I honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! I've honestly not really connected with any of Hall's recent releases, so I put3.5 rounded down
I honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! I've honestly not really connected with any of Hall's recent releases, so I put off reading this one for ages, but overall I enjoyed reading it.
I think it was helped by the fact that it's historical, which I believe tempered some of Hall's OTT banter that has started to grate a bit. There's still wit galore! But I think the time period constraint really worked in his favor here for me. I also quite appreciated that there was on-screen smut! Which is particularly great in a fic with a trans main character, though it does make me wonder why so many of Hall's other recent novels have been fade to black--I think he writes smut really well, in a way that is important to the characters and enhances the overall stories, and it's something I've missed in most of his newer works.
The characters here throughout are also really great, both the primary and secondary, and the relationships are wonderful. Where it faltered somewhat for me was structure and pacing. I thought the first half or so was really excellent, with some good angstiness and anticipation from the secrets being kept and their inevitable reveal. Which all happens and is essentially resolved by 50% into the book, and I was like... we still have half the book to go!?! After they get through that big moment, everything else just felt so low stakes. It was clear they were going to figure out a way to be together, and indeed, there was essentially no more inner relationship angst, and the plot from that point was all driven by external factors that actually don't even have anything to do with them directly! And it was all fine, but it did make me feel less invested in the story, because nothing that was happening felt at all threatening to their HEA and there was just a complete lack of genuine tension to keep me avidly reading. It was fine, and the ending and epilogue were sweet, but I really think the book would have felt stronger if the entire second half of the book had been seriously reworked....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: BRAZIL === Interesting book focusing on a gang of orphans and runaways in Bahia in the 1930's (when the books was fiAround the World Reading Challenge: BRAZIL === Interesting book focusing on a gang of orphans and runaways in Bahia in the 1930's (when the books was first published). I actually hadn't realized when I was reading that the book had been written so long ago, which I think is a powerful testament to the strength of its themes and the lives captured here. And it somewhat softens my disgust for the misogyny, racism, and romanticizing of rape culture--we actually see the "hero" of the book rape a girl on screen but it's written in a way that really feels like it's trying to excuse the action and it was pretty horrifying. The author also feels the need to clearly identify whether or not a character is black or not every single time they're mentioned, and there were a number of racist and misogynistic tropes throughout the narrative. I thought the writing was solid, and I can appreciate the themes and understand that this was written nearly a hundred years ago, but the racism, misogyny, and misogynoir was a lot to handle....more
Solid update to this trilogy, and it definitely has me looking forward to the final book!
This is a long one and it covers a lot of ground, but I thougSolid update to this trilogy, and it definitely has me looking forward to the final book!
This is a long one and it covers a lot of ground, but I thought the pacing was pretty solid for the most part. Five years have passed since the end of the first book and this one, and while I can understand that necessity to get things to progress to a certain point, I did often find it jarring to have had SO much time pass that we hadn't been privy to, in terms of relationship and political developments etc. I also found myself really disliking a number of characters that I either liked or could at least empathize with in the first book, including several that I don't think I'm *meant* to dislike quite as much as I do. We're also introduced to a new POV in this book, and while again, I can understand why it was necessary to give us that different perspective, I found those sections to be the weakest overall, and I think partly it was supposed to make us empathize a bit with the situation Dara is in, but again, it actually just made me dislike him even more than I did in book 1, which was fairly considerable, TBH. Slightly more explicit queer rep in this one, building off the implications in book 1, but I'm still not totally wild about the way that the author's gone about it.
