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mayphoenix7992's reviews
665 reviews
The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs, & Pictograms by Andrew Robinson
informative
fast-paced
3.25
Some aspects of this book were interesting, but it was too much aimed at a general audience for me to truly learn anything.
The Decipherment of Linear B by John Chadwick
informative
medium-paced
4.5
I was already familiar with the history of the decipherment of Linear B and I had wanted to read this book for almost a decade. Somehow, I never did until now. Such an interesting story. As niche of a topic as it is, John Chadwick explained it clearly enough for a general audience to grasp it. Michael Ventris is one of the names of Hellenic archaeology that should be mentioned as often as Schliemann and Evans.
Grecs Ont-Ils Cru Leurs Mythes ? . Essai Sur L'Imagination Constituante(les) by Paul Veyne
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Essai très intéressant mais un peu trop abstrait à mon goût par moments.
The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It was advised to me by a Waterstones bookseller. I picked it up because it was so different from my usual reads. It was a short but poignant story, a tragedy in the making from the very first page.
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"They [the tears] roll down her cheeks and join with the rain fresh from the sky, and I think that's the closest we'll ever get to the heavens."
First things first, had it not been for the ridiculous amount of "fucking" in this story, it'd have gotten a higher note from me. I suppose the author wanted to make the dialogue relatable to a modern audience and attempted to make it as accurate to the way Ancient Greeks spoke, but with me it was a swing and a miss. When it comes to historical fiction (and fantasy) I *really* can't with such lazy and lame attempts at making the story more mature by using "fuck" and "fucking" and other slangs.
Besides this hiccup, it's probably one of my favourite books of the year! I love how different it is from other historical fiction. I love the setting of Syracuse just after its victory against Athens, and at the end, just before its loss against Carthage. There was a beautiful Wheel of Fortune effect throughout the entire stories. Potters become directors, prisoners become actors, mourners become murderers.
Foolishly, I thought there'd be a happy ending for everyone. The Syracusans would come around and free the Athenians after coming together through the magic of plays, realising they weren't so different and loved the same things, and Lampo would have his romance with Lyra... but it didn't happen. The Syracusans watched the play but killed most actors. Lyra was bought by Tuireann. Not all Athenians made it out of the quarry.
Lampo, Gelon and Alekto working together to get the Athenians out of Syracuse was very touching. It was raw with realism because not all of them made it out.
First things first, had it not been for the ridiculous amount of "fucking" in this story, it'd have gotten a higher note from me. I suppose the author wanted to make the dialogue relatable to a modern audience and attempted to make it as accurate to the way Ancient Greeks spoke, but with me it was a swing and a miss. When it comes to historical fiction (and fantasy) I *really* can't with such lazy and lame attempts at making the story more mature by using "fuck" and "fucking" and other slangs.
Besides this hiccup, it's probably one of my favourite books of the year! I love how different it is from other historical fiction. I love the setting of Syracuse just after its victory against Athens, and at the end, just before its loss against Carthage. There was a beautiful Wheel of Fortune effect throughout the entire stories. Potters become directors, prisoners become actors, mourners become murderers.
Foolishly, I thought there'd be a happy ending for everyone. The Syracusans would come around and free the Athenians after coming together through the magic of plays, realising they weren't so different and loved the same things, and Lampo would have his romance with Lyra... but it didn't happen. The Syracusans watched the play but killed most actors. Lyra was bought by Tuireann. Not all Athenians made it out of the quarry.
Lampo, Gelon and Alekto working together to get the Athenians out of Syracuse was very touching. It was raw with realism because not all of them made it out.
Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"When the war began, and the young began to die, we had no words for it."
Bookclub read, but I would have read it anyway. It was heartbreaking and taught me so much about the Sri Lanka war and human resilience. I knew nothing about this part of the world, but I feel like I have a new respect for Tamil people.
I had also read 'Enter Ghost' from the Women's Prize Shortlist, which I had loved. 'Brotherless Night' had similar themes but was handled very differently. It seemed that it was more historical, very analytical and factual in the series of events and the way it was written, and yet Sashi's family was the moving force of the book.
The part where Dayalan has died and the narrator explains that there is no rite for the young people who die was the most haunting part for me.
The title is a masterpiece in itself. The story is threaded around it, around that first night alone, brotherless, and having to make decisions for herself and her grandmother.
Bookclub read, but I would have read it anyway. It was heartbreaking and taught me so much about the Sri Lanka war and human resilience. I knew nothing about this part of the world, but I feel like I have a new respect for Tamil people.
I had also read 'Enter Ghost' from the Women's Prize Shortlist, which I had loved. 'Brotherless Night' had similar themes but was handled very differently. It seemed that it was more historical, very analytical and factual in the series of events and the way it was written, and yet Sashi's family was the moving force of the book.
The part where Dayalan has died and the narrator explains that there is no rite for the young people who die was the most haunting part for me.
The title is a masterpiece in itself. The story is threaded around it, around that first night alone, brotherless, and having to make decisions for herself and her grandmother.
A Secret Vice: Tolkien on Invented Languages by J.R.R. Tolkien, Dimitra Fimi, Andrew Higgins
informative
slow-paced
3.75
An incredible overview of Tolkien's linguistic works and ideas which were fundamental in the development of the stories and mythopoeia of Middle-Earth, but also a great influence on fantasy authors and their world building.
La crue by Michael McDowell
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce premier livre de ma série Blackwater. J'aurai préféré si la nature d'Elinor était restée mystérieuse un peu plus longtemps plutôt que révéler qu'elle était une sorte de monstre d'eau aussi rapidement, mais l'histoire m'a agrippée. J'ai hâte de savoir quand et comment ils vont réaliser ce qu'il se passe réellement!
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
"For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each of us does his best. So, let us be alert - alert in a twofold sense:
Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of.
And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake."
This book showed up in my life when I needed it the most. As gruesome as the description of Viktor Frankl's experiences in concentration camps were, he brought out the human-ness of that experience in his testimony and the stories of other individuals.
It's a book about hope and resilience. It's a book about people.
Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of.
And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake."
This book showed up in my life when I needed it the most. As gruesome as the description of Viktor Frankl's experiences in concentration camps were, he brought out the human-ness of that experience in his testimony and the stories of other individuals.
It's a book about hope and resilience. It's a book about people.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I really liked this book! I found it a bit slow at the beginning, but after a good 200 pages, it picked up, and all the storylines introduced at the beginning came together at the end.
I spoiled myself *a little* by reading the summary of book 2, so I knew about Calo, Galdo and Bug not making it through the first book, but I hadn't expected them to die so early on! 😅
My big surprise was the identity of the Spider - I hadn't expected 🕷 to be a woman, but what a badass she is! Even Don and Doña Salvara turned out to be very interesting.
The Grey King and Falconer made for a great duo of villains, but I was sad for Vestris.
I'm curious about Sabetha and her story with Locke, and I wonder where Locke and Jean's story will sail to next!
I spoiled myself *a little* by reading the summary of book 2, so I knew about Calo, Galdo and Bug not making it through the first book, but I hadn't expected them to die so early on! 😅
My big surprise was the identity of the Spider - I hadn't expected 🕷 to be a woman, but what a badass she is! Even Don and Doña Salvara turned out to be very interesting.
The Grey King and Falconer made for a great duo of villains, but I was sad for Vestris.
I'm curious about Sabetha and her story with Locke, and I wonder where Locke and Jean's story will sail to next!