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saifighter's Reviews (253)
TL;DR: If this is your first "what if people are food" story I think you'll have a great time. However, if you have explored this story genre before its going to be a boring, tedious read. This book honestly just doesn't go hard enough into the disturbing for me.
The book is divided into part one (119 pages) and part two (89 pages). Part one is a walking tour of "this is how the world would work if people were food." When you hear this premises, you already get the idea how it works especially if you have explored this genre before or know anything about how cattle/livestock is processed. So having a walking tour of this idea was boring for me. At parts other readers found "horrifying" I just kept thinking "yes of course that's exactly how that would work" and not really batting an eye. I feel like if this is your first time exploring the people food question, then this part is probably great and satisfyingly disturbing.
Part two is where things start to ramp up. The acts and displays of a man eat man society start to get a little more disturbing but still not disturbing enough to really hit enough to be called "chilling" or "gut-churning." I would say out of the whole book, maybe 2 or 3 sentences really struck a nerve with me.
Some positives: I do think the book is really well written. And while I don't think the themes go well with the setting, exploring "words as a way to disguise reality" was enjoyable enough. I'm not a big fan of how we are kept at arms length from the main character but its not a mark against the book. The book is not preachy regarding the idea of "eating meat is bad" as some other reviewers seems to think. Its honestly not even a theme at all in the book.
Overall, wouldn't recommend. There are other stories that explore this idea better and with more thought.
The book is divided into part one (119 pages) and part two (89 pages). Part one is a walking tour of "this is how the world would work if people were food." When you hear this premises, you already get the idea how it works especially if you have explored this genre before or know anything about how cattle/livestock is processed. So having a walking tour of this idea was boring for me. At parts other readers found "horrifying" I just kept thinking "yes of course that's exactly how that would work" and not really batting an eye. I feel like if this is your first time exploring the people food question, then this part is probably great and satisfyingly disturbing.
Part two is where things start to ramp up. The acts and displays of a man eat man society start to get a little more disturbing but still not disturbing enough to really hit enough to be called "chilling" or "gut-churning." I would say out of the whole book, maybe 2 or 3 sentences really struck a nerve with me.
Some positives: I do think the book is really well written. And while I don't think the themes go well with the setting, exploring "words as a way to disguise reality" was enjoyable enough. I'm not a big fan of how we are kept at arms length from the main character but its not a mark against the book. The book is not preachy regarding the idea of "eating meat is bad" as some other reviewers seems to think. Its honestly not even a theme at all in the book.
Overall, wouldn't recommend. There are other stories that explore this idea better and with more thought.
TL;DR Its an okay written summary of Jennette’s childhood and womanhood traumas. This book is not about her journey to healing but more of a declaration to start healing.
Honestly, this book was a slog for about the first 100 pages. While Jennette is young, her writing is simple. Its hard to engage with. As you read on she gets angrier, her thoughts are more complex. Its like her writing is aging with her, maturing as you turn the page. I really struggle with those first 100 pages. I felt disconnected from the trauma, kept at arms length. Then as we enter the teens and young adult phases of her life, I’m actually enjoying the book as she really dives deep into what shes feeling. Her writing isn’t groundbreaking buts its tolerable enough to no longer distract me from the actual content of the book.
There is a lot of emotions on display. Mostly anger, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, grief, emptiness. Something in Jennette’s story will be relatable to you as she goes through the universal and unique hardships of womanhood and childhood abuse. But at the end of the day those emotions are all thats here. This isn’t the journey of healing you think it is, but the declaration of the attempt to start healing.
There were times this book was down right boring. The trauma is not hard to read or harrowing like some reviewers say. But I also don’t see this as an entitles celebrity who’s just complaining as other reviewers think. It just kind of feels like life’s normal bullshit that happens to a lot of us. The abusive parent, the OCD, the body issues, the alcohol problems, issues with relationships and sex. These are not uniquely celebrity problems. Which is either gonna pull you in or bore you to tears.
The title and blurb really give you the whole picture all by itself. I think I could have skipped this one.
Honestly, this book was a slog for about the first 100 pages. While Jennette is young, her writing is simple. Its hard to engage with. As you read on she gets angrier, her thoughts are more complex. Its like her writing is aging with her, maturing as you turn the page. I really struggle with those first 100 pages. I felt disconnected from the trauma, kept at arms length. Then as we enter the teens and young adult phases of her life, I’m actually enjoying the book as she really dives deep into what shes feeling. Her writing isn’t groundbreaking buts its tolerable enough to no longer distract me from the actual content of the book.
There is a lot of emotions on display. Mostly anger, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, grief, emptiness. Something in Jennette’s story will be relatable to you as she goes through the universal and unique hardships of womanhood and childhood abuse. But at the end of the day those emotions are all thats here. This isn’t the journey of healing you think it is, but the declaration of the attempt to start healing.
