This is my introduction to Rainer Maria Rilke and it is safe to say that I will be reading more of his work. This is a collection of 4.25 stars
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This is my introduction to Rainer Maria Rilke and it is safe to say that I will be reading more of his work. This is a collection of 10 letters Rilke wrote to the titular "young poet" Franz Kappus who went to the same military academy as he did and wanted to become an artist as well. Although these start as advice on where to get inspiration for poetry and how to approach literary critique, by the 3rd letter (one might say even sooner) the letters begin to resemble a more philosophical text.
“You are so young, so before all beginning, and I want to beg you, as much as I can, to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves—like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. The point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
The soft tone and introspective theories of Rilke truly touched me and encouraged me to rethink the way I perceive things (or at least to consider alternate perspectives). For example, he talks about how art cannot be "critiqued" from an external perspective in a manner that affects the artist's future work. He says that art that exists because it had to be created is good art and that it can truly be understood through a perspective of love. This made me wonder a lot about how I rate my books. Often times I wonder what I might have liked better instead of appreciating the book for what it is. I'm more likely to think of the "if I loved this book, what would I love it for?" point of view (even if this attitude doesn't fully abolish my more critical perspective).
"... most people come to know only one corner of their room, one spot near the window, one narrow strip on which they keep walking back and forth.”
Rilke also talks a lot about solitudes and the value of knowing one's own mind. He says that we pace one wall but don't seek to explore the room. He says to place value into harsh experiences and to be well acquainted with your childhood and the nature around you. I really liked this idea. What's more his perspectives on men and women are particularly interesting in modern times with his remarks about wishing that the sexes would stop pursuing each other as opposites but rather as "two solitudes" meeting each other and helping the other get to know their solitude even better. It's quite individualistic, which took me a bit by surprise.
Overall, I really enjoyed this short little book. I think the introduction is well worth reading as is a short biography of Kappus and Rilke. Although not quite reaching the status of being a "favorite of the year", it is the closest a book has come to that so far. ...more
"Why do we like those story so? Why do we tell them over an over? … Our favourite people and our favourite stories become so not by any i
4.25 stars
"Why do we like those story so? Why do we tell them over an over? … Our favourite people and our favourite stories become so not by any inherent virtue, but because they illustrate something deep in the grain, something unadmitted."
This is my first experience with Joan Didion's work and I must admit she is fantastic. Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a collection of some essays she published two magazines and what not during the 1960s. However, it is separated into three very distinct sections and this review will reflect that. Before I do that though, I'd like to say that her ability to put things into words is breathtaking. The way she characterises things or subverts notions that we tend to have about them is honestly one of the best I've ever seen. The main reasons why some of the essays didn't click with me is mostly because I wouldn't be interested in the subject matter, not a fault of the writing itself. My rating takes into account this factor of pure enjoyment.
The first section of the book is "Lifestyles in the Golden Land". All in all, it is a banger. We open with "Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream" and that is one of the best work I have ever read. It is essentially an essay chronicling the case of Lucille Miller, a woman who may or may not have murdered her husband. But with sets it apart is the way Didion is able to constantly throw you off of what the story is going to be. By starting off with this case, it's almost as if she's signalling to us that sometimes real life is even crazier than fiction. The following essays in this section are also fantastic. My favourites would have to be "7000 Romaine, Los Angeles 38" and the titular "Slouching Towards Bethlehem". All the stories center around America, specifically California, in the 1960s and they do it so through these micro-examinations of little corners of the social climate. In some fashion California itself becomes a very present character that permeates into every story told. Overall these essays were really really good. The least memorable one would probably have to be "Where the Kissing Never Stops" but it was still an interesting piece. The John Wayne essay was probably more interesting to read back then when he was a prominent figure; I only know him from "The Searchers" and I don't love that movie. I guess it's like an essay about the Robert Downey Jr. of that time and the discussion surrounding masculinity was the one that still holds up today. This first section also takes up around 130 pages aka the majority of the book.
The next segment is titled "Personals". It's a collection of Joan Didion musings on various topics. For me they were kind of hit or miss and overall too long to hold my attention. "On Keeping a Notebook" was by far my favourite and the discussion of you being a different person at different moments in your life was thought-provoking. Then there were "On Going Home" and "On Self-Respect" which had aspects that I found very touching or meaningful but the rest I didn't really care about. Lastly, there was "On Morality" that I found two ambiguous and didactic for my taste. On the other hand, there is also "I Can't Get That Monster out of My Mind" which was very of the time: it discusses their Hollywood as a monster destroying creativity and self-expression et cetera. As a concept it was interesting but I found that I just don't really care. My thoughts on the second section, which is the shortest one I believe, was that there are some nuggets that will definitely stick with me but a lot of it just wasn't in my interest.
