4.5 Historical fiction should transport you back in time into another place. Lisa did that so well. I could tell she had done extensive research into 4.5 Historical fiction should transport you back in time into another place. Lisa did that so well. I could tell she had done extensive research into this time and space. The book was such an insightful look into the life of a daughter of a wealthy family in late 15th century and early 16th century China. It was such an intriguing look back.
Lisa followed the adage of "show, don't tell" really well. She did such a good job of letting the reader draw their own conclusions and come to their own opinions. I loved the insights she offered into the importance of record-keeping, friendship, finding/using your voice, and the culture.
I loved how the author discussed Yin and Yang and chi. Balance was such an important part of the book, and I thought the author did a great job weaving that theme throughout the entire book.
I really enjoyed this one. First time reading Lisa See, but it won't be the last. ...more
What a heavy, difficult, tough read. I went into this one without knowing much of anything about it, so I didn't get caught up in what others have saiWhat a heavy, difficult, tough read. I went into this one without knowing much of anything about it, so I didn't get caught up in what others have said about it. I figured out quite a few plot points early on, but I didn't think they were meant to be hidden.
This is another book where the topic is so important. I'm glad the author shone a light on it and told this story. Really horrific!
The writing at times was a bit hard to follow. The pacing was a tinge uneven at times, as well. However, I'm bumping this up to a four because of the topic covered. A book that will stick with me, and now I want to check out the nonfiction accounts. ...more
Second Charmaine Wilkerson book I've read. Both have been hard for me to rate and review. Charmaine is great at weaving multiple threads in a story toSecond Charmaine Wilkerson book I've read. Both have been hard for me to rate and review. Charmaine is great at weaving multiple threads in a story together and juggling multiple timelines. Her stories are full of family lore, and I love the rich feel and texture of her writing. I enjoy the focus she places on generations of family and how that family identity affects us for good and bad.
Her stories are always rich tapestries of characters and places in times. But sometimes, I feel that makes the stories a bit disjointed. There were some loose threads, some threads that were dropped, and some threads that never felt fully connected. For all the beauty of the writing and the themes explored, the pacing was off in this book. To change metaphors, I felt like the story would be like a car that was cruising along, only to have the brakes suddenly slam and jar me from the story. I thought, like the first one, maybe the author tried to cover too much and do too much all at once in this story.
I love books that really dive into characters' mental states and explore grief and trauma and how different people react to it. I thought the author did a great job depicting so many aspects of grief, particularly child grief. She handled that area with great care and precision.
I also loved the symbolism in the story of the jar and how she delved into the power of words and stories- words said and unsaid and stories untold and stories passed down, particularly the power of narratives we pass down.
I thought that because the author tried to do too much at once, she didn't have the time to fully explore some of the most powerful reads. However, I will read more by her. I think she has a lot of potential- I just don't feel like she's fully figured out how to prune the stories. But I did think she has improved since her debut (for which I left a similar review). ...more
How to rate this book? So much of it was so brilliant. I didn't know much about this book going in so I didn't realize how much sexism, miscarriag4.5
How to rate this book? So much of it was so brilliant. I didn't know much about this book going in so I didn't realize how much sexism, miscarriage of justice, and rape/sexual assault would be themes in this book. Trigger warning there. What shook me was Ariel's social commentary on how much has not changed. What was at play here in this book is very much at play today. A lot of that part of the book was rage-inducing!
I also enjoyed the social commentary on how midwives were pushed out of medicine and midwifery.
I was a bit concerned I wouldn't like this at first, but I was quickly pulled into the story and super engrossed in the story. The writer did a great job with this one. I can see why it comes so highly recommended.
Not quite a 5, but a very very good read. Not sure everything in it is historically accurate. However, I enjoyed it.
I loved the importance the author stressed on women's stories, witnessing, and record-keeping. It also left me feeling sad we are so bereft of so many women's stories.
Content: some language, violence, closed-door spice, ...more
Fourth Kristin Hannah book of the year, third five-star read by her of the year. I may have rounded slightly up to 5 stars here, but the book was realFourth Kristin Hannah book of the year, third five-star read by her of the year. I may have rounded slightly up to 5 stars here, but the book was really good. If I rounded, it was slight.
