This was stunning and complex. A portrait of death (and dead things walking) and incarnations and reincarnations, of gods playing games and being caugThis was stunning and complex. A portrait of death (and dead things walking) and incarnations and reincarnations, of gods playing games and being caught in the same cycle. I think it would help the reader to have some knowledge of South Asian religions (it helped me certainly) to have a deeper connection to the landscape at play. Chandrasekera's prose is lyrical and inventive. This book is bolder than Saint of Bright Doors in style. Despite magic and zombies-of-a-sort this feels more comfortably science fiction than fantasy or horror.
Genre: speculative fiction/science fiction Sri Lanka, through many ages
A portrait of death (and dead things walking) and incarnations and reincarnations, of gods playing games and being caught in the same cycle, woven seamlessly with South Asian religion and lore. The story spins out over millennia and lifetimes, reaching into the distant past and stretching into the future to the ends of the earth.
I find Vajra Chandrasekera difficult to review. His prose is lyrical and inventive and his style intensely complex in an intellectually stimulating way. Knowing his style, I fully intended to take my time reading Rakesfall, and yet at halfway through I was so invested in the spiral of reincarnation and destruction that I read the entire book in an evening. Having some knowledge of the South Asian religious landscape - the Vedas and Upanishads and Sri Lankan Buddhism helped me connect to the text more deeply. Chandrasekera is playing with traditional themes of reincarnation and mixing with his own interpretation.
This book is bolder than Saint of Bright Doors in style. Despite magic and zombies-of-a-sort this fits more comfortably in the science fiction genre than fantasy or horror. At times it reminded me of a more personal or a slice-of-life version of The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson, with the winding epic quality of iterations of life after life. At other times, it reminded me of This is How You Lose the Time War, with entities altering the fabric of the world.
Rakesfall is stunning and complex. The pacing is slow and the book is wordy - I’ve never been more thankful for having wikipedia and a dictionary connected to my kindle - but utterly beautiful. Lush worldbuilding through myth and a variety of styles is a similar technique to Bright Doors, and yet gives us an entirely different and purely wild setting.
Thank you to @tordotcompub for an eARC for review. Rakesfall is out 6/18/24. ...more
A gorgeous picture book of the life of Rumi from his childhood to the time he began to write. Aimed at a young audience, the images are bright, colorfA gorgeous picture book of the life of Rumi from his childhood to the time he began to write. Aimed at a young audience, the images are bright, colorful, and engaging in a Persian style of art that accompany the joy of Rumi's life and spirituality. This book was absolutely lovely, and I recommend it to teach younger children about the famous mystical poet or for adults like me who are long time lovers of his words.
Thank you to the publisher for a complementary ARC. This is out 3/5/24....more
When @youshouldreadthisif suggested this was a book "written directly for her" and I read the summary, I knew it would be one for me as well. BlendingWhen @youshouldreadthisif suggested this was a book "written directly for her" and I read the summary, I knew it would be one for me as well. Blending werewolf mythology and religious lore set across Europe, Middle East, and South Asia, and primarily set in 1640s and present day India, this visceral, dark story traces lineages of creativity and desire.
Genre: speculative fiction, horror Kolkata, present day and Mughal Empire, 17th century
Alok meets a man who is half werewolf. His story is intriguing enough that Alok listens. And agrees to take on a project of translation and transcription of several scrolls from the 17th century that tell of a wandering band of shifters sometimes called werewolves, sometimes called djinn, adapting to the tales of the country they inhabit. The other scrolls are written by a woman named Cyrah, and tell of a different origin story entirely. The Devourers weaves wolf-shifter and religious lore from as far north as Fenrir’s Norse lands to Gévaudan’s France and Cyrah’s Mumtazabad.
I read this book a few weeks ago, at the suggestion of @youshouldreadthisif and I don’t think I’ve stopped thinking about the dark, visceral, and corporeal lineages of creativity and conception that The Devourers portrays. Taking dark corners of religious mythologies from Europe, Middle East, and South Asia and blending them with shifter lore creates a tone steeped in magic, superstition, fear, and power. Indra Das reveals only what he needs to as the story progresses, which builds the suspension and power of creativity. (It also makes for a hard review to write, since I don’t want to give too much away.)
As a content warning, there is on-page s3xual a$$ault, told from the woman’s perspective. It’s neither forgiven nor taken as accepted, and yet Das challenges the reader to engage with the offense as a major plot point. If that makes you uncomfortable, this book is not for you.
