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apollinares's reviews
223 reviews
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I'm not normally as gripped by short stories as I was by these. Each of them was beautifully written, haunting, oddly relatable, in a fractured kind of way.
I wish the endings were more solidified though - I found that it felt like some of the stories didn't know when and how TO end.
I wish the endings were more solidified though - I found that it felt like some of the stories didn't know when and how TO end.
Delicious in Dungeon Manga Set Vol. 1-12 by Ryoko Kui by Ryoko Kui
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Using this as a placeholder for the entire series (volumes 1-14) which I finished today.
The art style, the robust worldbuilding, and the well-fleshed-out characters all made this manga one of my favourites, easily. I particularly enjoyed the monster designs (both visually and in terms of how they fit into their ecosystem, what they are on a biological level, all that) and the body horror aspects in the later volumes. Couldn't put this story down!
The art style, the robust worldbuilding, and the well-fleshed-out characters all made this manga one of my favourites, easily. I particularly enjoyed the monster designs (both visually and in terms of how they fit into their ecosystem, what they are on a biological level, all that) and the body horror aspects in the later volumes. Couldn't put this story down!
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A poignant and powerful read that felt like a gut punch despite the comparably short length. I love how lyrical Clark's writing is.
I didn't find the monsters as compelling as I'd have liked, and the rushed introduction ofthe night doctors ruined the immersion a little, making the worldbuilding needlessly complicated in my opinion. Still, though, a story I couldn't put down, with great narration.
I didn't find the monsters as compelling as I'd have liked, and the rushed introduction of
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Got bored; couldn't bring myself to keep listening to the audiobook and the library copy expired.
Might try it in a physical book format sometime.
Might try it in a physical book format sometime.
Ammonite by Nicola Griffith
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I read this for a book club, not expecting to love it as much as I did. Thanks r/Fantasy for getting this book on my radar, because it's SO good. One of my favourite reads of this year, for sure.
First, I have to comment on the writing style. Griffith's prose is nothing short of poetic. The way it lured me in and kept me firmly rooted in the world of Jeep, with all five senses, has to be commended; most of all, I got lost in her descriptions of Jeep's sky. She perfectly captures the feeling of staring up at the clouds and feeling dizzy at their vastness, and this adds an incredible atmosphere, a presence, to the book.
The characters, too, I fell in love with. Jeep is full of people - as Griffith has pointed out in her afterthought at the end of the book - not "women", people. Because among hundreds of all-female-planet books, Griffith's is one of the only ones I found that kept her women realistic. They aren't monolithic, nor are they helpless. They are flawed and learning and growing, and different, and morally gray and facing difficult choices and and and--
Griffith's women are realistic in a way I am surprised is so rare in sci-fi. Because they're simply that; real.
The ending felt appropriately climactic, with just enough cliffhanger to leave one wondering. It's not perfect or neatly tied up, but thought has been put into it.
Overall, I couldn't put this book down. Some quotes, I still rotate in my mind, remembering Jeep, remembering Ammonite.
First, I have to comment on the writing style. Griffith's prose is nothing short of poetic. The way it lured me in and kept me firmly rooted in the world of Jeep, with all five senses, has to be commended; most of all, I got lost in her descriptions of Jeep's sky. She perfectly captures the feeling of staring up at the clouds and feeling dizzy at their vastness, and this adds an incredible atmosphere, a presence, to the book.
The characters, too, I fell in love with. Jeep is full of people - as Griffith has pointed out in her afterthought at the end of the book - not "women", people. Because among hundreds of all-female-planet books, Griffith's is one of the only ones I found that kept her women realistic. They aren't monolithic, nor are they helpless. They are flawed and learning and growing, and different, and morally gray and facing difficult choices and and and--
Griffith's women are realistic in a way I am surprised is so rare in sci-fi. Because they're simply that; real.
The ending felt appropriately climactic, with just enough cliffhanger to leave one wondering. It's not perfect or neatly tied up, but thought has been put into it.
Overall, I couldn't put this book down. Some quotes, I still rotate in my mind, remembering Jeep, remembering Ammonite.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
I've been putting off this trilogy for too long, and finally got my hands on a full cast audiobook. And it was so fun!
I could dissect this middle grade fantasy, but honestly, I don't want to. It was easy to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the world building and main story alike.
I could dissect this middle grade fantasy, but honestly, I don't want to. It was easy to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the world building and main story alike.
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book made me cry and that's gotta be worth something.
The Sleepless by Victor Manibo
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While the premise was interesting, the substance of the book didn't hook me. Mostly, I found it boring.
Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I still feel that the first book of this series (Paladin's Grace) was the best. Even the title of that one is a pun, come ON! Contrary to popular opinion, based on reading the reviews, though, I feel that this one isn't far behind. I really did like it, even if Galen's narrative voice didn't come through as strongly to me as the previous protagonists; Galen and Piper's inner monologues read as indistinct, to me.
Still, the humour, supporting cast, and world building was fun, and the story was well paced. Seeing these two yearn and pine and be all self sacrificial about it was, frankly, delicious. Can't wait to pick up the next one - what a cliffhanger!
And because this deserves to be stated, Joel Richards' narration was fab as always. Some books are better experienced as audiobooks; this whole series, in my opinion, is a great example of that.
Still, the humour, supporting cast, and world building was fun, and the story was well paced. Seeing these two yearn and pine and be all self sacrificial about it was, frankly, delicious. Can't wait to pick up the next one - what a cliffhanger!
And because this deserves to be stated, Joel Richards' narration was fab as always. Some books are better experienced as audiobooks; this whole series, in my opinion, is a great example of that.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I can't believe I haven't discovered Butler's work sooner - it had been recommended to me and I'd just kept putting it off until now.
To say I loved this book would not be correct. It's a challenging read, delivered matter-of-factly by a narrator whose very existence, framed by the atrocities she'd witnessed, speaks to how far this fictional America has fallen. I had to put it down a number of times; aspects of it turned my stomach. But I believe it is a necessary read, and I'm surprised at how long ago it had been written. I dread to see some aspects of this specific dystopia realised within my own lifetime.
Immersive, profound, and hopeful despite it all, Parable of the Sower will stay with me for a long time.
To say I loved this book would not be correct. It's a challenging read, delivered matter-of-factly by a narrator whose very existence, framed by the atrocities she'd witnessed, speaks to how far this fictional America has fallen. I had to put it down a number of times; aspects of it turned my stomach. But I believe it is a necessary read, and I'm surprised at how long ago it had been written. I dread to see some aspects of this specific dystopia realised within my own lifetime.
Immersive, profound, and hopeful despite it all, Parable of the Sower will stay with me for a long time.