Ash
As much as there were interesting moments that dealt with the rich historical time period in the novel, I felt that there was a lot of unnecessary repetition that dragged the narrative. Also, the pacing was at times incredibly slow, and in other moments the author glossed over information or made certain events feel like they were sped up like with Beautiful Moon's death. The whole thing felt so sudden and pointless.
Furthermore, the constant self-deprecation of the narrator (always thinking herself inferior to her laotong, thinking that women are worthless creatures and that sons are the only worthy accomplishment of a woman) was starting to grate on my nerves. Obviously, the historical context of the novel makes it so that this rampant misogyny is acceptable, but the constant reminders and hammering in of the ideology was oftentimes excessive and unnecessary.
The amount of foreshadowing in this novel was insane and really ruined the anticipation of events. I wanted to discover the twists and turns for myself, not have them told to me from the get-go. In any case, the ‘big reveal' around the midway point really wasn't as jaw-dropping as what you'd expect; in fact, it was rather underwhelming.
Overall, I feel that this story had so much potential to be really interesting and unique, but it ended up being lukewarm and too slice-of-life for my taste.
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: ebook (Libby)
Reading time: 20 minutes (!!!)
Tags: romance, lgbtq+, high school, slice of life
Own a copy: no
Reread likelihood: 8/10
This was super cute and sweet! I've been seeing this graphic novel everywhere lately, so when I saw that my public library had copies, I figured I'd give it a shot. I was surprised by how quickly this can be read. This is mostly because there's very little dialogue, and the pages have a lot of blank spaces. However, this is not a bad thing. I think that it adds to the slow build up of feelings for the characters. The ‘silence' allows us as readers to take in the events as they unfold and ‘breathe' in between each scene, which is nice. It feels as though you are a part of the story.
The characters themselves are very loveable, mainly Charlie and Nick (of course). This first volume focused on their blooming friendship despite their apparent differences (Nick is older and in another grade, he's also a jock and very popular, while Charlie is the exact opposite of these things). There wasn't much focus placed on the other characters, except Ben, the default antagonist, but they seemed to be all right and supportive of whatever the situation. Tao's protectiveness over Charlie was especially endearing, and Charlie's older sister was nice too.
So far, this series is off to a good start, and I'm excited to see where it will go.
DNF @ 250 pages/ 30%
Reading Notes
p.250/30% mini review:
1. Where. Are. The. Dragons.
Seriously, where??? How am I 200+ pages in and dragons have been barely present? Also, dragon names: Fýredel? Cool, epic-sounding. The Nameless One... what? Really? The most evil and murderous dragon is called the Nameless One??? I'm seeing a trend... (He Who Must Not Be Named, the Evil One, etc.) How original.
2. Sabran is so damn annoying. She is actually the worse person in the book. How can someone so vain, selfish, and stupid ever be the queen of a country and figurehead of a major religion is beyond me. Why is most of the focus on this character? Her kingdom is easily the most boring one out of all of them.
3. There's been a minor character death so far that was so underwhelming, I had to read the passage twice just to make sure he was actually dead and not just chilling. I liked this character, but I didn't get to see him enough to develop strong emotions upon his dying (very anticlimactically, btw). He died too soon in the story to have any emotional effect whatsoever, which seems rather pointless.
4. The fact that most of the time we're stuck in the West with Sabran is really disheartening. The East is by far more interesting, but we barely spend any time there. Tané and Niclays have potential as characters, but no, I'm forced to read about snooty Sabran 90% of the time.
5. Am I really going to read 800+ pages of this...? I'm questioning my sanity.
[Edit: No, no I won't. I dropped this book so fast after p. 250. I refuse to keep reading even though, according to some, “it gets better after 50%!!” No, don't care.]
6. If anyone dares compare this to The Lord of the Rings, please give them a stern talking to. LOTR is a masterpiece in every shape and form, and it is definitely unfair to attempt to compare anything else to it, but the fact that Priory of the Orange Tree has been called the “feminist LOTR” is such an insult to the latter. Just.... just don't go there if you don't want your book to be pulled apart and destroyed because of this poor comparison. There is nothing in Priory that remotely resembles LOTR.
