This book pretty much delivered what I expected. I really loved the original Scarlet Pimpernel and now I’m working my way through the series, but I assume that none will be as good as the book which started it all. Objectively I can see that the original was not an amazing book but it’s so much fun I will happily ignore any literary issues. This one however isn’t good enough to get away from some of those flaws. It’s still great fun to read and pretty easy to get through in an afternoon, but the characters don’t really seem fully rounded. Those which feature heavily have some depth but not loads, and those which are secondary are very one dimensional unfortunately. The plot is good and entertaining, I wasn’t surprised by the reveal of the Scarlet Pimpernel but I don’t think you’re supposed to be, knowing something the characters don’t without being explicitly told is part of the fun. I still look forward to more of the same and it was exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up to read.

 

I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing, I didn't even know it was non fiction until I finished the prologue. I actually only have the book because I am doing the Story Graph reads the world challenge and this was the only book from Lebanon I could find where I buy my pre-owned books from in English (I live in a non English speaking country). 

The life of Kamila gives an insight into those of many women living in countries where they are treated like property as oppose to people. Thankfully Lebanon has come a long way since the life of Kamila, although this book was written before the recent turmoil in the country so the message of hope is dampened slightly now. It's also clear whilst progress is made in some countries others it remains terrible and is getting worse in many.

Politics aside it's an emotional read. You do get invested in the life of Kamila, you judge her actions on occasion and sometimes harshly, several times I had made judgements but then on reflection understand the actions and how given the situation and upbringing it's not something I can give judgement on. Writing it in the first person really made the whole book more engaging. There's going to be some creative freedom taken naturally but it really feels like a memoir as a result, as oppose to just a biography. It seems strange to comment on the story arc of a non-fiction book but it's great to read, saddening and inspiring in equal measure I'd definitely  recommend this one. I always find reading biographies of "normal" people can be so much more fulfilling than those well known.

 

I find it hard sometimes to rate novellas since when looking at past rankings they don't compare well since it's impossible to get as invested in the characters or events in such a small space of time. I have however read a few novellas so feel I can judge it against those, I'm also a big sci-fi reader so can have some justifiable opinions in that realm as well.

For a novella it's quite good but not great, the pacing is a little mixed and in my opinion not well balanced. The first half goes very quickly but then it slows down for the rest, making it hard to empathise with the protagonist when s**t hits the fan. The premise and the world is interesting and I think a full novel set in this universe could work well. There's definitely something there from a sci-fi perspective, however the characters are way too serious. I get that the plot is serious and it's a serious situation these characters find themselves in but without some lightness or humour they feel quite one dimensional and an entire novel with them might get tiring. It's a super quick read and a good premise so it's worth a shot. I'd still read a whole novel in the same universe or by the same author but I'm not going to actively seek it out.

 

Being dropped into a world as complex as this one, without much explanation, and immediately starting on a fast paced plot which will go all the way to the end is quite a daunting experience, but a greatly enjoyable one in this case. That being said it can leave you with a few questions sometimes but the way the world reveals itself mean none of the questions are needing an answer immediately to understand the plot or the emotions of the characters. I do however reserve the right to lower this rating if these questions are not answered in later books.

The arc of the protagonist is a little predictable but still works really well and there're enough surprises from the well written secondary characters that you don't need shocks from the protagonist as well. The world is rich and intriguing as are all the characters. It's written as the first book in a series but still works well as a standalone book which I appreciate since not all series get picked up for further publication. Fortunately that is not the case this time and it looks like at least a trilogy is on the cards. I'll be reading the rest I'm sure and thank you to @friendofgosig for the recommendation and lending me the book.

I love Andy Weir's books and although this was the first time I have read this book I’ve seen the film and listened to the audio book a few years ago. I enjoyed Project Hail Mary more, however this is still brilliant. It's a beautifully written hilarious book and so easy to read. Considering so much of the book is centered around a single character I’m impressed as to how well the secondary characters all come through. 

I really enjoyed the diary format which made up the vast majority of the book, and the chapters not set on Mars written in the third person but with a fixed characters perspective worked well also. The only sections I found jarring were the narrator perspective sections on Mars. Those felt quite out of place, definitely works for a film but in the novel where every other section had a clear perspective it just didn’t quite fit. Besides those few tiny sections though I can’t make any complaints. I have Artemis on my shelf to pick up next and can’t wait.

As a British expat living in France this was a very interesting book to read, giving me insights into both American and French parenting. I learned a few things I'll definitely be trying and I'm sure it will help me avoid some questions or concerns I may have had later.  Some of the advice and information should be taken with a pinch of salt since the author is not an expert themselves and it’s more a journalistic piece with their own experiences thrown in. Gonzo journalism I guess but very different to Hunter S Thompson.

The book itself seems well researched and strikes a nice balance between expert opinion and anecdotal evidence liberally peppered with humor. The writing is easy to read and flows very nicely. As with all non fiction books I find there's a certain amount of repetition, but this is not the worst offender i’ve read by a long way. An enjoyable informative read which i’d recommend to new / soon-to-be parents especially if living in France.

As my wife is 7 months pregnant I thought this could be an interesting and useful read. Granted it would have been better 7 months ago however if we have another it will still be beneficial, and regardless of use it was interesting.

It's written from an American perspective and was published a few years ago now so not all the information is helpful but there are definitely some good points. I really enjoyed the mathematical approach to discussing the different risks with activities, and the amount of research put into this book is impressive. It removed some worry about a lot of things, and added a little on some others. In my opinion knowledge is always a good thing and this book is full of it.

Just like with the first book it's a brilliant read. Besides the structure it's a lot closer to the film than the first. I really enjoyed all the Ent lore which wasn't really covered in the films, also a lot of the smaller characters come through much more. On the other hand the battles feel less grand than they do on the big screen, though I suspect that will always be the case.

I preferred the first book but still thoroughly enjoyed this. The writing style definitely takes a bit of getting used to and you have to invest the time to understand the lore in order to fully engage with the book but it's well worth it. I will pick up the third and final installment soon happily.

Like the others in the series this is a light, easy to read, police procedural. As one of the older ones it clearly shows its age but nothing seems to far wrong. A decent chunk of the middle is actually a court room drama which is a first in the series. I'm not sure it was really Robinsons forte, and probably could have done without it. It's definitely not the strongest in the series that I've read but it's a solid 3.5 star read. The graduall character progression is nice and partially what makes it nice and comfortable to pick up the next in the series. Ill keep working my way through them and take the next one of the shelf when I need an easy reliable book to read. 

Like many people I suspect I watched the films before I read the books. I absolutely loved the films and wasn't a big reader till a couple of years ago so only just got round to reading the original.

I'm amazed even more now how well done the film adaptation was, the books phenomenal but the tweaks made for the film are great. It's not to say I prefer the film to the book, just that the editing was great, the structure shift makes perfect sense for a film and now when I read the book I have a new appreciation for the untainted world

 The characters in the book are brilliantly written and the way the relationships form between them throughout the story is very different. 

The writing style is of its time but still easier to read than a lot of the same era. At the end of the day the world building is just so great it's hard to have any negatives to say about this book. Having already watched the films it did give me a vision of the characters in my minds eye which I suspect helped it greatly and I also knew certain plot points along the way. I revelled in the parts which were new like I was watching a directors cut when I was a child. To be objective I have to give it a little less than a 5 but I really loved reading this. I can't wait to pick up the two towers and continue, I always thought that was the best film so I'll see if I think the same of the books.