anastasia_raf's reviews
131 reviews
Finding Me by Viola Davis
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
I don't think you can "rate" a person's life, so I'm just rating the pacing, the writing and the overall composition of the book.
I kept reading and reading and often wondered how did she kept on going? I know What kept her going, but still...how was that enough? A lot of her experiences brought me to tears, terrified me, and made me think of how lucky I am and how much protection, opportunity and "luck" White privilege provides.
Viola Davis is an incredible actor and so very talented in so many fields.
There were a lot of quotes from this memoir that stuck with me.
Here's one of them: "stop making love to something that's killing you."
I kept reading and reading and often wondered how did she kept on going? I know What kept her going, but still...how was that enough? A lot of her experiences brought me to tears, terrified me, and made me think of how lucky I am and how much protection, opportunity and "luck" White privilege provides.
Viola Davis is an incredible actor and so very talented in so many fields.
There were a lot of quotes from this memoir that stuck with me.
Here's one of them: "stop making love to something that's killing you."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Classism, Domestic abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Child abuse, Misogyny, Addiction, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Violence, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape
Θα γίνω σκιά σου: Βασισμένο σε αληθινή ιστορία by Αγγελική Νικολούλη
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Το Θα Γίνω Η Σκιά Σου, σε κρατάει αγωνιώντας με την ένταση του μυστήριου και παράλληλα σου μεταδίδει την ανάγκη που έχει η πρωταγωνίστρια να ξεσκεπαστεί η αλήθεια και να αποδοθεί δικαιοσύνη.
Η Αγγελική Νικολούλη πιστεύω προσπάθησε να αγγίξει σε θέματα πατριαρχίας, μισογυνισμου, τοξικής αρρενωπότητας, γυναικοκτονιας. ⚠️ΣΠΟΙΛ ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ Ωστόσο, ένιωσα ότι δεν έκανε ξεκάθαρες δηλώσεις και δεν καταδικάσε τον δράστη σαν μισογύνη γυναικοκτόνο αλλά σαν εγκληματία δολοφόνο παρόλο που έγιναν σχετικές νύξεις από την ίδια ως προς τα κίνητρα και τις σεξιστικές ιδεολογίες του και τον σεξισμό που διακατέχει την αστυνομία, την κοινωνία γενικότερα, και την κλασική κίνηση των αρχών (και όχι μόνο) να μην πιστεύουν τα θύματα βιασμού, ενδοοικογενειακής βίας, σεξουαλικής παρενόχλησης.
Ήθελα μια ολοφάνερη στάση πάνω σε αυτό, έστω μια απλή δήλωση όπως και έκανε και ως μητέρα για την ανατροφή του παιδιού της. Ήθελα την δήλωση της σαν γυναίκα και μάλιστα μια γυναίκα που εργάζεται σε χώρους που απαρτίζουν κυρίως άνδρες.
Η γραφή της δείχνει και από μόνη της ότι υπάρχει ικανότητα, η οποία όμως χρειάζεται εξάσκηση.
Μου αρέσε η ευθύτητα της γραφής της γιατί προσθέτει στην ανατριχίλα και ρεαλιστικότητα τέτοιων γεγονότων αλλά περιγραφικά, και γύρω από το πάθος βρήκα υπερβολική την εξιστόρηση που όμως μπορεί να παραπέμπει στο μανιακό κλίμα που θέλει να χτίσει γύρω από τις τοξικές και καταστροφικές σχέσεις.
Δυστυχώς οι χαρακτήρες για εμένα ήταν πολύ πεζοί κάτι που πολλοί συγγραφείς κάνουν όταν πρόκειται για βιβλίο που βασίζεται σε πραγματική ιστορία διότι είναι άτομα που ερεύνησαν εξονυχιστικά και ενδεχομένως γνώρισαν οπότε παραλείπουν την χτίση μιας ολοκληρωμένης, τρισδιάστατης προσωπικότητας και απλά μας λέγονται τα χαρακτηριστικά που έχουν κάποιο ρόλο στη ροή των γεγονότων.
