The Summer War by Naomi Novik: Book Review

The Summer War by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Celia took one step and then another back from the edge. She had promised to care, and she would keep her promise. She’d care about Roric, and she’d care about the people of Prosper, and she’d even care about the summerlings, and give them a chance to write new stories of their own.

A beautiful premise of love, acceptance and care given and returned, The Summer War is the enchanting tale of Celia who wants nothing more than care returned when given, who curses her brother in hate to never have love when she sees he doesn't care for her, and does everything she can including ending a hopeless war to remove this curse.

The novella combines Naomi Novik's multi-dimensional characters always trying to act for the best, and layers of magic where stories, promises and honour have power with her compelling writing. The plot is faerie-tale paced, wherein decades of war and tactics are summarized in a few pages, but every emotion in the inevitable stand described in detail.

The characters and their choices form the core of the story, each tactical decision made by characters to change the way things had been for decades. Celia's character growth was steady, slowly working towards more care in her life, and the redemption arcs towards the end added depth to the story. I would have liked a bit more depth to the magic system and details of the Summer Lands, but the novella as it stands fits in the faerie tale genre.

A light read with a nice concept, the story has some Spinning Silver vibes with summer woods instead of winter snows and especially the weight given to intent and choices behind vows - recommended for Naomi Novik fans and anyone looking to try her writing with a relatively short read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House publishing group for providing an ARC, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[One star for the premise; One star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot and themes; 3/4 star for the world-building; One star for the writing - 4 1/2 stars in total.]

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The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang: Book Review

 

The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes Joan wished there was a place she could visit to feel less alone: a restaurant with very friendly servers, perhaps , where she might order a bowl of spaghetti and casually surrender her insecurities . When she was little, she used to daydream of a place she named in her head the Satisfaction Café, which had friendly employees and nice food and pretty toys; even as a child, Joan’s imagination had not stretched to fantastic outcomes but, rather, a reasonable amount of happiness.

The Satisfaction Café follows Joan as she settles down in California, through her difficulties in the first few years including a divorce, to her life as a rich white older man's wife, slowly moulding her life around her children and her house, until she starts creating something new based on a childhood wish.

Yes, Joan was fortunate. But she knew this only meant danger, because eventually good luck turned to bad. And really, there was so much to go wrong in a life: you could cross the street and be hit by a car; a random bubble might travel into your brain and then, well, you needn’t worry about anything anymore.

The slow plot focuses on Joan's introspection more than even her misfortunes, finding her feet again after the death of her husband and her house burning down, and throwing herself into raising her children. The character sketch of Joan is very well done, showing incredible fortitude and a sense of practicality through her troubles, but more importantly in how she goes against this inertia to create something new - opening The Satisfaction Café in her later years.

More than just a simple café serving coffee and pastries, Joan builds around a beautiful concept, simple yet not easy to create - an ambience of contentment and conversation. Kathy Wang does a brilliant job in weaving the beautiful premise, Joan's practical character arc and her stately writing to tell this story.

Youth didn’t understand, however, how much luck played into it, that loneliness wasn’t always a choice. Whereas at Joan’s age, you knew it was always somewhere ahead, waiting. It could happen to anyone.

The secondary characters are all also quite vivid, some a little too vivid and caricatures of the rich and privileged. While most of Joan's reactions to events resonated, there were some aspects of the story, like her life in Taiwan with her parents ending in cutting off contact, and the circumstances behind her adoption of her daughter Lee felt a bit too far fetched. However, as a whole, the novel is a quietly impactful read, recommended for anyone interested in an introspective story of shaking off inertia and trying something new for contentment.

For now that she was a widow with children, Joan felt she understood with real clarity the cycle of life— the ultimate end and all that currently lay in between and the eternal problem that there didn’t seem to be enough there.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Scribner publishing group for an ARC, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters and their arcs; Half a star for the plot and themes; 3/4 star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing - 4 stars in total.]

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The Vengeance by Emma Newman - Book Review

 

The Vengeance by Emma Newman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If she had known that it was the last hour of her mother’s life, Morgane would have done things differently. But that was the thing about a life at sea such as they had; there was no way to tell where death would come from.

The aptly named The Vengeance follows Morgane after the death of her mother (the captain of her pirate ship) as she leaves her life at sea and everything she knows to go to France hoping for vengeance. Dealing with several surprises coming up during her quest - chief of which is that she uncovers letters from her birth mother pleading for rescue, and a father who has been searching for her, she finds France and life on land very different from the life she led until then.

