Category: Reviews

Review – One Ostara Sunrise

Posted August 21, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of One Ostara Sunrise by Elora BishopOne Ostara Sunrise, Elora Bishop

This book features another holiday with Isabella and Emily, and another instance of the two of them being caught up in big events — in this case, mythical events involving nothing less important than the changing of seasons. The relationship between the two of them is sweet, as usual, but it doesn’t really expand on the world or even the backstories of the two girls.

The main attraction is the warmth of the two characters and their relationship, and their deepening harmony with the world around them. It feels less substantial than the second book, and it doesn’t further any of the plotlines, though, so it does fall a little flat for me. In the collected version, there is also a short story about Alice’s first meeting with Isabella and how they pair up, which at least answers some of my curiosity about Alice!

Rating: 3/5

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Review – The Jewel and Her Lapidary

Posted August 20, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of The Jewel and her Lapidary by Fran WildeThe Jewel and Her Lapidary, Fran Wilde

I was pretty excited to read this Tor.com novella, particularly because of all the good things I’ve heard about Wilde’s debut novel. I found it a little too compressed, though, and confusing because of it; there’s a lot going on, with a whole new fantasy world, a magic system without a proper tutorial so that you’re never quite sure of the rules and limits, and a lot of characters who are sometimes referred to in different ways depending on the POV characters’ relationships to them — and that’s not to even mention the clearly-much-later-than-the-story tour guide extracts, which add another layer.

It all makes for a pretty fascinating world; that’s not the problem. The problem is that it doesn’t feel novella-sized. I feel like we needed to know Lin before the disaster, know something of the magic, before we could really appreciate what happened and how Lin dealt with it. Her actions clearly have enormous meaning to her, but to us they’re confusing — is it symbolic, or is there something magic going on? Or both?

I would’ve enjoyed seeing this as a full-length novel, I think; it just felt too rushed as a novella. There’s some lovely imagery and fascinating ideas, but it’s so breathless. I’m still interested in reading Wilde’s debut novel, though: maybe with more space, her ideas will be expanded on. And the ideas definitely aren’t the problem.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Beowulf on the Beach

Posted August 19, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of Beowulf on the Beach by Jack MurnighanBeowulf on the Beach: What to Love and What to Skip in Literature’s 50 Greatest Hits, Jack Murnighan

Originally reviewed November 11th, 2011

It’s perhaps inevitable that I wouldn’t get on with this book, for three reasons. One, I’m an academic type. Two, Beowulf genuinely is my idea of a beach read. Three, in his words, I sit down to pee.

No, no. I don’t mean that in a derogatory, ‘women always argue’ way. I mean that Jack Murnighan keeps going on about ‘Man Lit’, and how amaaaazing it is that he managed to find anything worth reading in Pride and Prejudice, and how all women are going to be all starry-eyed over Darcy, and whatever.

The very idea that there has to be something ‘sexy’ about the books to keep a reader’s interest strikes me as quite guy-centric — or not so much that as it’s a very consistent idea of what’s sexy, or even more generally, what might draw a reader. No mention is given to the compelling nature of David and Jonathan’s love for each other, for example.

There’s possibly a fourth point, in that this is the literary canon of primarily dead white men. It’s European to the extreme. It perhaps wouldn’t be such a dealbreaker for me if it advertised itself as such, but considering the title is ‘Literature’s 50 Greatest Hits’…

Naturally, I disagree on other levels with his ideas of what to skip, and I don’t really get on with his flippant tone. About all I credit this book with is encouraging me to pick up some of the classics I previously gave a miss — but I already had that vague intention in mind anyway.

(Oh, and if you don’t want to view the Bible as a literary document, avoid.)

Rating: 2/5

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Review – Dancing With Bears

Posted August 18, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of Dancing With Bears by Michael SwanwickDancing With Bears, Michael Swanwick

I normally love a heist novel, and that wasn’t my problem with this book. My problem with this book was the amount of weird sex. The genetically engineered dog-man who is 100% dog DNA but… seems pretty humanoid in shape and intelligence and what-not — and the genetically manipulated harem girls — and the sex-drug giving priest who is preaching goodness knows what, and —

Honestly, I couldn’t pay attention to the heist and the buddy dynamics between the main characters, because what the hell is going on with the sex. And why are almost all the female characters sex-obsessed and/or empty-headed and just… I feel like I’m missing something profound here, but maybe I’m just really not the audience and it’s meant to be harhar women harhar sex?

The setting, the post-post-apocalyptic Russia, is an interesting one, and I kind of wanted to know what was going on with the machines. But the rest of it just either bored or horrified me. I’m not interested in books where part of the plot revolves around some genetically engineered women being purposefully crafted so they can only be touched by one man, and their utter focus on getting to said men so they can have sex. Whaat.