Για παράδειγμα, όλοι περιέγραφαν την Κατερίνα όπως την γνώρισαν ενώ εμείς σαν αναγνώστες τη μάθαμε μόνο ως το θύμα, ως το ατομο μέσα σε μια βίαιη, κακοποιητικη σχέση το οποίο κάνει δύσκολη την σύνδεση και την συμπόνια απέναντι της διότι η συγγραφέας δεν σε έβαλε στην διαδικασία να νιώσεις αλλά να μάθεις μόνο.
Αναμφίβολα η Αγγελική Νικολούλη είναι άψογη αφηγήτρια, το κομμάτι όμως της συγγραφέως θέλει σμίλευση.
I will become your shadow, is full of suspense and intrigue that keep you on the edge of your seat and makes the need of the protagonist for justice and the unraveling of the truth contagious.
Aggeliki Nikolouli, I believe, tried to touch upon subjects like patriarchy, misogyny, toxic masculinity, womanicide.
⚠️SPOILER⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ But, I felt like there were mere hints and not explicit statements. The author did not condemn the criminal as a misogynistic murderer, rather as a criminal. A killer, even though she herself implied on the sexist intentions and ideologies of the murderer and the sexism that is prominent in not only police stations but society in general, -also the classic move of police never believing the victims of violence, domestic abuse, harassment, rape.
I wanted a clear statement from the author on such topics. Even a simple one, like she disclosed her beliefs on motherhood and the upbringing of a child. I wanted the statement of her as a woman, and a woman that works in male dominated jobs, at that!
Her writing alone shows her potential, but, some needed practice!
I like the straightforwardness of her writing, it adds at the creepiness and realness of such cases. But, I found the descriptiveness around romance and passion hyperbolic? Which might have be intentional in order to show the toxic and manic environment surrounding destructive and abusive relationships.
Unfortunately the characters fell flat for me... Something that a lot of writers do when they are writing a story and characters based on real circumstances and people- people(characters,) that they explored thoroughly and in depth, they neglect the construction of a dimensioanal, rich personality and just mention characteristics that may help in the "chain of events."
For example; all of them described Katerina as they knew her, but we -as an audience- we only met her as the victim. As the person who was in an abusive relationship, which makes hard relating and sympathising with her because the author did not put us in a position where we had to feel, we just had to know; anything that served the author and story.
Aggeliki Nikolouli is, undoubtedly, a flawless narrator; is the writing part that needs honing.
Η Αγγελική Νικολούλη πιστεύω προσπάθησε να αγγίξει σε θέματα πατριαρχίας, μισογυνισμου, τοξικής αρρενωπότητας, γυναικοκτονιας. ⚠️ΣΠΟΙΛ ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ Ωστόσο, ένιωσα ότι δεν έκανε ξεκάθαρες δηλώσεις και δεν καταδικάσε τον δράστη σαν μισογύνη γυναικοκτόνο αλλά σαν εγκληματία δολοφόνο παρόλο που έγιναν σχετικές νύξεις από την ίδια ως προς τα κίνητρα και τις σεξιστικές ιδεολογίες του και τον σεξισμό που διακατέχει την αστυνομία, την κοινωνία γενικότερα, και την κλασική κίνηση των αρχών (και όχι μόνο) να μην πιστεύουν τα θύματα βιασμού, ενδοοικογενειακής βίας, σεξουαλικής παρενόχλησης.
Ήθελα μια ολοφάνερη στάση πάνω σε αυτό, έστω μια απλή δήλωση όπως και έκανε και ως μητέρα για την ανατροφή του παιδιού της. Ήθελα την δήλωση της σαν γυναίκα και μάλιστα μια γυναίκα που εργάζεται σε χώρους που απαρτίζουν κυρίως άνδρες.
Η γραφή της δείχνει και από μόνη της ότι υπάρχει ικανότητα, η οποία όμως χρειάζεται εξάσκηση.
Μου αρέσε η ευθύτητα της γραφής της γιατί προσθέτει στην ανατριχίλα και ρεαλιστικότητα τέτοιων γεγονότων αλλά περιγραφικά, και γύρω από το πάθος βρήκα υπερβολική την εξιστόρηση που όμως μπορεί να παραπέμπει στο μανιακό κλίμα που θέλει να χτίσει γύρω από τις τοξικές και καταστροφικές σχέσεις.
