tristesse's reviews
52 reviews

This is definitely one of my best reads in 2023. Attached above are the quotes that really stick with me throughout reading.

Such an excellent follow up from the first book, A Game of Thrones. When I first discovered that many like it less, I was discouraged, but I pushed through and came to a conclusion that I like it better. Does not mean that the previous book was bad in any way, but the conflict gets more exciting as it goes. I greatly admire George R.R. Martin's talents in creating this universe, regardless of what the others may say. AGoT's prologue was so hauntingly beautiful but ACoK did not disappoint either, both were so nicely done. And I'm here, again, to analyze some characters in the story:

I may tolerate Cersei's refusal to bear Robert's children, I completely understand her lack of love toward late King Robert. Yet enabling Joffrey's cruelty is another matter, she is well-aware of her son's malicious behavior and does almost nothing to stop it from happening. She also shamelessly tells Sansa to suck it up because she went through the same situation and survived it, what a horrible mother-in-law. What a terrifying woman. She truly depicts the typical mother who blames the world for destruction her child causes and I don't like that any bit.

As for Theon, disappointed would be an understatement. The betrayal doesn't taste so sweet now that it wraps a hand around your throat, eh, Prince of Winterfell? Make no mistake, I do hate Ramsay more (the most, actually), but I can't justify what Theon do to the Starks. Pity only goes so far, Theon.

And while I'm still dreading to go over Bran's chapters quickly, I love Hodor and wish no harm would come to him....

Out of all Catelyn's chapters so far, I find chapter 55 the most entertaining. Thanks to Jaime, his shared conversation with Catelyn rouses my curiosity to explore his character more in depth.

As for Tyrion, the most misunderstood Lannister, I still think of him as one of my favorite characters (beside Jon Snow). I wish Cersei, Tywin, and especially Joffrey will reap what they sow soon enough. He was a decent Hand of the King, clearly better than Cersei.

I love Samwell and I think the Hound is more decent than Joffrey.

Sansa, Arya, and Daenerys are getting more interesting. I'm the happiest that Sansa is spared from marrying Joffrey. I laugh at every ill wish she has for the King, it's very amusing. I knew her character development would be splendid and it's starting to show. She started as a lovely courteous girl who filled her head with stories of true knight and love so sweet until reality struck.

Jon and life beyond the Wall seems entertaining. Still unsure what to feel of Davos, but I'm really excited to pick up the third book. An epic fantasy, indeed. 

 

As we all know, TBOSAS is told from Coriolanus Snow’s point of view when he was eighteen years old, during his first ever experience in mentorship for the Games. Several people may perceive it through the wrong lens; some disapprove its existence lest his actions are being justified by the readers, while others do humanize his misdeeds. Here is what I can tell my fellow readers, you can try to understand what drives people to do evil while not normalizing them. Do not romanticize them.

Suzanne Collins did a splendid job at portraying Coriolanus Snow as a pitiful boy who was striving to let his family legacy live on. He did everything by all means to keep the name Snow secure, pure, and untainted. He was surrounded by good friends; putting that into account, it's as if he was being offered opportunities to be good, yet he wasted it every time by regarding them nuisances. I find it amusing that Tigris and Snow grew up to be so different from each other despite being raised in the same circumstances.

One of Coryo's good friends, Sejanus, definitely deserved better treatment from him. With every conversation they both shared, it was evidently clear that he did not once think they are equal by social rank. In Coryo's field of vision, Sejanus had always been the ungrateful district boy that failed to use his father's influence to his advantage. Something that was out of Coryo's grasp despite him badly yearning for it.

Moving on to Coryo’s “relationship” with Lucy, it was never, never, based on love. I could argue about it for hours with no one able to convince me otherwise. Coryo liked asserting dominance over Lucy Gray, his walking trophy, his key to success. If you paid a close attention, it would be apparent that he referred her as an adornment of himself. It mattered less that she survived the Games, only that she brought a lasting impact on people. I’d also like to believe that Lucy was not so drunk in love, she was simply finding ways to survive.

So, I wondered, when I came across a comment from someone a few days back expressing their disappointment of Lucy Gray’s betrayal toward Coryo. It baffled me so much that I was unsure if we even read the same book. How could they call it “betrayal” when Coryo only thought of her as a pretty little bird, meant to be caged and controlled? He was even tempted to switch Lucy Gray with Sejanus’ tribute, though in the end he decided to keep her due to her fame.

I’ve seen theories about Lucy Gray’s identity in the later years. While I don’t know for certain, I think what matters the most is she is finally free. Snow, on the other hand, is haunted for the rest of his life.

