Scan barcode
vigil's reviews
189 reviews
Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
for the most part, this collection didn’t hit as hard as his previous one for me. the poems in this one truly shined the more reflective they were, especially those focusing on the gathering thread of the poems, his mother.
but so much time was spent, in my opinion, meandering that i believe that you could remove the first section and the collection would be stronger for it. my favorite of them all is section 2 where he really began to shine, and returned to the things that made me enjoy his poetry in the first place. the final two sections didn’t quite manage to live up to the second, but it was miles better than that first portion.
my personal standouts here are:
the last dinosaur
but so much time was spent, in my opinion, meandering that i believe that you could remove the first section and the collection would be stronger for it. my favorite of them all is section 2 where he really began to shine, and returned to the things that made me enjoy his poetry in the first place. the final two sections didn’t quite manage to live up to the second, but it was miles better than that first portion.
my personal standouts here are:
the last dinosaur
waterline
rise & shine
dear t
amazon history of a former nail salon worker
nothing
ars poetica as the maker
the punctum
tell me something good
woodworking at the end of the world
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
this novel did so much work in such a short time, i'm not sure where to begin reviewing it. with that said however, if you have any trouble with properly understanding or staying grounded in reality (paranoia, or psychosis for example), and perceived threats to your idea of reality are destabilizing to your person, do not read this book. it delves heavily into time travel, the concept of reality, circular timelines, what makes something real and what doesn't, (then as a follow up, what that means) in ways that can be triggering to anyone sensitive to that.
this could technically be considered a pandemic novel, though i find the description somewhat inaccurate, because it is too limiting. it opens with multiple perspectives across time, ones that are ostensibly disparate, leaving their only thread that ties them together is a shared unexplainable experience. that single moment serves as the jumping off point for themes of death, loneliness, reality, life, and compassion. ESJM expertly weaved this plotlines together in a way that read as natural and effortless. ESJM has a way with words that sacrifices neither poetics nor clarity and emotion. I appreciated her insights and even authorial stand in (in the form of olive) because they always felt precise and free of the contriteness that often occurs with self-inserts.
and on a personal level i adored the settings, and the time she took in showcasing how it would impact the individual character's outlooks, while establishing a strong and immersive atmosphere, especially in the time travel scenes, and chapters set in the moon colonies.
i find it difficult to truly discuss this book without spoilers so i'll close with this: the novel paints a picture that is perhaps more ominous than what truly occurs. i don't know if i could call it a happy ending, (or what that even means) but it is definitely a hopeful one, or at least content. it gives no answers and full closure; i truly cannot imagine the book ending in any other manner.
this could technically be considered a pandemic novel, though i find the description somewhat inaccurate, because it is too limiting. it opens with multiple perspectives across time, ones that are ostensibly disparate, leaving their only thread that ties them together is a shared unexplainable experience. that single moment serves as the jumping off point for themes of death, loneliness, reality, life, and compassion. ESJM expertly weaved this plotlines together in a way that read as natural and effortless. ESJM has a way with words that sacrifices neither poetics nor clarity and emotion. I appreciated her insights and even authorial stand in (in the form of olive) because they always felt precise and free of the contriteness that often occurs with self-inserts.
and on a personal level i adored the settings, and the time she took in showcasing how it would impact the individual character's outlooks, while establishing a strong and immersive atmosphere, especially in the time travel scenes, and chapters set in the moon colonies.
i find it difficult to truly discuss this book without spoilers so i'll close with this: the novel paints a picture that is perhaps more ominous than what truly occurs. i don't know if i could call it a happy ending, (or what that even means) but it is definitely a hopeful one, or at least content. it gives no answers and full closure; i truly cannot imagine the book ending in any other manner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this is technically a reread, as i read the comics before the show came out, and it’s just as enjoyable as before. it does have some moments that i raised my eyebrows at (the equation of witches with black people popped up, my least favorite trope, along with some possible misogyny with madam satan’s character) but i enjoyed myself.
if i listed every trigger warning, we’d be here all day, so you should definitely search those up. mainly it’s gore, body horror, cannibalism, and blood.
