The Seed Keeper is a contemporary and historical fiction written by Diane Wilson. It centers on a Native American woman reclaiming her family and her The Seed Keeper is a contemporary and historical fiction written by Diane Wilson. It centers on a Native American woman reclaiming her family and her people's history.
It unfurls the complex story of Rosalie Iron Wing and her search for connection to her family, her people, and the land. The narrative opens with the voice of the Dakota people’s seeds, passed down through generations.
Rosalie's sole friend as a teen, Gaby Makepeace, is a strong young woman whose auntie teaches Rosalie about the bonds shared by Dakota women. At eighteen, pregnant and married to John, a white man, Rosalie tries to make a life on his farm, whose family founded it on land stolen from her ancestors, and whose inorganic farming practices alienate Rosalie from anti-GMO activist friend.
Decades later, after John dies from cancer, Rosalie returns to her father's cabin where she grew up. While struggling to survive through a brutal winter, Rosalie delves into stories of her family's painful past, often shaped by dehumanizing interventions from the United States government.
The Seed Keeper is written rather well. Wilson offers finely wrought descriptions of the natural world, as the voice of the seeds provides connective threads to the stories of her people. This powerful work achieves a deep resonance often lacking from activist novels, and makes a powerful statement along the way.
All in all, The Seed Keeper is a thoughtful, moving meditation on connections to the past and the land that humans abandon at their peril....more
Æther: An Out-of-Body Lyric is an autobiography memoir written by Catherine Graham. It explores how a cancer diagnosis can change a family forever, tuÆther: An Out-of-Body Lyric is an autobiography memoir written by Catherine Graham. It explores how a cancer diagnosis can change a family forever, turning life upside down with grief, pain and loss that comes with it, but also with the joy, forgiveness, strength and growth. It has been shortlisted for the 2021 Toronto Book Awards.
Catherine Graham is an award-winning, internationally published, Toronto-based novelist, poet, and teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto where she won an Excellence in Teaching Award.
Catherine Graham's seventh book of poetry is an intricate reverie, in poetry and prose, which floats back and forth in time, between memories, dreams, and reflections. It's an attempt by Graham to come to terms with the forces shaping her life – particularly the early loss of her parents, as her mother died from cancer and her father in a car accident. Another major trauma is her diagnosis of cancer and the dangers of her treatment.
Æther: An Out-of-Body Lyric is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. Graham uses many recurrent images and metaphors that carry the greatest emotional weight. Part poetry, part prose, it is more than a memoir of a breast cancer survivor as Graham writes from that in-between world of soft wakefullness and dreaming during post-op recovery.
All in all, Æther: An Out-of-Body Lyric is a wonderfully ethereal narrative which pays homage to family, cancer, and the strange truth that it brings....more
Future State: Superman is an anthology of six series that are a part of the greater Future State event, published by DC Comics. This trade paperback cFuture State: Superman is an anthology of six series that are a part of the greater Future State event, published by DC Comics. This trade paperback collects: Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1–2, Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1–2, Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1–3, Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1–2, Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1–2, and Future State: Superman: House of El #1.
As an aside, I am not sure what this particular event is about. After reading the Batman-centric tie-ins (Future State: The Next Batman and Future State: Dark Detective), I get a sense that these stories take place in a possible near future, out of chronological order, but in the same timeframe nevertheless. However, this trade paperback takes place over a span of several timeframes with little or no cohesion tying these stories together. Furthermore, this trade paperback was poorly designed and stories are interrupted and finished elsewhere, which is just maddening.
Superman of Metropolis (★★★☆☆) is a two-issue storyline (Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1–2) has Jon Kent, son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, as Superman, protecting Metropolis against Andrej Trojan and his invention Brain Cells, which starts to control people with nanotechnology and decides to shrink Metropolis. It co-stars Kara Zor-El as Superwoman. It is penned by Sean Lewis and penciled by John Timms.
The Metropolis Menagerie (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the first of two back-up stories in Future State: Superman of Metropolis (#1–2) has Shilo Norman as Mister Miracle fights Kryptonian Sentinels as Metropolis has been shrunk. It is penned by Brandon Easton and penciled by Valentine de Landro.