Still, the world building continues to be really well done and super fascinating and nuanced, and I felt super invested in the characters and the plot. ...more
Beautifully written, lush, evocative, and a spell-binding world that effortlessly blends magic into 1920s New York. Queer POC protagonist, offering a Beautifully written, lush, evocative, and a spell-binding world that effortlessly blends magic into 1920s New York. Queer POC protagonist, offering a retelling of The Great Gatsby, which I wish had been made clearer in the blurb. This definitely felt like a fresh and innovative take, but I'm not personally wild about retellings, particularly when it's been over a decade since I read the original, as I am always filled with the sense that I'm missing things and it bugs me. Though, on the other side of the coin, I also found myself wishing Vo hadn't stuck *so* closely to the original. Though it's been a long time since I read Gatsby, this is a really faithful following of the book, and I think there were places were this would have been stronger if the author had taken further creative license and been a little looser with the inspiration--she already was altering the original, and there were times when the focus seemed to skew more heavily onto Gatsby and his storyline than I wanted. But overall this was beautifully crafted, with some really wonderful twists, and a gorgeous sense of atmosphere. I'm pretty obsessed with Vo's writing......more
I just can't do it... This is actually the last Pulitzer Prize Winner on my list before I will have read (or attPULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 1955 === DNF ~25%
I just can't do it... This is actually the last Pulitzer Prize Winner on my list before I will have read (or attempted to read) them all, and I really wanted to finish it just for that reason, but goddamn that 25% was like pulling teeth. I honestly barely know what has even happened so far, as the writing is so dense and opaque and boring as all hell. I've honestly not been wildly impressed with any of Faulkner's work but this one was said to be quite a departure for him so I was hopeful, but alas, it was not meant to be....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: PORTUGAL === Really interesting book with a pretty unique structure. Set in 18th-century Portugal, it follows the liAround the World Reading Challenge: PORTUGAL === Really interesting book with a pretty unique structure. Set in 18th-century Portugal, it follows the lives of several interconnected people, focusing primarily on Baltasar and Blimunda. The magical realism aspects were fascinating, and I very much enjoyed the blend of historical fiction. Still unsure how I feel about the ending, but overall I thought this was a really intriguing read and I'm glad to have picked it up!...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: JAMAICA === === Putting this one on indefinite hold at about 75%
This is brilliantly written, and while it's a bit worAround the World Reading Challenge: JAMAICA === === Putting this one on indefinite hold at about 75%
This is brilliantly written, and while it's a bit wordier than it probably needs to be, the story is compelling. I don't tend to love books with a lot of different narrators, though I think it works well here. It's quite long, and while I do think it feels very authentic to the people and time period, the homophobia, violence, and misogyny are really difficult to stomach. The racism is no picnic either, but it's not quite as virulent. It's all made for a slow reading experience, but it wasn't until it became clear that (view spoiler)[my favorite character, and the primary gay character, would be dying, that I had to call it quits. This is the second long, well-written book that I've had to stop reading quite a ways into it because the gay character will be getting killed off--I just don't have the stomach for it, and I'm not putting myself in a position to feel awful, no matter how realistic or well-written a book is (hide spoiler)]. Not going to rate since I didn't finish, but I suspect this would have been about 3.5 for me--higher if not for the (again, very authentic) homophobia, violence, and misogyny throughout, which I knew about before reading, but just made it impossible for me to fully love this one.
Still counting it for my Jamaica read, though, since I did get through over 500 pages.......more
Around the World Reading Challenge: SUDAN === 3.5 rounded down
A story of a patriarchal family set in 1950s Sudan, told through various family member andAround the World Reading Challenge: SUDAN === 3.5 rounded down
A story of a patriarchal family set in 1950s Sudan, told through various family member and family-adjacent POVs. Interesting structure and time period, though I found myself wishing there'd been a bit more incorporation of the political turbulence happening at the time. It's mentioned, but not as prominently as I'd hoped. I also found this story to be quite melancholic, and I didn't particularly like most of the characters, even if I felt they were realistically drawn....more
Read this in preparation to finally read KJ Charles's queer take, The Henchmen of Zenda, and thought it was good, pulpy fun! Had the expected issues iRead this in preparation to finally read KJ Charles's queer take, The Henchmen of Zenda, and thought it was good, pulpy fun! Had the expected issues in perspective given the time and genre, but generally enjoyable overall....more
A delightful sequel! I enjoyed seeing more of these characters and this world, though there were definitely still a lot of bits of the magic system thA delightful sequel! I enjoyed seeing more of these characters and this world, though there were definitely still a lot of bits of the magic system that were a little unclear, and I wish the authors had spent a bit more time explaining it. Which is something I've notices in Scott's other books--they tend to leave a lot up to the reader, which I generally appreciate, but sometimes I just want a bit of extra help! I liked getting to see Julian & Ned's relationship deepen, and while I was a little frustrated by the return of the miscommunication trope, it wasn't dragged out *too* long. Interesting case, and an enjoyable read all around! This is one of those series that feels satisfying as it is, but could also easily be added to in the future should the authors be so inclined....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: NORWAY === 3.5 rounded up
Somewhat mixed feelings with this one! On the one hand, I did quite enjoy the story and theAround the World Reading Challenge: NORWAY === 3.5 rounded up
Somewhat mixed feelings with this one! On the one hand, I did quite enjoy the story and the writing. There are some gorgeous descriptions of nature and setting, and the author really does transport you to Medieval Norway. The characters, for the most part, are interesting and compelling, and despite the 1000+ page length of this trilogy, I found myself flying through it--if I hadn't specifically made myself stop at my planned # of pages for the day, I don't doubt I could have finished this much quicker. This book essentially covers Kristin's entire life, and as such, there are times where there are large/sudden time skips, in which we find out about important events that happened during those passed years vaguely in the aftermath--this was sometimes a bit confusing and a little unsatisfying, even if I can understand that clearly the narrative didn't need to be any longer!
