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virgilsaeneid's reviews
331 reviews
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Amerika by Franz Kafka
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Song of the Lioness, Book 1: Alanna: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Tamora Pierce
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
Song of the Lioness was a short, sweet romp through a whimsical fantasy world. As I read this as an ARC, the art hadn't been entirely finished and I believe the addition of colour will make this a vibrant and gorgeous piece. This graphic novel was lighthearted, but not without its serious moments and touched on some distinct topics including identity, bullying and elitism.
Ultimately, this graphic novel felt very much like the beginning of something. There wasn't much going plotwise as it seemed mostly to be worldbuilding and the establishment of characters and settings for later books. While this isn't a terrible sin, it did mean the storyline occasionally fell victim to unsettled pacing and unsubstantial moments. Despite this, Song of the Lioness was an easy, lighthearted, joyous read, perfect for fans of nostalgic fantasy. Thus, I rated it 3.5/5 stars.
Song of the Lioness was a short, sweet romp through a whimsical fantasy world. As I read this as an ARC, the art hadn't been entirely finished and I believe the addition of colour will make this a vibrant and gorgeous piece. This graphic novel was lighthearted, but not without its serious moments and touched on some distinct topics including identity, bullying and elitism.
Ultimately, this graphic novel felt very much like the beginning of something. There wasn't much going plotwise as it seemed mostly to be worldbuilding and the establishment of characters and settings for later books. While this isn't a terrible sin, it did mean the storyline occasionally fell victim to unsettled pacing and unsubstantial moments. Despite this, Song of the Lioness was an easy, lighthearted, joyous read, perfect for fans of nostalgic fantasy. Thus, I rated it 3.5/5 stars.
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Magdalena by Candi Sary
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Season of Stick & Bone by A.L. Davidson
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
I have complicated feelings about this book, and I truly believe that's the best way to summarize it. I don't hate this book, but I found it difficult to find things I liked about it. I did enjoy the overall writing style. While heavy on prose, The Season of Stick and Bone is evidently inspired by the rustic mythology of lyricists such as Hozier, Noah Kahan and The Oh Hellos. Davidson does an excellent job emulating this feeling throughout the text and I did enjoy the rolling descriptions and ornate style.
That being said, parts of the writing style undermined the reading experience. Dialogue and character descriptions fell short - one line that stuck with me was "It's the mills and the canneries and the capitalism," which felt like a bit of a heavy-handed explanation of an ecohorror piece. Moreover, I despised how Roman and Erik were written, especially Roman's childlike-despite-being-an-ancient-being and Erik's weird macho. I grew exhausted by the constant reminders of how small and lithe and fragile and weak and naive Roman was in comparison to stoic and protective Erik. It was just kind of annoying to read about when I'm supposed to be rooting for the romance between them. I think it was exacerbated by the lack of a distinct characterization of Erik, I struggled to resonate with him in the slightest. However, some characters, such as Aunt Grace were much better defined and a better representation of Davidson's skills as a writer.
Overall this book is good for a quick read and for fans of Hozier/Noah Kahan/swamp or bog deity vibes. However, I personally couldn't get some of the hurdles in the overall narrative. It's a 2.5/5 stars from me.
I have complicated feelings about this book, and I truly believe that's the best way to summarize it. I don't hate this book, but I found it difficult to find things I liked about it. I did enjoy the overall writing style. While heavy on prose, The Season of Stick and Bone is evidently inspired by the rustic mythology of lyricists such as Hozier, Noah Kahan and The Oh Hellos. Davidson does an excellent job emulating this feeling throughout the text and I did enjoy the rolling descriptions and ornate style.
That being said, parts of the writing style undermined the reading experience. Dialogue and character descriptions fell short - one line that stuck with me was "It's the mills and the canneries and the capitalism," which felt like a bit of a heavy-handed explanation of an ecohorror piece. Moreover, I despised how Roman and Erik were written, especially Roman's childlike-despite-being-an-ancient-being and Erik's weird macho. I grew exhausted by the constant reminders of how small and lithe and fragile and weak and naive Roman was in comparison to stoic and protective Erik. It was just kind of annoying to read about when I'm supposed to be rooting for the romance between them. I think it was exacerbated by the lack of a distinct characterization of Erik, I struggled to resonate with him in the slightest. However, some characters, such as Aunt Grace were much better defined and a better representation of Davidson's skills as a writer.
Overall this book is good for a quick read and for fans of Hozier/Noah Kahan/swamp or bog deity vibes. However, I personally couldn't get some of the hurdles in the overall narrative. It's a 2.5/5 stars from me.