I found Babel to be an excellent example of using a (alternative) historical fiction work to also examine Big Ideas (in this case the inherent exploitI found Babel to be an excellent example of using a (alternative) historical fiction work to also examine Big Ideas (in this case the inherent exploitative and oppressive nature of Empire). Kuang does an excellent job integrating the events and dynamics of post-Napoleonic Britain with her unique magic system with the larger message she was trying to convey. I found the characters vibrant and compelling (even if we mostly only got one view point), the magic system itself unique and neat (and, dare I say, a bit Sanderson-esque with its hard rules but very flexible applications), and the story very engaging. I had one small qualm*, but was otherwise enthralled by this book, which both took its time with he plot and character development, but also moved at an excellent pace.
*It was footnotes. The asterisk my book used very very easy to miss while reading so at times I had to hunt for what, precisely, a footnote was referring to....more
I had forgotten how much I loved the world of The Checquy Files (so much so that I am going to reread the series). This book took plenty of page spaceI had forgotten how much I loved the world of The Checquy Files (so much so that I am going to reread the series). This book took plenty of page space to explore the weird, quirky, and bizarre history of the world that sometimes only had a tangential relationship to the plot, but that was fine by me. I could read a book that was just anecdotes form this world and be happy.
But this book was more than that. Specifically two stories with a tenuous link between them (which was not apparent until 80% through the story). Honestly I would have been fine reading either as a standalone novel and am not entirely convinced they work super well together, but I still enjoyed the read nonetheless.
I appreciated how O'Malley is not beholden to revisit all the past protagonists, passing references are more than suitable. I also appreciated some of the holes in the history of the world this story filled in, especially with regards to what the Chequy were doing during WWII. All in all this book enriches the world nicely while also delivering enjoyable stories and fun characters....more
A perfectly enjoyable and quick read about a young woman's life during the London Blitz and her... over enthusiastic need to help others, especially aA perfectly enjoyable and quick read about a young woman's life during the London Blitz and her... over enthusiastic need to help others, especially as manifested in the advice column of the periodical she works for. Not a terribly deep or challenging read, but it accomplished what it set out to do which was to entertain and explore the life of a young woman during this trying time in history. ...more
I am woefully underequipped to engage with this work save for on the most superficial level, being deficient in three important areas:
-Familiarity witI am woefully underequipped to engage with this work save for on the most superficial level, being deficient in three important areas:
-Familiarity with the Russian language as there are plenty of puns/word play that require an understanding of Russian -Familiarity with as this story is a quasi-retelling of the classic story with allusions to other versions and performances of it -Familiarity with life in 1930's Soviet Moscow as there were many parts that subtly critique Russian society and the Communists
And the only reason I know about these deficiencies is the version of the book I read had a commentary sections explaining some of the references that flew well over my head. Simply put a typical 21st century reader would likely have much difficulty fully comprehending the thrust of the story and the satirical commentary it was making on its contemporary society and religion
This isn't to say a 21st century reader cannot enjoy the book. The surface story itself can be engaging and amusing but many references and in-jokes will likely be missed as it was for me. But it is worth dipping your toe into just to see if the water might be a bit warmer for you....more
Gods of Jade and Shadow was an enjoyable book to read. I don't often read books with Mexico as a setting let alone 1920's Mexico with a bunch of superGods of Jade and Shadow was an enjoyable book to read. I don't often read books with Mexico as a setting let alone 1920's Mexico with a bunch of supernatural entities running about. While I found the plot a bit predictable and am never one for romances this is still an engaging book with interesting characters, an under utilized setting, and excellent prose. It is also a quick read, with action getting started when the protagonist, Casiopea, encounters the Mayan God of death and doesn't really slow down until the book ends. The descriptions and imagery of the underworld are excellent even if I never got a good vibe about 1920's Mexico. All in all a solid book with some unique attributes that make it stand out form other magical realism books on the market....more
A fantastic ending to the series. Lots of great (and realistic) plot twists, the characters continue to grow even in the final book, and the story itsA fantastic ending to the series. Lots of great (and realistic) plot twists, the characters continue to grow even in the final book, and the story itself was dynamite. I will miss this world and its many colorful and nuanced characters but I don't think the series could have ended any better....more
Tai-Pan is an excellent historical fiction about the early days of Hong Kong and British-Chinese trade. Technically taking place in the same (slightlyTai-Pan is an excellent historical fiction about the early days of Hong Kong and British-Chinese trade. Technically taking place in the same (slightly) alt-timeline of Shogun, Tai-Pan easily on its own merits and, truth be told, has little to no direct linkages to the events in Shogun. It is a wide ranging story about Western trade interests in China and the establishment of Hong Kong as a British colony.
