Where the Crawdads Sing – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Delia Owens
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication year: 2018
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Child neglect, child abuse, domestic abuse, alcoholism, racism, attempted rape, animal death and murder.

Synopsis

Referred to as “Marsh Girl”, Kya is known in her small community for being wild, weird and mysterious. The suspicion surrounding her grows when she becomes the main suspect in a grisly murder of a local resident.

What I liked

• Environmental setting
• Writing style
• The focus on nature

What I disliked

• Rushed and underwhelming ending
• Plot conveniences
• Lack of character development
• The main character being a Mary Sue
• The lack of critical engagement with some of the heavier themes of the book (e.g. child abuse and neglect)

Plot and Structure

The story follows the main character Kya from childhood into adulthood, peeling back the layers of her complicated family history and way of life as an adult. Whilst the plot is a murder mystery, the book is a unique and odd mish-mash of genres and themes. It explores difficult themes such as child abuse and neglect, social isolation and prejudice but also heavily features nature/the biological sciences and romance. First and foremost, this book is about Kya’s experience in the world as an outsider and how her early life experiences shape who she becomes as an adult.

Structurally, it is split into two main timelines; one following Kya’s childhood and upbringing and the second the murder case in the present. However, it does jump across the timeline of Kya’s life throughout. The first half is more focused on Kya’s childhood and upbringing whilst the second half switches its focus to the murder case. Sometimes, it felt like the story didn’t quite flow in parts because of this choppiness. One moment it was following police officers involved in the case and the next it was back to Kya as a girl in the cabin in the marsh.

The plot was fairly predictable and the murder mystery wasn’t much of a mystery. Anybody that has read books with a similar structure will know how the story will end. Unfortunately, the ending did feel rushed and the conclusion to the murder mystery was underwhelming. In fact, I think that this entire plot could’ve been removed and the book would’ve been better for it. The murder sub-plot felt like an unnecessary addition to the story and there wasn’t enough time to really dig into the significance of that for the characters.

I was captured by the setting and tone of the book and it was exactly what I needed at the time I read it. I found it easy to sink into Kya’s odd world but couldn’t ignore its flaws, particularly around certain elements of the plot development that were far-fetched. Despite being set in our world, the story didn’t feel plausible or grounded in reality. However, it had certain things that I personally vibe with in books, so the lack of plausibility with the plot didn’t hinder my enjoyment of reading it too much.

Writing Style

Although the writing style wasn’t amazing, it was immersive. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on setting and imagery. I’m a huge nature lover so the descriptions of the marsh, ocean, beach and surrounding settings were captivating and made me feel very grounded in the setting. The focus on setting also made it very atmospheric and created a gothic undertone to the story which I enjoyed.

However, I did find some of the use of metaphor to be poor. I also disliked the way that a regional Southern dialect was used inconsistently and promoted racism and classism. Racism and classism had a place in the story with it being set in the Deep South in the 1960s, but the author didn’t critically engage with this within the text and it felt very lazy to me.

Most of what she knew, she’d learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would.

Characters and Relationships

Kya is a complicated character to analyse. I think many readers would describe her as a complex character, but she felt like a Mary Sue to me. She suffered immensely and endured awful abuse and neglect, yet turned out to be a very talented, intelligent, self-sufficient and compassionate adult. She had issues that plagued her as a result of what she endured but they were glossed over for the most part. As a character, Kya was defined by her trauma and passion for nature. Overall for such a character driven story, there wasn’t much character there to drive anything.

There were two main romantic relationships in the book. Both had some likeable aspects to them but one relationship stood out to me. Kya’s relationship with one of her partner’s was well developed and probably one of the highlights of the book for me. Their genuine connection, his acceptance for Kya and the way he embraced her world whilst also trying to ground her in the real world was nice to read. The romance definitely took up a significant portion of the book, more than I expected, and at times it overshadowed other aspects of the story. One of the relationships, in particular, felt forced and like a plot convenience more so than anything else.

Concluding thoughts

Where the Crawdads Sing is a captivating read due to the atmospheric, environmental setting and isolated nature of the main character Kya and the marsh setting. The writing style is immersive and touches on complex themes around trauma, neglect and abuse. However, the book is let-down by a lack of depth or critical engagement with these themes. They’re dangled to shock readers but nothing meaningful is done with them and the character development suffers as a consequence. Whilst the simple structure and plot allows for an enjoyable and easy reading experience, the plot is predictable and the ending rushed, leaving some significant aspects of the plot and character development unfinished. Despite this, the book succeeds in providing a digestible and entertaining story that takes familiar structure, plot and characters from multiple genres and executes them well.

I’d recommend Where the Crawdads Sing if:

You’re looking for an entertaining character focused story that features heavy descriptions of nature and incorporates elements from multiple genres including historical fiction, romance, murder mystery, family drama, literary fiction and more…

Have you read Where the Crawdads Sing or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

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The Tenant of Wildfell Hall & Agnes Grey – Snapshot Book Reviews

Snapshot reviews are short book reviews of around 200-250 words.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Anne Brontë
Genre: Classic/Romance/Gothic
Publication year: 1848
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Infidelity, alcoholism and domestic abuse.

Review

Heralded as one of the first feminist novels, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall follows the tale of single mother Helen Graham, the newest tenant at Wildfell Hall. Upon her arrival in at Wildfell Hall, local resident Graham Markham observes the stir that Helen’s presence has caused in the community and is determined to defend her from vicious rumours and uncover her truth. 

It’s written in an epistolary format with a combination of letters from Graham to a friend and Helen’s diary. The story is long, slow-paced and heavily thematic, exploring themes such as marriage, domestic abuse, female oppression, alcoholism, religion and motherhood. 

Anne Brontë’s writing style is beautiful and honest. She provides a raw examination of what it was to be a woman in 19th century England trapped in a toxic and abusive marriage with limited autonomy or resources. All of this is set against the backdrop of an immersive gothic setting and mood that permeates the story and fantastic characterisation. 

Helen is a complex female character that is equal parts likeable and unlikeable, deeply relatable and undeniably the strongest Brontë heroine I’ve read so far. 

Overall, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is more than deserving of its acclaim. Thematically, it explores things that are as relevant today as they were two centuries ago. Whilst the pacing is slow, the story told is worth it and for the time in which it was written the power of this book cannot be understated.

I’d recommend The Tenant of Wildfell if:

You’re a fan of the Brontë sisters’ work and are looking for a slow-paced, thematic feminist story with a complex female character.

Agnes Grey

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Author: Anne Brontë
Genre: Classic/Romance
Publication year: 1847
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Animal abuse/cruelty, death of a parent and abuse.

Review

Agnes Grey follows Lucy, a young woman who seeks employment as a governess to financially support her family. It’s Anne’s first novel and an autobiographical story based on her personal experiences as a governess. 

It’s a short, predictable story with a clean and simple writing style. Plot-wise there’s not much going on; it’s mainly focused on the challenges Lucy faces as a governess with the children she cares for and their families. It explores the poor treatment of governesses and issues such as classism and poverty. 