The Guardian (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the second of two back-up stories in Future State: Superman of Metropolis (#1–2) has Jake Jordan as The Guardian fights against Honest Mary as Metropolis is shrunk. It is penned by Sean Lewis and co-penciled by Cully Hammer and Michael Avon Oeming.
The Many Lives of Clark Kent (★★★☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1–2) it explains what happens to Clark Kent as Superman as he seemingly disappeared from Earth, leaving the mantle of Superman to his son – Jon Kent. Apparently, he is trapped on War World and trying to survive fighting against Mongul MDCCXCII. It is penned by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and penciled by Mikel Janín.
Time and Effect (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the first of three back-up stories in Future State: Superman: Worlds of War (#1–2) is a second story about Shilo Norman as Mister Miracle, who finds himself on War World and with the help of Midnighter fighting against the War World's forces. It is penned by Brandon Easton and penciled by Valentine de Landro.
Midnighter (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the second of three back-up stories in Future State: Superman: Worlds of War (#1–2) has Midnighter on War World, trying to understand how to save Superman, but only to find himself trapped in a time loop of sorts. It is co-penned by Beeky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad and penciled by Gleb Melnikov.
Black Racer (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the third of three back-up stories in Future State: Superman: Worlds of War (#1–2) stars new character Tanda as Black Racer, who is the avatar of death, as every time she dies, she is mysteriously resurrected. She too, is trapped on War World. It is penned by Jeremy Adams and penciled by Siya Oum.
Superman vs. Imperious Lex (★★★☆☆) is a three-part storyline (Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1–3) is set twenty years in the future. Lex Luthor, booted off Earth, has found a new planet to live and rule – Lexor. After many years of prosperity, Lex's utopia is ready to join the ranks of the United Planet and promote peace, but Superman and Lois Lane are suspicious. It is penned by Mark Russell and penciled by Steve Pugh.
Two Graves (★★☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1–2) has Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, has found purpose in protecting over the Moon and the refuges from across the galaxy, who have congregated there. However, the peace is shattered when a spaceship of a runaway alien crashes. It is penned by Marguerite Bennett and penciled by Marguerite Sauvage.
Legion of Super-Heroes (★☆☆☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1–2) has Ultra Boy, formerly of the Legion of Super-Heroes, trying to get back the team together and perhaps settle the chaos over the United Planets. With help from Lightning Lad and the Science Police, readers get to find out what happened to the rest of the Legion and their betrayer. It is penned by Brian Michael Bendis and penciled by Riley Rossmo – Dear Lord, why?
House of El (★★★☆☆) is a one-shot issue (Future State: Superman: House of El #1) explores the El family in the thirtieth century. Superman of Earth is Ronan Kent, descendent of Jon Kent, and his twin sister, Rowan Kent is a Blue Lantern. Together, the El Family teams-up to defeat the Red King, led by the original Superman, Clark Kent. It is penned by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and penciled by Scott Godlewski.
For the most part, these short stories are written and constructed somewhat satisfactory. Most of these stories feel rather incomplete and I ended up wondering the purpose of the story. Chronologic wise, these stories run the gauntlet from the near possible future to the thirtieth century with the first half dealing with Jon Kent being Superman and Clark Kent trapped on War World and the second half dealing with the far future.
As for the pencilers, there are far too many to comment or to form a cohesive flow as their styles are drastic from one another. They have rather distinct styles – some more pleasing to the eye like Janín and others not so much like Rossmo, but most pencilers fall in-between. However, the artistic flow is mitigated somewhat by having one penciler or a team of pencilers doing one story, which unfortunately still felt out of place as the trade paperback didn't section off each story individually, but mixed them up.
All in all, Future State: Superman is an unsatisfactory, but serviceable collection of stories that is trying to paint the greater picture of the Future State event within the Superman Family....more
To the Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space is a children's picture book co-written by Carmella Van Vleet and Kathy Sullivan and illustratTo the Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space is a children's picture book co-written by Carmella Van Vleet and Kathy Sullivan and illustrated by Nicole Wong. This biography of Kathy Sullivan joins the ranks of picture books about women who have taken to the air and beyond.
Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan is an American geologist and a former NASA astronaut. A crew member on three Space Shuttle missions, she was the first American woman to walk in space on October 11, 1984. On June 7, 2020, she became the first woman to dive to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth's oceans.
The text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Astronaut Sullivan collaborates with Van Vleet to recount her path to becoming the first American woman to walk in space, while aboard the Challenger shuttle in 1984. Backmatter includes extensive endnotes about Sullivan's life and accomplishments, as well as those of other pioneering female astronauts. Wong's lemony ink-and-watercolor illustrations picture Sullivan as calm and curious, and her decision to pursue exactly what interests her may encourage readers to give more credence to their own aspirations.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. As a child, Sullivan dreamed of having a pocketful of airplane tickets so she could see the whole world. Unlike her female friends, she wanted to be an adventurer, like a spy or a diplomat. She ignored the taunts and when she was a teenager, she learned to be a pilot. Eventually, in 1978, she became one of the first six women selected to join NASA, and she was the first American woman to walk in space, in 1984.
All in all, To the Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space is an informative and inspirational book for dreamers and flyers everywhere....more
The Penguin Book of First World War Stories is an anthology of twenty-five entries co-edited by Barbara Korte and Ann-Marie Einhaus. These twenty-fiveThe Penguin Book of First World War Stories is an anthology of twenty-five entries co-edited by Barbara Korte and Ann-Marie Einhaus. These twenty-five short stories are written by mainly British authors both famous and not so much about the experiences of the Great War both during and afterwards.
For the most part, this collection of short stories was written and constructed rather well. Editors Korte and Einhaus have assembled twenty-five wonderful short stories about the Great War – both during and after the war. Well-known authors and more obscure ones nicely balance this anthology with different viewpoints and talents.
This anthology is divided into four sections: "Front" (9 stories), "Spies and Intelligence" (3 stories), "At Home" (6 stories), and "In Retrospect" (7 stories), which neatly divides each story taking place either at the front line, away from the battlefield at home, and the aftermath of the war, which is just as harrowing.
Like most anthologies there are weaker contributions and The Penguin Book of First World War Stories is not an exception. Granted that a couple of these stories are written better than other – comparatively speaking, but it is only a singular experience – a British one. Granted they were a major player in the Great War, but it would have been nice to have a more worldly view as it was the first war that the world participated in.
This particular edition contains an introduction by Barbara Korte, which examines the genre of War literature – in particular to the First World War and how these stories impacted the world at the time. Additionally, there is a suggested reading list, copious and valuable notes on the text, maps, a list of places of the Western Front, glossary, military abbreviations, and biographies.
All in all, The Penguin Book of First World War Stories is a wonderful, albeit limited, collection of war literature – in particular the First World War....more
Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is a graphic novel written illustrated by M.K. Czerwiec. It weaves together multiple threads of nonfTaking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is a graphic novel written illustrated by M.K. Czerwiec. It weaves together multiple threads of nonfiction narratives in this profound graphic memoir of her early years as a nurse and her formative time working at an HIV/AIDS care unit starting in 1994.
MK Czerwiec is a registered nurse, cartoonist, educator, and co-founder of the field of Graphic Medicine.
Around this central strand of a caregiver’s experience, Czerwiec winds personal stories about patients, facts about the day-to-day job of a nurse, and in-depth medical explanations of HIV/AIDS, its effects on health, its treatments, and much more. In the sudden devastation of the AIDS crisis, the LGBTQ people most affected by it were abandoned to one another's care.
Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is written and constructed rather well. Rather than the usual medical tales of professional-minded strangers treating faceless victims, Czerwiec's vignettes become about bonding intimately over suffering and death, watching the community be decimated at the same time as mutual nursing was building connections. Some of the pages are heart-wrenching, and the story has the potential to be supremely depressing, but Czerwiec wrings hope from the honesty of her simple, cheerful cartooning style.
All in all, Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is an open, honest look at suffering, grief, and hope among a community of medical professionals and patients at the heart of the epidemic....more
One Piece, Vol. 53 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (513–522) of the on-going manga series.
This tankōOne Piece, Vol. 53 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (513–522) of the on-going manga series.