The story is told through a wide array of POV characters, giving the reader a well rounded view of their motivations, passions, agendas, and blind spots that would otherwise be absent if told in a different manner. There aren't really good guys and bad guys (except, you know, Imperialism), just competing interests and agendas. We see things from both British perspectives as well as a Chinese ones, each with their own unique view on the matters at hand and a diverse range of opinion within each respective camp. Like in Shogan, Clavell allows all sides to have good reason to pursue the agendas they do and he avoids any cliched portrayal of characters, Western or Asian.
I found the story itself gripping and the plot turns both compelling and unexpected. I was engrossed the entire time and sad to see the journey come to an end. Like Shogun the characters were so vividly portrayed ending the book was like saying good bye to real people. If you enjoy historical fictions and morally ambiguous characters acting during a pivotal moment in history you could do much worse than Tai-Pan....more
This was an enthralling book about so many topics: love, power, gender roles, families, Hollywood, relationships, difficult choices, regret. While thaThis was an enthralling book about so many topics: love, power, gender roles, families, Hollywood, relationships, difficult choices, regret. While that may seems like a book might get weighed down by so many themes and ideas the book read smooth and was utterly engaging. I loved the story of Evelyn Hugo's life and how deftly the author was able to weave the many themes and ideas of the book into the narrative in a natural way. The story was strong in its own right, but the exploration of the themes made the story even more powerful and compelling, more than the sum of its parts. I loved how complex the characters came off and how you can see the reasons behind all of their decisions, both good and bad. there are no villains or heroes, just people trying to live the life they think is best for themselves, even if they end up making the wrong decisions time and time again....more
The many reasons I dropped this: -Excessive purple prose at times that detracted form what was actually happening in the storDropped this at around 30%
The many reasons I dropped this: -Excessive purple prose at times that detracted form what was actually happening in the story and did little to enhance the reading experience. -Characters that I found uninteresting even as the writer tried extra hard to make them seem interesting. -A story that just sort of limped along and was not captivating in any way. -A world that the writer tried to inject interesting things into (like a black market for biological abnormalities, which are also much more common in this world) that I found as unengaging as the characters.
Basically nothing about this book worked for me and if it ain't working on any front through 30% I see no reason to waste my time on the last 70%....more
I really enjoyed this book. Loosely inspired by the band Fleetwood Mac Reid does a fantastic job bring her eclectic cast of characters to life in thisI really enjoyed this book. Loosely inspired by the band Fleetwood Mac Reid does a fantastic job bring her eclectic cast of characters to life in this faux-oral history. Reid gives each character their own unique voice as well as perspective, showing the reader multiple view points from the same event and illustrating how messy things can be, especially in a band in its way to mega-stardom. The story Reid weaves is one of ego, tragedy, love, self-discovery, self-destruction, and rock-and-roll. There are no heroes or villains (except maybe that jack-ass of an Italian "prince"), just people living their lives and pursuing their dreams, even as those pursuits can get hazy at times and come into conflict with others. All in all it was a fantastic experience I am look forward to experiencing this story again when it makes it to TV....more
I adored this book and would put it in the league of Under Heaven and River of Stars, all three fantastic (and slightly fantastical) quasi-historical I adored this book and would put it in the league of Under Heaven and River of Stars, all three fantastic (and slightly fantastical) quasi-historical fictions that took really world events and tweaked them just a bit. They were all gorgeously written and populated with subtle and nuanced characters, caught in the great events of their times and doing what little they could to protect themselves and their loved ones form those events.
In the case of The Lions of Al-Rassan Kay brings us to an alternative take on the , with familiar nations and lands that Kay has adjusted to provide the reader with a unique yet recognizable world. While it is obvious that the events take place in Kay's version of Iberia he does such a magnificent job of creating unique adjustments to the major players (Christian, Jews, Muslims, the Church, etc) that a fresh and compelling story springs forth.
And not just a compelling story but compelling and vibrant characters. Like his past historical fictions (emphasis on the fictions) he was able to tell the story through the eyes of multiple characters. these character's perspectives and narratives are influenced by their upbringing and circumstances. Kay gives this characters depth and nuance one would expect from a flesh and blood human, they serve their own needs and agendas, not the story's needs. Kay's writing really made me connect on an emotional level with them and I was moved by the tragedies and triumphs they achieved.