if i listed every trigger warning, we’d be here all day, so you should definitely search those up. mainly it’s gore, body horror, cannibalism, and blood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 2 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
goodness… where to start with this one.
to preface, i’m biased, i am familiar with mdzs and i already enjoy the story. and if that were the only thing i was judging this on, it would get five stars.
but it is not. this is a work of translated fiction, and on some level, all translations fail. but this one doesn’t just fail, it disappoints. it is the same issue in the previous volume, clunky, anachronistic wording, awkward segues, info dumps that are technically useful but deeply inelegant and sudden, only to move into something acceptable if not colorless. it doesn’t completely disregard clarity, but loses nuance and proper detail. i think the style of prose that they chose to translate in better fits her other work svsss rather this.
this one i found much sloggier to get through than her other series because it is so terribly medium paced. it starts at a medium speed and neither moves up nor slows down. i’m going to charitably assume this is the fact of splitting these books across multiple volumes, but if it stays this way the entire time, i wouldn’t be shocked.
i’m giving this four stars because when i put my complaints aside, this is an excellent story i really enjoyed. just not enough for a five star.
to preface, i’m biased, i am familiar with mdzs and i already enjoy the story. and if that were the only thing i was judging this on, it would get five stars.
but it is not. this is a work of translated fiction, and on some level, all translations fail. but this one doesn’t just fail, it disappoints. it is the same issue in the previous volume, clunky, anachronistic wording, awkward segues, info dumps that are technically useful but deeply inelegant and sudden, only to move into something acceptable if not colorless. it doesn’t completely disregard clarity, but loses nuance and proper detail. i think the style of prose that they chose to translate in better fits her other work svsss rather this.
this one i found much sloggier to get through than her other series because it is so terribly medium paced. it starts at a medium speed and neither moves up nor slows down. i’m going to charitably assume this is the fact of splitting these books across multiple volumes, but if it stays this way the entire time, i wouldn’t be shocked.
i’m giving this four stars because when i put my complaints aside, this is an excellent story i really enjoyed. just not enough for a five star.
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 2 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i appreciated the pacing in this book much more, especially in where it chose to end, feeling more like a natural cliffhanger ending rather than the previous one, which felt anti-climatic and abrupt. it takes the same satirical tone throughout as the first one, and still continues to play with and subvert popular danmei tropes (while unfortunately falling prey to others, namely some possible misogyny, though the book does mildly critique misogynistic tropes. mildly.)
this entry found it's footing much easier than the other, likely because the novels are one book split up. still, if you enjoyed the first one, and don't mind an unideal romance (and if you don't.... why are you here and how did you get this far lol) you'll definitely enjoy this one.
naturally, due to the horrific working conditions the seven sea's workers were forced to endure, translation issues abound. it doesn't affect the story itself clarity wise, but odd or missing punctuation and jokes that don't land very well aren't unusual. (though that is often due to me being unfamiliar with the cultural references or turns of phrases and it being explained to me after the fact.) hopefully with the official recognition of the seven sea's union, later volumes will be better.
this entry found it's footing much easier than the other, likely because the novels are one book split up. still, if you enjoyed the first one, and don't mind an unideal romance (and if you don't.... why are you here and how did you get this far lol) you'll definitely enjoy this one.
naturally, due to the horrific working conditions the seven sea's workers were forced to endure, translation issues abound. it doesn't affect the story itself clarity wise, but odd or missing punctuation and jokes that don't land very well aren't unusual. (though that is often due to me being unfamiliar with the cultural references or turns of phrases and it being explained to me after the fact.) hopefully with the official recognition of the seven sea's union, later volumes will be better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
i absolutely adored this book. it has a loose and unexplained magical realism style that might be a detriment to some people, but for me it served to further immerse me into the world and character. luli was a character i resonated with personally as a fellow lesbian woc who couldn't be sweet or dainty if i tried, and comfortably related to the idea of being a monster, or really just an other.
