thereadingrambler's reviews
970 reviews

The Tain (from the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge) by Anonymous

2.5

Honestly, I have no idea how to review this book. Or how to rate it. I gave it a solid 2.5. Exact middle of the range so I don't have to make real decisions. Because this is a medieval epic, folktale, legend...thing. So critiquing it too harshly seems like critiquing Irish culture itself. But this was an experience. A lot of death. Not a lot of cows.   

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

In the acknowledgments/author's note, Scalzi talks about how this book came to exist. He was working on another, more "serious" book. But then 2020 happened and working on something that intense and dark was just not within his emotional capabilities. After struggling with the book for over a year, he eventually abandoned it. According to him, the next day the concept for this book just plunked itself into his head and he wrote the first draft in just a few months. 

This book is not serious. It is actually pretty ridiculous and a little nonsensical. Some people might be confused about why it has won awards, but I think the above paragraph is actually the exact reason why the book has won awards. The book captures something about what we have wanted in the world and what we still want in the world. This is a variation on the cozy fantasy energy—a kinda goofy, kinda ridiculous science fiction novel that doesn't take itself too seriously. 

The characters are loveable; the plot is simple; the bad guy is very inherently villainous with a really straightforward motivation. There's nothing that's hard or confusing. It's a literary soft place to land. I really enjoyed this. It isn't difficult; it is fun. Don't go into this expecting some nuanced or original critique of...anything really. But you will have a good time.       

Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane

4.5

This is a hard book to review because how you engage with this book and respond to its style and contents will be very personal to you and your experience. The book is poetic and philosophical, ranging over dozens of topics in a fluid, almost stream-of-consciousness, manner. For some, this style might be frustrating. Macfarlane doesn't linger on a topic; he circles around it, gently brushes by it, teases you with ideas and concepts. There's infinite space between him and the reader for both parties to have their own space, their own thoughts and feelings. Throughout the book felt as if Macfarlane was constantly walking ahead of me, but turning back to extend his hand, guiding me through the path he cut. 

What is this book actually about? Well, caves. Kind of. Caves, icebergs, tunnels, mushrooms, space, World War Two, economics, politics, history, the Paris catacombs, religion, underground rivers, mining...  It is about everything while not being about one specific thing. Every reader will have a difference experience; if you are re-reading this book, you will come away with an entirely new experience. My copy is page-flagged and highlighted, but I believe that if I re-read the book in six months I would find entirely new quotes and entirely new experience all together. 

All that to say, this was a beautiful experience that will stay with me for a long time to come.  

Uncanny Magazine Issue 47: July/August 2022 by Juliet Kemp, Radha Kai Zan, Jordan Taylor, Sarah Grey, K.S. Walker, Gay Haldeman, John Chu, Marie Brennan, AnaMaria Curtis, Tochi Onyebuchi, Meg Elison, Michael Damian Thomas, Jim C. Hines, Brandon O'Brien, Jeannette Ng, Millie Ho, Lynne M. Thomas, Sonya Taaffe, Keidra Chaney

4.0

I picked up Uncanny 47 the July/August 2022 issue specifically to read “If you find yourself speaking to god, address god with the informal you” by John Chu because it is one of the award winners. And it was good, but compared with some of the other stories in the issue, I did not think it stood out. Maybe that’s just because the issue was full of particularly good stories. “Fate, Hope, Friendship, Foe” captured that sense of resigned despair that is the prevailing mood of our present moment. The story is about the Greek gods as they are about to cut the final thread of fate for Earth, but Fat doesn’t particularly want to do so. “Family Cooking” is a story about cycles of trauma and how to break them. The main character, Isa, possesses some small level of magic that allows to imbue foods with her emotions, specifically hate makes her food poisonous. When her mother asks her to cook all the food for her wedding, Isa realizes she has a lot of build up resentment and pain over family history. “At the Lighthouse Out by the Othersea” was a cozy story that takes place at a lighthouse on the edge of the Othersea which is a mysterious space phenomenon. The main character/narrator Felix, is the keeper of the lighthouse which is where thrill-seekers stopover before they go space-surfing on this “sea.” Peres is here because zir sister wanted to take this trip, but died before she could. Ze’s here to fulfill zir sister’s dream, but ze doesn’t really want to. Peres and Felix share a few days together as Peres tries to figure out what ze wants to do with zir life now and processes zir grief. “Blessed Are the Healers” is about a mother whose child is magical healer which requires them to sacrifice their life to help people and her struggle with coming to terms with that sacrifice.

