: his core has been destroyed, two of his mortal souls have been removed, and he has no memory of the past whatsoever, let alone of Mo Xi.In true Meatbun fashion, the two leads go through inhuman amounts of emotional pain throughout the book. We see everything from Mo Xi's perspective, and since he is the one who is cursed to remember everything, we often have flashbacks of their happier times together and are brutally reminded how everything is different now. Gu Mang is very pitiful, not only because of the loss of his memories, but because of his inability to understand what is happening to him. He doesn't understand that people want him dead, or that he is the capital's most hated man. He doesn't understand why Mo Xi suffers so much when he is by his side, nor why Murong Lian, his old master, is so bent on torturing him into confessing to past sins he has no recollection of. Gu Mang lives his days like an animal, afraid of everyone and focused only on his basic needs of food, rest, and shelter.By the end of book 1, Gu Mang and Mo Xi have endured a world of pain, both physical and emotional, and there is no end in sight for either of them. Mo Xi wants to restore Gu Mang's memories, but doing so will probably destroy the simple-minded Gu Mang and plunge him into a world of hatred once again. However, if things remain as they are, Mo Xi's own hatred and deep sense of betrayal will continue to eat at him and war with his other side that wants to love and protect his shixiong despite the wrongs of the past.All in all, Meatbun weaves a slow and complex tale in Yuwu that takes a lot of time to digest. The events unfold very slowly, and there is little action to move the story forward, but the emotional reveals keep coming page after page, simultaneously building the suspense for the ultimate showdown and filling in the blanks of Gu Man and Mo Xi's pasts.
Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 7h
Tags: mystery, adventure, translation, friendship, found family, lgbt (bi, m/m, ace)
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 1000/10
Summary
Vol. 6 features four cases and two short extras:
Extra 1: Sinhalite Beckons, Part 1: A Japanese woman travels alone to Sri Lanka and comes across a jewellery store where a pretty sinhalite shines in the window. A handsome foreigner fluent in English and Sinhala tells her that the stone is counterfeit and invites her to visit his jewellery shop instead. She decides to take a chance and follow this stranger to a different part of the city.
1. The Wandering Conch Pearl: A father-daughter duo shops up at Étranger to have a necklace done with conch pearls specifically. Meanwhile, a dubious character shows up, claiming he works as a government researcher, and tries to get information from Richard about the building owner. It turns out that the owner is a postwar Japanese Dominican farmer who was a victim of the government's scheming.
2. Resplendent Spinel: Seigi gets roped into replacing a university friend at his café job for a few hours. During his shift, Richard stumbles in with a woman in tow, seemingly running from someone or something. The woman, a minor television celebrity, runs in to avoid her fiancé/manager, but the man catches up to them and the pair end up causing a scene at Seigi's temporary workplace.
3. Paraíba Tourmaline Romance: Following Richard's enthusiastic invitation, Tanimoto winds up at Étranger to meet Seigi's famous boss. The two bond over their shared interest in gemology, and their respective relationships to Seigi. Tanimoto admits to Seigi that she never had the intention to date anyone, and that it makes her feel like a failure of a human. Richard consoles her and Seigi understands that his friendship with Tanimoto is more important than a potential romance.
4. The Tanzanite of Rebirth: On his way home from work at Étranger, Seigi is accosted by a ghost of his past, his biological father. The man insists on following Seigi around everywhere, begging him to let him live with him, but Seigi wants nothing to do with the man who hurt him and his mother. Seigi is driven to the edge and considers extreme solutions to his problem, including quitting his job at Étranger and moving apartments, all to avoid his leech of a father. Jeffrey gets wind of these plans and makes Richard aware so that he can jump in and help Seigi at his darkest hour.
Extra 2: Sinhalite Beckons, Part 2: The woman from part 1 is brought to a private home in Sri Lanka where she meets the Japanese man's business partner, a blond, blue-eyed beauty whom she instantly recognizes as Richard from Ginza. She learns that the two run a jewellery business from their home and often travel for work. The woman asks Seigi out, but he gently turns her down before setting her on her way for the airport.