The third and ultimate segment is called "Seven Places of the Mind". And this is one that has essays that I thought were bangers and ones that objectively are written beautifully but I just really couldn't care about. My favourites are "Rock of Ages", "Los Angeles Notebook", and "Goodbye to All That". These were also the stories that tended to have a clear focus and narrative. Some other ones like the Hawaii essay which is the most popular one I think of the ones in the section were just too meandering for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was brilliant how she was examining the connection between war, progress, and identity in Hawaii, but it was long and I didn't really know where it was headed until the end so it didn't really keep my attention. That being said, she did and on two that were really good. I loved the descriptions contrasting the dark past of Alcatraz in "Rock of Ages". Didion excels at vignettes and she showcases the talent in "Los Angeles Notebook", characterizing the setting itself through the people there (honestly, kind of mirroring what she talked about in the notebook personal). "Goodbye to All That" serves as both the ending and beginning of the book really. More than just being an examination of youth and meaninglessness it is also almost like her origin story and a beautiful ending.
I thought the structure of the book was interesting. The first segment is these little examinations of aspects of living in California through the eyes of specific people or organisations. Next, she focuses on her own musings during this time. Lastly, she almost picks areas and characterises them through various means. I do recommend this, especially "Lifestyles in the Golden Land". I'll also definitely read more from her because wow her writing is something else.
The entire thing just built up the tension and it payed off very very well in how the main conflict was resolved. The cliff hange4.25 stars
Really good.
The entire thing just built up the tension and it payed off very very well in how the main conflict was resolved. The cliff hanger, however, has me reeling.
4.25 stars **Although this is a spoiler-free review (spoilers are hidden), there may be spoilers for previous books (scroll down)**
“Let the Lord of Chaos rule.”
I cannot believe how fantastic these past few books are. There is so much that Jordan manages to pull off, while hitting the emotional beats perfectly, building anticipation, and leaving the reader feeling fulfilled after reading this 1000 page epic. Rand has now successfully taken over Caemlyn and Cairhien, but dangers await him still. The Aes Sedai have made their move having both the White Tower and Salidar send embassies to the Dragon Reborn. As tensions rise between the Aes Sedai, Rand, and the Aiel, everything will come to a boiling point in this novel. Despite having a few pacing issues, I have to say that this is my new favorite book in the series (though take this with a grain of salt because I might end up loving the next instalment more as I have in the past 3 instances).
First of all, I loved Rand in this book. He struggles a lot with his descent into "madness", though my theory is that he isn't exactly "going mad". Not only this, but he also starts dealing with what it means to be a man who can Channel and how others like him have been marginalised for years. In the beginning of the novel, we meet the false Dragon Mazrim Taim and I found him to be super interesting. He and Rand bounce off each other very well, and seeing them juxtaposed built up something for the final battle, which I didn't see coming but was oh so happy it did. This is the book where Rand really gets deep into politics, which provided another layer to his character development.
From the Elayne, Nynaeve, Siuan, and Leanne side of the story, I was also impressed. There is one scene towards the end of the novel ((view spoiler)[when Nynaeve heals stilling (hide spoiler)]), that stood out as one of the best fantasy moments I have ever read. Unfortunately, a lot of my pacing issues come from this plot-line. As I said, the pay of was great, but getting there sometimes felt like a slog. A lot of the plot-line focuses on Nynaeve trying to get over her block and Elayne juggling priorities (to Rand vs to Aes Sedai). Though these were main focuses, not a lot gets resolved in regards to those specific threads. I know they'll be more addressed in latter novels and therefore are necessary. Nevertheless, they were slow.
A few final non-spoilery thoughts: I complained a lot about Egwene and Aviendha in my review for The Fires of Heaven. I'm glad to say that most of my complaints have gone away in this novel in regards to this. Another aspect of the previous book that I complained about was the relationship between Faile and Perrin. In this book it takes on a more comedic role and I much preferred this drama. A possible pitfall I was foreseeing was the love square(?) but the way it is being written actually makes me enjoy it a lot. (I don't know who I like the most, but it is definitely not Aviendha).
This book was great. The final battle was one of the best battles I have EVER read. Some people say that the slog starts in the next book and some say it starts in book 8. I really hope it is in book 8 because right now, Jordan is on a roll!
DUMAI'S WELLS EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GODDDDD!!! The part when the Asha'man show up with Mazrim Taim? EPIC! I only now realised that that is what the cover depicts. The entire battle was amazing. And the end? With the Aes Sedai bowing to Rand? It gave me SHIVERS!
Egwene being made Amyrlin was a mind-bender! I love how she matured before she was raised. Also Elayne and Nynaeve's morality was explored, which was fantastic! Nynaeve curing stilling made me scream. Now that Logain is free and healed, I can't wait to see where he goes and fulfils Min's viewing.