This tankōbon begins a new story arc. While Silver Rayleigh distracts Admiral Kizaru, the real Bartholomew Kuma confronts every member of the Straw Hats in turn. Despite their best efforts to escape, Kuma defeats each of them and causes them to disappear.
Sometime later, Monkey D. Luffy appears on an island populated only by women. Although men are forbidden to set foot on it, Luffy is able to befriend some of the islanders. When Boa Hancock, the island's leader learns of Luffy's presence, she petrifies his new friends in stone as punishment and sentences Luffy to be executed.
When he shows no concern for his own fate, and asks only that his friends be freed, Hancock falls in love with him and does as he asks. Now free to roam the island, Luffy hears that his brother, Portgas D. Ace, lost his earlier battle with Blackbeard and is to be executed by the World Government. Wanting to save him, Luffy asks Hancock to take him to the government prison, Impel Down.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Eiichirō Oda. For the most part it is written and constructed rather well. After defeating the Straw Hat Pirates, Admiral Kuma sends each of them flying from the Sabaody Archipelago to different islands. This arc centers on Monkey D. Luffy, who lands on an island where only women live. Luffy soon discovers that the women on the island are led by Warlord of the Sea Boa Hancock. He also hears of the fate of his half-brother and wants to mount a rescue of him.
All in all, One Piece, Vol. 53 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more....more
Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still is a children's picture book written by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Christine Davenier. It presents the chilNadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still is a children's picture book written by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Christine Davenier. It presents the childhood of the sensational Romanian gymnast who, at age fourteen, won five medals at the 1976 Olympics.
Nadia Elena Comăneci Conner, known professionally as Nadia Comăneci, is a Romanian, retired gymnast and a five-time Olympic gold medalist, all in individual events.
Gray's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. The jaunty narrative takes readers from Comăneci's childhood through her first Olympics. Backmatter includes an afterward, timeline, quotation sources, selected bibliography, websites, two photographs. Davenier depicts a determined Comăneci swinging, balancing, and flipping, all while smiling as her ponytail flies out behind her in lively illustrations in ink, watercolor, and pencil.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. From climbing and toppling her Christmas tree as a child to becoming the first gymnast to earn a perfect score in any event, the feisty and fearless Comăneci overcame early defeats and channeled her boundless energy into a successful gymnastics career.
All in all, Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still is a respectful tribute to Comăneci's soaring achievements....more
Unravel Me is the second book in the Shatter Me series written by Tahereh Mafi. It centers on Juliette Ferrars' struggleN.B.: Rating 3.5 ★ rounded up.
Unravel Me is the second book in the Shatter Me series written by Tahereh Mafi. It centers on Juliette Ferrars' struggles to fit in with the resistance movement that saved her at the end of the previous installment.
In training to participate in an inevitable war against the Reestablishment, Juliette Ferrars should feel at home at Omega Point, the base of the resistant movement. In addition to no longer being a prisoner, she is surrounded by other people with supernatural gifts.
Castle, the leader and founder of Omega Point, who has the gift of highly advanced telekinetic powers, tries to help her master her abilities, and Kenji Kishimoto tries to help her fit in, but the devastating nature of Juliette's power hampers her efforts. Additionally, Adam Kent is acting strangely – in large part because of his work with Castle to determine why he is able to touch Juliette safely, which causes difficulties in their relationship.
Soon some of her new comrades are abducted while on patrol by soldiers led by Paris Anderson, Aaron Warner’s father, who demands a meeting with her. The resistance is able to come away from the meeting with a hostage, Warner, who resumes his part in the established love triangle.
Unravel Me is written somewhat well. Mafi's narrative is still very purple, admittedly not as bad as the previous installment, but coming close to ultraviolet nevertheless. Too much of the plot relies on Juliette’s withholding of important information and revelations – even against her own judgment and the bloated relationship drama takes priority over the captive resistance members in the buildup to the climax, which finally brings some action before setting up the next novel.
