Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.01k reviews by:
ninetalevixen
.jpg)
>> Buddy read with Meeghan!
Hm. I constantly felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, the plot to pick up, but despite the a distinct climax (and resolution) it never really seemed to happen. Not totally unpleasant, of course — I stand by my high rating — but this certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. (It's been so long since I read the first book that I honestly can't even say how they compare.)
The characters are fine: weird and unsettling, though quite a few of them are actually somewhat forgettable. (Possibly largely due to the relatively minor roles they play in the narrative; it revolves around Alice and Finch, and arguably a handful of others.) Their relationships felt more developed, which partially made up for it.
Honestly, I'm on the fence with regards to the writing itself. While the abundance of figurative language works pretty well with the fantasy basis, and Albert puts down some really lovely lyrical lines, there were quite a few passages that I felt like were a bit much. But I think I liked it overall?
So yeah, there were things I really liked and things I didn't, but more of the former.
content warnings:blood, minor gore, bodily mutilation, major character death(s)
-----------
CONVERSION: 13.4 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
Hm. I constantly felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, the plot to pick up, but despite the a distinct climax (and resolution) it never really seemed to happen. Not totally unpleasant, of course — I stand by my high rating — but this certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. (It's been so long since I read the first book that I honestly can't even say how they compare.)
The characters are fine: weird and unsettling, though quite a few of them are actually somewhat forgettable. (Possibly largely due to the relatively minor roles they play in the narrative; it revolves around Alice and Finch, and arguably a handful of others.) Their relationships felt more developed, which partially made up for it.
Honestly, I'm on the fence with regards to the writing itself. While the abundance of figurative language works pretty well with the fantasy basis, and Albert puts down some really lovely lyrical lines, there were quite a few passages that I felt like were a bit much. But I think I liked it overall?
So yeah, there were things I really liked and things I didn't, but more of the former.
content warnings:
-----------
CONVERSION: 13.4 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
3.5 stars
I tried so hard to stop comparing this to [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459349344l/23437156._SY75_.jpg|42077459]. And I have since been made aware that this is a common critique of diverse fantasy, so I would like to clarify that I honestly do not mean this in a "SoC already did it and better, (marginalized) authors need to create something new" kind of way; scrappy underdog teens pulling off a heist is a classic trope and absolutely fair game for plenty of novels to come. However, I believe that in this particular book there are several more specific similarities ... though that should really should be a selling point considering SoC's popularity, right?
Basically this book was like SoC crossed with [b:The Da Vinci Code|968|The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)|Dan Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579621267l/968._SY75_.jpg|2982101] plus some sci-fi bits and some social commentary. Which might sound like a lot — and I personally felt like it was. Though I admire the author's ambitious undertaking and thoughtfully crafted narrative, it might've been better to take fewer elements and explore them more thoroughly.
Archetypes and tropes aside, I did like the characters as individuals, and they comprise a wonderfully diverse cast.
The puzzles ... Even with prior knowledge of some of the fundamentals, such as, for whatever reason the characters' explanations just didn't click, but the plot kept moving and I wasn't really invested enough to pause and figure it out. (Yeah, I'm kind of a lazy reader that way; in my defense, though, I'm currently taking a lit class so I get plenty of literary analysis and discussion.)
FRTC.
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 9.2 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
I tried so hard to stop comparing this to [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459349344l/23437156._SY75_.jpg|42077459]. And I have since been made aware that this is a common critique of diverse fantasy, so I would like to clarify that I honestly do not mean this in a "SoC already did it and better, (marginalized) authors need to create something new" kind of way; scrappy underdog teens pulling off a heist is a classic trope and absolutely fair game for plenty of novels to come. However, I believe that in this particular book there are several more specific similarities ... though that should really should be a selling point considering SoC's popularity, right?
Basically this book was like SoC crossed with [b:The Da Vinci Code|968|The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)|Dan Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579621267l/968._SY75_.jpg|2982101] plus some sci-fi bits and some social commentary. Which might sound like a lot — and I personally felt like it was. Though I admire the author's ambitious undertaking and thoughtfully crafted narrative, it might've been better to take fewer elements and explore them more thoroughly.
Archetypes and tropes aside, I did like the characters as individuals, and they comprise a wonderfully diverse cast.
The puzzles ... Even with prior knowledge of some of the fundamentals, such as
Spoiler
the Fibonacci sequence and the golden spiralFRTC.
content warnings:
Spoiler
rep:
Spoiler
biracial MC, Desi MC, Filipino bi/pan MC, implied-autistic Jewish MC, Haitian/French biracial MLM major character, M/M relationships, (bi/pan) M/F minor romance-----------
CONVERSION: 9.2 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
Some of the "days" are more useful than others — some are here's something to incorporate into your daily/weekly/monthly routine from here on out and some are here's a project to start and some are here's a five-minute exercise, so the contents aren't perfectly suited to the 30-day-plan format.
But overall I learned a lot about my phone use and how I would like my phone use to change and what it will take to get there, so this was a really valuable experience.
-----------
CONVERSION: 10.25 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 7 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 6 / 10
Credibility: 8 / 10
Organization / Structure: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 3 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: N/A
But overall I learned a lot about my phone use and how I would like my phone use to change and what it will take to get there, so this was a really valuable experience.
-----------
CONVERSION: 10.25 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 7 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 6 / 10
Credibility: 8 / 10
Organization / Structure: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 3 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: N/A
I was hooked from the opening — there are few things as engaging as a speaker who is genuinely passionate about their topic, and in this case listening to the author-narrated audiobook was definitely a plus. As a female student interested in STEM, I had a vague idea of the challenges faced by women scientists, but this book really illustrates the point.
The mix of personal anecdotes with plant observations/facts/theories kept things interesting, though at times the abruptness (or lack) of transition made the narrative feel scattered. Especially since the timeline doesn't seem to be totally chronological; I'm pretty sure Jahren mentions her child quite early on, though her marriage/pregnancy aren't discussed until much closer to the end. I love that she doesn't feel the need to label her exact relationship with Bill, that it's enough to know that they are close but not romantically or sexually entangled.
All in all, I really enjoyed this narrative, which is greater than the sum of its parts.
content warnings:
-----------
CONVERSION: 10.67 / 15 = 4 stars
Prose: 7 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 8 / 10
Credibility: 10 / 10
Organization / Structure: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
The mix of personal anecdotes with plant observations/facts/theories kept things interesting, though at times the abruptness (or lack) of transition made the narrative feel scattered. Especially since the timeline doesn't seem to be totally chronological; I'm pretty sure Jahren mentions her child quite early on, though her marriage/pregnancy aren't discussed until much closer to the end. I love that she doesn't feel the need to label her exact relationship with Bill, that it's enough to know that they are close but not romantically or sexually entangled.
All in all, I really enjoyed this narrative, which is greater than the sum of its parts.
content warnings:
Spoiler
sexism & misogyny, manic-depressive episodes and self-harm, on-page car crash-----------
CONVERSION: 10.67 / 15 = 4 stars
Prose: 7 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 8 / 10
Credibility: 10 / 10
Organization / Structure: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
>> Buddy read with Haley!
3.5 stars
"It's a viper's nest, child, I'll not deny it. See that you have the strongest venom."
The opening and first 2/3 totally drew me in; I couldn't put the book down for hours as we were drawn into the lush worldbuilding and intriguing characters. I silently cheered as tropes were totally subverted, held my breath at charged moments, and was pleasantly surprised to find myself actually interested in the politics at play.
But the pacing of the last 1/3 felt awkward — not necessarily rushed, but maybe uneven? I felt disoriented within the narrative, and some of the plot developments started to border on cliched. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing how the sequel develops!
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 10.1 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
3.5 stars
"It's a viper's nest, child, I'll not deny it. See that you have the strongest venom."
The opening and first 2/3 totally drew me in; I couldn't put the book down for hours as we were drawn into the lush worldbuilding and intriguing characters. I silently cheered as tropes were totally subverted, held my breath at charged moments, and was pleasantly surprised to find myself actually interested in the politics at play.
But the pacing of the last 1/3 felt awkward — not necessarily rushed, but maybe uneven? I felt disoriented within the narrative, and some of the plot developments started to border on cliched. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing how the sequel develops!
content warnings:
Spoiler
non-graphic sexual contentrep:
Spoiler
Latinx-coded society, WLW Latina MCs, F/F main romance-----------
CONVERSION: 10.1 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
>> Buddy read with Haley!
I was so excited about the premise, but I found the execution lacking. There's more telling than showing, a lot of "for some reason she just knew/felt/thought X"; I really wasn't sold on the main romance, especially with.
And ironically, the lack of closure with the ending made me not want to pick up the second book.
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 8.13 / 15 = 3 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 4 / 10
Emotional Impact: 2 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
I was so excited about the premise, but I found the execution lacking. There's more telling than showing, a lot of "for some reason she just knew/felt/thought X"; I really wasn't sold on the main romance, especially with
Spoiler
the characters flipflopping constantly — although it made some contextual sense in each situation, it felt more like prolonging the drama than developing the plot; I also didn't like the almost-obligatory heterosexual-best-friend-in-unrequited-loveAnd ironically, the lack of closure with the ending made me not want to pick up the second book.
content warnings:
Spoiler
precanon death of loved ones, blood ritual,rep:
Spoiler
F/F main romance, WLW MCs-----------
CONVERSION: 8.13 / 15 = 3 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 4 / 10
Emotional Impact: 2 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
Mary Oliver is one of my favorite poets, and becomes more so with each poem I read. My ebook is full of highlights and bookmarks because there are so many lovely lines and poignant poems that I want to hold in my heart; they comfort me and inspire me and excite me.
RTC.
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 9.45 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 2 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
content warnings:
Spoiler
rep:
Spoiler
-----------
CONVERSION: 9.45 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 2 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5
In terms of excitement and social themes, this is every bit as strong as Epic Crush; the characters are still delightful; the mythology gets fascinating expansions. There are satisfying twists I predicted due to fantastic foreshadowing and build-up, as well as shocking twists I didn't predict but found equally enjoyable.
But. With everything else going on, I felt as though the relationships — particularly Genie and Quentin's — were kind of perfunctory. They hit most of the right notes, and some insightful key points were delivered, but I just wasn't totally sold on it. Also, I love personal growth and epiphanies, but there were a few too many mini-monologues expounding on Life Lessons for my taste.
Still a solid sequel, though! Even ifcheesy ending is cheesy as all heck .
content warnings:major character death(s), blood, violence, underage drinking
rep:Chinese-American MC & family, Chinese love interest, Asian-American best friend, Chinese & Chinese-American secondary & minor characters
-----------
CONVERSION: 12.4 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
But. With everything else going on, I felt as though the relationships — particularly Genie and Quentin's — were kind of perfunctory. They hit most of the right notes, and some insightful key points were delivered, but I just wasn't totally sold on it. Also, I love personal growth and epiphanies, but there were a few too many mini-monologues expounding on Life Lessons for my taste.
Still a solid sequel, though! Even if
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 12.4 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
By all the deities of the Chinese Pantheon, this was incredible. Epic, if I may.
RTC.
Thank you to Clo for sending me a copy for my birthday! ❤
Recommended by Soph @ Bookwyrming Thoughts.
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 13.55/ 15 = 5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
RTC.
Thank you to Clo for sending me a copy for my birthday! ❤
Recommended by Soph @ Bookwyrming Thoughts.
content warnings:
Spoiler
non-graphic violence, blood, on-page killing (demons), ableist language (ps*cho), microaggressions, brief body-shamingrep:
Spoiler
Chinese-American MC & family, Chinese love interest, Asian-American best friend, Chinese supporting characters-----------
CONVERSION: 13.55/ 15 = 5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5