Δυστυχώς οι χαρακτήρες για εμένα ήταν πολύ πεζοί κάτι που πολλοί συγγραφείς κάνουν όταν πρόκειται για βιβλίο που βασίζεται σε πραγματική ιστορία διότι είναι άτομα που ερεύνησαν εξονυχιστικά και ενδεχομένως γνώρισαν οπότε παραλείπουν την χτίση μιας ολοκληρωμένης, τρισδιάστατης προσωπικότητας και απλά μας λέγονται τα χαρακτηριστικά που έχουν κάποιο ρόλο στη ροή των γεγονότων.
Για παράδειγμα, όλοι περιέγραφαν την Κατερίνα όπως την γνώρισαν ενώ εμείς σαν αναγνώστες τη μάθαμε μόνο ως το θύμα, ως το ατομο μέσα σε μια βίαιη, κακοποιητικη σχέση το οποίο κάνει δύσκολη την σύνδεση και την συμπόνια απέναντι της διότι η συγγραφέας δεν σε έβαλε στην διαδικασία να νιώσεις αλλά να μάθεις μόνο.
Αναμφίβολα η Αγγελική Νικολούλη είναι άψογη αφηγήτρια, το κομμάτι όμως της συγγραφέως θέλει σμίλευση.
I will become your shadow, is full of suspense and intrigue that keep you on the edge of your seat and makes the need of the protagonist for justice and the unraveling of the truth contagious.
Aggeliki Nikolouli, I believe, tried to touch upon subjects like patriarchy, misogyny, toxic masculinity, womanicide.
⚠️SPOILER⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ But, I felt like there were mere hints and not explicit statements. The author did not condemn the criminal as a misogynistic murderer, rather as a criminal. A killer, even though she herself implied on the sexist intentions and ideologies of the murderer and the sexism that is prominent in not only police stations but society in general, -also the classic move of police never believing the victims of violence, domestic abuse, harassment, rape.
I wanted a clear statement from the author on such topics. Even a simple one, like she disclosed her beliefs on motherhood and the upbringing of a child. I wanted the statement of her as a woman, and a woman that works in male dominated jobs, at that!
Her writing alone shows her potential, but, some needed practice!
I like the straightforwardness of her writing, it adds at the creepiness and realness of such cases. But, I found the descriptiveness around romance and passion hyperbolic? Which might have be intentional in order to show the toxic and manic environment surrounding destructive and abusive relationships.
Unfortunately the characters fell flat for me... Something that a lot of writers do when they are writing a story and characters based on real circumstances and people- people(characters,) that they explored thoroughly and in depth, they neglect the construction of a dimensioanal, rich personality and just mention characteristics that may help in the "chain of events."
For example; all of them described Katerina as they knew her, but we -as an audience- we only met her as the victim. As the person who was in an abusive relationship, which makes hard relating and sympathising with her because the author did not put us in a position where we had to feel, we just had to know; anything that served the author and story.
Aggeliki Nikolouli is, undoubtedly, a flawless narrator; is the writing part that needs honing.
Infamous by Lex Croucher
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I just finished infamous and I feel that I should maybe sleep on it before writing anything but also know that I need to write this review while I'm still being haunted by its pages.
Did I enjoy the book? Yes and no. Honestly being described as a queer romance feels a bit misleading?
It is queer and it has a little romance but it's also heavy. It explores women's stance in society, it LIGHTLY refers to colonialism and racism. It also refers to toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and the predatory "nature" of white cis men. Was all of it perfectly executed? No. But the message was delivered.
It felt a bit triggering for me reading a book where I could see myself- a young woman being misled and manipulated by a man. A queer person struggling to accept herself. I have read books that were more triggering and difficult but somehow with this book I felt like I was reliving the most ugly and hurtful moments of my life. Nash reminded me too much of someone dangerous and scary and I felt sickened by his appearance in the book. I didn't know it was going to be heavy (personally speaking always,) going into it but please be careful if you get triggered by such themes as well.
The writing was solid. The protagonists felt real enough. The side characters weren't explored as much as I wish they were. There was such chemistry between Rose and Eddie, I loved it. Would I have given Eddie as many chances as Rose gave her? Probably not, probably yes.
Do I believe Eddie is spoiled, single-minded, selfish and thoughtless towards the feelings of others? Yes. Do I believe she has the potential of growth? Also yes.