Review
“I want to be by your side from now on, if you'll let me. ... I'm trying to become a person worthy of you”
“When you were preparing tea earlier, she... I'm not sure how to put this... had a very severe look on her face. (...) I will refrain from going into detail about what she said but in a very serious tone, she told me that I didn't know how much I had hurt you last year, and demanded that I never upset someone she cares about like that again. (p.174)
“Why do you treat me like some rock on the side of the road? What do you think I am? A doll that's not good for anything but being on display? (...) you had the audacity to try to abandon me and walk off into the darkness. It's beyond asinine and irrational. English people do not appreciate irrationality. So tell me, why are you treating me this way?” (p. 230)
The moment I realized that he had been watching over me and accepting me for who I was on a much deeper level that I could have imagined, I felt like I had been tossed into the middle of the ocean–it was salty, and I struggled to breathe. I was such a loser, such a thoughtless person, a timid child crying in the dark with his knees held tightly to his chest, and yet it felt like he took it all in and said that it was fine. But it wasn't just a feeling, he believed in me, more than I could ever believe. (pp.247-248)
“At times, I also find it easier to breathe when you're with me.” (p.282)
This is such a weird little manga about a workaholic accountant who accidentally ends up in another world. The MC reminds me a lot of Yuri in [b:Kyo Kara MAOH!, Vol. 1 3389200 Kyo Kara MAOH!, Vol. 1 Temari Matsumoto https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461420043l/3389200.SX50.jpg 3429059], so I like him quite a lot. Even though the isekai genre is so overdone in manga/anime, I still really like the premise of being transported to another world and learning the ropes. Sure, there are tons of manga who do it better than here, like [b:Red River, Vol. 1 357399 Red River, Vol. 1 (Red River, #1) Chie Shinohara https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388431212l/357399.SY75.jpg 2290903], but it's still a fun read, especially because the MC is a stereotypical salaryman. It's very incongruous to have some one like him in the middle of a fantasy setting.
Format read: Ebook (Kindle)
Reading time: 3-4h
Tags: mystery, adventure, translation, friendship, found family, psychological, supernatural
Own a copy: yes (it's in the mail)
Reread likelihood: 10/10
Summary
Naoya continues to help Professor Takatsuki in his research on ghosts, but when Naoya falls ill and loses his ability to hear lies, he fears that his usefulness for the professor has run its course. Meanwhile, Takatsuki meets with new clients, who believe they are being haunted or, worse, that they are god-chosen.
Review
In the crevices between ordinary things, where the extraordinary lies, that's where the mysterious lurks. (p.44)
An Incident at School
Studio Ghost
Miracle Child
Just then, he caught sight of Takatsuki onstage. In an instant, the joy swelling in Naoya's chest was punctured. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. He could feel the smile that had bloomed on his face contort unnaturally. Staring dazingly at Takatsuki's face, made large on the screen, Naoya let the hand at his ear drop. What if, he thought. If his ears had become just like anyone else's... then that person–Takatsuki... How would he react? What would he say? (p.110)
Sasakura stared hard at Takatsuki, who seemed to be pushing himself to smile. “Don't get too caught up in this case.” (p.197)
Oh, Naoya thought. That was why Takatsuki had said to him, over and over–I want you to stay by my side. I would be happy if you were here. That was how he truly felt. Takatsuki chose Naoya to be his companion through the endlessly dark borderlands. (p.165)
Excuse me, what did I just read. I'm shook.
