This is a light, diverting YA novel I read as this month’s SF pick of the SFFBC book club. As it unfolds, it touches on some more serious themes of doThis is a light, diverting YA novel I read as this month’s SF pick of the SFFBC book club. As it unfolds, it touches on some more serious themes of domestic violence and stalking, but it succeeds best when it bubbles along as a sweet tale of friendship between some appealingly drawn internet teenaged geeks and the AI who helps them. The teens are sharply drawn and authentic, and there’s a welcome presence on non-binary and queer characters. I think it’s difficult to craft a tale that can honor the weight of its darker themes and also be true to the lovingly supportive CatNet community it depicts, and that’s where I feel Kritzer falls a bit short.
There is a lot to enjoy here as well, and I’m happy its positive CatNet community exists as an example of what’s possible when people truly come together to take care of one another. ...more
This is an intriguing book: a chilly, cerebral examination of a woman’s grief after her sister is violently murdered. I’m left a little distanced by BThis is an intriguing book: a chilly, cerebral examination of a woman’s grief after her sister is violently murdered. I’m left a little distanced by Berry’s approach, but also impressed by her subtlety and interest in examining the complexities of investigating violence against women.
My 3-star rating is reflective of my experience of very little dramatic tension, but I do think that Berry is a talented writer, and I’d be curious to see where she went from here....more
A devastating, intricately woven, disturbing dive into the intricacies of the shadowy world of the intelligence and counter-intelligence communities. A devastating, intricately woven, disturbing dive into the intricacies of the shadowy world of the intelligence and counter-intelligence communities. Its greatest achievement is that Le Carré never loses sight of the human beings caught in the webs of deception and political machinations perpetrated by our governments; he’s profoundly aware of the costs to them. The tension ramps up in the subtlest of ways, masterfully presented in a cool, detached, morally outraged manner. I look forward to reading more of the work of this author, who has long been acclaimed as a master, and now I see why....more
This is a devastating portrait of greed, depravity, corruption, murder, and white supremacy. Prior to reading this meticulously researched book, I alrThis is a devastating portrait of greed, depravity, corruption, murder, and white supremacy. Prior to reading this meticulously researched book, I already knew a fair amount about our government’s terrible history of murdering and displacing and oppressing the native peoples who lived here before European settlers arrived on these shores, but the horribly personal nature of the crimes depicted here defies belief.
I can only hope that now, 100 years after these events, the Osage descendants of the murdered can find some comfort in their stories being shared. ...more
This book explores a fascinating case of matricide by a 13-year-old boy in Victorian London. It features surprisingly compassionate attitudes among laThis book explores a fascinating case of matricide by a 13-year-old boy in Victorian London. It features surprisingly compassionate attitudes among late-19th-century asylum workers, retrograde attitudes among lawyers and judges, and doesn’t provide any easy answers regarding why some children enact horrible crimes.
However, so much of the writing is so incredibly dry and bland as to make a lot of the narrative read like an extended court transcript. I can imagine that when an author approaches telling a true story, there is a concern not to leap to conclusions or inject opinions, but I do think there’s some room for a bit more artistry and personality to be present in the prose.
This is only my second-ever delving into true-crime literature, and I’m still waiting to be truly swept away by my reading experience in this genre. ...more
Erik Larson was painstaking in his research in crafting this account of the World's Fair in Chicago in the Gilded Age, and the result is always intereErik Larson was painstaking in his research in crafting this account of the World's Fair in Chicago in the Gilded Age, and the result is always interesting, but not always as humanly compelling as I was hoping. When writing about the horrific crimes of Dr. Holmes, he seems caught between a desire to speculate on the details of these crimes and an almost slavish devotion to quoting source material. Much more assured is his account of the creation and successful execution of the Fair, since not as much is left to his imagination. Still, as with all historical works, I was glad to be transported to another age....more
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