All in all, Unravel Me is written moderately well and a decent continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future....more
Future State: Dark Detective is an anthology of five series that are a part of the greater Future State event, published by DC Comics. This trade papeFuture State: Dark Detective is an anthology of five series that are a part of the greater Future State event, published by DC Comics. This trade paperback collects: Future State: Dark Detective # 1–4, Future State: Catwoman #1–2, Future State: Harley Quinn #1–2, Future State: Robin Eternal #1–2, and Future State: Batman/Superman #1–2.
Gotham City is under martial law, protected and regulated by a private security force led by the infamous Peacekeepers. Their mandate is to maintain the safety of the citizens of Gotham, regardless of any Constitutional rights, and to hunt down, incarcerate, or kill all masked vigilantes, villains, and criminals within the city limits.
Dark Detective (★★★★☆) is a four-issue storyline (Future State: Dark Detective #1–4) has Bruce Wayne living on the streets hiding from the Magistrate who figured out his secret identity and announced to Gotham City that Batman is dead. Using his apparent death to his advantage, he plans to take down the Magistrate and his Peacekeepers down. It is penned by Mariko Tamaki and penciled by Dan Mora.
Red Hood (★★★☆☆) is a two-part storyline and the second of two back-up stories in Future State: Dark Detective (#2 and 4) has Jason Todd as Red Hood having turned traitor and works for the Magistrate hunting down masks. Rose Wilson as Ravenger joins him in the quest in taking down the Red Hood Gang – only to have his name come up next with a very high bounty. It is penned by Joshua Williamson and penciled by Giannis Milonogiannis.
Batman/Superman (★★★☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Batman/Superman #1–2) has Bruce Wayne as Batman and Clark Kent as Superman teaming up against the False Face Society, shortly after the Magistrate took over Gotham City. It is penned by Gene Luen Yang and penciled by Ben Olivier with additional help from Scott McDaniel and Stephen Segovia in the second issue.
Catwoman (★★★★☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Catwoman #1–2) has Selina Kyle as Catwoman performing a train heist. The Magistrate has decided to ship all captured Masks and vagrants to Whiteport Reformatory – a structure of the Magistrate where citizens are to be reeducated to become better contributors to city life. Catwoman is against this and decides to perform a train heist to free everyone. It is penned by Ram V and penciled by Otto Schmidt.
Harley Quinn (★★★☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Harley Quinn #1–2) has Harely Quinn imprisoned by the Magistrate. Jonathan Crane as the Scarecrow is now a pawn for the Magistrate and tries to tap into Harley Quinn's knowledge of Gotham's villains, but the Magistrate would soon find out that no one can imprison Harley Quinn forever. It is penned by Stephanie Phillips and co-penciled by Simone Di Meo with help from Toni Infante for the second issue.
Robin Eternal (★★★☆☆) is a two-part storyline (Future State: Robin Eternal #1–2) has Tim Drake as Robin investigating a shipment of Lazarus Resin, which is on its way to Gotham City. Apparently, the Magistrate intends to use this regenerative drug to make his forces immortal. Tim Drake as Robin, one of the few Masks left, plan to stop it. It is penned by Meghan Fitzmartin and penciled by Eddy Barrows.
For the most part, these short stories are written and constructed moderately well – certainly better than the ones in Future State: The Next Batman, but only barely so. Readers get to find out what happened to Bruce Wayne and the comings and goings of the Bat Family and how in each way they fight against the Magistrate. However, most stories are rather mediocre with only a couple standouts. A chronology of is badly needed as these storyline jumps around chronologically and it is difficult to figure out what happen in what order.
As for the pencilers, there are far too many to comment or to form a cohesive flow as their styles are drastic from one another. They have rather distinct styles – some more pleasing to the eye than others. However, the artistic flow is mitigated somewhat by having one penciler or a team of pencilers doing one story, which made a clear distinction of a new story.
All in all, Future State: Dark Detective is a mediocre collection of stories that is trying to paint the greater picture of the Future State event in and around Gotham City....more
Tu Youyou's Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria is a children's picture book written by Songju Ma Daemicke and illustrated by Lin. It concisely tellTu Youyou's Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria is a children's picture book written by Songju Ma Daemicke and illustrated by Lin. It concisely tells the story on how Tu Youyou discovered the cure for malaria and the many struggles that she had along the way.
