"Be very careful from now on... Not just in the arena, but outside it. These are dangerous times. I can sense the Breath in this city turning bad,
"Be very careful from now on... Not just in the arena, but outside it. These are dangerous times. I can sense the Breath in this city turning bad, like a winter wind. Win or lose, we're about to be caught in it."
Fonda Lee has already cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me, and this collaboration with Shannon Lee (Bruce Lee's daughter!!) was definitely a win for me.
Breath of the Dragon is a YA fantasy, but one that doesn't treat its audience as too young for intense scenes and complex political machinations. It did require a fair amount of worldbuilding, but I know this is just the first book in a series (duology? trilogy? I need to know!). Regardless, in Fonda I trust.
I loved experiencing the story through Jun. He felt like a true teenager, but also one that's experienced hardship and dedicated himself to his goals with great intensity. His early ignorance allowed the authors to set up the story and also allowed us to watch him grow. The cast of supporting characters were all interesting and dynamic. I appreciated how Breath of the Dragon subverted some typical YA tropes as well.
Once we got to the tournament, the book moved so quickly (and not just because I had two days left on my loan). I loved the fighting scenes, something Fonda Lee already mastered in The Green Bone Saga (guys go read it), and that I had no doubt would be great when written in collaboration with Shannon Lee. The political dynamics also kept me on the edge of my seat, and not just because I'm a nerd for those sorts of things.
I will say, however, in a time where it feels like the world keeps beating everyone down, this book (while wonderful) was maybe not what I needed. Jun and his friends cannot catch a break. They're smart, strong, determined but consistently outmaneuvered. What an emotional roller coaster. There's a lot of fantastic things about this book, but a sense of optimism is certainly not one of them. Regardless, you know I'll be reading the sequel as soon as it comes out, ready to be crushed all over again. ...more
"There's no such thing as greater good - there's just good, and the more of it we can do, the better."
The Teller of Small Fortunes was a pleasant,
"There's no such thing as greater good - there's just good, and the more of it we can do, the better."
The Teller of Small Fortunes was a pleasant, even delightful read, that just fell short for me in a few areas. That being said, it's Leong's debut novel and I'm still wildly impressed. That's no small feat, and there's so much to enjoy about this book.
So I'll get the negatives out of the way. It felt like it was just shy of having the depth that I wanted. In characters, in worldbuilding, in backstory. All of the bones were there, but I didn't feel emotionally connected in any character outside of Mash. There were some emotional moments that were sweet, but not very profound. Even the 'climax' didn't feel super satisfying. It's a cozy fantasy, so I wasn't looking for big stakes, but it felt like the book had been building towards something and we didn't get the payoff.
The problem with cozy fantasy is that everything lends itself to comparison with Legends & Lattes, which both pioneered the genre's current popularity and set the bar really, really high while doing it. The Teller of Small Fortunes took obvious inspiration from it. It distinguished itself in a lot of ways, but never quite hit the same emotional highs and lows.
Again, though, for a debut novel, my hats off to Leong! I'm looking forward to following her as an author. I snuck a peek at her upcoming book and I'm excited to see it continues on in this universe and will, hopefully, build out the world a little deeper. I think where she shined particularly bright was in conveying Tao's feelings of being 'in-between' cultures. That's something that hit me particularly hard and was done very well. Generally, having Tao be an 'outsider' in a western-inspired world was unique to the genre and added a layer to the book that I really appreciated. This was a book that, while it didn't blow me away, I was happy to have read and equally happy to have sitting on my bookshelf (SO beautiful!!)...more
To live in a city is to take part in and to propagate its impossible systems. To wake up. To go to work in the morning. It is also to take pleasure
To live in a city is to take part in and to propagate its impossible systems. To wake up. To go to work in the morning. It is also to take pleasure in those systems because, otherwise, who could repeat the same routines, year in, year out?
3.5/3.75ish stars for me.
