Tyler
Oddly, this story was really comforting to me. Usually when I read witchy stories, I'm scared or excited or stressed, but the Rules of Magic honestly felt like a warm hug. Despite constantly experiencing traumatic events and uncertainty the Owens family always rises above these challenges stronger than ever. Hoffman expertly develops her characters to be distinct yet strong personalities. I saw a bit of myself in each of the siblings. The plot isn't exceptionally unique or anything, it kind of follows the three siblings as they grow up — but their bond and magic is truly beautiful and powerful! Very few books I've read have truly made me feel comforted and loved, and it seems that Hoffman accomplishes that beautiful! And with a bit of magic!!!! Also I LOVED the Practical Magic (sequel to Rules of Magic) movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. So basically you should read this one.
Ok, I really love Sanderson, and tear through his books (including this one) so quickly, but i felt like Oathbringer was just... ok
First, one of the things I absolutely LOVED about Way of Kings/Words of Radiance was how Sanderson effortlessly flipped between perspectives, without losing the overall flow of the story. Oathbringer, on the other hand, switches between incredibly fast-paced, beautiful scenes, and, well, boring ones. And, I understand that a lot of this was necessary for plot-building, but it just felt so disjointed. Characters were well built and gorgeously vivid as usual.
Additionally, another (more personal) comment– I feel like what Sanderson wants me to feel is just in direct opposition to how I actually feel, with regards to plot, characters, etc. I mean this primarily through a perspective of diversity, gender, racism, and imperialism. I know it's fantasy, but to think that fantasy has NO bearing on our perspectives of the real world and the way we engage with politics is, in my opinion, ignorant.
I began to have this shift in perspective in Words of Radiance, and it only got stronger in Oathbringer. For example, the Lighteye vs. darkeye trope? WHY do we continue to sympathize with Lighteyes? I understand the idea that we should not generalize (of course not!), but let's not forget that Lighteyes have oppressed and enslaved darkeyes/Parshendi for centuries? Even worse than Lighteye vs. darkeye drama, ideas of capitalism/racism are so strong in Oathbringer (literally enslaving another race, calling them “savage” “unintelligent” etc.) but... we're on the side of the colonizers? I'm not sure, but that just didn't sit right with me. Lastly (and there are many, many, more things, but this review is getting long) the “Dalinar is the Chosen One” trope. Dalinar is honorable, kind, compassionate, but also the Blackthorn? a murderer of villagers and innocent people? I get that he's grown, of course everyone does. but let's not pretend that Dalinar is some completely changed, amazing, 100% honorable person. and I get that this is a personal opinion, ton of my friends LOVE Dalinar, but, WHY CANT JASNAH BE KING.
I know the above makes it seem like i hated this, but i absolutely did not. I loved it and read it in less than a week. I am excited to read Rhythm of War, but don't think I won't be keeping my eyes out for problematic tropes/arcs!
Maybe controversial, but this one was a mixed bag for me. I, along with most people, found this book to be heart wrenching and gorgeous and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to read an emotional and heart breaking teen romance. I laughed and cried (my first cry occurred in the first 50 pages). That being said, however, I felt like the writing and character development was a bit lackluster.
The story's protagonist is the shy and risk-averse Mateo. After learning that he will die in the next 24 hours, he meets Rufus, another teen, through an app that connects “Last Friends” (people who are going to die on the same day). They decide to go on an adventure together to make the most of their last day. The world of They Both Die at the End is incredibly original, and Silvera really uses the setting (New York City) to his advantage when writing this. As a New Yorker, I loved watching the small, seemingly inconsequential coincidences / chance meetings take place. These little vignettes really connected the characters and plot in a way I found really incredible.
The characters themselves, however, I felt could have used some more development. I didn't really resonate with any of the characters, and while I felt like I could see shades of myself in Mateo (and I'm sure anyone who has ever been closeted can also relate), I felt like his character arc wasn't as compelling as it could've been. To me, Rufus was a more interesting character, but I felt like he existed in the story only to challenge and propel Mateo forward. The romance and some of the motifs were a little heavy-handed for me, and I wished Silvera had written with a little more complexity.
