kaadie's reviews
173 reviews

Admittedly, the first book is a but confusing but that is to be expected considering that it is the first novel and there is clearly a grander plot afoot. Very intriguing though and I can't wait to read the next installment.
Note, Pullman is terrifying but also very cool, in a horrendous way😅

It was a fun read, with scrumptious descriptions of culinary endeavors. However the plot was a little predictable and the main character a little dense when it came to the final act. I did like the fact that she was able to defend herself and her friend without male assistance, girl power, woop woop. I also enjoyed the insight into Asian American culture, both the good and the bad. Overall, a fun read with some nice high points but a little underwhelming plot wise.

I really enjoyed this Sandman volume. The reflections on hell and punishment were really interesting and I liked the way it ended. 

I liked the short story form of this volume. 

I really like Neil Gaiman's writing but some aspects of the plot were a bit intense. Like the cereal convention, but overall I really enjoyed this graphic novel. 

The stories are cool, they're just a bit intense (scary, graphic) 

Wackedy-wack is all I have to say. This novel is bizarre but in a not all that unpleasant kind of way. Samantha is a bit of a frustrating character but her flaws make her quite the sympathetic character. I don't understand the subtext of this book. I feel like if I sat down and combed through things I could maybe unravel parts of it, because some of the imagery was a little blunt, but I also got the feeling while reading that you're not really supposed to "get it". The story is reminiscent of an Alice in Wonderland kind of free fall into candy-colored chaos. It's definitely an engaging read, just because you don't know what the f*ck is going on, but then you also don't know what the f*ck is going to happen. 
Wholly bizarre, mildly frustrating, gratifyingly grizzly. 

Strange and kind of fun. 

This is a tough one because the book was both good and bad for different reasons; mostly good though. It was well written if a little dry in some places. The language and general jargon did make it a bit hard to follow sometimes but the author did a relatively good job of explaining the terms so that everything made sense. It is of course both uplifting and depressing. Uplifting because it articulates quite nicely how race affects people and the society we live in. What I appreciated about this book is that it was non-fiction. Often racism in fiction can be lost in complex and flowery metaphors without actually being identified clearly. Or the books are set in the past which gives the impression of racism being an issue from a long time ago. The book deals with racism in our time and how it effects every day life for people alive today. However it is also a little sad because it does show the massive and daunting structure of racism and it feels overwhelming. It is a good book to read, particularly if you are interested in racism in Britian. 

Mistborn was an okay read. Vin and Kelsier were interesting characters, Vin in particular. I wasn't so fond of the heist setup but it worked. The author's contemplations on power, heroism and fanaticism were thought-provoking and a nice interlude every few chapters or so. The general dynamic between the crew was always fun to read. I appreciate the fact that the author

did not feel the need to drag out the defeat of the Lord Ruler over all three books, but instead addressed that in the very first book. However, this does also mean that I do not feel particularly pressed to read the next book. One gripe I have about the story is the fact that Elend Venture becomes king. I mean, come one! Mans is an idiot. Yes, their world does need an idealist right now but he is not the sharpest tool in the shed

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All in all, if you enjoy a cocktail of fantasy, political scheming, otherworldly combat scenes and a light twist of underground crime you will enjoy this book. The world that Sanderson created was unique and detailed, with the Inquisitors in particular being a nice sinister touch. The end of the book was a little harried for me but I was relatively satisfied with the way things panned out. 

This was by far the worst book I have read all year. There is not one redeemable quality about the main character. Alessandra is a power-hungry, entitled, bratty, harpy. There are so many things wrong about this story but I have neither the inclination nor the time to properly explore that so I am going to keep it as concise as possible.

First and foremost the main character is decidedly unlikable. There is nothing about her motivations in the book that are relatable, noble or even interesting. She wants to grab power simply because she believes she deserves it and somehow is the best suited for it. She was simply the spoilt daughter of an earl who had spent her early years rebeling against society in order to get Daddy's attention and spite her sister (real mature) and when that didn't work she set her sights higher. The attempt for the throne was really just because she has a massive inferiority complex and unresolved daddy issues. She wants to "win" and being the Queen ensures that. In the novel the author alludes to loftier goals about female empowerment but it is undermined so completely by Alessandra's desperate need for male validation and her need to surpass all of her female counterparts. She is just a pick-me-girl with no interest in helping anybody but her self. Granted, towards the end of the novel she does admit that women are not competition for male attention but rather friends and allys. However this sentiment rings false considering the fact that the women she is referring to in that sense are Rhoda and Hestia, who are both very much in her thrall and defer to her. Her endearment thus comes of as a little condescending. 

There was also no character growth. She remained the same tiresome child until the end. She killed someone! Killed! And absolutely no consequences were levied against her. She does not feel guilty and nobody around her holds her accountable.  Someone breaking up with you does not give you the right to kill them or harm them in any way. If the roles were reversed and Alessandra was male and Hektor female it would scream for what it is: a violent jealous crime committed by a dangerous obsessed individual. It is wrong and Alessandra being a woman does NOT excuse her actions. 

The other characters were all flat and uninteresting. The men were just there to ogle Alessandra and fall in love with her. The women were there to fluff her ego or serve as adversaries. The measure of a powerful woman is not her ability to put other women in their "place". The author took pains to demean and insult all of the other women in the novel who were not the main character or her faithful followers. Chrysantha was stupid, Lady Zervas was a cranky spinster and Melita was a gold-digger and social climber (A rather hypocritical stance, considering her protagonist). Picture the stereotypical "Mean Girl" with her ever present entourage walking through the school hall sneering at all of the other girls and flirting with all of the boys. 

Also, the author's take on sexual empowerment was concerning. Alessandra has no respect for her lovers. She toys with their emotions and blackmails them into silence. She treats them exactly how she feels Hektor mistreated her. Instead of using her pain as a source of empathy she uses it as an excuse to behave like a pig. Yes, she was slut shamed by her family and the author did shoehorn some commentary in about sex. However, once again the words on the page do not correlate with the character's behaviour. Sexual empowerment of woman does not mean the belittling of men. Female empowerment in general is not about returning abuse in kind to men.

Ultimately the author has double standards. If Alessandra was a male character people would be up in arms, torches lit and pitchforks raises, ready to sacrifice the chauvinistic pig. However, the same qualities in Alessadra are not only forgiven but admired. Ridiculous.
What Alessandra needs is a family therapy session not a kingdom.