Kristin Hannah is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. Her books are always well done, and the characters jump off the page. They are imbued with such voice and personality and are so relatable.
I always love how she dives into family relationships (whether it be mother daughter or sisters, etc.) and focuses on women's stories. Her books always make me feel, and feel deeply. And that is saying something. I always feel so invested in her books, utterly engrossed.
While this one could have veered into soap opera territory real fast, somehow Hannah managed to steer clear of that. This one explores domestic violence and abuse in really real and heartbreakingly infuriating ways. I appreciate the care she took in describing the issue.
I did predict a lot of the twists and turns, but I loved it all the same.
Content: violence, domestic violence, child abuse, murder, death, etc. ...more
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This was an enjoyable read. I learned a ton about some historical events I knew nothing about bef My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This was an enjoyable read. I learned a ton about some historical events I knew nothing about before. I love historical fiction that teaches me new things, so I really loved that part of this book. I listened on audio, and I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. I enjoyed the angst and seeing Gideon and Ana Maria growing into themselves. I've been told the subsequent books might be spicier than I like, as this is about as spicy as I read, but I enjoyed this one. It's a slow burn with very few spicy scenes that can be easily skipped if desired for those who don't prefer spice.
Reading Age: This is an adult historical fiction with a few 18+ scenes towards the end.
Love,
Danica Page
You can connect with me on Instagram @danicapage....more
This was an interesting book. It did so many things really well. I was intrigued and pulled into this story, and what an ambitious undertaking—especiaThis was an interesting book. It did so many things really well. I was intrigued and pulled into this story, and what an ambitious undertaking—especially for a debut novel. I really enjoyed so many things about it.
Some parts felt a little too convenient or soap opera-y. So if that’s not your thing, you make not like this one.
But I didn’t mind. I enjoyed it. I thought the author explored so many important themes in it, and I loved how she tackled “belonging� when you always feels between or not fully apart of anything.
Very curious to read more by the author. If you don’t mind a little bit of drama and a bit of a need to suspend belief, then this is a great look at the diaspora and the emotional thread of belonging....more
TL/DR: A super ambitious project by the author with many moments of brilliance. The moments of brilliance make me wish there had been more⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
TL/DR: A super ambitious project by the author with many moments of brilliance. The moments of brilliance make me wish there had been more of those moments, though.
Longer: So many memorable quotes and parts that made me stop and think. So many parts of this book were brilliant. I can see why many have called this the book of the year because of those brilliant parts. Percival is a skilled writer, and the strength of his pen is evident here.
And yet, I can't say I thought the entire book was brilliant. Really good, thought-provoking, and poignant, yes. But I thought the moments of brilliance helped show moments that weren't as strong. Because parts of the book were so strong, I wanted to see that brilliance in other parts.
Note: it's been years and years since I read Huck Finn, so I don't remember it well. But I love that Percival gave voice to Jim and told his story. Percival did a great job with this reimagining. Jim/James will certainly be a character I remember, and this book will be one I remember.
No book can be all things to all people. After reading, I read a review from my friend, and she noted that women were mostly depicted as objects here, plot points to further James's story. And that rings true to me. I can understand why the author chose to take a very high-level view when describing atrocities of rape. He also employed a slightly similar tact with whipping. He gave enough details to evoke horror but without diving into it too much. Something I'm sure he did intentionally. He didn't gloss over it, nor did he revictimize the characters for the reader's benefit. I liked that choice.
However, I can understand why some wish he had delved into the women's stories and experiences more. They did seem like plot points to further James's story.
A lot of people thought the original Huck Finn book was dry because it was a lot about fishing and surviving on a river. And a lot of people have that criticism here. Some parts felt dry or too fleshed out for some who don't like these types of books. I can understand why they felt that way, but I never went more than a handful of pages without seeing some brilliance.
All that to say, this is a hard book to rate. I settled on 4.25 because it stood out and some moments were particularly brilliant, but I'm not sure I can say the entire book was brilliant. But this was an ambitious project, and I applaud the author for undertaking such an ambitious project.
Memorable Quotes: ~ Waiting was a big part of a slave's life, waiting and waiting to wait some more. Waiting for demands. Waiting for food. Waiting for the ends of days.
