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whippycleric's reviews
244 reviews
Anansi's Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World by Yepoka Yeebo
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I'd never heard of this story before, and only got this book as part of the story graph reads the world challenge but I'm happy to have come across it.
The story itself is so phenomenal it's almost unbelievable, and reading about how this con unfolded and took on a life of it's own was enjoyable, especially the 2nd half which picked up a lot. I'd be amazed if there weren't a movie made about this at some point in the future.
The way the book is written though isn't great in my opinion. The author definitely allows their own opinions come through strongly, which in itself isn't a bad thing but can be risky if the reader doesn't share all your views. The author does put the protagonist on a bit of a pedestal, which with con men can be tempting as they definitely can be a bit of an anti-hero, but that only really works when those being conned are rich and subjectively deserve it, but this is not the case here so it feels a bit off almost praising him. The writing itself is fine but can be a bit of repetitive.
I really enjoyed the story of this, but not necessarily the book itself, I would certainly watch the film!
The story itself is so phenomenal it's almost unbelievable, and reading about how this con unfolded and took on a life of it's own was enjoyable, especially the 2nd half which picked up a lot. I'd be amazed if there weren't a movie made about this at some point in the future.
The way the book is written though isn't great in my opinion. The author definitely allows their own opinions come through strongly, which in itself isn't a bad thing but can be risky if the reader doesn't share all your views. The author does put the protagonist on a bit of a pedestal, which with con men can be tempting as they definitely can be a bit of an anti-hero, but that only really works when those being conned are rich and subjectively deserve it, but this is not the case here so it feels a bit off almost praising him. The writing itself is fine but can be a bit of repetitive.
I really enjoyed the story of this, but not necessarily the book itself, I would certainly watch the film!
Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
I've read a few of Jeremy's books now and this is arguably better than most but still falls into many of the same pit falls as the others.
Let's start with the good things; the humor is spot on, even if you don't agree with his political opinions, most of which I can say I don't, the way he makes fun of bureaucracy, and the left, is on the nose. It’s also remarkedly self-deprecating, something we don’t quite except from him. The pacing is nicely done, along with the structure, separating the book into months of the year is a good idea, on top of that the season breaks and subsequent chapter breaks give each chapter a clear purpose. The writing itself is surprisingly good, Jeremy starts the book by saying he loves writing and it’s clear after many books he has improved in this skill set, I can imagine the editor had some work to do but they’ve done a great job as well so we can bung their contribution into this point as well.
Then let’s get on to the downsides; This book feels like a cash grab, it was clearly written before the release of the TV series given that the main characters from the series besides Clarkson and Lisa were not named in the book. Also, it’s just far too short. Don’t get me wrong, a book doesn’t have to be long to be good, some of my favorite books are short, including the killing fields which is actually referenced in this book, but given they managed an entire amazon series from it I think we could manage more than a 90-minute book. There were one or two snippets of information in the book which weren’t in the TV series which was nice but overall It’s definitely better to watch the TV than read the book in this case. Finally for downsides it’s a collections of newspaper articles again, which just don’t work well as a book due to their repetitiveness.
In summary it’s a fun read and if you have a couple of hours free why not read it, but if you’ve watched the tv show then unless you’re a massive fan just read something else. I’ll give it a 3.5 (7/10) because it is genuinely well written, fun to read, and looking at my previous ratings I can’t give it lower but it’s a low 3.5
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I really loved this book, and I expected to like to from what I had seen but not to the extent of giving it 5 stars. It's really a feel good, triumph over adversity story with some tragedies along the way. As a result on occasion it can feel a little bit contrived, certain things happen at the perfect time to move the plot along but the books so much fun and I was so invested in the story I couldn't care less at the time if it were a bit contrived or not.
The perspective shifted from character to character without it being split into chapters dedicated to each one, this unclear shift of perspective can be dangerous but it's done so well here I never found myself wandering who's perspective I was in. Even when it switched to the dogs perspective for the first time without explanation it was somehow perfectly normal and I didn't question it at all.