I truly liked Rose. I know she has spunk and I wanted to see more of it. Nonetheless she was an absolute delight.
I loved Dayo, Albert and occasionally Valentine, but as I said, they weren't greatly explored and their presence seemed "out of necessity" than actual contribution to the story.
The best way I can describe it, is as a semi-biography of an author. Of Eddie.
Did I enjoy the book? Yes and no. Honestly being described as a queer romance feels a bit misleading?
It is queer and it has a little romance but it's also heavy. It explores women's stance in society, it LIGHTLY refers to colonialism and racism. It also refers to toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and the predatory "nature" of white cis men. Was all of it perfectly executed? No. But the message was delivered.
It felt a bit triggering for me reading a book where I could see myself- a young woman being misled and manipulated by a man. A queer person struggling to accept herself. I have read books that were more triggering and difficult but somehow with this book I felt like I was reliving the most ugly and hurtful moments of my life. Nash reminded me too much of someone dangerous and scary and I felt sickened by his appearance in the book. I didn't know it was going to be heavy (personally speaking always,) going into it but please be careful if you get triggered by such themes as well.
The writing was solid. The protagonists felt real enough. The side characters weren't explored as much as I wish they were. There was such chemistry between Rose and Eddie, I loved it. Would I have given Eddie as many chances as Rose gave her? Probably not, probably yes.
Do I believe Eddie is spoiled, single-minded, selfish and thoughtless towards the feelings of others? Yes. Do I believe she has the potential of growth? Also yes.
I truly liked Rose. I know she has spunk and I wanted to see more of it. Nonetheless she was an absolute delight.
I loved Dayo, Albert and occasionally Valentine, but as I said, they weren't greatly explored and their presence seemed "out of necessity" than actual contribution to the story.
The best way I can describe it, is as a semi-biography of an author. Of Eddie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Homophobia, and Death
Minor: Slavery, Racism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Cursing, Colonisation, and Classism
The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
"Trust looks like a girl who wants to live so badly she forgot she's dead."
Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until everything changed. The two friends were not only separated by not only two different worlds- a witch bound by duty and a vampire bound by " call It what you will, fate, destiny... - A horse." ( See what I did there tangled fans?) but by actual life and death. Can the two build a bridge to connect these two worlds? Or shall I say, can they see the light in a society that uses hatred as a fog? Scary and malicious until you cross and get to the other side.
If you find all these themes interesting then my I guess is this book is for you, and I recommend you pick it up. But I'm not here to discuss only ideas, I'm here to discuss the execution of said ideas as well. Following is my personal opinion, what I want and look for in a book and in no way shape or form Is my intention to discourage you from reading this book. This audiobook was provided to me by Netgalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review! Many thanks to the publishers.
It was just trying to do too much. It was Vampire diaries mixed with first kill and twilight, with some Rapunzel themes involved. In my opinion, it had nothing going for it but vibes.
Sometimes one of the protagonists would have an epiphany about their beliefs and opinions starting to actually analyze them and question them, then next thing you know they're back like this whole act of thinking belonged to someone else entirely!
The characters felt two- dimensional. All we ever got about Kaye's past was that her mother was dead...And in a weird sense I felt like she was grieving her in everyone else's eyes other than her own? What I mean by this Is that death seemed like an excuse to everyone's actions but without necessarily having dealt with such grief or actually stop and feel it. Was she actually grieving her mother? because that's what it kept saying and yet not showing.
The end was unsatisfactory to say the least.
Ava was a mix of Bella with some nuances of Rapunzel and some sprinkles of a cliche ya protagonist. I just wish it would've done more. Especially from a such overused "genre" like vampires and witches. It relied too much on it being an inspiration of famous tales, series and stories that it forgot to bring it's own. Everything was so underdeveloped. Predictable. And calluna did never feel like a person that really existed. I guess in that sense it succeed in her being a memory but not actually empathizing with her or caring for Kaye's loss.
The characters felt two- dimensional. All we ever got about Kaye's past was that her mother was dead...And in a weird sense I felt like she was grieving her in everyone else's eyes other than her own? What I mean by this Is that death seemed like an excuse to everyone's actions but without necessarily having dealt with such grief or actually stop and feel it. Was she actually grieving her mother? because that's what it kept saying and yet not showing.
The end was unsatisfactory to say the least.
