So this is it. The book that earned Rushdie the sentencing of the fatwa, a death sentence that sent him into hiding for years (review of those years tSo this is it. The book that earned Rushdie the sentencing of the fatwa, a death sentence that sent him into hiding for years (review of those years to come as soon as I have read his biography detailing exactly that period). Even publishers and translators of this book from across the world were attacked and, in some cases, killed by religious fanatics. Amazingly, the fatwa is still in effect as can be witnessed by the latest attack on Rushdie that cost him an eye and injured him further.
You might be asking WHY. Well, I read this book in order to find out.
The story is about two men, both Indians, both actors, both Muslims, both expatriates living in England. They both sit on a plane that gets hijacked by Sikh separatists. When the plane explodes, they are both magically transformed - one into the archangel Gabriel and one into the devil. But the novel also tells of racist profiling and police brutality, of mental health issues, of the search for one's identity, and more. It read more like a commentary on British colonialism and immigration than anything.
As almost expected, there is no real faux-pas here. Sure, there is that third and last dream sequence where a fanatic expatriate Imam is a satiric take on Khomeini and we all know that religious fanatics aren't taking satire very well (just ask the people at Charlie Hebdo), but the reaction is definitely way over-the-top. I presume the second reason is that the title and an element of the story tells of the (by now "erased") part of Mohammed's story where he accidentally believes something Satan tells him, thinking it was God's word. Meaning, the prophet isn't infallible and religious people usually don't respond well to that either.
Now, as for the book itself, all I can say is that Rushdie has an amazing writing style. It's dense but never boring, it never feels like a chore to read but like a trip through a wonderful dreamland. The description never read like something I'd enjoy too much but the richness of the prose, the craftmanship, the erudite mythological elements, all combined to form a wonderful tale.
As a last note, I'd like to draw attention to how pleased I am that this book exists in the first place. Given all the fanatics did, how many people died at protests and in attacks, I'm appreciating the ones that dared publish it regardless all the more - it certainly wouldn't happen nowadays (I have no faith in the bravery of journalism or the publishing industry, they just don't make them like that anymore)....more
THE lesson learned from this book? Wear a metal plate in your head if you want your mind to be safe!
Supposedly, this is the least-beloved book by SteTHE lesson learned from this book? Wear a metal plate in your head if you want your mind to be safe!
Supposedly, this is the least-beloved book by Stephen king. He, himself, doesn't speak to favourably about it either - though that might be due to the fact that he wrote it while his drug addiction peaked. I'm told that many elements in here are due to that same drug consumption / amount of drugs having been consumed. To me, it's amazing what a positive effect a drug-induced mental state can have, because I just loved this book.
We are in haven, a small town in Maine (where else). Bobby, a woman my age and writer, has found something on her property and is furiously trying to dig it up. Her friend "Grant" (a nickname), fellow writer (though poetry) and drunk, is visiting her after deciding he better kill himself. But when he arrives, he noticed something VERY wrong with his friend and, in fact, the entire area around the dig site. Eventually, our POV changes to a kaleidoscope of short stories, each portraying certain inhabitants of Haven. All of them nicely illustrate the slow but sure descent into madness, the hell the changes create - and show us people vital to the progression of the story as well as the resolution. All of the above come clashing down in the end, of course. Whether the ending is as you'd have expected or not probably depends on what kind of reader you are. As usual, however, it's not so much the ending as the story along the way that is most important.
I loved this. Really. It's not my favourite SK book, but it is firmly in my top 5, maybe even top 3 (most places are held by 2 books anyway *lol*). It just had this old-time King feel to it. The recipe is simple: mix foreboding, creeping suspicion, casual cruelty turning into fully-blown nastiness and flat-out terror to guarantee a wonderfully atmospheric reading experience. Then gradually stir in truly unpleasant people in the way you mostly only get in small towns. Lastly, liberally sprinkle pop culture references on top. Voilà!
And yes, that is and always has been King's forte. Every element compliments the respective others perfectly. If you're unsure whether the real-life people or the supernatural element is creepier, the writer did everything right.
