A modern take on fairytales and the myth of the vampire, The Book Eaters explores the experience of being a woman and a mother in a patriarchal systemA modern take on fairytales and the myth of the vampire, The Book Eaters explores the experience of being a woman and a mother in a patriarchal system all wrapped up with a fantastical and gory bow.
"Our childhood books always end in marriage and children. Women are taught not to envision life beyond those bounds, and men are taught to enforce those bounds. We grow up in a cultivated darkness and do not even realize we are blind."
Our protagonist, Devon, is a modern-day princess dressed in black and leather, not an ingenue nor helpless, despite how she was raised - with a perspective so fixed, so narrow, as to cut off all imagination. To extinguish all hope for a better future.
But Devon was not always a fierce protector, daring and vicious. It was motherhood that transformed her from a damsel in distress into a dragon.
It was love, both the good and the bad, that taught her to fight.
"For here was the thing that no fairy tale would ever admit, but that she understood in that moment: love was not inherently good. Certainly, it could inspire goodness. She didn't argue that. Poets would tell you that love was electricity in your veins that could light a room. That it was a river in your soul to lift you up and carry you away, or a fire inside the heart to keep you warm. Yet electricity could also fry, rivers could drown, and fires could burn; love could be destructive. Punishingly, fatally destructive."
I found this novel to be a fascinating exploration of the ways in which the stories we feed to our children shape their worldview, not only when they are young but well into adulthood. The ways in which the limited perspectives we cultivate for them can cause their minds to be fixed, a limiting of their imagination that cannot necessarily be undone in adulthood.
I also, despite my childlessness, loved the focus on a mother as a protagonist, for whom motherhood was a central tenet of her life and purpose, without feeling as though the character's individuality was erased by her role as "mother". Devon reminded me, in some ways, of one of my favourite fantasy characters of all time, Essun from N.K. Jemisin's The Broken Earth trilogy.
There is a lot to unpack with this story, including commentary on ableism and the experience of neurodivergence, and while I inhaled it (like a book eater), I can feel that this is a story I will want to revisit and savour more slowly. To allow the flavours to sit and marinate on my tongue.
Representation: Protagonist is a lesbian, secondary character is asexual
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, drugging, sexual assault, sex and human trafficking, misogyny, childbirth, forcible seperation of mother and child, physical and emotional abuse (of adults and children), blood, gore, death
This one wasn’t for me. It felt more like a series of 2 minute motivational speeches or TED Talks loosely threaded together on a barely there plot thaThis one wasn’t for me. It felt more like a series of 2 minute motivational speeches or TED Talks loosely threaded together on a barely there plot than a continuation of a fantastical series that excels in imaginative world building and diverse character development. And for some reason McGuire decided it would be fun to have our resident horse girl, Regan, announce with her whole chest that she loves eating cows despite knowing they’re sentient (and that they write poetry) because she gets energy from protein? As if protein doesn’t exist in plant foods?? As if we don’t all know that by now, in the 2020s???? I truly can’t believe this pointedly false rhetoric is still being repeated at this point. I haven’t eaten meat in a decade and I am *reasonably* certain that I am, in fact, still alive and kicking.
*shakes my head as I grumble about people still not understanding basic nutrition and food science while spouting their misinformed opinions all over the place*
ANYWAYS.
I didn’t love the real-world setting in this one, nor the half-baked and largely unresolved mystery of the evil headmaster. I enjoyed Cora and Sumi much more as characters than in past instalments, but they truly had *so* little to do here.
I hope the next book takes place in another world, because I miss the creativity and magic!
"Because those who are good question themselves. Because those who are good always wonder if there was a better way, a way that could have helped more"Because those who are good question themselves. Because those who are good always wonder if there was a better way, a way that could have helped more and hurt less."
Kaikeyi is a profoundly feminist retelling of the Hindu legend of Ramayana, turning the focus onto the protagonist's mother. Starting with a slow introduction to some of the major players and the world, this story quickly picked up both in pace and intrigue, drawing me in completely.
