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.

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[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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Wizard of Most Wicked Ways: Book Review

 

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Age was a peculiar concept for Owein Mansel. He’d been born in 1624, and been spiritually conscious ever since, which technically made him 227 years old. However, the majority of that time had been spent embodied in a house on an island off the coast of Rhode Island, and houses were, by definition, not living. Of those 227 years, only sixteen had been spent as a human, so one might argue sixteen as his age. However, the body he now occupied—which had previously belonged to a boy named Oliver Whittock— was physically eighteen, as of five months ago. And so, when anyone asked after Owein’s age, he usually said that: eighteen.

Wizard of most wicked ways could be described as Silas' book in the Whimbrel House series, given the title and how much we see of his POV. It could also be described as Owein's coming of age book, as he transitions through adolescence and the existential crises peculiar to his situation, as adolescents are wont to do. But the one adjective I cannot get past is that it is superfluous to the series - as semi-spoiler, at the end of the book we find the characters and their situation to be more or less similar to what they were at the end of the previous book. 

All the characters remain well-sketched, as they have been since the beginning of the series, and it was fun to see the families again. There is also some good world-building in this book, particularly the scientific research into magic. However, this doesn't outweigh the meager story arc and the time worn love triangle. This book is recommended for anyone with nostalgia for this series, but there are no great revelations in it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers 47North for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own and entirely honest.

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

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One Way Witch: Book Review

 

One Way Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I walked into the desert, in the opposite direction my daughter would soon walk and never return from. I wasn't afraid to be alone. Onyesonwu held me to this world. Without her, I was nothing. I clung to the weight of her. If only to be there for her if she somehow needed me. And so I walked into the desert to unlock something I'd put away long ago.

One Way Witch shows Najeeba's perspective of the time immediately before and after her daughter's remaking of the world, which story is told in Who Fears Death. This book acts as a bridge for Najeeba from these events to the role she knows she has to play in the future of the new world.

Though Nnedi Okorafor's writing is as evocative as ever of the pain and anguish experienced by the protagonists, this book is essentially some time off for Najeeba as she studies magic and processes her feelings to move on - and the slow story arc reflects this break. Her character arc remains strong as she actively journeys to where she wants to be in her life.

The book on the whole is still recommended for anyone who wants to follow the series and keep tabs on the world-building. The strengths of the book, and the series, are definitely the writing and the character arcs.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nnedi Okorafor and the publishers DAW for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

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

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The City In Glass: Book Review

 

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

From the topmost tower of the observatory to the floating docks on the beach, the city of Azril lit up with paper lanterns, with candles, with girls throwing flaming knives and boys in firefly crowns, with passion, with desire, with hatred, and with delight.

This first sentence is representative of the whole book The City in Glass - beautiful writing, extensive imagery and little story. The book follows Vitrine, the demon of Azril, as she guides the rebuilding of the city she loves and her relationship with the angel who caused its destruction.

I enjoyed the flowing lyrical language, but the book seemed too hollow - indeed, like Vitrine's glass cabinet - and I soon found myself impatient for the book to conclude. The premise of forming a city around Vitrine's ideas did keep me invested to finish the book however.

The characterization of the demon and the angel, along with several secondary characters were done well, even if they rarely did something truly interesting. This combined with the lackluster world-building and slow story arc leaves me to think of the book as vignettes of a few people.

As he dug, Vitrine watched with interest as the angel’s shoulders shook. She wondered if his kind, so set on how perfect they were allowed to make the world, could cry, and if so, what emotion might move him to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Tor and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The audiobook narrated by Susan Dalian was performed very well and suits the tone of the writing.

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

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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.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
[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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Le Fay by Sophie Keetch: Book Review

 

Le Fay by Sophie Keetch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

And they should fear me, the power I possessed, and the bright, ravenous rage that now fuelled my every breath. From that moment onwards, even I did not know what I was capable of.

Sophie Keetch's Le Fay tracks Morgan's journey from her ambiguous morality to in the first book Morgan Is My Name to... still ambiguous morality, even with the incredible premise, through all her losses suffered, despite the number of times she threatens to burn everything, and against all the potential antagonists.