The strength and beauty of this book lurks in shadows and addresses the disgusting nature of the animal in all of us. Stunning and visceral, and exactly the type of speculative horror I enjoy picking up. Unapologetically queer, The Devourers won a Lambda Award when it was published several years ago.
I listened to the audiobook, which I loved, but was glad to grab an ebook initially as well. Because the book traverses so many cultures (French, Pashto, Bangla, and others), I butchered many of the character spellings without a reference point. But the lyrical prose is well-suited to narration, and the multiple narrators help with the footnotes throughout the text. ...more
This was a highly anticipated release for me. In concept it is fascinating: Jewish community in 1830s London, buGenre: historical romance London, 1830s
This was a highly anticipated release for me. In concept it is fascinating: Jewish community in 1830s London, business and trade negotiations, and a reverse Cinderella. It has the makings for something excellent.
Unfortunately it fell drastically short for me on execution. The prose was choppy and the character development gave me whiplash. The last 20% had me gasping for air as I tried to keep pace with the number of things that happened. I had a hard time grasping character motivations, and a harder time believing in the conflict.
It gets an extra half star for concept, putting this at 3.5 stars, and I LOVE the historical research that went into the story. I'd be willing to give Grossman a second chance, but she may just not be the author for me....more
Nehal Darweesh is headstrong and stubborn, so when her parents inform her that she’s to be married to Nico Baldinotti, whose Genre: historical fantasy
Nehal Darweesh is headstrong and stubborn, so when her parents inform her that she’s to be married to Nico Baldinotti, whose family will pay her father’s gambling debts, she’s livid. Nehal decides to leverage the opportunity and have her new husband sign the enrollment papers for the Academy where Nehal will be able to train with her magical weaving skills, an ability to control elemental forces. Neither Nehal or Nico wants this match. Nico is in love with Giorgna, a bookseller who aligns herself with a radical political group called the Daughters of Izdihar, who fight passionately for women’s rights. When Nehal and Giorgina enter each others’ orbits, they realize that they align both politically and magically. Nehal claims Giorgina as a friend (and rewrites her marriage contract to allow Nico a concubine should he want Giorgina still), and slips into a world of fierce political machinations and rebellion.
This is a very strong debut from Hadeer Elsbai, as she tackles a variety of topics at once. The inspirations from historical Egypt (Elsbai is Egyptian-American having grown up between New York and Cairo) lend to rich imagery and storytelling. That said, I suspect it will read better as a completed duology rather than as a standalone. The plot arc in Daughters of Izdihar feels a little short, as does the growth arcs of the characters.
Nehal is a bulldozer of righteous passion of youth. She doesn’t often see the bigger picture, simply assuming that the reason things are the way they are is that others are too stubborn to change, rather than seeing the complexities of human nature and intricacies of politics. Granted, the political climate Nehal finds herself fighting against is horrendously toxic - most of the male characters are so polarized against women’s rights that it feels like a caricature.
Throughout the book there are themes of resistance and passion as well as questioning identity. Nehal learns to recognize herself as queer, adding another layer to her righteous anger: understanding she’s accepted in society more because of her last name than her own worth. I’ll be very interested to see these identity questions played out in the second book.
Malak, the leader of the Daughters and Nehal’s love interest, is an inspiring woman. While Nehal is naive to a fault, Malak fully recognizes the consequences of every action and the power she and her political compatriots yield. A bit of a woman-of-mystery due to rumor mills (Did she sleep with chief secretaries to gain her group more power? Does she sleep with women? Is she violent? Is she also a powerful weaver, or just clever?), Malak probably has the most depth of anyone on-page. We see her from both perspectives in her relationship to Nehal but also as a mentor for Giorgina.
Having Nehal and Giorgina as the two POV characters works very well for this story. Whereas often you have the different perspectives of lovers, Nehal and Giorgina are bound by the man to which one is married and the other is in love with. The seeds of a strong friendship have been planted for Nehal and Giorgina, but both have other lovers. The class difference between the two main women gives us different perspectives on Alamaxian life, which mirrors much of the 19th century worldview.
This will be perfect for those who want more books similar to Daevabad, A Master of Djinn, or the Books of Ambha. I suspect younger readers than I might connect better with Nehal and Giorgina - I found myself more like Labiba, one of the older Daughters, or like one of Nehal’s professors at the Academy. I found parts of the book to be less subtle than I prefer, but the brazenness matches Nehal’s personality well.