One of the issues I had with this book is how moralising it is. Although TTOWH also did this in parts, it was so transparent here because there was little else going on. Lucy spends most of the story passing judgement on others and placing herself on a moral high-ground, preaching to others what they should be and how they should behave. 

Unlike Helen who is a flawed and complex heroine, Lucy is a trademark “good girl” with little substance or depth. She’s pure and good of heart and there is no character development for her throughout the book. She can probably be best described as tepid.

Despite these criticisms, it’s a worthwhile read, particularly for Brontë fans. The promise of Anne’s writing can be seen here and the building blocks for what would become The Tenant of Wildfell Hall are apparent. However, Agnes Grey has the unfortunate fate of living in the shadow of the masterpiece that is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

I’d recommend Agnes Grey if:

You’re a devout fan of the Brontë’s and are curious to see the early days of Anne’s development as a writer and gain a glimpse into her personal struggles.

Have you read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or Agnes Grey? If so, what did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

Convenience Store Woman – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Sayaka Murata
Genre: Literary Fiction/Contemporary
Publication year: 2016
Audience: 12+
Content warnings: Ableism, misogyny, sexism, abusive coded relationship, violence (minor reference).

Synopsis

This story follows Keiko Furukura a 36-year-old woman who has been working in the same convenience store for the last 18 years.

What I liked

• Dry humour
• Writing style
• Social commentary on conformity
• Themes (e.g. self vs idealised self)
• Depiction of neurodivergence

What I disliked

• The misogyny
• The minor character who is said misogynist

Plot and Structure

The story follows Keiko and is an in-depth character study of her, showing the ways in which she does(n’t) fit in with the rest of society. This is explored through wider thematic discussion and social commentary around conformity, social pressure versus individual fulfilment, gender roles and being neurodiverse in a neurotypical world.

Structurally, it opens with early memories from Keiko’s childhood before jumping to the present day. From there it unfolds chronologically, driven forward by Keiko’s character and the decisions she’s making in her life. Plot-wise there’s not much going on since it follows Keiko’s daily life which is very ordinary and uneventful. And that’s really the point of this story – it’s an examination of the mundane everyday life of ordinary people, what that looks like and how it feels to live like that.

I deeply connected to the themes explored in this book of the pressures to conform and be what everyone else expects and wants you to be, and how that creates an internal battle between our idealised self and our true self. I also related to the pressure to conform to gender roles and the pressure as a woman to marry and have children, regardless of whether or not that’s what you actually want. Generally, the social commentary and thematic threads were what really shone for me in this book.

I definitely think this book is like marmite; you’ll either like what Murata is doing here or you won’t. I fall into the former camp but completely understand why people might fall into the latter. It’s a very weird and unique book and whilst the weirdness worked for me, it won’t necessarily work for everyone.

Writing Style

I loved the writing style, it was so full of personality and wit. Murata’s voice as an author really came through for me. Her descriptive style also immersed me into Keiko’s world. I loved how she took something so mundane – a convenience store – and breathed so much life into it, making the store a character itself within the story. It’s rare to find an author that can describe the boring everyday life things that we all do (e.g. commute to work, interact with colleagues, eat dinner etc.) and do so in a way that isn’t boring. I put a lot of this down to the humour that runs throughout.

The humour is blunt and dry. It’s underpinned by Keiko laying out the the harsh, cruel realities of life and being unapologetic about the fact that she thinks it’s nonsense. Keiko’s perspective as a neurodivergent person was particularly refreshing since it’s so rare to find in a main character and this added another layer to the writing style because Keiko’s voice and perspective felt so unique.

I wished I was back in the convenience store where I was valued as a working member of staff and things weren’t as complicated as this. Once we donned our uniforms, we were all equals regardless of gender, age, or nationality— all simply store workers.

Characters and Relationships

As the main character, Keiko gets all of the focus and is the most well-written. Whilst there are other characters around Keiko, their place within the story is dependent upon their significance to Keiko, therefore none of them are fully realised. For the most part, the minor characters were okay. They were run of the mill and served their purpose. But unfortunately, one of the characters did massively detract from my overall enjoyment of the book to the point that I ultimately knocked a star off my rating. But before I get to that, let’s talk more about Keiko first.

Keiko is a fascinating character. She’s defined by her difference and her oddities and it’s interesting to see how this collides with her desire to be like everybody else. The most ironic part of it is that Keiko doesn’t really want to be like everybody else, she just wants to be herself but she recognises that being herself has puts her under a lot of scrutiny from her family and friends. Keiko’s ultimate goal is to have a peaceful life and she believes that the way to achieve that is to do what those around her want her to do so that they’ll leave her alone. I would love to say more, but won’t because this book is so short that it’s very easy to slip into spoiler territory. Overall, Keiko is a very unique character. Her arc subverts expectations, following a different trajectory than we typically expect from protagonist’s and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective.

Now we come to the character I immensely disliked: Shiraha. Shiraha is a colleague of Keiko’s, a rotten misogynist and bigot. This character was absolutely intolerable and I feel like he was so misplaced in this book. I just don’t get why he was included. There’s nothing redeemable about this character. He’s a horrible person and outwardly expresses his bigoted opinions at every opportunity. I might’ve been more forgiving of this character if he served a purpose but he doesn’t. The same storyline could’ve taken place with a male character that wasn’t a hideously sexist bigot, so I’m puzzled as to why Murata made this choice. I think this character could easily turn away a lot of readers from this book because he really is awful.

As for relationships, there’s not much in the way of relationships. Keiko is a lone-wolf as befitting her character so although she has a relationship with her sister and other relationships with friends and colleagues, none of the relationships featured are particularly significant or a focus throughout the book.

Concluding thoughts

Convenience Store Woman is a weird and unique story of a person that’s “different” trying to find and understand her place in the world. It’s a fascinating commentary on conformity which touches on topics that impact most of us in our daily lives. It pokes fun at unspoken social norms, rules and scripts that we have developed as a society and questions the validity of them. As a single, childless and neurodivergent woman, Keiko’s perspective is the ideal one through which to explore these themes. Unfortunately, the story is hindered by the inclusion of a misogynistic and bigoted male character that does nothing to develop the plot, narrative or development of the other characters. Nonetheless, this is an intriguing story that approaches a diverse topic with wit and humour, whilst still managing to be thought provoking.

I’d recommend Convenience Store Woman if:

You’re a fan of Japanese fiction and are looking for a short novella that provides social commentary on the modern constructs of conformity and self in the context of capitalism and traditionalism.

Have you read Convenience Store Woman or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

Summer Bird Blue – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman
Genre: Contemporary
Publication year: 2018
Audience: 12+
Content warnings: Character death, loss of a loved one, grief/loss, car accident, abandonment by a parent (temporary), depression and violence.