i think luli is a character that is to flatten and turn into a shallow “girlboss” caricature, which would be doing her a disservice. we get to know luli's insecurities and fears alongside her wants, and accomplishments in a way that despite the mystical atmosphere, keeps the narrative really grounded. it was very striking and relatable to hear about luli’s fears simultaneous to her bold actions and demeanor. i appreciated the variety in her relationships, and that regardless of their outcome, are always treated with respect by the narrative and had a clear impact on luli herself.
i can't say much about the plot, not due to a lack of one, but because this story is primarily driven by its characters. this was originally three seperate novellas, and i think you can see that somewhat in the division of the story (act one, act two, act three) but it didn't harm the pacing, and kept the thread from the previous portion weaving throughout the next. the prose itself is excellent, managing to be poetic and descriptive without being vague or dragging.
all in all, i can't recommend this one enough.
i think luli is a character that is to flatten and turn into a shallow “girlboss” caricature, which would be doing her a disservice. we get to know luli's insecurities and fears alongside her wants, and accomplishments in a way that despite the mystical atmosphere, keeps the narrative really grounded. it was very striking and relatable to hear about luli’s fears simultaneous to her bold actions and demeanor. i appreciated the variety in her relationships, and that regardless of their outcome, are always treated with respect by the narrative and had a clear impact on luli herself.
i can't say much about the plot, not due to a lack of one, but because this story is primarily driven by its characters. this was originally three seperate novellas, and i think you can see that somewhat in the division of the story (act one, act two, act three) but it didn't harm the pacing, and kept the thread from the previous portion weaving throughout the next. the prose itself is excellent, managing to be poetic and descriptive without being vague or dragging.
all in all, i can't recommend this one enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
translation issues aside (odd wording, awkward sentences, phonetic laughter rather than simply saying a person is laughing, and the constant and jarring pov changes that switch from 3 person limited, to third person omniscient, or to third person limited again, but this time for another character) i enjoyed myself.
it doesn’t take very long to get going, but i did meander a bit with it until the middle portion. i appreciated the way that the flashbacks are done in the the novel rather than the other adaptations, as it gives a better look into wwx’s headspace and his thought process. and it doesn’t shove you into a completely story after setting up the first one. we are nearly as knowledgeable and as confused as he is at any given time, and it make the book more immersive. though wwx is the definition of an “unreliable narrator” so take it with a grain of salt.
the characters are different from the adaptations but far from as unrecognizable as i think is played up. generally if you liked them in the adaptations you’d probably like them in the novel, or at least give them some leeway.
i should reiterate, the translation is very very questionable. it doesn’t sacrifice overall clarity per se, but it certainly makes some choices for the narrative.
it doesn’t take very long to get going, but i did meander a bit with it until the middle portion. i appreciated the way that the flashbacks are done in the the novel rather than the other adaptations, as it gives a better look into wwx’s headspace and his thought process. and it doesn’t shove you into a completely story after setting up the first one. we are nearly as knowledgeable and as confused as he is at any given time, and it make the book more immersive. though wwx is the definition of an “unreliable narrator” so take it with a grain of salt.
the characters are different from the adaptations but far from as unrecognizable as i think is played up. generally if you liked them in the adaptations you’d probably like them in the novel, or at least give them some leeway.
i should reiterate, the translation is very very questionable. it doesn’t sacrifice overall clarity per se, but it certainly makes some choices for the narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this book is more experimental than i’m used too, but the more i read the more it began to work for me.
the portions from the dad’s POV were still written in the abstract style of the rest of the book, but had an easily grasped theme and purpose that it made the delivery easier to understand.
the portions from the boy’s POV is written the same, but because it’s both written abstractly while being tinted with the imagination of young children, it felt jarring with the rest of the book for the first 50 - 60%. as their grief winded down, they played off of the other two POV’s much better. i think their portions are one you have to be patient with, because it comes together in the end.
the crow was complicated. i think more was done with him than what was necessary, and didn’t quite illuminate anything so much as make them more confusing. his monologues contribute to the greater theme of the story obviously, but i think it was really hampered by it’s delivery. the abstractness was the clear intent of the author but unlike for the other two POV’s i think this more harmed than helped for most of it.