Tu Youyou is a Chinese pharmaceutical chemist and malariologist. She discovered artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin, used to treat malaria, a breakthrough in twentieth-century tropical medicine, saving millions of lives around the world.
Daemicke's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Daemicke straightforward narrative is a lesson in persistence, particularly as Youyou faced prejudice from her male peers and the scientific community, which did not give much credence to traditional medicines. Backmatter includes a comprehensive timeline and a note delineating the scientific method and exemplifies how Youyou's work is a shining example of it. Lin's cartoon-style illustrations help to convey the human struggles and triumphs.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Youyou grew up in China and was stricken ill with tuberculosis at the age of fifteen. She was healed by a combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese herbal remedies, which inspired her to pursue a career in medical research. When a global malaria outbreak began spreading in 1969, Youyou knew she needed to help. She visited patients throughout China, and learned that Western medicine was not effective in fighting the malaria symptoms. So, she turned to traditional herbal medicine and through many trails succeeded in finding a cure for malaria, which is still used today.
All in all, Tu Youyou's Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria is a wonderful biography of a little known female scientist and an equally wonderful example of the scientific method....more
Cloud Cuckoo Land is a mix of historical and science fiction written by Anthony Doerr. It centers on an ancient Greek manuscript, which connects humanCloud Cuckoo Land is a mix of historical and science fiction written by Anthony Doerr. It centers on an ancient Greek manuscript, which connects humanity's past, present, and future.
In the mid-22nd century, Konstance copies an English translation of Cloud Cuckoo Land by Antonius Diogenes with her food printer's Nourish powder while aboard the Argos, an ark-like spaceship destined for a habitable planet. She found the book in the Argos' library and was already familiar with Diogenes' story of a shepherd named Aethon and his search for a book that told of all the world's unknown lands, because her father told it to her while they tended the Argos' farm. Her father's connection to the Diogenes book is gradually revealed, but first the narrative takes the reader farther back in time.
In chapters set in and around Constantinople leading up to the 1453 siege, two 13-year-old children, Anna and Omeir, converge while fleeing the city and Omeir helps Anna protect a codex of Cloud Cuckoo Land she discovered in a monastery. Then, in 2020 Lakeport, Idaho, translator Zeno Ninis collaborates with a group of young children on a stage production of Cloud Cuckoo Land at the library, where a teenage eco-terrorist has planted a bomb meant to target the neighboring real estate office.
Cloud Cuckoo Land is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. Doerr seamlessly shuffles each of these narratives in vignettes that keep the action in full flow and the reader turning the pages. The descriptions of Constantinople, Idaho, and the Argos are each distinct and fully realized, and the protagonists of each are united by a determination to survive and a hunger for stories, which in Doerr's universe provide the greatest nourishment.
All in all, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a wonderful narrative, spanning centuries, which fits together like literary puzzle....more
Beautiful Country: A Memoir is an autobiography memoir written by Qian Julie Wang. It follows how one little girl found her way through the terror, huBeautiful Country: A Memoir is an autobiography memoir written by Qian Julie Wang. It follows how one little girl found her way through the terror, hunger, exhaustion, and cruelty of an undocumented childhood in New York's Chinatown.
Qian Julie Wang is a graduate of Yale Law School and Swarthmore College. Formerly a commercial litigator, she is now managing partner of Gottlieb & Wang LLP, a firm dedicated to advocating for education and civil rights.
In this extraordinary debut, civil rights lawyer Wang recounts her years growing up as an undocumented immigrant living in the furtive shadows of America. During China's Cultural Revolution, her uncle was thrown in prison for criticizing Mao Zedong, leaving his parents and younger brother, Wang's father, to pay for his so-called treasonous ways in the form of public beatings and humiliation.
This fueled her father's desire to find a better life in America, the "Beautiful Country", as that is the literal translation for the United States in the Chinese language. In China, Wang's parents were professors, but upon arriving in New York City in 1994, their credentials were meaningless and took menial jobs to support Wang, who worked alongside her mother in a sweatshop before starting school at age seven. During her five years in the States, Wang managed to become a star student.