That being said, I absolutely tore through this one and finished it in a weekend — so props to Silvera there!
4.5
This book. wow. Talk about crazy childhood!!! I would place Born a Crime in that category of memoir/autobiography that is nonfiction but SERIOUSLY reads like fiction. Like, some of the scenes Noah talks about truly felt like a TV show. At times it was so hard for me to wrap my mind around (which also reveals so much of my privilege and ability to have a “normal” childhood for the most part). Told in a series of essays/short stories, Born a Crime still had a thematic arch that highlighted Noah's growth from apartheid South Africa to The Daily Show. I would recommend this to anyone/everyone! The one teensy tiny negative I felt was that Noah's tone, while obviously sarcastic and humorous, at times felt a LITTLE braggy/patronizing (kind of like, “oh yeah I knew I was destined to be famous from the first time I spoke”), although friends have been quick to point out, that this adds to the humor! But honestly after reading this book, I truly believe that Noah WAS destined for success and that the pride and ego are absolutely warranted.
I know I'm late to the party reading this one, but I finally got myself a copy from @strandbookstore and I'm glad I did! Station Eleven was so beautifully written and very topical (re: global pandemic, although definitely more apocalyptic, I think). Station Eleven follows Kirsten Raymonde, a former child actress and current member of the Traveling Symphony, a troupe of performers who aim to keep the spirit of performance alive in a world ravaged by a mysterious virus.
Mandel weaves seemingly disconnected stories and characters across time and space— from before the pandemic, to 20 years after the virus kills 99% of the population! To me, Station Eleven was thematically driven, as opposed to character or plot-driven, which I actually found refreshing! Usually in speculative/sci-fi-esque books there's either a really big plot or unusual and complex characters; Station Eleven didn't really have either (although feel free to disagree). Instead, I felt like it was more of a slow burn that was incredibly tense throughout, with interesting characters and an overarching mission (troupe needs to get from point A to B). I found myself more interested in the character's interconnected pasts rather than their present struggles. Kirsten had such an interesting life both before and after the pandemic, and found that while her personality wasn't the strongest in my opinion, she acted as the perfect bridge between the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic world.
Station Eleven explores some pretty common themes, but does so in a beautiful and unique way. Religion, history, loss of innocence, etc. all make an appearance in this one, so if you are a fan of more literary speculative fiction, I definitely recommend you take it!
The Woods follows Tess, a young teacher, who must return home to care for her dying stepmother; her time back in her hometown brings up horrific memories of her sister, who died in a mysterious death years before. Tess was the only person there when her sister dies, yet she remembers almost nothing of the night.
The inventive plot and unique situation that Tess faces makes the novel both exciting and a bit unbelievable. I found myself constantly taking guesses about the plot and found myself wrong often–always a good sign for me in a thriller! Savage expertly describes the scene, immersing the reader in Tess' whirlwind of a life. I thought Savage did a beautiful job of writing Tess' mental decline, particularly emphasizing Tess' lack of sleep and its effect on her decision-making (although I do feel that the “declining mental state” trope is used fairly often in thrillers nowadays).
The cast, however, felt quite flat. I wasn't particularly sympathetic to any of them, including Tess. The characters were very two-dimensional, and I struggled to fully understand their motives at any given time. The little bits of romance/tension between characters also felt a bit forced to me. Ultimately, the Woods is very plot-driven and didn't really capture nuanced characters in my opinion.
Thank you to the Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
to start, I absolutely LOVED this story. While originally advertised as a romance, I felt like the book read less like a love story and more a classic journey of self discovery. Ifemelu is clearly such a nuanced and intelligent character, yet she faces hurdle after hurdle in America. From racist classmates to rich, white boyfriends, Ifemelu is confronted with race and the idea of “blackness” for the first time. While some haters felt that the book was “too preachy” about race and “wasn't what [the haters] signed up for”, all I can say is— WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?! This isn't JUST a love story. This is a story about immigration! This is a story about blackness! This is a story about Nigeria! This is a story about HAIR! If you wanted to read a book that makes you comfortable and ignores some of the most pressing issues of today, go read something else!