This short children’s novel inspired Spirited Away. It’s always dangerous to read such works because there is the woDisclaimer: ARC via Librarything.
This short children’s novel inspired Spirited Away. It’s always dangerous to read such works because there is the worry that they cannot live up to the love one has for a film, or that one reads the book and realizes the film was a complete bastardization or worse. That is not the case here. Spirited Away is clearly inspired by this book but there are differences, so it is like two very good stories. If you go into this book with the knowledge that it is the inspiration for a movie as opposed to the book that is adapted into the movie, you should enjoy it. Lina is sent by her father to visit a place that he had gone to as a child. This turns out to be a strange village where she has to work to earn her room and board. Fans of Spirited Away will recognize Mrs. Picotto. What this means it that Lina has to help three people run their shops. This includes a bookstore, a ceramic/pottery shop, and a toy store. At each shop, there is an issue that Lina ends up sorting out. If you love reading, the book store section will hit in the feels. It also cements Lina as someone to root for because she likes books to. It also is the one that is less defined by magic. The other two shops are connected by magic and what Lina has to do involves magic. But Nata who runs the bookstore says “Long used books take on the smells of their readers. Those are the only kinds of books that interest me.” (47). The whole section is basically a love letter to reading. The other two shops are different, and in one class a bit more humorous, but they also set up to show how Lina has grown and changed a bit. Her interactions with the various people of the village, including the shop owners, house mates, and Gentleman. You will love what happens when a tiger meets Gentlemen. A reader can see where the book inspired Spirited Away, and both the film and book address the idea of community and how one contributes to it. A lovely read....more
4.5 rounded up - slightly slow with the ending section
I don't know how I missed this one when it came out, but a shout out the Strand Bookstore in NYC4.5 rounded up - slightly slow with the ending section
I don't know how I missed this one when it came out, but a shout out the Strand Bookstore in NYC for including it in one of their Book Hookup boxes this year.
Madison's novel harkens back to Kindred in the sense of uncontrolled time travel. One wouldn't be surprised to learn that a what if question about Butler's book lead to the development of this one. It is important to note that Madison also draws on her own family's history, and the only real similarity between Kindred and this book outside of the race and gender of the heroines is time travel.
The novel tells the story of the Bridges family, largely though its women, as various members of the family struggle with the suddenness of falling back into time - here one moment, gone the next in a literal fashion. The family develops rules that may or may not work. The land is important because it can be a measure of safeguarding family members. (This was a brilliant touch, making use of the idea of family land in a multitude of ways). The book mainly, but not exclusively focuses on Ameila (from the past) and Cecily (from the novel's now, the 1960s). Both women are well drawn (pretty much all the characters are well drawn, and those few that are not are minor characters). Madison captures pain and worry. One particular good scene is when Cecily tells her husband about the time travel, and how she tells him. It made my academic heart happy. Quite honesty, considering the conversations that Cecily and her husband have as well as Cecily's thought process, you really do believe they teach at a university (too often this is not the case in books and film/tv).
The book was quite moving at times as well and there are a variety of ways that you can approach the issues of time travel and the use in the book. Are the fallen members of the family, those lost to time, truly lost, their own ancestors, or do they also stand for those members of the Black community/communities who go missing and are never found?
Some readers might get frustrated that not all questions are answered, and the ending is one that is not cut in stone, but it fit the story....more
Halla has a problem and a sword that has a spirit warrior attached to it, ain't it.
This book takes place in the Kingfisher's world that includes the SHalla has a problem and a sword that has a spirit warrior attached to it, ain't it.
This book takes place in the Kingfisher's world that includes the Saint of Steel series and the Clocktaur duology. Paladins make an appearance and the Order of the Rat is vital to the plot of the book, but you can read this one first before reading the others. (There are a couple characters that will be familiar to readers of the other books, however - Beatongue and Brindle. Quite frankly, Beartongue needs her own book at this point).
This book also seems to be the first in a series, though a second volume has not been published yet. The ending hints and author's afterword make it clear there should be at least one follow up.
