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Post by RAVENEYE on Mar 26, 2023 17:40:22 GMT -6
Title: Belman & Black Author: Diane Setterfield Genre: historical/horror/gothic/literary (hard to place) &What do you think of it?Just finished this one last week. At first I was put off by Setterfield's writing style/method, which pretty much skipped most setting descriptions in the first half of the book, and I'm a sucker for deeply immersive, atmospheric settings. I saw the need for it when I realized she was telling the ENTIRE life story of a single character, which meant most of that setting fluff had to be left out. I never learned WHEN the story took place, except that it was sometime in the Victorian era, which spans 60+ years. And that bothered me for a long while b/c I like to picture costume details even when they're not described, and this varied widely each decade of the 1800s. That aside, the book was addictive. I did not want to put it down, even when I had to. The story is "being told" by Mr Black about Mr Belman, which might also explain the lack of setting in the first half. The second half though, it rich with setting, b/c there's only a single setting to describe, the funerary goods emporium "Belman & Black." The historical and character study aspects are balanced by a mythological/supernatural angle that I won't spoil. The book is simply unforgettable. Gorgeously, uniquely written, epic somehow even though it focuses on a single character. Maybe because it plumbs the deepest thing we fear most. &Recommend it?Absolutely. A vastly intelligent, poetic read. &Beware the rooks. I'm never going to piss off a crow or a raven or any of their cousins. Ever.  My gosh, this sound so perfect for what I've been looking for. I have so many started but unfinished books, and I really just want something that will grab AND hold my attention. And I do so love gothic tales, especially if they have a supernatural twist.  Definitely going to look at this one. Oh, yes! I hope you love it too. |
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Post by ScintillaMyntan on Mar 26, 2023 22:39:07 GMT -6
I forgot about this thread, and I want to do it for what I read last.
Author: George MacDonald
Genre: Fantasy
Year: 1895
What did you think of it? This is just what I want in fantasy: it evokes curiosity and awe, and handles themes in a way realistic fiction can't. It's very Christian — Lilith, Adam, and Eve are all characters — but while I'm not religious and not all of it appeals to me directly that way, I can appreciate the more universal themes of good and evil and love.
It's just so cool how things and people change meaning over the course of the story as the protagonist comes to know more. In the beginning the protagonist is exploring; things are interesting because they are strange and he has some initial impressions about them. But as he learns more, it comes together. Things that seemed bad at first are actually good, and so on. It gives this satisfying feeling of discovery.
Recommend it? Yes. Lots of fantasies are about investigating the unknown, but it's particularly wonderful when the answer comes together as something so grand and spiritually comforting. Though Wikipedia tells me that a specific religious idea this book espouses was quite controversial, so some readers are probably going to find some fault in that.
This is the second work I've read by MacDonald. The first was Phantastes, which was also good and successful in impressing its message upon me, but Lilith is a little better to me, or at least it feels more cohesively built. Both have had a considerable effect on me and what I want to someday write.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Mar 27, 2023 11:03:45 GMT -6
I forgot about this thread, and I want to do it for what I read last.
Author: George MacDonald
Genre: Fantasy
Year: 1895
What did you think of it? This is just what I want in fantasy: it evokes curiosity and awe, and handles themes in a way realistic fiction can't. It's very Christian — Lilith, Adam, and Eve are all characters — but while I'm not religious and not all of it appeals to me directly that way, I can appreciate the more universal themes of good and evil and love.
It's just so cool how things and people change meaning over the course of the story as the protagonist comes to know more. In the beginning the protagonist is exploring; things are interesting because they are strange and he has some initial impressions about them. But as he learns more, it comes together. Things that seemed bad at first are actually good, and so on. It gives this satisfying feeling of discovery.
Recommend it? Yes. Lots of fantasies are about investigating the unknown, but it's particularly wonderful when the answer comes together as something so grand and spiritually comforting. Though Wikipedia tells me that a specific religious idea this book espouses was quite controversial, so some readers are probably going to find some fault in that.
This is the second work I've read by MacDonald. The first was Phantastes, which was also good and successful in impressing its message upon me, but Lilith is a little better to me, or at least it feels more cohesively built. Both have had a considerable effect on me and what I want to someday write. Interesting. I had no idea he wrote fantasy novels. I've run across many quotes by him that I love, most, I guess, from his theological works, but I've never read a full-length work of his. Now I'm intrigued. |
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Bird
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Post by Bird on Apr 2, 2023 12:49:38 GMT -6
I've been struggling to focus on the books I'm reading.