Format read: Ebook (Kindle)
Reading time: 3-4h
Tags: mystery, adventure, translation, friendship, found family, psychological, supernatural
Own a copy: no, but I'm going to change that very soon
Reread likelihood: 10/10
What did the world look like, reflected in those eyes that held the night? (p. 164)
Summary
Review
It's usually the human mind that turns specters into specters and gives birth to monsters. ... We try to define the world through interpretation so that we can put it into terms we can understand. (p.83)
The Neighbor Who Shouldn't Exist
The Girl Who Spits Up Needles
The House to Another World
There was no warping. Naoya heard it with surprising directness. It was like a single ray of white light shining through the muddy, stagnant air. His voice was crystal clear. ... But there was something Naoya couldn't quite put his finger on. Why did the sound of that voice make him feel like he could breathe easier? (p.17-18)
There was no warping in the professor's voice, and Naoya could tell everything he said was sincere. He genuinely wanted to keep Naoya by his side. “I don't want to stop working with you. I want you to continue being my assistant.” Takatsuki's voice was soft, pleasant, and perfectly honest. His smile was like a bright, cloudless sky... Even though the night sky was hidden behind his eyes. Suddenly, the urge to bare everything within Naoya's soul to Takatsuki reared up from the depths of his heart. (p. 94)
Maybe Takatsuki was a fallen angel. Because the invitation to join him was like being tempted by the devil. Telling Naoya, who thought he would be alone forever, that there was someone just like him right there? How could he resist that? (p. 227)
Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 4-5h
Tags: mystery, adventure, translation, friendship, found family, lgbt (bi, m/m, ace)
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 8/10
Summary
Vol. 5 features four cases and two short extras:
1. Citrine Undaunted: Seigi prepares for his post-graduation work and attends seminars with his classmates. One of his friends, Shinomura, asks him to help him move, and Seigi learns en route to the airport that Shinomura is leaving for Spain. After his departure, a lady approaches Seigi on the platform and asks for help carrying her bags, too. This lady turns out to be a famous jewellery designer, and Richard's work frenemy.
2. A Visage in Sardonyx: Richard and Seigi are visited by an old client, Mr. Otomura, who brings them a cameo with the face of a Japanese lady sculpted into it. Otomura explains that the lady is someone he loves deeply, but she doesn't feel the same way, yet she gifted him this portrait of her anyway. Otomura asks Richard and Seigi to uncover the meaning behind this strange gift.
3. The Majesty of Zircon: While Richard is away on business, Saul takes over the shop for the day and decides to tell Seigi all about his boss' past. Saul tells Seigi how he met Richard in Sri Lanka, and how Richard became his reluctant apprentice.
4. The Grade of Peridot: Seigi befriends a nice older lady at a coffee shop, and he ends up carrying her bags to her house. As a thank you, she invites him in and serves him a flan that immediately rings bells in Seigi's head. He puts two and two together and realises that the lady is in fact Chieko, Richard's nanny from when he was a child in England. However, Chieko quickly expresses her wish to remain anonymous, lest “Young Master” Richard hear about her.
Extra 1 - Andalusite on Christmas Eve: Richard and Seigi work at Étranger on Christmas Eve and share their family and love concerns during a downtime at the store.
Extra 2 - Tiger's Eye Lookback: Seigi explains the origin and meaning behind the tiger's eye after Seigi sees one of their clients wearing a bracelet made with the stone.
Review
“Don't worry, I'm not about to die or disappear. ... I would never see you again if either of those things were to happen. And I wouldn't care for that very much,” Richard said, bringing a quarter of the cake slice to his mouth. ... His blue eyes looked at me as if to ask if I wanted something, but the color of his eyes was so incredibly rich in that moment that I completely forgot what I wanted to say. (p.97)
3½ ★This is pretty cute! It reminds me a bit of [b:I Hear the Sunspot 36844972 I Hear the Sunspot (I Hear the Sunspot, #1) Yuki Fumino https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525639162l/36844972.SX50.jpg 43195194] because of the slice-of-life, every day drama aspect of the plot. As someone who lives for slow burns, this isn't it. By page 30, Sajo and Kusakabe are together, but everything that happens after makes up for the instalove of the first chapter. So far, I have more of a soft spot for Sajo even though he has the personality of a cardboard box (as a fellow introvert, I say this lovingly).The teacher, Hara, is pretty creepy, and I know that he gets more air time in the next volumes, so I wonder how that's going to go.