Beautiful Country: A Memoir is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. With immense skill, Wang parses how her family's illegal status blighted nearly every aspect of their life, from pushing her parents' marriage to the brink to compromising their health to help their family survive. While Wang's story of pursuing the American dream is undoubtedly timeless, it's her family's triumph in the face of xenophobia and intolerance that makes it feel especially relevant.
All in all, Beautiful Country: A Memoir is a potent testament to the love, curiosity, grit, and hope of a courageous and resourceful immigrant child....more
Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is a graphic novel written illustrated by Marissa Moss. It is a graphic memoir by an author best known Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is a graphic novel written illustrated by Marissa Moss. It is a graphic memoir by an author best known for her children's books, which details the devastating effects of her husband's amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on her entire family.
Marissa Moss is an American children's book author.
Deeply affecting and harrowing, Moss' narrative of her husband's struggle with Lou Gehrig's disease begins with Harvey feeling a little out of breath while walking with his wife and sons in Rome, then races through a description of his awful deterioration over the next seven months. An uninformed or uncaring medical establishment doesn't know how to help Harvey cope, leaving his wife to assimilate the physical and emotional changes in their lives.
Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is written and constructed rather well. This is not a sentimental story of how suffering ennobles people. Harvey shuts off human contact, desperate to finish the art history research that has been his life's work, Moss is distracted, clinging to her own sanity, but horrified to realize how their mutual trust and tenderness are disappearing bit by bit. Moss' deliberately naive drawings effectively accompany her painfully direct text.
All in all, Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is a powerful example of what it feels like and how to come through the darkness into the light....more
Shatter Me is the first book in the Shatter Me series written by Tahereh Mafi. It is narrated by Juliette Ferrars, a 17-N.B.: Rating 3.5 ★ rounded up.
Shatter Me is the first book in the Shatter Me series written by Tahereh Mafi. It is narrated by Juliette Ferrars, a 17-year-old girl with a lethal touch and is unusual in that it contains passages and lines that have been crossed out like a diary entry.
Juliette Ferrars cannot remember a loving touch due to her deathly abilities. Furthermore, she can barely remember human contact – especially after 264 days in solitary confinement. Then Adam Kent, a boy is shoved into her cell and her world changes as he is seemingly immune to her deadly touch.
Just as she begins to trust him, guards burst in and march them off to the commandant. Juliette discovers Adam is really a soldier of the Reestablishment, a totalitarian regime that wants to use Juliette because her touch can kill. Juliette wants to get far away from anyone she can hurt or who can hurt her – though she can't help hoping that Adam might not fall in either of those categories.
Her hopes proven to be correct as Adam belongs to a resistance movement and helps Juliette escape to their stronghold, where she finds that she’s not the only one with superhuman abilities.
Shatter Me is written somewhat well. Mafi have created seedlings of an interesting world as the narrative is fast-paced, conveying imminent danger, but gives little sense of a broader world, which fails to be explored and shallow in depth. The narrative is a good action/adventure with steamy romantic scenes. However, the narrative is purple – extremely purple, to the point of it being ultraviolet. There is nothing particularly wrong with purple writing, but in small doses and not created an entire novel with it.
All in all, Shatter Me is written moderately well, but it is promising beginning to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future....more
One Piece, Vol. 52 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (503–512) of the on-going manga series.
This tankōOne Piece, Vol. 52 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (503–512) of the on-going manga series.
This tankōbon continues the Sabaody Archipelago Arc. Having assaulted a Celestial Dragon, the Straw Hats have effectively declared war against the World Government. In doing so Silvers Rayleigh, the man they have searched for, decides to reveal himself to the Straw Hats.
He frees Camie, attends to Hatchan, and leaves the others to deal with the approaching navy. With the help of some fellow pirate crews the Straw Hats are able to rendezvous with Rayleigh, the former first mate of the pirate king. Optimistic that the Straw Hats will be able to emulate the pirate king's successes, he agrees to outfit their ship.
