2treads's reviews
260 reviews
The Book of Everlasting Things, by Aanchal Malhotra
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Malhotra's historical novel might be long but the details that she includes and her dedication to weaving the mystery and sensuality of smell and perfumery, the art of writing and manuscript construction was appreciated.
I've seen reviews lamenting the length and the mourning of first love lost, but when I listened, I found layers of stories beneath the romance that was halted before it could fully bloom, of a country divided, senseless violence and refusal to see where we are more alike than different, of family traditions and loss, of a war that swallowed men from nations who understood nothing of why their lives were called upon to serve, of finding a different kind of love even as we long for the love that ended prematurely.
I love the depths of the scents that ran through this story, of how each character could be associated with multiple smells and how they could evoke memories of times past and the unfolding of history. Although every love story does not end in happiness, their power to endure time and space was strongly epitomized in this tale.
I've seen reviews lamenting the length and the mourning of first love lost, but when I listened, I found layers of stories beneath the romance that was halted before it could fully bloom, of a country divided, senseless violence and refusal to see where we are more alike than different, of family traditions and loss, of a war that swallowed men from nations who understood nothing of why their lives were called upon to serve, of finding a different kind of love even as we long for the love that ended prematurely.
I love the depths of the scents that ran through this story, of how each character could be associated with multiple smells and how they could evoke memories of times past and the unfolding of history. Although every love story does not end in happiness, their power to endure time and space was strongly epitomized in this tale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence, War, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Xenophobia
Maame, by Jessica George
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“It made me grow up,” I answer. “It made me grow up when I should have had more time. It made my dad overlook me when I was a child, my mum leave me behind, and my brother get away with doing the bare minimum. It made me lonely and it made me sad. It made me responsible and guilty. It made me someone, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want to be.”
— Maddie on being called Maame
George's novel was so addictively enjoyable, even as the themes get deeper and more affecting. The obligatory existence of Maddie as daughter/caretaker, her reserved and naive character, and the slow way she blossoms as the story goes on.
I love her core friends who leave an impression even though they aren't on the page for long. Her mother is infuriating and the way she handles and handled her relationship with her children and husband had my teeth on edge.
But with compassion, George takes us into Maddie's life, her insecurities, her struggle with acknowledging the stress and weight of being the foundation for her father and the lack of support from her mother and brother. What drew me into this story was the premise of family and how obligation can become an unwelcome and almost physical millstone. As a person of Afro-Caribbean descent, this exists in my world as well and the familial dynamics were all too real for me.
With humour, moments of self-doubt and questioning, and vulnerability, George relays a story that is heartfelt and shows how familial expectation and pressure can manifest in quieting a voice and affecting mental health; but also leaving room for accessing support, speaking up for oneself, and finding a relationship where you feel safe.
— Maddie on being called Maame
George's novel was so addictively enjoyable, even as the themes get deeper and more affecting. The obligatory existence of Maddie as daughter/caretaker, her reserved and naive character, and the slow way she blossoms as the story goes on.
I love her core friends who leave an impression even though they aren't on the page for long. Her mother is infuriating and the way she handles and handled her relationship with her children and husband had my teeth on edge.
But with compassion, George takes us into Maddie's life, her insecurities, her struggle with acknowledging the stress and weight of being the foundation for her father and the lack of support from her mother and brother. What drew me into this story was the premise of family and how obligation can become an unwelcome and almost physical millstone. As a person of Afro-Caribbean descent, this exists in my world as well and the familial dynamics were all too real for me.
With humour, moments of self-doubt and questioning, and vulnerability, George relays a story that is heartfelt and shows how familial expectation and pressure can manifest in quieting a voice and affecting mental health; but also leaving room for accessing support, speaking up for oneself, and finding a relationship where you feel safe.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Mental illness
River Sing Me Home, by Eleanor Shearer
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Shearer has written a story that I consider a reclaiming. A story that burrows its way into your heart and psyche as Rachel searches for her children. This is a reclaiming for all our enslaved ancestors whose children were taken away from them, but who they would never forget.