But currently am reading (or just finished):
NONFICTION
Author: William C. Anderson
Thoughts: Damn good book. Seriously, read it. It details a lot of how Black people are treated, how their culture and beliefs are bound up together, and how in a way they are a nation on no map, because no matter where they go, they must deal with the effects of colonialism and racism imported from Europe and America. The book also digs into the systems of oppression faced today, ways we can dismantle them, and how to build up a better and more just way of being. It's inherently hopeful despite its intense and dark dips into history and current conditions.
FICTION
Does Fanfiction count? lol
I've been reading Legend of Korra fanfiction, and recently discovered a fantastic one that is a continuation of the series. But a more adult take on it with a lot more lore and worldbuilding. (There's two scenes I disliked in it, but overall the fanfic is fantastic. There's typos here and there, but then all works like this tends to have flaws like that from time to time.) Place In the World by PaxBanana
What I really liked about it was the complexity of its various subplots and how well they tied together in the end: 1. Korra and Asami's relationship and their relationship growth. 2. Possible corruption in Order of White Lotus and how messed up it was that they kept Korra locked up in their compound in the south for twelve years (she literally ran away from them after Katara gave her her blessings). 3. Zaheer subplot, where Korra starts to talk to him more in the spirit world and Zaheer helps her sort through the spirit mess and the corruption spirits are facing from the physical world. This subplot is basically a really well written redemption story for Zaheer. T 4. Homophobia and its impact (despite there being gay marriage). Asami struggles with the internalized homophobia pounded into her from her father. 5. The ethics of lobbying and its impact as well as ethics of spirit vine research. This is the political subplot. 6. Spirit world corruption and how it relates to humanity's overuse of natural resources and/or spirit vine abuse. In this fic, Kuvira is not redeemable. Because why on earth would she be? She was literally female Hitler in the series! Her role in the fic leads to one of Asami's most epic battle scenes. So if you've seen Legend of Korra, give it a read.  I'm really hoping my own Rewrite of Book 2 of Legend of Korra becomes as iconic as that one. (You can find it on the same site if you wanna read my fic. I'm not finished with it yet.) |
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Post by havekrillwhaletravel on May 4, 2023 8:09:42 GMT -6
Title: The Anubis Gates Author: Tim Powers Genre: Fantasy What do you think of it? Stuff in this book: time travel to Romantic-era London; a scheming billionaire; ancient Egyptian sorcerers; an organized crime syndicate run by a sadistic clown; a clone of Lord Byron; an original Samuel Coleridge; a body-swapping serial killer werewolf.
It sounds like a blast. But the book gets in its own way with the CONSTANT. POV. SWITCHES. I don't think I went 5 pages without being yoinked into the head of a different character. Oftentimes, we're plopped into the perspective of a brand-new character who is introduced then promptly dropped from the story. Many of the characters end up sounding the same because you'd have to be a savant to write convincing, unique voices for what feels like half the population of London. The book is needlessly confusing and scatterbrained. The three separate plotlines feel like exactly that. Separate plotlines that never convincingly tie together, which makes me wonder why they're in the same book. I really wanted to like this, but the erratic POV switching just rubbed me the wrong way. Title: Ice Author: Anna Kavan Genre: Sci-fi? What do you think of it?CW: The book describes an abusive relationship A reread for me. The world is slowly falling apart in the face of a new Ice Age. Amidst this chaos, the unnamed MC chases after a girl whom he had a previous relationship with. Reading this book is like being in the grips of a fever. There's no clear boundary between reality and the MC's fantasies/hallucinations. Scenes unfold one after the other in dreamlike logic and you're left to puzzle over what's real and what's imaginary. Helpless before the coming cold, everyone becomes cruel and detached. The MC's obsessive fixation on the girl and their abusive relationship is unsettling. Like her characters, Kavan's writing is hard and robotic. It can sometimes come off as clunky, but when it works, her writing achieves an eerie, grim beauty. A dark, hypnotic delirium of a book.
