Review: The Priory of the Orange Tree

5 stars. WELL THAT WAS A VERY TALL MOUNTAIN. I climbed The Priory of the Orange Tree and survived! Apologies to all the other books rotting away on my Kindle, had to take a little break from my two-books-a-week pace to tackle this. No regrets.

First things first - I enjoyed but did not love The Bone Season, and REALLY disliked its sequel, so I went into this with low expectations. Samantha Shannon seems like a talented, intelligent, delightful person, but I've reacted negatively to her writing style in the past (more on that later). I'm happy to say that her ability has grown and I give this, with no hesitation, a full five stars.

The book is long and there are a lot of characters, but the premise itself is fairly simple: a group of kingdoms (countries?) must prepare for the destructive awakening of an evil dragon. Rules must be cast aside, myths must be dusted off, and enemies must join together (etc. etc.) to ward off this threat and maintain the state of the world.

It sounds kind of cliche, maybe even a little too casual, but I promise it's very engaging. We have dragons, sorcery, secret societies, alchemy, pirates, monsters, and more. It's a good example of complex but accessible worldbuilding - accessibility being my #1 criteria for fantasy. I could actually remember where we left off with characters from three chapters ago, I didn't encounter impossible vocabulary terms, and I didn't have trouble grasping the intricate cultural details. So many authors try to show off their worlds, and Shannon isn't one of them. Mostly.

In fact, I can see this appealing to a huge audience - even those who aren't drawn to fantasy. The feminism is bright neon, and the central love story is queer as queer can be. It's a satisfying girl power book. The characters are easy to root for and the action sequences are really compelling. It isn't juvenile, in my opinion, as some have implied, although it doesn't get very nasty (I would've loved chapters from the POV of a [true] villain). It's similar to a TV show in which characters experience long arcs and slowly congregate towards each other, spiraling around the central threat.

Okay, now that I write this, maybe it is a little juvenile. There are a lot of blatant “lessons” about acceptance, tolerance and friendship (although these days it’s sadly necessary to hit people over the head with stuff). And at times I felt it was maybe even a little TOO simple. Shannon created an old and complex map here, complete with mythology and lore and traditions and religions and everything in-between, but it felt like the window was small, like everything important operated among a small circle of folks. Like I was reading about a place the size of Ohio, instead of the size of the world.

And it's a slow burn, for sure. It's enormous. The prose teeters on the edge of purple for me - something that was really irritating in The Mime Order (if she "crowned her bread with butter" one more time...) but appeared toned down in this book. Still, the descriptions of the food, plus sentences like "Its paths were honeyed by the sun, and the roses that trimmed its lawns held a soft blush" and "Dawn cracked like a heron's egg over Seiiki. Pale light prowled into the room" were jarring for me, and eye-rolly. The sex scenes were flowery to a fault. That might be a personal preference, though.

ALL THAT being said, I can’t give this anything but five stars. I'm probably just nitpicking because I spent SO MUCH TIME with this thing. It's clear that so. much. thought. and care and deliberation went into this book - it's an incredible accomplishment and deserves all the praise. It's a very long, very detailed collection of fairy tales, woven together in a beautiful tapestry. It's an epic adventure that WILL find it's place on the classics shelf. I can't wait to see the inevitable adaptation.

The Priory of the Orange Tree on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: Annihilation (Southern Reach #1)

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. Absolutely brilliant. The instant this started I didn’t want it to end. It’s so beautiful in its simplicity, in the subtle characterizations and casual unfurling of the plot. It really appealed to the part of my brain that craves a scientific way of thinking. It was also super entertaining, like an episode of The X-Files or Black Mirror or something. I loved the distance you feel from the action, which mirrors the narrator’s. I loved the way things started to feel a little … off. Yes, it’s a little slow, maybe, but I really enjoyed it.

Looking at this through a blatantly subjective lens, I think I also really appreciated Annihilation because of the narrator’s personality. At the risk of getting really personal: like this book’s protagonist, I am incredibly, severely introverted. Not only do I actively avoid interaction with others, I often … do not even see the point. I despise small talk especially - I despise any interaction without a specific purpose or direction. It stresses me out, it’s exhausting to act “in the moment” all the time, and I feel better when I can take a methodical approach to things. Like the biologist, I prefer solitude and I prefer to keep personal details to myself (except on rambling Goodreads reviews, apparently). I’m also baffled by anything overly sentimental; there’s a line in this where the narrator states that she hates the word “love.” Same, same.