Like the first book, there are some good secondary characters, but all the antagonists are one-dimensional men... the King of Gore returns of course, but even Merlin is portrayed as weirdly one-dimensional, and it takes some imagination to fit a potentially jealous credit-stealing male academic mentor like Merlin to a brilliant student like Morgan into the lecherous misogynist trope.

This book could have explored more of Morgan's relationship with Arthur and Guinevere, and how it devolves, but all we hear is the number of times Morgan says Arthur was her dear brother and she his trusted advisor. It would have been great to actually see Morgan help Arthur with any of the various aspects of running a kingdom, but we only see her help plan a tournament at the beginning of the book while trying to avoid Guinevere. Accolon's return starts off childish squabbles between them, which might have evolved into a mature relationship, but given the many number of times we hear that, it gives the exact opposite impression. And finally, we really should have seen Morgan explore her magic and study healing to the fullest extent here, but this is overridden by trying to blame Merlin for introducing dark magic to Morgan. Morgan le Fay's magic should have been the one thing that was completely hers!

In short, could have, would have, might have, should have is my review.

And all of this in Keetch's writing style, which I enjoyed in the first book, but was just too descriptive in this book.

To hear him tell it so plaintively was to feel it as the truth—Arthur’s truth, different from mine but no less lived and felt. I gazed across at this man, this King, my brother, his eyes shining silver with grief. His argument was convincing and logical, and blisteringly, devastatingly wrong.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada publishing group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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[3/4 star for the premise; Half a star for the characters; Half a star for the story arc; 1/4 star for the writing; 3/4 star for the world-building- 2 3/4 stars in total, rounded up to 3 stars.]


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All Systems Red by Martha Wells: Book Review

All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's wrong to think of a construct as half-bot half-human. It makes us sound like the halves are discrete, like the bot half should want to obey orders and do its job and the human half should want to protect itself and get the hell out of here.
As opposed to the reality, which was that I was one whole confused entity, with no idea what I wanted to do, what I should do, what I needed to do.

Martha Wells has done an amazing job with making the construct Murderbot, as they call themselves in The Murderbot Diaries, completely empathizable! And this is coming from someone who doesn't like the robots-take-over-world trope. But Murderbot, doesn't care about the world, and does their job half heartedly, while devoting most of their free processing time to entertainment. Being a construct doesn't mean they are devoid of feelings or emotions however, and complex ones like social anxiety too. Working security with a team of scientists who don't just leave it alone gives space for a lot of character development.

It's tough to do inner monologues well, but it's great when done well and I really enjoyed Wells' writing. The book is a short novella with them escaping danger as the base plot, and more page space was devoted to characterization than world-building. But I didn't mind that, as the story could have been happening on any outer planet common in Sci-Fi. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

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[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the characterization; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the story; One star for the writing - Four stars in total.]

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And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: Book Review

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had written this book because it was so difficult to do that the idea had fascinated me. Ten people had to die without it becoming ridiculous or the murderer being obvious. I wrote the book after a tremendous amount of planning, and I was pleased with what I had made of it. It was clear, straightforward, baffling, and yet had a perfectly reasonable explanation; in fact it had to have an epilogue in order to explain it. It was well received and reviewed, but the person who was really pleased with it was myself, for I knew better than any critic how difficult it had been.

- Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None

If I had to recommend one book by Agatha Christie to anyone, or even just one mystery, it would be And Then There Were None. With such a perfect locked room (island) premise, and with her brilliant execution of the whole story, Christie really had every reason to be pleased and proud of this book! And for the world to still think of her as the queen of mystery.

What's left to say?
Christie had a good psychological grasp of her ten well-sketched characters, shown as brief glimpses into their trains of thought. Apart from the prevalent suspense and suspicion, the paranoia that can set in when they realize they're in danger, Christie does a great job showing the devolvement of the rules of society and position over the course of the book. As a modern day reader, I was actually a bit surprised how many 'rules' were actually stuck to - but this is one of the reasons I like reading Christie and other writers of her time, we can actually see a good representation of her time and the society then.

The writing is simply masterful - we see everything of essence and more, brought across to the reader in less than 300 pages! The best way to enjoy this book and the story arc is to go in blind if possible, as I did. The epilogue explains the mystery, along with the very few clues scattered through the book. But the book itself is a perfect locked room mystery.

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