"There's always something just out of reach. . . . Everyone chasing the thing they don't have. Going mad until they get it."
My favorite Thursday M
"There's always something just out of reach. . . . Everyone chasing the thing they don't have. Going mad until they get it."
My favorite Thursday Murder Club to date, The Last Devil to Die gave me so many emotions and a riveting mystery to boot.
In this installment, murder hits close to home when a friend of Stephen's is killed. With their trademark forthrightness and humor, Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim stick their noses where they don't belong, and are soon caught up in the world of heroine dealers, antiques, and fake art.
I usually try to bam my way through murder mysteries like nobody's business. After all, I want to pick up clues as fast as I can, put it all together, and get to the whodunnit pronto. But this series feels like one to savor, and this installment is especially so. I read it slowly, immersing myself in these characters who over the course of four books now feel like friends rather than just characters on a page.
This was an entertaining mystery, with more chaos and mayhem (hehe) than you'd expect old people to get themselves into. We see Joyce really come into her own here, stepping in for Elizabeth who is otherwise indisposed. I feel like all the side characters were particularly charming, and I even started to like Connie if you can believe it. We also have a little side mystery going on to catch an online scammer, just to add a bit of extra zing to the whole thing.
I can't talk about the series without talking about its humor, and that's on full display here. Humor is subjective, and what one reader finds funny may not click with another. But for me, it completely works. Richard Osman has this gentle way of poking fun at the folly of human nature and growing old. It's cheeky and lighthearted, and it never comes at the expense of the characters' humanity.
I have to warn you though, this book feels like the series' most intimate and emotional one yet, so get the tissues ready. Osman doesn't shy away from talking about growing old and dying. In fact, couched in all that humor and sleuthing is the ever-present specter of death coming for everyone, especially when you are of a certain old age.
And yet, reading about these four friends who take life by the horns when it would've been much easier to just coast and fade out is so inspiring and invigorating. As Richard Osman puts it wisely via Joyce, "The urgency of old age. There's nothing that makes you feel more alive than the certainty of death."
I suspect I come back to this series again and again because it fills me with hope that I can still have a life worth living when I reach the twilight of my years. To have it be filled with friendship and intrigue and purpose, what more could I ask for?
I am a little bummed that Richard Osman is taking a break from this series to start another one (though I'm excited to see what he comes up with). Visiting these septuagenarians has become a highlight of my fall every year. But don't worry, for whenever the next book comes out, I'll be right here waiting to be reunited with my old friends.
There will be no cavalry to save her this time. She has got herself into this mess, and she will have to get herself out of it.
I've forgotten how
There will be no cavalry to save her this time. She has got herself into this mess, and she will have to get herself out of it.
I've forgotten how much I enjoy this series. Cracking open that first page felt like saying hello to an old friend, albeit one that is quirky, funny, and definitely murderous.
In this installment, our four pensioners are at it again, trying to solve a decade-old murder that never quite made sense. For one, where is the body? And since the victim was chasing down a money-laundering scheme right before her death, what happened to all of that money? It certainly takes a special group of friends to see things that the police missed on the first go-around.
Sometimes with cozy mysteries, they can feel a bit dull and lacking in excitement with everything happening slowly and clues unearthed at a snail's pace. But not here. I can honestly say that it was packed with action from the first page to the last. Every chapter was a new revelation and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
I feel like this series just keeps getting better and better. The mystery was a little weak in the first book, but it has improved so much over book 2 and this one. And through it all, it has retained its wonderful characters and that tongue-in-cheek British humor I love so much, with its quirkiness and gentle poking fun at the absurdity of life and growing old.
What a delightful series! It's one of my favorites, and I can't wait for more.
Profoundly brilliant, Death's End is the stunning conclusion to a science fiction trilogy that has held me in its thralls. It will undoubtedly rank asProfoundly brilliant, Death's End is the stunning conclusion to a science fiction trilogy that has held me in its thralls. It will undoubtedly rank as my favorite of all time, unlikely to ever be surpassed.
What a journey it has been. When I think back to what I expected when I first started the series, it certainly wasn't this. Or rather, what was in my head was so small in scope, so limited in thinking, it was only a tiny fraction of what this eventually turned out to be. There was no way my imagination could've ever prepared me for this.
The sheer audacity of the ideas in here and how far Liu Cixin took them throughout this series, I stand in absolute awe. Not only is he telling a story, but he also tackles some of the most fundamental questions of the universe and existence, questions that have puzzled scientists for all time, and he manages to weave a cohesive framework to examine and explain them.
Liu Cixin's style when it comes to unfolding the plot works particularly well here. He takes something fairly complex and makes it easy to grasp by the end. He would leave hints early, then come back again and again to poke at them with examples. Along the way, I would think to myself, where is this possibly going? Then when he finally gets to the explanation, it's a complete eureka moment. Every puzzle piece slots in perfectly, and the groundwork he's laid up till then makes the whole thing easy to understand.
There's a part of my brain that constantly craves novelty. When I'm reading, I just want new, new, new. And this book delivers by the boatload. Just when I've got a handle on what's going on, another development will happen that completely throws me for a loop. Then I'll have to rejigger my thoughts all over again. And this just kept happening, over and over. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
I have to mention the fairy tales in here. Seriously, is there nothing this author can't imagine and write? Anytime there's an opportunity to have a story within a story, I'm a huge fan. And the fairy tales in here are so creative and compelling in their own right. They completely work as standalones, but then to see how they fit within the framework of the larger story is absolutely astounding. If Liu Cixin ever gets in the business of writing fairy tales, I'll be the first in line.
