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andrewspink's reviews
549 reviews
The Regolith Temple by Roxana Arama
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The book is based around the concept that we are both body and mind - and what might thi mean for the idea of uploading our minds into a computer. It also explores a number of other concepts like the role of organised religion and the (im)possibility of establishing a colony on Mars (the 'awful planet'). That is precisely what good science fiction should do - explore societal themes by means of a story, or even literature.
There were some elements which I particularly liked. One of the characters was a 'retired botanist with a passion for technology', which could sort of describe me, except I dislike the over used term 'passion' about ones work. I really like the idea of a 'gossip tense' in a local language.
I was worried that it was going to be the start of a series with a cliff hanger but thankfully it had a proper ending.
There were some elements which I particularly liked. One of the characters was a 'retired botanist with a passion for technology', which could sort of describe me, except I dislike the over used term 'passion' about ones work. I really like the idea of a 'gossip tense' in a local language.
I was worried that it was going to be the start of a series with a cliff hanger but thankfully it had a proper ending.
Mania by Lionel Shriver
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a funny satire, which I enjoyed. On the face of it, it is about anti-intellectualism, which is indeed a great problem in society and needs a good poke. I do get annoyed at news items where 'the man in the street ' gets as much air time as the professor who knows what they are talking about.
With all the recent stuff about how it is forbidden in the US to use perfectly normal words like 'gender', and all the book bans, it is also very timely.
What I am less happy about is that the book could also be taken to be 'anti-woke' with 'the N word' not being 'allowed' and parts could be perceived (as it were) to be an attack on US positive discrimination policies.
Nevertheless, the book is both entertaining and thought-provoking and you can't ask for more than that.
With all the recent stuff about how it is forbidden in the US to use perfectly normal words like 'gender', and all the book bans, it is also very timely.
What I am less happy about is that the book could also be taken to be 'anti-woke' with 'the N word' not being 'allowed' and parts could be perceived (as it were) to be an attack on US positive discrimination policies.
Nevertheless, the book is both entertaining and thought-provoking and you can't ask for more than that.
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by J. J. Sutherland, Jeff Sutherland
informative
fast-paced
3.0
On the one hand, this was an easy read, with lots of anecdotes carrying you along. One the other hand, the ego of the writer was an enormous hinderance. How many times did we have to hear that he used to be a fighter pilot (apparently something to be proud of)? All his projects were a huge success, and every time that someone used Scrum it worked like a dream. Except of course we all know that in real life that isnt the case and there was clearly some serious cherry picking going on. The method certainly has advantages, but the hysteria of the book was rather over the top.
Het laatste voorjaar by Minke Douwesz
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sometimes you read a book to learn about a different culture (or situation, or time, or whatever) than your own and sometimes it is nice to read a book which you can relate to. I thought this book would be the former, but actually it was more of the latter. A feest van herkenning. For a start, the book is based on a long cycle ride by the main protagonist. Then various scenes are in places I know well. When they walk from Sonsbeek Park in Arnhem, they must have gone within a hundred meters of my daughter's house. Her mother taught botany (which I studied as a student) - fancy that being a separate school subject previously!
Sometimes when a book references other books it is to ones that I have never read, but in this case there were a lot that I have read and enjoyed. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk gets a few mentions, and I had great fun reading that.
The book was readable, but I did have to look up more words than usual (including krols, snaaks, dralen, versjteerde and hovaardij). I was happy to be reading an e-book where the dictionary is just a click away.
For much of the long cycle ride. Ese is thinking about various things. That gives the author scope to not only develop the plot as to what lead up to her decision to go on this ride and so on, but also to ponder various issues. For instance, what is the use of learning the names of plants and animals? 'Names, different words for each separate thing, sharpen your observations, the ability to tell things apart'. So true! Also the discussion on whether domestic cats should be kept indoors. Surely the availability of food and habitat determines their population size, not predation pressure? 'It is convenient for the agricultural organisations and project developers to suddenly give cats the blame'.
Tomorrow we discuss the book in our book club. I am lloking forward to hearing what the others thought of it.
Sometimes when a book references other books it is to ones that I have never read, but in this case there were a lot that I have read and enjoyed. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk gets a few mentions, and I had great fun reading that.
The book was readable, but I did have to look up more words than usual (including krols, snaaks, dralen, versjteerde and hovaardij). I was happy to be reading an e-book where the dictionary is just a click away.
For much of the long cycle ride. Ese is thinking about various things. That gives the author scope to not only develop the plot as to what lead up to her decision to go on this ride and so on, but also to ponder various issues. For instance, what is the use of learning the names of plants and animals? 'Names, different words for each separate thing, sharpen your observations, the ability to tell things apart'. So true! Also the discussion on whether domestic cats should be kept indoors. Surely the availability of food and habitat determines their population size, not predation pressure? 'It is convenient for the agricultural organisations and project developers to suddenly give cats the blame'.
Tomorrow we discuss the book in our book club. I am lloking forward to hearing what the others thought of it.
Sneeuwblind by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Een typische Scandinavische thriller met leuke plotwendingen, duistere karakters en sneeuw. Ik las het boek met veel plezier en hoe meer ik las hoe meer was ik meegezogen door het verhaal. Precies wat je wil in een thriller.