Ava was a mix of Bella with some nuances of Rapunzel and some sprinkles of a cliche ya protagonist. I just wish it would've done more. Especially from a such overused "genre" like vampires and witches. It relied too much on it being an inspiration of famous tales, series and stories that it forgot to bring it's own. Everything was so underdeveloped. Predictable. And calluna did never feel like a person that really existed. I guess in that sense it succeed in her being a memory but not actually empathizing with her or caring for Kaye's loss.
The only bonus for me was the queerness and the lack of the said word. Sexuality just existed and it didn't have to be analyzed or categorized.
The pace was satisfactory. The audiobook's narration was very pleasant.
The pace was satisfactory. The audiobook's narration was very pleasant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Emotional abuse, Violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
This Book Will (Help) Cool the Climate: 50 Ways to Cut Pollution, Speak Up and Protect Our Planet! by Isabel Thomas, Alex Paterson
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Smalls steps can make the biggest difference. This book might provide simple changes in habits and light information on climate change but I believe it is effective nonetheless!
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I read Romeo and Juliet because I wanted to see what all the fuss is about...
I get the "hype" surrounding it, and I imagine it was original and singular in its era... But I barely enjoyed it.
It had some pretty beautiful and lyrical writing in it, and yet so many problematic themes and sentences as well. But as the format I read mentioned, it's not an "unscathed" representation of his work; it has been polished, changed, misrepresented, misunderstood and even experimented with in the theatre.
So I guess, we really cannot know "what the poet was trying to say."
I get the "hype" surrounding it, and I imagine it was original and singular in its era... But I barely enjoyed it.
It had some pretty beautiful and lyrical writing in it, and yet so many problematic themes and sentences as well. But as the format I read mentioned, it's not an "unscathed" representation of his work; it has been polished, changed, misrepresented, misunderstood and even experimented with in the theatre.
So I guess, we really cannot know "what the poet was trying to say."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexism, Misogyny, Suicide, Grief, and Death
Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In The Atlas six by Olivie Blake, we follow six characters, each one has their own agenda but all of them must walk through the doors of the Alexandrian society in order to gain access to means necessary to succeed their personal goals. How far are you willing to go to get what you want? Are you ready to sacrifice your morals? To sacrifice your soul? Would you sacrifice another’s soul?
I still cannot decide if I liked the book or disliked it, or just didn’t care for it. It took me too long to become interested in the story; It started getting intriguing after 200 pages. I believe it’s a bit predictable… I guessed almost everything. It is a unique story, but the characters seemed mediocre to me. The author was so concerned in convincing us of everyone’s “gray morality” that I couldn’t distinguish any personalities within them. It felt like I read everything from the same POV but with just different “magical” abilities each time. Although I have a feeling that it’s going to be improved in the next books. Maybe I just need more time with them! I think I need to see how they behave outside of the society, how they are without one another, what they become on their own.
I liked the writing. The dialogue was pleasing as well! But I’m not sure if it’s enough for me to continue with the second book…
''A flaw of humanity,( said Parisa) the compulsion to be unique, which is at war with the desire to belong to a single identifiable sameness.''
I still cannot decide if I liked the book or disliked it, or just didn’t care for it. It took me too long to become interested in the story; It started getting intriguing after 200 pages. I believe it’s a bit predictable… I guessed almost everything. It is a unique story, but the characters seemed mediocre to me. The author was so concerned in convincing us of everyone’s “gray morality” that I couldn’t distinguish any personalities within them. It felt like I read everything from the same POV but with just different “magical” abilities each time. Although I have a feeling that it’s going to be improved in the next books. Maybe I just need more time with them! I think I need to see how they behave outside of the society, how they are without one another, what they become on their own.
I liked the writing. The dialogue was pleasing as well! But I’m not sure if it’s enough for me to continue with the second book…
''A flaw of humanity,( said Parisa) the compulsion to be unique, which is at war with the desire to belong to a single identifiable sameness.''
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Murder, Terminal illness, Violence, Death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women by Grace Chan, Gabriela Lee, Nadia Bulkin, Alma Katsu, Geneve Flynn, Rin Chupeco, Angela Yuriko Smith, Rena Mason, Elaine Cuyegkeng, Christina Sng, Lee Murray
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-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? Yes
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the RDS Publishing for providing me with an e-book!!