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Post by Mazulla on May 19, 2023 11:41:26 GMT -6
Title: The Thirteenth Tale Author: Diane Setterfield Genre: Gothic/horror? This is probably the closest. What do I think of it? I found this because of Raveneye's recommendation to read Bellman & Black by the same author, and seeing that this one was released first and had great reviews, I decided to read this one first. This was honestly such a nice read! It's been a long time since I found a book that just clicked with me. At first, I had to wrap my head around exactly the writing style I was reading, but I absolutely love the author's style and prose. It's so beautiful and fluid with gorgeous and unique descriptions of emotion, setting, etc. Feels almost classical, but modernized? (If that makes any sense) I like that she doesn't "dumb down" her book, using descriptive phrases, and there were some words that I had to look up, which I appreciate because, yay, new words. Each character felt distinct and all likeable for different reasons. It skips from the past to the future - I get the impression that it's set somewhere in the late 1800s/early 1900s in the past, and maybe 1970s to 1980s in the future, but it's never clearly disclosed, just hints at the time period in the setting and objects (i.e. main POV character uses a camera with film). It's not a terrifying tale, but it is quite bleak and dark at times with a pretty consistent, creepy tone throughout, focusing on a family and particularly a set of twins that are very... off. Definitely a lot of unexpected events, twists, and turns. Would I recommend it?For anyone that likes a good gothic tale, absolutely! And now, on to Bellman & Black - I'm just a few pages in but I'm already enjoying it so far.
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Post by RAVENEYE on May 23, 2023 10:59:03 GMT -6
Title: The Thirteenth Tale Author: Diane Setterfield Genre: Gothic/horror? This is probably the closest. What do I think of it? I found this because of Raveneye's recommendation to read Bellman & Black by the same author, and seeing that this one was released first and had great reviews, I decided to read this one first. This was honestly such a nice read! It's been a long time since I found a book that just clicked with me. At first, I had to wrap my head around exactly the writing style I was reading, but I absolutely love the author's style and prose. It's so beautiful and fluid with gorgeous and unique descriptions of emotion, setting, etc. Feels almost classical, but modernized? (If that makes any sense) I like that she doesn't "dumb down" her book, using descriptive phrases, and there were some words that I had to look up, which I appreciate because, yay, new words. Each character felt distinct and all likeable for different reasons. It skips from the past to the future - I get the impression that it's set somewhere in the late 1800s/early 1900s in the past, and maybe 1970s to 1980s in the future, but it's never clearly disclosed, just hints at the time period in the setting and objects (i.e. main POV character uses a camera with film). It's not a terrifying tale, but it is quite bleak and dark at times with a pretty consistent, creepy tone throughout, focusing on a family and particularly a set of twins that are very... off. Definitely a lot of unexpected events, twists, and turns. Would I recommend it?For anyone that likes a good gothic tale, absolutely! And now, on to Bellman & Black - I'm just a few pages in but I'm already enjoying it so far. Ooo, yes! This one is definitely on my to-read list! Very cool you're exploring this amazing author. And your description totally intrigues me. I hadn't gotten any of this from the blurbs I was reading elsewhere. Quite helpful. Beware the rooks, Mazulla! I'm eager to hear your take on the ending. |
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Post by RAVENEYE on May 23, 2023 11:24:42 GMT -6
Title: Remarkable Creatures
Author: Tracy Chevalier
Genre: Historical
What do I think about it?
The historical aspect is so convincing that I forget I'm not stepping into this time as my current reality. Chevalier apparently writes historical exclusively, and it's obvious that she's extremely comfortable with the genre b/c the narrative feels so authentic and natural without being heavy-handed in terms of trying to make it feel authentic. Yeah, I doubt that makes much sense.
So this book is about two historical figures, women who are pioneers in the science and discovery of fossils. Fossils are a huge attraction for me, so this story is a given for me to read. Now, at the risk of pissing off some folks, I first learned of this story when the movie came out, and learned from reviews that the movie drastically upended the historical aspect of this book by putting the two women in a romantic relationship with each other. As book lovers, we like movies that stay true to the books, right? So I wanted the original story rather than the hollywood one. And what do I discover??? One of the women is 25-ish, the other is ... seven. Seven!!! So now the movie's premise totally freaks me out, b/c in my head it goes from romantic relationship to child abuse and other creepy places. And now the historian in me is pissed off at hollywood, not for trying to find a story that they can turn into an LGBTQ+ story, but for jacking with the historical aspects of these real women's ages/lives to make it fit their agenda. THE HISTORIAN IN ME REVOLTS! You can't just give a real-life person several years, and remove several years from another to make your version of the story work! No no no!!!
In the book, the older woman becomes a protector/mother figure for the younger girl, not a lover, especially when the girl falls head over heels for an older MAN who takes advantage of her. I have no idea what the movie version did to that relationship or that real-life man. Maybe they found him inconvenient and removed him from the picture entirely? I refuse to watch the movie to find out.
Maybe one of you has seen it and can tell me the rest of the movie is faithful to the actual events that actually happened to these actual humans? Ugh!
