Amazing novel of magical realism that tackles a story that happened within 48 hours and for centuries.
The vernacular is a bit difficult for me to readAmazing novel of magical realism that tackles a story that happened within 48 hours and for centuries.
The vernacular is a bit difficult for me to read, as I am not familiar with the accents and the words, but it lent a cultural vibe while remaining current. Legends, ghosts, and fires appear in modern Toronto, mixing old myths and New Age tech in the hands of an underemployed young lady who just got her hair done.
It is action-packed yet slows down for rituals, fabulous yet saddled with historical trauma, drowning yet calming at the same time.
Fun novel. I learned quite a lot about hairstyles. River Mumma is gorgeous. 4.5 stars....more
Angry lady protagonist with bound feet. Normalized poly relationships. Patriarchy at its vilest. Chinese historical drama meets mecha vs kaiju.
Fell flAngry lady protagonist with bound feet. Normalized poly relationships. Patriarchy at its vilest. Chinese historical drama meets mecha vs kaiju.
Fell flat at times, but what imagery. I would love to see an imagining of the crowning. For a girl who wanted to protect girls, she sure hated a lot of them. The sleazy folks feel extra sleazy. What a whirlwind of an ending. “Welcome to your nightmare.�
3.5 stars for soft boi Shimin and for the Lord of the Storm. Zetian is too angry feminist for me. They look pretty in the concept art though: ...more
An extra half star for Amarantha and Rhysand as I enjoyed them as characters here and there. Otherwise, there exists better chick lit. Heard the serieAn extra half star for Amarantha and Rhysand as I enjoyed them as characters here and there. Otherwise, there exists better chick lit. Heard the series gets better though. But this book was a painful read, and I read this as an audiobook. 1.5 stars....more
I picked this book up because I was attracted by its steampunk lure. Little did I know that the steampunk essense is only some 10% of the book. The reI picked this book up because I was attracted by its steampunk lure. Little did I know that the steampunk essense is only some 10% of the book. The rest is of fantasy, drama, sex and colors.
This book starts with pixies. Pixies, of all things. Little flying creatures who possess the power to balance and unbalance things in this world. One wrong step, and they've brought on world war, have allowed freakish things into our dreams, and have let loose some of the greatest evils on Earth.
Oh, and let's not forget that they're about as small as your thumb.
Interestingly enough, this novel isn't necessarily about the pixies. It's about a lady who can see them, and who, by some odd luck, is to be manipulated helped by these creatures into changing the course of history.
But I digress. Nicola, in all her tomboyish ways, doesn't seem to fit the part. It helps that her adversary's the Black Falcon, known for his malice and lies. So we got an unladylike lady who's up against a dark, handsome, "dangerous" man, and she's the key to changing the world for the better.
Right.
The storytelling's decent, although I at first felt confused about the part the pixies play in this mix. (It gets clearer as you go along, I suppose.) I myself sometimes get surprised when a pixie suddenly lands on Nicola's saucy nose.
The characterization is actually pretty good. I liked how human the players were here - they showed sensitivity, strength, loneliness, atonement. I like how a kind of psychology is described here, and how misunderstandings and reputation were handled quite well. Very nice.
The plot - interesting. The premise is quickly given out, really, but the turnout of events was easily played. Some expected turns and unlooked-for twists.
Nice ending. I think it would be lovely to know what has happened to this bunch after the Finale.
Miscellaneous: There are sex scenes in this book. I love how old English words were used here (addlepated, hoyden, etc). I enjoyed the history lesson, as well as a nice remembrance of the Industrial Revolution. The mechanical aspect here is not very detailed, but it happens. I kept muttering "tsundere" under bated breath.
Overall: An interesting look at industrial England, with a quirky little romance in the middle of it. A quick, cute read, all in all.
Merged review:
I picked this book up because I was attracted by its steampunk lure. Little did I know that the steampunk essense is only some 10% of the book. The rest is of fantasy, drama, sex and colors.
This book starts with pixies. Pixies, of all things. Little flying creatures who possess the power to balance and unbalance things in this world. One wrong step, and they've brought on world war, have allowed freakish things into our dreams, and have let loose some of the greatest evils on Earth.
Oh, and let's not forget that they're about as small as your thumb.
Interestingly enough, this novel isn't necessarily about the pixies. It's about a lady who can see them, and who, by some odd luck, is to be manipulated helped by these creatures into changing the course of history.
But I digress. Nicola, in all her tomboyish ways, doesn't seem to fit the part. It helps that her adversary's the Black Falcon, known for his malice and lies. So we got an unladylike lady who's up against a dark, handsome, "dangerous" man, and she's the key to changing the world for the better.
Right.
The storytelling's decent, although I at first felt confused about the part the pixies play in this mix. (It gets clearer as you go along, I suppose.) I myself sometimes get surprised when a pixie suddenly lands on Nicola's saucy nose.
The characterization is actually pretty good. I liked how human the players were here - they showed sensitivity, strength, loneliness, atonement. I like how a kind of psychology is described here, and how misunderstandings and reputation were handled quite well. Very nice.
The plot - interesting. The premise is quickly given out, really, but the turnout of events was easily played. Some expected turns and unlooked-for twists.
Nice ending. I think it would be lovely to know what has happened to this bunch after the Finale.
Miscellaneous: There are sex scenes in this book. I love how old English words were used here (addlepated, hoyden, etc). I enjoyed the history lesson, as well as a nice remembrance of the Industrial Revolution. The mechanical aspect here is not very detailed, but it happens. I kept muttering "tsundere" under bated breath.
Overall: An interesting look at industrial England, with a quirky little romance in the middle of it. A quick, cute read, all in all....more
**spoiler alert** This one was hard for me to read, and not necessarily because it revolves around a little rich girl with pretty privilege living in **spoiler alert** This one was hard for me to read, and not necessarily because it revolves around a little rich girl with pretty privilege living in New York doping herself as an experiment. (That part was funny though.)
This was hard because it touches on the distractions that cover up emotional trauma and unprocessed grief. It is relatable in that sense, how this woman tried to sleep off the pain she did not allow herself to feel for the longest time. It was difficult seeing her live life in a daze, when she had mental baggage that she would rather not deal with living rent free in her head.
There is also passing talk of suicide and depression, especially amidst unseen and untouched inner turmoil. It is a familiar refrain, and likely very common, especially for those dealing with loss and aloneness.
What was interesting were the background characters that she interacted with - her hated best friend Reva, Trevor, Dr. Tuttle, the Egyptians at the bodega, Ping Xi. The colorful interactions she had with these individuals was fun, shocking at times, real.
A little slow paced at times, and an unexciting ending. Everyone should enjoy rest and relaxation, though preferably not while heavily medicated. 3.75 stars....more
The book is technical, probably a reflection of its cold and calculating protagonist. It feels steeped with a sense of dread, as if something terribleThe book is technical, probably a reflection of its cold and calculating protagonist. It feels steeped with a sense of dread, as if something terrible lurks at the turn of a page. I enjoyed Lachlan as a character. The last chapter was interesting, though subdued. 3.75 stars....more
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