The book's winning grace is Halla, an middle aged widow who finds herself inheriting a good fortune much to the distress of her in-laws. Halla is a woman who has realized that women who seem stupid can get away with a lot. And she asks some really important questions. And then when she and Zale team up, I swear I would read a book with just Halla and Zale asking people questions and double teaming people verbally.
Zale is a servant of the Rat. They help Halla, and they are far more interesting than the handsome dude in the sword who is your stereotypical tragic hero (like, we have met his type before in the Saint of Steel series). The romance is pretty much standard.
For me, Swordheart has the same problem that pops up in the Saint of Steel series - sometimes there is too much travelling and too much on the road bits. In something like the Clocktaur wars, it works. It doesn't quite work well here. In part because one of the trips hints at a solution to the problem/issue that is expressed towards the end of the book. And then it is left hanging (possibly to be returned to later if this series actually continues). While the bits about how the other religions view the followers of the Hanged Mother could be important (liberal religions vs extremely conservative), there was far too much of it here. In fact, one encounter simply felt like creating a reason for getting the characters to go in a different direction on the road (Literally a road). And yes, all writing is creative, but something that screams "i'm doing just so x happens" really doesn't work.
If both Zale and Halla weren't there, the book would have been slog. Zale and Halla make it fun. Mostly Halla because she talks more.
**spoiler alert** This book is pretty much what you see is what you get. There's nothing wrong with that. You can figure out what is going to happen a**spoiler alert** This book is pretty much what you see is what you get. There's nothing wrong with that. You can figure out what is going to happen and getting there is enjoyable. I do like the fact that the woman does not stay back in time because that always puzzled me in these things. Why, of course, I will still in a time where I didn't have any rights and health care was not really an option without a second thought. I get love but really? I thought our male lead was perhaps a bit too modern, but this would hardy be the first romantic historical where that happened.
I did like the little bit with Mr Shaw. I thought that was nice....more
This is a pretty good follow up to Legends & Lattes - technically it is a prequel, though the last bit takes place after L&L. It detail3.5 rounded up.
This is a pretty good follow up to Legends & Lattes - technically it is a prequel, though the last bit takes place after L&L. It details what happened to Viv when she was recovering from a wound.
Honesty, Fern and Gallina stole the book. Potroast was a close second.
Viv helps Fern with her bookshop, and so the book is in part, a love story about reading. I like the fact that romance was shown to appeal to all genders and sexualities. That was a nice touch.
On one hand, however, I did find some of the plot points to feel a bit too much like the first. Perhaps this is because I read the two within roughly 6 months, and if I had a year or more between the two it might not have been an issue. But the struggles with running a business is there with Fern, so while different, it also feels a bit the same. Also the romance aspect of the book doesn't quite work for me. Quite frankly, the book really didn't need it. If there had been more about Viv figuring out her relationship to love or sexuality, maybe. But it didn't really need to be there. Don't get me wrong, it was nice. You like both characters, but it felt more form than anything else.
Still, this was a nice cozy read. And if you like book, it will give you a warm feeling....more
Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the comic book series. I don't know. In many way, you can slightly under a three for me, like a 2.75.
Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the comic book series. I don't know. In many way, you can see this a Hollywood book, though there Mieville touches (like the undying pig among other things), but there is also a level of not enough, but also too much. At some points, the side characters get a little lost. At times, it seems like it wants to be a book that tells a story about mental health (and those areas are really good). It almost felt too busy. But I liked Diana and the eternal enemy being an undying pig....more
Have to give props to a radio drama that says Death is playing himself. All of the dramas are from the Disc, except for the last which is Only You CanHave to give props to a radio drama that says Death is playing himself. All of the dramas are from the Disc, except for the last which is Only You Can Save Mankind. It is a really well done collection....more
Everyone's favorite spy is trying to stay alive and asks the White Rat people for some help. She then meets Shane andMarguerite is back, kids!
Awesome.
Everyone's favorite spy is trying to stay alive and asks the White Rat people for some help. She then meets Shane and well things happen.