The reason this book didn't make it higher on my list of favorite King books is that I usually either hate absolutely everyone with one hell of a passion or have one person / animal I'm severely rooting for. Neither really happened here. I liked Ruth a lot and Peter, too, but my feelings for them weren't as deep as I'm used to. Certain events also didn't shock me as much as back when I was witnessing a certain little boy getting his arm ripped off by a "clown". Which is not to say that I wasn't sorry when (view spoiler)[David's / Hilly's grandpa didn't make it (hide spoiler)] or that the fate of people left me cold - the feelings just weren't as deep. With king, we're splitting hairs, but I have to mention it....more
I got this book because I'm a huge mythology fan and the afterlife is featured prominently everywhere, regardless of which mythology we are talking abI got this book because I'm a huge mythology fan and the afterlife is featured prominently everywhere, regardless of which mythology we are talking about. Moreover, I can never resist a good map. :D
It's definitely a book that works a lot with visuals. Thus, there are more illustrations than there is text (or so it felt for me), but I didn't actually mind (having known about that in advance).
So whether we talk about one of the present day religions or mythologies from our ancient past, whether we talk about the western world or any other corner of this planet, people have always been half scared and half fascinated by death. More specifically, humans have always wondered if there is something MORE, something that comes AFTER. In the endeavor to make sense of it all, to find comfort or whatever, we've invented a host of places that are sometimes rewards and sometimes punishments for how we lived our lives, and sometimes just the next step in one's journey.
This book attempts to show all these different forms of "heavens", "hells", "gardens", worlds above or below or beyond. It thus paints some very nice pictures of the different cultural approaches to death when mapping these eerie places from all continents of this planet.
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(All of the above pictures are also links to the bigger versions where you can see the gorgeous details since GR is usually messing with the image quality severely and I hate it.)
How people treat and think of their dead tells you a whole lot about their approach to life - this book nicely emphasizes that, too. Certainly a lighter examination of the subject, but still significant and very nicely "packaged". Definitely perfect as the first step or maybe even a reference on what to look up next....more
Humans have made it into space. The Empire has a Navy operating mighty starships. War is their stock and trade. Everything is pThis was such a treat!
Humans have made it into space. The Empire has a Navy operating mighty starships. War is their stock and trade. Everything is perfect ... until one day, a bumbling baffoon stumbles onto such a mighty ship. Things ... don't go well from there, at least not for the Navy and Empire. The problem? It's always an accident so the delinquent can't really be disciplines (besides, he's a bit thick so he wouldn't get it anyway *lol*). With this unintentional interferance, our clueless MC shows the idiocy and pointlessness of dictatorships as much as many ironies and contradictions about war itself.
A funny take on the incompetence and cruelty of any system, but especially of certain dictatorships, and how they are stunting themselves with it. Moreover, an equally funny take on such incompetent, self-destructive cruel systems waging war - and how futile that subsequently is.
The characters and worldbuilding were both great and I enjoyed the writing tremendously (I love alliterations). Best of all was that the humour really worked for me. I chuckled on every page but burst out laughing almost as often.
P.S.: It only took me this long to finish the book because I only have a print copy and barely had any time to read print....more
OK so. I picked this up after my wingman buddy-reader was going batshit over it. Never heard of the book before, never heard of the author before.
WhaOK so. I picked this up after my wingman buddy-reader was going batshit over it. Never heard of the book before, never heard of the author before.
What can I say about this book? First off: it's crazy. It's very imaginative and combines themes I never thought could be successfully combined.
We have three MCs: Delia, a mathematician. Daniel, a book seller. Oscar, a mobster. Delia discovered a book when she was a child. A book that disappears when it has been read. A book written by Eugene Charles Hartley back in the 1950s, an infamous author who also founded a cult (I am told Eugene is based off several golden age SF writers, but definitely off Hubbard - you know, of Scientology fame). So Delia is obsessed with the book. Oscar, meanwhile, is obsessed with science fiction in general - and suffering from an existential crisis (that tickled me to no end). He wants to get his hands on this mysterious book as well. Daniel, on the other hand, gets drawn into this mess by Delia after her husband has disappeared and she wants Daniel's help. THe interesting thing about Daniel, for me, was that he is face-blind (and yes, I looked up how that works in real life). Another noteworthy thing (amongst many) is that in Eugene's book, a character that could be Delia is searching for her missing father like the real-world Delia is searching for her missing husband. Only in space.
But that is just the characters. The book is also amazingly meta. And it interweaves science with mysticism / religion as well as mental illness of all things! We are thus taken into different eras to different points in humanity's history, following three different threads that don't seem connected at all at first. It was maddening how quickly we also jumped from one to the other and back, never getting much information and certainly no resolution, but always circling closer and closer and closer ... and closer.
