clacksee's reviews
1061 reviews

These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein

challenging dark 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

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

slow-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

0.25

What a load of racist, colonialist, misogynist, misandrist, ableist, eugenicist, homophobic, TERFy garbage. 

If this is feminism, keep it the hell away from me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and Husbandry by A.C. Huntley

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This one was well written and the characters were all compelling. The story was interesting.

But the main character was a challenge. She's a zookeeper who works with a species hunted to the brink of extinction for its internal organs. She agrees to traffic a member of this endangered species to a mob boss. And we're supposed to sympathise with her?

Sure, yes, eventually, she shows definite character growth. But I needed a little something to make me warm to her much earlier on.

The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Laugh-out loud funny. 

My one complaint is that I don’t want to read sexual assault played for comedic effect (but it’s funny, see, because it’s a woman doing it to a man). No. 

Other than that, this was highly enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Fallen Angel by Chris Brookmyre

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I worked out the ending quite early, but this was still a fun ride. 

Queen Amid Ashes by Christopher Ruocchio

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Thanks, I hate it. 

It’s like the author was inspired by Starship Troopers but missed the part where Starship Troopers is about the futility of war, not a glorification of it. 

Toxic masculinity, cis-heteronormativity, misogyny … this one’s got it all.

Christopher Ruocchio has an army (pun fully intended) of adoring fans. Every single sci-fi booktok account raves about this series. I’m sure he’ll be just fine without my endorsement.

On the plus side, the narrator did a good job.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War