I'm waffling between 2 and 3 stars so I'll round up. I loved the intro and set up, but once it really got going it got boring. The characters are insuI'm waffling between 2 and 3 stars so I'll round up. I loved the intro and set up, but once it really got going it got boring. The characters are insufferable and very very dumb. By the end of the book I was actively yelling at them to stop being so damn stupid. Unsatisfying ending. I wouldn't recommend it....more
I'm surprised at how much I liked this! I'm not into mysteries as a general rule, and as soon as she introduced herself as a Private Investigator I siI'm surprised at how much I liked this! I'm not into mysteries as a general rule, and as soon as she introduced herself as a Private Investigator I sighed heavily. But it was recommended by someone in my classics book club so I soldiered on, and I'm glad I did.
Origin stories are a Thing for me, so I loved the middle half. I think some people will be bored by this and want to get back to the "mystery." I put this in quotes because once the set up is done about 50 pages in, it is abundantly clear what is going on with said "mystery." But I liked getting there anyway. War as a set up can be frustrating if I feel it's not being accurate, but this felt real. I even found myself getting a little weepy at some parts. World War One was such a painful war. The view point of women ten years afterwards, still pining for their lost loves, is not one I have ever experienced before. It was heartbreaking and I love to have my heart broken.
The audiobook narrator was excellent.
I might try book 2, but now we have done the origin story I probably will not enjoy it as much as I assume it's going to be much more mystery....more
If you're looking to revisit your childhood love of Roald Dahl, look no further. A dark children's story with just enough heart.If you're looking to revisit your childhood love of Roald Dahl, look no further. A dark children's story with just enough heart....more
This was super cute! I don't really enjoy the sexy parts of my sexy books, and this was no exception. I had to skip the sex scenes. But I loved the stThis was super cute! I don't really enjoy the sexy parts of my sexy books, and this was no exception. I had to skip the sex scenes. But I loved the story and their relationship was adorable. Would not have thought I would be so emotionally invested in embroidery but here we are....more
This was fine. Very 2000s, a bit racist, a bit sexist. The only women are either the stupid sexy hot redhead or shapeless administrators, evil in a "bThis was fine. Very 2000s, a bit racist, a bit sexist. The only women are either the stupid sexy hot redhead or shapeless administrators, evil in a "banality of evil" kind of way.
My favorite part is that there are demons that lurk at the bottom of the Mandelbrot set. I literally can't look at the Mandelbrot set image thing, I fucking hate it. I just Googled it to see if calling it "the Mandelbrot set" is what you actually call the image, which required looking at the image, and I FUCKING HATE IT! It's THE WORST THING!
Otherwise, it was very "Office Space but with demons," so there was a lot of corporate jargon which was almost funny but didn't quite get there. Also occult Nazis and technopagans. Maybe it was more groundbreaking when it first came out.
The main character man-splained constantly and was an expert in literally everything....more
I liked that they already knew each other, so their love story was pretty believable.
I will always always side-eye a lady who orgasms at the same timeI liked that they already knew each other, so their love story was pretty believable.
I will always always side-eye a lady who orgasms at the same time she loses her virginity. Although the book didn't actually say she was a virgin? But like...how could she not have been? So, penis insertion + maidenhead + orgasm in like 5 minutes. Puh-lease.
I was very sick of the words "sauce" and "list(s)," two words that were repeated every damn paragraph it seemed like.
Also, the main character is a very Type-A, organized kind of lady, which is great, because I like to think I am that way too (jury is out on whether that is true or not). But she spent most of the book harried. I was getting stressed listening to her stressing out about how much she had to do, how she was late, how she had to consult her list, etc etc. It wasn't relaxing, it was stressful! And this is a supposedly relaxing kind of genre....more
This was super cute! +1 star for children that weren't annoying and I actually liked them!
-.5 stars for the love interest. He's a jerk. I guess we werThis was super cute! +1 star for children that weren't annoying and I actually liked them!
-.5 stars for the love interest. He's a jerk. I guess we were supposed to root for them but I was like Go Find Someone Better Who Doesn't Throw Your Trauma In Your Face During a Fight And You Immediately Forgive Him Because He Has Trauma Too. GIRL. C'MON.
Very cozy, with one explicit sex scene, if you're worried about that kind of thing....more
Waffling hard between 2 and 3 but I think I'll go with 2 stars.
It had promise for the first act. There was a long period in my life where languages weWaffling hard between 2 and 3 but I think I'll go with 2 stars.
It had promise for the first act. There was a long period in my life where languages were everything to me, and I collected them like trading cards. I loved the little linguistic asides, the comparisons of words between two languages, how meanings differ. I've always found the theory that the language we know shapes how we see the world so interesting, and I thought this book might be going places with that idea.
