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imaginary_space's Reviews (246)
This was delightful and just the fluffy, light-hearted read I needed. This book made me laugh out loud several times.
Things I liked:
- The language and writing style. Without it, this would probably have been a pretty mediocre read, but the Victorian language and constantly applied manners are extremely entertaining.
- The heroine is an adult and knows who she is, which makes for a welcome change in this genre. She's also not conventionally beautiful.
- The whole 'science' of 'missing a soul', because Alexia does have traits you would usually associate with having a soul, for example emotions. It was nice to not have the universal truth dumped on you, but get an explanation that fits the setting of the book, which is Victorian scientists explaining something they don't quite understand.
- No problematic relationship stuff that's sold as romantic. HUGE PLUS! More so because the main love interest is an alpha werewolf, which usually leads to all kinds of (at best) cringe-worthy stuff. And although I don't care about the romance in urban fantasy novels, I found this one to be actually entertaining.
- The secondary characters! A lot of them are pretty one-dimensional, but it was still well done and I didn't expect more, so the amount of secondary characters who had more to them than met the eye actually surprised me. Of course I am a big fan of Lord Akeldama, as everyone. He's not the vampire we deserve, but the vampire we need.
- The worldbuilding. I liked the concept of the Vampire hives and the take on Werewolf romance that actually involves consent (shocking, I know!). And I enjoyed the explanations of how Vampires and Werewolfes have shaped the culture and current societal rules, it all fit very well and, in combination with the steampunkt elements, made for an enjoyable world which I am excited to learn more about in later books.
- The references to 'THE incident'(TM), because I just love that trope.
Things I didn't much care for:
- The sex scene. Well, I usually don't. I also have no problem with them, they just tend to make me cringe. But I understand people want to read a payoff to all the buildup, so I won't take any stars off for it.
- A lot of characters were, as I mentioned above, one-dimensional. But this is the first book in a series and so it can't focus on every character there is as much as they would deserve.
I will take one star off because the plot didn't get as much focus as it should have. It's good, and there are no massive logic bugs, but it doesn't reinvent the wheel and only really develops (and is resolved rather quickly) at the end of the book. I just wish a bit of the focus on language and romance would have been directed to the development of the story.
I hope to read more about the other characters and the world in the next books.
Things I liked:
- The language and writing style. Without it, this would probably have been a pretty mediocre read, but the Victorian language and constantly applied manners are extremely entertaining.
- The heroine is an adult and knows who she is, which makes for a welcome change in this genre. She's also not conventionally beautiful.
- The whole 'science' of 'missing a soul', because Alexia does have traits you would usually associate with having a soul, for example emotions. It was nice to not have the universal truth dumped on you, but get an explanation that fits the setting of the book, which is Victorian scientists explaining something they don't quite understand.
- No problematic relationship stuff that's sold as romantic. HUGE PLUS! More so because the main love interest is an alpha werewolf, which usually leads to all kinds of (at best) cringe-worthy stuff. And although I don't care about the romance in urban fantasy novels, I found this one to be actually entertaining.
- The secondary characters! A lot of them are pretty one-dimensional, but it was still well done and I didn't expect more, so the amount of secondary characters who had more to them than met the eye actually surprised me. Of course I am a big fan of Lord Akeldama, as everyone. He's not the vampire we deserve, but the vampire we need.
- The worldbuilding. I liked the concept of the Vampire hives and the take on Werewolf romance that actually involves consent (shocking, I know!). And I enjoyed the explanations of how Vampires and Werewolfes have shaped the culture and current societal rules, it all fit very well and, in combination with the steampunkt elements, made for an enjoyable world which I am excited to learn more about in later books.
- The references to 'THE incident'(TM), because I just love that trope.
Things I didn't much care for:
- The sex scene. Well, I usually don't. I also have no problem with them, they just tend to make me cringe. But I understand people want to read a payoff to all the buildup, so I won't take any stars off for it.
- A lot of characters were, as I mentioned above, one-dimensional. But this is the first book in a series and so it can't focus on every character there is as much as they would deserve.
I will take one star off because the plot didn't get as much focus as it should have. It's good, and there are no massive logic bugs, but it doesn't reinvent the wheel and only really develops (and is resolved rather quickly) at the end of the book. I just wish a bit of the focus on language and romance would have been directed to the development of the story.