Synopsis

Following the loss of her sister in a tragic accident, 17-year-old Rumi is sent to Hawaii to live with her aunt. She begins to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and heal, with the help of friends, old and new.

What I liked

• Writing style
• Emphasis on friendship and family
• Diverse representation
• Deep exploration of grief
• The questioning sexuality storyline / aromantic and asexual representation

What I disliked

• Under-developed characters
• Lack of plot
• Over emphasis on emotion/grief in places

Plot and Structure

The story follows Rumi as she deals with the loss of her best friend and younger sister, Lea. It’s not a particularly plot heavy book, it’s an intense look at grief and loss, and how we can begin to rebuild ourselves when our world has been completely shattered by the loss of someone that is fundamental to who we are and to our lives. It focuses mostly on Rumi’s emotions and healing process. Despite not having a strong plot, narratively, it was strong and had a clear focus. It felt like Akemi Dawn Bowman knew exactly what she wanted to achieve with this book and that every part of it was intentional.

It opens with the tragedy that sets the scene for the rest of the book. It’s mostly set in the present where Rumi is living in Hawaii with her estranged aunt and follows Rumi as she battles against the grief of losing her sister and her mother’s absence. Alongside that, we see the development of the relationships that she forms in Hawaii and how these people help her to heal. There are also flashbacks scattered throughout of Rumi’s life growing up with her family which help to flesh out Lea and the significance of the sister relationship that is at the heart of the story.

Writing Style

I really liked the writing style. Whilst this is clearly a YA book aimed at a younger audience, it had some beautiful metaphors and prose that conveyed the intensity of emotion present throughout. There were a lot of quotes I resonated with and found to be very meaningful. However, there were some metaphors that were a bit cringe and the writing was repetitive in places. The main weakness of the writing for me was that the emotion was emphasised too much. Grief is an overwhelming and all consuming emotion but the emotions were over-written and it bogged down the narrative too much. There needed to be more space from the raw emotions to enable the characters and other aspects of the story to breathe. The character development and plot was hindered in part because the grief was inescapable and constantly brought to the forefront. Nonetheless, I appreciated how Bowman was able to get to the crux of the intense emotions that teenagers often face and how lost in their own feelings and thoughts they can become. Rumi’s grief isn’t any ordinary grief; it’s heightened by her age and the lack of self that often happens to teenagers who are figuring out who they are.

And maybe that’s like life. You live for a moment—one single moment. And then you don’t matter. Because there are years of the past and years of the future, and we’re all simply one tiny blip in time—a surge of water waiting to leave our mark on the sand, only to have it washed away by the waves that come after us.

Characters and Relationships

I adored what Bowman did in terms of centring platonic relationships and how she really took the time to delve deep into Rumi’s inner-most thoughts and feelings. Rumi’s relationships with her sister, elderly neighbour, male friend, aunt and mother are the most important relationships in this book and it was so refreshing to read a contemporary YA that wasn’t focused on romance. As a character, Rumi was perhaps one of the most relatable characters I’ve read in a long time to the point that it felt like I was reading about my teenage self at points. Unfortunately, the other characters never felt fully realised to me and were rather one-dimensional. Their purpose was to serve Rumi’s development and journey in supporting her through her grief. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but just means that the wider cast of characters were lacking in any real depth or development.

The depiction of sibling relationships was one of my favourite aspects of this book. As the eldest sister myself, I could see how shaped Rumi was by being the eldest sister and how that informed the relationship she had with Lea. Throughout the book Lea is considered to be Rumi’s soul mate and the most important person in her life. Just like Disney’s Frozen this book subverts expectations that a young girl’s “one true love” is a romantic male love interest and instead portrays it as being sisterhood. I also loved reading about Rumi’s relationship with her friend Kai and seeing her battle against the blurred lines between friendship and romance, and how this impacted her exploration of her sexuality.

Generally, I loved the exploration of sexuality throughout and how Rumi’s character and her relationships were all tied up in a wider story of her exploring aromanticism and asexuality. It’s the first time I’ve read a fiction book that explores this so succinctly. It can be difficult to write storylines that involve questioning sexuality without it feeling forced, but in this case, Rumi’s questioning of her identity and sexuality fitted well with the wider story of loss. Losing Lea is what put Rumi in a real position to truly start exploring those parts of her that had always been there but that she had brushed under the carpet. I plan to do a separate post about the depiction of aromanticism and asexuality in the book soon, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re interested in hearing more of my thoughts on this 👀

Generally, the relationships were very sweet and drove the story forward well, but the characters (except for Rumi) lacked the necessary depth to enable me to connect to them on a deeper level. So whilst I enjoyed reading the character dynamics they weren’t as satisfying as they could’ve been. I think if Bowman had invested more time in developing the characters and less on the grief part of the story, it would’ve come together much better. Since the relationships were so pivotal in helping Rumi to begin to heal, it felt like they deserved more time and attention.

Concluding thoughts

Summer Bird Blue is a heart-wrenching and heart–warming story of loss and healing. It’s an ideal read for young readers as it explores so many of the painful things teenagers face such as unexpected death, identity crisis, abandonment by a parent, anger, having complicated feelings for friends and questioning your sexuality. The focus on platonic love and relationships is a breath of fresh air and the exploration of identity and sexuality an important conversation to be had in any YA book. Undoubtedly, the depiction of an aromantic asexual character is what will continue to draw readers to this book and is what shines most about it, but this book is so much more than that and is fully deserving of the credit it receives. It tackles such a hard and heavy subject with sensitivity and grace, balancing the hopelessness of death with the hope of healing.

I’d recommend Summer Bird Blue if:

You’re looking for a YA tale on the theme of grief that centres sisterhood, friendship and family and features an aromantic asexual main character.

Have you read Summer Bird Blue or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

The Farseer Trilogy – Book Series Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Fantasy
Books: #1 Assassin’s Apprentice; #2 Royal Assassin; #3 Assassin’s Quest
Publication year: 1995-1997
Audience: 18+
Content warnings: Death, animal death, grief, child abuse (mentioned), torture, drugs, trauma, depression, PTSD, sexual assault, suicide, parental abandonment. Since this trilogy is high fantasy and explores complex themes, there are likely to be other genre-typical content related to violence and death etc.

Synopsis

The Farseer Trilogy is the first trilogy in the epic fantasy series, Realm of the Elderlings. It follows FitzChivalry Farseer, the bastard son of the heir of the ruling family of the Six Duchies, on his journey through childhood and adolescence. Along the way Fitz grapples with the political tension surrounding the throne, his magical abilities, the conflict between family loyalty and duty, and being an orphan in a dark world.