Even with the repetition, the milquetoast relationships, the one-dimensional characters, I was ready to be dazzled with some linguistic ingenuity.
It fell off a cliff at the 60% mark. This is the narrative we're going with? Someone should have told her to go back to this point, change that one decision, and rewrite the book. This was the wrong choice. The last 40% all spooled out because of that one thing and it did not work for me. I was glad it was over....more
This was teetering towards one star, but the conversation between the elderly folks towards the end of the book almost made me cry, so it gets an extrThis was teetering towards one star, but the conversation between the elderly folks towards the end of the book almost made me cry, so it gets an extra star.
I have a shelf called, "baby or bust." You do not want to be on the baby or bust shelf if you want to be liked by me. This book is on that shelf ten times over. I need to make more shelves about babies just to put this book on them.
I have another shelf called, "dreaded 66 percent." I'm sure you are not surprised when I say you do not want to end up on that shelf either. Like clockwork, miscommunication happened at exactly 64% of the way through the book (I checked).
Remind me never to winter in Scotland. There was a thread of bleakness throughout that worked well as a winter read, continually cursing at this gray Remind me never to winter in Scotland. There was a thread of bleakness throughout that worked well as a winter read, continually cursing at this gray weather that refuses to turn into spring. I was not expecting the ending and was wondering how exactly everything was going to fit together right up to the end.
I'm not always the most astute reader.
There is not much to take away here. People are murdered, you read out about the years leading up to the murder, the pieces fall into place, the book is over. I didn't find the characters or story particularly memorable, although the very gothic Altnaharra will probably stick with me for a while.
It didn't feel like the book went the distance if you know what I mean. It didn't explore anything quite well enough for it to be meaningful.
Format note: Listened to this on audio, and while I should have technically loved the narrator, her voice was at a certain register that I had a really hard time hearing for some reason. I was constantly changing the volume in an attempt to hear her, then turning it down because it was too loud. This definitely affected my enjoyment and I'm sure I missed many little details just from being unable to parse the sentences....more
Everything I dislike about weird fiction. Another reviewer put it as "all vibes and no plot." If you like Jeff Vandermeer you'll probably like this? IEverything I dislike about weird fiction. Another reviewer put it as "all vibes and no plot." If you like Jeff Vandermeer you'll probably like this? I don't and I didn't.
Much of the story felt inevitable, like I didn't have to read it to know what would happen. If you read a story about vampires you don't need an explanation, you can skip all those parts. Even though I've never read anything like this before, it felt like that. I knew exactly what was going to happen.
This probably doesn't sound like a three-star review, but I did like the writing. I also like the cover....more
I knew nothing about this going into it besides that it was about an aging English butler. I'm not sure what to say. I'm sure everything there is to sI knew nothing about this going into it besides that it was about an aging English butler. I'm not sure what to say. I'm sure everything there is to say has already been said. It was beautiful, subtle, moving. I felt nostalgic for a world I never knew. I think about death and dying a lot. Like...a lot. Maybe everyone does, I don't know. I was raised atheist so I feel like death has always just been the next step in life and not a thing to be afraid of.
Though I reserve the right to change my feelings on the matter as I age.
I'm a little bored of the word "dignity" otherwise I think I might go back to the beginning and read it again right away....more
This was a beautiful book. I didn't always like where the story went, and our main character had quite the ego, but mostly I loved being along for theThis was a beautiful book. I didn't always like where the story went, and our main character had quite the ego, but mostly I loved being along for the ride. The writing left me breathless. The sex might have left me a little breathless too.
I wanted to love the time travel concept in this but I really hated it. I was constantly questioning the mechanics of it and I could not stop. Trust mI wanted to love the time travel concept in this but I really hated it. I was constantly questioning the mechanics of it and I could not stop. Trust me when I say the mechanics do not work. Really cool concept, but I spent most of the book telling myself to stop bothering, just enjoy the book, BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS OTHER THING IT IS ALSO WRONG!!
Which obviously made it difficult for me to enjoy myself.
I did try. It didn't help that all the characters were bland and forgettable, especially our titular character, Harry August. He was completely blank and seemed to have no personality except what the story needed him to do in order to advance.
The story itself was interesting but just repetitive enough that I grew bored by about the 75% mark, when we are supposed to be gearing up for the big finale. I found the ending to be as bland as the rest of the book unfortunately....more
I first read this book in the 7th grade for our medieval curriculum. There were a few parts that stuck with me for whatever reason (children's memorieI first read this book in the 7th grade for our medieval curriculum. There were a few parts that stuck with me for whatever reason (children's memories are very strange) but for the most part I did not remember the story. Upon listening to it again, I wonder how much of my mental image of "medieval Europe" was influenced by/based on this book. It all seemed familiar even while I didn't remember the story and I think it probably had a large effect on me as a kid.
Audiobook narrator was not great. She used very little inflection so everything sounded the same and I found my mind wandered.
**spoiler alert** I find I can't talk about this book without talking about the ending, so please do not read on if you do not wish to be spoiled.
I sp**spoiler alert** I find I can't talk about this book without talking about the ending, so please do not read on if you do not wish to be spoiled.
I spent the entire book on Will's side, pissed off at every single character who wouldn't let him do what he wants. It's called Death with Dignity for a reason. I am 100% on board with assisted suicide if the situation warrants it. It's like pro-choice vs pro-life; there is no middle ground here. You are either okay with abortion or you are not. The discussion about these opinions can get fraught very quickly. This is not the space for that, nor am I the person to suddenly write the critical essay about the subject we've all been waiting for.
My takeaway has always been: don't make decisions for someone else.
With all that said, I suddenly became very uneasy at the ending. I was legitimately surprised the author killed Will. I knew there was a sequel and I thought FOR SURE they were going to figure it out. I immediately had to go Google what disabled activists thought of this book and subsequent movie and the prognosis is Not Good. Yes, I absolutely think people should be allowed to choose their lives, but I am also aware that suicide prevention means convincing the person not to take that into their own hands.
Will was given not one piece of mental health assistance. He got a cute girl who wears wacky outfits to help him out of his depression. He got a vacation to a beach and was told to "just feel better."
It's not even about the wheelchair. It's that the family tried "absolutely everything" to convince him his life was worth living when in fact all they did the 1950s sweep-it-under-the-rug version of "everything." The stigma against therapy and anti-depressants is long gone. Will deserved them. You deserve them. ...more
I couldn't put this one down (turn it off? I listened to the audiobook). It started off rocky - there are 10 characters introduced rapidly and we are I couldn't put this one down (turn it off? I listened to the audiobook). It started off rocky - there are 10 characters introduced rapidly and we are expected to remember names and details about them in short order. Thankfully, the important points were repeated, and by about halfway through every character was clear to me and I had no issues telling them apart.
I first read this in my middle school book club (Baby's first book club *sheds a tear*) run by Mr Ferris. Shout out to Mr Ferris! I loved that book club. That was 25 years ago so I only had the vaguest of memories, but I thought I remembered who the murderer was - I did not! I was very wrong!
The narrator was pretty good, but he had a tendency to talk very quietly for some characters and I had to strain to hear him, or turn him up and then be blasted out when the narration started regularly again.
It's a must read even if you don't normally pick up mysteries. So many famous stories take this as inspiration. ...more
This reminded me of one of my all time favorite books, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, which is a huge compliment! I had always toyed with the ideaThis reminded me of one of my all time favorite books, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, which is a huge compliment! I had always toyed with the idea of getting into publishing. I love books, therefore I would love publishing, yeah? If on a Winter's Night a Traveler convinced me to never, EVER, get into publishing. It's a life path I decided to completely ignore all because of one book.
While not necessarily life changing, Magpie Murders has a similar vibe. It is about the world of publishing. About being trapped as an author, or as an editor, or even as the CEO. It also did a wonderful job putting into words why I hate whodunnits.
All novels are made up of some combo of story, character, setting, and language. Usually, one of those will speak to you more than the others. They're called "Reading Doorways". They were first explained to me as an anecdote for how to be good at recommending books - someone walks up to you in a bookstore and they say they just loved this book that took place in World War Two. So off you go to the historical fiction shelf to find another book set in World War Two. But actually, what they liked so much about the book was the way it was written and the setting had nothing to do with it. You've just packed them off with another WW2 historical fiction that they won't like nearly as much because you asked the wrong questions.
It took me a long time to figure out what my "doorway" was, but I finally figured it out and now it's so obvious in retrospect. I mean, I like all those aspects of books! Characters are great! Plot is very nice! Well-written is important! But worldbuilding/setting, come to find out, is BY FAR the most important part of a story to me. I can hate a series but keep coming back for more, to the confoundment of those around me, because I like the world.
Whodunnits are almost all plot. That cliffhanger at the end of a chapter. That insatiable desire, almost an addiction, to read read read until you reach the end. Plots are nice and all, but it is almost always the case due to the nature of a whodunnit that you will be introduced to a vast swath of characters (suspects, usually) who you will never see in another book. The detective is an inveterate loner who walks benignly around the crime scene and then sits us all down to explain who the killer is.
Even writing that out made me cringe. I hate the big reveal, even though that's obviously what the plot was driving at the whole time. We were treated to two of those scenes in this book because there are two mysteries! GAH!!
As far as murder mysteries go, this one was interesting. But they're just not for me....more
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