It is poignant in its rendering of Rachel's determination, her insecurity, and her unrelenting desire as a mother to know and understand her children's own stories, how they survived, and the freedom they chose.
As a part of our fraught and violent history, Shearer writes with a powerful tenderness, focusing on a mother's journey and fears, her strength and losses as a result of slavery, and even though she makes clear how brutal Slavery was, it never takes from the tenderness and love of this story.
But what I loved the most about this book was her depiction of each of these characters defining freedom for themselves and moving to live that freedom their way, as well as how choice was at the forefront for Rachel and her children.
It is poignant in its rendering of Rachel's determination, her insecurity, and her unrelenting desire as a mother to know and understand her children's own stories, how they survived, and the freedom they chose.
As a part of our fraught and violent history, Shearer writes with a powerful tenderness, focusing on a mother's journey and fears, her strength and losses as a result of slavery, and even though she makes clear how brutal Slavery was, it never takes from the tenderness and love of this story.
But what I loved the most about this book was her depiction of each of these characters defining freedom for themselves and moving to live that freedom their way, as well as how choice was at the forefront for Rachel and her children.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Grief
Will Do Magic for Small Change, by Andrea Hairston
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
'Cut your chains and you become free; cut your roots and you die.'
'Love is what you got to do to be free.' -Aidan
"Civilization is a tight weave of ideas. Pull out the savage thread, and it all unravels." -Bob
Hairston's writing will not be for everyone, but the staccato-like resonance of her tale has me wanting to delve deeper into her world. Her use of history, magic, contemporary society(at the time), and science fiction proves that melding these together can make for great storytelling.
Cinnamon Jones has a lot to deal with: not being beautiful and svelte like the theatre scene warrants, an ornery mother who wants to keep her away from the magic that runs through her, a brother who believes deeply in her talent and magical essence, grandparents and an aunt that embody that magic, a family with strong and hurtful opinions, and secrets kept from her that weigh her down.
Incorporating a story within a story has always appealed to me when reading and with Cinnamon delving into the Chronicles of the Wanderer, we get to experience a bond between an ancient Dahomean warrior woman and a space-faring, shapeshifting alien wanderer.
Hairston does a great job of telling a story across space and time, infusing it with a magic all her own. Her awareness and reverence are on full display here and can be seen in the way she highlights familial and societal structures that do more harm than good. If you love stories that require close attention to detail and are absorbing, this one is for you.
'Love is what you got to do to be free.' -Aidan
"Civilization is a tight weave of ideas. Pull out the savage thread, and it all unravels." -Bob
Hairston's writing will not be for everyone, but the staccato-like resonance of her tale has me wanting to delve deeper into her world. Her use of history, magic, contemporary society(at the time), and science fiction proves that melding these together can make for great storytelling.
Cinnamon Jones has a lot to deal with: not being beautiful and svelte like the theatre scene warrants, an ornery mother who wants to keep her away from the magic that runs through her, a brother who believes deeply in her talent and magical essence, grandparents and an aunt that embody that magic, a family with strong and hurtful opinions, and secrets kept from her that weigh her down.
Incorporating a story within a story has always appealed to me when reading and with Cinnamon delving into the Chronicles of the Wanderer, we get to experience a bond between an ancient Dahomean warrior woman and a space-faring, shapeshifting alien wanderer.
Hairston does a great job of telling a story across space and time, infusing it with a magic all her own. Her awareness and reverence are on full display here and can be seen in the way she highlights familial and societal structures that do more harm than good. If you love stories that require close attention to detail and are absorbing, this one is for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Fatphobia
Minor: Gun violence
Alone With You in the Ether, by Olivie Blake
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Blake's romance is told in voices that I've not encountered before. Our two main characters are atypical/neurodivergent, smart, sarcastic, awkward, cold, cunning, and yet so utterly normal.
Their meeting is by chance, and the development and evolution of their relationship through an agreed number of conversations is so raw that it becomes a deep-seated desire for them both to see where it leads. The conversations that they have are in no way simple and their inclination to challenge and experience the other's worldview is sumptuous.