Rating: 1/5

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Review – Runtime

Posted August 17, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of Runtime by S.B. DivyaRuntime, S.B. Divya

The tor.com novellas have generally been an interesting bunch, and Runtime definitely adds to the mix. There’s a lot of background stuff which I find really intriguing: the society, the genderless/third gender (it’s not entirely clear what this should be considered as), the tech… The idea of what amounts to a caste system in America is pretty topical, given the attitude to immigrants at the moment, and it doesn’t feel that far off or strange.

The story itself is relatively simple: Marmeg, the protagonist, joins in a gruelling race using implants and an exoskeleton, hoping to finance her future and get her brother legal status in the US with the winnings. In the end, she has to choose what’s most important, and does what I think most readers would consider the right thing… and loses what she hoped for as a result, because the system doesn’t want to allow people like Marmeg to win. It’s a complex situation which has a quick look around at the ethics of the situation Marmeg ends up in; I won’t spoiler you on exactly what that is.

Despite the simplicity of that plot — a stripped down The Long Walk — it works well, and the voices help to make it as well. I’ll be looking out for Divya’s writing.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Power

Posted August 16, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Unbeatable Squirrel GirlThe Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Power, Ryan North, Erica Henderson

I haven’t come across Squirrel Girl before, but this comic is self-aware and fun; in some ways, the style reminded me of the recent run of Young Avengers. (Which is getting less and less recent all the time, but you know what I mean. The most recent, by McKelvie and Gillen.) Little snippets of facebook interaction between heroes, meta commentary below each page, and all kinds of dorkiness. Squirrel Girl is a lot of fun, and what’s also nice is that she doesn’t primarily set out to beat up villains — she also figures out how to talk things out and fix things in another way.

I’m not a huge fan of the art — it’s a bit too cartoony for my usual tastes — but does suit the style. And I love things like the Squirrel Suit and the Iron Squirrel and Doreen being tongue-tied around guys.

Not a favourite, but fun as a change.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – Cold-Forged Flame

Posted August 15, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of Cold-Forged Flame by Marie BrennanCold-Forged Flame, Marie Brennan

Received to review via Netgalley

I was so excited to receive this: I love Marie Brennan’s work, and by coincidence my request was even approved on my wedding day. So of course I’ve hurried to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed at all — it’s part of Tor.com’s novella series, so it is short, but for me it avoids the issues of many other novellas by being both a whole story in itself but with scope for more stories. I think that’s partially what makes it satisfying: it leaves space for more without feeling unfinished, rather than tying things up neatly with a bow or leaving too much undone. I don’t think more stories are necessary: the questions the story poses are answered.

I like the set-up, and to say too much about it would probably spoil the story. The main character doesn’t know what is happening any more than the reader does, and what she remembers or realises is revealed at more or less the same pace as the reader discovers it. It’s an interesting world, one which I’d gladly read more of with other characters too, and Marie Brennan’s writing makes it a smooth and engaging read. This is probably among my favourites of the Tor.com novellas so far, and it’s not just because it’s Marie Brennan’s work — it’s also because it does a really good job with the form.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – One Imbolc Gloaming

Posted August 14, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of One Imbolc Gloaming by Elora BishopOne Imbolc Gloaming, Elora Bishop

Somewhat to my disappointment, the second book of the Benevolence trilogy doesn’t expand on any of the gaps I felt in the previous book. Instead, it moves away from Benevolence for a while, as Emily and Isabella attend traditional Imbolc festivities. The world is expanded in terms of showing us more locations, more kinds of magic, and more of Isabella’s friends and family. It also gives us more time with the couple, as their relationship deepens — though it has been a bit insta-love. Still, for once it’s a lesbian couple having insta-love, and they’re cute, so why not? We can make exceptions, right?

It also features the tragic love story of a long-dead abbess and a knight, who are reunited through Isabella and Emily’s efforts. That part is a bit, well, flowery, but it works.

The scenes Bishop describes glitter with the winter cold and the warmth of friendship; that aspect is definitely done really well. I’m still curious about various aspects of the first story, and I’m also beginning to be very curious about Alice, Isabella’s cat familiar. She’s just been a sidekick so far, but there are hints at an inner life and outside personality for her, and I want it.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe

Posted August 13, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij JohnsonThe Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, by Kij Johnson

Received to review via Netgalley

I don’t know Lovecraft’s work very well, but that turned out to be okay: Johnson’s version of the Dream-Lands works as well without, as far as I can tell — maybe better, because I don’t know what she skipped or twisted, I didn’t make the comparisons others probably make. It stands on its own, weaving Kij Johnson’s skill with Lovecraft’s dark visions; I couldn’t tell you where the gaps are. I think I’d prefer to approach it as I have, because then you can just experience it as a story.