This is such an immersive tale of motherhood, womanhood, and trying to do the right thing in impossible circumstances. It's tragic yet beautiful, and our protagonist is so deeply real - both fascinating and frustrating as she navigates her life making assumptions and mistakes, as we all do.
I loved the asexual representation here and the vast growth we witness in Kaikeyi over the years. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
Trigger/Content Warnings: death, war, violent, misogyny, domestic abuse, loss of parents
“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”
Axie Oh's 'The Girl Who Fell Benea“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”
Axie Oh's 'The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea' is a gripping young adult fantasy novel that will sweep you out with the waves and return you to shore utterly changed.
While I don't think this is a perfect book (I will never not cringe at the trope of an all-powerful ageless man falling in love with a teenage girl who is alone and vulnerable), it was an enjoyable read that made me sob a few more times than I'm proud to admit.
With themes of family, duty, sacrifice, resilience, and coming into one's own, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a heartwarming read with an ancient fairytale quality, while still managing to feel fresh and new.
The narration of the audiobook was lovely and only added to my enjoyment of this story.
With intricate world-building, palpable atmosphere, vivid prose, and several standout characters, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to teens and adults alike!
“Stories are both an escape from the truths of the world and the only way to see them clearly.”
Trigger/Content Warnings: blood, grief, death of a parent, death of an infant, murder, war, natural disasters
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC for review!
I am sad to say that this highly anticipated read was a big disappointment for me. Not only did Daughter of the Moon Goddess not live up to the basic I am sad to say that this highly anticipated read was a big disappointment for me. Not only did Daughter of the Moon Goddess not live up to the basic expectation that the moon goddess herself, Chang'e, would be present in the story, but it reads like VERY young YA with a melodramatic writing style that dragged on until the final quarter.
I typically enjoy purple prose, but the formality of the dialogue, coupled with the immaturity of the characters, left me feeling cold.
This felt like a book I would have enjoyed at around ten or eleven, which is fine, but not what I was looking for going into it.
Trigger/Content Warnings:violence, blood, war, kidnapping, death
This memoir is profoundly eye-opening, a window into the experiences of (especially) women in Iran in the 80s and onward as they faced a rapidly changThis memoir is profoundly eye-opening, a window into the experiences of (especially) women in Iran in the 80s and onward as they faced a rapidly changing society due to shifting political and religious movements and extremism. Expectations, freedoms, and opportunities drastically revised and restricted essentially overnight as Iranian citizens faced overwhelming upheaval and suffering and tried, often in vain, to rebel.
While I enjoyed the historical context this memoir gave me for this period of time in Iran, I found myself struggling to connect with Marjane herself. A few moments, in particular, stand out as examples of her selfishness and disregard for the suffering of others which I found immensely offputting. Unfortunately, this disconnect made the reading experience less than ideal.
Trigger/Content Warnings: rape, murder, torture, death, forced imprisonment, war, misogyny, violence, religious extremism, attempted suicide
Included in my reading around the world vlog HERE.
This book wasn't my cup of tea. I usually enjoy Nnedi Okorafor's writing, but in this case, I struggled to connect with our very young protagonist andThis book wasn't my cup of tea. I usually enjoy Nnedi Okorafor's writing, but in this case, I struggled to connect with our very young protagonist and her friends, none of whom seemed to have discernable character development over the course of the novel. The pacing was also deeply uneven, with a very *very* slow build-up to a rushed climax and conclusion.
I won't be continuing on in the series.
Trigger/Content Warnings: misogyny, violence, death, child abuse, child murder, bullying, colourism/ableism (aimed at the MC, who has albinism)
A slow start builds to a poignant finish - a young, naive princess finally taking her fate into her own hands, a minor character in Greek mythology taA slow start builds to a poignant finish - a young, naive princess finally taking her fate into her own hands, a minor character in Greek mythology taking centre stage in her own story at last.