I really liked Ling Ma's take on the apocalypse. I couldn't believe this was written pre-pandemic, it seemed so predictive of the state of the country in the early 2020s. If anything, an apocalypse where people are trapped in their routines, but have lost their autonomy and sense of self feels scarier than the typical one where we all turn into violent zombies. Maybe not scarier, but more harrowing. There's no attack, no bite mark to show that you're losing your sanity. It just happens slowly and indiscriminately.
Unfortunately, Candace was not a strong protagonist for me. On one hand, it was nice to follow a mid-20s girl who felt a little aimless in her career and aspirations; she definitely wasn't your typical badass heroine. But on the other hand, she barely felt root-able. It felt more like I was rooting for her because of her situation, not because of her as a person. The stories from her childhood were among the most interesting, giving glimpses into life as an immigrant. I also was pretty intrigued by the present day plotline. But so much of the in-between fell so flat for me. Like, okay, we spend lots of time following Candace as she wanders the streets of New York aimlessly and sulks at parties. Great. I was pretty let down by the ending too. Big 'go girl, give us nothing' energy.
I think this is going to sit around 3.5 stars for me. So so much potential. The themes of consumerism, routine, survival are all so interesting and so uniquely portrayed, but I felt like we actually missed a lot of the meat of it because we were following such a 'blah' main character who cared more about the elevators breaking down than she did about her coworkers succumbing to Shen Fever.
“Revenge is a terrible dish to consume. It eats one from the inside out, no matter what they say about it being best served cold... But you and I k
“Revenge is a terrible dish to consume. It eats one from the inside out, no matter what they say about it being best served cold... But you and I know that chilled food inevitably leads to an upset stomach.�
Don't let how long it took me to finish this book dissuade you from picking it up if it sounds at all interesting. The Fox Wife was slow to get going, true, but I sped through the end. Not because the plot was so intense, although it certainly does pick up, but because the characters really came into their own. It was satisfying to see how all of these threads intertwined. Choo gave us breadcrumbs throughout the novel and finally seeing the full picture was immensely rewarding.
I loved how the ending turned out. Minor thematic spoilers here - Choo subverted expectations from the book description. Which isn't to say that this book didn't have components of revenge and...detective-ing? Is that a word? Rather, those serve as drivers that lead us to a powerful conclusion. I would love to, someday, re-read this book with the lens of knowing how it ended.
I wish I could easily embed a photo because I just finished a crochet ninetails (Kitsune) and it's just so perfect for this book. Alas....more
If you were determined to want the impossible, there was a better way to get it...Change the world, and make it possible.
Maybe it was because I lo
If you were determined to want the impossible, there was a better way to get it...Change the world, and make it possible.
Maybe it was because I loved book 1 so so much that I found this to be a disappointment. I will stand by She Who Became the Sun until my dying breath, but it took me three months and three separate library loans to finish this sequel.
There were a lot of things I liked, especially towards the end. The dynamic between Zhu and Ouyang was able to be explored more deeply, and was definitely a highlight of the book. Ma continued being one of the most interesting and empathetic supporting characters. And Xu Da, my love, is the friend that we all deserve to have.
I also enjoyed how Parker-Chan continued exploring themes of gender and sexuality. In book 1, we saw Zhu grappling with her gender identity, but here we got to see her use it to subvert expectations and further her goals. There was also a powerful exploration of male femininity in Ouyang and Baoxiang.
While I do think that this book could have used a little better pacing, especially towards the beginning, what I really struggled with is how dark it was. I have not issue reading books that are dark in content or theme. So, maybe, the better way to say that would be to say how negative it was. This book introduced two additional POVs and, along with Ouyang, they were all just so depressingly angry. It felt like the only reprieve we got was during Zhu's chapters, but she also took a bit of a backseat in her own story to start. That isn't to say that these other perspectives weren't interesting, I just think that they all spoke with a similar negative voice and it made me really disinterested in picking up the book for a while.