And as a story, it works well: perfectly paced, taking us on a slow quest through a world that’s strange and sometimes horrible, and yet also wonderful. I really enjoyed the way things could be awful in appearance and grotesque in actions, and yet not necessarily evil or unbound by a sense of honour: the ghouls here are fascinating, for all that they’re not the focus of the story, because they eat dead flesh and yet they have a culture, they have agreements, etc. Things are not quite clear-cut.

The main character, Vellitt Boe, is an interesting choice: she’s in her fifties, a former wanderer who became a teacher and who now has to go back to wandering. She’s capable but not perfect, no longer in her prime, no longer quite ready for the hardships of the road. There’s a nice sense of certainty with her: she knows who she is and where she’s going, what her goals are, and she doesn’t shrink from it or try to run away.

I enjoyed this a lot, and wouldn’t mind wandering through the Dream-Lands again. I’m not sure if I’ll read Lovecraft — knowing his attitudes and the way his work ignored women, it might just be too frustrating — but I certainly feel the temptation.

Rating: 4/5

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted August 13, 2016 by Nicky in Reviews / 14 Comments

So I’ve spent most of the last week on my honeymoon, in Dublin, and I’m here to tell you they have some amazing bookshops. I strongly recommend Dubray Books on Grafton Street, Chapters on Parnell Street, and Hodges Figgis on Dawson Street. My wife would like to put in a word for a lovely knitting shop, too: if you’re in Dublin and you like yarn and knitting and friendly awesome people, we loved This Is Knit, in a shopping centre on South William Street.

And if you like archaeology, particularly Irish/Celtic stuff, I think I can also recommend the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology. They currently have an exhibit of Irish bog bodies, which is worth a look.

But now for my haul! Not all of them are from Dublin; I got given some as wedding and birthday presents. A+++ work, friends. <3

Books:

Cover of Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay Cover of The Dragons of Heaven by Alyc Helms Cover of Chalice by Robin McKinley Cover of Riding the Unicorn by Paul Kearney

Cover of On the Edge by Ilona Andrews Cover of Steel by Carrie Vaughn Cover of The Celtic Revolution by Simon Young Cover of The Floating Admiral by the Detection Club

Cover of Doppelganger by Marie Brennan Cover of Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton Cover of The Way to Babylon by Paul Kearney

Cover of The Bone Queen by Alison Croggon Cover of Off the Map by Alastair Bonnett Cover of A Promise Broken by Lynn O'Connacht

Cover of The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski Cover of The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan Cover of Sea Foam and Silence by Lynn O'Connacht

There’s a lot that I’m excited about here, or have been meaning to read for ages! Especially Guy Gavriel Kay’s Children of Earth and Sky; I was doing a reread of his work in order, but that means I still haven’t got to River of Stars or this new one. Hmm…

Comics:

Cover of Captain Marvel: Alpha Flight Cover of Ultimates: Omniversal

Yep, these two were listed on my Top Ten Tuesday post about books I wanted to grab right away. Hurrah! I wanted Spider-Women and The New Avengers: A.I.M: Everything Is New, but I didn’t find the latter and I could only find the former for a ridiculous price.

Books finished this week:

Cover of Seven Skeletons by Lydia Pyne Cover of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Cover of Planetfall by Emma Newman Cover of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Cover of The Wolf in the Attic by Paul Kearney Cover of Off the Map by Alastair Bonnett Cover of Sea Foam and Silence by Lynn O'Connacht

Reviews posted this week:

One Solstice Night, by Elora Bishop. A reread so I could get on with reading this series finally. This is sweet and basically a little bit of spun sugar. 3/5 stars
The Lifted Veil, by George Eliot. A surprisingly speculative novella from a classic author. 3/5 stars
Broken, by Susan Bigelow. We know the main character feels broken, because she’s renamed herself Broken, the book is called Broken, and she tells us that she’s broken. Brokenly. 1/5 stars
Lud-in-the-Mist, by Hope Mirrlees. A classic fantasy that doesn’t feel like the stuff that is traditional for the genre now, and is very beautifully written. I loved it. 5/5 stars
Geek Feminist Revolution, by Kameron Hurley. I do love Hurley’s essays and her no-bullshit way of writing, but I wished there was more new content in this collection. A lot of it was familiar. 4/5 stars
Brother Jacob, by George Eliot. A short and rather moralistic story that really didn’t demonstrate the greatness of Eliot’s prose for me. 1/5 stars
-Flashback Friday: The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle. I read this for the first time when I was already 20. I felt I’d missed out! 5/5 stars

Other posts:
Top Ten Tuesday: Pet Peeves. My pet peeves in fiction, let me show you them!

How’s everyone been? I think I’ve caught up on the blogs I usually follow, but if you have something you think I’ll be interested in, link away! I’d hate to miss out.

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