Everyone and their mother would like to know what happened to Shakespeare during the “Lost Years” of his career. The fact that very little is known about Shakespeare's life inevitably creates a lot of speculation and conspiracy theories, most of which are classist and elitist drivel. The main anti-Stratfordian argument is that it would have been completely impossible for an uneducated man from the countryside to write such beautiful poetry. Naturally, you can see how this is a problematic take.
“Seven Shakespeares” takes this exact approach and attempts to fill in the Lost Years by having Shakespeare, aka Lance Carter, be an untalented writer who has to rely on other people's skills to make a name for himself.
In this volume, we meet Li, a Chinese immigrant with an eerie sixth sense of premonition. This ability gets her into a world of trouble, but eventually she gets rescued by Lance and his friend Worth. Li learns English from Lance's other friend, Mil, and soon starts to speak in verse. Lance asks her to write her ideas, and she accidentally creates the English sonnet (aka the Shakespearean sonnet). Li's first sonnet is #18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”) which she wrote for her dog....
Can I just take a second to say that sonnet 18 (the real one) is regarded as one of Shakespeare's finest poems and it is probably the most well-known, even to non-Shakespeare experts. It is widely accepted in academia that Shakespeare wrote this poem with his male lover in mind, so the fact that the manga makes it about a dog is just beyond gobsmacking and insulting.
This first volume ends with the hint that Li wrote Hamlet for Lance. Again, this is a baffling “explanation” for Shakespeare's masterpiece.
As a self-respecting Shakespearean, I can't possibly continue to read this series. If you want to read a fantasy/historical fiction account of Shakespeare's life, go for it, but for the love of all that is holy, don't believe for a second that Shakespeare didn't write his plays and poems.
Format read: digitalReading time: 1h Tags: vampires, shonen, adventure, mysteryOwn a copy: noReread likelihood: 8/10You might also like: [b:Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign, Vol. 1 18774919 Seraph of the End Vampire Reign, Vol. 1 Takaya Kagami https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448681178l/18774919.SY75.jpg 26679990], [b:Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 263145 Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 (Vampire Knight, #1) Matsuri Hino https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329232329l/263145.SY75.jpg 255083]Vol. 2 picks up with Takumi, Ichiro's childhood friend and protector (?), meeting Ichiro's grandfather, Yzak. Grandpa is creepy as hell, locked away in his basement, but the best part is that he's somehow immortal. He convinces (hypnotises??) Takumi to help him capture Bloody and to bring him to his lair for... nefarious reasons undoubtedly. Meanwhile, Ichiro continues with his research, looking for information on how to unlock his exorcism ability, only to find strange pictures of himself as a child, hooked up to machines and vats.We also meet another new character, Hydra (a vampire), who seems to know a lot about Bloody's past but who also wants him dead. She promises Ichiro to help him with his quest if he agrees to help her kill Bloody. Seeing as how Bloody wants to die anyway, it's an easy arrangement. Vol. 2 picked up considerably from vol. 1 and added lots of plot points and mystery to the story. The new characters are interesting, and Yzak in particular is one to watch for. He knows way more than he lets on.
Tl; dr: Masterpiece.
Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 5-7h
Tags: philosophical, psychology, science fiction, speculative, robotics, artificial intelligence, androids, animals, dying earth, post-apocalyptic
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 1000/10
Summary
Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who specialises in ‘retiring' andys: Android escapees from Mars. Deckard uses a psychological test, the Voigt-Kampff, that detects levels of empathy in the suspect. Androids are naturally devoid of empathy, which makes Deckard's job easy, until a new type of android is created, the Nexus-6. This type is not only very difficult to deal with, but it is also virtually indistinguishable from humans. Deckard's bounty hunting days are at risk if he can't find and retire eight escaped and dangerous Nexus-6 android criminals.