My biggest issue, was just that, for all that I'm sure the Medieval Christian morality throughout this book is quite faithful to the time & place, I find that mindset extremely off-putting, especially given current world events. I think I'd have enjoyed this more as a teen, when I was a bit less critical of my books. I found it very difficult to sympathize with Kristin's continuously torturing herself for things I don't view as bad, and even more difficult to swallow the patriarchal misogyny of both the clergy & the men around her, even the "good" ones. I do understand that it's just how things were, but it did prevent me from absolutely loving this one, though I'm glad to have finally read it!...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: ROMANIA === 3.5 rounded down
Set in 1970s Communist Romania, this story is told in a series of chapters that essentiaAround the World Reading Challenge: ROMANIA === 3.5 rounded down
Set in 1970s Communist Romania, this story is told in a series of chapters that essentially function as flash-fiction vignettes. It blends in magical realism, which I love, and though was really interesting here. The story was quite quick and certainly engaging, though I did find it a smidge bleak overall. Glad to have picked this one up, even if it wasn't my absolute favorite....more
I didn't dislike this one quite as much as I anticipated, but I can't exactly say I enjoyed. Far too lonPULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 1990 === 2.5 rounded down
I didn't dislike this one quite as much as I anticipated, but I can't exactly say I enjoyed. Far too long by half--the entire B-side on could have been cut IMO. The portrayal of women and the characters' obsession with sex just came off grimy, like the author has a lot of frustrated fantasies he was desperate to write out. Which was bad enough, but the writing of them was so awkward--I lost count of how many times the brothers referred to their "big thing" and once a man's "penis [is] weeping semen tears" I'm fucking out, man. *shudders* Oh, and then there was the scene when Cesar fondly remembers the time he raped a woman with absolutely nothing in the text to indicate that was all that bad. The time period covered here, the ~golden age~ of mambo in NYC from a Cuban immigrant's POV was definitely interesting, and there were some good aspects, but they were buried beneath hundreds of pages of misogyny and gratuitous (and grossly written) exploitative smut/obsession with women, that it was just off-putting. ...more
Like the other books in this series, this book offers a somewhat broad overview of the intersections of African American and Latinx inte3.5 rounded up
Like the other books in this series, this book offers a somewhat broad overview of the intersections of African American and Latinx interests in the struggle against white supremacist capitalist systems within the Americans. I found this one to be a more dense read than some of the others, and it suffers from similar issues in trying to cover a lot of information in relatively little space, so some events are merely mentioned, some are more detailed, and transitions are a bit abrupt, but that's sort of the gig when trying to give an overview on such a vast subject. Interesting starting point, and lots of topics to explore further in more specific books....more
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2022 === Generally speaking, especially with the wins over the past ~2 decades, I can understand why a book was chosen for the PuPULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2022 === Generally speaking, especially with the wins over the past ~2 decades, I can understand why a book was chosen for the Pulitzer Prize even if I didn't personally connect with or love the content, but this one truly has me scratching my head. Apparently this was supposed to be funny and "fun", which frankly has me concerned for anybody who could read this book and be amused--it was a slog and honestly pretty bleak. Dry, depressing, and I just didn't "get" the very weird blending of fiction and fact. Which I guess is supposed to be viewed as innovative, but I just thought it was kind of weird to just take somebody else's story and decide to tell it yourself but with a bunch of shit made up. Bizarre, and not in a good way....more
This was a delight! Queer historical fantasy + murder mystery! I've read/enjoyed other books by Melissa Scott and this definitely had a similar flare This was a delight! Queer historical fantasy + murder mystery! I've read/enjoyed other books by Melissa Scott and this definitely had a similar flare in terms of writing, though the world building here was quite distinct. I did find myself wanting a bit more, as at times the magical system seemed a little murky, but on the whole quite enjoyable! This had a slightly stronger relationship-focus than her other works I've read, which I liked, though I would have loved even more! I appreciated the way it was incorporated, even if the romantic plotline itself relied overmuch on miscommunication, which isn't my favorite. The mystery plot was interesting, if a little obvious. Overall, this was a lovely read and I'm excited to read the sequel!...more