The book is a good romp. Romance meets D&D fantasy. I hope that Wren is the focus of the next book. There is a bit of cliffhanger with this one, though it does not involve the main characters....more
If you have read Phil Rickman, you will quickly pick up on the fact that Tudor's lead, Jack, is very much in the cassock of Watkins. Single widowed moIf you have read Phil Rickman, you will quickly pick up on the fact that Tudor's lead, Jack, is very much in the cassock of Watkins. Single widowed mother who is a vicar with a smoking problem and a teen girl who is a goth new age type of stage. Said family gets sent to a small parish in a out of the way, somewhat strange and spooky village.
It is to Tudor's credit that she at once refers to Watkins but also plays off a reader's exceptions of Watkins. She makes Jack and her daughter something different. In part, this is because of some of the plot twists. In others, it was because while Jack makes you think of Watkins, there are differences (Watkins seems to have more faith while Jack is grounded in a real city feeling).
I'm docking a star because the font used for the wording is difficult to read via the kindle app. The story is cute if a bit heavy on the moral and niI'm docking a star because the font used for the wording is difficult to read via the kindle app. The story is cute if a bit heavy on the moral and nice lessons....more
In fairness, I haven't read Grossman's Magicians, so this might tie into that book. However, as someone who has read X-Men, the plot itself was too prIn fairness, I haven't read Grossman's Magicians, so this might tie into that book. However, as someone who has read X-Men, the plot itself was too predictable. You knew what was going to happen long, long, long before it did. Grossman did create a good female character however....more
I usually will rate books I DNF, but this one I won't. I couldn't finish it because there is at the beginning a bit too much that does not make sense I usually will rate books I DNF, but this one I won't. I couldn't finish it because there is at the beginning a bit too much that does not make sense if you take a second to think about it.
However, Stengl's description of the plant magic and the magical plant creatures her heroine creates are beautiful and creative. It doesn't feel right giving something that has such a creative section one star.
I just think the book should have been workshopped far more before being published....more
It's a bit predictable, even what amounts to the twist can be foreseen ( and it's a nice switch, though). My problem is the misplaced and dangling modIt's a bit predictable, even what amounts to the twist can be foreseen ( and it's a nice switch, though). My problem is the misplaced and dangling modifiers. ...more
FYI - I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book, and am listed in the end section.
Jim C. Hines is really America's answer to Terry Pratchett. TheFYI - I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book, and am listed in the end section.
Jim C. Hines is really America's answer to Terry Pratchett. The same humanist drive that Pratchett had, Hines' seems to have. This book is enjoyable romp. It is a "what if the kids in Narina weren't good kids" type of book. Or "Hogwarts for the Goblins" book.
Amelia is a goblin who goes to school where she learns that some monsters are being, for lack of a better term, reprogramed to be a nice good goblin who bows and acts well human. It is not the school that is doing this, but the rulers of the kingdom who use magical spells to do so and want to use the school as some sort of funnel system to get the monsters reprogramed.. Amelia decides that this will not do and she will go get some humans to beat up the humans who rule the land, so she can go back to school because she does kinda likes it.
Doesn't quite work that way because Boa, Amelia's friend who happens to be a snake, brings back two retired ladies, one of whom is a teacher. The story picks up from there, part of the fun is the creativity of Hines, and part of it is how the book about a goblin wanting an education but wanting to be goblin is explored as well.
In fact, in many ways the book is about what good education should be - allowing the child to be themselves but also giving them tools and knowledge that will help them. You can see the goblins being forced to wear shoes as a slight nod/reference to policing of young poc's hairstyles in schools or to the various strict dress codes that target young girls more than boys- but only if you chose to. You can see the reprogramming of goblins either a comment on some schooling today in terms of access to materials or into taking away a students' culture . And if you know the history of the residential schools in many countries (like those in the US) it is impossible not to at one point to think of them as well. Hines is not using real residential school history in this novel, and I don't think he intends us to see Amelia's school that way. Amelia loves her school, for one. I just feel the thought would occur to a reader who is familiar with history of residential schools because what is also happening in the book is the question of saving one's culture and how the government uses education in ways to control citizens.
Yeah, and this book is pro-teaching people uncomfortable truths and challenging long held assumptions and beliefs. It really does address the various ways that education has been used in the US and that is quite something of a middle grade fantasy novel to do.
And it is going to be on the banned book list because Boa is male princess and the two silver queens are in a committed relationship. So I think you should read it....more