For me, the most amazing thing was that even in the end, we still can't be 100% sure of what is real and what isn't here. Was Eugene a conman or maybe even truly touched by something divine? I guess it's up to each reader to make up their own mind.
Beyond that, I hardly have words to describe this story that, while not being very long, was choke-full of incredible details and written in a writing style that swept me along like a strong current while also leaving me semi-disoriented (in a good, fully immersive kinda way)....more
I saw this when it was nominated for a GR Choice Award but never looked into it (I remember the cover though). Then, not lThis book ... [image] [image]
I saw this when it was nominated for a GR Choice Award but never looked into it (I remember the cover though). Then, not long ago, I saw the trailer for the adaptation on Twitter and fell in love with the kick-ass heroine so I tracked down the book as soon as they said it was based on one. Imagine my surprise to find out that I had actually heard of but dismissed it before. Oh well, I've caught up now.
Elizabeth Zott is a young scientist. She's paid a steep price to get to UCLA and it didn't get easier there. It's the end of the 1950s and sexism is not just real but rampant. No matter which topic we're talking about, everything is tinged by it to an infuriating point. Elizabeth will have none of that simply because it's not LOGICAL. That, I think, was what I loved the most about her. She wasn't on a soapbox, it was a simple matter of facts. Always. Through trials and tribulations, Elizabeth is "put in her place" again and again - or so people think. Eventually, though, Elizabeth is not only a single mother but also becomes the host of a hit cooking show and now has the reach that means she could actually change things. Right in time for the 1960s counter-culture movement.
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Why is the above funny? Because it's true. Which also makes it hurt.
Reading about the sexual advances, the implicitness with which men forced all kinds of things on women and knew they'd get away with whatever, the absolutely stupid assumptions about the female of the species, the violence, ... it was all so ugly. No other word for it.
I am very happy to report that despite the earnest examination of sexism and just how bad it has been in times past, the author wrote a nuanced story where not all men are monsters and not all women are allies. Ugliness comes in all shapes and sizes and the gender doesn't come into it. Most stories about feminism have started painting a black-and-white picture where one side is full of saints and the other is pure hell. Utter rubbish, of course, and the author - thankfully - is just as realistic and logical as her main character and so we get a 360-view on humanity and how we treat one another.
How far we've come despite the situation still not being ideal! Too bad the cover (except for the one for the large print) no longer shows the pencil. It was so significant and important after all. I'm very much looking forward to the AppleTV+ adaptation which will be released on October 13.
Such an important albeit fictional story written in a wonderful prose and filled with absolutely brilliant characters (good and bad people) with chaning POVs. All the praise!
P.S.: I quoted some rather long but such poignant passages from this book in two or three of my status updates - go check them out, you won't regret it....more
This is the last book in the series - at least so far. Unfortunately, we did not go out with a bang.
After FINALLY proving her husband, Thomas, isn't dThis is the last book in the series - at least so far. Unfortunately, we did not go out with a bang.
After FINALLY proving her husband, Thomas, isn't dead by finding him in a parallel universe in the previous volume, Alice and he are back in our world - with Alice, who is a nice addition to the family. Their return home is somewhat dampened by some people not appreciating that they have been wrong and Alice has been right. Moreover, certain events (aka the Covenant coming to America with more and more teams and capturing/killing more and more cryptids) prevent a happy party of the entire family. So to NYC Alice, Sally and Thomas go to help Verity, her husband AND BABY OLIVIA. D'aw! Eventually, they actually run into some Covenant members and have to save some dragons/children before the war gets out of hand (yep, I just said that).
Honestly? This book took way to long to get to the good bits. First we didn't get the family reunion, then we get a lukewarm reception from Verity, and then there was ... what was that with Margaret? I mean, sure, she's a hack anyway, a stupid cow that thinks way too highly of herself and needs some sense slapped into her but was that supposed to be a kidnapping?
I didn't feel too much while reading this book, sadly. Barely any tension, barely any apprehension about the family stuff, barely any delight regarding cryptid species or magic.
So yeah, while this was in no way bad, it didn't feel as cozy as the others, it wasn't as hilarious (though the Aeslin mice were brilliant once again), it didn't have as much action (or as good), and generally disappointed a little. Especially IF this is supposed to be the last book - which is in no way sure (and I'm hoping it won't be). Too bad. 3.5 stars generously rounded up because I really love the series overall. ...more
Amazon has started publishing scifi short stories and publishing them in groups - now, we seem to also be getting them for the horror genre. This one Amazon has started publishing scifi short stories and publishing them in groups - now, we seem to also be getting them for the horror genre. This one is by Grady Hendrix and since I‘ve loved all of his books so far, I had to get this, too.
