I like these stories a great deal: they tend toward the whimsical and a cheerful tone. Much less dark and angst than the novels. Well, given the naturI like these stories a great deal: they tend toward the whimsical and a cheerful tone. Much less dark and angst than the novels. Well, given the nature of the brief for most of them, they tend more towards a warm and family-friendly Christmas episode.
This was face out on the New shelf and I grabbed it because great cover. There was a book, so, yes, and maybe it was about somePure, dead, brilliant.
This was face out on the New shelf and I grabbed it because great cover. There was a book, so, yes, and maybe it was about some reading disability, whatever.
It has custom endpapers, which at the front are little icons of mostly common things easily understood by most North American kids. Mostly Gears, musical notes, flower, is that a house, lock, clover, branch, fire, if that one is fire, is this a crown? The title word is broken into three syllables, as on the front cover, but also spread onto three rows.
The next spread shows a simple tropical island with an adult woman and child looking to the right, over the ocean, under the sun. The sky is blue and white. There's a fish in the ocean and a teapot. At the far right is a small sail boat with a woman and a child. The scene darkens in swathes from left to right, with stars appearing. The next spread darkens further in bands, the blue oceans becoming grey, a rubber duck and periscope amid the waves, more stars, a crescent moon, and a passenger plane. The grey scene with stars clouds and hills or fog becomes a street with a house and a city skyline in the background, a silly cartoonish bus with symbols on the side at a bus stop, a lumpish greyscale mother and daughter standing to the side of a mother and son in a more realistic style, in full color.
On the next spread we see the girl and her mother from the front, still greyscale but highly stylized like early cartoons, the busdriver, too is grey, with micky mouse gloved hands and a nose more like Goofy, his speech balloon is all gibberish symbols. The boy, Dat, hugs his mother goodbye and introduces himself to the driver, who gets his name wrong.
And so his day goes, Dat in color, the rest in greyscale, the other teachers as old school cartoons who might be dog people, the other kids are strange little monsters, the reader as confused as Dat by everything, including the gibberish word symbols. After a long, puzzling day amid the outsized monsters, there is more color and clarity, and the world begins to make sense to the reader, just as it does to Dat.
The final endpaper spread replaces the black and white icons with letters.
Vo has taken his experience as an animator and created empathy for the stranger as no words have ever done. I am awed.
Jemisin is brilliant at calling out bullshit and being so damn entertaining with the social commentary, or, IWay to subvert the Lovecraftian paradigm!
Jemisin is brilliant at calling out bullshit and being so damn entertaining with the social commentary, or, I suppose, so socially conscious with the entertainment. Twenty four hours after finishing and I'm still doing a little happy dance in my seat. I walk away from this book with all the glee of leaving a blockbuster movie without any of the "oh, wait, that feels really dodgy when you stop to think about it" regrets after.
I thought I knew how it would all play out, and happily I was sooo wrong! No greater joy can be found in a book by a plot fiend such as me. Well, okayI thought I knew how it would all play out, and happily I was sooo wrong! No greater joy can be found in a book by a plot fiend such as me. Well, okay, delicious eats and three devoted friends is quit happy-making. One hates to see people brought together by bigotry, but loves to see people finding their people.
Highly relatable to most admins, English majors, female people, people in publishing, etc. and me, notably neither young nor of Asian descent.
After the fabulous opening the story dragged a little so it took me a while to get pulled all the way back in, a good 60 pages or so. But from there oAfter the fabulous opening the story dragged a little so it took me a while to get pulled all the way back in, a good 60 pages or so. But from there on out it was thrilling, albeit tinged with melancholy. The intrigue is good and the fight scenes are gripping: I would dearly love to watch this movie, filmed on location as it would need to be.
Really fun look at a kid's favorite book that has been customized. While I do not advocate defiling a library book of course, no matter how much I disReally fun look at a kid's favorite book that has been customized. While I do not advocate defiling a library book of course, no matter how much I disagree with any aspect of it (besides, I can vent to more people on GoodReads), I am heartily in favor of people owning books and enjoying them however they see fit. I do not dog ear my books, try not to break the spines, keep them properly housed on shelves for the most part. I even take off the dust jacket while I'm reading a hardcover, although that's mostly because they are slippy and annoying. Nor do I write in my books, not even my name. But that's me. Other people are welcome to do wildly different things. I can't even get upset about the deliberate and willful destruction of books by individuals or libraries. Burning is wrong of course because global warming, fire safety, etc. But I've seen fun crafts and beautiful art made from books and I am well aware that while some books may be sacred, there are an awful lot that don't even come within hailing distance of the nominally functional.