Also, that entire sequence with Berelain, Faile, and Perrin was hilarious. I do kind of wish that Perrin would stand up for himself, but oh well. His interactions with Faile's parents was also a highlight for me.
Mat was gone for most of this book, which made me a bit sad. But there was a quote form him that made me hurt a lot :( . I'll finish this review with this quote in hopes of getting more Mat in the future.
“This dance was his as surely as those memories were, borrowed or stolen, but so seamlessly woven into those he really had lived that he could no longer tell the difference without thinking. All his, now, filling holes in his own memories; he might as well have lived them all.”
4.25 stars **This is a spoiler filled review, also be aware of spoilers for all of Mistborn Era 1 and some for Era 2.**
This novella has reduced me to 4.25 stars **This is a spoiler filled review, also be aware of spoilers for all of Mistborn Era 1 and some for Era 2.**
This novella has reduced me to this: [image]
My head is in shambles. I cried through the last fifty-or-so pages. Brando Sando just brought back all my emotions from Hero of Ages and killed me all over again. Except this time, we had a bit more insight as to what was going on in the God-level. Things that stood out in relation to the Mistborn stuff: - Elend and Vin reuniting for a final time in the Cognitive Realm. This was beautiful and it made me more depressed. They could have gone back, but love. That was beautiful, though I did feel bad for Kelsier when Vin left him - That ending scene where Sazed and Kelsier sit together and just watch the new world --> wholesome - The part where Spook is doubting himself and lamenting about how Kelsier forgot him and didn't care about him. The fact that Kelsier was watching him in that moment and saying that he was his friend, and that he did care was just too hearbreaking for me. I loved that moment in the original trilogy: I cried then, I cried now. I am such a mess oh my god. - Then when Kelsier appears for Spook in the epilogue because he is broken? ahh - Also the reason why suddenly Spook is Lord "Mistborn" makes sense :) - Leras / Fuzz / Preservation has stolen my heart. His death too, was heartbreaking and I cried. In the OG trilogy all that is said is that Elend didn't know that he was watching a God die, and I thought it was impactful. Now, I was bawling my eyes out because in 100-ish pages I got so attached to Fuzz. I can't. Guys I am literally crying as I write this. I can't take it - Ati's death was also quite poetic. Though I am curious as to who "Vax" is. - I was trying to figure out who Trell could be, but I have no clue so far...
Things I loved in relation to the the outer Cosmere: - The general expansion (things are so well explained, I feel like I know and understand much more about the Realmatic Theory. This book did a better job of what The Bands of Mourning did when it gave a crash course on Investiture) - KHRISS!!!!!!!!!!!! I love whenever Khriss shows up. Also some guy called Nazh was with her. From where she is left off in White Sand, Nazh isn't with her. However, that is the name of the dude who got the map in Elantris... I am intrigued. - We got more Sel. So happy about that. I KNEW the second I read their names that they had to be from Arelon or Teod, but when the head woman was described as an Elantrian boyyy did I get hyped. I want to know more about the Ire definitely. - Overall great expansion I can't wait to see more of this happen in the future books. - Hoid and Kelsier don't like each other... lol :) - Also, I love Hoid :))
Some things that I didn't like as much were how some parts were very disjointed and I feel like this would have very little merit for someone who is a casual Sanderson reader. Or if they only read Mistborn. They'd get some of what is going on, but definitely not most. Overall, though, I thought this was great. Was happy to cry again at Lord Sanderson's magical story-telling.
“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”
4.25 stars
“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”
What an amazing novel. Vianne Mauriac and Isabelle Rossignol are sisters, but due to their mother's death and father's neglect, they haven't been able to get along very well. With the break of WWII, they find themselves leading two very different lives. Vianne must take care of her children as a Nazi soldier billets at their estate. With her husband gone, she initially refuses to take any chances. Isabelle disapproves of this and quickly joins the underground with the focus of saving fallen airmen. This is a tale of heartbreak, war, and how trauma changes us and it is executed very well.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, torture scenes
The two main characters were absolutely fantastic. This is a novel where the plot is important, of course, but the themes are portrayed mostly through Vianne and Isabelle. Personally, I think I liked Isabelle more, but both women were absolutely fascinating to read about. Vianne's story feels perhaps a bit more complete, but I'll get into that in the spoiler sections. Although both women have love interests, the love that is talked about in this book is very much the love between family and how it can change throughout war. Their father comes back after WWI and starts neglecting them as a way to preserve himself. Things like this are then payed off beautifully in the end. Kristin Hannah manages to make the war even more heartbreaking than it was.
“Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over.”