Seriously. I’m lucky, I have a partner who understands and accommodates my need for independence and “separate time,” but the struggles exhibited by the main character and her husband were … extremely familiar to me.

So, as I said, from a personal perspective, the writing resonated and I was almost grateful to read about someone so like me, no matter how off-putting or unlikeable she is. Because in the end, she wins.

Yes - she learns, she accepts, she adapts. She is confronted with the impossible and almost appreciates it. It’s admirable and refreshing and her cold-blooded nature felt right. I'm not saying we should all be like her, but she is on top of her shit and maybe we could all learn from her.

This book is so creepy and interesting and different; a truly penetrating form of horror. There's a lot to be said about the other messages - the political, the environmental, the scientific, etc. I'll leave those observations to to others. The movie is sure to be very different and I look forward to the interpretation, but I can tell this book is always going to be something intimately special, to me.

Annihilation (Southern Reach #1) on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Goblin Emperor

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

5 stars. In this quietly epic political fantasy, an unprepared half-goblin named Maia inherits the throne as the rightful heir to his father's kingdom. Thrown into a world of political intrigue, Maia struggles to evaluate his court, thwart assassination attempts, and learn who to trust.

So, I really liked this. I liked the writing, the characters, the setting (as envisioned by my imagination, I guess), and the plot. It was refreshing to read from the perspective of a personality that is complex but reliable. By reliable, I mean reliably good. Is Maia perfect? Absolutely not. Does he make mistakes? Frequently. But ultimately, he is a strong, admirable hero who listens to his instincts and does not succumb to temptation or corruption. So many times I open a book and cringe at the actions of the protagonist - which isn't a bad thing, because that technique keeps things interesting and is there anything better than an antihero? - but this book provided the break from epic fantasy darkness that I didn't know I needed.

I truly admire successful world-building, as indicated in my reading interests and habits. Sometimes I get frustrated, though, when authors get too caught up in the building - and essentially neglect the storytelling. Yes, it's impressive that you constructed a society, developed a language, and thought through so many details. You know what's even more impressive? Effectively including those details in a narrative. This book just barely achieved that balance (just barely), and while at times the language and naming system was confusing, the point of the story came across strong.

It didn't rip me apart from the inside. I wasn't beside myself with anxiety for the characters. I wasn't totally moved. But I was absolutely captivated. This little story is CREATIVE, gripping, fun, well-written, and includes tremendously important themes to consider in today's age of social unrest. There's something for everyone and I highly recommend.

The Goblin Emperor on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Golem and the Jinni

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I would go so far as to say that certain aspects of the golem and the jinni's experiences are very relatable. We have all felt like outsiders. We have all felt frustrated with our natural inclinations or limited by our tendencies. We have all felt restless or stuck by societal constraints. We have all, at some point, lived in fear of judgment by others. Why is it so challenging, then, to apply this mutual understanding - this compassion - to people who don't look like us? Who don't talk like us? Who don't share our religious beliefs?

It's a complicated and disheartening question that's easy to pull from this seemingly quiet narrative. Helene Wecker uses the perspective of an outsider - not only a cultural outsider, but a physical one - to whisper insights about our differences and our similarities and especially our rush to judge.

Yes, the message is critical in that sense. But I was struck by the depiction of goodness in this book; the resilience of human nature and the strength of human kindness. For some reason, we are prone to reject those who are different. But some of the characters in this story demonstrate a deep consideration for others despite (because of?) their differences.

Logistically - this book ran a little long for me. It drags in the middle, as many others have pointed out here. It perhaps could have benefited from some narrative editing. But the writing is so simple and elegant it almost feels suited for a slower, luxurious pace. The author develops her characters with tender loving care and dedicates space to illustrate their thoughtful layers.

Along those lines, the author, in my opinion, successfully demonstrates female complexity - especially when it comes to sexuality. We have several characters here that serve as willing, enthusiastic participants in sexual activity. No bewitched, confused victims here. There's ignorance maybe, or a disregard for consequences, but these women experience sexual pleasure and in some cases even initiate it. More of that, please.