I love that as they get to know each other through sharing, questioning, and observing, the changes that envelope them both, as contrary as they may be to the ritual of their day-to-day, lead Aldo and Regan to reevaluate how they interact and move through spaces.
Blake has used some aspects of her experience living with mental health to evince these two characters with different personalities and social presence falling in love and contemplating their fallacies and strengths. It was refreshing to read them and experience their insecurities and raw emotions. The familial dynamics were also appreciated and helped in the molding of our main characters.
Their meeting is by chance, and the development and evolution of their relationship through an agreed number of conversations is so raw that it becomes a deep-seated desire for them both to see where it leads. The conversations that they have are in no way simple and their inclination to challenge and experience the other's worldview is sumptuous.
I love that as they get to know each other through sharing, questioning, and observing, the changes that envelope them both, as contrary as they may be to the ritual of their day-to-day, lead Aldo and Regan to reevaluate how they interact and move through spaces.
Blake has used some aspects of her experience living with mental health to evince these two characters with different personalities and social presence falling in love and contemplating their fallacies and strengths. It was refreshing to read them and experience their insecurities and raw emotions. The familial dynamics were also appreciated and helped in the molding of our main characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
In the Upper Country, by Kai Thomas
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
"Beware a dangerous tale, it is a knife that must be used, or left to lay." –Simeon
Having not read any fiction that portrays the lives of Black women and men who sought freedom across the border and who formed relations and relationships with Indigenous people, I was eager to read Thomas' novel. Add in that he is of Trini heritage and I was even more intrigued to see what he could do with this narrative. I was not disappointed.
Thomas uses a format that is inherent in our culture of passing on stories orally, of trading tales that bind and allow us to forge deeper community. The exchange of stories between Lensinda and the old woman is both illuminating and reflective. We learn of how a helping hand is extended, the ways in which persons flee bondage and are shepherded across into a community that welcomes and shields. We also witness how such a community thrives and supports each other.
And even when violence and dark actions were portrayed it was not for gratuitous satisfaction but to pprtray the reality under which Black bodies existed. There were many ways in which this narrative could have become mired in trauma, as is the history that is being depicted, but Thomas is thoughtful and intent on bringing stories of freedom fought and won to the fore.
I was reminded of other books that tackled similar stories and that were structured similarly and all were by Caribbean authors or authors of Caribbean heritage: The Confessions of Frannie Langton, The Polished Hoe, Remembrance, and Book of the Little Axe. It must be something in the blood, this way of rendering such history on the page.
Having not read any fiction that portrays the lives of Black women and men who sought freedom across the border and who formed relations and relationships with Indigenous people, I was eager to read Thomas' novel. Add in that he is of Trini heritage and I was even more intrigued to see what he could do with this narrative. I was not disappointed.
Thomas uses a format that is inherent in our culture of passing on stories orally, of trading tales that bind and allow us to forge deeper community. The exchange of stories between Lensinda and the old woman is both illuminating and reflective. We learn of how a helping hand is extended, the ways in which persons flee bondage and are shepherded across into a community that welcomes and shields. We also witness how such a community thrives and supports each other.
And even when violence and dark actions were portrayed it was not for gratuitous satisfaction but to pprtray the reality under which Black bodies existed. There were many ways in which this narrative could have become mired in trauma, as is the history that is being depicted, but Thomas is thoughtful and intent on bringing stories of freedom fought and won to the fore.
I was reminded of other books that tackled similar stories and that were structured similarly and all were by Caribbean authors or authors of Caribbean heritage: The Confessions of Frannie Langton, The Polished Hoe, Remembrance, and Book of the Little Axe. It must be something in the blood, this way of rendering such history on the page.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Slavery
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
The Atlas Six, by Olivie Blake
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The characters are addictive and everything you love to hate, and yet their machinations and personalities are so satisfying. The interpersonal relationships between the six become even more complex and unbalanced as alliances are made and broken, as desires shift and morph, and as each position themselves in what could reward them a spot within the inner echelon.