Additionally, this book is published by an imprint of Harper Collins. I support the HCP Union, but also want to promote this book as it is Elsbai's debut, and as of the time of writing this review, HC has still not come to the bargaining table with their union. What better way to celebrate unions, though, than with a fiery political group of women fighting for their rights!...more
Gorgeous, romantic, breathtaking, heartbreaking. I wasn’t sure how Tasha Suri was going to be able to top The Jasmine Throne, but she executed with OlGorgeous, romantic, breathtaking, heartbreaking. I wasn’t sure how Tasha Suri was going to be able to top The Jasmine Throne, but she executed with Oleander Sword. With their oldest brother Aditya abdicating, both Malini and Chandra claim the throne of Parijatdvipa. Chandra relies on his lineage, his link to the high priests, and his self-righteousness, while Malini must forge new alliances - proving her strength, as men are reluctant to ally themselves with a woman. In Ahiranya, Priya is coming into her own power now as a temple elder with the ability to cure the rot, the disease that spreads through everything organic, and her temple sister Bhumika grapples with new responsibilities as governor.
The Oleander Sword builds on the political machinations of book one, leading to war. I recently read an article about fantasy’s obsession with war, and yet, it always reads differently to me from a female author and with female main characters. Malini would prefer to avoid war, but she has the tactical know-how to lead an army.
The romantic arc for Priya and Malini is achingly beautiful. At the end of the Jasmine Throne, duty forced them apart. Their longing is tangible through their letters in the early chapters, and then even when they are reunited, it is clear that neither knows if they will choose duty or love.
The religious aspects of this series really set it apart from other epic fantasies. In some ways, it reminds me of SA Chakraborty’s Daevabad, with roots in real religious practices, adapted to the fantasy world. Suri has a seamless integration with religious practices based in reality and that which she’s created. It serves as powerful motivation for her characters.
I do recommend at least re-familiarizing yourself with the characters of The Jasmine Throne before reading its sequel. There are a lot of characters generally, and more POV characters than we often see in fantasie, but Suri weaves them expertly, giving us the perspective most important to progressing the plot. ...more
This is the most coherent, most plot driven, and most theologically complete of the VALIS trilogy. And here we use trilogy very loosely based, becauseThis is the most coherent, most plot driven, and most theologically complete of the VALIS trilogy. And here we use trilogy very loosely based, because the only reason to read these in order is if you are a Philip K Dick completionist and want to see the evolution of his thought.
Transmigration follows the obsession of Bishop Timothy Archer as he searches for divine secrets hidden in the Zadokite scrolls. Set in the late 1960s, a couple decades after the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran and at the height of Western intrigue in the mystery religions, but told from the perspective of Angel Archer, Timothy Archer’s daughter-in-law, on the day of John Lennon’s death. These Zadokite documents are purported to contain Q, or the “source” of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and Bishop Archer is keen to understand them. Meanwhile, Angel’s husband Jeff has committed suicide, and Bishop Archer and his mistress Kirsten start to experience poltergiest events that they link to Jeff speaking to them from beyond. The book is loosely based on the life of James Pike, Episcopal Bishop of California, and a friend of Philip K Dick’s.
Transmigration was published posthumously, though completed the year before Dick’s death. As I listened to the audiobook, I was struck by how Dick’s theology evolved in the last portion of his life. Apparently, this was not originally supposed to be the third book of VALIS trilogy. From the Wikipedia page, “the book fits with the two finished volumes and Dick himself called the three novels a trilogy, saying ‘ the three do form a trilogy constellating around a basic theme.’” He was under contract for the third VALIS book at the time of his death, and this neatly completes the trilogy instead. In this, PKD has moved from science fiction solidly into speculative theology and philosophy. It’s framed beautifully, and this is one of my favorite books by Philip K Dick.
Our #WinterOfDickContent believes this to be the only of Dick’s books told from the perspective of a female narrator. (Anyone else with familiarity please feel free to chime in!) ...more
Picking up this book was hard, knowing that it contains Rachel’s final public words to us. When she died in 2019, she left this unfinished manuscript Picking up this book was hard, knowing that it contains Rachel’s final public words to us. When she died in 2019, she left this unfinished manuscript behind, and months later, her husband Dan asked her friend Jeff Chu to finish the book for her. It’s her words and her ideas, bolstered by some of Jeff’s research. It’s deeply personal - like the faith she embraced - and profoundly moving.