~To him, I had to sound white. To the rest of the troupe, I was to sound like a black slave.
~"Some folks have slaves. Who else gonna do the work? I have no slaves. I don't have a dog, neither."
~"We don't even know where we are," Norman said. "Bound to be a slave state on the other side of the river." "Probably," I said. "We're slaves, Norman. Where we are is where we are." --- "I know what it means," Sammy said. "We're slaves. We're not anywhere. Free person, he can be where he wants to be. The only place we can ever be is in slavery."
~"What's so funny?" "I don't know. Hope. Hope is funny. Hope is not a plan. Actually, it's just a trick. A ruse."
~pages 291-292 is too much to extract here. But very poignant look at what it means to be a slave. (mostly noting for myself)...more
This has never been my favorite topic to read about because every book I've read about the "Dust Bowl" before bored me to tears. But this is Krist4.25
This has never been my favorite topic to read about because every book I've read about the "Dust Bowl" before bored me to tears. But this is Kristin Hannah, and I love her books, so voila reading this.
Loreda is a hard character for many to like (including me). She was young. She was angry, and she didn't see her mother, family, or situation clearly. I don't have to like a character to like a book, but she was hard to like. I would have liked to see more of an arc for her, more growth. Righteous anger is good, but so is sacrifice.
Elsa might be one of my favorite characters written by Kristin Hannah. She was so vibrant and so real.
This book is tragic. Most cry at the end; I was near tears at several points throughout when people showed kindness in face of such suffering. I didn't cry at the end. But I never do when reading. This book was a brilliant look at a very dark, desperate time of American history. A time where people could and should have behaved better than they did. Bigotry, fear, hate, and desperation can lead to really horrendous times.
Kristin Hannah is a phenomenal author. She can do no wrong in my eyes. This book dragged a bit at times, but I still loved it. It's also a hard read in that it is a book that expertly catalogs desperation so exceptionally well. A very tough read. ...more
TL/DR:An extremely ambitious, poignant piece of fiction that expertly employed multiple literary devices to great success. The book being s⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TL/DR:An extremely ambitious, poignant piece of fiction that expertly employed multiple literary devices to great success. The book being so open-ended lets the reader determine their thoughts about the complex themes/topics. One that will stick with me long after I turn the last page. Thought-provoking. Brilliant in planning and design, perhaps ever so slightly lacking in execution. Very, very, very close to a timeless masterpiece. But one well worth reading. Academic book that some could find a bit dry, especially the first part, but I loved it.
Age-level: no explicit language or sexual content. Some darker themes and exploration of violence. Read for yourself and decide, but I think younger readers could read this.
Longer:
Like many, I figure out my thoughts by writing them out and seeing them appear on the page. So buckle up. I have to share my thoughts about this one somewhere. So, this will likely be mostly just for me. Want to document them somewhere. I purposely read this one slowly to really take it in.
First, this is such an ambitious project. The amount of work R.F. Kuang obviously did to write and conceive of this book! It’s definitely no small undertaking. I am extremely interested to know how she prepared to write this one, what went into writing this one, and the research that had to be done to create this one.
The book is mostly historical fiction but with a fantastical bent. That fantastical bent and the necessary worldbuilding make the first portion of this book a bit slower and harder to get into for some, but it is necessary and worth it. She uses “silver making� to symbolize many things: greed and thirst for power, colonialism, imperialism, problems with capitalism, and advancement at all costs. Like many other great literary pieces, I think many papers could be written about the symbolism of silver making.
This brings me to my second point: this book is rich with literary devices. Several characters are foils for each other, very clear foils for each other. To keep this spoiler-free, you’ll have a character who symbolizes pacifist, non-violent pursuits for change, and also a more academic one against somebody who symbolizes a more violent, chaotic, we must inflict change at all cost approach. Then you have two characters who symbolize what it means to be a good ally and sacrifice your self-interests for the greater good versus one who is unwilling to sacrifice and confront hard truths to do so. And so on.
The symbolism and literary devices employed in this book are extremely rich.