What I liked

• THE CHARACTERS!!
• Character relationships and dynamics
• Focus on familial and platonic relationships
• Strong character development
• Attention to detail
• Writing style and prose
• World building
• Interesting magic system

What I disliked

• Slow pacing
• Lack of plot
• Unsatisfying endings
• Unrealised potential
• Lack of focus on certain characters and relationships

Plot and Structure

The general plot underpinning this trilogy surrounds the Farseer family, Fitz’s paternal family and the royal family in the kingdom of the Six Duchies. The bastard son of the King’s eldest son, Fitz’s presence in Buckkeep Castle creates tension with his youngest uncle, Regal. Solely told from the first-person POV of Fitz, this trilogy is an intense character study of Fitz. It’s not plot heavy, it’s the story of Fitz’s family and kingdom through his eyes, and explores themes of loyalty and duty, family and sacrifice.

Despite getting off to a relatively slow start in the first book, I enjoyed the plot, particularly in Royal Assassin (Book #2). There was lots of tension built across the three books and conflict between the characters was expertly woven in a multitude of ways. Although each book focused on different stages of the overall plot, there was a continuity that made it felt like one cohesive story. The type of action I’d typically expect in high-fantasy wasn’t present here, nonetheless, the complex character dynamics, how this intersected with the fragility of the Farseer’s power in Buckkeep and other character sub-plots, was more than enough to keep me invested in the plot.

Structurally, each book is divided into multiple chapters beginning with sections of narration about the history of the Fareer’s, Buckkeep and other world-building information. The fact that Fitz is the sole POV character is perhaps unique for a high-fantasy trilogy like this but it worked incredibly well. Fitz is at the centre of everything that happens throughout the three books; it is his existence and presence that shakes the foundation of the Farseer’s future and the events that unfold involve him. It’s interesting to reflect on how the singular POV impacts the perception the reader has of the world and the other characters, and the extent to which Fitz can sometimes be an unreliable narrator.

World Building and Magic

The world building in this trilogy was a slow-burner. Apart from the small sections of world-building at the beginning of each chapter, Hobb managed to generally avoid info dumping. Instead, details about the world were scattered throughout the three books and revealed when necessary. Hobb isn’t one to tell the reader every single thing about her world just because, it’s always intentional and with purpose. This has its pros and cons. On the one hand, I liked that the world-building was introduced slowly as it became relevant to the plot and the characters. On the other hand, even after reading three books set in the world, there’s still a lot I don’t know and mysteries left to unravel.

Although it didn’t bash me over the head with world-building, I felt grounded in the world. I could mentally picture the setting and experience the world through Fitz’s eyes clearly. But despite feeling connected to the physical appearance of the world, I didn’t feel very connected to geography, cultures or social structures that exist in the world. Because the story was so centred on the royal family and rather insular with geographical location (particularly in the first two books) there was little time spent on exploring fabric of the Six Duchies or other kingdoms outside of the Six Duchies.

The magic system is one of my favourites that I’ve read in fantasy. There are two main magics that form the system – the Wit and the Skill. Both magics are based on concepts of telepathy with the former relating to animals and the latter being exclusive to humans. Like the world, the magic system doesn’t have any hard and fast rules and the information about how these magics work is slowly built on throughout the trilogy. The Wit is a simpler form of magic which is easier to grasp, but the Skill has many complexities which I’m still grappling with. It’s a magic where much of the knowledge and understanding of it has been lost, so there’s still lots to discover. The magic is a central component of the story throughout because it’s part of Fitz and how he perceives and interacts with the world. As the plot developed, magic became more of an integral part to the plot rather than just a character trait of Fitz’s. I’m excited to continue learning about the Wit and the Skill, and also other types of magic that might emerge throughout the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings series.

Writing Style

Robin Hobb’s writing style is absolutely stunning and her technical ability in writing is phenomenal. This is an author that knows how to write and does it well. Her prose made me feel like I was submerging myself into a hot tub under the stars; a beautiful combination of physical warmth and beautiful visuals, that I could linger in all day long. It immersed me into the fantasy world, but also Fitz’s inner mental and emotional world. Her writing is very character focused and I reaped the rewards for that, because of how connected I felt to Fitz. There are few authors that can capture every single thing that goes into making a person, but with Fitz, Hobb did exactly that. His every thought, emotion, desire and motivation was meticulously crafted and laid out. There’s a clear stylistic tone to the way Fitz perceived and processed the world that was present throughout the writing. There was also an emphasis on emotion; a melancholy and to an extent depressive tone, that permeated through. I’m a huge fan of emotion in writing, so this was probably one of my favourite aspects of Hobb’s writing style, but it may not necessarily be to everyone’s tastes, particularly fantasy readers that prefer plot and action over character work.

Outside of character writing, the descriptive style of the writing also brought the world to life in a very vivid way. Although the descriptions of the physical surroundings weren’t unnecessarily long, they were detailed enough to enable me to build an image of the setting in my mind. Generally, Hobb has easily made her way onto my favourite authors list and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Stop thinking of what you intend to do. Stop thinking of what you have just done. Then stop thinking that you have stopped thinking of those things. Then you will find the now. The time that stretches eternal, and is really the only time there is. Then in that place, you will finally have time to be yourself.

#2 Royal Assassin

Characters and Relationships

Unsurprisingly, the characters are the heart of this trilogy and character driven fantasy readers need look no further than Hobb. As the POV character, Fitz received the most attention and was consequently the most developed. An argument could easily be made for Fitz being one of the most complex and well-written protagonists in fantasy. So much was invested in him that it felt like he could walk off the page and into the world. He’s a character that I feel that I understand very deeply and relate to. Fitz was a joy to read about and I think it would be unlikely for anyone to read this trilogy and not come away in love with him. I’m excited to read more from him in future trilogies.

Although the other characters in the trilogy weren’t as well developed as Fitz, they all had nuance and some were even more likeable or intriguing than Fitz. The core group of characters mostly remained the same throughout the three books with some minor changes, particularly in Book #3. As a whole, the supporting characters were fairly complex and whole-rounded people. I wouldn’t necessarily describe them as morally grey but certainly flawed. My personal favourites were The Fool, Nighteyes, Patience, Burrich and Chade, all of whom are intriguing characters with complex backstories and motivations that were sometimes explored, but not always given the time and attention they deserved. The Fool, in particularly, had me glued to the page. The mystery surrounding them and the part they play in the wider plot and Fitz’s life story was fascinating and I cannot wait to read more from Fitz and The Fool.

As with any character driven book, the character dynamics wrote themselves and were bloody brilliant. There was lots of emphasis on familial and platonic relationships and although there were romantic relationships featured, they were never a huge focus. Fitz’s familial ties with his grandfather, Shrewd and his uncle Verity, along with his surrogate father-figure, Burrich and great uncle Chade, made for some of the most interesting and enjoyable dynamics to read about. These men shaped Fitz and were hugely influential in his life in different ways. Likewise, his friendship with The Fool and Nighteyes, are so fundamental to his character that meeting and knowing these characters only deepened the connection I felt to Fitz. It’s these and the other character dynamics that shaped Fitz and drove the plot forward. Most of the relationships, although characterised by love, were fraught with tension, uncertainty and resentment. Many of these relationships weren’t plain sailing or easy for Fitz to navigate, but felt all the more authentic and relatable because of that. My one criticism when it comes to the characters and relationships would be that I felt that some characters and relationships were dropped in Book #3 that I really enjoyed reading about in the first two books and wanted more from. However, I’m willing to compromise with this since I know I’ll be returning to Fitz in later trilogies and will likely hear more from the characters that were sidelined in Book #3.