As „opener“ go, this was a really one: two people on a second date, both with tragic family backgrounds, though Marcus‘ is the focus of the story as his father supposedly killed his mother. However, he said the Boogeyman / Ankle Snatcher did it. Now, Marcus has taken his hopefully-future-girlfriend back to his place and we‘ll find out if the nightmare is real and there indeed is something under his bed or not. Bwahahahahahaha!
My only complaint is that the story is so short and that it‘s just one. *lol* OK and maybe a bite more monster action in the second half would have been even nicer. But I guess that is more of a compliment to the writer than actual negative criticism. ;)
So yeah, I‘ll try to get the others and read them as well....more
Hot damn! Is there ANYTHING Uncle Stevie canNOT turn into a horror novel (with or without a supernatural element)?!
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Holly, the now boss of "FindHot damn! Is there ANYTHING Uncle Stevie canNOT turn into a horror novel (with or without a supernatural element)?!
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Holly, the now boss of "Finders Keepers" and successful PI, is hired by the mother of a young woman that has been missing for a while since the police are no help. But it's the middle of the pandemic so things are all a little ... skewed ... and Holly doesn't have her full team to help her either. This is made all the more dangerous when considering who her adversaries are this time. Not gonna spoiler more, but whether or not there is a supernatural element doesn't really matter with Uncle Stevie on the job.
The meticulous modus operandi and veritable depravity were flabbergasting. However, as usual, it was more than the actual adversaries that made me shudder while reading this story: everyone had something to hide and many people were just so ... mean. A very mundane word nevertheless describing perfectly what is wrong with so many people. Prideful stupidity supposed to mask inadequacy but really only highlighting it and just how bad some people are.
As fans know, the most shudder-inducing aspect of any SK story is not the fictitious part but the real-life cruelty humans are capable of. From the casual cruelty of on-the-fly comments to emotional abuse to physical violence. And don't get me started on how sick so many people are (about everything from religion to "race" to nutrition to sexuality or younameit).
Of course, then there is the shock of actual (view spoiler)[cannibalism (hide spoiler)]. That was very nicely done although I was a bit puzzled that we had gotten so much information from the get-go. Believe me, though: it didn't mar my enjoyment at all and it didn't reduce the suspense either. The unease is as much part of the story as punctuation.
A little preventive message to anyone reading this: If you're part of the host of Karens trying to denounce Stephen King for having included comments on Covid and Trump, don't bother spewing your nonsense here. I'm vaxxed, I can personally attest to Covid not being like any other flu, Trump is so inadequate (regarding EVERYTHING) that he deserves nothing BUT ridicule, and I will simply delete your comments and not give you any floor for your tantrums. Also: grow up. Funny how you call others snowflakes when it is you yourself who acts the most like one.
There.
Now back to the book. As you can tell from the disclaimer above, there has been a rabid response to this book. People have down-rated it, maybe even without having read it. I don't know and I don't care. I have read the book and can tell you that it is my second-favorite of the modern ones (the favorite being The Outsider). Now, that doesn't mean too much considering the quality of SK's writing, but it might give you a good idea.
Detailed, suspenseful, highly atmospheric, with fantastic characters and great worldbuilding. ...more
A coincidental find that turned out to be a great hit!
As some of you already know, I'm currently looking for books for kids of all age groups to curatA coincidental find that turned out to be a great hit!
As some of you already know, I'm currently looking for books for kids of all age groups to curate a kid's library for my niece/nephew. While looking, I came across a summer sale of Germany's biggest bookstore chain (as far as I know, they are now the ONLY bookstore chain here even). This was one of the books offered there.
Six different kinds of animals that lay eggs are introduced: blackbirds, emperor penguins, sea turtles, clown fish, crocodiles and butterflies. These animals were chosen in order to show the reader their different habitats and different ways of laying and caring for (or not) their eggs.
The special aspect of this book is that it is a pop-up book! [image] [image]
Six double-pages with nicely intricate pop-up animals and their immediate surroundings. Plus, every double-page / animal has a different pop-up layout.