Review
Where to begin with this review? Perhaps I should preface this by saying that this is my fourth reread of this book, and the story never ceases to amaze me.
The novel focuses on a dying humanity that is about to be overrun by humanoid androids. Earth has all but been destroyed, and most of the animals and plants have died out, making for a grim and cheerless environment. The majority of humans have emigrated to Mars for a chance at a better life, but we soon find out that humanity is doomed out there, too, where humans are regularly killed by their android servants. The humans who remain on Earth are the lowest on the social ladder: They cannot emigrate because they are either 1) too poor or 2) contaminated by the radioactive dust and can therefore not reproduce. Those who are not yet contaminated, like Deckard, are only hanging on by a thread. It's only a question of time before the dust contaminates them, too.
One of the major themes of the book is the use of empathy. Humans are distinguishable from androids only through their strong feelings of empathy, in particular towards animals. In fact, human-human empathy is not a necessity in this world; we are repeatedly shown how humans mistreat other humans based on their social status and/or mental faculties. Instead, the ultimate sign of empathy–and thereby humanity–is having the ownership of an animal. However, animals are incredibly rare and expensive, which puts them out of reach of most people on Earth unless they work tirelessly. This is the case for Deckard who desperately wants to buy a real animal to replace his electric sheep. Having a flesh and blood animal to care for is the ultimate luxury and status symbol, and Deckard chases this dream throughout the novel. To achieve this, he must hunt and kill the rogue androids from Mars. Each kill nets him 1000$ bonus on top of his salary with the police, which makes bounty hunting a lucrative side job. Naturally, this is a very dangerous job, and Deckard finds himself in hairy situations more than once. However, his dream of owning an animal surpasses everything, even when he begins to develop empathy for the androids–an anomaly that should not happen in humans.
He thought, too, about his need for a real animal; within him an actual hatred once more manifested itself toward his electric sheep, which he had to tend, had to care about, as if it lived. The tyranny of an object, he thought. It doesn't know I exist. Like the androids, it has no ability to appreciate the existence of another. (p. 40)
“That goat,” Rachael said. “You love the goat more than me. More than you love your wife, probably. First then goat, then your wife, then last of all [me]” (p. 185)
Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 5-7h
Tags: philosophical, science fiction, speculative, robotics, artificial intelligence
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 10/10
Summary & Review
Told from the perspective of Dr. Susan Calvin, I, Robot is a collection of short stories that covers several decades of robotic research and implementation. Here's a short breakdown of each story:
1. Robbie (5★)
The first story in the book is that of Robbie, a first gen robot model that cannot speak and whose primary task is taking care of children. Robbie and his charge, Gloria, make a great pair as they play games together and spend all their time in each other's company. One day, Gloria's mother decides that the robot has to go because Gloria is not socializing with other children, preferring instead to spend her days with Robbie. Robbie is sent back to U.S. Robotics to be decommissioned and turned into a line worker at the factory. Gloria goes through great pains to be reunited with her friend and shows that robots are more than just mindless machines.
2. Runaround (4★)
In this story, we are introduced to recurring characters, Mike Donavan and Greg Powell, two field engineers. In Runaround, Mike and Greg are sent on a mission to Mercury to collect selenium samples with the help of a single robot, Speedy. Left to fend for themselves, Mike and Greg soon realize that Speedy is acting strange and, if he isn't fixed soon, the two humans will die on a planet far from home. This story introduces the Three Laws of Robotics by showing how Speedy is stuck in a feedback loop between the Second Law (obedience) and the Third Law (self-preservation).