Concluding thoughts

The Faresser Trilogy is a melancholic, character driven fantasy set in a unique universe underpinned by political unrest and tension. Despite the slow pacing and lack of plot in some areas, it’s a captivating story of family, duty and sacrifice. Its first-person POV narrative provides an intensely emotional journey and connected me deeply to the protagonist, Fitz. Whilst the slow pacing was off-putting in places, this was balanced out by Hobb’s stunning prose and complex character work. The quality of the characters resulted in incredible character dynamics which explored the nuance of familial and platonic bonds and how this can shape the people we can become. The simplistic but intriguing magic system played a vital role in developing the characters, character relationships and plot, and was fun to learn about. Although the plot was at times neglected, the political tension and intrigue underpinning the trilogy was well developed and reached satisfying conclusions for the most part. These components came together to create a riveting and unforgettable fantasy story and character journey which took me on an emotional rollercoaster and left me feeling deeply connected to Fitz and his loved ones. I’m highly anticipating reading more about this world and to returning back to Fitz after finishing the next trilogy in the series.

I’d recommend The Fareseer Trilogy if:

You’re looking for a character driven melancholic fantasy with an interesting but simple magic system, flawed characters, strong platonic and familial relationships and a plot of political intrigue that explores the theme of family versus duty.

Have you read The Farseer Trilogy or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

If We Were Villains – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: M. L. Rio
Genre: Mystery / Dark Academia
Publication year: 2017
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Major character death, murder, violence, PTSD, depression, suicide, self-harm, slut-shaming, homophobia (mentioned), transphobia (mentioned).

Synopsis

Following his release from prison, Oliver Marks recalls the events that led up to the crime that landed him in prison, making some shocking revelations along the way.

What I liked

• Writing style
• Plot
• Setting and atmosphere
• Shakespearean influences
• Depiction of queer relationships/identity
• The ending

What I disliked

• Under-developed characters (in some instances)
• Predictable plot

Plot and Structure

The story follows Oliver and his friends who are students at a prestigious Shakespearean acting university. Beginning with Oliver’s release from prison as an adult, it returns to the past to reveal the events that led up to the death that landed Oliver in prison and to uncover whether Oliver really was the murderer after all. The plot was somewhat predictable, but no less enjoyable for it. It was well-paced and thoughtfully mapped out, with enough clues scattered throughout to keep me engaged and well-timed reveals that ensured the mystery wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily. The conclusion was emotionally hard-hitting and tragic but satisfying in true Shakespearean style.

Structurally, it takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s plays and is broken down into acts and scenes rather than chapters. Those that are familiar with Shakespeare’s works will recognise how heavily influenced the book is by Shakespeare from the themes to the language, characters and structure. The majority of the story is set in the past when Oliver was at school but does alternate between past and present. The structure serves the plot which was constantly moving. Generally, it’s very plot-focused with the plot driving the characters forward rather than the other way around.

Writing Style

I loved M. L. Rio’s writing style. Her passion for language and Shakespeare shone throughout the book; her writing is beautifully emotive and authentically honest. The descriptive nature of her writing style created a vivid imagery of the setting and her ability to craft an atmospheric tension throughout reminded me of Daphne Du Maurier. Similarly, her capacity to convey human emotion through the internal processes, behaviour and actions of the characters is incredible. I felt deeply connected to Oliver because his emotions were tangible throughout the story. My one criticism would be that some of the dialogue between characters sometimes felt awkward or stunted, but I really put this down to the fact that the characters and their relationships weren’t always fully developed.

Actors are by nature volatile—alchemic creatures composed of incendiary elements, emotion and ego and envy. Heat them up, stir them together, and sometimes you get gold. Sometimes disaster.

Characters and Relationships

As a character-driven reader, the characters were the biggest con of the book for me. There were 7 main characters that formed the friendship group that were at the centre of the story. Excluding the protagonist Oliver and his best friend James, the other characters were underdeveloped and felt like caricatures. Every character fit a stereotype whether it was the “mean girl” or the “nerd” etc. and this occasionally led to some troublesome prejudices and bigoted comments. However, these characters weren’t written to be fully-realised individuals, they were written to fulfil a purpose within the narrative, and that’s exactly what they did. This meant that I was able to overlook the lacklustre characters, even as a character-driven reader, because they fit within the type of story that they were in and served the plot well. Oliver’s development also made up for the other characters.

As the protagonist, Oliver was given the most development and despite being a deeply flawed and sometimes frustrating character, I connected with him and sympathised with him. I particularly appreciated the depiction of Oliver’s queerness which was presented as something that was simply part of him rather than something to be used as a plot-point. Although Oliver’s sexuality was never explicitly labelled, I felt it was one of the better portrayals of bisexuality that I’ve seen in contemporary literature and appreciated how M. L. Rio wrote the “love triangle” (I use quotations because it’s not technically a love triangle in the traditional sense) and Oliver’s romantic relationships.

In regards to relationships, most of the friendships within the core 7 were generally superficial and standard. There were a few friendships that received more attention and were endearing, such as Oliver’s friendship with Filippa, but there was one relationship which stole the show – the one between Oliver and James. This was a complex, well-written and tragic relationship. It’s this relationship which was at the core of the entire book and elevated it to the next level for me.

Concluding thoughts

We Are Villains is not typically a book I would reach for but was a pleasant surprise and one of my favourite reads of 2021. It’s a passion piece devoted to Shakespeare, drawing huge influence from Shakespeare’s works which are scattered throughout in the writing style, structure, plot, style and characters. This created an atmospheric, fast-paced dark academia steeped in drama, with a well-built mystery and satisfying ending. These components came together to make up for the shortcomings of the underdeveloped characters, which were used to serve the plot rather than being fully realised individuals. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters and that these characters were able to exist as people without their identity being used as a plot-point. The plot is well written and well-paced with a fantastic pay-off. Overall, I immensely enjoyed reading If We Were Villains and feel that the book does a fantastic job at taking Shakespearean works and adapting them into an original story that appeals to modern audiences.

I’d recommend If We Were Villains if:

You’re looking for a dark academia with a well-written mystery, lots of drama, Shakespearean influences, queer romance and a tragic ending.

Have you read If We Were Villains or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

The Song of Achilles – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Madeline Miller
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication year: 2011
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Major character death, murder, violence, slavery, abduction, abandonment, torture, rape (mentioned), human sacrifice, human trafficking, self-harm, child abuse, and war.

Synopsis

A modern retelling of the Greek myth the Trojan War from The Iliad told from the perspective of Patroclus and Achilles.