Third, Kuang is very thorough in exploring her theme of resistance and struggle and the battle against colonialism. Some have accused her of being preachy or not “accurate to the time.� First, this is historical fantastical fiction, so if some things are bent a bit, I think we’ll allow it. However, I don’t think it’s fair to say that the viewpoints weren’t accurate to the time. It’s set in 1830s England. The 1807 (partial abolishment to end slavery had occurred), anti-colonial/imperialism viewpoints existed, and suffragists existed.
As far as preachy, I don’t see it. Pointed and sharp criticism, yes. Especially since that criticism still holds up today. Many say the book just made them feel bad for being white. If that’s really the case, I think you’re identifying with the wrong characters and maybe not opening yourself up to the story.
Skip this paragraph as it will not be spoiler-y but close to it. Kuang purposely uses characters as foils to show the merits and failings of different approaches to resist and fight back against crushing power, in this case, imperialism. True to history, people have tried academic approaches, isolated struggle, collective struggle, nonviolent resistance, inaction that leads to violence, direct violence, and so on. Kuang shows the merits and failings of each approach, but ultimately, she doesn’t endorse one. The characters vacillate between which one they believe is best, but ultimately, the reader is not given one as the best approach. The characters disagree with each other. She also explores whether it is easier to live or dive for a cause, which is more noble, etc. She also explores how the pursuit of justice can quickly be swallowed up by grief and the desire for vengeance. There’s a fine line between justice and vengeance, and she explores it well. I think what the reader ends up thinking is the best way, depending on their own philosophies and which arguments they find most persuasive (or just what they read onto the text). I’m not sure an answer is given.
About the book elements:
The academic footnotes. I listened to this one in parts. And I liked how they were done in that format. I can also see why some readers who read it found them to be distracting or passed over them. I thought they were fun.
The writing itself (characters, plot, etc.): As I said at the outset, this project was ambitious. I finished the book, and I had no idea how I would go about rating it. Message-wise, ambition-wise, and theme-wise, it’s a five. Execution-wise, I feel it came a bit short. Some have said they felt it lacked a bit of heart at parts or emotion, and I can understand that criticism. I thought some parts could have been better unpacked, but that would have made this long book even longer, and I think Kuang intentionally left some of that out for us to imbue into the book.
I am having difficulty pinning where I felt this book fell slightly short. I just felt like something was missing in this one. However, overall, it was a brilliant read. And I am deeply impressed with this author. Onto Poppy Wars.
Memorable Quotes: ~ “This is how colonialism works. It convinces us that the fallout from resistance is entirely our fault, that the immoral choice is resistance itself rather than the circumstances that demanded it.� ~“How strange,� said Ramy. ‘To love the stuff and the language, but to hate the country.�
‘Not as odd as you’d think,� said Victoire. ‘There are people, after all, and then there are things.�
~“You have such a great fear of freedom, brother. It's shackling you. You've identified so hard with the colonizer, you think any threat to them is a threat to you. When are you going to realize you can't be one of them?�
~ “Grief suffocated. Grief paralysed. Grief was a cruel, heavy boot pressed so hard against his chest that he could not breathe.�
~ “There are no kind masters, [CHARACTER],� [he] continued. ‘It doesn’t matter how lenient, how gracious, how invested in your education they make out to be. Masters are masters in the end.�
~ “History isn't a premade tapestry that we've got to suffer, a closed world with no exit. We can form it. Make it. We just have to choose to make it.�
~ “How slender, how fragile, the foundations of an empire. Take away the centre, and what’s left? A gasping periphery, baseless, powerless, cut down at the roots.�
~ Grief suffocated. Grief paralysed. Grief was a cruel, heavy boot pressed so hard against his chest that he could not breathe. Grief took him out of his body, made his injuries theoretical. He was bleeding, but he didn’t know where from.
“Never, Robin thought, would he understand these men, who talked of the world and its movements like a grand chess game, where countries and peoples were pieces to be moved and manipulated at will.� ...more
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I dove right into this sequel and conclusion to this rich, vibrant duology after finishing th My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I dove right into this sequel and conclusion to this rich, vibrant duology after finishing the first one. A book with forbidden romance, adventure, representation!, intrigue, fantasy, and deep layers--I'm always here for that. I haven't read many retellings of A Little Mermaid, but I loved this one.