I am neither Jewish nor Arabic, so forgive my error if I observe incorrectly here: the author seems to depict these cultures lovingly, carefully, and (unlike her obvious encouragement of tolerance and open-mindedness) without agenda. The customs and beliefs and traditions portrayed aren't labeled as right or wrong - they are simply vehicles for comfort, familiarity and perhaps true magic. I don't know if it is pro-religion, per say, but it certainly isn't anti. It's just part of the story.

I felt this book as a woman, and as an American.

The Golem and the Jinni on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

2019 CHALLENGE: 1 RE-READ PER MONTH 02 / 12

4 stars. THIS BOOK IS SO STRANGE! I fucking loved it as a kid but wow - this book is a really, really bizarre acid trip. In a good way.

I know so much has been said about Lewis Carroll and the possible inspiration for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I can't personally add anything about that, except that I hope it's not true and I hope this classic remains untarnished. Because it's truly a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented and kind of unmatched as far as children's literature goes.

(Also, there’s no evidence that Lewis Carroll did drugs. Just sayin’.)

Now that I'm older and more well-read, this reminded me of a lot of my favorite authors growing up: Roald Dahl, Clive Barker (the Abarat series features an interested sort of Wonderland), CS Lewis, Norton Juster, etc. This really felt like kind of a warm up for books like that, or like it sprouted branches and now we can enjoy it’s fruit. It's charm and wit will probably keep inspiring authors as long as books exist. I also personally love books like Alice (Christina Henry) and other dark renditions. 

But the one thing that really stuck out during my re-read was how much I absolutely love Alice. What a badass, world-hopping, roll-with-it warrior!  

"The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: 'No room! No room!' they cried out when they saw Alice coming. 'There's plenty of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table."

I love her.

“One of the jurors had a pencil that squeaked. This of course, Alice could not stand, and she went round the court and got behind him, and very soon found an opportunity of taking it away."

She's fantastic. Alice couldn’t stand the squeaky pencil, so she took it away.

"Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple. 'I won't!' said Alice." 

I don't understand why Alice isn't more regularly recognized and featured as a young feminist heroine. She's so cool and clever and, of course, curious. 

I was also really into the way Lewis Carroll handled the lack of explanation for events. I'm always intrigued by books that don't give you a chance to question things. I know that some people prefer answers to EVERYTHING, they hate ambiguity. I see the beauty in it. I suspect Carroll was aware that children wouldn't mind, even poking at the concept a bit:

"'What IS the use of repeating all that stuff,' the Mock Turtle interrupted, 'if you don't explain it as you go on? It's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard!'"

Not as confusing as it may seem, ha. It definitely comes across as a book that's "just for fun," but I wouldn't be surprised if there was playful meaning behind every joke, every twist of dialogue, every story and riddle and interjection. That's what makes it so rewarding for children and adults - the magic and the meaning. It's not for everyone, but it's hilarious and weird and an amazing piece of writing and completely worth your time.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Mrs. Caliban

5 stars. This was so great. Short and easy but strange, and very loud, and layered. I'm not even sure where to start, reviewing a book in which a housewife has an affair with a ... frogman ... is there a term that sounds less derogatory? A frog-like creature named Larry. That's slightly better, but no less surreal.

Mrs. Caliban is about an unsatisfied housewife named Dorothy who, while cooking supper for her husband, encounters an amphibian creature recently escaped from a scientific Institute. Instead of recoiling in horror, calling the police, or notifying her husband, she hands him food. 

And they become friends, then lovers. Larry, as the handsome creature is named, is wanted for the murders of his captors, so they must stay hidden, but Dorothy finds herself, perhaps for the first time in her life, enormously fulfilled.

For one thing, Larry disrupts her dull and quietly frustrating marriage to an unfaithful businessman. He shows interest in her, values her knowledge and opinions, even helps out with the housework. He also comes from another world, a world in which everyone is the same, a world that isn't complicated by human tendencies and instincts. He struggles to comprehend the concepts of jealousy, grief and status. More specifically, he offers her a respite from the misogyny that has blanketed her life. When compared with her husband, yeah, Larry's kind of an obvious choice.