Blake's foray into dark academia is rewarding and immersive as her characters are compelling, the world interesting and the society that wishes to use their intellectual, magic, and skill is darkly attractive. They cleverly use each character's background and affinity to develop them and explain how some characteristics are linked to their magical bent and how they use it to pry information or embed them into the presence and circle of others.
Blake's foray into dark academia is rewarding and immersive as her characters are compelling, the world interesting and the society that wishes to use their intellectual, magic, and skill is darkly attractive. They cleverly use each character's background and affinity to develop them and explain how some characteristics are linked to their magical bent and how they use it to pry information or embed them into the presence and circle of others.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
São Paulo Noir, by Tony Bellotto
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
What do you want to see reflected in Noir?
These three anthologies have given the usual shocking crimes and expected detestable acts, but they also delivered stories that remained firmly in the gray areas of these cities and the people who live there.
– The city kills because it devours choice – from Coffee Stain
This anthology started with stories that focused on individuals who reacted in the moment, in which they or the ones they loved were wronged and which prompted them to respond to what they saw as betrayal or a disregard.
I never thought that I would be humored by noir stories, but there were a couple that knocked on the door of the absurd and got laughs out of me. Stories with scams and tricks so clear to the reader that it is easy to question the capacity of the dupe in the story. But when faced with similar situations in which one is showered with favour, how hard is it to take a step back.
These three anthologies have given the usual shocking crimes and expected detestable acts, but they also delivered stories that remained firmly in the gray areas of these cities and the people who live there.
– The city kills because it devours choice – from Coffee Stain
This anthology started with stories that focused on individuals who reacted in the moment, in which they or the ones they loved were wronged and which prompted them to respond to what they saw as betrayal or a disregard.
I never thought that I would be humored by noir stories, but there were a couple that knocked on the door of the absurd and got laughs out of me. Stories with scams and tricks so clear to the reader that it is easy to question the capacity of the dupe in the story. But when faced with similar situations in which one is showered with favour, how hard is it to take a step back.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Violence, and Murder
Neom, by Lavie Tidhar
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Neom is an interesting exploration of identity, choice, and what is left behind. Although I'm not familiar with Central Station, it is clear that Tidhar loves science fiction and the way he blends it in here with a futuristic yet ravaged world is brilliant and engaging. Even with all the technology that clearly exists and the advancement and space travel and colonization that is spoken of, there is still that human element that grounds the story.
I could pick up on influences of Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick with respect to the creation and purpose of the robots. Tidhar wanted to complicate the evolution and sentience of these robots which could be read in their interactions among themselves and with humans. I had a good time with this one and will be reading Central Station.
I could pick up on influences of Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick with respect to the creation and purpose of the robots. Tidhar wanted to complicate the evolution and sentience of these robots which could be read in their interactions among themselves and with humans. I had a good time with this one and will be reading Central Station.
De Book of Joseph, by Pamela Mordecai
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
- me did tink bout dat a long time. how a meaning can travel a difference of words like de same tune sound different on flute and psaltery - joseph
Mi love mi language. Patwa jus mek it betta.
Pamela Mordecai is a master when it comes to breathing life into a story weh ol' ol'.
Dis book is proof. An' if you doh believe me, go ask de book of Mary. I fell deep into the cadences, proverbs, sly chat, and rude talk. Reminiscent of how stories are shared and embellished in homes among family and friends, but with heart and humour.
Mordecai uses her considerable talent and intuition in creating a whole backstory for the man who raised the Son of God. I adore a writer who uses research and cultural knowledge to give us a tale that peels back a curtain to offer a glimpse at how this man's life unfolded.
Mi love mi language. Patwa jus mek it betta.
Pamela Mordecai is a master when it comes to breathing life into a story weh ol' ol'.
Dis book is proof. An' if you doh believe me, go ask de book of Mary. I fell deep into the cadences, proverbs, sly chat, and rude talk. Reminiscent of how stories are shared and embellished in homes among family and friends, but with heart and humour.
Mordecai uses her considerable talent and intuition in creating a whole backstory for the man who raised the Son of God. I adore a writer who uses research and cultural knowledge to give us a tale that peels back a curtain to offer a glimpse at how this man's life unfolded.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage