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eiion's reviews
75 reviews
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
A truly unforgettable book, that sticks in my mind like gum to hair - I don't think it'll ever come out. I'm not sure I want it to.
Anthony Doerr, from looking at his other work, specializes in short stories, and you can tell. Cloud Cuckoo Land follows five different characters, spread out across vastly different time periods, settings, and experiences.
Omeir and Anna, children surrounded by a war and sucked into it in 1400s Constantinople, who find an old book written in Ancient Greek.
Seymour and Zeno, a teenage terrorist and an old war veteran with a passion for Greek literature in 2020 USA, both who find comfort in translating an old Greek story, trying to make sense of its out of order pages and damaged words.
Konstance, a young girl isolated in a spaceship decades in the future, with the world at her fingertips who remembers pieces of a story her father spoke to her.
Five people, five stories, all bound together by the same book.
It's so raw and so powerful. It's one of those books you can read again and again, but it won't ever be as touching as it was the first time you read it. I cried tears of just pure emotion because everything made me so sensitive, whether it was sad, heartwearming, sweet, hopeful, or surprising. And every time, I took a break to cry, then picked it right back up as soon as my vision wasn't blurry anymore.
It can be tough to get into. Following all the storylines isn't necessarily easy for some people, you might find yourself flipping back and forth to be reminded of timelines, dates, or settings, and some characters seem less consequential than others. What really matters isn't that you understand how they all connect (that comes later); what matters is that you understand why each of their stories are important to them, and important to us. If you let the book speak to you, it will sing instead, and it's truly a masterpiece.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
But books, like people, die. They die in fires or floods or in the mouths of worms or at the whims of tyrants. If they are not safeguarded, they go out of the world. And when a book goes out of the world, the memory dies a second death.
A truly unforgettable book, that sticks in my mind like gum to hair - I don't think it'll ever come out. I'm not sure I want it to.
Anthony Doerr, from looking at his other work, specializes in short stories, and you can tell. Cloud Cuckoo Land follows five different characters, spread out across vastly different time periods, settings, and experiences.
Omeir and Anna, children surrounded by a war and sucked into it in 1400s Constantinople, who find an old book written in Ancient Greek.
Seymour and Zeno, a teenage terrorist and an old war veteran with a passion for Greek literature in 2020 USA, both who find comfort in translating an old Greek story, trying to make sense of its out of order pages and damaged words.
Konstance, a young girl isolated in a spaceship decades in the future, with the world at her fingertips who remembers pieces of a story her father spoke to her.
Five people, five stories, all bound together by the same book.
The world as it is is enough.
It's so raw and so powerful. It's one of those books you can read again and again, but it won't ever be as touching as it was the first time you read it. I cried tears of just pure emotion because everything made me so sensitive, whether it was sad, heartwearming, sweet, hopeful, or surprising. And every time, I took a break to cry, then picked it right back up as soon as my vision wasn't blurry anymore.
It can be tough to get into. Following all the storylines isn't necessarily easy for some people, you might find yourself flipping back and forth to be reminded of timelines, dates, or settings, and some characters seem less consequential than others. What really matters isn't that you understand how they all connect (that comes later); what matters is that you understand why each of their stories are important to them, and important to us. If you let the book speak to you, it will sing instead, and it's truly a masterpiece.
The Narrow Road Between Desires: A Kingkiller Chronicle Novella by Patrick Rothfuss
4.0
When I first read the Kingkiller Chronicles, I fell in love with Bast. I reckon many of us did.
When I read this book, I fell in love with him even more.
This was such a gorgeous book. It gave us more about Bast, which was what I'd expected. What I didn't expect was a really heartwarming tale of forgiveness, revenge, magic, and love. In just one day and 200 something pages, Rothfuss gave us a complete and beautiful story about one of the Kingkiller Chronicle's favourite characters.
The illustrations were also such a treat - they added so much to the story.
Also this guy had 2 baths in half as many days. What a freak.
When I read this book, I fell in love with him even more.
