This was good. Murderbot was an interesting character/narrator and it’s an interesting concept. I can see what people like and it was enjoyable overalThis was good. Murderbot was an interesting character/narrator and it’s an interesting concept. I can see what people like and it was enjoyable overall. I didn’t love it like so many people seem to though and I don’t know if I’ll continue the series. Maybe I’ll read synopses and decide from there, but as of right now there are other things I’m more interested in. ...more
I’ve seen this recommended all over the internet and that it’s cozy scifi and I could use that now so here we are. This was so calm and touching and bI’ve seen this recommended all over the internet and that it’s cozy scifi and I could use that now so here we are. This was so calm and touching and beautiful. I love the idea of tea monks, I loved Dex. Mosscap is like an eager puppy and I loved their perspective on life. I had tears in my eyes at the end. I can’t wait to read the second book and to try Chambers’ other books. ...more
Oh I loved this. I stumbled upon Louis Bromfield while doing research for work (his farm in Ohio was where Bogart and Bacall got married, he was best Oh I loved this. I stumbled upon Louis Bromfield while doing research for work (his farm in Ohio was where Bogart and Bacall got married, he was best man; his farm is a state park and was an early center of the conservation movement) and learned that he was also a novelist and even won a Pulitzer. This is his prize winning novel and it’s just so beautiful and sad and well done. It feels a lot like the mid-century British women’s novels I love, actually - a bit Elizabeth Taylor or Winifred Holtby or similar - but very American as well. The family ties and secrets and puritanism in the book is so well done. The tugging between what we want and what our duty is. I’m really glad I discovered this! ...more
I really loved this. Maisie is fun and smart but has her faults. The side characters are fun. Billy and Rowan and (in flashback) Priscilla. Simon... II really loved this. Maisie is fun and smart but has her faults. The side characters are fun. Billy and Rowan and (in flashback) Priscilla. Simon... I'd like to hear more about Maisie at school and in the war and with Simon... I like that it's kind of like the Poirot books and you don't get all the information (which I know people don't always like, which I get). Maisie was going to figure it out and I wasn't. I've read too many lately where I've figured it out before the main character, so that was nice. I really look forward to continuing the series. :)...more
This is hard to rate/review since it’s the first part of a full story and definitely ends that way. I’ll read the second part at some point, but not rThis is hard to rate/review since it’s the first part of a full story and definitely ends that way. I’ll read the second part at some point, but not right away.
Parts of this were really interesting and read easily. Other parts didn’t. That’s sort of my fault - I knew when it was set so should have expected the war to come in in a big way, but... I don’t enjoy war books. And then one whole section was letters, which I don’t care for either.
But it was really just the one part that got long for me (and it was the shortest part!). The first two parts had ups and downs but were ultimately interesting and kept me reading. The fourth part as well.
I don’t really feel like this is a YA book either, and except for Octavian’s age I don’t think it should be. But I expected a more YA story and I think that was part of my issue as well - it just wasn’t what I wanted at the time.
Overall it was very good and Anderson’s language is gorgeous, but it wasn’t the right book for me at the moment. I will read part two when I’m in the mood for this sort of book. ...more
I wish I liked this a bit more than I did. I really liked the literary/academic mystery. The descriptions were beautiful. I totally lost steam with alI wish I liked this a bit more than I did. I really liked the literary/academic mystery. The descriptions were beautiful. I totally lost steam with all the poems and letters though. I can definitely see why people love this, but it just wasn’t quite there for me. I’m not sure if having seen the movie first helped or hurt. I think the movie condensed the story in a better way, but I also kept waiting for them to figure things out because I remembered enough of the movie. Overall it’s beautiful and I’m glad I read it, it’s just not a love for me. ...more