I hope to read more about the other characters and the world in the next books.
I really enjoyed this, but I wish it would have been more than it was.
What I loved
The worldbuilding. A post apocalyptic world mixed with the wild west, yes, sign me up! An oppressive government and a group of female librarians working for the rebellion under the cover of being 'proper women' - sign me up! The premise is cool and I feel there are a lot of great stories to be told in this world.
The representation. I love representation and here it didn't feel forced, it fit the story and got its message accross clearly without hitting you over the head with what it wants you to take away from it.
The writing. It was engaging, very on point and I want to read more of this. I will definitely check out more books by Sarah Gailey.
What didn't work for me
I don't know if a novella was the right format for this story. It actually took me a bit to get into it, which I feel a novella shouldn't do. And then once it got started, it tried to do so much in the little time it had. I feel like this story should have been told in a novel or it should have been shortened to fit the length of a novella. As it is, some of the resolutions came too quickly for me, without much buildup, and at the same time I wished for more character development, but there wasn't time to explore those characters further and most of them ended up a bit flat.
I wish I could read a whole novel set in this world, and I hope someday I will.
What I loved
The worldbuilding. A post apocalyptic world mixed with the wild west, yes, sign me up! An oppressive government and a group of female librarians working for the rebellion under the cover of being 'proper women' - sign me up! The premise is cool and I feel there are a lot of great stories to be told in this world.
The representation. I love representation and here it didn't feel forced, it fit the story and got its message accross clearly without hitting you over the head with what it wants you to take away from it.
The writing. It was engaging, very on point and I want to read more of this. I will definitely check out more books by Sarah Gailey.
What didn't work for me
I don't know if a novella was the right format for this story. It actually took me a bit to get into it, which I feel a novella shouldn't do. And then once it got started, it tried to do so much in the little time it had. I feel like this story should have been told in a novel or it should have been shortened to fit the length of a novella. As it is, some of the resolutions came too quickly for me, without much buildup, and at the same time I wished for more character development, but there wasn't time to explore those characters further and most of them ended up a bit flat.
I wish I could read a whole novel set in this world, and I hope someday I will.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My feelings towards this book changed a lot while reading, but in the end, it came down to this: It started out and ended very strong and disappointed in the middle, especially in one regard. And in not just one way, it didn't quite deliver what it had promised.
What I liked:
- I love me some different POV characters.
- Corporations, dynasties and their conflicts ... IN SPACE.
- It's not US-centric, which is basically a guarantee I'll read it.
- The technology is interesting and believable.
- Knife fights ... IN SPACE.
- Great worldbuilding.
So, this book should have been right up my alley. Sadly, it wasn't.
- The beginning and the ending were very good. In fact, the ending is the best thing about this book, but it does not quite make up for all the rest.
What didn't work?
- I feel like I never really got to know the POV characters, except for one (Adriana Corta, and she doesn't have much impact on the current events ). I think it was because their chapters were too short and there was too much switching between characters, so they never developed beyond their respective stereotypes and I couldn't empathize with them. Thus, I didn't really care about what happened to them. I only started caring about Lucasinho right before the book ended.
- There was a lot of unnecessary content that didn't contribute anything to the story (Wagner!) I do think it might become important in one of the next books, but I don't like this whole 'You have to read all the books to really appreciate them' thing. Get my attention with your first book!
- The writing is bloated, with repetitions. Too many repetitions, always repetitions.
- I did not like the narrator of the audiobook. He speaks too slowly and flatly, even in emotional scenes. Didn't work for me at all, even after I sped it up.
What disappointed me
The author tried to write strong, female characters (I think), but wrote 'strong, female characters'(TM) instead. Every one of them is either a mother or a sex object or both. Even Ariel, who is a POV character, and is presented as an independent woman with a great career who knows what she wants, is treated this way. I can't think of one decision she made for herself throughout the book. Every decision is made for her by someone else, usually a man.
Like, there are really cool ideas in there, and interesting female characters, but they rarely ever get the chance to be more than a mother or a body.