More broadly, Larry is like a child, asking "why?" about everything. This technique is successful in the fact that it made me, as a reader, sit back and go, "wait a minute, YEAH! why?" There are some things in human society - habits, social constructs, values - that truly make no sense whatsoever. And things never change. I can’t wait to read it again so I can unpack all the subtle lessons.

I particularly enjoyed the depiction of Dorothy's friendship with Estelle. It felt very natural to me, and funny. It's a funny book, with a few really serious zingers:

“Why do you call him a monster?”
“Well, an eight-foot tall green gorilla with web feet and bug eyes—what would you call him? A well-developed frog? Not exactly an Ivy-league type, anyway.’”
“I’ve met plenty of Ivy-leaguers I’d call monsters.” 

I know there are theories that Larry's not real, and only exists as a figment of Dorothy's imagination. Maybe. I don't really care. The book is casual and matter-of-fact but sharp, sort of like a trippy episode of Mad Men. Dorothy's ability to roll with it, I guess, is refreshing. She doesn't really question herself. I liked that. It's a playful and thought-provoking exploration of being female. A must-read.

And yeah, she has sex with the frogman. I DON’T KNOW, HONESTLY, it wasn’t that weird. WHAT?!

Mrs. Caliban on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Stillhouse Lake

4 stars. My heart is officially racing. 

Stillhouse Lake begins when Gina Royal, housewife and mother of two, discovers that her husband has a secret. A huge, life-altering, sadistic secret. Not a spoiler: he's a prolific serial killer who carries out his crimes in the garage of their family home. When he's finally arrested and stopped, Gina must work to rebuild her life while keeping her family safe from a world that wants revenge. 

She thinks she's finally safe at Stillhouse Lake. It's a small, remote town in Tennessee and she reluctantly settles in knowing her kids could use some stability. And then (typical), a body shows up. Gina has to fight off death threats on a daily basis, now she has to deal with suspicion from the police plus a new copycat murderer. It's a thrilling pageturner with a gut punch of a climax.

Gina is an excellent and well-written character and perhaps the anchor that steadies this twisty turny story. I found her mama bear instincts to be smothering and so annoying but also heartwarming and justified. Caine explores the horrific impact of cyberbullying, internet culture, even dipping her toes into the true crime obsession, adding an interesting and unusual layer of threat for our heroine to deal with. 

Gina also, quite frankly, has no use for men. I really, really, really noticed and loved that. Men are in the story: she meets a few, gets close to one, saves his life, and takes down others as needed, but really, this is her world and the men are just there to fuck up. HA. So just like in real life. I admire Rachel Caine for achieving this so deftly, for taking such a feminist approach.

Gina’s two children, Lanny and Connor, are also well-written. Both have agency and interests and speak in distinct voices. Like their mother, they are traumatized, which I think can be difficult to portray in young people without using cliches. And their presence in the story is nuanced - sometimes they bring humor, or love, or extra fear to the story, sometimes Lanny is a typical irritating teenager and sometimes Connor is naive. They felt like real kids, to me.

Alright, so, this is a thriller, of course there's a twist or two. I happened to predict them early. That's okay. It was still an immensely enjoyable read. I would recommend this for fans of Jane Harper - both craft concise, character-driven thrillers with awesome villains and intense action sequences. And yeah, THAT ENDING. I want more.

Stillhouse Lake on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: Red Sparrow

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

3 stars. In some ways this is a very typical spy novel full of technical tradecraft, desk-thumping, breasts and a whole lot of America fuck yeah!! Pure male fantasy. Also, I don’t trust the author’s portrayal of a Russian woman. Or of Russia, actually. I'm sure Jason Matthews tried to be fair and inclusive, but if I were Russian I think I'd be slightly offended with how cleanly the story came across as good vs evil. Matthews basically spells out for us his theories on Putin and Russia and the political resentment pitting these two countries against each other and ... it's just too simple.

Also, men: a woman should never, ever be blamed for the fact that you are attracted to her. Jesus.

But there is some surprisingly delicate, beautiful writing here - the element of Dominika’s color clairvoyance, for example, was lovely. I liked the recipes! The caricatures of U.S. politicians and bureaucrats felt astoundingly real. Sure, the romance was predictable and boring and melodramatic, but it earns three stars for an engaging, interesting plot and a tight story.