Format read: KindleReading time: 4-5h Tags: detective fiction, crime, thriller, trauma, police, translation, friendship, found family, enemies-to-lovers, lgbt (bi, m/m)Own a copy: yesReread likelihood: 10/10If you liked this book, then you'll probably like: [b:Guardian: Zhen Hun, Vol. 1 62145801 Guardian Zhen Hun, Vol. 1 Priest https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1687960312l/62145801.SX50.jpg 97934663] by the same author, and [b:SCI Special Crime Investigation (Season 1) 42112981 SCI Special Crime Investigation (Season 1) (谜案集（第一部）) Er Ya https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538435169l/42112981.SX50.jpg 24826651]SummaryLuo Wenzhou is the director of a small investigative unit that specialises in difficult and unusual crimes. Together with his best friend and vice director, Tao Ran, Luo Wenzhou works tirelessly to bring peace to their city. Enter Fei Du, a carefree young man who has more money than common sense, and who is also a victim from Luo Wenzhou and Tao Ran's first case. Seven years ago, Fei Du's mother committed suicide in mysterious circumstances, and when Luo Wenzhou closed the case, Fei Du never forgave the policeman for dismissing the possibility of murder. Today, Fei Du continues to be a thorn in Luo Wenzhou's side, but the young man proves useful when a difficult murder case arises and his friend is suspected of the crime.ReviewDetective/crime fiction is one of my favourite subgenres, and I'm already a big fan of Priest's novels (Guardian (Zhen Hun) being my favourite by far, but TYK and SPL are way up there too), so it was only a question of time before I picked up Silent Reading (Mo Du). Other reviewers have pointed out the slow pacing for most of the book, but to me this is just a trait of detective novels. The story focuses on the murder of a young man who is found strangled in the slums with no one but an ailing mother and an untrustworthy roommate as companions. Luo Wenzhou is sent to work on this case while also secretly investigating one of the police's higher ups for corruption and drug trafficking. Luo Wenzhou figures out that the two cases are related, and his investigative team works to undo the knots that make the case difficult to crack. In Priest's signature style, Silent Reading is action driven and sprinkled with comedy, which makes for a unique reading experience. Tao Ran is an interesting sidekick to Luo Wenzhou, if a bit milquetoast to Wenzhou's more brazen personality. Fei Du, on the other hand, matches Wenzhou's intensity step for step, and their initial dislike of one another adds to the tension of the crime narrative. Wenzhou suspects that Fei Du has an inclination for crime, and Fei Du does not trust the policeman in the slightest ever since he dealt with his mother's case. The two often headbutt, with Tao Ran stuck in the middle, trying to pacify both. Even though Tao Ran also worked on Fei Du's case, the two have a close, almost brotherly relationship, while Luo Wenzhou singlehandedly suffers Fei Du's hatred and distrust. Fei Du's expectations were such that he believed Wenzhou would solve his case, but when the policeman is unable to, Fei Du's disappointment and heartbreak is too great for him to accept the result of the investigation.[Luo Wenzhou] thought he was overflowing with talent, Number One in the world–Number Two being an English fellow named Sherlock Holmes.Wenzhou's number one suspect in the more recent case happens to be Fei Du's close friend, Zhang Donglai, so naturally this causes more tension to build up between the two. Fei Du is an idle aristocrat who inherited his father's company at a young age; however, despite his appearance as a carefree loafer, he is gifted in crime psychology and eventually becomes an important consultant in Wenzhou's team. Not only is he determined to prove his friend's innocence, Fei Du is all to happy to show Wenzhou that he is not as mighty as he believes. This results in a battle of the minds more often than not.[Fei Du] was like a person living sealed in a castle, surrounded on all sides by an iron fastness with only one clear window, from behind which he quietly observed the people outside. Only by remaining very composed could you make him cautiously open the window a crack.While the detective-consultant duo do not see eye to eye for most of the novel, they slowly start to warm up to each other the more they learn about each other's thoughts and reasons for what happened seven years ago. Though they are not exactly friends by the end of book 1, they are at least more tolerant towards one another.All in all, if you start this book with the idea that you'll be thrown into a danmei from the get-go, that's not going to happen. It is first and foremost a crime novel, and if you're not particularly inclined to like or read crime stories, this one may seem slow compared to other types of danmei. That being said, the crime aspect is very clever and well developed with many twists and turns (complete with a police car chase scene!) Silent Reading is a compelling read for fans of modern police procedurals.