While I enjoyed this book on the whole, the storytelling is not as powerful or memorable as others I've read recently (like Circe by Madeline Miller). Though we follow Ariadne's life from childhood to her death, through betrayals, heartbreak, loss, and sacrifice, I never felt I truly understood her. She was very passive and bland for most of her story, only seeming to gain true agency at the 11th hour. The characterization across the board fell flat for me, and while the plot kept me interested (as someone unfamiliar with Ariadne's story), it wasn't enough to make me care.
Despite these flaws, the ending was beautifully handled - making me mourn for what we could have had from the start, as the author was clearly capable of writing Ariadne as a fully fleshed-out woman with a personality.
"If grief can be a doorway to love, then let us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again." Page 359
Braid"If grief can be a doorway to love, then let us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again." Page 359
Braiding Sweetgrass is such a remarkable book. It's a passionate and thoughtful takedown of consumerist capitalism and reductionist science and as well as a vision of a better future informed by indigenous wisdom and a holistic approach to ecosystems and the environment.
"The arrogance of English is that the only way to be intimate, to be worthy of respect and moral concern, is to be a human." Pg 57
I learned so much from Kimmerer's extensive wisdom and adored how the book was structured, focusing on one type or group of plants per chapter, sharing detailed and complex ideas interwoven with vivid stories of human beings and their relationships with flora and fauna.
Not only was my mind stimulated (I highlighted and tabbed liberally while taking copious notes), but my heart was engaged, as well. I laughed, and I cried. I felt rage, despair, and even hope. I felt galvanized to initiate further changes in my life and to better support systemic change where I can.
"Ignorance makes it too easy to jump to conclusions about what we don't understand." Page 356
This book is a must-read - and many, if enough people do, we could change the world.
"The land is the real teacher. All we need as students is mindfulness. Paying attention is a form of reciprocity with the living world, receiving the gifts with open eyes and open heart." Pg 222
Trigger/Content Warnings: residential schools, suicide attempt, divorce, death, fatphobia, ableism, genocide, depiction of death and gore, animal cruelty, animal death
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a semi-autobiographical novel told in the form of a letter, a lyrically written and often poetic bridge between a yOn Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a semi-autobiographical novel told in the form of a letter, a lyrically written and often poetic bridge between a young man and his mother, who will never be able to read the words her son so desperately needs her to understand.
Vuong's work touches upon many themes from family history and trauma to the interactions between race, class, and privilege, to masculinity and sexuality, to war, addiction, and more. This is a deeply layered work exploring the reality of being a first-generation immigrant to America born from war in Vietnam.
A love story couched in trauma.
A coming of age story and a coming out.
While at times the purple prose can feel overdone, for the most part, I absolutely adored Vuong's writing style. His use of imagery and metaphor add depth to an already rich tapestry of a narrative, and his wordsmithery was a pleasure to experience.
I was drawn into Little Dog's story immediately, held in a death grip until the final page.
“You once told me that the human eye is god's loneliest creation. How so much of the world passes through the pupil and still it holds nothing. The eye, alone in its socket, doesn't even know there's another one, just like it, an inch away, just as hungry, as empty.”
I was deeply moved by this novel and am looking forward to reading Vuong's poetry.
Content/trigger warnings: child abuse, homophobia, PTSD, generational trauma, war, mental illness, racism, bullying, parentification, animal cruelty and death, abortion, drug abuse, overdose, cancer, domestic abuse
"Come, then, City That Never Sleeps. Let me show you what lurks in the empty spaces where nightmares dare not tread."
N.K. Jemisin has done it again, a"Come, then, City That Never Sleeps. Let me show you what lurks in the empty spaces where nightmares dare not tread."
N.K. Jemisin has done it again, and I don't know why I'm surprised. She's a whole goddamn legend, and every book she writes jumps to the top of my favourites list.