The last third really picked up the pace and, as such, made it much less of a misery-fest. But I really thought that this much-anticipated sequel would be a DNF for half of the book. I'm glad I stuck with it, but I'll be happy just rereading book 1 in the future....more
When playing the game, sometimes you didn't want your opponent to respect you as smart, rational, and clever. Sometimes you wanted the opponent to
When playing the game, sometimes you didn't want your opponent to respect you as smart, rational, and clever. Sometimes you wanted the opponent to believe you were completely unstable and utterly reckless.
Minor spoilers for The Dawn of Yangchen, but no discussion of major plot points.
I could not imagine there being a better author for these Avatar books than F.C. Yee. He has done such an incredible job creating engaging and complex stories that still feel true to the universe so many of us grew up loving.
Yangchen more than any other Avatar installment is a very politics-centered story. Now, granted, I eat political plotlines up, but I think this would still be enjoyed by someone less drawn to those. This duology was like one big chess game. Most every action had to do with outwitting the other political players. I thought Yee found just the right balance of keeping readers in the dark. This allowed for some fun plot twists and kept us guessing what was real and what was part of the plan, but we also often got told the plan and just had to sit back and hope nothing would go wrong. (Spoiler alert, it did!)
Yangchen and Kavik are maybe the two most likeable and root-able characters I've read recently. Yangchen is an avatar unlike any others we've encountered. I empathized with her deeply over the guilt she felt for compromising on her strong morals. Still, she was clearly an overwhelmed and overworked, trying to do the best for everyone around her. I loved watching her and Kavik's friendship continue to develop, and the ways they had to learn how to re-trust one another. Kavik deserves everything good in the world. It broke my heart seeing him be kept at arm's length by the rest of the group, knowing that he genuinely wanted to help Yangchen.
I did feel like the circumstances that brought the two back together were a little contrived, but I moved on from that quickly. My other criticism would be that I wish we'd explored the White Lotus more. I loved that they were a more politically-motivated organization than the future iterations we see in ATLA and TLOK, but I do think that there's a gap in their evolution that I would have liked to seen addressed.
Nevertheless, I really really hope that Yee isn't done writing in the Avatar universe. Give me Szeto. Give me Kuruk. Hell, make up a random Avatar in a random time period, I don't care, I'll read it. If "too much of a good thing" exists, we haven't hit it yet. Give me more, Yee. ...more
This was a very fast read; all of the stories were short and quick-paced. I enjoyed reading most of them, but not a single one stood out as p2.5 stars
This was a very fast read; all of the stories were short and quick-paced. I enjoyed reading most of them, but not a single one stood out as particularly engaging or impactful.
In fact, several of them, while interesting, also centered around a dysfunctional couple. There was a man who's cheated on his wife, and a queer couple who quarantined together for COVID and fought constantly. It just felt like a lot of negativity packed into such a short book.
I liked Sindu's writing. I felt like that was enough to engage me. Maybe I'd enjoy a longer-form novel of hers, but these stories really just didn't pack any type of punch....more
I liked Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea! It wasn't groundbreaking, but it had some great character exploration and thematic discussion, espec3.5 stars
I liked Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea! It wasn't groundbreaking, but it had some great character exploration and thematic discussion, especially as it regards to morality and motherhood. I also particularly enjoyed the politicking and strategizing, but I could see how that could be a turn-off for some people (especially in a book that promises lots of cutthroat pirate adventures and delivers much more talking than action).
I felt like the climax and ending was a little anti-climactic. Or, rather, that Chang-Eppig didn't do a great job building up to a high point, so the book felt a little like it just kind of ended. It did have a conclusion where the characters faced significant life changes, but even that felt a little flat.
Shek Yeung was a fantastic lead character, though. I enjoyed that she just was, and was open and aware of many of her flaws. I appreciated the journey that she went through - it was very real and honest. She didn't necessarily grow, per se, but she did change and evolve, and I liked experiencing that with her. It made for a pretty enjoyable read, even when other parts of the story were falling flat....more
It was a common trait of the Maik siblings, perhaps, to be unusually devoted and resilient. To not lie down, and to take no shit from the world.
I'
It was a common trait of the Maik siblings, perhaps, to be unusually devoted and resilient. To not lie down, and to take no shit from the world.
I'm so happy I got to spend just a little more time with these characters. The Green Bone Saga is my absolute favorite fantasy series and I love how much Fonda Lee loves the world and characters she's created. I wouldn't want to let them go either.
There isn't much to say. It's a short story collection. Lee shined where she always does - character development in a rich, vibrant world. I loved the nods and the easter eggs from the main series. I'm sad that this will be my last (first) time in Janloon, but I'm more than excited to see what Lee writes next....more
"I saw but should not have seen. You should see, but you cannot."
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is probably the most beautiful book I've read i
"I saw but should not have seen. You should see, but you cannot."
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is probably the most beautiful book I've read in a long while. The prose is beautifully haunting. It's sinister and magical, but without crossing too far into the territory of needless analogies. I found myself highlighting so many passages, Chokshi's words spoke to me so deeply.
Unfortunately, when you peel back the beautiful writing, the story was pretty threadbare. There wasn't a lot of plot, but there also wasn't much character development. All of the characters felt very static and one-dimensional. The mystery element was interesting, but would not have held my attention for 300 pages were it not for the quality of the writing.
The ending had a cool twist that I hadn't seen coming, but by that point I was so ready to move on from the book that I wasn't really that wow-ed. It's such a shame. I think if it had had a stronger plot and more interesting characters, it easily could have been a favorite. I'll still be interested to read other works by Chokshi, but this one unfortunately was a bit of a miss for me....more
I thought it would be great if we could travel together like this for the rest of our lives.
This book had such a sweet and simple premise. I loved
I thought it would be great if we could travel together like this for the rest of our lives.
This book had such a sweet and simple premise. I loved getting to read from a cat's perspective; Arikawa captured exactly what I would have expected a cat's internal monologue to be like. I really enjoyed the vignette-style approach, while still getting to connect with Satoru and Nana across each of the 'episodes.' It was neat to get to know Satoru through the people he'd connected with over time, and see how he and Nana were able to positively change each of their lives through this one visit.
Despite its simple story, Arikawa definitely managed to pull out all my emotions. (I was doing just fine in front of a bunch of strangers in the middle of a flight, thank you very much). Reading this book while being away from my cat was particularly hard, but also a good reminder to give her extra love when I return....more
If you do not know precisely where impossibility begins and ends, then of course it cannot constrain you.
My feelings about this book, this series
If you do not know precisely where impossibility begins and ends, then of course it cannot constrain you.
My feelings about this book, this series rather, are so complicated. I like Blake's writing and I enjoy the characters. I love listening to it in audiobook format, with a different narrator for each main character's chapter. But also I feel like there wasn't a lot of substance. There wasn't a lot of plot, in this one or the previous one. There was a lot of character exploration, sure, but it felt very heavy-handed. (The first 25% of Paradox is literally an initiation ritual that's meant to uncover the character's insecurities). And, despite all this, none of the characters feel substantially different than they did at the beginning of the series.
In this one, there were a couple competing goals, and the core group from The Atlas Six were really pawns in those larger plans. But I truly cannot explain to you what those plans are. Someone wants to create a multiverse and someone else wants to, uh, stop them maybe? And then the students, for lack of a better term, also are trying to determine how their powers connect to fate and the larger universe. But I'm not...really sure what the outcome was here. Certainly some of my confusion comes from listening to it in audiobook format, I don't doubt that, but I can't have paid so little attention that I truly don't know anything, right?
But again, I also really enjoyed it? I loved the chapters focusing on the students and their relationships with one another. (Everyone's queer, everyone's into everyone else. And they all also hate each other. It's fascinating). There was a cool secondary plot line following one of them that was distinctly different from the rest and a refreshing change of pace.
So, in the end, it was an enjoyable listening experience but I also don't think I got a lot out of it..? But also I'm eager to pick up the third one when it's released next year? But I couldn't really tell you what the main plot or goal is? Are you confused yet? Good, so am I....more
We have no idea where someone is coming from, or what has put them in the position to have an abortion. We must trust that the person is doing what
We have no idea where someone is coming from, or what has put them in the position to have an abortion. We must trust that the person is doing what is best for them and their family.
I came into this book already a strong supporter of abortion rights and access, but I still gained so much from reading it. There's so much I didn't know about abortion laws, like how fake health care centers, oftentimes funded by state dollars (?!?!) pop up near actual abortion clinics to try to scare women into changing their minds. And waiting periods?? That reset when your original doctor isn't available after the window?? Holy shit??
I so greatly appreciate that this book was written by an actual, practicing abortion provider who has an intimate knowledge of both the science and the laws surrounding abortion. I also loved the diversity in the stories and perspectives that were shared. I already knew that people get abortion for a wide variety of reasons, but it was still interesting and, in many cases, heartbreaking to read. Shah also did a great job exploring the intersections of race, religion, and gender identity on reproductive health care access. I also love her call to action and the numerous resources that she shared.
So many quotes stuck out to me in this book, but I'll end my review with two that will stick with me for a long time:
Somewhere along the way, a woman's right to use birth control turned into a woman's responsibility to use birth control.
and
The fight for common sense is both so uphill and so obvious that it's maddening. ...more
To know a story is to carry it always, etched in his bones, even if dormant for decades. Tell us, they insist. To tell a story, he realizes, is to
To know a story is to carry it always, etched in his bones, even if dormant for decades. Tell us, they insist. To tell a story, he realizes, is to plant a seed and let it grow.
This was such a beautiful and moving book. While not technically perfect, I have a few minor qualms, the story and the characters resonated with me in a way I'm not sure I can even describe. But I'll do my best. As a note: while I never write explicit spoilers, and the multi-generational premise is written in the description, I will get into how I reacted to each character, so don't read this if you'd consider that spoiler-y in nature.
As I read this book, I could tell how deeply personal it was for Melissa. In her acknowledgements, she writes that this book, while fictional, is based in part on her own experiences and the stories that she was told by her father. I bring this up only to say that I could tell how much of herself she was putting into each page. It was a really special reading experience getting to share that with her, especially because I related to so much of Lily's story myself.
I don't usually tend to gravitate towards character-focused books. Peach Blossom Spring was certainly not plot-driven. There was no tangible goal to achieve or mission to accomplish. But that's the point, because that's just how life works. We didn't just get snapshots of each of the characters' lives, we got to live alongside them fully. We saw the big, lifechanging things they experienced, but we also saw the quiet moments of family and friendship. It was compelling to see the differences in what drove them. Meilin fought for survival, in a literal sense. Henry fought for security. Lily fought for identity. And because we spent so much time with each of them, it was especially rewarding to see how those goals came to fruition - and often in ways that they themselves didn't expect.
I also loved Fu's writing. It was both easy to read and beautiful as well. Which is fitting, seeing how storytelling was a constant thread across all three stories. Throughout his early years, Meilin reads Renshu stories from a precious scroll that she owns. I loved that each of these stories had a theme that resonated throughout the lives of the characters.
I'll very quickly get my qualms out of the way. In a few areas, Fu writes from the perspective of a child. As I find is often the case, the child's voice comes across as too adult. I don't know what the alternative would be, as I did find those parts to contribute to the story and I would also find more accurately-written child narration to be jarring. Either way, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. I also wish we'd gotten more political and historical context as the events of the book unfolded. But perhaps that's my own longing to learn about my heritage, much like Lily in her young adult years.