Let the wild rumpus begin!
Fun book, vibrant art, props for including a Black princess with a white knight.
**spoiler alert** What happens when a clever person reflects on the problems in a very popular series of books? Maybe Novik didn't start this series t**spoiler alert** What happens when a clever person reflects on the problems in a very popular series of books? Maybe Novik didn't start this series thinking how to fix issues with other books set in a world where magic is real and kids go off to special magic boarding school, but it seems like she might have.
It's an interesting world, with quite the dark side, one which incorporates thoughtful consideration of power, and class, and injustice, and prejudice, and friendship, and making deliberate choices. This is for readers whose taste runs more to The Hunger Games and less to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Lots of quandaries, ambiguities, complexities, nuance, and a heroine who pisses everyone off. It's also a series aimed at an older audience, so there's rather more typical teen behavior and less marriage at eighteen.
**spoiler alert** There are many books about books, roo many about writers, quite a few about bookstores and libraries and book clubs, but book publis**spoiler alert** There are many books about books, roo many about writers, quite a few about bookstores and libraries and book clubs, but book publishing: not so much. There's got to be some, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. This is a good one, showing the drawbacks, to a job in publishing, particularly for the damn few POC. But also, the joys. Plus there's the Beauty and the Beast easter eggs, so many easter eggs. As a fan of the Disney animated film I wouldn't say barely just enough of those, but every single magical one made me smile, despite my antipathy for the entertainment behemoth itself.
When I don't bother to read any other news in the Guardian, I always read Mahdawi who is invariably droll, pithy, and insightful. So a mention of an uWhen I don't bother to read any other news in the Guardian, I always read Mahdawi who is invariably droll, pithy, and insightful. So a mention of an upcoming book and the value of pre-orders was a click, as soon as the US edition was listed. What I didn't do was read the blurb, just started straight in when it arrived. My conviction in Mahdawi's sheer readabelness was rewarded. This is a book making clear, explicit points about how to not suck as a leader. An enjoyable, clever, and informed book with useful depth, a rarity in the field, I highly recommend it. And now I have to go subvert the dominant paradigm....more
It's odd that one of the the blurbs for this, not the one on this actual edition, contains two big plot points which are not present in the text. I amIt's odd that one of the the blurbs for this, not the one on this actual edition, contains two big plot points which are not present in the text. I am left wondering of there were significant revisions at some point, or no one familiar with the text ever bothered to read the blurb, or there is some kind of time travel/magic/multiverse shenanigans. Along the same vein, I have been wanting to read this for years because I thought it was about Christopher Marlowe, which it is not, at all.
Nor did I realize it was a swashbuckling extravaganza, and fun with that. In retrospect, I wonder if Neal Stephenson considered it an influence on The Baroque Cycle.
I'm glad it's been reissued: it deserves more readers...more
Read for my 365 Kids Book challenge. You can see all the books on their own shelf.
And since this book is very nearly all the things, I also read it foRead for my 365 Kids Book challenge. You can see all the books on their own shelf.
And since this book is very nearly all the things, I also read it for Halloween Bingo. I am using it for the Halloween square which had been giving me trouble, but it is also fine for Dead Lands, Dem Bones, Doomsday, Gallows-Humor, Ghosts, Gothic, Grave Or Graveyard, Haunted-House, Horror, In The Dark, Dark Woods, Mad-Scientist And Evil Geniuses, Monsters, Murder-Most-Foul, Paint-It-Black, Spellbound, Supernatural, Trick Or Treat, Stranger Things, and Vampires. It is set on Halloween when 10-year-old Mona flees a monster in her house, takes a short cut through a graveyard to get to the police station, and falls in with a some other kids. It is a bit creepy: there are so many monsters at least one will disturb everyone. But it’s funny and hits so many of the tropes in unexpected ways. I look forward to more volumes of kids trying to save the world.