I am Polish, so ever since primary school I've been bombarded with the Polish side of the story. In this novel, the focus is very much on France, something that was really interesting for me to read about. While reading about the occupation of France I couldn't help but draw parallels and contrasts between how my country came through and how the Rossignols' country did. This made my reading experience much more engaging. Something that I found that is often done perhaps in American movies/books is that the second the Americans show up, suddenly all the Europeans get left out of the story. I'm very glad to say that this didn't happen here and that towards the end the focus is still on the French experience.
Also, the writing was absolutely beautiful. Not too flowery, but vivid enough to make you feel exactly how the characters felt.
All of this being said, there were some stylistic choices that the author made that felt like they lessened the impact of some later scenes. Maybe if a few of those scenes were initial relations are being set up weren't glossed over, I'd love this book a bit more. Nevertheless, I did ugly cry towards the ending (first book of the year to make me do that!!).
Overall, this was a fantastic book. I really recommend it to other readers. The Nightingale was published six years ago, so I can't wait to see what Hannah has published in the years since. Perhaps I'll enjoy her newer works even more.
I have a lot of spoilery-thoughts which you can read here: (view spoiler)[ There are a few things that I want to address that were really. the main reasons this didn't make my "Favorites of the Year" shelf (books that are 4.5+ stars get a spot on that list). Basically all of them have to do with the way Gaetan and Isabelle's relationship was handled. The entire book is spent with them being pulled apart and getting back together for glimpses of each other. First off, the foundation for their relationship should have lasted more than just a chapter. It felt like they just met and then a day later Isabelle was declaring her love for him. (??) Of course, in canon time, they spent weeks/months together before they arrived in Le Jardin. We don't get to see that, though. Whatever. At the 3/4 point, I already loved Isabelle, so I wanted her to be happy. Gaetan seemed to make her happy (and I just wanted her to hear someone tell her that they love her) so I wanted them to finally find each other. The last war timeline scene relies on her and Gaetan reuniting, which was truly beautiful. Skip forward a few pages we find out that the mysterious elder woman who narrated the 1995 timeline is actually Vianne (loved this story-telling technique by the way). She says that Isabelle died in the arms of a man who loved her. The immediate connection any reader will make is that this refers to Gaetan, right? Nope. He appears later, with a daughter whom he calls Isabelle, and we see that he clearly did NOT end up with Isabelle (and he says that he never stopped loving her). So... what was the point anyway? I understand that things do not always work out, but the entire book was spent trying to get them together, to get Gaetan to say he loves Isabelle, and for them to be "ok". Why then, are we robbed of this. It's like a giant middle finger to the reader, especially since we get no explanation for why this would have happened! This took my rating way down.
Moving past that, I loved how there's this discussion to be had about people changing through war and how sometimes war and trauma make it impossible for love to heal. Even though people use love as a means to get through a war, sometimes that love is broken due to the war as people change too much too fast. I found this to be also very tragic but that it added a depth to the story.
As to Vianne's final descisions? I do not know if I agree with what she did and how she decided not to tell her husband and her son about how Von Richter was the real father. As I had a bit more time to think about it, though, I realise that it makes sense for her character and that it made her more "real" in my eyes. She did what she had to according to her values. (this didn't knock my rating down, though I still think someone should have told Antoine)
Yeah, overall I had a very good experience with this book. (hide spoiler)]
This was even better on the second time reading it through. What a masterclass. I reread it since I'm givin4.25 stars (Original rating, 2020: 4 stars)
This was even better on the second time reading it through. What a masterclass. I reread it since I'm giving a presentation on it Tuesday, and I'm so so glad I reread it because I forgot so many small details that are now going to help my argument a lot! READ THIS BOOK PEOPLE.
------------------------------------ One day Dana Franklin, a black woman, finds herself teleported back in time to the antebellum south. Each time she is called back, a boy named Rufus is in a near death experience and it is up to her to save him. However, Rufus is a white son of the slave-owner Tom Weylin. As her stays in the past become longer and longer, her time there will become more dangerous... Will her guidance have any effect on Rufus as he grows up? Or is he a product of his environment?Without a doubt, I can see why this is such a modern classic. A terrifying book, a heart-pounding and gut wrenching story, made me genuinely afraid though I myself am white.
Trigger Warnings: rape, racism, sexual abuse, physical abuse
I love about this book how everything is done intentionally. Even the things I didn't like. At first, it was the writing style that bugged me. It is very blunt. For the first twenty or so pages I didn't know why Butler chose this style of prose. However, when I got to the first whipping scene, I finally understood. The things Butler makes you feel due to her straightforward prose are indescribable. I started crying; I could see it all in my head and feel Dana's fear. It was all the more terrifying because I knew that people where treated like this and worse. I think that this style was intentional, and though usually not my favorite, it worked very very well for Butler's purposes.
