sara_m_martins's Reviews (334)


fun style and interesting commentary on society. i'm glad I read this while living in "ellay". very different from most stuff out there. but it just didn't wow me.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

Kate Fagan

DID NOT FINISH: 46%

not very engaging

incredibly sapphic in all types of imagery
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters: No

no bueno. reads very young adult (tbf, it does match the characters' ages) in tone and in some morality text segments. I generally don't agree with the approach it took to the subjects at hand, and I think it might be harmful, which is hard to say on a own voices book - but it feels like the american dirt palestinian version, something WASPs can read and feel vindicated in their opinions of the world.
not sure why i didn't just dnf'ed honestly.
NB: My bad on lack of research, but I thought Palestine occupation would be delved into, but it just wasn't at alll.

James

Percival Everett

DID NOT FINISH: 7%

I think I should know Huckleberry Finn to give this a fair shot
medium-paced

People not Things is a Poetry (and art) collection from an activist in soul and life, Genesis Be. I really enjoyed seeing the media combination. The subject matter is often quite strong, with race, gender, sexuality, and other, crying out for a break in the (various) status quo. 

The lyricism is very strong, although it took me a good while to figure out Be's voice: many of the pieces have a strong hip-hop cadence and rythm, which makes sense when I learned that the author has a recording artist background. For those reasons, I think this would be a great audiobook. 
My favourite poem was by far Holding Paws, and I enjoyed the last quarter (Barrier of Love) the most.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, I think, in the end, it was not my style, which is why I am giving it 3*, but I strongly believe many other people will enjoy thoroughly. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.