My only complaint is that there aren't more (animals/habitats/pages). *lol*
Really cute and really informative despite there being so little text (that nevertheless contains a great deal of information). In fact, it's so cute that I will likely keep it for MY library instead of gifting it to my niece/nephew. ;)...more
Back in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion boBack in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion books. This is one of them.
This book tells of the Greek heroes and the monsters they slew or tasks they had to accomplish (which often also included solving riddles). As with the other companion book, this mostly focuses on the heroes we know from the Percy Jackson series. Equally, some details were either left out or severely altered to make the stories more child-friendly. Like I said before, I'm OK with that. We get some of the most well-known stories from Greek mythology, such as the defeat of the kraken as well as the minotaur, the accomplishments of the Amazons, Morpheus' attempt at getting his true love back, Hercules' labours and more.
Accompanying the text are very nice looking smaller and full-page illustrations: [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image]
The artist / illustration style is the same as in the other companion book about the Greek gods, but maybe a little less comical and more serious (perhaps due to the nature of the stories?). I liked both it and the colour palette as it was very varied, just like the stories.
Oh, and this one had a fold-out "cheat-sheet" about the most well-known heroes, too! Bonus!
A very nice companion book that allows a deeper look into the world of Greek mythology that might just spark enough curiosity in the reader(s) to prompt them to check out further books on the subject....more
Back in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion boBack in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion books. This is one of them.
The book introduces the Greek gods and goddesses as they appear in the book series. Naturally, that means some details were either left out or severely altered to make them child-friendly. It also means that this is not containing ALL of the Greek pantheon. But that's OK, I guess. Other than that, the book tells the usual stories, the ones probably best known from this pantheon around the world and most used in books and/or movies. Ergo, we get the Greek creation myth, the Titans, how Olympus was built, and the exploits of the Olympians.
Accompanying the text are smaller and full-page illustrations that look very nice: [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image]
A very nice compendium to accompany the book series and give the readers a deeper look, maybe even spark more curiosity that will lead to further / in-depth reading, which I always welcome....more
Back in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion boBack in the day when I thought I'd absolutely love this series, I invested not only in the illustrated edition of volume 1, but also in 3 companion books. This is one of them.
It's a small (DIN A-5) book with a magnetic clasp that contains character cards, maps and many explanations about Percy, Camp Half-Blood, the campers there, mythological creatures, artifacts, the underworld, important places, and the labyrinth. You can even take a quiz to determine which Greek god or goddess most likely would be your parent.
One definite criticism is that the book spends so much time re-telling Percy's background story (most of book 1 is already about that).
Cool is the style of this as it looks like a kind of smash book or case file, with photographs, "hand-written" notes etc). Honestly, I liked the look of this: [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image]
Definitely a nice addition for readers who enjoy a deeper immersion in the series' world, written in a very accessible (read: funny, light, as if penned by students of Camp Half-Blood) way....more
This review is for Catherynne M. Valente's short story Can You Hear Me Now? only.
This is the story of Honey. Or Emma. Or Margaret (never Maggie).
This review is for Catherynne M. Valente's short story Can You Hear Me Now? only.
This is the story of Honey. Or Emma. Or Margaret (never Maggie). Or Elizabeth. Or a host of other names for a woman that is a mother, a lover, a wife, ... whatever the respective ad needs her to be. She's not an actress. She's the ad. And for 30 seconds (or less), she becomes what she is supposed to show us, the consumers. Which also means she's self-aware, whether by accident or design. So it's time she gave us a reality check if you will.
My (book-)god(s), she's done it again! This woman, I'm telling you, is either magic or a goddess herself.
The writing is poetical, whimsical, and deeply meaningful with A LOT packed between the lines. There is sarcasm and irony, there are metaphors aplenty, there is despair and sooo much RAGE! She's basically raging against the dying of the light. Her views as portrayed in this are insightful and brutal and simply gorgeous Iit's like the beautiful prose is a disguise to get close enough to the reader to deliver the punch).
I'm utterly stunned by the cruel, unapologetic, beautiful honesty of this!
It's finally over. ... Yes, that is a very sad admission.
Kronos is launching his last attack. Typhon is released, Mt. St. Helens erupted, storms are rIt's finally over. ... Yes, that is a very sad admission.
