littlefreeinterrobang's reviews
48 reviews

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

dark tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

This is only the second novel I’ve read from this author, but he’s solidified himself as one of my favorites. His prose is straightforward but sharp, painting a vivid world populated with evocative characters. I don’t want to go into too much detail about why I loved this particular book lest I spoil some of the fun, but suffice to say it’s a captivating character study on pathological ambition — as the story traverses across multiple years of the antagonist’s life, his escalating ruthlessness leaves you eagerly awaiting his comeuppance, and it’s hard to put the book down for want of seeing it fulfilled. 

On the critical side, the behavior of the main and one other unsavory character sometimes verges on cartoonishly awful, and a pivotal plot point in the middle of the story hinges on a bit of a cliche. That same arc is concluded with an arguably gimmicky twist, and the story continues to stretch the boundaries of believability as it progresses to its conclusion. I found all these to be forgivable detractions, however, because it’s still a decidedly enjoyable ride.

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

dark emotional medium-paced

3.5

A morose story whose happy moments are few and far between, but worth the somber read for the commendable light it brings to a comparatively less-acknowledged aspect of WWII. The characters generally aren’t very likable and sometimes feel lacking in depth — the mother (alongside most of the others adults, really) is selfish and immature, and the son has very little characterization beyond the trauma he experiences. While the characters obviously don’t have to be likable, it would help elicit some connection and more sympathy for all the hardship they experience, so the story is more than just a parade of tragedies.

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

adventurous medium-paced

3.75

A predictable and tropey story with a pretty uninteresting, shallow romance, and a protagonist that can sometimes be aggravating with her immature moments and bad decisions. But, against my better judgment, I still enjoyed this one — I have a soft spot for vikings and norse mythology, and there was a particular reveal towards the end that was rather intriguing and made me interested in the sequel. The way magic was incorporated into the story, in the form of powers gifted by the gods to a select few, was a bit of good fun as well. And despite the many formulaic aspects of this book, there’s also some female, bloodthirsty rage that’s strangely satisfying in just how un-tropey it is. Overall, it feels like there’s some decent potential with this series, even if the first installment is fairly flawed.

Saga: Compendium One by Fiona Staples, Brian K. Vaughan

adventurous funny medium-paced

4.25

Super bingeable with creative characters inhabiting a surreal world — vibrant, violent, raunchy, humorous, and heartfelt. Skilled but unassuming artwork. A universe you can really sink your teeth into.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

dark mysterious fast-paced

3.25

A quick and easy read with a simple writing style. The initial set up felt like the story was going in a straightforward, boring direction, but it quickly moves past that to a more interesting premise.

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

medium-paced

3.5

A pleasant, quirky read with some likable characters and a unique story. Pro wrestling and OnlyFans / social media is a mashup I never would have considered, but they complement each other in a surprisingly delightful way. The changing perspective between first and third person was an intriguing storytelling device, and while it didn't seem to work for some readers, I kinda dug it; it helped paint Margot as an introspective character. All that said, certain aspects of the storyline felt honeyed or contrived, or not entirely believable – the relationship Margot develops with one of her fans, for instance, or the success she found with her weak concept for a collaboration storyline with the other OnlyFans workers. Regardless, a charming and enjoyable book.

Honey: A Novel by Isabel Banta

reflective slow-paced

3.75

If you’re expecting a fun and upbeat revisit of the frenzied, late nineties / early aughts pop scene, you might be disappointed by this book’s generally more serious tone. Honey explores the darker side of all that spectacle, layering coming-of-age uncertainty, insecurity, and anxiety over the toxicity of the entertainment industry’s celebrity-making machine. 

It felt like (or perhaps I was hoping) the story was slowly building up to some sort of big moment or turning point, but it never really comes to pass, and the ending was rather modest and subdued. Ultimately, not all that much happens, and it makes for a more ruminative reading experience than a plot-driven page turner.

There’s some unexpectedly lovely writing to be found in this book, although the first person perspective requires a little suspension of disbelief to allow such poetic self-reflections to come from a teenager.

The Future by Naomi Alderman

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

4.0

This story is a swirl of technological speculation, biblical allegory, philosophizing, scheming and manipulation, survivalism, multiple perspectives and timeline jumping, and numerous twists and turns. I enjoyed the exploration of what doomsday prepping might look like for a bunch of paranoid, self-important, tech-giant butthole billionaires, and lamented the all-too-feasible idea that for all their power and wealth, they would only ever think to employ it for their own gain (even if it all it meant is ruling over a pile of post-apocalyptic ashes). A little disjointed at times, but a fun ride regardless.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed the fundamental concept of this book: people pulled out of the past into our present, with designated guides to help them adjust to their new place in time. It’s a fun thought experiment, and the fish-out-of-water, slice-of-life, romance sorta thing is a cozy kind of story to curl up with. The pace is a bit meandering at first, which I personally didn’t mind, but it picks up towards the end when the story morphs into more of a mystery spy thriller. This is where it started to lose me, however — it felt like it was trying to be too many genres in one book, and it didn’t quite stick the landing with any of them. 

The author also uses a lot of creative and amusing turns of phrase, that, for the most part, I really appreciated, although at times they started to feel overdone or didn’t always make sense. 

Flawed, but a fun read regardless.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

adventurous mysterious 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

2.25

Horribly dull. Mythological fox people and a lie-detecting private detective sounds like a recipe for a compelling story, but if I wasn’t stuck on a 4.5 hour train ride with nothing else to do, I don’t think I would have managed to finished this. The detective’s pursuit of the titular protagonist was beyond tedious, and the protagonist’s own pursuit of the object of her revenge was just as boring. There were interesting things here and there, but this book’s length needed to be cut  in half to actually create an engaging pace.