toreadistovoyage's Reviews (1.58k)

Family saga with all the drama but light on emotion. The narration reminded me of Victorian literature - the matter-of-fact voice, the lack of sentiment, the unfolding of the family’s history. It worked for me; I really did enjoy this. I think it wrapped up too neatly and there could have been more drama (or more reaction to the existing drama). And Tom Hanks was a great audiobook narrator.

Historical poetry is an intriguing way to learn about the past - and especially about events from the past that often are NOT taught and/or are glossed over in school curriculums. I left this collection knowing more, but I also left it wanting more.

This was a cute book with an interesting premise. My son enjoyed the magical creature aspect.

So, my initial gut reaction is a high rating (somewhere in 4-5 range). The story was interesting, covering lots of topics that are important and relevant and thought-provoking. The characters were richly developed. I was rooting for Raquel. There was just enough magical realism.

However...I read some reviews of this story, and it turns out that this was based on a true story - that of Cuban American artist Ana Mendieta. And...it seems the family was not contacted about the book at any point during the process and is not okay with the portrayal of Mendieta. 

I think the wildest part about this is that this book sort of does what happened to Mendieta in real life - chooses to ignore her existence. A forward, an afterward, a mention of her in the book would have gone a long way.

This was seriously lacking. The plot is weak, the pacing is rushed, the characters are so one-dimensional. Geronimo Stilton is such a doormat. I just don’t get it. And I really don’t get how my son enjoyed this book. 

A fantastic essay collection. This was candid and raw, thoughtful and reflective. LaPointe explores being indigenous and the lasting impact of colonialism and generational trauma, as well as sexuality, veganism, family, relationships, abuse, miscarriage, and more. Despite how heavy some of the topics were, LaPointe interspersed stories about her grandmother, her connection to nature, and art/music, which helped level out the intensity. 

There is a lot to like about this one: it’s action packed, has a feisty main character, and if centered around Egypt and archaeology. While some parts were predictable, there were also a few surprises. This is one of those books where you cannot trust anyone. The ending is one massive cliffhanger…I will definitely read the second book later this year. 

What a sprawling epic. Full of richly developed characters, layered storylines, intricate histories. The last 1/5 or 1/6 seemed…rushed? less focused? chaotic? Whatever the case may be, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of this book. 

I wouldn’t say that this was an inventive mystery. However, I would say that this was extremely interesting structurally and narratively. Structurally, it was sort of unlike anything I have read before - part standard storytelling, part dramatic script, part informational text, and sometimes something else altogether. Additionally, the narrative perspective switches frequently, using first, second, and third person. The constantly changing story drew me in, but I would understand why some readers would not like this.