While waiting for him to finish the job, the Straw Hats must elude the navy that has been sent after them, something that proves difficult to do when they keep running into copies of Bartholomew Kuma. To complicate matters, they are found by Kizaru, a navy admiral who has effortlessly dealt with all the pirates who helped the Straw Hats earlier. Just as they are about to be defeated by the combined forces, Rayleigh and the real Kuma arrive to intervene.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Eiichirō Oda. For the most part it is written and constructed rather well. After inadvertently declaring war on the World Government – again, the Straw Hat Pirates have to avoid the approaching navy, while their ship is getting refitted to sail underwater. It all comes to a head when the Straw Hat Pirates is faced with Admiral Kizaru – an admiral that effortlessly dealt with many pirates – including allies of the Straw Hat Pirates.
All in all, One Piece, Vol. 52 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more....more
N.B.: Youngest niece practically dragged me to a corner to read and share this book with me after I picked her up from school. I was quite surprised aN.B.: Youngest niece practically dragged me to a corner to read and share this book with me after I picked her up from school. I was quite surprised and intrigued, because she doesn't volunteer to read unless prompted. This book is perfect for her as she loves animals and her favorite color is pink, she only gave it four stars, because there were no unicorns... they're pink right?
Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals is a children's picture book written by Jess Keating and illustrated by David DeGrand. Seventeen of the world's oddest creatures share a single characteristic – their pink coloration.
Keating text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Keating maintains a casual tone while delivering intriguing details about each animal with sidebars chart of key statistics, including size, predators, and diet. Backmatter includes a world map on where one can find these pink animals, glossary, and bibliography. Crisp photography combines with DeGrand’s goofy cartoon interpretations of each animal made each entry a joy for the eyes.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Each double-page spread introduces a single animal with a photograph on the left and information on the facing page. A paragraph of description is followed by another about some intriguing aspect. This second paragraph is illustrated with a cartoon and set off with a blobby design feature that repeats in the colorful page backgrounds. Sidebars offer fast facts including name, Latin name, size, diet, habitat, and predators and threats. These texts will challenge the intended audience as they’re full of interesting but likely unfamiliar terms.
Animals included are: Blobfish, Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula, Orchid Mantis, Barbigant’s Pygmy Seahorse, Roseate Spoonbill, Amazon River Dolphin, Pink Fairy Armadillo, Southern Blind Snake, Hopkins’ Rose Nudibranch, Naked Mole Rat, Pink Sea Star, Hippopotamus, Pink Slug, Pink Land Iguana, Dragon Millipede, Red Uakari, and Hairy Squat Lobster. I was quite surprised that Pigs and Flamingos were not included as those were the first pink animals that came to my mind and littlest niece was disappoint of the exclusion of unicorns.
All in all, Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals is an intriguing and fun approach for animal-fact enthusiasts....more
The Last Checkmate is a historical fiction written by Gabriella Saab. It features a revenge plot set amidst the horrors of the Holocaust.
In April 1945The Last Checkmate is a historical fiction written by Gabriella Saab. It features a revenge plot set amidst the horrors of the Holocaust.
In April 1945, three months after Maria Florkowska escaped from Auschwitz, she returns to the camp armed with a gun in order to challenge Nazi officer Lagerführer Fritzsch, who’d tormented her there, to a chess match.
Flashbacks provide the backstory of their relationship: At 14, Maria, a chess prodigy, joined the Polish resistance in Warsaw, delivering blank baptismal certificates to Jews so they could avoid being sent to the death camps. On one mission, she panicked when she was confronted by German officers, and, as a result, she and her family were arrested and sent to Auschwitz.
There, she was separated from them, eventually learning they were executed. She was spared because Fritzsch had been sufficiently impressed by Maria's chess playing to allow her to survive as his regular playing partner. However, when Maria learns that Fritzsch may have personally executed her family, she plots her retribution, but first she needs to survive and escape.
The Last Checkmate is written rather well. Saab has written a compelling narrative of courage, perseverance, friendship, and love – it is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Saab's writing is polished, understated, and engaging. Knowing from the outset that Maria survived the camp reduces the tension in the flashback segments, though they serve to set up a powerful crescendo.
All in all, The Last Checkmate is a compelling look at life inside a Second World War concentration camp, and how an intriguing woman prisoner uses chess to prolong her life....more