Okay, finally we get to the story we’re all here for. A superhero has suddenly emerged in the world, and our narrator (all of these stories are told in first person so you like never find out the character’s name) is watching this man’s exploits through social media and news footage. Both he and the superhero are Asian American (I think; I’m just assuming this is set in America, they both are of Asian descent) and the superhero quickly becomes involved in protests regarding race-based violence against Asian Americans. Meanwhile, our narrator is becoming increasingly obsessed with a very attractive man who works out at the same time the narrator does. These two storylines become entwined as the narrative progresses. I thought this was…just fine. It wasn’t bad or anything, but comparatively, I think the other stories in this volume are more deserving of the prize. Anyway, next was “To Hunger, As with Perfect Faith” which is a DARK story about the price of success on a national scale. Virgin women are sent to this abbey where they are eventually sent to this goddess, but they can make a petition before they are sent into her chamber. These women are always sent by their families and the women always make requests on their behalf. Our main character is not a virgin due to SA but she is stolen and taken in as a servant in the abbey, but all she wants is to see the goddess. Lots of content and trigger warnings on this one. “Bramblewilde” was a fairytale-vibe story that used the tropes of the trickster to help three young women escape their controlling mothers to live the life they want. Finally, “The Hurt Pattern”—which I do think is the weakest of the collection, although I don’t really like Onyebuchi’s writing so this could just be a me thing—is about Kenny who tags and sorts obscene and graphic content on the internet for various clients. Through this work he uncovers a conspiracy created by the government and the rich. 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I was surprised at how much I liked this one. This has been a BookTube/BookTok darling for a bit, and I've been disappointed many times by the very hyped books, and I don't like YA. But Holly Black had been a Guest of Honor at ICFA, so I decided to trust people. And I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lot of fun. The stakes of the book rose at a normal pace; the characters were believable in their actions; the fae were appropriately terrifying and weird and capricious. It was actually a really good book and I already put the second one on hold at my library. 

I'm not trying to be shady here, but I was really expecting this to be like someof the other faerie smut genre based on what people on the internet were saying. So when this had a pretty compelling plot with interesting characters I was surprised but also pleased. I don't really like DNFing books, and it is particularly difficult to DNF really popular books like these. 

I hope Jude goes darker in the upcoming books. I want to see parallels between her and Jia from the Dandelion Dynasty. Someone who is willing to make herself the villain so that someone else can be the hero. A true morally gray character. We don't have enough of those.    

China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan

emotional funny fast-paced

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

3.75

I thought the sequel was not quite as strong as the first one. The characters were more fleshed out, but the author was going back over the same critique and comedy as in the first one, nothing really new was added to it. It was a fun book to read, don't get me wrong, but it just wasn't as insightful as the first one. 

Uncanny Magazine Issue 42: September/October 2021 by Michael Damian Thomas, Lynne M. Thomas

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard (2.5/5)
I feel like I'm somewhat alone in generally not liking de Bodard's writing. I can see why people like her work, but her work doesn't hit for me, and this story is no different. I can see how it would be really enjoyable and emotional for many readers, but I just wasn't drawn into the world. I had too many questions about world-building and character histories. Just wasn't it for me.

On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren is Singing (4.5/5)
After the de Bodard story, I wasn't sure what the rest of the vibe of this issue was going to be but damn, this one hit. This story is about AI takeover and art, specifically how humans are going to respond to art. This story was published in 2021, but it feels like it could've been written right now, given our current cultural moment, especially with the actor and writer strike going on as of this writing. The setting is intense; the characters and their complexity is brought out so starkly for such a short piece of writing. The question of what AI will want is cleverly explored and considered. Well done.

Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (4/5)
This story had a lot of highs and lows for me in terms of enjoyment.  The characters were great but then also did some weird things. I like the core theme of the book—it is directly connected to a lot of my academic research. The book is exploring autonomy and what autonomy and freedom of choice actually mean both within polyamorous relationships and also in labor and species relationships. The world-building was cool, but the plot was kind of lacking for me. 

If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark (3.75/5)
I really wanted to like this one. All of the elements of something I would like were there: magic, politics, complex interrelationships, aliens. But something just didn't quite do it for me. I also didn't vibe with A Master of Djinn and I dnf'd Ring Shout. Maybe I need to stop trying Clark's writing. Anyway, the ending of the story felt very rushed and didn't provide any real conclusion to the events set up in the first half or two-thirds. There was so much going on in the world and the setting that the lackluster ending was really disappointing.

Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey (4.75/5)
As you can tell from the rating, I loved this one. This one was very dark so just know that going in. The story is narrated by the trees around this stream relaying the story of a girl as she grows up. She is the illegitimate daughter of a rich man and his maid (slave? This is left unclear, but the implication is there). His legitimate daughter is slowly forced to stop spending time with our main girl and resentment develops between them which eventually ends in tragedy. This was so poignant and cutting and a tense, terrible read.

Six Fiction About Unicorns by Rachel K. Jones (3/5)
This was cute and sad. A young girl runs away from home and finds a unicorn who stays with her for her entire life. The reader sees snapshots of pivotal and critical moments throughout the girl's, then woman's, life. Not much more to say. Enjoyed it.