I loved every character I was supposed to and hated those that I was supposed to, arguably some of these minor bad guys had no depth but really for their part in the story it was perfect. The pacing I really enjoyed except possibly feeling a little rushed at the end, however I've found when I love a book I always feel it's rushed at the end because I don't really want it to end.
I believe this is a debut novel, so I can't just devour everything else from this author immediatley but i'll be keeping an eye out for more of her work in the future.
The perspective shifted from character to character without it being split into chapters dedicated to each one, this unclear shift of perspective can be dangerous but it's done so well here I never found myself wandering who's perspective I was in. Even when it switched to the dogs perspective for the first time without explanation it was somehow perfectly normal and I didn't question it at all.
I loved every character I was supposed to and hated those that I was supposed to, arguably some of these minor bad guys had no depth but really for their part in the story it was perfect. The pacing I really enjoyed except possibly feeling a little rushed at the end, however I've found when I love a book I always feel it's rushed at the end because I don't really want it to end.
I believe this is a debut novel, so I can't just devour everything else from this author immediatley but i'll be keeping an eye out for more of her work in the future.
Holy Island by LJ Ross
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I’d read one other novel by LJ Ross before picking this one up which I didn’t particularly enjoy but since this was already on my shelf, I figured I would try it out, especially since this is from another series, and thankfully this was much better.
This is, at heart, a classic police procedural; it’s got pretty much everything you look for in one and is a good first entry to a series. The plot itself is quite silly and the writing not always great but to sit down and read I must admit it was a bit of a page turner. Did I ever feel particularly invested in the characters? No. Would I highly recommend this to someone? No. Will I read more of the same series if I see it on a shelf and fancy something nice and light? Definitely.
I guess to review this book it’s best to compare it to others of the same genre and when doing that it comes off well. The romance angle was fine but a bit trite, and the motives are absurd, but the actual characters are good, and the motivations of those main characters are clear, and what makes a book in my opinion is the characters. So I’ll give it a 3.5 rating, and I’ll enjoy the odd one from this series in the future I’m sure.
Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai
emotional
informative
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I chose this book from a very limited selection of Sri Lankan books which would qualify for my story graph reads the world challenge from the used books shops available to me, and as such had no real expectations going in. I knew nothing of Sri Lankan history or culture and as a result have learned quite a lot from this book and thoroughly enjoyed it in the process.
There was a wide array of characters who, for the most part, are well rounded. The novel is told from 2 perspectives and those characters are very interesting and complex. Through these 2 characters the novel explores themes of attitudes towards the woman’s suffrage movement, homosexuality, and the cast system within 1920’s Ceylon. The plot itself was particularly good, really just a tale of 2 peoples lives without any specific theme but done in a beautiful way that I’ve not seen before.
It's to really say much more about this book beyond that I found it very enjoyable and will seek out other works by the author in the future.
Sir Percy Leads the Band by Baroness Orczy
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
3.5
This is the 5th Scarlett Pimpernel book that I’ve read so far and though still enjoyable it was probably the weakest so far. It took a long time to get going but once it did it was a fun little adventure. The introduction of new character types in the form of Devinne and Pradel kept it different from other books in the series and were clear positives, though the rescue plans are getting a little too similar for my liking and would like a bit more variety in future entries. The plot itself, based around a couple of love triangles was unique enough when compared to the rest of the series. One highlight for myself was the epilogue, the style of which I particularly enjoyed. All-in-all it’s fun easy reading but don’t expect to get blown away by this one.
Xanadu: Marco Polo and Europe's Discovery of the East by John Man
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Like other reviewers I chose this book for the inane reason that it begins with the letter X and I have an A-Z challenge to complete, but unlike others it seems I was pleasantly surprised. John Man is clearly very knowledgeable regarding Mongolia and China especially in the 13th through 17th centuries, and as well as his knowledge his passion shines through in this book.
The structure of the book took a bit of getting used to and I found myself frustrated after a hundred pages or so trying to understand if this was supposed to be the story of Marco Polo, or a history of Kubilai Kahn’s Mongolia since it seemed to be an uncoordinated mix of both. After the first section though it got a lot smoother, and it became clear that this is a book of Marco Polo’s journey and life interspersed with sections on the world he lived in from reliable sources, and introspections about the veracity of his works.
Despite the authors obvious love for Marco Polo’s work, he shows various counts where he is inaccurate and appears to remain relatively unbiased. The last few chapters go a long way to explain why there were so many inaccuracies in Marco’s work and were extremely interesting. I would say rather than following a chronological narrative, hinting at the reasons, as was done here, it would have been better to start with these last few chapters to give context behind how the original was written.
Like a lot of nonfiction books a lot of my rating comes down to whether it inspires me to read more on the subject, and this case it has achieved that goal. I had no interest in the subject going in but now I want to know more about Marco Polo, and I’d love to read once of the early translations of the book even knowing based on the description in the last few chapters it would be a painful read.
Even the Red Heron by Julian Feeld
dark
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
3.5
I had no idea what to expect going into this book, it's quite a short blurb giving no real hints, and was in an impulse buy in my local used bookstore. It's written from several characters perspective but always centered around the protagonist Abelina. The style of writing would be what I would call a stream of consciousness, it's very much along the lines of what the character is thinking at the time interspersed with dialogue. This can make it hard to follow sometimes, especially during dreams, but I can see that it’s well done.
The first half of the book I didn’t enjoy massively for a couple of reasons. Getting used to the writing style for one thing, but also it felt like some character description or back story was missing. It made it a bit harder to get invested in feeling dropped into the middle of a world I knew nothing about. Once I’d gotten used to it though and the characters were established, I started really enjoying it. It’s a very dark read so you must be in the right frame of mind to read this one as well. I’m hovering between 3.5 and 4 stars, but I’m settling with a high 3.5 just because I wasn’t too invested in the characters until very near the end.
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As an avid reader the blurb for this really appealed to me. It was also recommended by a friend with impeccable taste in books, and it didn't disappoint. Part of me wished I'd read David Copperfield but having read at least a few Dickens novels I had enough background knowledge to enjoy it.
Seeing some of your favourite characters from other books come to life and how they would behave in different situations is bound to be fun and the premise really lived up to what I was hoping for.
The plot itself is smoothly done and the mystery side worked well, keeping one guessing throughout. I can honestly say I predicted some of the reveal but missed a lot of it and was just plain wrong on many cases, looking back though there's plenty of foreshadowing which was really neatly done.
There're parts which can be a touch repetitive and it's pretty much the only thing keeping it from 5 stars, giving it less than 4.5 though would be a crime for me.
It's really refreshing to have a book which is emotional without the main relationship being a romantic one. Can't wait to read more by the same author in the future.
Seeing some of your favourite characters from other books come to life and how they would behave in different situations is bound to be fun and the premise really lived up to what I was hoping for.
The plot itself is smoothly done and the mystery side worked well, keeping one guessing throughout. I can honestly say I predicted some of the reveal but missed a lot of it and was just plain wrong on many cases, looking back though there's plenty of foreshadowing which was really neatly done.
There're parts which can be a touch repetitive and it's pretty much the only thing keeping it from 5 stars, giving it less than 4.5 though would be a crime for me.
It's really refreshing to have a book which is emotional without the main relationship being a romantic one. Can't wait to read more by the same author in the future.
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914 by David McCullough
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I picked this up in a used book store purely based on having read another book by the author before and having no interest in the Panama Canal whatsoever to be honest. What I can say now is that I have a great interest in the Panama Canal and if I come across another book on the topic I'll pick it up without hesitation and undoubtedly be disappointed by it as I can't imagine it measuring up to the one written by David McCullough.
Split into 3 vast sections the author manages to weave a clear narrative throughout the whole book and in the sections themselves. Like in the best novels one becomes invested in the characters involved and empathizes with their struggles, all of the characters are vivid and varied never feeling like full heroes or villains, the difference here being that I can go visit plenty of them in local cemeteries.
Beyond the brilliant prose it is clearly well researched. The amount of detail and sources is truly immense and I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into this book. Whenever I see anything by David McCullough I’ll pick it up even if, especially if in fact, I have no interest in the topic, and if at any time I have the chance to take a ship through Panama you bet I will and this book will be coming with me.