What I liked

• Patroclus’ characterisation
• Patroclus and Briseis’ relationship
• Historical elements
• The depictions of love

What I disliked

• Writing style
• Slow pacing
• The ending

Plot and Structure

Since the book is a retelling of a popular and widely known Greek myth, as expected, the plot and structure is largely based on The Iliad. Madeline Miller definitley put her own spin on it, but the core essence of the story is the same but written for a modern audience and exclusively from the perspectives of Patroclus and Achilles. It’s structured chronologically, beginning with Patroclus’ childhood. It builds his backstory and traces the origins of his relationship with Achilles before progressing to the events of the Trojan War. It includes the major plot points from the original myth but tweaks some things, particularly at the beginning and end. As all retellings should, it takes a popular story and gives new insight. The emphasis on romance was a little excessive for my tastes and I would’ve preferred more plot. This was particularly apparent towards the end where the tragic romance story took front and centre stage.

Whilst I generally enjoyed the plot and most of the changes that were made, it did feel slow throughout. This isn’t necessarily a disavantage, because it allowed space for me to get to know and connect with Patroclus, but there were parts that I found boring, particularly in the first half. Futherore, although Patroclus and Achilles’ perspective brought new insight, it hindered the story in other ways, leaving little room for some other significant characters.

Overall, the book wasn’t very plot-driven and was very focused on setting, themes, characters and relationships. Generally, these are the aspects of books that I enjoy most but there was something that just didn’t quite sync up in the way I expected to, but more about that in the Characters and Relationships section.

Writing Style

I struggled to connect to Miller’s bland and simple writing style. The tone of the writing didn’t match the tone of the story and pulled me away from the story multiple times. Whether it was the use of short sentences, lack of fluidity or plain language, it didn’t sell the story in the right way. It’s an epic tale and Miller portrayed Patroclus and Achilles’ relationship as a tragic love story, yet the writing was just okay. It achieved what it needed to but didn’t evoke the emotion from me that truly great writing usually does. It was clear and concise, but I would’ve liked more flower, this is a retelling of The Iliad afterall.

We were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.

Characters and Relationships

I liked Patroclus as the main POV Character. His characterisation was standard for the “average guy turned hero” archetype, but his empathy and desire to do the right thing. In a world where power and status was what men most valued, Patroclus defied expectations. He acted out of his conscience, love, loyalty and duty. His compassion offsets Achilles pride and their differences sets the underlining moral message for the entire story. Patroclus was the most defined and nuanced of all the characters. The other characters were in the background, and even Achilles himself suffered from a severe lack of development, feeling more like a caricature than a fully rounded character. This was most likely because most of what we learned about Achilles was from Patroclus’ perspective who had rose-tinted glasses when it came to Achilles.

Leading on from that, this is where the review gets controversial – I didn’t like the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. My issues with this relationship were in part because Achilles was under-developed but also because their love seemed to magically happen despite having nothing in common. It’s particularly unfortunate, because the romance was the main focus of the story and the emotional impact of the ending was very dependent upon how invested the reader is in Achilles and Patroclus’ love.

Interestingly, I was more invested in Patroclus’ relationship with Briseis. It felt more complex, nuanced and sincere, and explored the blurry and complicated lines between platonic and romantic love. It was built on genuine connection, companionship and a liking for one another, none of which Patroclus seemed to have with Achilles to the same extent. Patroclus’ dynamic with Briseis was definitely the most captivating to me of all the character dynamics.

Concluding thoughts

The Song of Achilles has receieved a lot of hype in the book community in recent years and although it has its merit, it didn’t blow me away. Madeline Miller has proven with this book and Circe that she’s able creatively take myths and adapt them for modern audiences, making them accessible and entertaining. By shifting focus to Patroclus and Achilles, Miller was able to add new depth and perspectives to the ancient myth. Whilst I enjoyed reading the book overall, it was lacking in a few areas. The emphasis on the romance was a barrier for me in emotionally connecting to the story because I disliked the way Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship was written. However, I enjoyed the underlying themes around love and pride, and the exploration of different types of human love and bonds. Overall, it had all the ingredients for a 5-star book, but the execution fell short and the overtly cheesy romantic ending left me feeling luke-warm.

I’d recommend The Song of Achilles if:

You’re looking for a romantic, modern retelling of a Greek myth with a gay romance.

Have you read The Song of Achilles or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

The Woman in Black and The Haunting of Hill House – Snapshot Book Reviews

Snapshot reviews are short book reviews of around 200-250 words.

The Woman in Black

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Susan Hill
Genre: Horror
Publication year: 1983
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Death, death of a child, mental distress and trauma.

Review

The Woman in Black is a gothic horror which has been popularised over the last decade by the 2012 film adaptation starring Daniel Radcliffe. It follows lawyer, Arthur Kipps, who goes to the small town of Crythin Gifford on a case. During his stay at his deceased client’s property, Eel Marsh House, Arthur has multiple eerie encounters with a woman in black. This is a slow-burn, atmospheric supernatural horror that is creepy and psychologically disturbing.

Whilst this novella is only about 200 pages, the story felt well-rounded and fairly paced. I was invested in the mystery of the woman in black and Arthur’s story. Arthur fulfilled many of the archetypes you’d expect for a protagonist in a Victorian classic horror novel, but despite his lack of originality, I felt a deep sympathy for him due to the impact the supernatural encounters he had had on his mental state.

Susan Hill’s writing style was immersive and perfectly captured the foreboding gothic horror atmosphere that I adore. The horror elements were simple but effective, relying on the setting and psychological elements to evoke feelings of dread and isolation. There was a strong emotionality throughout with emphasis on Arthur’s emotions and themes of grief and loss flowing throughout the narrative.

Overall, The Woman in Black was the perfect read for October. It had all the components I look for in horror novels and executed them well. Although it’s a very standard haunted house story, it was an enjoyable and gripping reading experience.

I’d recommend The Woman in Black if:

You’re looking for a Victorian horror classic that is a slow-burn, haunted house tale.

The Haunting of Hill House

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Horror
Publication year: 1959
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: Grief, death, suicide, mental illness, paranoia, gore,

Review

The Haunting of Hill House is another classic horror novel which has recently soared in popularity due to Netflix’s TV adaptation of the same title. But don’t be deceived; the book is its own story and very separate from the TV show. It tells the story of Doctor Montague, who sets out to investigate the presence of paranormal activity at Hill House. He is joined by three young guests, one of whom falls under the dark influence of the house. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations despite its promise.

I loved the setting of Hill House and the way that the house was crafted as a living, breathing entity entirely its own. However, the pace was meandering and the “big” moments were underwhelming. There was too much dialogue and trivial moments, making the action feel almost unearned. The supernatural scenes were too long and repetitive, and consequently ineffective at unsettling me. Although I related deeply to the protagonist Eleanor, and was interested in her descent throughout the novel, the other characters were flat and odd. In fact, that’s the word I would use to describe this book overall – odd.