The City We Became is a bizarre urban fantasy that is better enjoyed without knowing too many details going in. We have a diverse cast of flawed and infinitely layered characters; we have a terrifying monster; we have social commentary that hits you right in the gut, then twists, and prose that picks you up and carries you away with its tide.
"Chris once told her that she had a gentle soul wrapped in razor wire, but the sharp edges are not her fault. The world trained her to violence, to ferocity, because it hates so much of what she is. This isn't the first time Bronca has been surrounded on all sides by those who would invade her, shrink her borders, infect her most quintessential self and leave only sanitized, deadened debris in their wake. It's not even the first time she's had the power to fight back."
Jemisin is so adept at getting to the root of things, picking up the rock to reveal the true bald-faced evil beneath and letting us stare at it in discomfort for a while, really internalizing the message before she uses that same rock to smash it into the dust. And she does it with a humour and camaraderie that makes her books incredibly enjoyable to read, despite their heavy subject matter.
"Nothing human beings do is set in stone--and even stone changes, anyway. We can change, too, anything about ourselves that we want to. We just have to want to. People who say change is impossible are usually pretty happy with things just as they are."
If you haven't read Jemisin's work yet, what are you doing? This book is a great place to start!
(Also, there are two, count 'em, TWO, Star Trek references in this here book. I am a very happy Trekkie on this day!)
Trigger/Content Warnings: racism and racial slurs, sexism, classism, gentrification, colonization, xenophobia, white feminism, alt-right groups, hate crime, homelessness, violence, homophobia, (attempted) sexual assault, police brutality, abortion, toxic relationship, ableism
"In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn."
Parable of the Sower is a dystopian pre-apocalyptic science-fiction novel written in t"In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn."
Parable of the Sower is a dystopian pre-apocalyptic science-fiction novel written in the 1990s by the ever-prescient Octavia E. Butler, set in a drought-ridden and essentially lawless California where violence, poverty, and drug addiction run rampant.
The kicker? The book begins in 2024.
As Gloria Steinem says in her introduction, "If there's one thing scarier than a dystopian novel about the future, it's one written in the past that has already begun to come true." and she couldn't be more right. I spent much of the novel with a pit in my stomach, thinking about how easily this vision of the future could become a reality while simultaneously feeling deep gratitude that it hasn't quite arrived on Butler's timeline. This book focuses on our protagonist, Lauren, a teenage girl living with her family in a walled community, hiding a dangerous secret, resisting her father's religion and searching for her own answers. Slowly, over the course of years and through the novel, Lauren assembles her own seedling of a religion, Earthseed, based on the central truth of the universe as she sees it: "God is change."
Through a series of disturbing and heartbreaking events leading to a fraught pilgrimage to Earthseed's only hope of a holy land and sprinklings of passages from Lauren's 'Earthseed: The Book of the Living,' Butler presents a vision of a different type of faith, a different understanding of a God and their relationship to humans and the Earth, and the harrowing vision of the future she saw on the horizon living through the late 20th century and events such as the LA riots. This book doesn't shy away from looking the real threats to life on Earth as we know it in the face, diving headfirst into topics such as climate change, human apathy and cruelty, wealth disparity, food and water insecurity, drug addiction, unequal access to education, privatization of natural resources and land, misogyny, racism, and slavery, among others.
Parable of the Sower is not an enjoyable read. It's prophetic, visceral, painful, raw, and deeply confronting. But that's also why it's worth your time.
"Like her, I believe in something that I think my dying, denying, backward-looking people need."
We are not as far away from this future as we'd like to think, and a commitment to apathy and ignorance can only lead to our destruction.
I hope we are able to take this novel's grim warning to heart because, like Lauren, "I intend to survive."
Trigger/Content Warnings: death, decapitation, rape (adults and children), violence, drug abuse, arson, poverty, suicide, incest, grooming, children giving birth, animal cruelty and death, gun violence, child labour, misogyny, physical abuse of a child, slavery, cannibalism
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