The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou (4/5) 
This one was long, way longer than I expected. But because of its length, we got a lot of time with the characters and the world compared with the other stories in this issue. The narrator has been summoned back home because her brother has passed away. She hasn't been home in a long time, and there is clearly tension with her mother. Through the slow reveal of family history, what she has missed while she's been away, and details about the world beyond this plane, the reader learns about the secrets that are hiding in the heart of this village. The titular giants are giant dolphins who are extremely toxic to humans, but their ink sacs are vital to the burial rites of the people in this village. But, apparently, this ink is also a highly sought-after drug elsewhere. Also, much like dolphins in our own oceans, these dolphins are clearly highly intelligent with their own complex histories and social structures. The internal conflicts of the narrator, the interpersonal conflicts of the family and village, and the broader political and cultural context all come to a head in the circumstances surrounding her brother's death. This story was very atmospheric and mournful. The multiple kinds of grief one experiences when an estranged family member dies are nuanced and handled carefully by the author. The world is fascinating (everything on the planet is apparently toxic to humans including the air??). I did not see the twists and felt very satisfied with the ending. Ultimately a story about familial reconciliation and healing, it also asks important questions about our relationship with the rest of our world and the relationship between high and low classes. 

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

4.25

Another book I went into without looking up anything about the book. I was well into chapter one before I realized that this book is a companion novel to The Glass Hotel. While The Glass Hotel was much more lit fic-y, this was much more firmly in the science fiction camp, particularly the second half of the novel. Like the other of Emily St. John Mandel's books I've read, this had beautifully drawn characters that she allows to express themselves and meet the reader in fluid ways. She always focuses on trying to capture something of the character through her writing and structure rather than forcing them into traditional narrative techniques, and this is becoming more deftly done and more obvious as her career continues. I know not everyone likes her books for some of the exact reasons I do like them: they are moody and atmospheric; usually the "why" and "how" of the book are left to the end. But I love embedding myself in a character's perspective and experiences.

Each chapter of the book is set in a different year, following characters who are all connected by hearing a violin and a whoosh sound. This lasts only for a few seconds, but it is a core memory for all of the people involved. After each of the characters has their experience, we are introduced to someone who is trying to figure out why and how all of these people shared this experience, separated by hundreds of years. While there definitely is a mystery element to the book, this is far from being the main point. Any reader expecting something that is very science-y and trying to solve some great cosmic crisis is going to be disappointed. This is a book about how people cope with strangeness in their lives and what memory means to us.   

In an Orchard Grown from Ash by Rory Power

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Reviewing sequels is difficult, particularly when I really liked the first one. The second was also good, but the pacing felt off in places. Now, I did read the two books pretty far apart, so take that into consideration regarding my thoughts here. The emotional trajectories of some of the character arcs (particularly Nitsos and Rhea) did not feel steady. At the end of the first book, Nitsos's position seems like it is going to be very important, but that promise is not fulfilled in the second book the way I wanted it to be. I really loved Rhea as a character in the first book, but some of her choices seemed...weird in the second one. I liked her story overall, but a few places (such as with Falka) felt a little forced and didn't seem to add much to Rhea's arc or the book as a whole. 

I loved Chrysanthi (and Andrija!). That narrative was emotional, engaging, and weirdly charming. Some of the emotional stakes did not seem as high as the author might've wanted them to be, but overall, her story and the way her story ends particularly were well-done. Some people might not like that the book is so character-focused when there is a lot of politicking and war and such going on in the background, but the focus on the four siblings stays true to the energy of the first book. This is a series about the characters and how they deal with what is happening, not about what is happening itself. 

I'd recommend the series to people who like rich people problems (and their downfall), people who prefer stories that aren't about saving the world, and people who like rooting for the anti-hero. 

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

dark 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 picked this up for two reasons: First, I'm reading all the award winners for this year, and this novella won a Locus award (and I won't be surprised if it won a Hugo, too); second, I was on a T. Kingfisher kick. That's all to say, I didn't really look into this book before I read it if I had...I probably still would've read because of the award-winner thing, but if not for that, I would've skipped because I don't really like re-tellings of classic literature. This is not a judgment on them, just not my personal favorite. I was about 15% in when I was like, "Oh wait. This is The Fall of the House of Usher." One of the main reasons I don't enjoy retellings is that then I know how it is going to end, and it takes some serious storytelling to make the story interesting to me again. This is why myth and fairytale/folktale retellings tend not to bother me as much; they are already designed to be retold and adapted, and changed for specific cultural moments.

On to the actual book, I did enjoy it. The things Kingfisher added were enough to update the story and give it just enough of a change to still keep my interest. But because the story is supposed to be spooky, knowing how things are going to go takes some of the dread and suspense out of it. Although I did read the climax of the book in the dark, and that definitely added a spooky factor that gave me a singular creep. I'm going to guess if you go into this not knowing much about the source material, it will be much creepier. I did really like the narratorial voice and the way Kingfisher managed all the world-building. I know there is going to be a sequel, and I'll probably read it based on the narrator and world, but I'm curious to know if it is going to be another retelling or an original story. 

I would recommend this book for people who like retellings of classic/gothic literature and/or for people who like distinctive narratorial voices.