Al de IJslands namen waren wel apart. Het was leuk up op te zoeken hoe je moest ð uitspreken (blijkbaar, net as een Engels 'th'). Ik vond wel dat Heiðar, Hörður en Hafdís lijkten te veel op elkaar en was ik af en toe daarover wat in de war. Maar dat is in ieder geval beter dan (zoals met Harry Potter) alle karakters stomme Nederlandse namen geven. Het boek wisselde tussen 'nu' en het verleden, maar gelukkig was dat duidelijk per hoofdstuk aangegeven en daar was het goed te volgen. Het samen vlooien van de twee verhaallijnen is goed gedaan; soms weet je als lezer ietsje meer dan de politie in het heden, soms minder.
Op één punt was ik minder tevreden. Het is moeilijk om over de plot van een thriller te schrijven zonder spoilers. Maar ik wil zeggen dat het leuk is om te proberen uit te vogelen wie de moordenaar is en in dit boek is dat onmogelijk tot een laat stadium.
Maar dat hebben gezegd, ik zou 'Sneeuwblind' zeker aanbevelen aan liefhebbers van Scandinavische thrillers, of inderdaad thrillers in het algemeen.
Gliff by Ali Smith
challenging
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is very entertaining, laughing-out-loud funny in places and you just want to keep on reading. I was half way through before I even realised that there were no speech marks. Apparently they are not necessary.
The author uses what turns out to be a very clever device. The book is written from the point of view of a boy. That means that he doesn't understand what is going on and just accepts completely preposterous things as normal. As he gradually sees what the world is really like, so we too discover the truth. Normally books with children protagonists are for children, but this is very much not so.
Not only a gripping read, but also thought-provoking.
The author uses what turns out to be a very clever device. The book is written from the point of view of a boy. That means that he doesn't understand what is going on and just accepts completely preposterous things as normal. As he gradually sees what the world is really like, so we too discover the truth. Normally books with children protagonists are for children, but this is very much not so.
Not only a gripping read, but also thought-provoking.
The Island Child by Molly Aitken
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I had very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is very beautifully written, especially the use of similies and metaphors. "I waited until the night was so thick my hands in front of my face were imagined. "
".... the thing that made Mam's sewn-on smile fray at the edges".
"... patterns as delicate and complex as the plants that weave over each other in a meadow".
On the other hand, maybe it was me, but I kept getting lost in the plot. Where and when was I? The books jumps around between now and the past as we as Ireland and Canada, and I was not always sure how the paragraph I was currently reading fitted. Perhaps I should have paid more attention but it didn't enhance the reading experience.
The book did tackle some interesting themes. One more quote: "Religion tells us that we are evil and if we believe it we become it". Thought-provoking.
".... the thing that made Mam's sewn-on smile fray at the edges".
"... patterns as delicate and complex as the plants that weave over each other in a meadow".
On the other hand, maybe it was me, but I kept getting lost in the plot. Where and when was I? The books jumps around between now and the past as we as Ireland and Canada, and I was not always sure how the paragraph I was currently reading fitted. Perhaps I should have paid more attention but it didn't enhance the reading experience.
The book did tackle some interesting themes. One more quote: "Religion tells us that we are evil and if we believe it we become it". Thought-provoking.
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was a very difficult read. Horrendous actually. Not because it was badly written, quite the opposite in fact. Because it was so well written, the reader feels all the pain, all the anguish and all the injustice of the situation that it describes. Of course, we all know that slavery was appalling, but this book helps us (no, makes us) feel it.
In the same way that every European needs to read about the Holocaust, every American needs to read this book.
In the same way that every European needs to read about the Holocaust, every American needs to read this book.
Pocket Nature: Mushroom Hunting: Forage for Fungi and Connect with the Earth by Emily Han, Gregory Han
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
A nice introduction to the world of mushrooms and toadstools. The book is written in California, but many, perhaps most, of the species mentioned also grow here in Europe and the main groups identified are certainly the same. I appreciated the remarks about not just quickly identifying a species, but also taking time to enjoy and appreciate it. I would add the same goes for mosses and flowering plants. One other addition; the authors mention a few things to take into the field with you when you are looking for mushrooms. I would add that a small mirror, ideally one on a stick (like a dentist has) is useful for looking at the underside of caps, saving either lying in the mud or picking the mushroom to see what sort it is.
Carved in Blood by
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was an enjoyable detective story/thriller with a few extra elements. The main 'extra' was that the reader gets to learn (or at least read, if your memory is like mine) a whole load of Maori words and also some customs. That made it more interesting and added some depth, as did the issue of racism.
The book was easy to read and after a while turned into a real page turner; I really wanted to know what happened next.
There were a couple of less good points, at least in my opinion. How likely is it that someone would accidentally come across someone's search history? Why didn't the divers use drysuits (which are much warmer)? The incident with the magpie was a little too predictable. What was the point of the first arrest?
Nevertheless, those were minor points and I enjoyed reading the book.
This book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The book was easy to read and after a while turned into a real page turner; I really wanted to know what happened next.
There were a couple of less good points, at least in my opinion. How likely is it that someone would accidentally come across someone's search history? Why didn't the divers use drysuits (which are much warmer)? The incident with the magpie was a little too predictable. What was the point of the first arrest?
Nevertheless, those were minor points and I enjoyed reading the book.
This book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.