icarusabides's reviews
574 reviews

Sidesplitter: How To Be From Two Worlds At Once by Phil Wang

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funny informative medium-paced

3.5

An introspective book about what it means to come from two worlds that is amusing throughout and passes the time well but lacks for real weight and drive. Enjoyable. 
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Toast on Toast: Cautionary Tales and Candid Advice by Steven Toast

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funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain by Sathnam Sanghera

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challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Nanny Ogg's Cookbook by Terry Pratchett, Paul Kidby, Stephen Briggs

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informative lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe by Arvind Ethan David

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lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Quite a fun little short that probably could have done with being a little longer to really sell the set up. It all felt a little too similar to Project Hail Mary at the beginning but an entertaining enough read overall. The audio was performed well but Neil Gaiman is something of a cheat code in that regard and the effects were a little overdone at times unfortunately. 
As Yet Unsent by Tamsyn Muir

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emotional informative mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Really good short story from Tamsyn Muir, one that provides a lot of context for Judith and makes her a far more sympathetic character than she had been in the past. It also fills in some important gaps around Harrow the Ninth and leading into Nona the Ninth which makes it a shame it was initially only included in certain editions since it's pretty essential reading for the series. 
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-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? Yes

4.0

Found Nona, the book and the character, to be charming and lovely throughout but overall enjoyed reading this one less so than both Gideon and Harrow. It feels like a lot of set up for what will come in Alecto and background context for the wider series. The John parts are by far the most interesting things going on in the book apart from perhaps the denouement and as a result the Nona aspects suffer somewhat. 

Still it's a fun change of pace, almost an interlude really, and will likely sit better on re-reads or once it can be viewed in the wider context of the completed work. The characters are all still really strong, Nona is charming, and it was great getting to spend more time with Cam and Palamedes who were sorely missed in Harrow the Ninth. No one else quite has the sheer force of personality or presence on the page to make up for an absence of Gideon, Harrow, or Ianthe during the early parts however and as a result it's a less compelling read. 
The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0