I really can't say enough about how excellent this book was. It had action, adventure, tragedy, beauty, politics, and sorrow all wrapped into one epic story with beautiful prose and sympathetic characters....more
This book was basically a Greek Mythology version of Forrest Gump. It was neat retelling of some classic Greek myths (Minotaur, Odyssey, Jason) througThis book was basically a Greek Mythology version of Forrest Gump. It was neat retelling of some classic Greek myths (Minotaur, Odyssey, Jason) through the eyes of Circe, an exiled daughter of a Titan. What made this so compelling was the character arc of Circe. She was raised around Gods and titans but was exiled as a political punishment, getting caught up in divine politics but being too naive to maneuver herself out of harms way. She offers a unique perspective on both the follies of mortals and the vanity of the Gods. I found her observation about the static nature of the Gods' personalities due to the lack of need to struggle particularly insightful.
All told the story unfolds in a series of mini-episodes with Circe's life and growth being the central thread binding them all together. A very enjoyable, if quick, read for those that enjoy Greek mythology and nuanced, well developed characters....more
After the disaster that was Never Let Me Go I was a bit skeptical about this book. But it was for book club and it had some fantastical elements to itAfter the disaster that was Never Let Me Go I was a bit skeptical about this book. But it was for book club and it had some fantastical elements to it (as opposed to fantastically stupid characters that Never Let Me Go was littered with) so I figured it was at least a bit up my alley.
Ishiguro delivered an enjoyable and thought provoking story. It got a little weird at some points, but that's allegories for you and the allegory in this case raise lots of interesting questions for the reader to answer on their own terms. There aren't any villains or heroes, just people trying to do their best to make the best world possible for themselves and their family and coming to terms with the past, which is perceived hazily at best throughout the book. It is easy to see all sides of the issue and each reader will take from the story their own lessons.
Spoilers follower for a deeper dive into the theme of the book:
(view spoiler)[The crux of the allegory is if there is inherent value in knowing the past. You might think "Of course we should value knowledge of the past! Ignorance is a blight on humanity and the beacon of knowledge can light the way forward for progress!" Or at the very least it is better to know something than not know it.
But Ishiguro offers a situation where that might not be the case. In the big picture it is the removal of knowledge of the land of a massacre King Arthur's knights carried out against the Saxons. Arthur ordered this as a way to diminish the power of the "invading" Saxons and followed it up by laying a spell upon the land to make everyone forget about it knowing that the Saxons would seek revenge on the native Britons. His hope was that if enough generations passed before the spell ended the distance of time might allow for future generations of Saxons and Britons to peacefully coexist. And we see that while the spell is in effect coexistence is possible. Considering how the whole played out in reality, Arthur may have had a point.
We can see examples of this in the real world where centuries of blood feuds, grudges, and ethnic tensions due to distant historic events prevents current generations form peacefully coexisting. Maybe a little forgetting is necessary for advancement and it is the beacon of knowledge illuminating the past that holds us back?
"For that was a great treaty you brokered, and well held for years. Didn’t all men, Christian and pagan, sleep more easily for it, even on the eve of battle? To fight knowing our innocents safe in our villages? And yet, sir, the wars didn’t finish. Where once we fought for land and God, we now fought to avenge fallen comrades, themselves slaughtered in vengeance. Where could it end? Babes growing to men knowing only days of war."
But what of Justice? Should historic injustices be sacrificed on the altar of convenience and past victim's voices silenced because the story they tell is hard? If we are not aware of these past injustices how can we prevent them from happening again? If we do not come to terms with the past we risk locking ourselves into a cycle of injustice and forgetting, condemning future generations to the injustices we willfully forgot for the benefit of the moment. Plus, to quote Mr. Universe from Firefly: "You can't stop the signal." History eventually uncovers itself and will force us to reckon with it.
"Think, sir, once that breath should cease, what might be awoken across this land even after these years! Yes, we slaughtered plenty, I admit it, caring not who was strong and who weak. God may not have smiled at us, but we cleansed the land of war."
“What kind of god is it, sir, wishes wrongs to go forgotten and unpunished?�
“You ask it well, Master Wistan, and I know my god looks uneasily on our deeds of that day. Yet it’s long past and the bones lie sheltered beneath a pleasant green carpet. The young know nothing of them."