Kronos is launching his last attack. Typhon is released, Mt. St. Helens erupted, storms are ravaging the US and moving towards NYC. The gods and goddesses are trying to at least slow Typhon down while also fighting other (minor) gods that are fighting on Kronos' side - because OF COURSE immortals are so stupid that they occupy themselves with infighting and division instead of eliminating the enemy. *rolls eyes* (Ironically enough, that was the most authentic aspect of this modern take on Greek mythology.) Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Grover and others are struggling to mount a defense of Mount Olympus since it is currently unguarded. Naturally, that also means that Percy and Luke finally face off. Or, rather, Kronos and Percy do.
We get flashbacks about how Annabeth met Thalia and Luke. We get Hades and his wife as well as Demeter (easily the only scene that made me chuckle inwardly). We get the full prophecy.
Otherwise, the same formula that we saw in books 1-4 was repeated here. Which kinda angered me. Once again, Percy is getting riddles from the gods; once again, he is in conflict with other campers (especially a certain daughter of Ares); once again, it's a race to the finish line; once again, Percy and Annabeth are falling for one another but rather bicker than be honest about it; once again, there are different creatures fighting for and against Percy and his friends.
I swear, the entire story could have been told in 2 or 3 books instead of 5. And yes, this concludes the original story arc; the 6th volume published this month will kick off an in-series trilogy about something else.
Honestly, I had such high hopes for this series. I didn't even mind the author glossing over the most brutal aspects of the original mythology to make it all more child-friendly. I simply wanted to have a good time. But the constant repetition of absolutely everything (right down to the carbon copy of details) got on my nerves and I only finished because I held out hope that the grand finale would be riveting. Guess what. Yeah ... I mean, this was Percy's long awaited battle against the Titan(s) but instead of going out with a BANG, it was rather ... meh?
Too bad, really. Even as a kid, I wouldn't have liked this as much as the idea of it. 2.5 stars generously rounded up because I really like the idea of this. It's very interesting that this gained such traction and has become so popular worldwide....more
I wouldn't have read this book, maybe not even found out about it, if it wasn't for a recommendation by Natalie Haynes. As I know now, both Haynes ANDI wouldn't have read this book, maybe not even found out about it, if it wasn't for a recommendation by Natalie Haynes. As I know now, both Haynes AND Hughes are on television, sharing their love for history with all of us - which explains why they are so good at infecting us with their enjoyment and enthusiasm. And why both are great at narrating their own audiobooks. Yep, I once again bought this in print and audio.
The list of wonders of the ancient world has been revised a few times. Back in ancient times and more modern days. The most "agreed-on" list and indeed this book lists
1) the great pyramid at Giza 2) the hanging gardens of Babylon 3) the temple of Artemis at Ephesus 4) the statue of Zeus at Olympia 5) the mausoleum of Halikarnassos 6) the coloss of Rhodes 7) the pharos lighthouse at Alexandria
Through maps as well as pictures of engravings, statues, mosaics and other pieces of art we get to know the regions and cultures in which these seven wonders can be found. This also gives context to how and why they were created and what they must have looked like back in the day. For instance: the area around the great pyramid used to have waterways and was way greener. Amazing, right?
The sheer magnitude of some of these structures, to say nothing of the creativity needed to have the idea, then draw up plans, and turn them into real things, is breathtaking to me. Always has been. People have always worshipped one thing or another, have always appreciated beauty in one form or another, but to consider what we, as a species, were capable of in times when we didn't have electricity or machines ... I cannot put into words how much that has always fascinated and impressed me and also given me hope (if we were capable of it THEN, we should be capable of great things still).
Thankfully, the author, while being at least as fascinated and thrilled about these wonders, was not at a loss for words. She managed to draw wonderfully detailed pictures of the respective country / region / realm / culture for all seven cases and provided us with highly interesting tidbits from geography to history to religion to mythology to politics and gave nice context to the differences between then and now.
A wonderful read that transported me to each site and nicely engaged with me.
I'd like to end this review a little differently, with quoting the last paragraph of the author's acknowledgements: The earth has been kind in giving up its resources to make these Wonders. [...] We are fortunate to meet and mingle with wonder in this world, all power to the wonder-makers of the past and future....more
The first time I saw this book was on Twitter (it will never be anything else for me). One of my favourite authors and history buff - Natalie Haynes -The first time I saw this book was on Twitter (it will never be anything else for me). One of my favourite authors and history buff - Natalie Haynes - was the first to tweet about it since it is all about mythology and the characters we know and love from those old tales (she seems to know Ana Sampson who put this collection together). Then, Chris Riddell, who did the illustrations throughout, showed a few more details from inside the book. Of course I was hooked.
I love both Chris Riddell's illustrations (though I do think they don't go perfectly with every type of story or writing) and history / mythology so this was right up my alley.
We get 10 sections, or chapters if you will, that tell of different aspects from creation to death and everything in between. Within those sections, we get poems telling stories (or variations of the myths we are familiar with) of all kinds of mythologies - I was very pleased to discover that it wasn't just Greek and/or Norse mythology but works on many lesser known ones being represented as well!
For a closer look, the quotes from every section's introduction and some of my favorite poems, see my various status updates. Those will also give you a pretty good idea of the cool black-and-white illustrations that sometimes dominated a page and sometimes simply gently underlined certain aspects.
Really, I loooved how versatile Riddell's illustrations were depending on the poems they accompanied and am always delighted by how detailed his work is, and how "rich" despite the illustrations "only" being black-and-white.
So yes, absolutely loved this although not all poems were to my liking (one even made me stark raving mad) and wholeheartedly recommend the collection - even to those not knowing much or even anything about mythology as there are explanations under most poems (nice feature!)....more
This is a wonderful little book I saw when walking by a souvenir shop that happened to sell a hidden but wild assortment of books.
The author tells of This is a wonderful little book I saw when walking by a souvenir shop that happened to sell a hidden but wild assortment of books.
The author tells of a young girl who feels utterly mediocre and unseen. Until one day when she meets a painter who teachers her to appreciate everything around her and to let her imagination fly - along with showing her how unique and appreciated she is.
A touching and important message that gets nicely emphasized by Elise Hurst's incredible illustrations: [image] [image] [image]
One of those accidental finds that will stay with me and which I'm sure I'll take off the shelf and enjoy again. ...more
Wow! What did I just read?! This book is blowing my mind (in the best of ways).
Humans have always looked for signs of intelligent life. The problem isWow! What did I just read?! This book is blowing my mind (in the best of ways).
Humans have always looked for signs of intelligent life. The problem is that they rarely, if ever, look on our own planet. One day, they can no longer deny the existence of another intelligent species on this planet, however: octopuses. Various signs are collected and examined by a scientist (and others). There is a murder mystery of sorts* as well as highly interesting conversations between the afore-mentioned scientist and an adroid. Because humanity, while being interested in being a creator, could never handle sharing the #1 place with anyone or anything else.
* It was very poignant that the event/thing making octopuses and their evolution impossible to ignore was a dead person. Because of course humans would associate the use of a tool to kill THE sign of intelligence. *sighs* More than that, though, on a meta-level, the author probably also put that in because of the age-old thought experiment of ANY species becoming murderous once crossing a certain threshold in their intelligence.
I loved the quotes from the invented science book at the beginning of every chapter and almost all of them rang so true in their observations of the oceans and their inhabitants.
Moreover, having not only two but three intelligent species (even if one was represented by only one speciman) was highly interesting as it gave another angle on both of the respective others.
A very erudite "what-if" story that nicely showcases humanity's limitations (not just recent ones). The lack of imagination, the refusal to share, the inability to actually communicate (even with one another). As a linguist, I definitely adored the author for putting such an emphasis on communication / linguistics, of course.
There was more, though. Like the examinations of different cultures (that story of Istanbul and the dogs ... *shudders*) or how all other species know of us humans is violence and tragedy. So WHY SHOULD their reaction to us be anything but violent? Also, when will we finally get over the arrogant assumption that we're the only ones, chosen etc.?! Which makes this book also about human hubris and stupidity. *snickers*
Wonderful story, character-driven, gorgeously alivened by a great writing style. One of the highlights on my SF shelf, definitely....more
Well now. This was rather ... meh. Most of the time, we just get to see Rose Red wallow some more in self-pity. And once she finally got her ass out oWell now. This was rather ... meh. Most of the time, we just get to see Rose Red wallow some more in self-pity. And once she finally got her ass out of bed again, her presence was ... only OK. In short: one issue would have been enough for all that.
The only good thing was the fight between Totenkinder and The Dark Man. [image]
No, that is not the ending, I wouldn't spoiler you like that. But I did like the picture overall so here we are.
Also this was the final straw for me and my buddy-reader. We're out. Except for one, all really good characters are gone now and the last one will surely die soon, too. I'm just NOT interested in whether or how the Dark Mann will be vanquished....more
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