Do I recommend it?
I'm almost finish with it. Just a few more pages to go. It's a quiet story without the huge dramatic dramas we expect from fiction. The tension is mostly internal as these two women take up scientific pursuits in the early 1800s when science was exclusively male. Both spinsters, they also struggle internally with feelings of self-value and significance.
What's remarkable and tragic to me is that, except for the few people in the field, the huge contribution these two women made in the discovery of dinosaurs, is still largely unsung. Their names were successfully buried from most of us by the male-ruled scientific community. This novel manages to bring them out of the shadows and display for the world the beauty and the legacy these women left behind.
For that alone, it's worth reading. And then you get all the pretty novel stuff we love in well-told fiction. So it's a double win.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Jul 28, 2023 9:18:50 GMT -6
Title: The Tale Teller Author: Anne Hillerman Genre: mystery What do you think of it?The mystery aspect is fun (I don't read a lot of cop-oriented mysteries, so it's a change of pace for me), and the characters feel like authentic, real people. BUT I despise how the story is written. The author is/was a journalist, so the novel is written on like a fifth-grade level with zero poetry to the prose. Honestly, I wouldn't be reading the book at all except for the research aspect. The book is one in a looooong line of novels (there are like 27 in the series?) involving the same Navajo detectives/police who live and work in the 4-Corners area. The original author of these characters was Anne Hillerman's father, Tony Hillerman, and she took up his mantle after his death. I remember my dad reading all of his books when we were living out in the area where the books take place. The cool thing about them is the smattering of Navajo culture and language throughout the stories and often lying at the heart of the mystery. SO! I decided to read some of series for research, so I can write more authentically about Jessie, my character in Caulder Melhaire 's Litterbug Junction. I've already gleaned some fun details I can use in her next chapters and I'm barely 100 pages along. Once I finish this book, I'll pick up the first few in the series and crossing my fingers Tony had a more likeable writing style. I'm especially keen to read his book Skinwalkers, which I remember blowing my dad's mind and kinda freaking him out because it gave him a wakeup call about the supernatural beliefs/activities going on around us among the native denizens of the area. (like witchcraft, it's a real thing out there) Recommend it?Not really. Not unless you love a good mystery in a unique setting but don't mind uninspiring, dull-as-dishwater prose.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Nov 6, 2023 9:07:07 GMT -6
Title: Fingersmith
Author: Sarah Waters
Genre: historical
What do you think of it?
I'm just about to begin reading this one today, so I have no opinion yet. Will update later. Anyone read it?
Recommend it?
n/a
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Post by Alatariel on Nov 6, 2023 10:39:18 GMT -6
Title: Interview with the Vampire
Author: Anne Rice
Genre: Um...literary fiction??? Fantasy??? Does anyone know what genre Anne Rice is, technically? The bookstore had her under horror but it doesn't feel like horror.
What do you think of it?
God it's DRY, y'all. The interview style makes the narrative very detached. Even though I'm invested in some ways, I'm putting it aside for now. I just don't enjoy it. It feels like a slog to get through. I'm about 100 pages in and it feels like I've been reading it for eternity.
Recommend it?