3½ starsI had a long break between the last volume, [b:I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness 36595534 I Hear the Sunspot Theory of Happiness Yuki Fumino https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513851079l/36595534.SX50.jpg 50798243], so maybe my lower rating this time is influenced a bit by the passing of time. Still, I think that this volume (#1 of 3 in the “Limit” arc) was pretty cute, if only a little bit slow compared to the other previous two. We didn't get to see much of Kohei in this volume, and even less of Kohei and Taichi together, which works well with the underlying anxieties of the story (i.e., when you leave an environment, like graduate from school or change jobs, relationships tend to fall apart). I hope we'll get to see more of them spending time together in the next volumes.I liked seeing Taichi's work life. All his coworkers are so colourful, and I especially like Chiba-kun. You can tell that he takes his job very seriously and, even though he's harsh with Taichi, he cares for him like a little brother. The new character in this volume, Ryo, seems like an interesting contrast to Kohei. Where Kohei is concerned with the complete loss of his hearing, Ryo embraces his disability and wears it proudly, even encouraging Kohei to do the same. I'm interested to see whether Kohei will follow him down this path of self-acceptance, or continue to fight who he is for Taichi's sake (or so he thinks).All in all, I'm looking forward to volume 2!
Here's the thing: 1) I'm a big fan of Schwab and the “Shades of Magic” series, but 2) I'm not a fan of graphic novels. Even though I like Japanese manga, I've always had a hard time getting into heavily coloured and stylized graphic novels. That being said, this GN was very beautiful to look at, and the story was interesting, but I found the pacing to be too fast for such a short amount of pages. I would have expect the fight between Arisa and Maxim to drag out over several volumes, so I was surprised by how quickly everything was resolved. As much as I enjoyed the art in this GN, I don't think I'll be reading the next volumes in this series.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ben is super pragmatic, to the point where is unwillingness to listen and to believe in something intangible costs the lives of several people around him. During most of the book he headbutts his best friend and refuses to believe that there might be something amiss with himself and the world around him. He not only infects his lover, but also his ex-girlfriend, his mother, his father and the mother of his child. All of this happens and he STILL refuses to see that he is at the center of all of this. EVERYONE around him is infected, Laurette tells him a hundred times that he's been cursed, but does he see reason? NOPE. He has to let a bunch of people die before he finally gets his head out of his a**.
I did not enjoy this book, the main character was irritating and infuriating.
Read an in-depth review on my blog: https://vicsense.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/the-bone-curse-benjamin-oris-1/
Format read: paperback
Reading time: 2 hours
Tags: theatre, realism, feminism, social commentary, criticism, problem play
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 8/10
Summary
Nora Helmer is a bourgeois housewife with a dark secret–she has incurred a large debt without her husband's knowledge. When an old school friend comes to visit her, attracted by Torvald Helmer's new high-paying job at the bank, and Nora's creditor surfaces with new threats, Nora tries everything in her power to keep her secret hidden to the detriment of her own freedom and happiness.
“I believe that before all else I am a human being, just as much as you are–or at least I will try to become one”
-A Doll's House, III.555-556
Review
DNF @10%
I had been wanting to read this for such a long time that when I finally got a hold of it at my library, I was disappointed with it. It wasn't what I had expected going in, which is too bad because I know that a lot of people really love this book (and series). I'm not much one for grunge fantasy, so maybe that's why it didn't appeal to me. Maybe I'll give it another shot at some point, but it's unlikely.
Full review here: https://vicsense.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/fire-and-fury/
First of all, I'd like to point out the obvious: look at that gorgeous cover. I mean, that's a New York Times worthy picture if I've ever seen one. Not going to lie, the cover makes the book all the more appealing.
Going into this one, I thought I'd be reading about how Trump is an imbecile who can't form a correct sentence and doesn't know his left from is right... What I got instead, was a whole lot of pages dedicated to other people in the Trump orbit, mostly Steve Bannon. I felt that the book was more preoccupied with people around Trump, rather than Trump himself. Of course, there were moments when Wolff pointed out real gems from Trump's history with Twitter and on the campaign trail.
It was all rather ‘meh'. Too ordinary to care.
Visit my blog for the full review: https://vicsense.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/arc-the-oddling-prince/
I received a copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
SUMMARY
Alric is the only son and heir to the throne of Dun Caltor, until a mysterious, otherworldly being appears one night, claiming to be the king's other son. Albaric, born from the queen of fey and king Baldric (Alric's father), he develops a fierce love for his half-brother and vows to protect him and follow him to the ends of the earth, if need be. Meanwhile, their father grows to hate his second son, more and more with each passing day, until he starts to hate his first son and his wife for wanting to protect Albaric. The more the king hates Albaric, the more the latter loves his brother and follows him everywhere, never leaving his side. The two brothers must stand united against their raging father, as well as against the threat of a looming war.
REVIEW
I was attracted to this novel for two main reasons:
1) it's based on an old Scottish legend
2) it promised a strong brotherly love, which is hard to come by these days.
This novel reads like a long fairy tale, with elements of magic interspersed throughout the narrative, blending with the very real day-to-day life in medieval Scotland. I thought the characters were well thought out and I especially loved the intense and unshakable brotherly love. I thought that the king was downright mad because of his incessant hatred of Albaric, despite him not doing anything to be hated for (on the contrary, he is the most useful, capable, and skilful person in the castle). Albaric was sweet and utterly devoted to his half-brother, which made the pair very endearing. I wanted Albaric to be loved by his father, the way that he loved him. His innocent fey personality made him vulnerable and warranted protection and love from those around him. Luckily, Alric loved him as fiercely as he did, so at least he wasn't completely alone in the human world.
The narrative flowed beautifully and was very lyrical. I loved the way old medieval Scotland came to life and was painted so vividly. The characters described very realistic and historically accurate things that they encountered in their daily lives. The writing style might be a turn-off for some readers, but personally, I really enjoyed the ‘old English'-ness of the text. It added to the overall feeling that I was reading an ancient fairy tale.
If you like fairy tales, old Scotish legends and a fierce brotherly love, you should give this one a shot. I was pleasantly surprised and I'm happy I picked it up to read while on holiday.
The language was witty, the heroines were brave and cunning, and the young men were dashing (cue intense swooning). I was pleasantly surprised by it all, and ended up reading the whole book in a single sitting. It was honestly hard to put down (and, as you know from my previous reviews, I'm not the easiest to impress). I'm such a sucker for anything 1)historical, 2)British and 3)clever. I'm happy that I found all three in this story.
The whole story was just so British, I couldn't help but loved it. Of course, every good family is in need of a male heir (enter three mildly interesting suitors)! And every good family is in need of loyal servants to fight off the undead and to see to their every whim!
The author stayed true to the time period and made it believable (i.e., I didn't think I was reading a contemporary novel, even though I was). I loved the well-read Fanny and her analyses of the situation. Right at the start of the book, her display of knowledge of Bram Stoker's Dracula got me hooked on her character (anybody who can reference Stoker is A-okay in my books). I'm starting to notice a trope/trend with kitchen maids; they're always the cleverest ones in the house!
On hiatus at 52%
Why? My loan ran out at the library and I haven't been able to re-borrow it since :/ I really want to finish it, I enjoyed what I read so far (although not as Nutcracker-y as I thought it would be).
