An absolutely required read for those studying feminism or any kind of gender studies. It is imperative to get an intersectional perspective on these issues due to the history of women of color going unheard in the fight for women's rights as well as the constant abuse of power shown by privileged white women. I was familiar with many of the concepts that Hamad described: white woman tears, white fragility, various stereotypes, and the constant attacks on women of color's agency. But this is the first time I've read these topics in depth and with their historical context. It goes a long way in realizing the racism, sexism, and intolerance that Western society was built and currently thrives on. Hamad uses very accessible language to get her points across, which I appreciated since I find it hard to focus on nonfiction usually.

This book definitely clarified ideas surrounding white women feminism and ways to address the behavior that comes from it. As someone always trying to be better, I'm always looking for reading material to help me better understand these issues and this book really filled a gap in my education.

Hellaween: Spellbent by Moss Lawton

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-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? Yes

4.0

I'm going to need more volumes in this series because they're just delightful Halloween treats. Just as much energy, chaos, and spookiness as the last volume!

Public Domain, Volume 1 by Chip Zdarsky

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Chip Zdarsky tells a tale of old as time with this story about a comic book artist going up against the industry to reclaim the rights to a character he created. It's a scenario we've seen play out many times in comic book world, whether big corporations refuse to give creators their due or some creators get pushed to the side and the public forgets they had any influence in bringing their favorite characters to life. It's an incredibly meta text, one from an author/artists that has worked with these big comics moguls and no doubt understands the corporate song and dance. For as complex as the legal issues can be, it's a simple story that combines the plight of artists and strained family dynamics to culminate in an emotional, relatable experience.

Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.

Found it a bit too slow moving and thought the Oxford storyline wasn't as engaging as the Gutenberg, despite it having time devoted to it. If anything the latter could have been its own story. Blake isn't really investing as a main character since he spends a good bulk of time moping and complaining through the first 1/3 of the book. Too many books to read to keep spending time on this one.

Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Olivia Cole's voice as Alicia, a teenage girl grappling with the trauma of sexual abuse, is bone-chillingly powerful and effective. The words drips with fatigue, fatigue from helplessness, from the world that only sees you as one thing, from the wolves at your door that only want to eat and dominate. The book does hurt, but it's a very real hurt that some people never even understand a fraction of. Dear Medusa doesn't waste time on niceties, it doesn't treat its hard topics as delicate things to be handled lightly, it punches hard because it needs to be heard. I always enjoy books that effortlessly translate the emotions of the characters into its readers and this book achieves this in spades. I've been fortunate to not have gone through Alicia's situation, but I know it's so so important to have this story out there for those that have.

Despite its rough moments, there is beauty in this book, the beauty of survival, of finding your peers, of connecting and finding commonality through shared injustices.

Marcy's Journal: A Guide to Amphibia by Matthew Braly, Tokyopop, Catharina Sukiman, Adam Colás

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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

3.0

A treat for any Amphibia fan! Note that this book does take place over the course of the series, so it would be best to read once finished with the TV series.

Marcy's journal provides a fun and introspective look at the events of Amphibia through her and Anne's internal monologue. It was neat to learn more about Marcy's time in Newtopia, but boy the dramatic irony of her going into her friendship with Andrias and explaining her guilt does get a little emotional at times when you know what's coming.

I was hoping to see a bit more encyclopedia like entries, since Marcy is a known dissector of information and will write literally anything interesting down. But I get you want to make this most appealing to the kids who watch the show.

There are times when Marcy (and Anne once the journal flips to her POV) describe their relationships with the other girls and honestly sometimes it goes deeper than it did in the show. They're able to verbalize their internal discoveries in a way that kind of hits harder? I dont' know if that's me misremembering the show or feeling more nostalgic towards it. Either way, you get an amazing view of their friendship in these pages.

The ending comes off a bit abrupt, but it makes sense given the reality of the situation. I'm glad that there an entry or two that tied into the epilogue of the show while also leaving a door open for a possible continuation. Don't tease us Matt!

More...

readingrobin's reviews 2322 reviews

readingrobin's reviews
2322 reviews