Sure, to some. The writing is decent, I just don't like the chosen style.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Nov 7, 2023 11:44:00 GMT -6
Title: Interview with the Vampire Author: Anne Rice Genre: Um...literary fiction??? Fantasy??? Does anyone know what genre Anne Rice is, technically? The bookstore had her under horror but it doesn't feel like horror. What do you think of it?God it's DRY, y'all. The interview style makes the narrative very detached. Even though I'm invested in some ways, I'm putting it aside for now. I just don't enjoy it. It feels like a slog to get through. I'm about 100 pages in and it feels like I've been reading it for eternity. Recommend it?Sure, to some. The writing is decent, I just don't like the chosen style. I LOVED this book. Read it when I was 16 and I think it changed my expectations for all my reading choices since. (And it's the main reason I wouldn't touch Twilight vampires. There are no vampires besides Lestat and his crew, and Dracula, of course. Pelwrath might hate me for saying that.) Interview was so ... deep, compared to everything else I had ever read. The theme is definitely a universal exploration of what it means to be human. Poor Louis, he can't shed his humanity, and it makes him a rather poor vampire. But that's what makes us human readers love him. As for genre, LOL, I've always considered Interview to be Literary Horror. (Not many of those around, for sure.) Maybe Book 2 in that series as well (The Vampire Lestat), but all the rest of her books end up being for entertainment value only. But those first two, damn. When you're finished, if you can make it to the end, you will feel exhausted. It's a brain feast, for sure. And not an easy read, like purely entertainment horror. And it really works a reader's sense of scruples and morality (but all of her books do that, IMO). Her descriptions of things in Interview, aaaah. The smell of New Orleans is something I'll never get out of my nose. But you're right. Why tell it all in interview format? A full novel in quotation marks? That always bugged me. We KNOW it's an interview, Anne, so ditch the quotes. Clearly, I clicked "quote" instead of "edit" when I wanted to edit my post. Doh.  Which could be an unintentional pun, given my last sentence up there. |
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Post by Alatariel on Nov 7, 2023 13:22:20 GMT -6
I LOVED this book. Read it when I was 16 and I think it changed my expectations for all my reading choices since. (And it's the main reason I wouldn't touch Twilight vampires. There are no vampires besides Lestat and his crew, and Dracula, of course. Pelwrath might hate me for saying that.) Interview was so ... deep, compared to everything else I had ever read. The theme is definitely a universal exploration of what it means to be human. Poor Louis, he can't shed his humanity, and it makes him a rather poor vampire. But that's what makes us human readers love him. As for genre, LOL, I've always considered Interview to be Literary Horror. (Not many of those around, for sure.) Maybe Book 2 in that series as well (The Vampire Lestat), but all the rest of her books end up being for entertainment value only. But those first two, damn. When you're finished, if you can make it to the end, you will feel exhausted. It's a brain feast, for sure. And not an easy read, like purely entertainment horror. And it really works a reader's sense of scruples and morality (but all of her books do that, IMO). Her descriptions of things in Interview, aaaah. The smell of New Orleans is something I'll never get out of my nose. But you're right. Why tell it all in interview format? A full novel in quotation marks? That always bugged me. We KNOW it's an interview, Anne, so ditch the quotes. Clearly, I clicked "quote" instead of "edit" when I wanted to edit my post. Doh. Which could be an unintentional pun, given my last sentence up there. All of that is SO valid. When I find time to get into it, I do enjoy the read, but I have to convince myself to open and I then I need quiet time away from the kids in order to really concentrate on the words. And since I read for an easy escape...sadly, it just doesn't fit what I need in my life right now. I started reading it because it's one of my best friend's favorite books and authors. But she also loves Agatha Christie, so I'll grab the one she recommended and give that a go. Right now I'm reading an ARC of One Night in Hartswood and enjoying it. (I've totally clicked the wrong one before! hahaha) |
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Post by RAVENEYE on Nov 9, 2023 9:27:48 GMT -6
Clearly, I clicked "quote" instead of "edit" when I wanted to edit my post. Doh. Which could be an unintentional pun, given my last sentence up there. All of that is SO valid. When I find time to get into it, I do enjoy the read, but I have to convince myself to open and I then I need quiet time away from the kids in order to really concentrate on the words. And since I read for an easy escape...sadly, it just doesn't fit what I need in my life right now. I started reading it because it's one of my best friend's favorite books and authors. But she also loves Agatha Christie, so I'll grab the one she recommended and give that a go. Right now I'm reading an ARC of One Night in Hartswood and enjoying it. (I've totally clicked the wrong one before! hahaha) For sure! Interview is not a restful book for a brain that needs escape and recuperation, no doubt about it. Agatha Christie is fun to read though (or similar whodunits). Ooo, how did you get hold of an ARC? |
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Post by Alatariel on Nov 9, 2023 10:48:13 GMT -6
All of that is SO valid. When I find time to get into it, I do enjoy the read, but I have to convince myself to open and I then I need quiet time away from the kids in order to really concentrate on the words. And since I read for an easy escape...sadly, it just doesn't fit what I need in my life right now. I started reading it because it's one of my best friend's favorite books and authors. But she also loves Agatha Christie, so I'll grab the one she recommended and give that a go. Right now I'm reading an ARC of One Night in Hartswood and enjoying it. (I've totally clicked the wrong one before! hahaha) For sure! Interview is not a restful book for a brain that needs escape and recuperation, no doubt about it. Agatha Christie is fun to read though (or similar whodunits). Ooo, how did you get hold of an ARC? I joined NetGalley! Used my tiktok account that has 20k followers to boost my appeal. Dunno if it matters, though. You then request ARCs through Netgalley and you may or may not be approved. They you can get them digitally through the netgalley app. |
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Definitely going to look at this one.
Which could be an unintentional pun, given my last sentence up there.