Red Sparrow on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Witches of New York

4 stars. In this charming and fiercely feminist story, three witches unite in 1880 New York: seventeen-year-old Beatrice (a talented young lady looking for magic and a new life in the big city), Eleanor St. Clair (a thirty-something owner of a useful shop called Tea and Sympathy - would like to go there, thanks!), and Adelaide Thom (a courageous young woman living with scars both visible and unseen). All three find companionship, support and magic by leaning on one another to fight traditional expectations, societal constraints and supernatural threats. There’s a surly talking raven, a Civil War vet, a Bird Lady, a Giant Obelisk, a villainous preacher and a couple of colorful ghosts ("Just as a child learns reading, writing, and arithmetic, the dead had to tackle their three Rs as well: revenge, regret, and reconciliation.") plus demons. It’s quite a crowd.

McKay's tone is matter-of-fact and humorous, but there's an undercurrent of anger, causing The Witches of New York to feel light and heavy at the same time. It tries to be fun and deep. The danger never seems real and we completely expect a happy ending, but it tackles such important, weighty subjects: the strength, courage and fortitude of women, the power of friendship, the complicated and wonderfully imperfect nature of being female, the struggle of being female, the struggle to push against the patriarchy when it pushes back twice as hard. It's lovely, really, and sends an important message.

It's not flawless. There are a lot of characters here - fleshed out characters with agency, to McKay's credit - but it almost feels Dickension (not in a good way). It was a little hard for me to keep track of; a little too expansive for its own good. Perhaps McKay was trying to emulate Jonathan Norrell and Mr. Strange? A lot of it just seemed unnecessary. I love stories with layers, but this one had too many. I also question the romantic subplot(s) - ladies, you don’t need a man/significant other to live fulfilling lives!

And there's a very, very, very apparent lack of diversity. This is about female empowerment - as it turns out, white female empowerment. I would've been very interested and very happy to read any included diverse voices, and I think, considering the time and place of this book's setting, they would've added a lot. Overlooking these voices is counter to the aforementioned message. 

Despite these weaknesses, The Witches of New York is strong. It made me smile. It's very well-researched and the details are absolutely charming, which reminded me somewhat of The Alienist (only the tidbits about New York! That book is not for the faint of heart!). I really rooted for our heroines and appreciated such an intense (if not well-rounded) exploration of female identity. I’ve never read Practical Magic, but I’ve seen the movie, and can guess that it has similar vibes. I found myself wanting to bookmark the tea recipes and try the little magic tricks for warding off evil. Ami McKay is an excellent and sophisticated writer and it shows. I wanted something soothing and quiet, and this delivered, with a lot of meaning tucked in its pages. 

The Witches of New York on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: Pines

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

2 stars. Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho to investigate the disappearance of two fellow agents. Upon arrival, Burke is involved in a serious car accident and wakes up in a town where nothing is as it seems. Stranded and confused, Burke begins to unravel the mystery of the town in an adventure that ends in a fight for his life.

Well, this book was exhausting. And not in a good way.

It was sort of like one giant, extended chase scene (that seriously pushed the limits of reality) with a bizarre plot twist at the end.

Don't get me wrong - the plot twist was fascinating, and twisted, and science fiction in the BEST way. It's just that EVERYTHING ELSE - the writing, the characters, the dialogue - was so shoddy it detracted from the impact of the big reveal.

I actually ended up skimming a lot, especially toward the end. And I'm such a weirdo perfectionist that I almost NEVER skim, even if I hate what I'm reading.

I just couldn't take any more of "Ethan's Survival Guide to the Idaho Wilderness." I just couldn't handle another scene in which the superhuman secret agent somehow avoided the town mob armed only with pure adrenaline and insane rock-climbing abilities.

It's such a good concept. But man, is the execution poor.

I really liked the author's afterword, and his obvious admiration of Twin Peaks. In my opinion, though, had he channeled even half the subtle creepiness of David Lynch into the story, he would have been much better off. It was obvious that something was wrong the minute Ethan arrived in Wayward Pines - but that was the problem. It shouldn't have been that obvious, at least not at first. The town shouldn't have fought him so hard so quickly. The clues should've been more subtle, and quiet - and thus would've been so much more unnerving.

Watch the TV show instead. It's a tremendous mystery that makes so much more sense.

Pines on: Amazon | Goodreads