I found the writing style to be disjointed and somewhat sloppy. The dialogue and the interactions between the characters felt out of place. Their immediate familiarity with each other and their sudden shifts in tone, mood and personality confused me. Whilst this was likely Jackon’s attempt to demonstrate the adverse affect the house was having on the characters, it wasn’t necessarily clear and I was lost multiple times throughout.

Overall, I liked the premise of The Haunting of Hill House, the setting and Eleanor’s character development. It was an entertaining read, but I’ve seen this type of haunted house tale done better elsewhere and found it to be very standard for the classic horror genre.

I’d recommend The Haunting of Hill House if:

You liked The Turn of the Screw OR are looking for a pschological haunted house horror story that will play with your mind.

Have you read The Woman in Black or The Haunting of Hill House or do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Spooktober! 🎃

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

The Sword of Kaigen – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: M. L. Wang
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Theonite
Publication year: 2019
Audience: 16+
Content warnings: War, violence, gore, rape, trauma, depression, suicide, major character death, death of a child.

Synopsis

The Sword of Kaigen is a high fantasy novel inspired by 19th-century Japan. It follows mother and son – Misaki and Mamoru – from the powerful Matsuda family, all of whom are jijaka’s who have the ability to wield water for combative purposes. When conflict breaks out in their small town of Takayubi, the Matsuda’s must fight to protect what they love.

What I liked

• Complex characters
• Character development
• World building
• Exploration of family
• Writing style

What I disliked

• Slow pacing
• Choice of POV characters
• Dense worldbuilding

Plot and Structure

The plot was military-centric with elements of family drama, romance and female empowerment. The characters were more of a driving force for the plot than the plot itself. I did find it difficult to grasp exactly what the cause of the war was, who the enemy was and why they were attacking, so I wasn’t too invested in the plot for that reason. I was more invested in the themes surrounding the plot and characters rather than the plot itself. There were high stakes throughout, but the plot did feel quite disjointed. There were shocking moments and it maintained intruige throughout. However, there were lulls in the pacing numerous times. The beginning was a very slow start and around the mid-point it lost my attention and I ended up putting it down for a few weeks before coming back to it. Ironically, the last half of the book picked up hugely and I became more invested as the focus shifted more towards the characters.

Structurally, the tone shifted dramatically making it feel like there were three distinctive parts. In the first third, it was focused on the younger POV character and his time at school; the second third was focused on the war and battle; and the final third focused on the characters emotions and process of dealing with the aftermath of the fighting. Generally, it was chronological but with some flashbacks to Misaki’s past. Although I appreciated the flashbacks for Misaki’s character development, they did sometimes feel a bit haphazard and didn’t fit within the wider story. I also didn’t particularly like that her past mainly served as a romantic sub-plot which was unnecessary and didn’t add much to her character or the story.

World Building and Magic

Considering this novel is a standalone, the world-building was fantastic. So much was packed into the 600 pages but it rarely felt like there were info dumps. The culture, norms, hierachies and gender roles were well established, but
I would’ve liked more context for the history and politics of the world, particularly around the conflict and government structure. These things were hinted at or mentioned in passing but needed more focus. I struggled at multiple points to distinguish the different families, countries, towns, cities, languages and cultures in the world. Since it is Japenese-inspired I also struggled with more minor language uses and phrases. There was a handy glossary in the back, but reading the Kindle edition made this less accessible and more difficult to go between as I was reading. Nonetheless, objectively the world-building here was phenomenal.

The magic system was rooted in elemental magic and those that possess this magical ability are called Theonites. There are two types of Theonites – Jijaka that manipulate water and Fonyakalu that manipulate wind. The magic system wasn’t outlined in extensive detail, but anybody that’s read my previous fantasy reviews will know that I prefer softer magic systems so I was happy with this. Different characters wielded their abilities in different ways and had varying levels of power, which was used creatively in battle. I loved how the Matsuda’s magic was characterised as a part of them and how connected their magic was to their environment, connecting them to their heritage and homeland. I also liked that the magic wasn’t used as a substitute for combative skill, but to elevate their abilities. It’s not a unique magic system, but was fun, interesting and blended well within the wider world. Sometimes the use of magic in fantasy can feel clunky, but it seamlessly fit within the story here. It was an important aspect of the world, but didn’t dominate everything at the expense of other worldbuilding details.

Writing Style

As a self published novel, the writing style really impressed me. It was clean with few grammatical errors and was incredibly well-edited. M. L. Wang’s writing style was immersive and detailed. She created vivid imagery of the mountain setting and provided detailed worldbuilding. When writing about the characters, it was highly emotive and emphatic. This was a positive in regards to enabling me to connect with the characters and empathise with them. However, at times too much time was spent on dissecting the characters every emotion and thought, becoming repetitive and losing its impact. The tone was melancholic, focusing on the depressive emotions of the characters and hopelessness of their situation, although towards the end the tone did become more hopeful. Overall, I really liked the writing style. It was clear, detailed and descriptive striking a good balance between dialogue, exposition and description.

Power was born into a person and lived in the wordless depths of their soul.

Characters and Relationships

This is where this book truly shone. The two main POV characters – Misaki and Mamoru – brought a fresh perspective to the fantasy setting through the eyes of mother and son. Their internal struggles contrasted each other. As a child, Mamoru’s worries and perspectives are more innocent and black and white, whereas Misaki’s worries weigh heavily on her and we see how this impacts her as a mother, and how in turn, this impacts her children.

Misaki stole the spotlight. She’s one of the best written and complex female protagonist’s I’ve found in fantasy for a long time; a complex female character that is physically, mentally and emotionally strong, yet vulnerable, flawed and emotional. She can be hard and she can be soft; forgiving and vengeful; loving and hateful; compassionate and unempathetic; cold and warm. She’s a myriad of conflicting things and her development throughout the book was a joy to read. I appreciated that motherhood was such a core component of her character and that her love and devotion to her children paired with her personal struggles at times impaired her ability to be the type of mother she wanted to be. I wish that more had been done with her flashbacks that went beyond a romantic sub-plot, because I actually felt like this didn’t fit with her character.

Unfortunately, I didn’t connect as much to Mamaru, and would’ve preferred to have other POV characters, such as Misaki’s husband, Takeru. Takeru had a lot of valuable insight to add to the story and although we did get one chapter from his perspective, he should’ve been introduced as a main POV character earlier on. Takeru was a mysterious character during first half, but towards the end more was revealed about his character and he really grew on me. His relationship with Misaki was so interesting and their dynamic was one of my favourite aspects of the book. The focus on these two as individuals and a couple is what made the second half work so well for me.

The family dynamics between the Matsuda’s was another strong point of the book. Misaki’s relationships with her children, her husband and her sister-in-law, Setsuko. The female solidarity and sisterhood between Misaki and Setsuko was a refreshing break from the dreariness of the story. Their scenes were always coloured with love, support and compassion. Generally, I really liked the portrayal of community and family.