3. Reason (5★)
Mike and Greg are sent to work on a space station to work on a sun beam director that sends heat and light to the Earth. While at the station, the pair assemble a new model robot, QT-1 (“Cutie”) to take over the manual duties of controlling the beam. However, Cutie is a model with a much higher form of intellect, and it soon decides for itself that the two human engineers couldn't have possibly built it. Cutie begins to worship the Beam Director itself, thinking it a god-like being, and ignores the humans entirely, thereby breaking the Three Laws. When Cutie locks up the humans and takes over the commands at the station, Mike and Greg hope against all odds that the First Law at least will hold and that Cutie will protect Earth against a dangerous solar storm.
4. Catch That Rabbit (3★)
Mike and Greg work on yet another impossible mission, this time with DV-5 (“Dave”), a robot built to mine asteroids. Dave begins to malfunction while out on the asteroid, and all the other robots who follow it begin to display the same errors. Soon, Dave and its minions start a military-like march and fail to obey Mike and Greg until the two put themselves into mortal danger and Dave has no choice but to save them.
5. Liar! (4★)
Dr Susan Calvin stars in this story as a young robopsychologist working with a team of mathematicians on a robot, RB-34 (“Herbie”), who can read minds. Herbie somehow developed an anomaly that allows it to know exactly what the humans are thinking and to answer their questions before they're asked. Dr Calvin questions Herbie about its ability, but Herbie instead plays matchmaker between Calvin and one of the mathematicians, Milton Ashe. Things turn sour when Calvin realises that Herbie has been lying to everyone to protect their feelings as per the First Law (cause no harm to humans). Angry, Calvin sets about destroying the robot with all the cruelty that only humans can muster.
6. Little Lost Robot (5★)
This story is the inspiration behind the I, Robot movie. In this tale, Dr Calvin is sent to a Hyper Base in space where the military is testing hyperspace travel with the help of sophisticated robots. Calvin finds out that these robots, model NS-2, have been modified so that the imperative of the First Law is lessened. One of the modified robots has gone ‘missing' by hiding itself in a crowd of unmodified robots, and Calvin is tasked with finding out which of the 63 robots is the dangerous, disobedient one.
7. Escape! (5★)
Dr Calvin works with the mathematicians from Liar! to develop a super-brain, bodiless robot that can calculate impossible mathematics and discover how to travel in hyperspace. The Brain builds a spaceship capable of doing this and, when Mike and Greg are sent onboard to verify the equipment, they find themselves locked in the vessel and sent into outer space by The Brain. Even though The Brain cannot break the First Law, it can bend it a little bit to allow for hyperspace travel, which translates into Mike and Greg dying briefly during ‘the jump' to and back from deep space.
The Evitable Conflict (5★)
The world has come the point where highly sophisticated and efficient robots, now known as The Machines, run all forms of production worldwide. Humans have become all but redundant in this automated society, and many nations and individual groups of people oppose the widespread use of The Machines around the world. However, as Dr Calvin uncovers, The Machines are now in complete control of humanity and, for the sake of its well-being, the Third Law (self-preservation) comes to precede over the First Law (human safety) for the sake of the First Law. The Machines are therefore declared as masters who “stand between mankind and destruction” (224), and humanity has to accept the fact that it is no longer in charge of the world.
I, Robot is a fantastic early entry in the world of robotics, and its Three Laws are used to this day, perhaps surprisingly, in real science. The novel's individual stories show the progression of robotics, from mute nursemaids to all-powerful Machines that can no longer be dismantled. Sadly, humanity has placed itself in a box with no exit. By trying to progress technologically, it has caused its own loss of independence to the machines it has created. The short stories of Robbie and Liar! are just plain heartbreaking, while Reason and The Evitable Conflict are terrifying looks at when things go wrong and robots take over the world. Asimov created an interesting-if-worrying scenario that seems all-too eerie in the 21st century as we push to develop more and more intelligent systems that can automize our lives and take work away from humans.
This is a must read for all hard SFF lovers!
Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 5-7h
Tags: apocalypse, alien invasion, war, military, humanity, horror, psychological, philosophical, biology, evolution, science fiction, speculative
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 10/10
I felt the first inkling of a thing that presently grew quite clear in my mind, that oppressed me for many days, a sense of dethronement, a persuasion that I was no longer a master, but an animal among the animals, under the Martian heel. With us it would be as with them, to lurk and watch, to run and hide; the fear and empire of man had passed away.
—The War of the Worlds p. 116
Review
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
Surely if we have learned nothing else, this war has taught us pity–pity for those witless souls that suffer our dominion.
—The War of the Worlds p. 120
Wells' unnamed protagonist is an unsympathetic narrator. He acts in ways that count as lacking in humanity and compassion, despite the need to survive preceding all other needs. He is detached from what happens around him, and when he sees people dying all around him in horrible ways, he disengages emotionally and continues to move forward with the single idea of survival dominating his mind. This makes for a cold narrator who observes the world around him in a stoic and scientific way. Although he gives in to his emotions on a few occasions, he is disaffected for the better part of the novel. His companion for half the book, the curate, quickly becomes a nuisance to him rather than a friend and source of comfort. The narrator would rather be on his own than with the curate, yet when he does end up alone, he suffers from bone-deep melancholy and loneliness. Interestingly, none of the important characters are named in the narrative. The narrator, the narrator's brother, and the artilleryman are central characters in this story, yet their lack of identity makes it easier for the reader to ‘become' the survivalist in this tale. In an unusual twist, the named characters, such as the astronomers and scientists at the beginning, are the ones to die and do not add much value to the story.Perhaps it's because I'm currently reading a lot of SFF, but I saw an immediate relationship between the artilleryman's plan for humanity and the post-apocalyptic and dystopian society of E. M. Forster's [b:The Machine Stops|4711854|The Machine Stops|E.M. Forster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347943820l/4711854.SY75.jpg|4776249]. Reading the two texts side by side, they provide a chilling and terrifying perspective on the future of humanity should we continue to go on the path of destruction we are currently on. Wells' writing in The War of the Worlds is impeccable, and there are many beautiful philosophical thoughts scattered throughout, and his evident support of peaceful cohabitation with Nature comes across on every page. The literature itself is beautiful and entrancing just as much as the plot is bone chilling and eerily accurate.There's a reason why this novel is considered to be a foundational text in SFF literature, and the explanation for it is obvious. Wells' story about an alien invasion may seem farfetched, but it is ultimately a cautionary tale about the evils of Man wrought against Nature and fellow men. The story acts as a social comment on humans' rights to impose their will on other living beings and, should the tables be reversed, humans would have no right to cry foul. Another species' supremacy and control over mankind would only be rightful karmic retribution.And before we judge them too harshly we must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as the vanished bison and the dodo, but upon its own inferior races. The Tasmanians, in spite of their human likeness, were entirely swept out of existence in a war of extermination waged by European immigrants, in the space of fifty years. Are we such apostles of mercy as to complain if the Martians warred in the same spirit?—The War of the Worlds p. 3
Series Overview:
Vol 1 ★★★★☆
vol 2 ★★★★☆
Vol 3 ★★★☆☆
Vol 4 ★★★☆☆
Vol 5 ★★★★☆
Vol 6 ★★★☆☆
Vol 7 ★★★☆☆
Vol 8 ★★★★☆
Vol 9 ★★★★★
Series average: ★★★☆☆
Unlike many people here, I actually enjoyed the last volume's dream sequence. I would have liked for the volume to explore their college life for real and bypass the trope, but it was still nice to get a glimpse into their future lives.
This series had a lot of ups and downs for me. It started strong with the first few volumes, then went down in the middle, and picked up again with the last two volumes. It feels like the author tried to stretch it out for way too long, so the middle volumes were fairly uneventful/uninteresting and only served as filler.
I liked the J-drama, which is why I picked up the manga afterwards, but now that I've read the whole series, it unfortunately falls flat for me in many places. I think the drama did a really good job, and I still enjoy it very much, but the manga was pretty average.