ocie's Reviews (413)

I didn't realize this was book 2 in a series until I was about a third of the way in. I enjoyed the story, the magic system, the political tension. I thought the chemistry between the two main characters was very well written. 

Religious aspects of books always make me a little uncomfortable, but I wasn't too bothered by the religion in this book. 

I will be honest, I didn't much care for

the reveal that Oren and Izra are literally reincarnated lovers, though I do like the trope "I will find you in every lifetime."

It didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book, which is a testimony to how well it was written. 

Now to go back and read book 1, which I was surprised to find was already on my tbr shelf.

I wanted to like this book, but I feel like I've read it before. "Magical trial" books are just not for me. That and the romance subplot is so incredibly boring. I don't think it's necessary and the main characters just. Don't have chemistry. I thought the plot was interesting enough aside from the trials and the romance subplot, but reading it felt more like a chore than anything else. 

The prose of Piranesi is captivating in a way I have never experienced. Immediately drawn in to the flow of writing that somehow feels like how the House is described in its labyrinthian quietness. 

I had to read slowly. I wanted to devour this book as I do most other books I read, but I felt like the House itself was imploring me to go slow and wander through the pages, taking care to pay attention to the plot points like Piranesi catalogues the statues. 

The plot picks up in the second half, and it's a good plot, but I would have read an entire book of the main character exploring the halls and talking to the birds. 

I spent most of this book trying to find something compelling about it. I kept reading with the hope that at least one of the characters would become interesting enough for me to keep reading. 
When that didn't happen by halfway through the book, I kept going in hopes that the monsters at least would prove interesting rather than your generic run of the mill monster-that-attacks-you. Again, this was not the case. 
It was a good attempt, but I just couldn't enjoy it. 

The introduction starts this book off strong, with a call to start positive change at the micro level, not the macro level. "We can't wait for top-down change to engender alternatives. Rather, grassroots efforts are an essential part of world building."

Benjamin calls attention to historical and modern injustices at large while at the same time showcasing individuals and the way every single act of community matters to build each other up. 

Accompanied by various personal anecdotes, there is a constant callback to individual help and support and how we prop each other up, how we can support each other on the individual and community level.

Benjamin asks, "in addition to pushing for a stronger public safety net, how else do we cultivate collective well-being?" The answer to this and any other questions of how to implement viral justice is, of course, building connections with individuals, a safety net around our community with mutual support and accountability.

I'm not really a fan of cop/FBI stories, no matter how queer they may be. But this book was engaging, and I did enjoy the mystery of it. The plot was good, if a little slow, and all I can say is the character development could have been more. Still, this is book one in a series so I suppose (hope) more character development will happen in the followups.

I thought the pacing of this book was a bit weird, but once I started thinking of it in terms of TV show pacing or parts 1, 2, 3, so forth, it became a lot easier to enjoy. 

The magic system in this book is FANTASTIC. It doesn't go into long winded detail, and yet I felt I had a strong grasp on how it works right from the beginning. 

The characters were a bit lackluster in my opinion, but they aren't boring. And although I didn't like Leo to begin with, by the end of the book I found him very endearing. 

This was an enjoyable read, and I can't wait for book 2. 

I found this book very interesting, though Snow's entire character was incredibly irritating (yes, I know that's the Point). Of course, it helps that we know we don't need to cheer for him or hope for character development. He's not the hero of this story, even if he is the protagonist. 
I haven't read a book where the protagonist's character development actually gets worse, but here we are. That being part of the point, though, I can say with confidence that it was MASTERFULLY  done. 
Suzanne Collins does it again with her social commentary. I was particularly affected by the first funeral in the capital, when the tribute who killed her mentor is blamed, the districts are once again blamed for all violence, and the capitol remains blameless. It speaks to the violence oppressors commit toward the oppressed, and when the oppressed have had enough, and finally fight back, they are always the ones to take the fall.

James Baldwin was an incredible writer, as this book shows. He is pointed and clear, and I find myself needing to find more of his works to read.