There were times this book was down right boring. The trauma is not hard to read or harrowing like some reviewers say. But I also don’t see this as an entitles celebrity who’s just complaining as other reviewers think. It just kind of feels like life’s normal bullshit that happens to a lot of us. The abusive parent, the OCD, the body issues, the alcohol problems, issues with relationships and sex. These are not uniquely celebrity problems. Which is either gonna pull you in or bore you to tears.
The title and blurb really give you the whole picture all by itself. I think I could have skipped this one.
TL;DR: Wildly disappointing. Set myself up to dislike this by reading the words "Mulan meets The Song of Achilles." The main character is so poorly executed while the foil character is excellently done. The book probably should have only been about him. While stunningly written, do not recommend.
The main problem with She Who Became the Sun is its two main characters: Zhu the main character and her foil the eunuch Ouyang.
The comparison to The Song of Achilles is completely inaccurate. While the character work is wonderfully done, the relationships between the main character and their love interest is so nonexistence that I was surprised that this is being compared to such an iconic queer romance. There is more chemistry between friends then there is between the married couple. The other "couple", the eunuch and their love interest, is tragic and a lot more interesting. If you are interest in unrequited angst with zero romance then you'll definitely enjoy those parts (along with all the gut punch in chapter 15). But because the book compares itself to Song of Achilles, I was expecting actual romance. This marketing comparison really set me up to be disappointed.
Also, this book explores a lot of gender ideas and feelings. In the amab eunuch characters, feelings of gender dysphoria, misgendering, and gender queerness are investigated. In this character I feel the queer exploration was done really well. In the afab main character I feel like I am suppose to be reading it as a trans journey. However, through 80% of the book the main character adamantly identifies as a woman in disguise. Its not until chapter 19, when I'm already pretty disappointed in the "tran's narrative" that it even starts to become one which it is then rushes.
Another mark against this book is its pacing. The book will lovingly take its time with precious character moments but then gloss over huge plot points. Important events and choices will take place entirely off screen. I kept having to re-read to make sure I didn't accidently miss something.
A positive: The book is beautifully written. Its really poetic and when it does take the time to pause and describe scenes, its done stunningly.
The only thing keeping me reading is the actual interesting and well written character eunuch Ouyang as well as a small handful of interesting side characters. Its probably a good thing that the next book will be focused on him.
The main problem with She Who Became the Sun is its two main characters: Zhu the main character and her foil the eunuch Ouyang.
The comparison to The Song of Achilles is completely inaccurate. While the character work is wonderfully done, the relationships between the main character and their love interest is so nonexistence that I was surprised that this is being compared to such an iconic queer romance. There is more chemistry between friends then there is between the married couple. The other "couple", the eunuch and their love interest, is tragic and a lot more interesting. If you are interest in unrequited angst with zero romance then you'll definitely enjoy those parts (along with all the gut punch in chapter 15). But because the book compares itself to Song of Achilles, I was expecting actual romance. This marketing comparison really set me up to be disappointed.
Also, this book explores a lot of gender ideas and feelings. In the amab eunuch characters, feelings of gender dysphoria, misgendering, and gender queerness are investigated. In this character I feel the queer exploration was done really well. In the afab main character I feel like I am suppose to be reading it as a trans journey. However, through 80% of the book the main character adamantly identifies as a woman in disguise. Its not until chapter 19, when I'm already pretty disappointed in the "tran's narrative" that it even starts to become one which it is then rushes.
Another mark against this book is its pacing. The book will lovingly take its time with precious character moments but then gloss over huge plot points. Important events and choices will take place entirely off screen. I kept having to re-read to make sure I didn't accidently miss something.
A positive: The book is beautifully written. Its really poetic and when it does take the time to pause and describe scenes, its done stunningly.
The only thing keeping me reading is the actual interesting and well written character eunuch Ouyang as well as a small handful of interesting side characters. Its probably a good thing that the next book will be focused on him.
Upright Woman Wanted is exactly what is says on the tin: "an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity." All of Sarah Gailey's books are treasured queer comfort reads, and this one is no exception.
DNF after 8 chapters.
The "snarky" dialog isn't funny or witty but just incredible juvenile.
Harrow and Gideon are completely unlikable characters.
The lore and world building is bone dry.
The aesthesis are less necromancers in space and more Hot Topic teen fantasy.
Honestly disappointed. I have too many books on my reading list to justify continue pushing through this one.
Lovely cover art though!
The "snarky" dialog isn't funny or witty but just incredible juvenile.
Harrow and Gideon are completely unlikable characters.
The lore and world building is bone dry.