Full review can be accessed here 

 

Vasilisa or Vasya is the last child of Pyotr and Marina. She inherits her grandmother's powers that makes the girl different from the other siblings. All of whom are being taken care by Dunya, an old nursemaid that loves to tell stories. With Marina dying at childbirth, Pyotr was forced to marry a young woman named Anna, then later being gifted another daughter. As Vasya grows up, it's obvious that her stepmother doesn't fancy her very much and it only intensifies as she suspects Vasya for bringing demons all around her and dangers start lurking about their lands.

I ought to write this review now while the memory is still fresh. But hey, I may have just found my best read of 2023! Yay!
I have always loved winter setting in a book, it feels magical, though unsettling, with all those creatures that befriend our Vasya. I hate Anna's character so much, that I'm actually not sorry of what happened to her. But I truly didn't expect to shed tears during that part. I love the battle part so much, I think it was well-written. I can scarcely wait to pick up the second book already and see what awaits in the future. 

 

Inhale, exhale. I have never watched GoT series, so this review purely comes from the book itself. Let us commence with two major points I'll be discussing.
- writing/world-building
- characters

I wasn't accustomed to a book with so many point of views. But I find this entertaining (though I had trouble memorizing the names and roles at the beginning) and even grow to like it. I love the pacing. Mind you, this is a thick book, but never once I caught myself in boredom while devouring its contents (horrified, yes, at times) The world-building is brilliant, I love every bit of it.

Characters, as I stated above, they are plenty of them. Many gone as quick as they introduced. Of course, I can't analyze every character in depth, but I wish to give my two cents.
I find it amusing that Catelyn kept reminding Eddard how her husband only knew Robert, not the King he has become. Should've used the advice to herself, reminding how little she comprehends Littlefinger's (cunning) character.
Sansa mirroring her father's character, believing in the good of people, unironically costing both destruction in the aftermath. How mercy destroys what they love the most. In all honesty, I don't hate Sansa. She's just a naive little girl, taught to be nice and never to forget her courtesies. She has a lot to learn and I have faith in her character.
Arya, by far, is the smartest Stark and I have so much admiration for the girl. I hope she's safe.
Jon is my favorite character. His emotions feel so real. He is brave and compassionate. I need his chapters to be longer.
The Lannisters, I have so little affection toward them. Tyrion is the only tolerable one. I know Tywin is smart, but I have no desire to talk of that man. Nor of Cersei and Joffrey.
I love Daenerys' dragons, but her chapters horrify me more often than not due to Khal Drogo's brutality, I don't have it in me to discuss it further either.

I can't wait to read the second book already!
5 stars. 

 

This book is about two sisters and the strong bond shared between them. One was missing, meanwhile the other was trying to save humanity from earth's destruction.

I doubt I have the capability to phrase my amazement of this book right now. It's just so different from what I am used to, as I haven't read many sci-fi books to compare with, and I was drawn into it almost immediately. It made me think, "to what extent would you sacrifice for the sake of others? For humanity?" This book was painful and gave me so many new perspective of life. Now excuse me while I stare at the ceiling, cry, and absorb what I had learnt from it. 

 Every year, a girl is thrown out into the sea in hope that the floods, storms, and wars would stop. Mina wasn't supposed to be the one to be sacrificed, but she jumped, so the lover of her brother wouldn't need to. Deep inside the sea, she learned the truth about the myths while doing her best to save her people.

Not only does this book have gorgeous cover, the story didn't disappoint at all. I have to admit that there are times Mina frustrated me a little, but it didn't irk me, so no points deducted. I knew I was going to love this, so it is so relieving to know that I did, in fact, enjoyed every bit of the book. The background of Mask, Dai, and Miki was heartwarming and saddening at the same time. Most of the characters are so lovable, (especially Shin). I recommend everyone to pick this book up if you haven't already! 

 

I didn't know how much I needed the book until I have read all of it. It provides so much comfort and warmth, which I'm utterly grateful for. I always seem to be drawn to the books whose character resembles me in a way, and Liya does. I... badly needed that. I need someone else grieving my grandmother with me because she was everything, she was my world, and now without her, I feel so lost. So alone. I'm glad Liya has Kai in her life, how he lifts some weights off her shoulders so she doesn't have to carry all the burdens alone. It's a very heartwarming read, light and quick. I love the Chinese traditions described in the book and every time they say, "may your wishes find the light," I feel myself forming up a smile so wide. I do, too, believe that the world holds magic in it. Despite it being rare. 

 

Vanessa was fifteen years old when she was in a "relationship" with her old English teacher, Jacob Strane. The age gap is enormous, especially with Vanessa being minor. Not forgetting that one of them is a teacher and the other is a student, which makes it highly inappropriate on so many levels.