Ishiguro parallels the big picture allegory with a smaller, more accessible level with the married couple the story centers around. There is something terrible that happened in their past, but thanks to the spell they cannot recall just what it was. We eventually discover that the event in the past was pretty traumatic. The spell has allowed them to forget it and remain a loving, devoted couple. Was the amnesia a good thing? When the spell breaks does it also break their loving bond given the events and choices of their past?
"But then again I wonder if what we feel in our hearts today isn’t like these raindrops still falling on us from the soaked leaves above, even though the sky itself long stopped raining. I’m wondering if without our memories, there’s nothing for it but for our love to fade and die.�
Like I said, there are no easy answers. This book did an excellent job presenting multiple views of the topic without coming off as preachy or dry. The story was compelling, the characters interesting, the writing excellent, and the overall idea thought provoking. It is by no means an easy topic to grapple with, but it is presented in a very accessible and consumable way. (hide spoiler)]...more
This was an excellent (slight) retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale (turning silver to gold) but set in a neat medieval Russian setting. Novik deftlyThis was an excellent (slight) retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale (turning silver to gold) but set in a neat medieval Russian setting. Novik deftly borrowed a few elements from the original story, but mostly told an original story using elements of Russian folklore to augment it. The story revolves around three young women (a Russian aristocrat, a daughter of a Jewish money lender, and a Russian peasant woman) and how their paths cross and intermingle with the backdrop of supernatural forces.
The writing is excellent, the characters superb, and the story highly engrossing. The pages just seemed to fly by and I genuinely had no idea how the end game would play out. It was a great read form front to back and one of the better fairy tale adaptations I have come across not to mention a great historical fiction piece....more
First off I really liked the choice of setting for the book. The story revolves around a group of African-AmericThis was a great book so many reasons.
First off I really liked the choice of setting for the book. The story revolves around a group of African-Americans in the 1950's who get drawn into the (white) world of arcane secret societies very much against their will. In addition to having to deal with Jim Crow and the pervasive racism of America at the time they must also contend with the supernatural. They become unwilling pawns of a power struggle between rival "natural philosophers" and must do what they can just to survive the conflict. Ruff does a great job of subtly paralleling the mundane dangers they face with the supernatural, each present their own unique challenges.
I thought Ruff did an excellent job of structuring the story as well. Each chapter is really a small, self contained story of varying lengths that connects to the other stories through common characters and events, but allows different characters to come to the forefront. This keeps the stories fresh and provide the reader with a wealth of different perspectives on the mundane and supernatural. It also allows for more developed characters as the reader can observe them from multiple angle. All in all this choice struck me as very conducive to a fast paced but well proportioned story telling.
Finally the story was really excellent. Ruff deftly mixed elements of supernatural horror with the more mundane horror of racism will populating the story with fascinating, complex characters. It was a tough book to put down because it was so exciting, but also a book that could be put down since each chapters was nicely self contained. The book read quickly because of the smooth writing, perfectly paced story, and compelling narrative. I cannot recommend this book highly enough....more
This was a moving and powerful book about life in Nigeria before, during, and after the . The story centers around a handful of characters This was a moving and powerful book about life in Nigeria before, during, and after the . The story centers around a handful of characters that live in the part of Nigeria declared independence from the county (Was racial strife a factor in this decision? Yes, yes it most certainly was). The story is told through several time frames, skipping back and forth across time to set up tension in future periods from events not yet related to the reader. This method also highlighted just how much the character had been altered by the war.
Adichie's beautiful writing truly brought these characters to life. I was emotionally invested in their fates and heartbroken over their losses. War is hell and for the losing side this maxim applies doubly so. The characters transition from very comfortable living situations (university professors, daughters of rich industrialists, a European writer) to the very extreme of human existence due to the calamities of war. As such their outlook and behavior similarly change in reaction to the events they experience. For some that means becoming stronger and more resilient. For others that means breaking and becoming but a shadow of their former selves, giving into despair.
I am not going to lie to you, this is a depressing, melancholy story. Yes, there are good, happy times where these characters thrive and are content, but these times are made all the more bittersweet with the reader's foreknowledge of the coming war and the privations they will be exposed to. It is an achingly human story that coolly reflects the brutality and randomness of war and does not sacrifice this truth in order to deliver a sugarcoated conclusion. This is an excellent book and well deserving of the praises that have been heaped upon it....more
Much like some other series I will e holding off giving this series a unitary review until the trilogy is complete. But it is quite good and right up Much like some other series I will e holding off giving this series a unitary review until the trilogy is complete. But it is quite good and right up the alley of people who enjoy historical fictions and fantasy. The Medieval Russian setting was also a rare treat....more
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