This was such a gorgeous book. It gave us more about Bast, which was what I'd expected. What I didn't expect was a really heartwarming tale of forgiveness, revenge, magic, and love. In just one day and 200 something pages, Rothfuss gave us a complete and beautiful story about one of the Kingkiller Chronicle's favourite characters.
The illustrations were also such a treat - they added so much to the story.
Also this guy had 2 baths in half as many days. What a freak.
Collapse Years by Damir Salkovic
4.0
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Collpase Years is a series of short stories set in a future not unlike the one we're currently hurdling towards. In a world where sickness, corruption, and survival are the tenants of life, each story focuses on a different character and their fight to thrive.
This was a really interesting read. At its core, it felt like a commentary, touching on human development, greed, and selfishness. There was genuinely an eerie feeling to it, wondering if this was the way we would be seeing our world turn out within the next 50-100 years.
It was a good post apocalyptic book, and I really enjoyed the short story format with the overarching setting. It lent itself to the fact that the world was really complicated, and allowed us to explore multiple layers within the collection of people who were still alive. It was a really creative and effective way to explore the world building - which I absolutely love. Each story connected to the other via the world rather than the characters, keeping me immersed in the non-linear story, never guessing about what was going on, and yet still intrigued by every different POV we got.
The character building was a bit weak, but it's to be expected when you're looking at stories that are maybe 20-30 pages in length. However, it was hard in places to connect with the characters, and left me feeling like a secondary bystander, rooting for no one and not really caring about the outcomes of each story. In a way, I think this was intentional: we didn't need to care about the character or their arc, we needed to understand the world, how they contributed to it, and why they had been integrated into the story in the way they were. Each character felt like a part of the setting to further our understanding, rather than a person with free will.
The book is definitely aimed towards fans of worldbuilding and commentary on human development, rather than those looking for a fulfilling or connected story.
That's not to say this is bad - I really enjoyed it! But it's got a very specific audience, and if you're not it, it might not be the most interesting read for you.
Collpase Years is a series of short stories set in a future not unlike the one we're currently hurdling towards. In a world where sickness, corruption, and survival are the tenants of life, each story focuses on a different character and their fight to thrive.
This was a really interesting read. At its core, it felt like a commentary, touching on human development, greed, and selfishness. There was genuinely an eerie feeling to it, wondering if this was the way we would be seeing our world turn out within the next 50-100 years.
It was a good post apocalyptic book, and I really enjoyed the short story format with the overarching setting. It lent itself to the fact that the world was really complicated, and allowed us to explore multiple layers within the collection of people who were still alive. It was a really creative and effective way to explore the world building - which I absolutely love. Each story connected to the other via the world rather than the characters, keeping me immersed in the non-linear story, never guessing about what was going on, and yet still intrigued by every different POV we got.
The character building was a bit weak, but it's to be expected when you're looking at stories that are maybe 20-30 pages in length. However, it was hard in places to connect with the characters, and left me feeling like a secondary bystander, rooting for no one and not really caring about the outcomes of each story. In a way, I think this was intentional: we didn't need to care about the character or their arc, we needed to understand the world, how they contributed to it, and why they had been integrated into the story in the way they were. Each character felt like a part of the setting to further our understanding, rather than a person with free will.
The book is definitely aimed towards fans of worldbuilding and commentary on human development, rather than those looking for a fulfilling or connected story.
That's not to say this is bad - I really enjoyed it! But it's got a very specific audience, and if you're not it, it might not be the most interesting read for you.
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
The Blacktongue Thief follows the story of Kinch Na Shannack, a trained thief who has found himself on the wrong side of the Taker's Guild. He's attempting to pay back an impossible debt, an endeavour that intertwines his journey with that of Galva dom Braga - an Ispanthian soldier with a war corvid and a cold disposition towards the likes of Kinch. This unlikely duo manage to set aside their differences just long enough to get on the road together, undertaking a chaotic, treacherous, and oftentimes humourous journey.
This was such a fun and unique book. It was unlike any other fantasy book I've ever read while still being just as wonderful.
Coming into this after The Daughter's War gave me a much better grasp on Galva's character, something I honestly really liked - I don't regret the order in which I read the books at all. In fact, I'd even recommend it. The Blacktongue Thief featured a new narrator, which I think was really the only reason that I didn't love the book as much as its prequel: I loved Galva, and truly don't think that any narrator could ever live up to her whether in this book or any others. But, while Kinch wasn't Galva, he was still written by the same person, and the charm was very much there.
He was very cheeky, unserious, filled with poor jokes and a potty mouth, and was much more focused on his view of the situation and the action rather than the facts. I love an unreliable narrator, and Kinch was exactly this. He leaned on his unreliability in some chapters, very openly not telling the reader exactly what happened if it wasn't something he wanted us to know. He weaved a story around the missing parts, always gave us the parts that were the most important, and sometimes gave us parts that weren't. It all read like one of those tales your older brother's friends might tell you, or that you might overhear at a nearby tavern table from a young man who's just returned from his adventures. The author really prioritized the consistent characterization in his writing rather than a beautiful, flowery style, and it's really great to see something unique like that.
Buehlman creates really loveable and diverse characters. Everyone mattered, no matter how short of a time they spent in the book, and the way Kinch connected with everyone felt very natural, never forced. Even the romance, which was awkward and weird at times, was still so sweet and easily anticipated. The characters definitely mattered so much in this story.
That being said, the plot didn't fall flat at all. It was very cleverly written, with an easy-going line to follow, but never a predictable path or a boring trajectory. Their adventure was tense but also fun at the same time, and it never let us forget just how dangerous it really was: The Blacktongue Thief is not against killing or severely injuring its characters just to show us the world and how people within it have had to survive.
Once again, Buehlman's worldbuilding is stunning. It's gritty and dark, and it's not all rainbows and sunshine. There are good parts and bad parts. Here, again, I really think I benefitted from having read The Daughter's War, just to get that background on what was really going on and what the world was recovering from, but I didn't need to. The Blacktongue Thief worked perfectly as a standalone, and explained in just the right amount of detail. For die hard world building fans, the prequel is what kicks it up to the next level.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a great way to continue the Buehlman kick, and a really fun story to sink my teeth into. An easier read, this is probably a great book for just about anybody in the fantasy category. If you're needing something fresh to break up the constant monotony of traditional fantasy, this is the book for you. If you're just getting into fantasy and want to jump into the deep end, this is the book for you.
Fans of Kings of the Wyld, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and The Name of the Wind, this is the book for you. You will love it. There's a reason it's so many people's book of the year and it's rated so highly: Because it's fucking awesome.
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I won’t be your dog, but if you’re half the wolf I think you are, you’ve found a fox to run with.
The Blacktongue Thief follows the story of Kinch Na Shannack, a trained thief who has found himself on the wrong side of the Taker's Guild. He's attempting to pay back an impossible debt, an endeavour that intertwines his journey with that of Galva dom Braga - an Ispanthian soldier with a war corvid and a cold disposition towards the likes of Kinch. This unlikely duo manage to set aside their differences just long enough to get on the road together, undertaking a chaotic, treacherous, and oftentimes humourous journey.
This was such a fun and unique book. It was unlike any other fantasy book I've ever read while still being just as wonderful.
Coming into this after The Daughter's War gave me a much better grasp on Galva's character, something I honestly really liked - I don't regret the order in which I read the books at all. In fact, I'd even recommend it. The Blacktongue Thief featured a new narrator, which I think was really the only reason that I didn't love the book as much as its prequel: I loved Galva, and truly don't think that any narrator could ever live up to her whether in this book or any others. But, while Kinch wasn't Galva, he was still written by the same person, and the charm was very much there.
He was very cheeky, unserious, filled with poor jokes and a potty mouth, and was much more focused on his view of the situation and the action rather than the facts. I love an unreliable narrator, and Kinch was exactly this. He leaned on his unreliability in some chapters, very openly not telling the reader exactly what happened if it wasn't something he wanted us to know. He weaved a story around the missing parts, always gave us the parts that were the most important, and sometimes gave us parts that weren't. It all read like one of those tales your older brother's friends might tell you, or that you might overhear at a nearby tavern table from a young man who's just returned from his adventures. The author really prioritized the consistent characterization in his writing rather than a beautiful, flowery style, and it's really great to see something unique like that.
Buehlman creates really loveable and diverse characters. Everyone mattered, no matter how short of a time they spent in the book, and the way Kinch connected with everyone felt very natural, never forced. Even the romance, which was awkward and weird at times, was still so sweet and easily anticipated. The characters definitely mattered so much in this story.
That being said, the plot didn't fall flat at all. It was very cleverly written, with an easy-going line to follow, but never a predictable path or a boring trajectory. Their adventure was tense but also fun at the same time, and it never let us forget just how dangerous it really was: The Blacktongue Thief is not against killing or severely injuring its characters just to show us the world and how people within it have had to survive.
Once again, Buehlman's worldbuilding is stunning. It's gritty and dark, and it's not all rainbows and sunshine. There are good parts and bad parts. Here, again, I really think I benefitted from having read The Daughter's War, just to get that background on what was really going on and what the world was recovering from, but I didn't need to. The Blacktongue Thief worked perfectly as a standalone, and explained in just the right amount of detail. For die hard world building fans, the prequel is what kicks it up to the next level.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a great way to continue the Buehlman kick, and a really fun story to sink my teeth into. An easier read, this is probably a great book for just about anybody in the fantasy category. If you're needing something fresh to break up the constant monotony of traditional fantasy, this is the book for you. If you're just getting into fantasy and want to jump into the deep end, this is the book for you.
Fans of Kings of the Wyld, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and The Name of the Wind, this is the book for you. You will love it. There's a reason it's so many people's book of the year and it's rated so highly: Because it's fucking awesome.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
4.0
This was a fun filler book, with a certain charm to it of an emotionally grey main character and a contained, stand-alone adventure.
I had heard a lot of praise about this character and series going into it, and I will admit that I think my expectations probably coloured the true appeal of this book.
I'd almost gone into it hoping for something a bit deeper, leaning into the thriller or unsettling side, or at least accompanied by some pretty good worldbuilding and a good character arc. While we did see some development from Murderbot as a character, ultimately, they didn't change or grow enough for their motivations to have truly shone through during the conflict or for us to get a good grasp on them as a character. They were an entertaining MC with some very good moments and an incredible narrator, however!
As an adventure, it was really fun. Murderous rogue SecUnits trying to kill an entire team of scientists is absolutely the type of action I was hoping for in the book. But in such a short book, it wasn't expanded on much. They found the problem, solved the problem, and got out of there. While I had a good time, it didn't exactly captivate me. And I will admit that the ending was disappointing: it felt a bit rushed, and unfulfilling.
Overall, for a short novella, I think it did what it set out to do, which was to provide an entertaining, easy read. And I did really like the book! It was easy to get sucked into, and easy to find yourself laughing and invested in the moments that Murderbot had with all their unlikely human companions. But it's not a series that I personally am itching to continue.
I had heard a lot of praise about this character and series going into it, and I will admit that I think my expectations probably coloured the true appeal of this book.
I'd almost gone into it hoping for something a bit deeper, leaning into the thriller or unsettling side, or at least accompanied by some pretty good worldbuilding and a good character arc. While we did see some development from Murderbot as a character, ultimately, they didn't change or grow enough for their motivations to have truly shone through during the conflict or for us to get a good grasp on them as a character. They were an entertaining MC with some very good moments and an incredible narrator, however!
As an adventure, it was really fun. Murderous rogue SecUnits trying to kill an entire team of scientists is absolutely the type of action I was hoping for in the book. But in such a short book, it wasn't expanded on much. They found the problem, solved the problem, and got out of there. While I had a good time, it didn't exactly captivate me. And I will admit that the ending was disappointing: it felt a bit rushed, and unfulfilling.
Overall, for a short novella, I think it did what it set out to do, which was to provide an entertaining, easy read. And I did really like the book! It was easy to get sucked into, and easy to find yourself laughing and invested in the moments that Murderbot had with all their unlikely human companions. But it's not a series that I personally am itching to continue.