Morgane felt horribly awkward. Why did everyone care about being a man or a woman so much in France? On The Vengeance, the only thing that mattered was skill. But perhaps her aunt’s ship really had been an exception.

The interesting plot, action based but event driven, is the foundation of this book, and held my attention. Morgane is a great character, her strengths and weaknesses outcomes of growing up on a ship in a late medieval world. The overall duration of the book doesn't see a lot of change in Morgane's character, but she is pretty strong and street smart to start with.

“Nah.” Morgane sheathed the knife. “Any problem involving a man can always be solved with violence. Violence or gold, to be fair.”

A few good themes like gender-based expectations and rule of aristocracy came up, and meshed well with the other lead and secondary characters. The world-building contains some supernatural entities in addition to the medieval descriptions (as can be seen from the name of the series), but this wasn't explored as much as I'd like. Another quibble was that the plot progression didn't actually allow Morgane to spend much time with each of her parents, except for the mother who raised her, or actually see them in each other's company - which could have added to her character arc.

On the whole, The Vengeance is a fun read, and I'll keep an eye out for the sequel and more books by Emma Newman.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion publishers for an ARC, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot and themes; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]

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Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Book Review

 

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have always longed to be known, truly known, by another human being. Sometimes we live for years with yearnings that we cannot name. Until a crack appears in the sky and widens and reveals us to ourselves, as the pandemic did, because it was during lockdown that I began to sift through my life and give names to things long unnamed.

Four women, each strong and independent in their own way, struggle against the double, or indeed quadruple standards of societal expectations; reaching for what they want, what they deserve, but devastated by how much of themselves they have to suppress in its pursuit.

Chia loved the idea of love, so eagerly, so unwisely.

There is a lot that worked in Dream Count, starting with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's brilliant writing that can evoke resonant emotions in people cultures and continents away. The novel isn't a linear time story, but is more a collection of formative experiences and occurrences in the lives of the four women, like vignettes showcasing how they were struck with each occurrence. This construction works to highlight the themes of sexism, immigrant injustices and financial status explored, among other things. Adichie's understanding of people and societies shines through in every vignette.

She [Zikora] relates with women only through the pain caused them by men. That I do not trade in stories of my love-inflicted wounds is my [Omelogor] unforgivable failing.

The whole book somehow disappointingly adds up to less than the sum of the parts - the character sketches, the writing and world-building, the premise as well as the themes explored. Chia, Zikora and Omelogor are such clever, strong, independent and resourceful women, but seem to give away too much control to other people and institutions over too many years, or suppressed themselves too much. A lot of the petty bickering/ internal judgement when talking to each other didn't help. They didn't seem to have to grown or changed much over the years, though they were in shock over a few events, though this was difficult to judge as the timelines jumped around a bit.

Zikora felt cheered by this news, by the sense that misery was now being evenly spread. Omelogor crying? Omelogor could cry? Whatever America had done to her, God bless America.

Kadiatou can't be grouped with the other characters as she was based on a real person, or at least real events, but with a fictional back story. She suffered so much, her struggle to build a life in a new country overthrown suddenly, but even a case against the assaulter that was much discussed in public platforms does not lead to justice. Her response at the end to the case being dropped was markedly different to the public statements made at the time, anger and disappointment changed to relief and acceptance that do a disservice to the very real person's feelings and rights, no matter what the author's note says about reclamation. This added to the disappointment with the whole book.

There was a bone that birthed courage and Kadiatou believed she lacked that bone, or if she had it then it was feeble, soft and chewable like biscuit-bone.

🌟🌟🌟
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters and their growth; Half a star for the plot and themes; 3/4 star for the world-building and societal description; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]

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The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray: Book Review

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Even amid the deepest and most sincere grief, there is often a strong curiosity about the contents of a will. Avarice can strike like a viper, even within otherwise benevolent hearts... And where the contents of a will are surprising, even shocking, the news of those contents will spread with remarkable speed.

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney meet in London during The Season in The Rushworth Family Plot and have to solve yet another murder (or two), while also navigating social intricacies without set rules of etiquette, try to understand where they stand on moral issues, semi-plot to convince their parents they are a good match for each other, and more easily bask in each others' attentions.

