theravenkingx's Reviews (336)

My thoughts
It is clear that Schwab has taken inspiration from one of my all-time favorite movies, The Age of Adaline. Everything from the vibe to the atmosphere to the name of our protagonist reminded me of that movie. However, this book is not a mere copy of the film. It has many important differences that make it unique and original. For example, the book explores the dark side of immortality and the consequences of making a deal with a mysterious and malevolent god.

In my opinion, this is V.E. Schwab’s best work in terms of writing. The last book I read of hers was A Darker Shade of Magic, which I did not enjoy at all. In this book, her prose is beautiful and atmospheric. She creates an enchanting and complex world that is both full of wonder and horror. 

One of the aspects that I enjoyed the most was how the book jumps back and forth different time periods. Through this technique, we witness the centuries-long journey of our main character and gradually discover the true extend of her curse. We see her struggle to survive in a world that can’t remember her and how she adapts to a world that is constantly changing. We see her braving the daily drudgery of finding a shelter for the night, knowing that renting a place is impossible when nobody can remember her. We watch with sorrow as she resorts to selling her body for some coins. We witness her surviving through wars. We feel her pain and emptiness growing as we reach the present time.

The book is also rich in historical details and references that make the story more immersive and authentic.

The book really gets you thinking about reliance and patience. When you have so much time and nobody to spend it with what will you do? Will it drive you crazy? Will it make you give up? A well written and thought provoking book, in my opinion.

The Juxtaposition between our two main characters is wynorrfic. Henry wants to be seen and loved, while addies wants freedom and adventure.  They both pay a price: Henry by losing his agency and authenticity and Addie by losing her identity and visibility. Addie cannot be remembered and Henry cannot be forgotten. 

However, the book is not without flaws. 
It suffers from a bloated plot that loses momentum in the middle, where it could have been trimmed and sharpened.
The book overloads on sex scenes and romantic sub-plots, which only remind us of Addie’s inability to form lasting relationships. They are excessive and unnecessary. The book also lacks a clear antagonist or conflict, as Addie's curse is more of a hindrance than a threat. The book squanders many opportunities to explore different and intriguing scenarios, but instead settles for the predictable. I wish the author had explored Addie’s struggle during a war more deeply, as well as her feelings after prostituting herself to a stranger.
She lived for centuries but never thought about traveling the world or settling somewhere outside Paris. There was an opportunity to explore Stockholm syndrome, because what was Addie if not a prisoner of darkness?

The book also tries too hard to be inclusive, to the point where it becomes cringe-worthy. The book seems to imply that everyone is either bisexual or gay, and that there is no discrimination or prejudice in the world. The book could have been more realistic and nuanced, without sacrificing its representation and diversity.

Despite the shortcomings, I am pleasantly surprised by the writing and thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is definitely better than what the reviews suggest.

This book is immensely informative and accessible. I really enjoyed it, and I think it will be in my top five reads of 2024. The author covered many important aspects of our financial system and money without overly complicating things. It was such a fun read, and I learned so much from it. The book also covers digital currency and why it cannot replace money anytime soon, and other alternative theories about future of money and our financial system.

This book is suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about the financial system, banking, money, and other related topics. The author makes the complex concepts easy to understand by using simple language and clear examples. You don't need any prior knowledge or experience to enjoy this book.

What a captivating read! I'm thrilled to share that I've finished my first book of the year and it was a 5 star read for me. I couldn't have asked for a better way to kick off the new year *knock on wood*.

A simple description of this book is Hunger Games set in space, but with much higher degrees of bloodshed, savagery, peril, and darkness, and a touch of Greek mythology and power ranger nostalgia lol

The story follows Darrow, a lowly Red miner who is transformed into a Gold, the elite ruling class of a color-coded society on Mars. Darrow infiltrates the brutal and ruthless Institute, where he must compete with other young Golds for power and glory. Along the way, he faces betrayal, friendship, love, and loss, as he struggles to uphold his ideals and avenge his people.