Meilin's chapters were some of the most heartbreaking things I've read. She is such a resilient woman and an incredible mother. Lily's chapters were the most difficult for me to read, though. I related so much to Lily as she yearned to learn about her heritage and struggled with her identity. My feelings towards Henry are harder to pin down. In so many ways his life is tied to Meilin and Lily that I can't quite separate my feelings towards him from my feelings towards them. More specifically, my feelings towards how his actions impacted them. I absolutely understood his motivations (how could I not, I've been following him from infancy!) But since I related so much with Lily, I felt a lot of anger towards him for deciding on her behalf what she should know about her heritage.
I have a lot more I could say about this book, but I'll leave the rest of that discussion for my book club. I think this was a wonderfully written debut novel. While it may not ring as personal for everyone else, I do think it was an excellent read regardless and highly recommend picking it up. ...more
It’s not enough to have meant to do good; if you don’t do good, most gods—those of the rivers, the sky, and the fields—don’t care for your motivati
It’s not enough to have meant to do good; if you don’t do good, most gods—those of the rivers, the sky, and the fields—don’t care for your motivations. Why should they?
Fun story. I met M.L. Wang at GenCon here in Indianapolis in August 2024. She was there in person to promote The Sword of Kaigen (one of my absolute favorite books) as well as Blood Over Bright Haven. I, however, didn't realize that it was M.L. Wang in the flesh and just started babbling about how much I loved her other book and how I owned the special edition. Embarrassing. But she was lovely and signed a print for me anyway!
I hope she's there again next year so I can get a copy of Blood Over Bright Haven signed. I went into this one with the highest of expectations and she did not disappoint. This was such a powerful and complete story, all wrapped up in just over 400 pages. God, that first chapter? Chills.
And then Wang did. not. let. up. The pace of this story didn't break or falter for a single chapter. Yet we still got a detailed plot and complex characters.
I did not like Sciona. If you struggle with unlikeable main characters, you'll almost certainly struggle with her. I think her story is important. I think her story is worth it. But her perspective is rarely ever fun or agreeable. She is not meant to be likeable, that's the point. She's meant to be an example of so much that is wrong in their society.
And, boy, are there so many wrongs. The amount and depth of which I cannot get into here without spoiling the book. Uncovering things alongside Sciona meant that there were quite a few gut punches. Some might call this book heavy-handed but I think books like this, or like Babel need to exist, because they don't let you turn a blind eye to very similar injustices that happen in our own real world.
There's also so much nuanced discussion in this book. Intent versus impact. What it takes to sustain a culture. The different ways evil can take root and manifest itself. This was a hard read, but I will say that Thomil made it brighter. This man, who'd been through so much, who spoke as a voice of reason even when it was scary to do so. I admire his courage to do the hard things, at least as much as I'm able to from the comforts of my squishy life.
As always, when I read a book that has tackled something so big, I struggle putting my thoughts onto paper. Maybe I'll come back with more eloquent reflections. I'll certainly be re-reading it. I hope that, if the premise interests you even a little bit, you'll also consider reading it. I think it's a masterpiece that stands right up there with The Sword of Kaigen but, impressively, in a very different way.
"I am anger. I am grief. I am born of death and destruction and an unfinished will."
A very very sad 2 stars
It's becoming a bit of a habit to start
"I am anger. I am grief. I am born of death and destruction and an unfinished will."
A very very sad 2 stars
It's becoming a bit of a habit to start the new year by picking up a highly-anticipated new release based on Asian mythology and be let down. I wanted to like this one so badly. That cover! That premise! But it ended up being kind of messy - like a first draft where the writing is polished but the plot is not.
Before this review becomes bogged down with negativity, let me share some things that I liked. I thought the magic system was so unique. Moreover, it's such an interesting concept that different peoples have access to different types of magic. I like how she developed the relationship between the main characters, it felt very natural. And she tackles many of the important themes head-on, but in a way that's appropriate for YA readers.