Jonathan and Juliet continue to grow as detectives solving macabre murders, although quite a bit of the novel is centered on the moral issues Jane Austen's Mansfield Park addresses openly like infedility, and mentions offhand between the lines like slavery. Exploring means, motive and opportunity for the murders forces several characters to confront their morality, which was interesting to read, but seemed a bit unlikely considering the time period these novels are set in.

Though it is naturally difficult to completely capture the essences of someone else's characters, written a long time ago, Claudia Gray's not quite Austen-like writing brings across some of the characteristics we've come to know and expect. However, balancing this with the character arcs hinted at in Austen's novels and perhaps growth that might be expected in some of them given time, this series is starting to require a higher degree of suspension of disbelief of the various mentality vascillations seen in the continuing attempts to bring so many Austen characters together. The plot held for most of the novel, but some of the twists, especially at the end, to further the investigation as well as provide opportunity for more drama in the future seem far-fetched. On the whole, still a fun read, and I'm warily looking forward to the possible next book.

Jonathan sighed. He knew the rules of etiquette as well as any (and better than most), but he could not see the sense of any rule that made it impolite to keep to one’s own house and read one’s own books. Still, such rules had to be obeyed even— especially, it seemed— when they made no sense at all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The quotes included here are from the unpublished draft but provide a good sample of the writing.

🌟🌟1/2🌟
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters and their growth; 1/4 star for the plot and themes explored; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing - 2 1/2 stars in total, rounded up to 3 stars.]

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The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis: Book Review

 

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vivian just had to make a good impression. In a town where she was by definition an outsider, in a culture she couldn’t hope to join, with nothing less than her daughter’s entire future riding on her success. She swallowed, her mouth gone dry.

Vivian and Daniel have to move to a new town with their kindergarten daughter Aria for school when she gets bitten by a werewolf and join The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, which seems to have as many pitfalls for mundane reasons as for ignorance of magic culture. They all scramble with additional responsibilities, each dealing with the move in their own way, to try and fit in here as they don't think they'll get a chance like this in any other place.

Caitlin Rozakis writes a biting satire (sometimes too sharply), of the pressures the education system places on students and their parents, with a clarity that probably arose from some degree of familiarity but also a lot of wit to help them tide over their growing pains. And the characters do grow a lot, even the parents, as they realise they weren't as alone in this fight as they had originally thought - they just have to look for true friends.

Though primarily meant to be a cozy fantasy, the novel also takes a long look at how difficult it is to adjust to a new community with new rules, and how anxiety inducing it can be. While magical prophecies and doomsday proclamations can overset any event, the parents learn that sometimes it is the more mundane things like greed, ambition and fiduciary deception that can really hurt a community. The plot and narration tries to achieve a good balance of the fantastic new magics and cute kindergartener antics with the darker aspects of being the new-comers in over their heads, and sometimes the difficulties overweigh the fantastic but it was good to see therapy sessions having a positive effect through the book.

On the whole, recommended for anyone looking for cozy school fantasy with witty writing and a dash of reality mirrored in it.

She’d read her share of fantasy novels. Like most kids, she’d pictured herself in the role of the Chosen One plenty of times. She hadn’t given much thought to what it might be like to realize your kid wasn’t the Chosen One. Worse, was the Unchosen One, the bad guy in the prophecy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Titan publishers for the advanced reader copy, all opinions are honest.

🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the characters; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the story and themes; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 1/2 stars in total.]

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett: Book Review

 

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Because you are a reasonably smart boy. I suspect you shall come to realize what many Iudexii eventually learn— that though the Legion defends our Empire, it falls to us to keep an Empire worth defending.”

Fiction is underestimated by many, but good fiction, even with elements of science fiction and fantasy can be thought provoking - and sometimes, or many times it is with people or situations in very different worlds that we can find things in common and patterns (yes, seeing patterns is a reference to this book) in the overarching themes. A Drop Of Corruption is primarily a mystery in the vein of Holmes and Watson, but at its heart a commentary on autocracies and the need for functional police systems. Ana and Din travel to another city that is in the midst of treaty negotiations with the Empire to solve yet another seemingly impossible murder and soon find that the reasons behind the murder are layered with the political systems and covert operations there.

The book fulfills its premise with a scintillating mystery that keeps the reader involved, with several seemingly impossible situations showcasing Ana's prowess and Din's capabilities. The intricate plot has many players, with political intrigue, bureaucratic procedures as well as cultural clashes, all while dealing with a Moriarty-esque antagonist. The writing is measured with fair mention of various clues that turn out to be relevant later and it is a joy to be able to deduce a few of the solutions/ character revelations ahead of the confirmation in the book!

But more than this, the book also prompts questions on governing systems, the importance of policing checks in any bereaucracy or city, country or empire and the dangers of autocratic management, even if not quite Moriarty-esque. This is beautifully reflected in Din's own thoughts, problems, arguments and career considerations. It was interesting to see Ana mentor Din in her own way, but what was really satisfactory was that they trust each other more now than when they started working together. The secondary characters are given due weight, but Ana and Din's character sketches and growth take the prime consideration.

And to note finally, the world-building! Robert Jackson Bennett reveals more questions than answers in this book (a bit more than the first). But the empire foundation, the various organisations, the magic (or bio-chemical) system, the cultures all take a backseat next to the elephant (or the leviathan, if you will) in the room! The world-building is still focused on the empire, the people and their advances with the bio-chemical manipulations of leviathan matter and though we see more exotic uses of these, the book reveals quite little of the leviathans themselves and their origins. But this curiosity and the hints of Ana's origin story are keeping me hooked for the next book in the series. A minor quibble with the writing is RJB's use of a few Indian languages to pepper phrases through the book in the non-empire language, and my word associations weren't quite the associations this world used it for, which was jarring.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys Holmes and Watson mysteries and fantasy mysteries with good world-building. Looking forward to more in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

🌟🌟🌟🌟3/4🌟
[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters and their arcs; 3/4 star for the writing; One star for the world-building, One star for the plot and themes - 4 3/4 in total, rounded up to 5 stars.]

“This work can never satisfy, Din, for it can never finish. The dead cannot be restored. Vice and bribery will never be totally banished from the cantons. And the drop of corruption that lies within every society shall always persist. The duty of the Iudex is not to boldly vanquish it but to manage it. We keep the stain from spreading, yes, but it is never gone. Yet this job is perhaps the most important in all the Iyalets, for without it, well … The Empire would come to look much like Yarrow, where the powerful and the cruel prevail without check. And tell me—does that realm look capable of fighting off a leviathan?”

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The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Ann Older: Book Review

 

The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Ann Older
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

That is, I regret it now; but when I probe the gallimaufry of blurred memories from that night I can still feel the potency of the ungovernable impulse that demanded I place my palms on her bony shoulders, the elation of pouring my strength into the shove, of feeling her weight and solidity shocked backwards by my hand.

The third book in The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series, The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses sees Pleiti flex her recently uncovered investigating skills by herself to help out her friend at another university, in the process acquiring a new respect for the Modernist stream of studies, making new friends and renewing old friendships, and solving the mystery with some good old fashioned skills; all while Pleiti and Mossa try to navigate their growing relationship, dealing with their insecurites and learning to work their way to each other.

This book is a great addition to the series in terms of both the world-building and the characters. We see more of the world Giant, as well as a bit of its history and prejudices. It's interesting, to say the least, but perhaps not surprising, to see the tensions that can arise in academia even in a futuristic space settlement society. The plot is slow at first - with the characters mostly reacting to events, but Pleiti steadily makes headway in trying to solve the mystery alone before Mossa joins her, very reminiscent of the plot in The Hound of the Baskervilles. How they each work towards solving the mystery and rationally finding the culprit is a good reflection of their individual temperaments.

Both Pleiti and Mossa grow as characters; Pleiti with her perception of academia and scholars, Mossa with her introspection on the kinds of cases she wants to take up. They also continue to explore their relationship after some angst and more open conversation, especially regarding mental health. While it was good to see them actually talk to each other about their feelings and expectations, the angst and insecurity felt a little off-key when looking at how their relationship grew in the previous two books.

A special note must be made of the author's incredible linguistic skills in envisioning a close knit society comprising people of multiple nationalities and cultures starting from scratch as a new society. It is truly refreshing to see this melding of languages and speech patterns (and food items too), seen even in the first two books (Book 2 review), as opposed to simply including some stereotypes bordering on (or invading) blatant racism and calling it representation. However, not knowing these languages don't really stop the flow as a lot can be gleaned from context. As a person who's interested in etymology and linguistics, I enjoyed tracing the various words with roots from different languages, and of course also looking up new foodstuffs. Gallimaufry, if you were wondering, means a confused jumble or medley of things - its origin is old French, but it is actually an English word (ref. Oxford dictionary).

This book, and series, is recommended to anyone who might enjoy a Holmes and Watson kind of mystery in a Sci-Fi world, with female lead characters and a sapphic romance.

The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series:
Book 1: The Mimicking of Known Successes
Book 2: The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and the author Malka Ann Older for an ARC of the book, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟🌟1/4🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the characters and their growth; 3/4 star for the story and themes; One star for the world-building; One star for the writing - 4 1/4 stars in total, rounded down to 4 stars.]

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Wheel of the Infinite: Book Review

 

Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maybe I am too old for this, she thought. Too old for war, too mean-tempered for peace.

Martha Wells' Wheel of the Infinite features a competent returned-from-exile middle-aged female protagonist which we don't have enough of in the genre. Asked to return to the capital when traditional rites linked to the world's magic system get buggy, the no-nonsense Maskelle travels to her city and immediately takes charge of the investigation, picking up a bodyguard along the way.

The next few days see a lot of action to solve the mystery before a strict deadline, with ever increasing stakes. The plot is compelling and the book is first and foremost action driven. While the characters are sketched out well and we see their dominant traits come to the fore, the short timeline of the book doesn't leave much space for growth or introspection. Given the strong character growth in the author's later work Murderbot, this was a bit less than what I expected going in. However, the action driven plot, actions which are still somewhat representative of the characters more than make up for it.

I liked the world-building done over the course of the story, giving out only what is required for the plot to the point where it's almost not enough. The magic system is interesting with unique flaws that were of course exploited, and I would have appreciated a bit more depth to the world-building. But more than everything else, I thoroughly enjoyed the author's wry humour and her writing manages to strike a balance with all elements in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of the 2024 updated edition of this book, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟3/4
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the story and themes; 3/4 star for the writing; 3/4 star for the world-building; Half a star for the characters - 3 3/4 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]

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Upon a Starlit Tide: Book Review

 

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tears and salt. Sorrow and sea. There is magic in such meetings.

Stories are rarely simple, including 'once upon a time' fairy tales that can evolve with every retelling. And even stories that might seem like a retelling of the Little Mermaid because of the oceanic elements can include themes from other stories like Cinderella on a closer inspection. This is the story of Lucinde, a young woman who can leave her adopted parents' mansion only with difficulty but still hears the call of the sea and dreams of exploring shores far away. But what made Upon A Starlit Tide truly delightful to read was Kell Woods' added modulation to the age old themes from the fairy tales.

Luce's relationships with her two adopted sisters has overtones of Cinderella's relationships with her stepsisters, but it is refreshing to see them grow and be more mature as the book progresses. There are also no simple one-dimensional wicked sea witches and fairy godmothers in this story, the good and the bad are nuanced and Lucinde has to learn whom to trust. The world-building is wonderful, with layers of historical fantasy, war efforts and mystic fae magic developed with each other, and Woods' writing lends itself well to each aspect drawing the reader in slowly. I was invested in the book as a whole until the end, where the protagonists seemed off in what they tried to do before it ended as I expected anyway. But I'd recommend the book to everyone nostalgic about fairy tales and like more depth to them.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Tor Publishers for an ARC of this book, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing; One star for the story and themes - 4 1/2 stars in total, rounded up to 5 stars.]

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A Terribly Nasty Business: Book Review

 

A Terribly Nasty Business by Julia Seales
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Neighborhood Association of Gentlemen Sweetbriarians (NAGS) Presents: THE LONDON SEASON

The second Beatrice Steele book A Terribly Nasty Business follows her to London as she solves her investigative firm's first real case with partner Vivek Drake and navigates the London season. The book is as wacky as the first, with flying squirrels and nostalgic mentions of glowing frogs, but Julia Seales' witty humor also aids discussing the themes of freedom (lack of) and gender inequality in the Regency era.

The story arc had enough space for Beatrice's introspective growth, even amidst the humor, and the plot progression made for an easy light page turner. The strength of the book on the whole, as well as the series, is Seales' parodic writing and satirical world-building. Recommended to anyone looking for a light-hearted funny murder mystery.

I see the influence that a painting, a song, a performance, has on people’s hearts and minds. It can effect change. Topple the correct ways and order of society. Give power to those who have never had it...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Random House for an advanced copy, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟1/4
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the writing; Half a star for the characters and their growth; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the story and themes - 3 1/4 stars in total, rounded down to an integer.]

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Blood Over Bright Haven: Book Review

 

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Truth over delusion. Growth over comfort. God over all.

M.L. Wang depicts an unflinching representation of colonialism with her magic system in Blood Over Bright Haven. Her stark world-building provides a look at not only conservative sexism through Sciona's eyes as she becomes the first ever female Highmage in the Magistry, but also at racism through Thomil's POV who migrated to this so-called 'Bright Haven' Tiran when his tribe could no longer survive in the outer cold world.

The characters are undeniably rich - Sciona can be applauded for striving to carve a path for women through the sexism; she can be criticized for failing to appreciate the working women around her just because they weren't academic; and she can be hated for her implicit racism against the janitor-turned-assistant Thomil; but she has to be given credit for learning to respect their opinions and agree with their arguments as she grows through the book. Thomil likewise is intricately sketched as he tries to balance preserving aspects of his tribe with himself and his niece while surviving in a city that considers them subhuman.

The book on the whole packs a lot in its relative size and the immersive writing coupled with a grand plot prompts digesting it in slow bursts, especially when the plot goes in a direction you don't want it to, but can't fault given the circumstances. It is recommended as a thought provoking fantasy read, and given the author's insight into the human ego as well as emotions, I'll keep an eye out for her future work!

I will not turn my gaze, though Light burn me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House publishing group - Ballantine/ Del Ray for an advanced copy of this book, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the story arc and plot; 3/4 star for the writing - 4 1/2 stars in total, rounded up to Five stars.]

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The Elements of Marie Curie: Book Review

 

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science by Dava Sobel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It had an asphalt floor and a glass roof that leaked.
A century would pass before the term “glass ceiling” gained currency as a metaphor for invisible barriers to women’s advancement, but Marie Curie toiled under an actual glass ceiling from 1899 to 1902, the years she spent in that “poor, shabby hangar,” spinning pitchblende into radium.

The Elements of Marie Curie has been a particularly special read to me by providing not only a biography of Marie's life, but also a glimpse into all the  macro-aggressions faced by the first few women in Science academia. They had to overcome a lot of challenges such as not being allowed memberships in academic societies or to present their own work - around the same time as the suffragette movements. While society and academia have moved forward since then, it was really galling to see the micro-aggressions such as withholding credit and bad jokes on personal lives that are still prevalent today. One can only hope that society continues to move forward with awareness on these issues.

“The combination of the ability to think in mathematical formulas and to manipulate skillfully the whimsical instruments of a physical laboratory— a combination necessary to attain eminence in physics— is apparently one seldom met with in women,” she said. She seemed to have forgotten that she herself had once embodied these abilities.

The book is strengthened by excerpts from letters and recollections about Marie adding a personal touch to her characterization. It was wonderful to see the several strong women depicted here and her support system.

“Then the door opened and I saw a pale, timid little woman in a black cotton dress, with the saddest face I had ever looked upon.” “I had been prepared to meet a woman of the world, enriched by her own efforts and established in one of the white palaces of the ChampsÉlysées or some other beautiful boulevard of Paris.” Instead, “I found a simple woman, working in an inadequate laboratory and living in a simple apartment on the meager pay of a French professor.” This discovery unhinged Mrs. Meloney.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Grove Atlantic for providing me with a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characterization; One star for the story; One star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - Four and a half stars on the whole, rounded up to Five stars.]

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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson; Book Review

 

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If murder mysteries have rules, so too do Christmas Specials, which the universe has kindly obliged here. You’ll find ahead Santa-fied clues aplenty, and don’t rule out characters having to dress up in silly costumes for some tangentially related plot reason, which I will satisfy in a minor turn as Rudolph. And of course, by the end of these things, the detective has to learn the true meaning of the word Christmas. So we’ll get there too.

A quick festive novella for Ernest Cunningham fans, Everone This Christmas Has a Secret manages to tangentially follow all the seasonal special rules in Stevenson's witty way, while still in keeping with the Golden Age mystery rules. Ernest is called to solve a seemingly impossible mystery just before Christmas and steps into a world of professional tricksters, each with their own secret.

The plot is captivating and true to the Ernest's word, the readers get enough clues along the way to try and piece the puzzle together. The story provides a pretty strong foundation on which to build everything else, though not all characters are sketched out solidly. I enjoyed Stevenson's witty writing and sense of humor in this one; the blatant references to Christmas have to be forgiven I suppose.

And for those wondering if any aspect of formatting plays a role here -
In keeping with an accidental theme— my first case involved a full stop, my second a comma—this may well be the first mystery ever solved by Comic Sans.

Thanks to NetGalley, Mariner publishing group and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the story arc; Half a star for the characters; One star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building and description- 3 3/4 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]


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I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons by Peter S Beagle: Book Review

 

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The warning came in the form of a great wind, sudden and cold, sweeping the western mountains on a perfectly bland and cloudless summer day.

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons is the story of people coming together to face this challenge, but more than that, it's the story of these teenagers realizing that they are not who their roles force them to be, and trying to figure out who they are in the face of this danger, what they need and what they want.

Peter S. Beagle's writing is straightforward, though quite descriptive and I think the book is accessible to pre-teens and early teens also. The world-building is more focused on the dragons than on their kingdoms, which I didn't mind.

It is the character development and their individual arcs which really carried the book for me, and the story is very much character driven. I enjoyed seeing Princess Cerise's arc, ostensibly interviewing princes but teaching herself to read, sword fight and even spitball in secret! Prince Reginald also turns out to be a solid character, who doesn't want to be a hero but finds himself to be quite heroic if the situation demands it. Robert's arc from an inherited job of dragon exterminator to not is particularly engaging!

The dragon's gaze held him in a grip far more powerful than that of the wizard, and once again he cried out - or thought he did, "Who am I? What do you want of me?" 

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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The rating for this book is 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 stars as the book and the whole delivers a good read.

[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the story; Half a star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building and description - 3 1/2 stars in total].

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater: Book Review

 

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The hundred eyes of Witchwood Manor loomed above, grinning through torrential rain.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is a dark faerie tale with a Gothic ambience - wherein Winifred Hall untangles the dark menace behind Witchwood Manor, finds out information regarding the mysterious disappearance of her once-protector and rescues the kidnapped young heir to the Manor, all while conquering her inner demons and befriending the hostile faerie butler.

Winifred is a strong and clever lead character, bringing iron knives in her chateleine and lies with her governess guise to deal with whatever is tormenting Witchwood Manor. She is beset by both human and faerie menaces during the course of the fast-paced story and her character growth in dealing with them is doubly remarkable.

Though this book can be read as a standalone, the stakes grow higher as the story progresses and I'm looking forward to the next books in this series (Victorian Faerie Tales). I'm also intrigued enough by the layered world-building and several tidbits in the storyline to read the other books in this world (Regency Faerie Tales). Atwood's writing with the Gothic vibes complete the package!

Thanks to NetGalley, Starwatch Press publishers and Olivia Atwater for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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The rating for this book is 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and NetGalley as I'm interested in this series.

[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the story arc; One star for the characters; Half a star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building and description - 3 1/2 stars in total].

A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid: Book Review

 

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It began as all things did: a girl on the shore, terrified and desirous.

A Study In Drowning is a portrayal of a young girl's life and struggles with myth, misogyny and mental health in a combination of dark academia and dark faerie tale.

Ava Reid's lyrical prose provides a strong foundation to the novel and easily draws one into Effy's story. Though set in a time in the last century when girls were not even allowed to enroll in particular college courses, her struggles with misogyny were relatable as some of the instances and the writing just ring true.

The writing, hand in hand with the story sets the dark faerie tone of the novel and the inclusion of Angharad, the story within the story and Effy's well-used book, adds to the whole tone. Angharad provides the only functional bridge to understanding for Effy between her world and the world that she sees but everyone else dismisses.

This is overlaid with a mystery in a Gothic mansion and the world-building on the whole supports the story. Effy's character development as an unreliable narrator as the story progresses is interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the writing; Half a star for the story; Half a star for the world-building - Four stars in total.]

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik: Book Review

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The last thing Orion said to me, the absolute bastard, was El, I love you so much.

The Golden Enclaves takes off with this and is a superb conclusion to the Scholomance trilogy. The most satisfying aspect, to me, is to see El and Orion's character arcs complete and stable, making space for each other. Naomi Novik has done a few fantastic fairy tale retellings before (Spinning Silver and Uprooted), but in my head I think of this story as The Beast and the Beast retelling - where, spoilers, neither is a Beast, not really. A perfect short quote that made me think of this again - But they'd loved Orion only in exactly the same way they'd hated me. Neither one of us were ever people to them. He just made himself useful, and I refused to. I loved that their character arcs started in very different places and have been complementary to each other, evolving beautifully since the first book.

El's snarky sarcastic sassy voice brings it's own unique flavour to this book, and series; her thoughts and analysis just makes her more relatable to me though the exposition might be too hyperactive for some people. Novik writes masterfully - of complex young adults in one layer, of a brilliant fantasy tale in another and of moral philosophy as the foundational layer. The premise of the series, as El finally recognizes in this book, is paraphrasing the trolley problem - is it okay to save many people by sacrificing one person? And what are the consequences of this decision?

Everyone has to decide for themselves, and El more than anyone as she's a budding dark sorceress (a tertiary order entity really). Intent and belief are more important than the words of any spell, and El finds that she has to keep deciding to not be a dark sorceress every step of the way as she races from one place to another. Because once she takes a step down that path, it'll be so much more difficult to stop. The story is paced well, weaving together action, magic and all the good intentions behind the worst politics.

The intricate magic system and the world-building also support the central question of this series; it dwells not just on the mechanics of the magic, but more on ephemeral concepts like overarching balance in the universe, hard earned mana and easily stolen malia.

Overall, a definite recommendation to pick up this series!

Scholomance #1: A Deadly Education Review
Scholomance #2: The Last Graduate Review

Thanks to NetGalley, Naomi Novik and the Random House publishing group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the writing; One star for the story; One star for the world-building - Five stars in total.]

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The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik: Book Review

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Keep far away from Orion Lake.

The Last Graduate, the second book of the Scholomance series, picks up from this cliffhanger with all the brilliance of the first book - and more! The book follows El through her last year at the Scholomance as her friends (yes, she realizes she has friends!), and she try to rescue every student from the world's maleficaria until the very last graduate.

El's character growth is considerable in this book, always listening to her conscience and driving the story forward - her bubble of 'us' grows from one to three to dozens to hundreds, her sarcasm and impertinence notwithstanding. Orion's character arc provides a great complement to El's as he finally finds himself looking beyond just fighting mals and cares about something for himself.

The world-building is well done, especially as we hear it from El's snarky point of view. We find out more about how this world works along with the magic system. The Scholomance itself is finally seen as an individual entity with (artificial or natural) intelligence as it 'protects all the wise-gifted children of the world'. It actively prods El and the other students towards definite plans and conclusions, even driving the story at certain points.

Novik's masterful writing interspaces the story with world-building as well as character growth. Many secondary characters are given time and space to grow and overcome the politics of the outside world, some even proving we can't truly know what people would rise to do in a crisis. It was wonderful to see many people take the reins on different projects and working together in the end. The book, on the whole, makes for a great second part of the series and ends with a cliffhanger (of course) for the third and final book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House Publishing group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the writing; One star for the story; One star for the world-building - Five stars in total.]

Overall, a definite recommendation to pick up this series!

Scholomance #1: A Deadly Education Review
Scholomance #3: The Golden Enclaves Review

View all my reviews

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik: Book Review

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

'I decided that Orion needed to die after the second time he saved my life.' - A Deadly Education takes off with one of the most riveting opening sentences in fantasy!

Naomi Novik weaves a refreshing take on the magic boarding school trope with masterful narrative pacing, unforgettable characters and intricate world-building. What I enjoyed most is the tone of the book, set by the smart and impertinent lead El and her many sarcastic inner musings. The complementary character arcs of El and Orion, of whom you find out a lot in just the first few opening words, drive the story forward and are made a lot more distinctive by their personalities. The characters, including many secondary ones, are quite well-formed and are made relatable teenagers even though they face extraordinary unrelatable circumstances. El manages to retain her wit and sass even while fighting her destiny of becoming a dark goddess of death and destruction!

The novel is set in the Scholomance, a magic boarding school with a sort of AI giving personalized course structures for each student; and they learn by surviving not only exams but also the aforementioned extraordinary circumstances such as frequent attacks by mals /monsters. The layered world-building does require some exposition but it's packed in well along with the action, keeping the story moving forward at a good pace. More importantly, this book is enjoyable and provides a good foundation for the next books in the series.

Overall, the book has great diversity and quite distinct characters. It was heartening to see Naomi Novik acknowledge and apologize for racially insensitive comments on dreadlocks. And the series deserves some extra points for trying to create a matter-of-fact cosmopolitan environment, including all the politics.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House Publishing group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[One star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characters; One star for the writing; One star for the story; One star for the world-building - Five stars in total.]

Overall, a definite recommendation to pick up this series!

Scholomance #2: The Last Graduate Review
Scholomance #3: The Golden Enclaves Review

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