A quiet but heart-wrenching novel, in Polish edition (an absolute masterpiece in terms of publishing in my opinion) presenting both versions of the stA quiet but heart-wrenching novel, in Polish edition (an absolute masterpiece in terms of publishing in my opinion) presenting both versions of the story, the one written before 2011 and the one AFTER. And while the first one brings up the interpretation of immigrant themes mostly (together with widely understood 'other'), the other adds the obvious dimension of life after catastrophe. I simply loved how much pain and deep reflection was hidden under simple, on-point prose. A beautiful novelette (?) that will haunt my mind and imagination for long....more
Great literature that poses many important questions, deeply psychological and with philosophical angle. There is not much science in this fiction butGreat literature that poses many important questions, deeply psychological and with philosophical angle. There is not much science in this fiction but it makes no difference – this is the story that made me feel and think a lot. And I cried for the rat. I mean, I have nothing against rat but having you root for one so much should be a recommendation on its own. Seriously, though. “Flowers for Algernon” is not only discussing the situation of the disabled, the idea of knowledge, happiness, purpose, but also give you deep, down-to-earth feelings.
“I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.”
Merged review:
Great literature that poses many important questions, deeply psychological and with philosophical angle. There is not much science in this fiction but it makes no difference – this is the story that made me feel and think a lot. And I cried for the rat. I mean, I have nothing against rat but having you root for one so much should be a recommendation on its own. Seriously, though. “Flowers for Algernon” is not only discussing the situation of the disabled, the idea of knowledge, happiness, purpose, but also give you deep, down-to-earth feelings.
“I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.”...more
I have a bit mixed feelings about Monstress but generally they are positive. I mean, just look at this art! It’s simply beautiful, dynamic, atmospheriI have a bit mixed feelings about Monstress but generally they are positive. I mean, just look at this art! It’s simply beautiful, dynamic, atmospheric and I was simply sighing with admiration. The story is also full of fascinating women, which is always an advantage. It’s so full of themes and rich with East Asian influences (very manga-style worldbuilding info told in a series of cute pictures between chapters) – what is not to love. And yet – it is very brutal and lots of this brutality is pointed at characters who either are children or look like children. It didn’t really happen on screen but we were witnesses to outcome and it made me feel very uneasy. Don’t get me wrong, it is a horror, it’s well-done. It’s just my personal sensitivity issue that I take such things really badly, especially in visual form. Also, I know it was just the first volume (and I will surely read the rest!) but I was confused quite a lot and at times I felt I was left behind by the story. Again, a very subjective impression. If you have nothing against horrors, give it a chance.
Merged review:
I have a bit mixed feelings about Monstress but generally they are positive. I mean, just look at this art! It’s simply beautiful, dynamic, atmospheric and I was simply sighing with admiration. The story is also full of fascinating women, which is always an advantage. It’s so full of themes and rich with East Asian influences (very manga-style worldbuilding info told in a series of cute pictures between chapters) – what is not to love. And yet – it is very brutal and lots of this brutality is pointed at characters who either are children or look like children. It didn’t really happen on screen but we were witnesses to outcome and it made me feel very uneasy. Don’t get me wrong, it is a horror, it’s well-done. It’s just my personal sensitivity issue that I take such things really badly, especially in visual form. Also, I know it was just the first volume (and I will surely read the rest!) but I was confused quite a lot and at times I felt I was left behind by the story. Again, a very subjective impression. If you have nothing against horrors, give it a chance....more
Maybe 2.5 but the ending irritated me enough to give two stars.
I would say that this novel oozes potential and the idea of a crime story mixed with suMaybe 2.5 but the ending irritated me enough to give two stars.
I would say that this novel oozes potential and the idea of a crime story mixed with supernatural elements, not in the creation of the characters or the crime itself but the investigation itself - I find it brilliant. But also very demanding and in my opinion the author didn't fully deliver. The beginning is slow but interesting, the reader has to pay attention not to get lost in the plot filled with a myriad of characters. Then the middle part got me quite invested (although I never, even for once, had the thought that I "have to know the answers", it was always "okay, that's quite interesting") but the ending lost me. It was too much of a villain jumping out of the box with "Now, reader, I will tell you what the story was all about!" Sure, there were some clues hidden here and there but the plot twists were more important than the honesty of the protagonist - in this sense that he is supposedly sharing all his thoughts with the reader, we are in his head and then suddenly we learn in the end that he knew some things or suspected them for some time but we, readers were kept in the dark for the sake of I don't know, surprise?