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)
Full review on my blog: https://vicsense.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/the-bear-and-the-nightingale-winternight-1/
Vasya, short for Vasilisa, borrows her name from the famous fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful” but, has a very different adventure than her namesake. Unlike the original, Vasya isn't a gorgeous maiden who finds herself in Baba Yaga's hut. This Vasya is a little girl, shunned by her village and stepmother for being a ‘witch', a ‘devil's child'. Vasya inherited her grandmother's gift and can see the spirits of the old world. Being the only one in her village who cares about the creatures, she uses all of her strength to maintain them, even though the priest does everything in his power to control and ‘tame' her. Vasya learns from the spirits how to swim like a fish, talk to horses and run like the wind. Her inhuman abilities scare the villagers even more, especially because she is a girl, and girls shouldn't be able to ride horses like a war lord does.
Vasya is a modern woman, stuck in medieval Russia. She doesn't want to marry, she doesn't want to go to a convent, and she certainly doesn't obey the men in her life. She is strong and independent, traits not often found in that era. When Vasya forms an alliance of sorts with the Frost King, Morozko, it is one of balance and respect. He doesn't force her to obey him, and she doesn't try to control him.
Vasya was a wonderful heroine and I was rooting for her throughout. The setting of the book was magical and I felt as though I was in medieval Russia as well.
Overall, “The Bear and the Nightingale” is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys fairy tales and old world magic.
Full review: https://wordpress.com/post/vicsense.wordpress.com/900
Listen, I thought the first book was awesome, but the second one was even better! Vasya has matured even more than I thought possible. She fearlessly takes on this new crazy job and joins the men in both war and entertainment. As a woman, Vasya could never be allowed to ride horses, race across Moscow, join a war, hunt down bandits, etc. But as a man, Vasilii instead of Vasilisa, she can do all of those things and more! Vasya is one really badass young woman and a modern thinker for her time. She and Morozko are so goddamn perfect for each other. Each other's flaws become the other's strength.
I can't wait to read the next (and final!) book from this series.
I WANT MORE WINTER KING PLZ!!
DNF 30%
This started off well for me, but then I found that I lost interest in Geralt's various adventures the more the story progressed. This collection (?) of stories features a few retellings of famous fairy tales, like Beauty and the Beast, but it offers a new twist to them by changing the outcome of the story, or by portraying the villain as a hero and vice versa. Maybe this book didn't work for me because I was looking for a traditional fantasy story with a start, middle, and end (which I'm told is the format for the main books in the series). I should have started with vol 1 instead of this one, despite everyone on the internet saying to start with this prologue of sorts.
Meh, I guess this story just isn't for me.
DNF at 14%
Wow, I didn't even make it to my usual 30% DNF rate. I picked it up because 1) the cover is gorgeous and 2) Neil Gaiman recommended?? But honestly, I don't see why Gaiman raved about it. The pacing is all over the place, the magic system isn't explained all that well, heck the competition isn't even explained.
There are too many characters/POVs, and I really dislike the names in the book. I take offence that great literary magicians like Merlin and Prospero are associated to this book. Did the author run out of ideas in terms of naming her characters? Or was it deliberately done to attract high fantasy readers and rope them into this urban setting? Either way, I think it was a terrible choice, and I'm surprised no other reviewer has mentioned this.
Also, a lot of reviewers mention the writing/language as being spectacular and I really don't see it. The author reuses the same vocabulary over and over again to create an eerie/unsettling atmosphere, but it gets redundant very fast. Furthermore, the writing really isn't that fabulous. The amount of fragmentary sentences and run-ons is staggering, and while I can appreciate that it might be part of the author's style, it is not what I would qualify as “spectacular.”
Unfortunately, the pretty cover is the only good thing about this novel, but it's not enough to keep it on my shelf.
