What an absolutely proper fucking ending for a series filled to the brim with characters I've come to love wholeheartedly. Just so good. So glad thereWhat an absolutely proper fucking ending for a series filled to the brim with characters I've come to love wholeheartedly. Just so good. So glad there are more stories and novellas to continue reading, and a sequel series started this year?? YES. MORE KATE, ALWAYS....more
This was very much a delightful and unexpected read.
This is a sci-fi mystery in the vein of Sherlock Holmes following Mossa, an Investigator (similarThis was very much a delightful and unexpected read.
This is a sci-fi mystery in the vein of Sherlock Holmes following Mossa, an Investigator (similar to a detective) and her old college roommate/lover, Pleiti. Mossa fulfills the cold and intelligent Holmes role, while Pleiti fills the story-from-her-POV sidekick role of Watson. We meet the two as Mossa rolls back into Pleiti's life to ask for her help in the case of a disappearance, and we learn their history as they investigate and figure out if and how they can fit back into each others' lives.
All of this takes place on Jupiter. Rather, orbiting Jupiter. Which is just so neat. Older's writing seats us firmly in the comfort and coziness of a Holmesian mystery, but wraps it up in an interesting sci-fi premise. The mystery itself is alright; I found the writing of it very decent and I enjoyed following the threads as they put them together, but what drove this for me was Mossa and Pleiti's characterization and the world building. I don't visualize things very well (if at all) as I read, so my brain was working overtime to picture this colonized orbit of Jupiter because I wanted to learn about it so much. It was so neat!
So, so happy I grabbed this. It felt cozy in the way that slipping into well-known and well-loved Holmes stories does, but also more stimulating with the world building....more
The Spare Man follows inventor and heiress Tesla Crane on her honeymoon, which takes place on a spaceI absolutely adored this book. It was a delight.
The Spare Man follows inventor and heiress Tesla Crane on her honeymoon, which takes place on a space ship cruising to Mars. Shortly into the honeymoon, someone is murdered, her husband is fingered as the murderer, and she has to clear his name.
Kowal writes a sci-fi mystery that takes place in a really neat, hopeful future and it's a great backdrop for a familiar mystery that lives somewhere in the space between noir and cozy. I did have a bit of trouble with the logic of the mystery itself and the reveal of red herrings and the actual murderer, but I had so much fun reading it that I could let many things slide.
Tesla herself is a great contradiction to read: she has PTSD from an accident that left her with constant back pain, and she has a service dog (the best dog in the entire universe) to assist her. On the flip side, she IS one of the richest people in the galaxy and as much as she tries to acknowledge she has massive privilege, she wields that privilege when it suits her. I think everything that goes into Tesla makes her feel so well rounded, flawed, and real.
All the other characters - her husband Shal, fellow passengers, the security detail - all felt like they were their own distinct, individual characters.
Here is where I have to praise the audiobook: Mary Robinette Kowal narrates it herself and she is goddamn FANTASTIC. It's ridiculous how talented she is. Every single character had their own voice and personality and made it feel like a neat episode of mystery TV, not just a novel.
Overall, this was a really fun mystery to read. I really wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, and I really hope Kowal considers writing more with Tesla or in this universe....more
What a DELIGHT of a fantasy novel. Fun world building, interesting magic, great characters. (Clef. Oh, CLEF! My heart!)
It does tend to rely on some chWhat a DELIGHT of a fantasy novel. Fun world building, interesting magic, great characters. (Clef. Oh, CLEF! My heart!)
It does tend to rely on some character tropes and the story is a bit predictable in terms of the big thematic plot beats, but the details are what made this a fun and interesting read for me. ...more
This is beautiful and inventive and stunning and heartbreaking and triumphant and one of the best things I've read all year. I have no idea how to talThis is beautiful and inventive and stunning and heartbreaking and triumphant and one of the best things I've read all year. I have no idea how to talk about it. Simon Jimenez is now two for two and is now an auto-buy author for me. Absolutely incredible.
WOW, this did not go where I thought it was, and it’s incredibly mean in how good it is at showing the friendship between Yona, Soo-won, and Hak. SticWOW, this did not go where I thought it was, and it’s incredibly mean in how good it is at showing the friendship between Yona, Soo-won, and Hak. Stick the knife in and TWIST, why don’t you.
If you need content warnings, then please read: (view spoiler)[Child sexual abuse. Everything is off page. (hide spoiler)]
Wow, this was a journey. ForIf you need content warnings, then please read: (view spoiler)[Child sexual abuse. Everything is off page. (hide spoiler)]
Wow, this was a journey. For some reason, I always thought this was just another quirky YA dystopia, but it's actually so much more. It's a look at how, even when we think the world is safe, monsters still exist. But what do they look like? And how do you find them?
Using a speculative framework to discuss something very real and traumatizing is not ground breaking in itself, but Akwaeke Emezi comes at it from a very interesting and engaging angle. Pet is awe inspiring and terrifying, and though it looks like a typical monster, it's hunting a real Monster - a person that is hurting another. The thematic imagery here is obvious, but it works. Part of that is because, I think, the writing is aimed at young readers; the themes and emotions and writing presented feel like they're for an older middle grade to younger teen audience. I would 100% recommend this to young teen readers who are interested in thematically more adult reads, but nothing too heavy.
The audiobook was incredible. Christopher Meyers really breathed life into the characters, especially Pet. There's enough emotion and variation in each character to give them all life of their own and make it an interesting and engaging listen.
Overall, such a great book. I think it reads a little younger than most people think, especially with the YA tag here on Goodreads, but once you adjust your expectations it's all good....more
This book is either going to be for you or not, I think, and this was ALL FOR ME.