I don't read many crime novels, I'm not a fan of the genre so my opinion might sound not 'well-informed.' But I would generalise here and in my mind, I divide crime stories into two categories, the 'Sherlock Holmes' ones where the reader is unable to guess the outcome of the investigation and in the end is blinded by the wit and genius of the detective; and the second kind where we can discover the truth with the detective. The first kind bores me to no end and seems fake when the story is told in first person by the detective themselves. The second one can be fascinating and engrossing. "The Seven Deaths..." were the first type for me and I ended reading being bored and a bit frustrated.
But I guess it's typical 'it's not you, book, it's me" case....more
A collection that will not leave any lasting impression on me but it was nice to listen to. These are very classic tales with a bit more dry humour thA collection that will not leave any lasting impression on me but it was nice to listen to. These are very classic tales with a bit more dry humour that is not that typical for such kinds of stories. A nice break between more serious reads....more
I loved this volume dearly. It had enough action, but not too much, and there was still room for characters that I adore at this point.4.5 rounded up.
I loved this volume dearly. It had enough action, but not too much, and there was still room for characters that I adore at this point. The couple I shipped became canon and the relationships are so nicely done. I'm still not sure why on earth Billy's plot had to be twisted to something that boring but here it had some nice feel, maybe because of the flashbacks. I need more of the whole story and dear authors, don't you DARE killing off my babies.
Merged review:
4.5 rounded up.
I loved this volume dearly. It had enough action, but not too much, and there was still room for characters that I adore at this point. The couple I shipped became canon and the relationships are so nicely done. I'm still not sure why on earth Billy's plot had to be twisted to something that boring but here it had some nice feel, maybe because of the flashbacks. I need more of the whole story and dear authors, don't you DARE killing off my babies....more
DNF somewhere around the middle? I don't even remember...
It was okay, it was quite a nice read and then I stopped reading it and didn't feel even the DNF somewhere around the middle? I don't even remember...
It was okay, it was quite a nice read and then I stopped reading it and didn't feel even the slightest need to come back to it for almost a year. Yes, it was a pleasant novel, I can't say it wasn't, I just didn't care, sadly. It didn't strike any chord in me. And although I liked the characters, I guess I didn't like them enough.
I tried two books by Sanderson that my friends told me are good for the absolute Sanderson-beginner and both were so lukewarm and didn't do anything for me so I guess maybe the author is simply not for me....more
No cóż. Na jakimś poziomie rozumiem, czemu ta książka jest tak gremialnie kochana, ale niestety nie będę się zaliczać w poczet wielbicieli. Nie mogę oNo cóż. Na jakimś poziomie rozumiem, czemu ta książka jest tak gremialnie kochana, ale niestety nie będę się zaliczać w poczet wielbicieli. Nie mogę odmówić uroku pomysłowi i wszelkie rodziny z wyboru zawsze dostaną ode mnie dodatkowe serduszko. Dodatkowo mieszkańcy Lichotki jako tacy zyskali moją sympatię. Chwilami było to wszystko sympatyczne. Nie można też odmówić autorce bogactwa językowego, choć to stało się też moim problemem.
Otóż dla mnie to wszystko było „za bardzo”. Za dużo humoru, który musiał zostać wepchnięty w każdą jedną linijkę, w każdą jedną scenę, w każde jedno określenie. Przy każdej jednej postaci. I pewnie, część tego działa, ale ogólnie to nie mój typ humoru. Szybko mnie to zmęczyło i chwilami już się przy tych opisach po prostu wyłączałam. A czasem krzywiłam z zażenowania. Zwłaszcza, że dużo tu humoru polegającego na wyśmiewaniu, który też do mnie nie trafia. O ile przy takim Szczęsnym to jest dość urocze i pasuje do postaci, wszystkie te opisy fizjonomii wszystkich postaci żeńskich w powieści było zwyczajnie męczące, niesympatyczne i czasem nie na poziomie (a jedyna dobra i wspaniała kobieta to ta, która nie mówi, ale może się już czepiam). A to wszystko i tak blednie przy Konradzie, który jest tak wstrętny, nużący, marudny, nieznośny i nijaki, że nawet kiedy chwilami dawałam się porwać całej opowieści, to mnie ten główny bohater sprowadzał na ziemię i wytrącał z nastroju. I dlatego też nie podziałała na mnie ta rodzina z wyboru, bo nie czułam tej rodzinności i ciepła pomiędzy postaciami. A przynajmniej – szkoda, że do Lichotki nie trafił ktoś inny.
Nie wiem, czy będę sięgać po inne książki Kisiel, bo choć doceniam wszystkie mocne punkty powieści (zbioru opowiadań? Wszak ciężko tu mówić o fabule), to jednak te słabe mnie zniechęcają, a są na tyle subiektywne, że to chyba po prostu nie jest autorka dla mnie....more
It is quite a pleasant story and yes, the magic system is interesting and original, sadly it’s the least fascinating for me in the booDNF at about 30%
It is quite a pleasant story and yes, the magic system is interesting and original, sadly it’s the least fascinating for me in the books. The plot is very typical and general and the characters are so very boring that I couldn’t get invested in them. Also, the style was too wordy, those 200 pages I read could be edited into 100 and be much more entertaining. The dialogues were quite wooden. So it wasn’t painful to read but also it was giving me nothing. I’m patient with some kinds of literature and can read till the end even if I have many doubts. But with books that are meant to be “just” entertaining, I expect being entertained and here it simply didn’t work for me. If either Vin or Kelsier charmed me, I’d give it a try longer but they didn’t.
I wanted to like this book and tried because it’s my friends’ favourite but it didn’t hit the target. I will try “Elantris” as my friends lent it to me, too, maybe that one would be more successful. ...more
I’m almost surprised how much in fact I liked Circe. As some of my friends here gave it high notes I hoped to eMaybe 4.5. Maybe 5. I might reconsider.
I’m almost surprised how much in fact I liked Circe. As some of my friends here gave it high notes I hoped to enjoy it but wasn’t prepared for what an emotional ride it will be for me and that I will simply love it.
As many, I was a mythology geek as a child but Circe didn’t really get my attention then. I remember when it happened – we were discussing Odyssey in school, I must have been 10 or 11 and we were supposed to draw a comic featuring the adventures escribed there. I remember how proud I was of my Circe, with cat’s eyes. I started thinking of her but she was never one of my very favourite heroines and heroes, gods or otherwise. When I read that Miller gave a voice to that witch of all the characters in Greek mythology, I was interested as I often am when I hear about new retellings of those myths but not particularly fascinated by the women she chose. Not that I had anything against Circe, I just thought that maybe there were more interesting characters.
But this is not only a wonderful retelling, it’s also a very timeless story about a woman’s life in the world ruled by men and about the struggle to win even a little place for herself, territorially and historically speaking. I was on the verge of tears and cried a lot while reading. It pulled my chords just right and I quickly started to love Circe, flawed, lonely Circe. And all the characters surrounding her, positively and negatively inclined towards our not so reliable narrator. There were so many little things I adored about this book but also the main themes were tackled wonderfully, like Circe’s motherhood. It was very relatable and moving, as well as her different love and not-so-much-love stories. Many times I thought, “Yeah, same” and I remembered those feelings, not being a titan so… Yes, hugely relatable despite being a mythology retelling.
I loved the ending, the hopefulness, the beauty, the promise. Very satisfying, very touching. And the language, a right mix of typical myths and contemporary prose. I can’t wait to read the two remaining books by Miller that are waiting on my shelf. ...more
I knew what to expect when I was starting this story, so may quite low rating is not connected with the idea. Lisa Henry is the author I’ve already meI knew what to expect when I was starting this story, so may quite low rating is not connected with the idea. Lisa Henry is the author I’ve already met (via books, obviously) and bad-wrong themes are in my mind one of her typical writing ideas. Also, she writes in a way that somehow resonate with me and I can wince here and there, but her Dark Space series touched many of my buttons in the right way, which I didn’t expect.
But.
The Last Rebellion starts very well (and very dark and very awful so try it only if you feel like reading something exactly what the description of the book tells you it is), there is a prisoner of a not really described Government. Rho is a member of a Rebellion movement and he was trained to be an interrogator so when he himself becomes a prisoner, despite young age he is difficult to break (and yeah, the ways the guards try to break him are mentioned or described) and so the Government sends one of its best interrogators, Miller, to break Rho. Miller is dispassionate, a professional and has everything set in his mind, so his job doesn’t keep him awake at night. But he is so tired of war. On the other hand, he is a pro and is bound to break his new subject, as he did with all the rest. Thus, a mind game starts between the prisoner and his interrogator and, of course, it can’t end well for anyone. Can it?
(view spoiler)[And that’s my problem – it goes in a direction I find lacking sense and making me feel only sad and depressed, while I think it was supposed to give hope and be a sort of a happy ending? I understand the line of thought, I see the continuity and sense behind the idea but the execution is very flawed in my idea. Too soon, too much. Miller is so detached it only feels that Rho is used once again, will be used till the end and it’s SO SAD. I don’t buy the whole sudden D/s tones (tones! A fully D/s relation all of a sudden, I mean HOW after what happened to Rho!) and the very ending makes little sense. Why is it established what a star Miller is to later making it possible for him to disappear just like that, because ‘it’s war, no one would look for me’ – are you serious? (hide spoiler)]
I believe it was supposed to be a story about giving in and finding peace in it. It’s a story about giving up, though and it’s so damn depressing. ...more
Discworld series is one of my comfort reads and I go through it slowly, with long or longish breaks between the books, knowing there won’t be more. WyDiscworld series is one of my comfort reads and I go through it slowly, with long or longish breaks between the books, knowing there won’t be more. Wyrd Sisters is a novel that has everything I love Pratchett’s prose for – witty language, great memorable scenes and important themes beneath the funny, often absurd plot. Here, the story is about theatre and power, and even monarchy to some extent, and of course it’s a tribute to Shakespeare and Elizabethan theatre as such. It’s amazing how during a story about three eccentric witches and a group of more or less ridiculous characters, here and there Pratchett wrote lines so beautiful that they made me pause for a second.
Also, if I have any problems with Pratchett’s writing, I would say he wasn’t a master of writing action and while I never complain about ideas and scenes as such, the plot action-wise tended to be… well, boring, in some of his books. And to be honest, in majority that I read the whole plotline was something I forgot now, even though I remember many scenes vividly. But in Wyrd Sisters the plot is also fine, funny and engaging, or maybe the themes are very much ‘my’ themes. And I like the stories about the witches from Discworld, that’s for sure. ...more
This is not my favorite KJ Charles’s book, despite the fascinating background of London’s paranormal society and different characters engaged with deaThis is not my favorite KJ Charles’s book, despite the fascinating background of London’s paranormal society and different characters engaged with dealing or fighting with ghosts. Some of the stories were more interesting, some less, but generally it did feel like a part of something bigger only, as if many things took place off screen. And yes, I liked the main characters but I won’t say I got close to them. I liked their romance and how things developed between them, but it never made my heart lose a beat. I liked the stories, but I wasn’t as interested in them as I would be if they were involving characters I care about deeply.
What I liked the most was the ending, I believe that KJ Charles is amazing with how she ends things for her characters, just the perfect proportions of happiness, even when it’s bitter-sweet, openness and mystery. I haven’t read a series or a standalone of hers that wouldn’t be fully satisfying when it reaches the end. ...more
This book turned out to be perfect for me, just the ideal mixture of mythology, fantasy, historical, weird, humour and the melancholy. I like the storThis book turned out to be perfect for me, just the ideal mixture of mythology, fantasy, historical, weird, humour and the melancholy. I like the stories about turns of time, the end of certain age and raise of a new one. There is always sadness in such stories, this sense of losing something and gaining something else, that not necessarily is the better option. Kivirähk knows how to mix this melancholy with scenes that made me laugh out loud. I got so immersed in the story that I felt as if I was living in an Estonian forest ages ago, it touched imagination and pulled the right cord in my heart.
Such stories are often told more like a fairy tale than something more for ‘adult’, I prefer Kivirähk’s way, with its cruelty and maturity but with no unnecessarily shocking or disturbing themes. Yes, there were strange images but they all were depicted as natural for the main character, just a part of his life and the reader could easily treat them as such, too. It was the town’s way of life that was strange and ridiculous, of course.
I love this imaginary, this is something my heart and my soul recognizes, doesn’t matter if it is Baltic, Slavic or even Nordic. And I’m already waiting for the next Kivirähk’s book, that is already translated into Polish and waits for me. ...more
What a lovely short story it was! Happening in the universe of my beloved Magpie Charm series, with a short cameo of well-liked character(s) and, whatWhat a lovely short story it was! Happening in the universe of my beloved Magpie Charm series, with a short cameo of well-liked character(s) and, what is most important, with two new, absolutely charming heroes about whom I want to know much more. I was immediately sucked into the world and Ned and Crispin’s adventure. It was so easy to fall for them on spot, and the whole story, showing the situation in England from a slightly different angle was exciting, too. It’s just a short story but one to put a smile on your face and making you want to read the whole novel about the characters....more
Having finished this series I may tell you one thing for sure: it is so lovely! I has massive fun reading it, couldn’t put the books away and started Having finished this series I may tell you one thing for sure: it is so lovely! I has massive fun reading it, couldn’t put the books away and started caring deeply about the characters. I would say that the characters are the strongest point of the books. They might not be the most original but they happen to be the tropes I like. Therin managed to create a really exciting power balance in the romantic relationship, a very convincing cast of secondary characters and delightful friendship between all the cast. The plot itself was engrossing and in my opinion emotional, even if it had some holes and some of the ideas weren’t very plausible, although the whole story carried out in the trilogy was satisfying. This is not necessarily a series I would recommend to everyone as a must-read but it’s really delightful if you like period supernatural romances with lots of plot.
Also, I’d love to read a new series with all these characters (I’m aware of the spin-off) so it says something about my feelings, right? ...more
It’s a lovely continuation of Spellbound, with heart-warming moments, really sweet romance, and great cast of secondary characters. At some points I wIt’s a lovely continuation of Spellbound, with heart-warming moments, really sweet romance, and great cast of secondary characters. At some points I was a bit “no, isn’t that a bit too much?” but to be honest it was (if at all) too much in the way I like so sue me, I enjoyed it a lot. The way Arthur and Rory got deepened worked for me, too, especially the former, who proved to be so much more than it was shown in the beginning.
I’m not so sure about the plot and especially the ending – it felt underwhelming in a way, especially with Arthur’s past. I thought it would be touched more and wasn’t really dealt with in a satisfying way in the end. Still, it’s a great second installment in the series and I can’t wait to read the third, last part. ...more
„Bajki robotów” to było moje pierwsze spotkanie z Lemem, jeszcze w jakimś podręczniku od polskiego w szkole podstawowej. Opowiadanie „Wielkie bicie” z„Bajki robotów” to było moje pierwsze spotkanie z Lemem, jeszcze w jakimś podręczniku od polskiego w szkole podstawowej. Opowiadanie „Wielkie bicie” zostało oczywiście zarżnięte omawianiem go na lekcji, ale w głowie mi pozostało. A teraz przeczytałam wreszcie cały zbiór. Doceniam bardzo język, całą zabawę słowotwórczą, a także samą koncepcję i wizję, trzeba geniuszu, by coś takiego wymyślić i napisać. Jest to z mojej strony zachwyt całkowicie intelektualny, co nie jest niczym złym, czy gorszym, ale ogólnie bajki spłynęły po mnie jak po gęsi i już ich prawie nie pamiętam. Najbardziej spodobała mi się ta o Automateuszu i jego elektronicznym przyjacielu. Może wrócę do tych bajek za jakiś czas z dziećmi i wtedy nabiorę do nich emocjonalnego stosunku. Ja sama natomiast pozostanę przy tym „doroślejszym” Lemie, myślę, że lepiej się dogadamy....more
I believe I could have different impressions from this book if I read it in a row with previous Vorkosigans’ books. Maybe I would like it less then buI believe I could have different impressions from this book if I read it in a row with previous Vorkosigans’ books. Maybe I would like it less then but after, how much?, two years of a break, I dove into “Diplomatic Immunity” with all my love for this book and its characters. It moved me to tears at time, because of how wonderfully it uses themes and characters from earlier books and also because I’m very emotional about this series. I also laughed aloud. And I couldn’t stop reading, the story sucked me in completely. It also felt like a goodbye not only to General Naismith in a way (the final one) but also to Miles as the main hero. I don’t think I am ready for that. The closer I am to the end of the series, my breaks are longer and longer because I don’t want to finish it. Even though I really, really want to read the last volume. It’s so hard to be a reader sometimes!...more
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