the portions from the dad’s POV were still written in the abstract style of the rest of the book, but had an easily grasped theme and purpose that it made the delivery easier to understand.
the portions from the boy’s POV is written the same, but because it’s both written abstractly while being tinted with the imagination of young children, it felt jarring with the rest of the book for the first 50 - 60%. as their grief winded down, they played off of the other two POV’s much better. i think their portions are one you have to be patient with, because it comes together in the end.
the crow was complicated. i think more was done with him than what was necessary, and didn’t quite illuminate anything so much as make them more confusing. his monologues contribute to the greater theme of the story obviously, but i think it was really hampered by it’s delivery. the abstractness was the clear intent of the author but unlike for the other two POV’s i think this more harmed than helped for most of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.5
i don’t think this book will do it for everyone, but it did it for me. it is such a short book that takes a shift in the later half that its hard to describe.
the prose is amazing. full stop. highly descriptive and lyrical but doesn’t sacrifice clarity.
two things i’d note: this is horror erotica, our main character is a closted gay man who’s sexuality is something he must repress in order to work. he is struggling against both externalized homophobia in society and internalized homophobia and guilt within himself. it is, by far the horniest book i have ever read. this book does draw a comparison between vampirism and gayness which is something that you may or may not be fond of.
the second moment, is that the first portion of the book might not be to your tastes, as it is horror twinged erotica. if it is the case that you would prefer more horror elements, i’d say wait it out, its definitely worth it. the atmosphere that has been building from mild restlessness crescendos into outright creepy, then downright terrifying.
i will once again reiterate. it is so so deeply horny. completely unapologetically gay and horny. and if you have problems with rats, stay far away.
the prose is amazing. full stop. highly descriptive and lyrical but doesn’t sacrifice clarity.
two things i’d note: this is horror erotica, our main character is a closted gay man who’s sexuality is something he must repress in order to work. he is struggling against both externalized homophobia in society and internalized homophobia and guilt within himself. it is, by far the horniest book i have ever read. this book does draw a comparison between vampirism and gayness which is something that you may or may not be fond of.
the second moment, is that the first portion of the book might not be to your tastes, as it is horror twinged erotica. if it is the case that you would prefer more horror elements, i’d say wait it out, its definitely worth it. the atmosphere that has been building from mild restlessness crescendos into outright creepy, then downright terrifying.
i will once again reiterate. it is so so deeply horny. completely unapologetically gay and horny. and if you have problems with rats, stay far away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I think this is a book i'll have to buy a physical copy of to return to later, because there is so much being said about how society views women, parenthood, class, and most of it is left up the interpretation of the reader, that i think it can easily fly over the head. that fact especially was one i appreciated about this book. kawakami gives several different points of view (particularly in book two, my favorite, though book one is the most tightly plotted) that contrast each other, taking natsuko and the reader on a rollercoaster together. it is deeply immersive and atmospheric, so that when natsu feels like she's meandering, the reader feels it from the book too, which can be a positive or a detraction for someone. the pacing is very slow, and different between the first and second halves of the book (the breasts portion, was originally a seperate novella) and the change can feel rather abrupt. there is no big climax in this book, it is far too introspective and philosophical for that, instead letting protagonists come to quiet decisions framed very plainly.
this would normally be a five star book, but during book one (the breasts portion), there is a long scene of our protagonist being transphobic towards another woman in the spa. i'm not sure whether or not this had a connection to the overall themes of the book, or was simply just added in, because it's not fully explained by the narrative during or after the event, it just happens and it moves on. i believe i read something about this having translation issues, which could be the cause of this or other things.
this would normally be a five star book, but during book one (the breasts portion), there is a long scene of our protagonist being transphobic towards another woman in the spa. i'm not sure whether or not this had a connection to the overall themes of the book, or was simply just added in, because it's not fully explained by the narrative during or after the event, it just happens and it moves on. i believe i read something about this having translation issues, which could be the cause of this or other things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol