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bnsfly's reviews
511 reviews
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed the first two books but this one took it to a whole new level and I loved it. A great end to the trilogy.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Finished the book still wondering if the author intended me to empathize with the narrator because for large portions of the book, I did. It has a kind of spiral into darkness to it, certainly, and even from the start there were things the narrator did that I didn't support, but it's presented in such a way that I found myself, at times, buying into the narrators self justifications. It's a very interesting book, and it compelled me to search my own motivations and biases as I read it. Kuang has quickly become one of my favorite authors.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Picked up this book at a friend's recommendation years ago but put it down because it seemed grimdark. It isn't! It's not always totally light but it's a lot more intrigue and adventure and heist kind of stuff once you get past the intro. Great fun overall. Did not know where the book was taking me until it was over, but in this case that wasn't a bad thing. It wrapped up (mostly) well.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I _really_ enjoyed this book and then it … ended before it was over. I know there are sequels but it felt like all the POV stories that were told, each of which I really enjoyed and I loved how they were told so differently, were leading to something at the end that the book just doesn't provide. That's disappointing. I'll probably read at least one of the sequels in a while, but like … it seems like at least the first sequel would just have to be a part of this book.
Pirate Enlightenment, or the Real Libertalia by David Graeber
informative
slow-paced
3.0
I haven't read a lot of books in this vein so I feel like my take here isn't very useful but it seemed a lot more like a semi-genealogy of what might have happened in Madagascar, maybe, than a book about an enlightenment experiment there. Lots and lots of "maybe"s because of a lack of strong sources, which ok, but those maybes also didn't seem to talk a ton about social structures and principles. Even the conclusion, which I hoped would wrap it up nicely, was like … very wishy-washy. The concept of the book is great I just didn't get a ton of info from it.
What She Did by Carla Kovach
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Totally serviceable genre book. The resolution was pretty obvious from pretty early on, but I didn't guess _everything_.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Someone would argue, and I'd agree, that this book isn't "for" me, so whether or not I appreciate it is irrelevant. But I kind of wonder who it _is_ for. For 70% of the book it's a solidly formulaic YA novel and… then there's explicit sex. And I don't mean like, the characters have sex I mean it becomes an erotica novel, _somewhat_ out of nowhere. Literary porn, although "literary" might give the wrong idea. It's not written _poorly_ but it's also not written very well. Beyond the themes, the writing level of the whole novel feels very YA and the sex feels, to me, unnecessary, somewhat unexpected, and of an equal reading level except with more, you know, obscenity?
I definitely feel like I'm coming off a prude here and I don't feel like I am one, but the sex scenes feel written simply but with adults in mind and I guess that clashed, for me, with the tone and level of the rest of the book.
The main plot is formulaic but interesting enough, but there's not a lot else going on, and the weird horny stuff felt out of place and wasn't for me and I've said that about _plenty_ of books written by men (looking at you Terry Goodkind) so I'm gonna skip the rest of this series.
I definitely feel like I'm coming off a prude here and I don't feel like I am one, but the sex scenes feel written simply but with adults in mind and I guess that clashed, for me, with the tone and level of the rest of the book.
The main plot is formulaic but interesting enough, but there's not a lot else going on, and the weird horny stuff felt out of place and wasn't for me and I've said that about _plenty_ of books written by men (looking at you Terry Goodkind) so I'm gonna skip the rest of this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75