This has been a heavy and difficult read for me. Often I found myself wanting to vomit, but I was determined to finish. I hope not to sound insensitive while attempting to relay my thoughts. Also, please beware of spoilers. I may end up spoiling the whole book.

Let's take another look at the quote I attached at the beginning of this review. I stumbled upon it a while back, way before I picked up this book. To be completely honest, it made me skeptical. I was hesitating, thinking there's no way I would read something that romanticizes such immoral things as pedophilia and child grooming. But then my favorite booktuber, A Clockwork Reader, talking about it so yes, I gave it a chance.

The story alternates between then and now. It began with Vanessa going through a falling-out with her roommate, her only friend, Jenny. It resonated with me—how Vanessa was said to be overly attached to Jenny and things were changing because Jenny got herself a boyfriend. I found myself in a similar situation and it was upsetting.

Vanessa was in a vulnerable state when she started taking Strane's classes, and it became an opening for him to single her out. It went smooth, just as he hoped, for Vanessa was already distant from her parents to begin with—never really discussed anything in depth.

I come to a realization that when one being told mature for one's age, especially when one is so young, makes one happy. It causes one to think one is capable of many things, things many at one's age could only dream to achieve. Only later, when it was too late, that it became clear how easy for someone else to take advantage of one for one's "maturity."

Strane's manipulative and gaslighting traits are so good, meaning he could convince Vanessa anything by feeding her so many lies and so little truths, throwing compliments here and there to keep hold of her. Vanessa was already discarded once (by Jenny). She was told that she tended to exaggerate that she learnt to swallow up her feelings. She had to accept things as they were because she didn't want to be thrown away by the man who wanted her first.

I understand Vanessa's persistence because he was nice to her at first, so gentle, so understanding. No one was ever that patient to put up with her, because even Jenny eventually left, because she had no one at school before Strane approached her and made her see herself differently. The trust was built slowly, until Vanessa was found having a hard time turning him down, in fear of abandonment, in fear of his disappointment. When she did though, voicing out her disapproval, he ignored her. (and that's so disturbing I feel nauseous)

What happened next was outrageous: once the school discovered about them, Strane managed to save himself by throwing Vanessa under the bus. Imagine depending on a child to save your pitiful ass. He was saying along the lines of "you were so brave" "you wanted to take the fall, remember?" and I was so, so dumbstruck. Who was the adult here? Why did a grown-up man let a child (supposedly whom he loved) to take responsibility of something she didn't ask for, and be made fun of in front of her school friends? He even made her promise not to tell on him by making it as if her whole life would get ruined when it was him merely worrying about himself. He was the one ruining her life.

Yet he had the audacity to advise her to "get a life," pretending to care about her well-being when he just wanted to get away from his crime. And of course, of course he lost interest in Vanessa as she grew older. Because he is a gross pedophile who could only find pleasure in young girls. The following years Vanessa kept coming back to him, continuously asking him to relive their early love story. What I understand here is Vanessa got stuck at that time, when everything went downhill. But she couldn't tell herself that it was the breaking point—admitting made it real. And for so long, she stayed in a bubble where she assured herself that she was loved, she was cherished. No harm was done. She asked for it, she was willing. Strane kept saying it over and over that it was all she believed in. Though she was never in control, she was only a child.

She was in so much denial because that was the only way she could live, because it was easier to accept the lies as she defined her whole life based solely on that relationship (I think, that's why she was drawn to Henry, the familarity made her do so). It makes me see the quote I put in the beginning of this review differently. It also reminds me of a poem I came across by Fortesa Latifi,

This was truly heartbreaking. I was feeling sick to my stomach throughout the entire book, but I have to point out that the writer's writing is so beautiful. I will have a hard time getting this out of my mind. 

 This is my second book by writer June Hur, the first one being The Forest of Stolen Girls and it became one of my most-loved books (even until now). To be honest, I still like The Forest of Stolen Girls better in comparison to this one. But it doesn't mean that The Red Palace is less good, just a matter of preference is all.
I'm relieved that Hyeon has finally found her light in darkness, because she deserves happiness and so much more, so does Eojin. I long for what they have. (let me sob in the corner) 

 I thought about giving the book 4 stars, but it made me shed a tear, actually. So it happens that I jump up the rating to 4,5. The thing that happened was horrible, and the closure.... well, it doesn't make everything okay, but it's a start, I guess. The writing is less descriptive than what I would have liked my books to be, but it's not bad. I guessed the plot twist correctly every time, but I don't really mind.