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mkmcelroy's reviews
302 reviews
Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
4.5
There is something special about Nghi Vo’s ability to weave a magic system so intuitive that it never needs to be explained and so human that it could provide emotional stakes to the story all by itself. That skill shone through in Siren Queen and really capitalized on the inherent romanticism / “magic” of the movie world to create a consistently engaging atmosphere.
I also found this to be Vo’s best character work yet. After the short time it took me to get into the book, I found the main character so captivatingly flawed yet understandable that I always found myself rooting for her. Each of the side characters brought something complicated to the table and watching them each find their own way was comforting.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who appreciates character work or soft magic systems.
I also found this to be Vo’s best character work yet. After the short time it took me to get into the book, I found the main character so captivatingly flawed yet understandable that I always found myself rooting for her. Each of the side characters brought something complicated to the table and watching them each find their own way was comforting.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who appreciates character work or soft magic systems.
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
4.0
Some really great atmosphere and natural imagery. It’s exploration of aging and death as well as where the cruelty of man comes from was interesting and probably worth a reread.
Candide by Voltaire
2.0
While the approach to satire and absurdism was interesting, it felt too heavy handed to truly invest in the plot or characters.