With a charming 90's nostalgia and an interfaith cooperation one might not normally expect from evangelicals, these demon-slaying teens are a lot of fWith a charming 90's nostalgia and an interfaith cooperation one might not normally expect from evangelicals, these demon-slaying teens are a lot of fun. ...more
A charming novel about what comes after you come of age, and the difficulties presented by family that isn't willing to let go. A charming novel about what comes after you come of age, and the difficulties presented by family that isn't willing to let go. ...more
Flash back to Gojo and Geto's own days as students at Jujutsu High! It's interesting to see their history with Geto as the righteous paragon and Gojo Flash back to Gojo and Geto's own days as students at Jujutsu High! It's interesting to see their history with Geto as the righteous paragon and Gojo as... still Gojo. Given what we know of their interactions in the future, its really well presented. ...more
Putting an interesting surveillance state spin on some of her usual motifs, Lackey mixes a little science fiction into her usual magic to fun effect. Putting an interesting surveillance state spin on some of her usual motifs, Lackey mixes a little science fiction into her usual magic to fun effect. I enjoy the various culture clashes between the monastic and urban, the human and fae. This is a solid setup for a YA trilogy from the pen of a master of the genre....more
Stop me, won't you, if you've hear this one before. A young girl with the mischievous spirit of the fox suffers a great tragedy and embarks upon a sacStop me, won't you, if you've hear this one before. A young girl with the mischievous spirit of the fox suffers a great tragedy and embarks upon a sacred quest. She is joined, in no particular order, by a shinobi, a ronin, a noble prince, and a shrine maiden. Despite demons, hungry ghosts, and imperial audiences, she pursues her quest doggedly. But by the end of the first book, new enemies are revealed and the story as a whole is just beginning.
Kagawa has a terrific handle on her mythology and this story is very well told. I must admit that I found the inclusion of Japanese exclamations in ordinary speech somewhat distracting. Generally, in a fantasy novel, the reader's natural assumption is that a detour into another language is a detour from some commonly spoken tongue. In this novel, I presume that all of the characters are speaking Japanese, and I very much enjoyed the flavor of names like Hotaru Kawa instead of Firefly River or the sword Kamigoroshi. However, when a character opens a sentence by saying Nani and then continues the rest in English, the reader is forced to wonder if they said "What" in Japanese and then continued in some other unknown language. And if so, what that language might be and what the history of Iwagoto might be such that Japanese is an ancient seed language of learning, place names, and swearing.
As I say, it was distracting.
Other than that, however, this is an adorable story and I look forward to the other books. ...more
Hana is witty and entertaining, but I just cannot get past the premise of this book. Ten years is a huge age difference when one of you is a high schoHana is witty and entertaining, but I just cannot get past the premise of this book. Ten years is a huge age difference when one of you is a high school student. While their dates don't have a predatory tone, it still makes me uncomfortable as a reader.
Still, some fun moments that kept me reading to the end of the book. Your tomato may not be my tomato, and that's okay. ...more
Bitter sweet, thoroughly researched, and deeply touching, this is a coming of age story set in a fully realized picture of the 1950s. When naturalizatBitter sweet, thoroughly researched, and deeply touching, this is a coming of age story set in a fully realized picture of the 1950s. When naturalization papers can be taken from a man refusing to point out another member of his community as a communist. Where Chinatown had distinct borders and just walking beyond them carried the air of risk (how different our modern cities). In night clubs that might be raided for indecency on a rumor, with women who could be arrested for wearing the wrong clothing.
Given the time period, this novel can't end with happily ever after, which makes the conceit of the book so perfect. The entire story is a time line, and we skip backward on it in certain chapters. In so doing, we see the romance of Lily's parents develop, mirroring her own young love. We meet Lily's Aunt Judy in scenes from Lily's childhood, seeing their relationship more fully than we might from stories told in Lily's high school years. We move along a time line with no real beginning or end, and in so doing, we learn a more complete, contextualized history than we would otherwise be privy to. It's incredibly well done, and it really gentles the inevitable heart break of a lesbian high school romance set in the 1950s.
I also have to say how much I appreciate Lily's dramatic foil Shirley being a fully realized character. She's a mean girl, and a best friend, and a Chinese American dealing with intense social pressures. The fortune cookies may have been a little on the nose, but Shirley isn't over the top or comically evil. She and Lily have fun together. They are genuinely friends. People don't have to be villains to hurt each other. And villains in the real world are just people.
For a story that is almost as much about two future rocket girls as it is about high school romance, the complexity of Wernher von Braun being a Nazi and the popular face of rocket science was particularly well addressed. ...more
A fine conclusion to the series. I very much like that this book isn't really about trying to fix the past, it's about learning to face it. While defiA fine conclusion to the series. I very much like that this book isn't really about trying to fix the past, it's about learning to face it. While definitely melodramatic in places, I recommend it for the target audience. ...more
I loved the reveal of Yuzuru's artistic eye and that the reason for her photography was something more than just establishing her as a weird kid. The I loved the reveal of Yuzuru's artistic eye and that the reason for her photography was something more than just establishing her as a weird kid. The long, long awaited chapter from Shoko's point of view was well done, though some of the dramatics elsewhere in the overall plot felt more than a little exaggerated. ...more
Trip to the amusement park! But this isn't filler or an OAV. This is a real exploration of Shoya's depression, his philosophy of friendship, and what Trip to the amusement park! But this isn't filler or an OAV. This is a real exploration of Shoya's depression, his philosophy of friendship, and what it means for him to show genuine kindness to someone other than the girl he has a crush on.
The Nishimiya family history was interesting. It could have been justification for their mother's abuse, except neither girl really forgives her, so instead it's just an honest story about the real difficulties the family faces because of Shoko's disability. It didn't feel melodramatic or unrealistic, and I had been waiting for that dramatic haircutting scene for two volumes so I was happy to see it.
This is a great YA book, and I highly recommend it for the target audience....more
Loading...