Another gripe that I had were the underdeveloped side characters. This is very much Dana and Rufus's story. Everyone else paints the setting and tone. Again I see the intent behind this, through focusing on Dana and Rufus's relationship, Butler could directly focus on how slaves (symbolised by Dana) experienced the antebellum south (Rufus). It was an interesting, terrifying, and disgusting relation and I think the exploration was done well, however for my personal taste, I thought we could play up the other characters a bit more: spend some more time with Alice (another slave I thought would have been powerful to follow) and Kevin (Dana's white husband who offers a parallel but different perspective to Dana's).
In conclusion, I think that this is a book where people will take something different for themselves based on who they are. I liked this book a lot. It made me feel a lot of things and I understand a sliver more of the antebellum south. Butler did a great thing with this novel, I want more people to experience it....more
“You can escape a town, but you cannot escape blood. Somehow, the Vignes twins believed themselves capable of both.”
I've been wanting to4.25 stars
“You can escape a town, but you cannot escape blood. Somehow, the Vignes twins believed themselves capable of both.”
I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and now that I finally have, I can say that it didn't disappoint. Stella and Desiree Vignes are twins who grew up in the 1950s in the small town of Mallard, but one night they disappear and run off to New Orleans. There their lives split: while Desiree becomes a finger-print analyst and falls in love with a dark police officer, Stella leaves and decides to pass for white. The Vanishing Half chronicles their separate lives as well as the intertwining lives of their daughters.
Identity and family are truly the core themes of this novel. Through them, Bennett tackles colorism, racism, and privilege. I especially found Stella's narrative very eye-opening because she gets the double perspective and controversial because of the lengths to which she attempts to rid herself of her ethnic background was mind-boggling. Colorism was rooted so deeply into her that she becomes paranoid when a black family moves in, during her pregnancy she has nightmares that her child would be dark and that she'd rather lie about having an affair than admitting that she was black. Like wow wtf. My favorite character, though, was definitely Jude. She was so compassionate in trying to understand her family dynamics and living the truth. Her story with Reese was also really heartfelt and I enjoyed this a lot.
The factor that brought down my enjoyment of the novel was the pacing/intrigue. Obviously this is a character/theme study so don't expect any really intense pacing, but the middle especially fell a bit flat for me. The beginning I loved reading the history and getting to know the characters. The ending picks up as the tension between Stella's and Desiree's families builds. The middle, though I liked the characterisation occurring there, it was a bit drawn out. Another thing that I thought was weird, but it was more of an observation than anything, was that although chapters would sometimes end in cliff hangers, we'd then suddenly jump to different points in time and never revisit those cliff hanger moments directly, which threw me off a few times.
Overall, I really liked The Vanishing Half and it was really close to becoming a favorite of the year....more
4.25 stars **Although this is a spoiler-free review there may be spoilers for the previous books in series**
And just like that I finally am sold on Mis4.25 stars **Although this is a spoiler-free review there may be spoilers for the previous books in series**
And just like that I finally am sold on Mistborn. I enjoyed book 1, but I didn't get the hype. Folks. I get the hype. A year has passed and now Elend is King of the Central Dominance. However, many issues are occuring: Straff Venture is returning with an army to seize Luthadel, the mists are acting strange, they are running out of atium, and there is a mysterious Watcher in the mists keeping an eye on Vin and Elend. This sequel, is very different from the first novel, but I loved the change.
Usually I am not big on political intrigue and war-type stuff, but man, Sanderson made it work. The pace is slower, but more even because of this set-back type of scenario that is going on. As soon as things might be getting stale a new element shows up and you get more excited and nervous to see what happens next. I loved that.
The character work, especially for Sazed, Vin, and Elend, was magnificent. I already really liked Elend and Sazed in book 1, but I didn't click with Vin. After all the plot line with the Watcher character and the Well of Ascension stuff, you get to understand her insecurities and thought processes more. In book 1 she was a little bit annoying for me because we were told what she was like but not shown. Now we get in her head. I loved her experiences with her kandra OreSeur the most, I think. Elend's character development was also great. We got to see a LOT more from him and I really enjoyed this. As he struggles with putting his political theory into play and dealing with his father, we get to know his struggles better and it makes you actually care about what happens to this city. Sazed shocked me. He broke my heart and rebuilt it and everything. (view spoiler)[ Seeing him lose faith slowly and doubt himself was great. Seeing his own religion, that of the Terris, get manipulated was amazing. I can't wait to see how new revelations will keep pushing him. (hide spoiler)]. I still think that some characters were throw aways like Yeden in book 1, or plot devices, but there was a large decrease in those.
That ending. Wow. Blew me away. The entire set up surrounds world-building which I rarely see. I think I finally am starting to understand why people praise Sanderson's world building after this. Seeing all the religion, world, and society stuff progress in the last book will be the thing I look forward to the most.
All in all, this is a phenomenal sequel. I really liked it. I had a few issues, but they can be somewhat easily overlooked. I GET THE HYPE GUYS!
