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lighterthaneyre's reviews
161 reviews
The Fixer by Lee Winter
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The main couple... Sort of slow burns. Actually it feels more like exposition for the sequel where the relationship will actually tease out. (So it feels- haven't read book 2.)
Also, every one of Eden's friends were on Tumblr during their formative years, I just sense it.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The pacing and magic type felt very different from what I expected from Jemisin- not in a bad way, but in a way that took me off guard. I would say that these books are speaking to emotional truths, not logical truths. In a different magic system, I think we would have needed a third book to resolve the plot, and I think what happens works here, but it was not something I expected. The final confrontation is a conversation, and that does work, but it's so different from how every other confrontation went down in the series/the genre as a whole, it was a little jarring. I also think it would be hard to continue the metaphorical battles, because the things being fought are still issues being grappled with today. We don't know how to solve the issues, so they can't be metaphor-ed into kaiju.
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
dark
tense
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? Yes
4.0
This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Didn't enjoy the writing style very much.
Characterization was weak. It was very much supposed to be a "worst traits emphasized by evil" type plot, but there was no set up to who they were Before, so everyone was just unlikable and "corrupted" from the jump. No relationships fracturing or breaking down, just ugly clawing and fighting.
I didn't enjoy the horror elements very much. Fairly gory.The supernatural "thing" felt extremely weak to me. Flashing back to previous people killed by the land, evil ghosts but also somehow just evil land? The strongest parts were the land warping to herd the victims, but the ghosts were incredibly weak.
Characterization was weak. It was very much supposed to be a "worst traits emphasized by evil" type plot, but there was no set up to who they were Before, so everyone was just unlikable and "corrupted" from the jump. No relationships fracturing or breaking down, just ugly clawing and fighting.
I didn't enjoy the horror elements very much. Fairly gory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
I don't think everything makes total complete sense logistically, but I think it comes together emotionally with the themes.
Killing the trifecta off so early, not really digging into the "Riga is what Rin could be",even Rin asking to be killed in the end. I don't think those make like, logistical sense.
The themes of the first books are brought together well.The way the Hisperians are handled, a necessary evil, an inevitable blight, was really interesting. Their city and how our of place it felt, the racist bullshit they normalize, they're meddling, winning even when they militarily lost. Fuck, I *felt* Rin when they demanded access for their missionaries in return for grain. God I felt how infuriating it was for them to lose and still demand so much. Also sending the missionary to your evil gods rules, 10/10. Rins descent past reason, never stopping, losing everyone around her as they want to lay down their arms, it worked so well
The themes of the first books are brought together well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction and Abortion
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
The writing style was SO distracting. Constant dropping Viking vocab words, so often it broke the flow and meant I couldn't picture any scene
Camp Daze by Katy L. Wood
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
3.75
The characters are really compelling, and the tension of caring for children they are Suddenly forever responsible for is really well done.
The emphasis of surviving including mental care, release of grief and staying mentally engaged was really nice.
It was nice to see a story like this that wasn't Mad Max. It's cautious people taking care of each other. Also, honestly nice that the ace character doesn't get a "someone loves them so much they outgrow their ace-ness" plot. The friendships and platonic bonds are treated as important, and no one makes a dig at being ace.
I will be excited to get the next book
The emphasis of surviving including mental care, release of grief and staying mentally engaged was really nice.
It was nice to see a story like this that wasn't Mad Max. It's cautious people taking care of each other. Also, honestly nice that the ace character doesn't get a "someone loves them so much they outgrow their ace-ness" plot. The friendships and platonic bonds are treated as important, and no one makes a dig at being ace.
I will be excited to get the next book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Blood, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
The war is discussed in survival terms, in terms of radiation and evacuation routes. It's treated as a set up to the situation, and a thing to be anxious over at a distance. Depictions of war like violence are not shown. Surviving an attack is now shown. There is no physically violent, interpersonal conflict.
Hunting is discussed at detail, and there are hunting scenes shown. There is discussion of intentional and unintentional animal death as a part of a survival situation. Discussions are not cruel, they are framed as practical
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I like the way this book turned over themes in its hands, looking at different angles. It's slow, introspective. The main character is as defined by her flaws as she is by the hurts she's received. The ending is satisfying, the way pressing on a bruise can be satisfying. I don't think it's happy, but it's better than it could have turned out