silberfederling's Reviews (234)

I really enjoyed this version of the witcher. The illustration is beautiful and the retelling is actually a reimagining of the original story. It seems like there could be it's own twist if it continues.
I really hope there will be a second part.

This book will leave an impact on me.
It started a bit slow. I had a hard time getting into it, because the setting felt flat, the focus was very much on the protagonist Ari and the promised magic was missing.
But when stuff starts going downhill the mystery of the island Hilma unfolds and does not leave without changing everything forever. I like the subtle style of the magic. The magic, the other-world is not loud. It is a soft but strong otherness seeping into reality.

I like how queerness (specifically Ari being non-binary) is implemented in this setting. There is a bit of transphobia, but it is a plot-string, not everything the book is about. It is a detail of the protagonists life, something that describes their character and their experiences within this world.

It was a fun read.
But I would recommend to read the content warnings and remember them. Some detailes surprised me in the end.

Die Kurzgeschichten haben ein sehr unterschiedliches Niveau. Manche haben mir besser gefallen als andere, manche fand ich tiefgehender als andere und eine hat mich mit sehr vielen Fragezeichen zurückgelassen.

Was sie gemein haben, ist dass sie alle das Verschwinden der Bienen thematisieren und sehr unterschiedliche Perspektiven darauf haben, wie die Menschheit damit umgehen könnte. Auch wenn ein Teil der Lösungen fantastisch und magisch sind, wirkt es nicht fernab unserer Realität und man hat das Gefühl, das die Kurzgeschichte unsere Welt spiegelt.
Die Kurzgeschichtensammlung ist auf alle Fälle kurzweilig und unterhaltsam. Und ich würde sie weiterempfehlen.

I had fun with the audio book. I have some problems with listening to audio books since I have a quite short attention span. But the style in which Lionel Wigram is reading is mesmerizing and I really loved listening to him.

This is quite an interesting short story.
I think it can be read perfectly fine as a standalone if you don't care too much how the world around The Marquis works. Everything you need to know about it to understand the story itself is written down here or can be read between the lines.
The writing style is a bit passive, as if someone tells a story about what happened to someone distant instead of a story about what happened or is happening. But it fits the narration and the main character.

I must admit that I stopped reading 'Neverwhere' since it felt too slow for my liking. But now I want to learn more about this world and I think I'll pick 'Neverwhere' up once more within the next few weeks.


There is now just one final thing left to say: This short story is perfect for a short train ride (or a long on if you want to switch activities during it a few times).