----------------------- Books in Cosmere: Mistborn: Era 1 #1 The Final Empire: ★★★.5 #2 The Well of Ascension: ★★★★.25 #3 The Hero of Ages: ★★★★.5
"We may feel in control, but we never truly are unless we understand people. Controlling our environment is no longer about blocking the
4.25 stars
"We may feel in control, but we never truly are unless we understand people. Controlling our environment is no longer about blocking the wind, it’s about knowing why the serving lady was crying last night, or why a particular guard always loses at cards. Or why your employer hired you in the first place."
This is definitely my favorite Cosmere work so far. Unlike the others I have read, this one takes a step back and focuses more on the magic system and characters... not plot at all really. Shai is a prisoner of the Rose Empire on Sel. She is also a Forger. As a last effort to save her life, she takes up the politicians' offer to Forge the Emperor, who just suffered a debilitating brain injury, a new soul to keep the Empire from falling into chaos. As forces work against her, will she succeed?
One of the greatest praises I always hear about Sanderson is that his magic systems are fabulous. I finally understand this through Forgery. I love how it is shown and explained through the task, Shai's thought processes and Shai's conversations with Gaotona. Forgery in itself is actually really interesting too, in all honesty I prefer it to Allowmancy! I honestly can't wait for the Elantris sequels because I really hope they will showcase Forgery.
There is really not much I can say without spoiling. There was a moment that kind of felt like it was meant to further the plot or just add tension it didn't need. Other than that, this was great :D
4.25 stars **Although this is a spoiler-free review (spoilers are hidden), there may be spoilers for previous books (scroll down)**
This time I am keeping the spoiler-free section fairly small because there is so much I want to talk about. After the ending of The Dragon Reborn, the squads split up on many missions: Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom, and Juilin go to Tanchico in pursuit of the Black Ajah; Rand, Egwene, Moiraine, Lan, and Mat journey with the Aiel to the Three Fold Land for various reasons; Perrin, Faile, Gaul, Loial, Chaid and Bain go back to the Two Rivers in hopes of resolving the Children of the Light/Trolloc conflict; (and farther north, and somewhat unrelated) we get the perspective of Min who arrives at the White Tower and has a vision of a great catastrophe that is about to befall the Aes Sedai.
All the perspectives were engaging and furthered most of the characters. There were parts that I definitely enjoyed more than others, but overall the plot was well progressed, characters built up better, and more cultures explored. The story manages to pull out of the slightly formulaic flow it was starting to build up by book 3, and really developed into its own thing.
Overall, I can totally see why this is a favorite of so many people. It is filled with many small amazing, and great breath-taking moments. It's short comings for me were pacing and the confusion that sometimes followed the fact that so much was going on and I needed to go back and wrap my head around things. But thats because I'm stoopid sometimes :) Highly recommend.
This will be divided into my thoughts on each separate story-line.
Rand and gang in the Aiel Waste: This segment was pretty epic, but it was also the segment that had me going "what" every two seconds. This is probably because I have a problematic memory and listened to the audiobook for many parts of this book. This meant I had to go back and reread many moments to remember who was who. And that reveal at the end that the fat lady Keille was Lanfear? Didn't see it coming. The reveal that the gleeman Natael was Asmodean? Didn't see it coming. I guess I was thrown off by all the Isendre and Kadere stuff going on. When I went back and reread the first interaction that Rand/Mat have with Keille/Lanfear it clicked and I saw the foreshadowing. Honestly, I can't believe I missed it. Epic reveal, nonetheless. Also, I want to appreciate that Rand didn't face the Dark One in an epic battle at the end. The epic battle happened, but it was to further the plot in a way that made sense. This was a great deal-breaker for me in book 3 and the issue has been rectified.
Another thing that was hard for me to understand was Aiel culture. It is really intense and different. Around 80% through I think I actually understood what was going on. When Rand tries to reveal himself as He Who Comes With the Dawn, and Couladin is being a brat, I understood what was going on enough, so that was nice. Rand and Mat's journeys to Rhuidean were some of my favorite moments. I want to know more about the Aelfinn and Eelfinn. I think that they have been set up well. I also think I can puzzle out what the Eelfinn do. Requests right? As much as I liked this segment, I didn't like Mat as much. He was by far the best part of book 3, but here he was either nonexistent, comic relief, or whiney. I want more of who he was in book 3 please. As for Rand, I thought the backstory of the Aiel was honestly really interesting. The way that so much of what the normal Aiel know is lies. Fascinating. I also love seeing how slowly Rand is coming to fulfill more and more prophecies.