This book was a pleasant surprise! I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, yet here we are. I was surprised to find that this book deals with a lot of different, heavy themes such as race in the 18th century, diseases and mental illnesses, and of course LGBT. It's as though [b:The Picture of Dorian Gray 5297 The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546103428l/5297.SY75.jpg 1858012] and [b:Around the World in Eighty Days 54479 Around the World in Eighty Days Jules Verne https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1308815551l/54479.SY75.jpg 4537271] had a meeting and produced [b:The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue 29283884 The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) Mackenzi Lee https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492601464l/29283884.SY75.jpg 49527118].Percy's position as a non-heteronormative, biracial man in a time where both of those labels could get you killed, was refreshing to read, and added depth to the story. On the other hand, Monty's slow but steady progression of 1) understanding his friend's position and 2) understanding his own place in this society was also wonderful to read about. I loved the slow burn between the two, despite the obviousness of their mutual attraction for one another. Percy was especially endearing, and an angel to deal with Monty's antics (however, saying that, I still really enjoyed Monty's personality).As for Felicity, her treatment in the novel was equally satisfying as she did not adhere to the typical social conventions afforded to women in those days. Naturally, everything in this novel is painted over with a rosy hue to allow for a fictional, almost alternate history and society to take place. Still, it was a nice change of pace to read a historical fiction novel that talked about more than just ballrooms and young lords and ladies, and instead focused on important, underdevelopped themes.
Super cute and funny! The media/gaming references can be tough to understand, but if you're familiar with Japanese popular culture, especially variety shows and anime, this shouldn't be be a problem for you. Looking forward to reading the next volumes!
3.5
Romeo & Juliet / Beauty & The Beast mashup.
Started out too obvious, went into a high-paced, fascinating, and frenzied battle, and ended in a disappointingly predictive way.
Rating: 3½
Tanya Huff's 1990 fantasy novel is a fairly quick read with an interesting cast of characters and a soft magic system.
The Worldbuilding
Perhaps this is a kindle problem, but I would have liked to have a map of the world to visually situate the different countries. Also, many of the elements about this world were glossed over or mentioned briefly which, to me, showed that the world wasn't fully fleshed out. However, the details that were present were interesting and piqued my curiosity about this world.
The same comment can be applied to the magic system in the novel. The Wizards of the Nine are definitely an interesting group of people, but very little is said about who they are, how they got their powers, how they trained, etc. We know from the descriptions that there are different classes of wizards, from 1 to 9, but we only ever get to hear about 4, 7, and 9. I would have liked to learn about the other classes as well, and I think it would have made for a much more convincing world.
The Characters
The main trio was pretty interesting, especially Darvish, but I did have issues with all three, such as the emphasis placed on each's weak point. Aaron's constant “walling up,” Darvish's fight with alcohol, and Chandra's insufferable repetition of “I'm a Wizard of the Nine” rhetoric took its toll on me as the story progressed. I feel that a lot of time was spent repeating the same information, such as Aaron's trauma regarding his cousin, and it took forever for the three of them to actually talk to one another (around the 80% mark... that's way too long). Still, I enjoyed reading about their budding relationships to one another.
As for the other characters, Shahin seemed to have the most potential to shine as a cool character, but he had very little “screen time” and little was said about him. His wife, Yasimina, is only ever mentioned by other characters and never appears in the story. I found that rather disappointing and unfortunate as she seemed to be an interesting woman.
The Plot
The story progressed nicely, although there seemed to be a disconnect between the very beginning of the story and the turning point when the stone is stolen. The end felt rushed and anti-climatic, especially the “fight” with the evil wizard. Up until that point, Aaron's skills had been central to the success of their mission, but then they go and just walk into the fight unprepared and out in the open, and somehow survive.
The final enemy, Palaton, was rather weak compared to the other evils the heroes had faced on their journey, which was disappointing as he was supposed to be the archnemesis of the whole kingdom. In any case, despite the lacklustre finale, the story was pretty consistent and interesting throughout the novel.
Final Thoughts
Even though there were problems here and there, I still very much enjoyed the story and read the whole thing in the span of a few hours. The adventure was fun to follow, the world and magic system were interesting, and the characters were endearing in their own quirky ways. When I saw that this was an m/m fantasy, I was excited to read it and see where it would go and, for the time it was written in, I'm guessing it was pretty gutsy. Still, it would have been nice to have an official relationship by the end of the novel, but alas. It's still a HEA ending, but it feels a bit like a cop out for Aaron at the end.
Overall, this was a fun read, and I'm happy I found this book. I'm not sure I'll be rereading it, but I'm glad I did at least once.