The first third or so is a bit of spiritual memoir - reflections on how to embrace life from this perspective of wholehearted faith: not “checking oneself at the door” and how to say “I’m all in” and mean it. It’s a “recognition and acceptance of the realist of the vast and beautiful landscape of grays” of faith, and a call to question belief.
The second portion of the book is a series of short theological reflections and exegetical musings on topics ranging from original sin, climate crisis, Mary’s Magnificat, loving one’s enemy, and learning to love oneself.
My copy of this book is now heavily annotated. I meant to read it over this Advent season and reflect and ponder, as I often like to do, and I intended to stretch Rachel’s last words to us out over a longer period of time. I couldn’t. I read this book in an afternoon, on the Third Sunday of Advent. But I’ll revisit it. And I’ll grow with this book, too.
If you’ve followed me long enough or talked to me, you know that my life has been steeped in religion. My parents are both Episcopal priests, and I studied religion in undergradaute and graduate school. I don’t attend church these days, nor do I have a solid grasp on my own faith. But one of the things I always love about reading RHE is that she never feels preachy and she invites the reader to analyze themselves in relation to their religion.
This book holds an open invitation to believers and doubters alike. While it’s firmly Christian-centric, the message of wholehearted faith is truly ecumenical, and I think there are themes that may appeal to the non-Christian religion-curious reader.
Warning, longtime fans of RHE - I dare you not to shed a tear. I didn’t make it past the introduction without crying. ...more
4.5 stars. But are we at all surprised that I loved a book that smears the lines of religion and sexuality?
I have a lot of feelings about this one, an4.5 stars. But are we at all surprised that I loved a book that smears the lines of religion and sexuality?
I have a lot of feelings about this one, and I’ll start by saying this isn’t a book for everyone. It blurs the lines between religion and the sexually acceptable. Ultimately, in my eyes though, this is a book that takes place between two consenting adults, which removes the taboo for me. If you are interested in reading the book and have concerns, I strongly recommend talking with someone who has read it first.
I want to thank my Bell Brother Confessional support group of @krystalncraikerathor @eleanorlynnreads @unsuccessfulbookclub and @browningwithabook for accompanying me on my Good Friday and Holy Saturday journey through Priest.
Ok look, anything that smears the line of religion and sex is likely going to be a hit for me. It’s not just that Father Tyler Bell is a priest who faces temptation; in fact, that alone probably wouldn’t pique my interest. The way that Tyler engages with his religion fascinated me, even as he felt himself fall from grace, he relies on his theological background and his faith to bind him further to Poppy. Simone’s choice to write almost entirely from Tyler’s perspective intrigued me as well - I don’t generally love first person POV, but watching this play out from our hero’s perspective is brilliant: it gives us the chance to examine this concept of sin, and creates understanding if not sympathy.
At one point in our chat, I said “graduate school just hit me with a ton of bricks.” I found myself examining the idea of ritual: we retreat into rituals when we are lost, as Tyler does as he becomes unmoored. Poppy is at the opposite end of the spectrum, not as a “fallen woman” but as the embodiment of the individualistic Protestant work ethic, and that for some people compartmentalizing ritualic behaviors away from faith disconnects them from the greater community. Poppy is seeking out community, not necessarily to restore her religious faith (though she’s certainly curious about it), but to find a greater sense of meaning.
Simone approaches this book with appropriate reverence, but again, be wary going into this one. ...more
Fourteen people are assigned to a colony on the planet of Delmak-O. The planet is largely barren and deserted, and the colonists are left to their ownFourteen people are assigned to a colony on the planet of Delmak-O. The planet is largely barren and deserted, and the colonists are left to their own devices to figure out what their mission may be. But then colonists start dying… fairly quickly in fact. They easily elect a leader to help protect them, but no one quite knows who to trust. But as the casualties start adding up, it seems like nothing about Delmak-O may be what it seems. In the words of Mr Dick, “The approach in this novel is highly subjective; by that I mean that at any given time, reality is seen--not directly--but indirectly, i.e., through the mind of one of the characters.” . When @jake_reads_books suggested a buddy read of A Maze of Death for #AMayofDick, I jumped at the chance to join other Dick fans in reading the master. I haven’t read much Philip K Dick in years, but you know what, he gets weirder every time I read him (or maybe it’s just this one). Part murder mystery, part theological treatise, part acid trip redux, part classic PKD, this was one wild ride. At least this one--unlike other books of Dick’s--has a resolution, no matter how unsettling. There’s very little else I can write to keep this spoiler free. But if you weren’t in our readalong and you have read this one (or don’t care about spoilers) and want to chat, I still have plenty of thoughts to share ...more
This one was hard. Dense and depressing, but also enlightening. I could have opted to read just Bohnhoeffer's poetry from prison, but this painted a lThis one was hard. Dense and depressing, but also enlightening. I could have opted to read just Bohnhoeffer's poetry from prison, but this painted a larger picture of the general conditions of opposing the Nazis in 1943 Germany. The hope that shines through his early letters, and then the despair that is evident in his later letters is stunning. Glad I stuck with this.