But man, this story was just riddled with contradictions and plot-holes. The Hin magic system, while interesting, was not well-defined upfront, which meant that at any time a character could unveil a new ability to get themselves out of a tight situation. The Elantian magic system wasn't explored at all, which is such a shame because the magic itself could have been used to illustrate the differences in culture and mentality between the two peoples. Which is ironic, because I felt like much of the book was over-stuffed with information otherwise.
Multiple times we would be explicitly told that the characters didn't want to reveal certain information, and then they would immediately share it in the next scene. The explanations for why the characters made certain decisions were not well-explained, which led to a lot of me going "well that's dumb, couldn't they just do [x] instead?" And then the resulting outcome would go, predictably, terribly and I'm left still questioning why any of it happened in the first place. In other words, many of the stakes felt self-created and as such I didn't feel particularly invested in the plot.
Lastly, the characters just felt really under-developed. Especially all of the supporting characters, who felt largely one-dimensional in their personalities and relationships. I wanted to make my own assessments of the characters, not just be told how to think about them based on how Lan felt.
Tl;dr: You know the phrase "my eyes were too big for my stomach?" This felt like, well, whatever the book version would be. Zhao is a talented writer who was overly ambitious with her story, which led to it being disjointed and frustrating. I didn't dislike reading it, but I just wanted so much more and I couldn't overlook its shortcomings....more
"You're only as sick as your secrets. The second you talk about it, fffffft... It all starts to get a little better. Humans need to share their dar
"You're only as sick as your secrets. The second you talk about it, fffffft... It all starts to get a little better. Humans need to share their darkest parts. Unburdening makes you closer to everyone."
4.5 stars
Man, this one was hard to read. Not because it was a bad book, quite the opposite actually. But it dealt with some very heavy topics and also just sort of held a mirror up to the most sad, cringey, and vulnerable parts of being a human. Please note, while I won't discuss any of those topics (cancer, EDs, mental health, sexual harassment) in detail here, I will briefly talk about how they were written in the book. Also, no direct plot spoilers, but some discussion of how Choi wrapped the story up.
Jayne is one of the most real character I've read in a contemporary fiction novel. I loved that we got to see so much of her day-to-day thoughts and interactions. Sure, we got to see the highs and the lows, but we also got to see all the normal, cringey things that we all do but think nobody else does. It was incredibly hard to watch her engage in self-destructive habits, but also felt completely grounded and, unfortunately, realistic to a lot of people's experiences with mental illness.
I did feel like her progression, especially with her eating disorder, felt a little rushed towards the end. I understand why Choi paced the book like she did, and of course every mental health journey is unique. But it's the one part of the book that didn't feel as realistic, which I think could've been solved by allowing her progress to come a little more gradually, rather than through one big breakthrough.
I like that Choi left a lot of things up in the air. I think I do. I'm undecided. On one hand, it's a book that didn't get a big, proper resolution. But on the other hand, sometimes life just is, it doesn't always get a pretty bow to tie everything up. I know it was an intentional choice, and I know I'm meant to feel a little dissatisfied at the ending, but man I just want to know that everyone's going to be okay.
This book did a great job of portraying the messiness that can be relationships. Not just romantic ones, but ones between friends, siblings, and parents. I loved watching Jayne and June reconnect, and seeing how that growth was steady, yet inconsistent as each sister dealt with her own issues. I wish I could spend more time with these characters and see how they continue to grow. I want to read so many more pages of the sisters bickering over face masks or what to buy at the supermarket. I just want to know that everyone's okay. @Mary Choi, please send me an email, text, Instagram DM, whatever. Please tell me what everyone's up to and how they're doing....more
I knew it was foolhardy; men of experience say, "Four things do not come back: the spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life, and the neglected o
I knew it was foolhardy; men of experience say, "Four things do not come back: the spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life, and the neglected opportunity."
This book shot to the top of my TBR after I read Exhalation by Chiang and found it to be one of the best pieces of literature I'd ever picked up. I was surprised to find out that Stories of Your Life and Others was published in the early 2000s (some 17 years before Exhalation), and as such, I could definitely see where Chiang had grown as an author since.
