marpar12's reviews
15 reviews

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This is definitely a book published in 1980, the gender portrayal is disappointing and not believable in the modern view of how humans evolved, BUT! It’s a great book to read to break a dry spell. I burned through the book in a week and the prose was so easy to move through, but not juvenile. The main girl is an amazing character, and is the relief for the gross gender norms. Such an interesting portrayal of the past. 

Crypt: Life, Death and Disease in the Middle Ages and Beyond by Alice Roberts

challenging informative slow-paced

3.0

Very slow, incredibly heavy on research detail. Reads almost like a textbook, but the information is still very interesting. It has a lot less to do with crypts and burials than it does diseases, so that surprised me a bit.

Royal Witches: Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England by Gemma Hollman

challenging informative tense slow-paced

3.0

Definitely a dry read, which I do not always fine to be the case with non-fiction. I know most readers are not non-fiction readers, but as a non-fiction reader, this was dry even for me. I do, however, so appreciate the history relayed in this book, it is so important for modern-day history readers to be able to think about the position of women in the stories that have been regularly told throughout the years. Very thankful for this book in that regard. 

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

The constant drama of war and honor is what this book revolves around.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Good god, this book. What a deep and winding path through the deepest pains and the most harrowing decisions. This is truly a tale of doing the best one can with what is given, and how so much of youth is folly. I will think about this book for a long time.

FWIW the author was a child abuser, in a Google search I read that all book sales go to Save The Children, but do your own investigating.

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

adventurous emotional inspiring tense 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

I love this series SO much, and all the travel in this one was such a delight to read

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

adventurous emotional inspiring tense 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

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

I read this book at the recommendation of a woman in my ladies night at the book store! It was so good! Very interesting injecting dragons into actual historical events, instead of creating a fictional world. I thought that was such an original approach. The story focuses very closely on the main human and his dragon, and I like them both so much. The story building around the different breeds of dragons is also so interesting.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I read this as I searched for a book I read in junior high. This wasn’t it, but it was so good. I love retellings of princess tales, and this did such a good job of it. Ani experiences such interesting character development, and the twist with her betrothed was so unexpected! The movement of the story is good, and the book is simple. 

Redwall by Brian Jacques

adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

I remember watching the cartoon series Redwall as a child, and enjoying it. I decided to read this, because the audiobook had a full cast, and I joined a challenge to listen to a full cast audiobook. What a wonderful decision to choose this, what a warm childhood delight. Obviously it is quite formulaic, but that does not take away from the fact that it is so lovable. The characters feel so familiar, and being able to enjoy a story about what is right, and good winning is very refreshing in a world that is so difficult to live in.