The writing is meticulous, the plot is cunningly contrived, characters are flawed and realistic, and the theme is profound and relevant.

I couldn’t praise the mastermind, i.e., Pierce Brown, enough. I really liked how he didn’t shy away from getting his hero’s hands dirty, unlike many authors who treat their main characters as perfect, idealistic figures. Even if they are anti-heroes, they can do no wrong.

Darrow is a brilliantly written character who has flaws and a voice that many underprivileged communities will find relatable and inspiring. The story is so relevant, even today, after almost a decade of its release. Darrow’s journey from being a lowly red miner to becoming a rebel and shaking up an entire society on his own is both commendable and jaw-dropping.

The best scene for me was when our main character did something absolutely unthinkable to punish and gain loyalties of his comrades.

I was hooked from the beginning even though the beginning reminded me of various YA books. However, as the story progressed, it only got better and more intense. The amount of plot twists, mysteries, and suspense the author was able to pull off in a rather short book (considering it an adult sci-fi) is a proof of his genius.


Overall, it's a must read. I can't recommend this book enough.

Cozy, emotional, and heart warming. </b>

This is the book that you can cozy up with near a fireplace and have a blast. If you are a fan of books that are about books and bookstores, then this is the book for you. 

This book surprised me a lot. I didn't think I would like it so much as I did. But it is not perfect. The first two chapters were amazing. They hooked me in. But as the story progressed, it became a YA romance novel, which was not what I signed up for. I still liked reading it, though. This book is quite short, which has its pros and cons. The downside is that some parts felt rushed. Sometimes a new paragraph would fast-forward 5-10 years, which prevented me from forming an emotional bond with the characters and truly feel for them. Which is unfortunate because most of the characters in the book are so well written. A.j made me laugh out loud with his witty jokes and Amelia was a perfect match for him. They had such a great chemistry and I rooted for them all the way. The ending, felt rushed and did not elicit an emotional reaction the author had intended. It felt like the author was in a hurry to wrap up the story and didn't give enough time and attention to the characters’ feelings and their development. 

But I had fun with this book. If it was longer, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much, mainly because I don't read romance books at all. The length is why I'm giving it a 3.75 stars instead of 3 stars. It was short, sweet, and fun, but somewhat overrated, in my opinio

4.75 ★★★★☆

In my opinion, the books that haunt and trouble you long after you finish them are the best ones, or maybe I just have a masochistic streak. This short book tackled many relevant issues of our modern society in a very captivating way.

Set in a futuristic Africa this book explores the idea of greed, colonization, self-doubt, evil and how our past can influence our future.

Fatima, born in a small village in Africa - Wulugu, is bestowed what some would call a gift and others a curse from death itself. The seed that she finds in her family’s shea butter farm contains a powerful force that transfers to Fatima, giving her the ability to manipulate life and death. However, when the corrupt government learns about the seed, they take it away from her by force. She decides to get it back, but before she can go after them, she accidentally unleashes her power, causing a massive explosion that destroys her village and kills everyone she loves. Devastated and alone, she leaves her home and her identity behind and adopts a new name: Sankofa.

As she travels across Africa, she learns to control her power and try to use it for good. She also discovers the dark secrets behind the seed, the government, and the corporations that are exploiting Africa’s resources and people. She questions the benefits and drawbacks of technology, and the role of history in shaping the future.


I love how this tiny book explored the idea of Americanization, and hostile take over of resource-rich parts of the world by giant corporations in disguise of economic boost, and technology that is destroying our individuality and categorizing us into mere data points to feed the algorithm which in turn uses it to keep us distracted and in a cycle that keeps affirming our own preconceived ideologies.

The book also emphasizes the inner struggle of every human being. Our battle with the evil within us. We witnessed this when a bright shiny seed - symbolizing greed, takes over our main character. She fights to get it back until she has had enough and discovers a better way.