Regardless, something that he excels at is diving incredibly deep into one topic - presenting it from different perspectives, and making the reader consider both benefits and the drawbacks that they might not have otherwise. This was definitely the case with the story Liking What You See: A Documentary. This one was about a unique piece of technology that hinders people from seeing facial beauty, although they can still distinguish between faces and identify individual features. The written documentary format for this worked surprisingly well, and I find myself still unsure if I would try the technology if it were made available.
Another highlight was Story of Your Life, which also employed a unique storytelling approach, with the narrator telling stories about both the future and the past. Chiang has a knack for taking a well-known trope or theme (in this case, alien arrival on earth), and going a completely different direction than you'd expect. I also greatly enjoyed Hell is the Absence of God, which was such a unique exploration of religion, given that God is a known quantity in that universe, and yet there were still so many contradictions and confusions for the individuals living in it.
I don't think any of the stories were a miss, per se. I think they were all really well-written, and explored the concepts they set out to. I appreciated the variety in stories, with some feeling more fantastical and others more grounded, some more scientific and others more emotional. I wasn't as engaged with every story as I was in Exhalation, but that's more of a testament to how Chiang has developed as an author in the time since, rather than a knock on anything he'd written here. ...more
“Science is not just the search for the truth,� he said. “It’s the search for purpose.�
This story collection might be one of my favorite things ev
“Science is not just the search for the truth,� he said. “It’s the search for purpose.�
This story collection might be one of my favorite things ever written. Seriously. I don't think there was a single 'miss' in this anthology. Ted Chiang is clearly scientifically knowledgeable and an expert storyteller. Each of these was unique and thought provoking. The message was frequently different than what I expected, or at least more nuanced. Take Black Mirror but make it optimistic. Read on for my spoiler-free thoughts on each of the stories. (Apologies in advance for the longer-than-usual review)
The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate: A GREAT first story with a unique take on time travel. I'm always a sucker for the 'stories-within-a-story' format.'
Exhalation: I love it when authors write intelligent, science-y things in a way that I can understand. It makes me feel intelligent and science-y. Loved the worldbuilding in this one, and loved the takeaway.
What's Expected of Us: What in the Black Mirror hell is this? Fuck.
The Lifecycle of Software Objects: What a unique perspective on the development of sentient manmade beings. We so often think about AIs as something to fear, but what if they were something we could grow to love. Chiang has been consistently breaking the sci-fi mold and this story was definitely no exception.
Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny: Probably my least favorite of the stories, but still really interesting. And, again, went a completely different direction than I expected it to.
The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling: This might have been my favorite of the collection. The dual stories were both engaging and effective at conveying the message. Definitely a good story for fans of Black Mirror - The Entire History of You. It takes a similar concept, being able to record and rewatch your memories, and explores both the drawbacks and the benefits. And the parallel that's drawn to the switch from oral history to written history was a fascinating one.
The Great Silence: The perspective of parrots, ha! When you've thought you've read it all. Really great, quick story.
Omphalos: As someone who isn't religious, this one was an especially interesting read. What if there being a God were a scientific fact? What does it mean, then, when your understanding of creation is forced to dramatically shift?
Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom: Ok, no, this one was my favorite. Chiang doesn't approach any concepts half-heartedly. There's so much to consider when it comes to parallel universes, something that's so frequently used as a gimmick in other media. Chiang considered not only the practical applications of being able to communicate with alternate versions of ourselves, but also the moral and emotional implications. Would I want technology like this to exist? Would I be able to resist using it? So good.
September 2024 Re-read It holds up. These novellas are genuinely some of the most inspired, well-rounded pieces of literature I've ever read and hold up to many 3-book series. I will rave about this book until the day I die....more
I loved this. The art and writing was so cute and the message was wholesome. It's crazy that such a short, illustrated book can give me so many feels.I loved this. The art and writing was so cute and the message was wholesome. It's crazy that such a short, illustrated book can give me so many feels....more
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