Sometimes I grab a book for its cover and it is even better than I hoped.
This poor book kept being put aside in favor of Halloween Bingo books until finally I'd become a little overwhelmed by grimness. The Final Girl SupporThis poor book kept being put aside in favor of Halloween Bingo books until finally I'd become a little overwhelmed by grimness. The Final Girl Support Group is excellent, but emotionally intensive. A break was necessary to refresh my overwhelmed spirit. So, a little bit of not-horror, not-supernatural, not-murder, not-suspense did the trick. To be fair, there is a strong element of suspense here: there is adventure and dastardly deeds and a bit of mystery as well. But, as with A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby that's none of it the draw. I like the more realistic portrayal of Regency life for people of color, the lingering influence of slavery in the UK, the grim reality of women with no rights. Being romance, all of that is handled with enough remove to not be overwhelming, and the HEA makes all well. Then too, I like the rhythm of Riley's writing; her sentences are unexpected in ways I can't begin to explain or even quite isolate. I'm looking forward to more.
This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on theirThis is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
So many prepositions! I like that I can sort of figure out how Hale made the illustrations, since the note on the art only says collage. Anyway, it's a good way to go through all the prepositions and through the process of going to and coming home from school. The art is colorful with one particularly neat tree shadow and there's a cat.
I wish I had this book in my early 40s so I could be forwarned about what to expect, know how to discuss symptoms with my doctor, and know how to deal with the transitional chaos and the flooding. I really wish I had known about the flooding ahead of time. Warning: surfing the crimson tide is one thing, but after years of the same waves there will come random flood tides. Be prepared: these will be super plus AND extra heavy overnight situations.
Also it's good to know someone who isn't afraid to call out bullshit on medical advice from celebrities or misogyny on the internet. Gwyneth knows what she did. Also Oprah, and Suzanne Somers. Dr. Jen has zero toleration for doctors who are ill-informed, fat-blaming, or otherwise unacceptable.
Since it wasn't written yet, I've been reading this after the fact, and it is still helpful in practical advice for dealing with my much-interrupted sleep at night, which of course I thought was just me.
And the science geek in me really loves that, when applicable, she includes racial and ethnic breakdowns of the studies, as well as including disparities in outcomes by demographics.
Read this and be well.
Somers spelling corrected 30Apr2922
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1 January 2024
Why, yes, I did reread it to go back over some material and take notes, because library copy.
Hoang displays marvelous empathy with her characters: she wants them to be loved and she shows how they are loveable, despite social awkwardness, inapHoang displays marvelous empathy with her characters: she wants them to be loved and she shows how they are loveable, despite social awkwardness, inappropriate statements, etc. And Esmeralda is the most worthy Cinderella for a story.
And although arranged marriage is maybe not my favorite trope, the dignity Hoang permits her characters to have is just the best. And now I am sad that there are no more Hoang books for me to read yet.
Because I became distracted and didn't post this almost two months ago.
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Having recently gone on at length about Sherry Thomas and her us31 July 2021
Because I became distracted and didn't post this almost two months ago.
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Having recently gone on at length about Sherry Thomas and her use of long time spans, here is the same sort of thing. The two interwoven bits are only seven months apart, but each section sets off the others beautifully. It's a good way to fit instant attraction as well as something long-term into a short work.
Also, I loved the fashion aspect: that both of these people are thoughtful about fashion but with very different takes. I feel like I usually see fashion in fiction being more about shopping as recreation, or being as a signifier for wealth or stylishness, but kind of generic? There was a lot of thought here.
This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. If you're following along, I am now 132 books reviews in, and the Top Readers list is still not fixed. FoThis is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. If you're following along, I am now 132 books reviews in, and the Top Readers list is still not fixed. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Unlike many of the reviewers, I wasn't familiar with the character of Cain, and not well up on my Gotham history in general. Cain recovers very well and quite swiftly from her horrible upbringing, but that doesn't bother me too much. I like the cast of characters, the look of the book, the origin story, the diverse characters. Quite fun and not dark in feeling, despite grim elements.
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