The aesthesis are less necromancers in space and more Hot Topic teen fantasy.
Honestly disappointed. I have too many books on my reading list to justify continue pushing through this one.
Lovely cover art though!
The Witness for the Dead is both very different and similar to The Goblin Emperor.
Similar in that its doesn't really feel like a lot of plot is really happening. Yes, things are happening as we are brought along on "bring the reader to work day" with Celehar. There are several murders, forged documents, stopping a ghoul, and tragic accidents, as Celehar goes around doing his whole magical detective thing. But we also just mill around with him as he gets tea, eats breakfast, ignores the passing flirt of an opera writer, sells a coat that is just not his color, etc.
Its also different that being a magical murder detective that the things happening actually do have plot that doesn't just comes and goes. Celehar's job really is the driving force, not Celehar himself in this one. So unlike Goblin Emperor, this is NOT character driven at all but more what it means (boring or otherwise) to be a witness for the dead in this world.
I don't know about this one. On the surface, its pretty boring. Nothing is really happening, Celehar isn't changed by the events of the book, Celehar isn't even really an interesting or likeable character here. But the continued exploration of the world is just too interesting to not like.
If there is such a thing as a cozy low stakes murder mystery day job simulator, this is it. Do not recommend unless you are already in love with the concepts in The Goblin Emperor.
Similar in that its doesn't really feel like a lot of plot is really happening. Yes, things are happening as we are brought along on "bring the reader to work day" with Celehar. There are several murders, forged documents, stopping a ghoul, and tragic accidents, as Celehar goes around doing his whole magical detective thing. But we also just mill around with him as he gets tea, eats breakfast, ignores the passing flirt of an opera writer, sells a coat that is just not his color, etc.
Its also different that being a magical murder detective that the things happening actually do have plot that doesn't just comes and goes. Celehar's job really is the driving force, not Celehar himself in this one. So unlike Goblin Emperor, this is NOT character driven at all but more what it means (boring or otherwise) to be a witness for the dead in this world.
I don't know about this one. On the surface, its pretty boring. Nothing is really happening, Celehar isn't changed by the events of the book, Celehar isn't even really an interesting or likeable character here. But the continued exploration of the world is just too interesting to not like.
If there is such a thing as a cozy low stakes murder mystery day job simulator, this is it. Do not recommend unless you are already in love with the concepts in The Goblin Emperor.
Here's my no nostalgia review. First time reading this book in 2023.
TLDR: Great ideas and world build that's unfortunately delivered by a character I'm just too old to relate to. If you have ever played a DND bard and can tolerate "horse-girl but with dragons" definitely give it a read and check out the 2 albums for this book on spotify.
The Harper books are very character driven, which is a shame because right now Menolly is a child. Her story is very "horse-girl but with dragons." She's just not like other girls! She's so good at everything right from the get-go and her only real struggles are societal ones. "A girl wearing pants and doing guy thing? Outrageous!" It really doesn't hit for me in the year of our lord 2023. Now 15-20 years ago when I was closer to Menolly's age? I would have ate this up. I'm currently reading The White Dragon where she is older and her character is matured to a state of likeability.
Now the whole Harper business and the role they play in the world of Pern? Interesting as hell. Its like a DND bard turned up too 100. This idea that singers and musicians are these super important people that bring news and culture all over the land and are highly valued is just awesome to dive into. There are also 2 accommodating albums for these two books: "The Masterharper of Pern" and "Sunset's Gold." I definitely recommend checking them out on Spotify. It really adds that extra layer of world building.
Worth the read just for more Pern world building even though Menolly isn't a likable character yet.
TLDR: Great ideas and world build that's unfortunately delivered by a character I'm just too old to relate to. If you have ever played a DND bard and can tolerate "horse-girl but with dragons" definitely give it a read and check out the 2 albums for this book on spotify.
The Harper books are very character driven, which is a shame because right now Menolly is a child. Her story is very "horse-girl but with dragons." She's just not like other girls! She's so good at everything right from the get-go and her only real struggles are societal ones. "A girl wearing pants and doing guy thing? Outrageous!" It really doesn't hit for me in the year of our lord 2023. Now 15-20 years ago when I was closer to Menolly's age? I would have ate this up. I'm currently reading The White Dragon where she is older and her character is matured to a state of likeability.
Now the whole Harper business and the role they play in the world of Pern? Interesting as hell. Its like a DND bard turned up too 100. This idea that singers and musicians are these super important people that bring news and culture all over the land and are highly valued is just awesome to dive into. There are also 2 accommodating albums for these two books: "The Masterharper of Pern" and "Sunset's Gold." I definitely recommend checking them out on Spotify. It really adds that extra layer of world building.
Worth the read just for more Pern world building even though Menolly isn't a likable character yet.