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brenticus's reviews
657 reviews
On Palestine by Ilan Pappé, Noam Chomsky
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Quite a good overview of the conflict over Palestine, diving into the history and politics of the situation instead of what we see lately, which, while extremely valid, focus on the immediate Israeli human rights abuses.
I don't necessarily like it as a book — it has several authors with somewhat different views on the conflict, it changes formats every so often, and parts of it are repeated as Chomsky's words are provided both as-is and edited for publication in a few spots. But the content is very good and provides a fairly holistic view of the conflict.
I don't necessarily like it as a book — it has several authors with somewhat different views on the conflict, it changes formats every so often, and parts of it are repeated as Chomsky's words are provided both as-is and edited for publication in a few spots. But the content is very good and provides a fairly holistic view of the conflict.
Micromegas by Theo Cuff, Voltaire
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fun short story highlighting our limited ability to perceive the universe and, thus, our limited ability to see the universe, with a special poke of fun at the idea that religion has all the answers.
Pretty funny, and I quite like the idea that even Micromegas itself, with such powers beyond our understanding, has no answers to the nature of things. Really helps underscore that his references to a supreme being are a matter of faith and belief, nor rational understanding. Just a lovely little bow on the whole thing.
Pretty funny, and I quite like the idea that even Micromegas itself, with such powers beyond our understanding, has no answers to the nature of things. Really helps underscore that his references to a supreme being are a matter of faith and belief, nor rational understanding. Just a lovely little bow on the whole thing.
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 1 by sing N song, UMI
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Having read the web novel and been following the manwha for years, I'm quite excited that this has a print release. And the quality is fantastic, too!
The start of the story is quite slow, though. This volume covers the first scenario, or... like, 20 minutes of time. Knowing the story from here, I'm very excited, especially since the art translated really well to print and the book quality is way beyond what I expected, but this volume just doesn't cover a lot.
The start of the story is quite slow, though. This volume covers the first scenario, or... like, 20 minutes of time. Knowing the story from here, I'm very excited, especially since the art translated really well to print and the book quality is way beyond what I expected, but this volume just doesn't cover a lot.
Dragon Ball, Vol. 4 by Akira Toriyama
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The first Budokai Tenkaichi is a lot of fun. Jackie Chun is such a bad disguise. As the prototypical tournament arc, it sets the pace and mood to a lighthearted romp that still challenges the characters.
My only problem with this volume is the same problem that most of the volumes have: a bunch of chapters are stuck together and where the plot begins and ends is wildly arbitrary. But, like, I bought the whole box set, it's not that big of a deal for me, it just leaves the volume by volume breakdown a little weird.
My only problem with this volume is the same problem that most of the volumes have: a bunch of chapters are stuck together and where the plot begins and ends is wildly arbitrary. But, like, I bought the whole box set, it's not that big of a deal for me, it just leaves the volume by volume breakdown a little weird.
The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Han argues that our "achievement society" pushes an excess of positivity, a constant desire for more, that is driving many of the mental health epidemics society is currently struggling with.
In some cases it feels like he's making odd medical judgments from a philosophical perspective, but for the most part his arguments are consistent, intriguing, and match experiences I commonly see in the world. He is able to effectively argue that the burnout pandemic plaguing modern society is a cultural problem with solutions we have abandoned in the past.
My main problem is just the language, which may be a translation issue: Burnout Society has a lot of language which isn't entirely clear, and sometimes opts for overly complex wording that obscures the subject to an unnecessary extent. It also made me annoyed with Freud, as a whole page discussing ego and super-ego becomes word salad when "ego" pops up so many times in a row.
Regardless, once you parse through the language Han presents interesting ideas that pull together philosophy, psychology, and sociology in a comprehensive way that points towards real problems and solutions.
In some cases it feels like he's making odd medical judgments from a philosophical perspective, but for the most part his arguments are consistent, intriguing, and match experiences I commonly see in the world. He is able to effectively argue that the burnout pandemic plaguing modern society is a cultural problem with solutions we have abandoned in the past.
My main problem is just the language, which may be a translation issue: Burnout Society has a lot of language which isn't entirely clear, and sometimes opts for overly complex wording that obscures the subject to an unnecessary extent. It also made me annoyed with Freud, as a whole page discussing ego and super-ego becomes word salad when "ego" pops up so many times in a row.
Regardless, once you parse through the language Han presents interesting ideas that pull together philosophy, psychology, and sociology in a comprehensive way that points towards real problems and solutions.
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 11 by Natsu Hyuuga
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This volume really speaks to the broader strength of the series' characters. Maomao is still fun to follow and is obviously the protagonist, but in the core events of this volume she takes a backseat and is only occasionally aware of what's going on. More of the action is driven by political intrigue from Gyoku-ou, or the actions of other side characters behind the scenes, than by Maomao and her typical investigations.
Despite this, it's a fantastic volume. The politics are tense, the worldbuilding answers some long-standing questions and makes connections that are interesting even when they feel like they're filling in characters with minimal character to them. The climax is surprising and sudden, but at the same time it makes sense and is satisfying.
It's always a bit of a question mark on where this series can go from here - it has changed so much and continues to change so much - but I look forward to the next volume as always.
Despite this, it's a fantastic volume. The politics are tense, the worldbuilding answers some long-standing questions and makes connections that are interesting even when they feel like they're filling in characters with minimal character to them. The climax is surprising and sudden, but at the same time it makes sense and is satisfying.
It's always a bit of a question mark on where this series can go from here - it has changed so much and continues to change so much - but I look forward to the next volume as always.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This is a really interesting examination of the purpose of education and why it should be granted to women as well as men, from a time when that was uncommon. The approach it takes in that argument is very well put forth, arguing both that the virtues promoted through education, and through the specific educational paradigms that Wollstonecraft puts forth, help both men and women fit into their gender roles more easily.
While I really like the way Wollstonecraft writes, and her philosophy is both strong and still relevant today, there are a lot of chapters that are kind of... eh. She'll examine some aspect of how women are being educated at the time, through some handbook or some such that someone has written, and proceed to tear it to pieces. It's kind of fun, in a way, but it gets repetitive and it doesn't add a lot to her argument outside of establishing that the current education of women is insufficient.
This read is about half incredibly powerful arguments for education, applicable even beyond her core arguments, and about half tearing down obviously bad ideas. When it's good it's incredible, and when it's bad it's bad.
While I really like the way Wollstonecraft writes, and her philosophy is both strong and still relevant today, there are a lot of chapters that are kind of... eh. She'll examine some aspect of how women are being educated at the time, through some handbook or some such that someone has written, and proceed to tear it to pieces. It's kind of fun, in a way, but it gets repetitive and it doesn't add a lot to her argument outside of establishing that the current education of women is insufficient.
This read is about half incredibly powerful arguments for education, applicable even beyond her core arguments, and about half tearing down obviously bad ideas. When it's good it's incredible, and when it's bad it's bad.
Brunhild the Dragonslayer by Yuiko Agarizaki
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Revenge stories are often fairly simply: someone is wronged, and they seek revenge, and while revenge may not be the wisest option it is quite satisfying to see it enacted on someone who deserves it.
This revenge story is much more complicated. It is often hard to determine how human Brunhild truly is. It is often hard to determine whether Siegbert deserves to be brought down, and the colonial aspects put a spin on things that make it even more tangled.
In the end, this is a complex tale of revenge, humanity, grief, and more. The telling of the tale lurches around oddly now and then, but it always feels like a fairy tale, a parable, a warning of sorts, that touches on more than the simple revenge plot it is centered around.
This revenge story is much more complicated. It is often hard to determine how human Brunhild truly is. It is often hard to determine whether Siegbert deserves to be brought down, and the colonial aspects put a spin on things that make it even more tangled.
In the end, this is a complex tale of revenge, humanity, grief, and more. The telling of the tale lurches around oddly now and then, but it always feels like a fairy tale, a parable, a warning of sorts, that touches on more than the simple revenge plot it is centered around.
The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Volume 6 by Shu
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is, so far, probably the peak of the series, even if the underground realm and draconids continues to be weird and mildly dumb. Arcana has fantastic development, and the mysteries around various characters are surprisingly engaging. The antagonists actually feel threatening, both because they're able to push Anos to actually put some effort in and because they seem to be threatening in more ways than just "blow up Dilhade."
The fact that Anos covers for Anosh being absent by staring at an empty point in space and being like "Nice try, but you can't hide from me." and everyone just believing Anosh is actually there is also just the funniest gag I've seen in this series. I still laugh when I think about it.
The fact that Anos covers for Anosh being absent by staring at an empty point in space and being like "Nice try, but you can't hide from me." and everyone just believing Anosh is actually there is also just the funniest gag I've seen in this series. I still laugh when I think about it.
The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Volume 5 by Shu
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This volume is fun but honestly not very good. The whole underground draconid selection god thing feels arbitrary and comes entirely out of nowhere, and somehow none of it is even a minor bump in the road for Anos. The redemption of Emilia and the hero academy students is nice to see, though, I really liked Emilia's arc in this. The rest is mostly just Anos trivially beating up gods, though, which is funny if nothing else.