Egwene and Moiraine, especially the latter, I wanted more from. Egwene was there in the beginning when she did her thing to Rand where she passed Rand to Elayne, but then she is not always very present. Moiraine had an epic fight scene in the beginning (loved that scene OMG), but then she and Lan both fade. Aviendha is coming more into the spot-light which is kind of cool. I see so much of myself in her so obviously I am drawn to her and her story. I hope the next book has more of her. I love her friendships with Egwene and Elayne. Looking forward to more of her.
Nynaeve, Elayne, and the boys in Tanchico: First off, Nynaeve is pissing me off. She was my favorite in book 1 and I liked her a lot in book 2, but these past two instalments are making her into a person who really is pissing me off. She is rude, she is senseless, and she is entitled. Did I absolutely love that scene between her and Moghedien at the end when they both try to still each other? Yes. Does it excuse all the BS from the other 900 pages? No. Thing is, even Elayne could see it. The way she went off at Egeanin just for being Seachan was annoying too, especially since it is obvious that Egeanin is going through a lot of character development. She is not the same woman as the captain who caught Bayle Domon's ship back in book 2.
Talking about Egeanin, she is actually one of my highlights for this book. We get tiny glimpses into more of the Seanchan culture through her; something tells me we are going to be seeing much more from them soon. I like her and Domon getting along. I wonder were this will lead. Overall, I want more of her too in the next book. I want the Seanchan to come back for another attack and I want her to suffer not knowing whose side to choose after growing closer to Elayne and Nynaeve and learning about the Sul Dam being able to Channel.
Elayne took the female spot-light. I absolutely loved her. That scene where she gets drunk is great. All her interactions with Thom are great and heartwarming. Her admonishing Amathera for how she knows nothing of how her people live like, was great. Elayne will be a great queen. I didn't think she'd jump higher on my ranking of characters I love, but she did. In the previous two books she was overshadowed by Egwene a lot, so I hope that those two stay apart for a little while longer.
When it came to the actual story with the Black Sisters, not a lot happened. I mean, they found them in Tanchico and they rescued the Panarch, but so what? They all got away either way. At least they have the a'dam for Rand and neutralized a threat. So although I liked this story, it was more so because hanging out with Elayne and Egeanin was fun.
Mistress Elmindreda and the coupe of da Tower: This might have been my favorite story-line. Firstly, the Trakand brothers?!? Gawyn went nuts in the end. Galad obviously will now become a White Cloak (way to go Elaida). UGH! SIUAN IS STILLED!!!! WHAT! UGHRAAA! Real talk, the foreshadowing with Elaida and Min's visions was so much fun, although I didn't see the coupe coming. Siuan was probably my favorite character in this book (surprising I know). Siuan, Leane, Min, and Logain are bound to make an interesting group in book 5 and this is the part that has me hyped the most. There's not much to say here. It was a ride. I love Siuan. I love Min. I am really excited for Logain. This will be great.
Perrin Goldeneyes and his troubling love life ft. Emond's Field: This section was great. Perrin unfortunately didn't come back to my no. 1 spot he used to share with Nynaeve after book 1, but he had the most character growth I think. It was definitely reminiscent of Rand in book 2, where he says he isn't a lord, but is forced to be one anyway. The entire situation with Faile really pissed me off in the beginning. The way she used Loial pissed me off and I hated her. By the end though, I found her kind of endearing and the entire marriage stuff was hilarious and heart-warming in a bizarre way. Do I want a lot more of Faile? No, but I think things will die down a bit now that they are married.
The segment with Aram giving up the Way of the Leaf was heart-breaking. I cried so hard. It was one of the most powerful scenes I have ever read, to be honest. The Emond's Fielders getting together for that final showdown was epic. The struggle with White Cloaks in the end, was epic. It was all epic. I have no words. I am speechless. The one thing I want more of will be the pursuit of Slayer (Lord Luc?) and Loial. Then I will be happy.
That about wraps up my general thoughts on what happened. Hope it wasn't too chaotic :) (hide spoiler)]
4.25 stars **Many thanks to BookSirens, Daniel Maunz, and Black Rose Writing for this free copy in exchange for an honest review**
This book has everyth4.25 stars **Many thanks to BookSirens, Daniel Maunz, and Black Rose Writing for this free copy in exchange for an honest review**
This book has everything that I like about contemporary fiction. As a person who rarely reads it, just because it is hard for me to get recommendations that fit my taste, I decided to try and pick this genre up a bit more. I was not disappointed by choosing to read Questions of Perspective. Dave's friend John became God. It happened inexplicably. After sharing a glimpse of omnipresence/omnipotence Dave decides to change his life, making it one worth living. Along with John's old cat Peaches, we follow the two as Dave tries to figure out John, life, and his purpose. This books gives you a lot to think about in the best way possible. A stunning debut.