Completed for the 2019 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge a book written in prison. ...more
An alternate history that starts with the premise: what would have happened if 99% of the population of Europe was wiped out during the Black Death inAn alternate history that starts with the premise: what would have happened if 99% of the population of Europe was wiped out during the Black Death instead of one-third? How would history change? That question sets the backdrop for an immense tale spanning nearly 700 years of human history, revised and rewritten with new powers driving the narrative of science, theology, philosophy, exploration. Each book within The Years of Rice and Salt captures a sliver of the world through the eyes of characters reincarnated across the chapters, dipping into moments of the world that are recognizable, even when the players are not. As is typical of belief systems embracing reincarnation, our characters do not recognize their former selves until they reach Bardo, the intermediate state between life and death where the soul goes to be judged. Each cycle they get closer to release, and yet each cycle something prevents their attainment of enlightenment.
Ok friends. This book is dense (if you see @unsuccessfulbookclub highlights, you’ll know that the physical library copy is literally heavier than it should be), and my paperback comes in at 763 pages of very small print that make me wish for reading glasses. But if you have the patience for a book that meanders, I highly recommend picking this one up. It touches in and out of our common knowledge of history combined with newly invented historical moments. With Christianity all but dying out with the Plague, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism dominate the religious landscape, with the theologies staying true to their real-world forms. And yet somehow the book gracefully denounces the horrors of war, supports the evolution of religious beliefs, and instills a bizarre hope in humanity.
This wasn’t the book any of us expected. There was less plague than we anticipated (and in comparison to Doomsday Book), and yet the missing threads of history that reference the plague years are firmly woven throughout.
If you choose to read this, I highly recommend the audiobook. Content warnings: plague, death, on-page castration, war. ...more
An intimate portrait of conversion and nurturing of faith. Wilson writes with a beautiful authenticity and bravery as she bares her inner religious soAn intimate portrait of conversion and nurturing of faith. Wilson writes with a beautiful authenticity and bravery as she bares her inner religious soul.
Completed for the Book Riot Read Harder 2020 Challenge read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own....more
When Horselover Fat (yes, that’s our main character’s name) has a close, personal encounter with God (or the Zebra?) through a beam of pink light, he When Horselover Fat (yes, that’s our main character’s name) has a close, personal encounter with God (or the Zebra?) through a beam of pink light, he becomes convinced that he’s living in superimposed timelines: 1970s California and first century CE. He and his friends, including the author himself, attempt to piece together the meaning of the divine with encounters in mundane reality. When the group stumbles upon a movie called VALIS, standing for Vast Active Living Intelligence System, they realize that there are others who have had similar encounters.
A big thanks to @jake_reads_books and the group in #WinterOfDickContent for pushing me to pick up this book that by all rights I should have been reading in college when I was double majoring in physics and religion and studying early Christianity and Greek philosophy…because that’s basically what this book is: a 2am stoned conversation from college when you think you can determine the answers to the universe with extreme introspection while teetering on the edge of sanity and questioning the nature of reality.
I listened to the audiobook, and I will say that it really did help to have both read a lot of Dick and also to have a strong background in theology and history of early Christianity, even having spent a bit of time researching gnosticism in college. Honestly, I’m not sure how else I would have made it through.
Are you interested yet? I really don’t recommend picking this up if you aren’t already familiar with PKD. It’s not the best entry point into his writing (I know I said that about Maze of Death earlier this year, too, but it’s even more true with VALIS).
I also can’t begin to tell you how weird this was to read only a few days after finishing Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans, which is also a spiritual memoir and theological treatise…
This book gets 5 head explosion emojis, and 4 stars. It lacks plot, but as you’ve probably learned by now, I don’t always need a plot to enjoy a book. ...more
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