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vlucet's reviews
84 reviews
Le Pigeon by Patrick Süskind
3.75
C'est drôle et méticuleusement imagé. La traduction est superbe (je n'y connais rien mais c'est mon ressenti). Ça m'a parlé et je me suis vu dans Jonathan : personne n'est a l'abri d'un "événement" qui paraît simple mais qui chamboulé tout.
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
5.0
There is no doubt in my mind that this book just propelled itself in my top 10 best reads. It made me cry and it made me feel seen. Im a little loss for words, it's just a wonderful read.
Ring of Fire: High-Stakes Mining in a Lowlands Wilderness by Virginia Heffernan
4.25
This book is currently the best available reference to understand the context around the proposed Ring of Fire project. As someone who reads anything I come across on that topic and stays up to date with latest developments, reading technical documents etc., this book was very enjoyable and a great contribution to the discourse. It is undoubtedly a must read for any pokicymaker in Ontario, and for anyone connected to that project in any shape or form.
Being written by a geologist, who also happens to be a journalist, we get engaging scientific descriptions, paired with beautiful prose. The slightly meandering storytelling come at the cost of struggling to follow a somewhat confusing timeline. But I really appreciated the desire to get to the literal roots of the project by explaining the underlying geology and history.
The description of the int icacies of mining claims rush will entertain many, although it bored me, putting the accent on Old White Men I struggled to really care about... But where the book shines is in the exploration of the indigenous perspectives around the topic, which is so far the most in-depth I've read on the matter. That being said, and that's always going to be tricky with these, I feel the book should have given an even larger place to indigenous voices. It seemed that the pandemic was a major cause in preventing the author from realising that aspect of the book to it's fullest.
Will I ever be convinced by the optimistic conclusion the author gives? I doubt it: I cannot bring myself to the level of trust the author seems to have in extractive capitalistic companies. But the attempt at building a positive, win-win narrative is often lacking in environmental writing and I salute the attempt. Time will tell as to whether this vision will indeed become a reality.
Being written by a geologist, who also happens to be a journalist, we get engaging scientific descriptions, paired with beautiful prose. The slightly meandering storytelling come at the cost of struggling to follow a somewhat confusing timeline. But I really appreciated the desire to get to the literal roots of the project by explaining the underlying geology and history.
The description of the int icacies of mining claims rush will entertain many, although it bored me, putting the accent on Old White Men I struggled to really care about... But where the book shines is in the exploration of the indigenous perspectives around the topic, which is so far the most in-depth I've read on the matter. That being said, and that's always going to be tricky with these, I feel the book should have given an even larger place to indigenous voices. It seemed that the pandemic was a major cause in preventing the author from realising that aspect of the book to it's fullest.
Will I ever be convinced by the optimistic conclusion the author gives? I doubt it: I cannot bring myself to the level of trust the author seems to have in extractive capitalistic companies. But the attempt at building a positive, win-win narrative is often lacking in environmental writing and I salute the attempt. Time will tell as to whether this vision will indeed become a reality.
The Two Doctors Górski by Isaac Fellman
I can't bring myself to rate this one with stars. It was beautifuly written and nicely characterized but I can't help but feel this was just too "clever" for me. I'm not sure I understood what the author wanted to convey. Athough I felt seen at times and could really connect with characters at others times, most of the read I was puzzled and confuse, like in a fever dream. I wonder if maybe this was too short and could have benefited from a longer form. That being said I will watch this author, there seems to be lots talent and pote tial for storytelling mastery here...
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
4.0
Loved the retelling of Norse mythology and it's a solid audiobook.
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My first foray in the wayfarers series left me with the feeling I had read something unique. I loved the world but I struggled to remain engaged with the story and didn't like the ending. I'm a huge fan of others books by Becky Chambers, for the record, so I set myself on continuing the wayfarers series (I loved the monk robot series and To be Taught). This second installment in the series worked better for me, as it was more focused (less characters, less meandering). I lost a bit of engagement in the middle but boy of boy did I cry as the end. Chambers' stor telling is truly unique. I now know wit out a doubt I will finish this series.
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I think the absurdist tone was just not my cup of tea. I loved the idea of magic and science being in conflict, but I think I was expecting a different book, with tighter world building, and that my bad.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fun classic! Absolutely the best way to enjoy that book is with the audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
3.0
A very manichean story with pretty obvious Christian themes, which feels like catechism in disguise. I'm sure Meg was a quite novel character when this book was first published, but that is not enough to save the story. I'm sure there are better books for children these days.