"In Black Cranes: Tales of unquiet Women, Southeast Asian writers of horror both embrace and reject these traditional roles in a unique collection of stories which dissect their experiences of 'otherness,' be it in the colour of their skin, the angle of their cheekbones, the things they dare to write, or the places they have made for themselves in the world."
This collection of short stories was very enticing and intriguing. Some of the stories I loved and some I think, would benefit better as a novella or even a novel.
The foreword by Alma Katsu was my favorite part of this anthology. It was passionate, so unflinchingly real, and so unapologetic. It was a statement that "Asian women can be many things. The only thing we can't be is defeated." Here are more quotes from it:
"We are expected to attend to the psychical needs: lifting, carrying, feeding, bathing. We change their diapers and wipe up their diarrhea, the insult stinging twice as bad for knowing we were always the less-favored child, being women."
"These stories demonstrate the diversity of Asian life as reflected in its storytelling. Just as there is no one type of woman, there is no single, all-encompassing notion of Asia. It is too multifaceted to be contained in one identity."
My favorite stories were:
1. The Genetic Alchemist's Daughter by Elaine Cuyegkeng. The storytelling was flawless. I want a whole book dedicated to this story.
2. A Pet is For Life by Ganeve Flynn. A horrifyingly delicious story.
3. Fury by Christina Sng. I'm a sucker for anything dystopian, and this delivered on so many levels; especially the characters. They were so well rounded and felt like we even got a backstory for them. I would follow them to every apocalypse.
4.Little worm by Geneve Flynn. Haunting and memorable.
An honorable mention is Mark by Grace Chan. I liked the atmosphere of this story and how unrevealing it was but I believe it was way too short for it to actually stay with you.
The only criticism I have, as with most horror books, is the use of some ableist phrases and/or words, but on that we all have to check further with disabled reviewers, readers,writers.
I had a splendid time reading each and every last one of these stories, and I can't wait for more people to experience them and love them.
"In Black Cranes: Tales of unquiet Women, Southeast Asian writers of horror both embrace and reject these traditional roles in a unique collection of stories which dissect their experiences of 'otherness,' be it in the colour of their skin, the angle of their cheekbones, the things they dare to write, or the places they have made for themselves in the world."
This collection of short stories was very enticing and intriguing. Some of the stories I loved and some I think, would benefit better as a novella or even a novel.
The foreword by Alma Katsu was my favorite part of this anthology. It was passionate, so unflinchingly real, and so unapologetic. It was a statement that "Asian women can be many things. The only thing we can't be is defeated." Here are more quotes from it:
"We are expected to attend to the psychical needs: lifting, carrying, feeding, bathing. We change their diapers and wipe up their diarrhea, the insult stinging twice as bad for knowing we were always the less-favored child, being women."
"These stories demonstrate the diversity of Asian life as reflected in its storytelling. Just as there is no one type of woman, there is no single, all-encompassing notion of Asia. It is too multifaceted to be contained in one identity."
My favorite stories were:
1. The Genetic Alchemist's Daughter by Elaine Cuyegkeng. The storytelling was flawless. I want a whole book dedicated to this story.
2. A Pet is For Life by Ganeve Flynn. A horrifyingly delicious story.
3. Fury by Christina Sng. I'm a sucker for anything dystopian, and this delivered on so many levels; especially the characters. They were so well rounded and felt like we even got a backstory for them. I would follow them to every apocalypse.
4.Little worm by Geneve Flynn. Haunting and memorable.
An honorable mention is Mark by Grace Chan. I liked the atmosphere of this story and how unrevealing it was but I believe it was way too short for it to actually stay with you.
The only criticism I have, as with most horror books, is the use of some ableist phrases and/or words, but on that we all have to check further with disabled reviewers, readers,writers.
I had a splendid time reading each and every last one of these stories, and I can't wait for more people to experience them and love them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Misogyny, and Blood
Moderate: Stalking and Pregnancy
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Dementia, Classism, Ableism, Gaslighting, and Death
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Sorry, I cannot form words right now...let alone a whole review. I'll write one soon. Right now I just want to curl up with the book in my chest and never let it go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Classism, Death, Medical content, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, Misogyny, Colonisation, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Vomit, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Torture