Scan barcode
wart's reviews
1087 reviews
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
3.0
I wanted to love this book. I really, really did. And I can definitely see how great a read this is going to be for trans teens navigating and exploring their gender identity, expression, and how the world around them interacts with them. And that's fantastic and I love that they have this book.
However, I'm not sure the book works as what it's intended to be: a Pride and Prejudice retelling.
My main issue is the way that Oliver internalizes his transness and the way that the narrative interacts with his being trans feels very modern to me. Because the book remains set in the Regency era, this was very jarring for me. I understand the reading demographic may identify strongly with Oliver's feelings, however I feel like the application of a modern trans narrative on a Regency era story is a difficult one that I'm not sure was completely successful here.
Another thing I found frustrating was Oliver's insistence that the only way for him to survive and thrive was to be out and open to everyone and also seeming quite judgmental when his queer friends chose to enter into heterosexual marriages to enable them to continue living as they were while also being safe and provided for. It was hard to think of Oliver as a Regency era character with this mindset, as you would think that he would understand the world he lived in.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book and I know it will speak to young trans people and I'm glad of that, however I think it may have worked better as a more modernized version of the story rather than attempting to remain steeped in the Regency era.
However, I'm not sure the book works as what it's intended to be: a Pride and Prejudice retelling.
My main issue is the way that Oliver internalizes his transness and the way that the narrative interacts with his being trans feels very modern to me. Because the book remains set in the Regency era, this was very jarring for me. I understand the reading demographic may identify strongly with Oliver's feelings, however I feel like the application of a modern trans narrative on a Regency era story is a difficult one that I'm not sure was completely successful here.
Another thing I found frustrating was Oliver's insistence that the only way for him to survive and thrive was to be out and open to everyone and also seeming quite judgmental when his queer friends chose to enter into heterosexual marriages to enable them to continue living as they were while also being safe and provided for. It was hard to think of Oliver as a Regency era character with this mindset, as you would think that he would understand the world he lived in.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book and I know it will speak to young trans people and I'm glad of that, however I think it may have worked better as a more modernized version of the story rather than attempting to remain steeped in the Regency era.
Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality by Helen Joyce
0.0
This book is full of obsfuscation, misrepresentation, and outright lies about trans people and trans rights. It also is completely without proper sourcing and just expects you to accept the presented "facts" (many of which, upon further research, are either misrepresented or complete lies) at face value.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia
The Mars House by Natasha Pulley
What I didn't like: (spoilers ahead)
Overall, I'd say I did like it and I'm glad I read it, but after four straight loves from Pulley (Watchmaker, Bedlam Stacks, Pepperharrow, and Kingdoms), I'm really disappointed.
(Also I don't know if this is just my copy but I was thrown by how many typos there were? Do books not get line edits anymore?)
emotional
mysterious
tense
2.75
I don't think this book was fully cooked yet.
I love Natasha Pulley and was very excited for this latest of hers, but I wound up being pretty disappointed. I didn't hate it - in fact, there are things about it that I really love - but I feel like it wasn't as fully realized as it needed to be.
What I liked:
I love Natasha Pulley and was very excited for this latest of hers, but I wound up being pretty disappointed. I didn't hate it - in fact, there are things about it that I really love - but I feel like it wasn't as fully realized as it needed to be.
What I liked:
- As with every Pulley book, the writing is gorgeous.
- I loved the characters (yes, even January who I frequently wanted to shake).
- The setting was fascinating and I kind of wished there'd been more exploration of Mars & Tharsis and the relationship to Earth.
- Gender becoming basically a non-entity on Mars.
- The mammoths! I wish we'd had more mammoths!!
What I didn't like: (spoilers ahead)
I feel like the Earthstrong/Natural conflict wasn't fully fleshed out, particularly with regards to Gale and January's relationship. It felt like Gale's stance on Naturalization only really existed when the text needed some extra tension between them and January. This was particularly frustrating with the fact that Gale was set up to be the love interest. I don't feel like Consul Song was as developed as the text thought they were. I know some of that has to do with us mainly being in January's point of view, but I still think Song could have used some more consideration.</spoiler The oppression metaphors felt underdeveloped, more like set dressing than something the text actually wants to contend with in a meaningful way. This ties in a bit with my first issue re: Gale and January, but basically I feel like there needed to be some more pre-writing worldbuilding on this front. I think the Aubrey-River thing was underutilized! There are so many ways Aubrey and River's swap could be developed to help with the whole January married a guy who wants him to naturalize thing (ie: he actually does marry Aubrey and River helps him out). I also feel like this was another thing that was underdeveloped. I almost feel like we needed a whole prequel novel that was focused on Mars politics, House Gale, and House Song rather than just the flashback chapters.
Overall, I'd say I did like it and I'm glad I read it, but after four straight loves from Pulley (Watchmaker, Bedlam Stacks, Pepperharrow, and Kingdoms), I'm really disappointed.
(Also I don't know if this is just my copy but I was thrown by how many typos there were? Do books not get line edits anymore?)