I was really pleasantly surprised by this one!! Not that I expected to dislike it, but I'd seen some critical reviews that had me a litt4.5 rounded up
I was really pleasantly surprised by this one!! Not that I expected to dislike it, but I'd seen some critical reviews that had me a little unsure, but I actually found myself really captivated. The world building is super fascinating here, and I thought that just about every single character, even the ones that don't appear much on screen, felt really well-rounded and fleshed out and complex. There's a lot of complicated stuff here in regards to politics and discrimination and various nuanced interactions between individual characters and broader groups/communities, and I thought the way the author layered all of that in was really well done. The book is primarily told from two different perspectives, from people arguably on different "sides" but things aren't quite so black and white and I appreciated the way the author managed to capture that complexity. It was a bit of a slow start, but by the halfway point, I really couldn't put it down, and the ending was quite exciting, and I'm really looking forward to the next installment.
I will say, the one character I never liked or enjoyed, particularly because I could tell the author was trying to make him sympathetic, was Dara, one of the main character, Nahiri's, love interest. Desperately hoping he's not endgame, as I felt he was pretty consistently terrible and with his one redeeming quality being that he's apparently super hot... Okay, cool...?
And while I was pleased that there was some subtle queer rep, I *didn't* love that almost immediately after that subtle queer rep becomes more explicitly acknowledged, one of those characters is nearly killed. It seems clear to me that at least one, if not both of those previously minor characters will play a larger role in the rest of the series, and I'm hopeful that it'll become a bit more fleshed out, though a bit nervous about how it'll play out......more
This was a really interesting read! Engaging writing, with a broad overview of different types of con-women across history and the world. I appreciateThis was a really interesting read! Engaging writing, with a broad overview of different types of con-women across history and the world. I appreciated that the author does touch upon the strange fascinating humans have with con artists, and how troubling it is that we're so easily able to dismiss away their crimes that often have far more devastating effects than we want to see....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: CUBA === 3.5 rounded down
This was a really interesting story, set in 1993 Cuba, which is in the middle of an economiAround the World Reading Challenge: CUBA === 3.5 rounded down
This was a really interesting story, set in 1993 Cuba, which is in the middle of an economic collapse due to the fall of the Soviet Union. The format here felt unique, with the main character looking back and telling the story as if she were telling her life story to a friend. There was a lot of really cool stuff here, and I thought the characters were generally interesting, and life in Cuba at this time engagingly portrayed. Unfortunately, I was less engaged with all the romantic/sexual intrigued. Fairly certain this book doesn't pass the Bechdel test, as there are only four real characters on screen and all of them are placed in various forms of rivalry for male attention. Julia, the protagonist, is sleeping/has slept with all three of the main men in this drama, and continues to essentially blindly believe each one of them in turn, sort of mindlessly allowing them to steer the narrative. I found her involvement in their antics and manipulations to be quite frustrating, as it was so clear all these men were dirtbags and I wanted her to GTFO. I did find the ending more or less satisfying, and I'd say I enjoyed this more than not, but it wasn't my favorite....more
Really interesting read! Quite long and dense in some places, though not overly academic. It covers quite a lot of ground, so there's a lot of places Really interesting read! Quite long and dense in some places, though not overly academic. It covers quite a lot of ground, so there's a lot of places that feel quite surface-level, but I thought it was a really well written and different look at the evolution of America. I also thought it did a good job addressing slavery and the racial component, though less comprehensive in terms of misogyny. ...more
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