thebacklistborrower's Reviews (570)

Sabriel is one of those books I read every few years. A fantasy novel, it is unlike any other fantasy world you find in young adult or adult fantasy novels, and Sabriel is a heroine unlike any other as well. The magic of the Abhorsen, a counter to the magic of necromancy, is a fascinating concept that is not deeply delved into in the book, but is exposed enough to keep you interested, and wanting more (which fortunately you can get with Lirael and Abhorsen).

Sabriel and the characters that form her crew, like the friend-or-foe Mogget, are diverse and mysterious. Sabriel herself proves herself in this unusual world by being a headstrong young woman who is ready to admit how little she knows. In this, she is a great character who is relatable for her modesty, but also very cool for her magical ability.

Sabriel is a great YA novel for those looking for a new take on a fantasy novel.

This adaptation of the Handmaid's Tale is a treat for the brain and the eyes. Renee Nault does an amazing job of taking Atwood's bestseller and translating it into a form that, while skimmed down in text, has so much added back with her beautiful and occasionally haunting illustrations.

The style employed by Nault made me feel like I was reading a Grimm's fairytale: something foreign but relatable, something to be absorbed fully and learned from. Her artwork makes very strong use of the colour already referenced in the books to add mood, and tone. A page of handmaids is so red you feel the colour change the tone of the text. So many wives on a page lends a sense of depression. The flashbacks are not so black-and-white (or blue or red), showing that while there is colour in Gilead, there was just so much more before.

As a rule, a graphic novel does not have the same level of depth that the "regular" novel has. This adaptation does not feel so. Whether or not you've read the Handmaid's Tale 50 times or never, this book will still have something for you.

Men & Women and Tools is a very interesting look at the various challenges faced by gender equity action regarding women in trades. Marcia, who is both an insider -- a long-time tradesperson -- and an outsider -- a woman -- uses her experience to frame issues supported by research with a personal lens.

The book explores the history of men and trades, and how the male psyche has been built around the concept of physical, tool-based labour, from the historical trades societies where one became a master of a trade, to the modern manufacturing plant where men are master of a single task, and the development of the concept of a breadwinner caused employment be so wrapped up in masculinity.

Great book for those who are in the trades or other male-dominated careers.

This book was fun to revisit. I had forgotten about so many of the characters, from Holly herself, to Valentine and Foaly. The plot is appropriate for a junior fiction novel, but the characters add a lot of depth and interest to the book. Holly is a really cool elvish character who is the first woman in the elite fairy recon unit (the LEPrecons (hah)), Artemis is a genius boy who appears like any cold-hearted criminal mastermind, but also shows care for his family and the closet things he has for friends, as well as Holly herself. If you know a junior who needs really cool characters to get into reading, try them on this book, as there is somebody for everybody kid to root for.

I couldn't tell if this novel made me want to laugh or cry so I settled on disturbed. Lindsay Wong's memoir of unchecked mental illness will make anybody see it in a new light, and feel more deeply for those it affects.