plutoniferous's Reviews (34)

I really don't regularly read this variety of general fiction, for the most part I was just bored. I guess my main issue came from how the characters are roughly the same age, in roughly the same conditions as me - thus are people I should be able to relate to in some degree, and I just didn't.
I spent the whole book feeling like there had to be a point to all of this, but there really wasn't. I like the concept, but it could've been a lot better at 100 pages instead of waffling on and the reader feeling like they're going nowhere. 
*minor spoiler

Ngl, the only reason I finished this was the Woolworths/Coles hate and feeling solidarity for the random produce worker that Dan harassed (me everyday, literally that exact scenario) lmao

 

Not going to lie, this really felt like the author had read R F Kuang's Babel and decided to recreate it in a YA format. Personally I found a Language of Dragons to be a little lacking in terms of plot development, especially at the start. There really wasn't any tension or build-up - things just happened. The main character lacking critical thinking skills while simultaneously critiquing other people for using theirs just really pissed me off. Although her growth was kinda the main point (there's a case to be made that it was something of a warning on how academia doesn't set you up to think for yourself in a political landscape but I digress). Overall it was kinda meh, although I fear I may just be losing interest with all YA.

Even in comparison to the first 2 books in the series, Before Your Memory Fades feels significantly more melancholic and filled with death. The change in scenery was interesting: at first with the presence of the gentleman in the time travelling chair meant I half thought we would be getting the back story in the lady we all know. Leaving the mystery does make sense though, even if I'm itching to know. I do like how all the stories tie in and had similar themes, that being said I'm glad it wasn't any longer or I really would've lost interest.

In some ways this is the worst book I've ever read, I don't think I've ever felt so hopeless on behalf of someone who doesn't exist and knows very little of existence. Perseverance and the meaning of womanhood/the female experience without the human experience, (which was only known to the MC through uneducated brief retellings) is so terribly disconcerting and terrifying. The desire to know and be known by men, likely due to not knowing them, was fascinating to me. I've never thought as anyone being different on the basis of sex or gender, but how would the MC know? How is she to know anything about anyone she's never met and never will meet in her incredibly lonely existence. Terribly sad, unsatisfactory, and leaves more questions than answers - what more could be used to describe loneliness?

I feel like this is the first time I've ever said this, but I enjoyed Celestial Monster way more than the original book The Sunbearer Trials. While still very fast paced and a little juvenile, Aiden Thomas really spread his wings (lmao) in terms of originality. Rather than feeling like an (almost) retelling, the use of tropes felt a little more natural. Additionally, I found that the characters had a lot more autonomy in this book and their personalities shone through their decisions since they had more of an effect on the plot rather than just being swept up in the tide.

For a fast-paced easy read, The Sunbearer Trials had satisfying character development and plot points with a fantastic range of diversity. I think being able to pick up a book with a range of trans and queer characters who were just allowed to exist as they are healed something in me. The world was well thought out if a little unoriginal (think Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Hames, albeit with less social commentary than the latter). Mexican mythology and culture isn't something I've seen represented in YA outside of Aiden Thomas's work and I'm loving it. I'm excited to read the continuation and see what happens.