Additionally, this author is weirdly fascinated by women having sex and likes to describe it in excruciating detail. Almost every woman (who is not clearly 'just' a mother) talks or thinks about having sex (sometimes in the least probable situation, like whenMarina nearly died and thinks about having sex with Carlinhos while still recovering ) or is described having sex. And the description doesn't even try to be from her perspective, but is written for the onlooker, the voyeur.
I actually went back and confirmed when this book was written, because it reads like something from the 70s or 80s, and I do not have this kind of patience with male authors writing female characters in this day and age anymore. It usually makes me angry, but here, it just disappoints, because I really wanted to love this book, it had such a great premise.
Let me give you some examples: (Spoiler tags ahead)
The Ariel scene. I get why it's in the book,it establishes her as an autoerotic person . But then why do we need all this detail about what exactly she does? And why does the author feel the need to add a mirror, so he can describe what she looks like and does from the outside, if it is about her own feelings - inside? In the end, the scene reads like a cam-girl scene and not remotely like something about a person who's only aroused by themselves.
Also,she orgasm'd for the first time when she put on a really tight space suit? Seriously? It's 2020 (or 2015, in the case of this book). If you don't know how women work, ask them!
Rafa, a main character, goes down on his wife, but only the woman's (a side character's) body and (re-)actions are described in excruciating detail. The only thing said about Rafa is how amazing he is at it.
Also:'He didn't even pressure her for a blow job afterwards.' - How bloody nice of him! Yeah, maybe that's just his character, but it was established how much they love each other, so ... which one is it?
In contrast to that, Lucasinho having sex is a big part of his character, and he is never described in this kind of detail. (Which I am thankful for, he is a teenager after all!) Every single one of the male characters gets a '...and they fell into bed. Several hours later...' kind of scene and it seems to be sufficient for establishing their characters. Not once does the author describe a man's body while he is having sex in any detail.
...................................
I feel like the author wanted to write this huge, epic 'A Song of Ice and Fire in Space', something I would have loved. But sadly, it isn't quite that.
I was torn between two and three stars, but I actually had to force myself to finish this book because of the bloated writing, so two stars it is.
I don't know if I am going to read the next book in the series.
What I liked:
- I love me some different POV characters.
- Corporations, dynasties and their conflicts ... IN SPACE.
- It's not US-centric, which is basically a guarantee I'll read it.
- The technology is interesting and believable.
- Knife fights ... IN SPACE.
- Great worldbuilding.
So, this book should have been right up my alley. Sadly, it wasn't.
- The beginning and the ending were very good. In fact, the ending is the best thing about this book, but it does not quite make up for all the rest.
What didn't work?
- I feel like I never really got to know the POV characters, except for one (
- There was a lot of unnecessary content that didn't contribute anything to the story (Wagner!) I do think it might become important in one of the next books, but I don't like this whole 'You have to read all the books to really appreciate them' thing. Get my attention with your first book!
- The writing is bloated, with repetitions. Too many repetitions, always repetitions.
- I did not like the narrator of the audiobook. He speaks too slowly and flatly, even in emotional scenes. Didn't work for me at all, even after I sped it up.
What disappointed me
The author tried to write strong, female characters (I think), but wrote 'strong, female characters'(TM) instead. Every one of them is either a mother or a sex object or both. Even Ariel, who is a POV character, and is presented as an independent woman with a great career who knows what she wants, is treated this way. I can't think of one decision she made for herself throughout the book. Every decision is made for her by someone else, usually a man.
Like, there are really cool ideas in there, and interesting female characters, but they rarely ever get the chance to be more than a mother or a body.
Additionally, this author is weirdly fascinated by women having sex and likes to describe it in excruciating detail. Almost every woman (who is not clearly 'just' a mother) talks or thinks about having sex (sometimes in the least probable situation, like when
I actually went back and confirmed when this book was written, because it reads like something from the 70s or 80s, and I do not have this kind of patience with male authors writing female characters in this day and age anymore. It usually makes me angry, but here, it just disappoints, because I really wanted to love this book, it had such a great premise.
Let me give you some examples: (Spoiler tags ahead)
The Ariel scene. I get why it's in the book,
Also,
Rafa, a main character, goes down on his wife, but only the woman's (a side character's) body and (re-)actions are described in excruciating detail. The only thing said about Rafa is how amazing he is at it.