I don't particularly resonate with Hollywood's gilded age, but give This book is either going to be for you or not, I think, and this was ALL FOR ME.
I don't particularly resonate with Hollywood's gilded age, but give me something that is a masterful look at the monstrosity of that era, deftly weave some fae-like fantasy in it, and write a character who is in turns fierce and cold and determined and lonely and I'm IN.
Nghi Vo's writing can be beautiful and infuriating all at the same time for me. I'm struck by a particularly beautiful passage on one page, then few pages later I'm wondering if I'm even processing what she's trying to say. But I kind of enjoyed that. I enjoyed being so wrapped up in the hazy fantasy world she created as a way to explore old Hollywood's studio system, and the Othering of anyone who wasn't White and Beautiful. The fantasy elements gave this a whole new fresh feeling. ...more
This book really took me by surprise. It's a story that combines different elements that don't seem they will work together: ShNot gonna lie, I cried.
This book really took me by surprise. It's a story that combines different elements that don't seem they will work together: Shizuka is a musician that made a deal with Hell to give them seven souls. Katrina is a trans teen runaway and incredibly talented violinist. Lan is an alien refugee who settles on Earth with her family and takes over a donut shop. In a minor story introduced a bit of the way in, we also have Lucy, a violin repair shop owner who doesn't believe she can uphold the name her grandfather and father built. All the women in this book have their own stories that focus on different types of womanhood, but there is something Ryka Aoki does to thread them all together - and not just by making the characters meet. I don't have the right words to explain how it felt like every one of these disparate stories was meant to be written in this way.
Every character seemed to be their own person in a tangible way. A few could have been fleshed out more, but even those who didn't get much time on page still had a solid presence in the story. I felt for each of the characters, I understood where they were coming from and where they wanted to go - even if they didn't know it themselves. Some of the POVs were a little hard to take (content warnings should be heeded seriously) but I cared for every one of them.
Aoki's writing is in turns frenetic and beautiful. She sometimes writes in short sentences and paragraphs, sometimes writes longer passages that are beautiful and heartfelt, sometimes focuses on one character for a few pages, sometimes jumps from character POV to character POV one after the other on the space of two pages. It kept the book incredibly readable to for me, propelling me along whether I liked it or not.
I realized, once I finished the book and got to the thematic ending Aoki was aiming for, that even her style of writing this matched that theme. (view spoiler)[The way she describes the Bartok! How it's frenetic and weird and there are bits that are short and sharp - she writes like that. Short paragraphs that bounce around from person to person, but then she'll take a break and focus on one person for a bit longer. AHHH it's so good. (hide spoiler)]
And I haven't even touched on how lovely and Asian this all is. I just want to gush on and on about this book at this point. If there were any negative aspects for me, they didn't leave a lasting impression.
I loved this book. It's easily one of my favorites of the year.
I will say that though this is a book with a trans character as a lead, I would be remiss in recommending this without saying that any trans, non-binary, gender queer, any person who struggles with their gender identity should take heed of the content warnings. There is a LOT of rough stuff in here to see if you're not at least a little prepared for it. Even with preparation it's hard, but at least you know going in.
Content warnings: (view spoiler)[Transphobia, dead naming, misgendering, homophobia, slurs, parental abuse, sexual assault, rape, racism. More info here. (hide spoiler)]...more
Genuinely surprised about how quickly I got into this story alongside our main character! I wasn't sure about this but I'm INVESTED now.Genuinely surprised about how quickly I got into this story alongside our main character! I wasn't sure about this but I'm INVESTED now....more
4.5 stars rounded up to 5, because this is an absolutely incredible work that everyone needs to read. Whether it's to feel represented, or understand 4.5 stars rounded up to 5, because this is an absolutely incredible work that everyone needs to read. Whether it's to feel represented, or understand what it means to be a 15 year old girl bursting at the seams to be yourself but also being hemmed in by every aspect of your life, or to understand what it means to be a girl in general, or to relate to being a poet who just wants to write and know what it means to be heard -- this book is for everyone.
The audiobook is narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo herself, and she performs her poetry as spoken word. It's beautiful and powerful and I can't imagine having read it any other way.
I took a half star off only because I wasn't a fan of the ending. After the reality and incredible emotion of Xiomara's story, it felt like it all got wrapped up much too neatly.
Anyone who loves reading should give this a try -- doubly so if you have a teenager in your family and can share it with them. This could provide some really fantastic insight and discussion....more
June 2021: Easily one of my top 5 books of the year, and I'm positive it will stay there by the time December rolMay 2024: Still an all time favorite.
June 2021: Easily one of my top 5 books of the year, and I'm positive it will stay there by the time December rolls around. I don't have the words for how much I loved this. Not even close....more
The blurbs for this novella claim that All Systems Red is a sci-fi adventure that blends Iain Banks’ Culture Also posted at Short & Lazy Book Reviews.
The blurbs for this novella claim that All Systems Red is a sci-fi adventure that blends Iain Banks’ Culture series with HBO’s Westworld and whatever, if that matters to people, so be it. I haven’t read the Culture series but I have watched and loved Westworld, and saw very little of this in it, beyond the obvious “robots with human emotions” angle. Murderbot is more Robocop than Dolores, anyway, so whatever, book blurbs, whatever.
THIS NOVELLA IS FANTASTIC ALL ON ITS OWN.
Murderbot is fantastic. Team Humans is fantastic. The adventure and mystery is tightly written with enough suspense to keep things moving but not so much that I got frustrated. Honestly, Murderbot’s apathy, social anxiety, and confusion made for a very interesting and often amusing POV. And that ending!!!
I want more Murderbot.
I need more Murderbot.
2018 IS MUCH TOO FAR AWAY FOR MORE MURDERBOT....more