Concluding thoughts

The Sword of Kaigen is a strong high-fantasy standalone with detailed worldbuilding, an interesting magic system and well written characters. Although the plot itself wasn’t captivating, the characters relationships and development propelled me forward with the story, even during the lulls in pacing. Some more detail could’ve added to the richness of the world and helped me to feel more invested in the plot, but the shift in focus to the characters and their relationships in the second half made up for my lack of enjoyment in the first half. The writing style was succinct and meticulous, connecting me to the characters and setting. My favourite part of the book was Misaki and the relationships she had with her family. Misaki has immediately jumped onto my list of all time favourite female characters. Her relationship was her husband was a fascinating examination of a loveless, toxic marriage and was a unique and refreshing take from the usual romances that are in fantasy. I did go into reading this book with high expectations and not all of them were met, but it was an enjoyable read overall and I would highly recommend it for fantasy readers.

I’d recommend The Sword of Kaigen if:

You’re looking for an Asian inspired, military, fantasy standalone that gives you The Poppy War vibes, has high emotional stakes, a depressive tone and a complex female warrior character.

Have you read The Sword of Kaigen or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.

The Outsiders – Book Review

✨ Spoiler Free ✨

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: S. E. Hinton
Genre: Classic
Publication year: 1967
Audience: 12+
Content warnings: Abuse, neglect, gang violence, bullying, criminal activity, major character death, arson, violence, murder, grief, suicide.

Synopsis

Set in the span of two weeks, The Outsiders, follows 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his friends the “Greasers”. When a gang war breaks out between the “Greasers” and “Socs”, a series of tragic events follow.

What I liked

• The social commentary
• Fast paced plot
• Character development
• The friendships between the characters
• The emotional stakes of the story

What I disliked

• Nothing?

Plot and Structure

As stated in the synopsis, this book is set in a two week period and is structured chronologically. The plot can be best described as a gang war and friendship drama. The main character, Ponyboy and his friends, are part of the Greasers who are enemies with another gang, the Socs. After an altercation takes place between the Greasers and the Socs, a series of dramatic events unfolds with devastating consequences. The gangs are defined by social status and class with the Greasers coming from the working class and the Socs from the middle/upper classes. It’s a fast-paced, relentless plot which keeps building and building, creating high emotional stakes and multiple climaxes. Although I enjoyed the plot and it kept me invested in the overall story, it was the characters, friendships and social commentary which I loved the most.

Writing Style

Since S. E. Hinton was only a young teenager when she wrote this, the writing style is very simple and accessible. It’s a YA book and the writing style is accessible for all age groups and reading levels. I wasn’t in love with the writing style, but it was solid and in-keeping with the overall tone and plot of the story. It wasn’t very descriptive in nature but closely examined the characters’ thoughts and emotions, particularly of Ponyboy as the POV character. But despite the concise writing style, I felt that S. E. Hinton sprinkled in some wonderful quotes and metaphors which tugged on my heart strings. She was also able to convey the complexity of the class issues she was exploring in a beautiful and clear way. Considering just how multi-layered the themes were in this book, they were presented in a relatable and authentic way with little exposition.

It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset.

Characters and Relationships

The characters in this book stole my heart. Reading this for the first time as an adult enabled me to connect with the characters way more than I think I would’ve if I had read it as a teenager. I was able to put into context just how young these boys were and how awful the neglect, abuse and instability they were enduring was. I immediately felt a sense of love, protectiveness and empathy with these boys who were all lost in their own way and looking for a place to belong. I just wanted to give them a big hug!

Most of them are orphans or have absentee/neglectful parents, no positive adult role models and are school drop-outs (except Ponyboy). They’re living in an impoverished neighbourhood where there’s a lack of opportunity, high crime rates and on-going gang feuds. Although the characters are far from perfect, in many ways they’re victims of circumstance making them incredibly sympathetic. Perhaps the saddest part is that they’re aware that the lives they’re living were unfulfilling, miserable and toxic, but they don’t have the tools to break the cycle and choose a different path.

Each character is well-developed, authentic and has a different way of dealing with their situation. Darry sacrifices his own hopes and dreams to elevate those of his younger brothers (Ponyboy in particular); Soda masks his pain with his “free-spirit” attitude and optimism; Dally is apathetic and hardened to a world that he acknowledges is cruel and unfair; Johnny wants things to change but doesn’t know how to change things so goes along with it because the gang is all he has; and Ponyboy actively challenges their lifestyle and plans to escape by succeeding at school and moving out of the neighbourhood.

Ponyboy as a POV character was so insightful and relatable. Despite only being 14 years old, he has wisdom beyond his years and is able to reflect on situations from a fresh perspective. Where his brothers and friends are blinded by their prejudices, he tries to remain open-minded and optimistic even in the most hopeless of times. Seeing the world through his eyes was equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking. Ponyboy is the future and the potential for him to break the cycle feels close yet so far.

Dally, the typical “bad boy” archetype, had me rolling my eyes at the start. I’m not a fan of this archetype at all but S. E. Hinton exectued it so perfectly by creating a flawed, complex and sympathetic character. Dally being a “bad boy” is not just a mask to hide his vulnerability but part of who he is and a reflection of the philosophy he has developed as a result of the hardships he has faced. At no point is his behaviour or attitude justified, but we do get to see other sides to him and to understand his actions and motivations.

Obviously, it goes without saying that I loved the relationships every bit as much as the characters. They’re kids that have had it tough and deserve a chance, but to the rest of the world they’re delinquents and wasters. Nobody sees or hears these kids and nobody cares. It’s heartbreaking to see how little they matter in the wider world and how aware they are of that. For most of them, all they have to live for is each other. Since many concepts of masculinity are synonymous with detachment from emotion and a lack of intimacy with other males, I loved that the characters were sensitive, emotional and deeply connected to each other. These guys love each other and they might not always openly express it, but their devotion to each other is obvious from their actions. The loyalty, compassion and sacrifice that these guys make for each other made me cry…more than once! It’s a prime example of found family trope done right.

Concluding thoughts

The Outsiders both touched my heart and broke my heart. S. E. Hinton’s achievement in writng this at 17 years old cannot be understated. She captured the complexities of life in the wider context of class, inequality, violence and crime so vividly. It gets to the heart of what it is to be forgotten, side-lined and unloved, and through the stories of Ponyboy and the gang, reflects the lives of many young working class boys who are being left behind by society today. The complexity of the characters and their relationships with each other was palapable, and the heart and soul of the story. As the reader, you form a deep attachment to them because you see how little the world cares about them. Despite how short the book is, it’s so tragic, raw and honest that it makes for an unforgettable read and is one of my favourites. The characters will stay with me for the rest of my life and the injustice and the class inequalities that are explored resonated with me so deeply based on my personal experience and the work I do with disadvantaged young people.

I’d recommend The Outsiders if:

You’re looking for a short, face-paced modern YA classic which is full of drama, friendship and emotion, and explores complex themes surrounding social class and masculinity.

Have you read The Outsiders or are you planning to read it? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe, my lovelies and keep reading.