Also:
In contrast to that, Lucasinho having sex is a big part of his character, and he is never described in this kind of detail. (Which I am thankful for, he is a teenager after all!) Every single one of the male characters gets a '...and they fell into bed. Several hours later...' kind of scene and it seems to be sufficient for establishing their characters. Not once does the author describe a man's body while he is having sex in any detail.
...................................
I feel like the author wanted to write this huge, epic 'A Song of Ice and Fire in Space', something I would have loved. But sadly, it isn't quite that.
I was torn between two and three stars, but I actually had to force myself to finish this book because of the bloated writing, so two stars it is.
I don't know if I am going to read the next book in the series.
Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life.
Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Bobby Berk
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
I discovered 'Queer Eye' relatively late, during the Covid-19 lockdown. One day I thought I would finally find out what this show was Netflix was constantly recommending to me. I was hooked after the first episode.
Those five men are bringing so much positivity and joy into the world, by being unapologetically themselves and showing others how great they already are. And along the way, they are building bridges to people who would probably confront them with prejudices, and maybe worse, would they meet outside of this TV show. I have nothing but respect for them, and I can only imagine this might not always be as easy as it is shown on the screen. Especially when you are putting yourself out there for the whole world.
Coming from Germany, where reality TV is usually striving to confirm stereotypes and paint people in the worst light possible, just for a few laughs and so the watcher can feel better about themselves, I love shows that actually treat people with respect and kindness.
(Seriously, German reality TV is bad. So bad.)
But now, on to the book:
Obviously, this is great for fans of the show. When I discovered it, I ordered it as a gift for my partner, because he loves the show as much as I do, and then proceeded to schedule our meeting for the next day so I could read it first. Sacrifices must be made and priorities have to be set.
The look and feel of the book are great, there are many glossy photos that capture the positivity of the show itself. Everything is enriched with colourful drawings that fit perfectly into the overall theme. I especially loved the short biographies about the Fab Five and the story of how all got together and would have loved to read more about their biographies, but that would be too much content for a coffee table book, which is exactly what this is. Don't expect any more.
We get basic tips from each of the five for their respective field. Of course they don't have the space to go in-depth, but the book is marketed as a starting point, and this it does very well. Everything is easy to understand, easy to follow and (something I also love about the show) written with the premise of actual practicability for day-to-day life. I could recognize their voices in each of the sections and the tipps are great starting points to build upon.
All in all, this book, just like the show, is the kind of positivity and motivation for self-love we all need right now in this world.
Those five men are bringing so much positivity and joy into the world, by being unapologetically themselves and showing others how great they already are. And along the way, they are building bridges to people who would probably confront them with prejudices, and maybe worse, would they meet outside of this TV show. I have nothing but respect for them, and I can only imagine this might not always be as easy as it is shown on the screen. Especially when you are putting yourself out there for the whole world.
Coming from Germany, where reality TV is usually striving to confirm stereotypes and paint people in the worst light possible, just for a few laughs and so the watcher can feel better about themselves, I love shows that actually treat people with respect and kindness.
(Seriously, German reality TV is bad. So bad.)
But now, on to the book:
Obviously, this is great for fans of the show. When I discovered it, I ordered it as a gift for my partner, because he loves the show as much as I do, and then proceeded to schedule our meeting for the next day so I could read it first. Sacrifices must be made and priorities have to be set.
The look and feel of the book are great, there are many glossy photos that capture the positivity of the show itself. Everything is enriched with colourful drawings that fit perfectly into the overall theme. I especially loved the short biographies about the Fab Five and the story of how all got together and would have loved to read more about their biographies, but that would be too much content for a coffee table book, which is exactly what this is. Don't expect any more.
We get basic tips from each of the five for their respective field. Of course they don't have the space to go in-depth, but the book is marketed as a starting point, and this it does very well. Everything is easy to understand, easy to follow and (something I also love about the show) written with the premise of actual practicability for day-to-day life. I could recognize their voices in each of the sections and the tipps are great starting points to build upon.
All in all, this book, just like the show, is the kind of positivity and motivation for self-love we all need right now in this world.