The themes and emotions in this book are the central piece. What's more, themes are executed very well. A lot of this is musings on what is the meaning in life when in reality we are just an insignificant little blip when comparing ourselves to the greater timeline of the world. (Yes this did give me an identity crisis). The reason why I think this theme has been done so well is because it is shown through plot and character. I came to really care about Dave, Peaches, John, and (later) Abby. The first half is moreso about fulfilling yourself, and the second about free-will and love. Maunz takes his time in establishing Dave and John but it is never boring. In the end, once again this helps bring the themes across.
Although most of the book's conflict is world-vs-man, since Dave gets a crisis and doesn't know what to do with his life, there is no real antagonist that we root against. Sometimes this is done poorly and the plot is stale. Maunz manages to avoid this pitfall by making each chapter end in a cliff-hanger and making you want to turn the page with his easy to read, to the point but characteristic prose. Later the conflict becomes more direct, without going into spoilers, all I can say is that the change in tone was very good and the pacing accelerates quite dramatically. Nothing is rushed, and the epilogue ties everything nicely together.
Overall, I am very impressed by this debut novel. It definitely gave me a lot to think about, and I know it will stay with the readers for a long time. ...more
“When someone’s presence gives you energy, when it riles up something in you—the way Daisy did for me—
4.25 stars **This is a spoiler-filled review**
“When someone’s presence gives you energy, when it riles up something in you—the way Daisy did for me—you can turn that energy into lust or love or hate.”
For me I wasn't sure which one I was feeling. I knew I would either love this book or hate it because the feelings that it made me experience got something out of me that no other novel has in a long time. Please look up the trigger warnings.
From the moment I started the first few chapters I felt like my blood was actually on fire. I felt s if an electric current was just running through my body all the time and it was quite scary. All because I didn't know what to think of Daisy Jones. For most of the book I didn't care for her or simply hated her for what she did to Billy. She redeemed herself in the end a bit but I still have a bad taste in my mouth from simply thinking about her. Why? Once in a while, a character comes along who goes through all the things that you're terrified of, makes you look at a new perspective, and you think to yourself "if they can do it, I can too." That's powerful. Camila is that character for me. I needed her to be happy and to succeed. Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing has the ability to make her made up celebrities seem so real that I found myself rooting for Camila even harder... but it also made it hard for me to read all the stuff going on with Daisy later on. This book does a phenomenal job showing how people view events differently and how history is very subjective. Even so, I scrutinised every line for reasons that could hint at a Billy Daisy romance because I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle it. Thankfully it didn't happen.
My issue with Daisy, initially, was that I found her boring and she is, in a lot of ways, the star of the book. Unfortunately I felt like this was being thrown in my face and I didn't care about a neglected rich pretty girl. So when she comes in and starts falling for Billy, I just got angry. It took me a while, and my best friend talking to me, to understand her... and that too was greatly influenced by Camila (her speech at the end).
“Billy:It’s an album about the push and pull of stability and instability. It’s about the struggle that I live almost every day to not do something stupid. Is it about love? Yeah, of course it is. But that’s because it’s easy to disguise almost anything as a love song.”
Billy Dunne was a fantastic character. But reading about what he did and how that affected Camila caused me to have a panic attack (I think I never know, I shook a lot and could speak because my jaw was clattering and i felt as if my heart would jump out of my chest). What really made me respect him though are two final things. Firstly, him leaving the alcohol to go back to his family. That scene was so emotional. The way it inter-spliced with Camila and Daisy's conversation added that little something to the weight of it all. Secondly, the fact that he didn't go to Daisy in the end after Camila died and allowed him to. The book was written five years after Camila's death and Daisy says that she and Billy didn't see each other again. That made me respect them so much because it showed their growth. And it made me decide that I wasn't gonna give this a low rating.
The reasons I lowered my rating is are mostly to do with Daisy Jones. At first I didn't care for her. Then I hated her. In the end she redeemed herself a bit. That redemption didn't erase the rest. Also, even though I respected Billy more because of that final email, isn't it a bit weird that (a) Camila would send that seems because it seems a bit out of character though she was older so what do I know, (b) that her daughters would agree to put it in a book about her father's scandals, (c) it was also kind of useless because we know nothing came of it from rereading the interviews, so other than giving more redemption to Billy, who really didn't need more after that bar scene, what was the point exactly?
The other band members' plot lines (especially the Karen+Graham and Eddie ones) were also great. Though definitely not the focus. I think Eddie's perspective was so interesting and that Daisy should have just been cut and Eddie could have been given more of a spot light. Karen and Graham I enjoyed a bit less, but let's just say I thought that they were the epitome of morally-gray characters in a normal world setting.
Overall, I need to get this book out of my body. I don't know if I regret reading it. On one hand I discovered possibly the most feminist, badass woman I've ever read (Camila), on the other hand I was shaking the 80% of the time I was reading it and now I am stressed and depressed.
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