The first book set up a rich world against the backdrop of the slave trade of Africans in the 15th century in West Africa. The author expounded upon that in this book to create an even brighter and richer tapestry of Yoruban mythology and African history than she did in the first.
Simi was a fascinating character to follow, with a strong voice in the first and the second book. The plot and pacing were well done. I was invested until the very last page. I was very curious to see how the author would choose to end this tale that she created. It did not disappoint.
Content Notes: Violence. Death. Depictions of the brutality of slavery.
I read and enjoyed the first one I read by the author, so I was excited to read this one. It surpassed my expectations. I can see why so many loved thI read and enjoyed the first one I read by the author, so I was excited to read this one. It surpassed my expectations. I can see why so many loved this and voted it best fantasy of 2018. It’s a refreshingly rich and artfully written book. I read a lot of “lighter fiction� now than I used to, but every now and then, I love to read books in the literary style. I thought this one was better than her other. Something was missing in that one. I can’t say that about this one. I hope to read more by this author. A very intriguing, delightful book. I love the sharpness of her pen and the commentary. ...more
I'm not going to rate because this book just wasn't my cup of tea. I know a lot of people love it. But I had a hard time with it.I'm not going to rate because this book just wasn't my cup of tea. I know a lot of people love it. But I had a hard time with it....more
Received for review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 out of 5 stars.
Received for review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I have read quite a few Angela Elwell Hunt books. She is a great writer and always has fascinating reimaginings or buildings off of Biblical accounts. I am partial to having romance be more of a central part of the Christian fiction books I read, and others I have read by her did center a romance more than this one. As such, I was a bit disappointed that romance wasn't a bigger role in the book.
Euodia was a great character who was well-developed, and so was our villain Hector. I thought some of the other characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. I also thought at the end of the novel, I was left with some unresolved questions, and some plot points seemed unaddressed.
This wasn't my favorite Hunt book, but I still enjoyed it. She is a great writer, and I love how she took these brief mentions in Acts to create such a rich story to showcase how faith can change a person.
I think most readers will enjoy this one, just know that romance is not the major point of this one. Rather, I'd say relationships between women are. Had they been more richly developed, I don't think I would have minded the lack of a central romance. But on the whole, a very well written, enjoyable read.
Received for review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks tMy Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 out of 5 stars.
Received for review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I have loved Melanie Dickerson's books for a long time, so I went in with high expectations. She always creates characters I can't help but fall in love with against wonderful historical backdrops. She also always weaves in her faith elements so naturally. I particularly love her fairy tale retelling books, so I was super excited to read this one.
This one contained many elements I have come to associate with Dickerson, and this was a creative and unforced spin on Red Riding Hood. I thought Merek and Violet had great potential, but I didn't get swept into their stories or relationship like I normally do. This wasn't Dickerson's best. I'm still glad I read it, and it was enjoyable. Just didn't live up to my expectations for a Dickerson novel. But if you've enjoyed her other books, give this one a go.
Received for review: I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I wMy Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Received for review: I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review, nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
Why did I decide to turn the pages? I have enjoyed books by Roseanna M. White in the past, and I have been loving the nonfiction I’ve read from WWII, so I was excited to give this a shot.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I really enjoyed this one. White is a great writer. I particularly loved the WWI timeline. As I noted below, the author handled the dual timeline really well. The “villain� from Louisa and Rem’s past was infuriating. Like it made me so mad like others have said. I didn’t have a hard time believing it, unlike some others, however. But it was infuriating. It was hard to read. I also wish that Sterling and Evie’s romance and also Sterling’s character were more developed.
Major Strengths I really enjoyed Louisa and Rem’s characters in particular. They were really fleshed out. I also enjoyed White’s writing style. I enjoyed the mystery. I think dual timelines can be overdone and hard to do well, but White did a great job handling the dual timeline.
Major Weaknesses Evie and Sterling’s plotline and the conclusion seemed a bit rushed. Things started coming together quickly, but we didn’t see them really come to fruition. I also thought that there needed to be an epilogue or something to kind of tie the ending together.
So why 3.5 stars? It stood out amongst others in the genre. If Sterling had been more developed, this would be a 4. But I recommend it, I really liked it.
Danica is Booked
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