At its heart, what makes this series so riveting is that it feels like it's real. It very much reads like a historical account of human history. And to achieve that effect, the science in here is true to what we understand today. There's no handwaving, no hoping that the reader will just forget about it and move on, if only the author could pull enough wool over their eyes. Instead, every clue laid out eventually fits into the big picture and is thoroughly explained, and that makes for an extremely satisfying read.
When you think about it, very few books contain truly innovative ideas. The few that do are so unique as to be transcendent. They offer entirely new, never before seen or heard or thought of concepts put together in ways as to delight and astound and transfix. This trilogy is that. Reading it has been the experience of a lifetime.
Well, that was absolutely insane. Please excuse me while I go pick my jaw off of the floor.
The Dark Forest picks up not long after the end of book 1, Well, that was absolutely insane. Please excuse me while I go pick my jaw off of the floor.
The Dark Forest picks up not long after the end of book 1, and I admit, I was a bit confused at first. Because you see, it starts off really slow, so slow I was left wondering how it's possible this same author could've written the fast-paced and information-dense story that was its predecessor.
For most of Part I, we just meander along, seemingly without any point or much plot advancement at all. We come across random asides and the weirdest love story I have ever read. At one point I even thought to myself, Liu Cixin has lost his mojo. He blew his entire bag of tricks on book 1 and now he has nothing left for book 2. Ha, I have never been so glad to be wrong.
Because the moment I turned the pages to Part II, then bam, Liu Cixin is back! From then on, the story intensifies relentlessly into a crescendo of revelations that is sure to stun and satisfy any science fiction lover. Liu has a really interesting style of writing, in which he invites the reader to take a journey with him. He'll lay down breadcrumbs early, then come back later to coalesce them into fully-formed thoughts and ideas. As a reader, it makes for an extremely satisfying experience.
And the last 100 pages was the best 100 pages of anything I have ever read. I still have goosebumps just thinking about it. Liu Cixin, sir, well played!
But if the rest of the book was so amazing, what was going on with Part I? Well, I was talking to my husband about it, and he mentioned that it could be a common trope in Chinese literature. I think the Western equivalent is "zero to hero" but the Chinese version puts more emphasis on the zero part. The character is shown to be lazy and dithering for quite a while, until something finally comes along to force him to live up to his potential.
I have to touch upon the book's treatment of female characters. They come across as distinctly there to bolster the male characters' pride and reflect their glory. However, this is also the case with the younger characters in the book being there to bolster the older characters. I suspect it's because Chinese culture has always prized being male over female and being older over younger. It doesn't make it right (and in fact, I have rebelled against this my entire life), but I try not to be too harsh against an author who is accurately portraying the culture.
Regarding the translation, this book is translated by a different writer than book 1, and I personally preferred book 1's. I found this book's translation to be awkward at times, sometimes translating too literally and obscuring the meaning, while other times being too Western with the translation, so losing the cadence and style of Chinese that made book 1 such an effortless joy to read.
Even with the flaws, I've been loving this series so much and I think a big part is due to how fully it embodies the spirit of science fiction. Science fiction, more than any other genre, explores the social and technological aspects of humanity and ponders their consequences. It is a literature of ideas, if you will. But where Liu Cixin excels is not just in using these ideas, but also in fleshing them out to a degree never before seen and building them up into a grand epic tale. It truly is a feat to experience.
What sort of business though? Diamonds? Murder? Perhaps a bit of both? That would be nice.
Our four loveable septuagenarian are at it again. With t
What sort of business though? Diamonds? Murder? Perhaps a bit of both? That would be nice.
Our four loveable septuagenarian are at it again. With their trademark mix of sweetness, smarts, and humor, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron come together to stick their noses where they don't belong. This time, they need to recover twenty million pounds' worth of diamonds and suss out a murderer.
The draw of this series has always been its characters. They are its heart and soul, and this book is another superb display of that. Their affection for one another, their enthusiasm for anything remotely exciting, and their good humor all exemplify the best of humanity, not just for old people, but for people of all ages.
The mystery itself is compelling and an improvement over the first book. Though it took its time getting started, leisurely leading us to the murderous moment, once we get there it's off to the races. From that point on, I found it completely unputdownable.
I've always enjoyed the dual points of view in this series, which alternate between third person omniscient and first person in the form of Joyce's journal. I find Joyce's voice to be particularly delightful and her colorful commentary of the events a real hoot and highlight.
Oh, and on an unrelated but practical note, I also learned that if you're ever attacked and you have a knife to defend yourself with, you should hold it with an overhand grip instead of an underhand one, as that allows for greater force. It's always nice when stories not only entertain but also impart useful information.
It's clear that in just two books, this series has become a favorite of mine. I can't wait for the next installment!
I'm going to call it right now. Even though I only just finished book one, I'm certain The Three-Body Problem will go down as my favorite sci-fi serieI'm going to call it right now. Even though I only just finished book one, I'm certain The Three-Body Problem will go down as my favorite sci-fi series of all time.
This book blew my mind so thoroughly that it leaves only destruction in its wake. Where could Liu Cixin have possibly come up with all of these ideas and concepts? No wonder everyone says this is wildly imaginative. Even a single one of the ideas in here would have sufficed for a book of its own, but to put them all together into a single cohesive epic tale is absolutely jaw-dropping.
The pacing is relentless and the surprises just keep coming. In fact, it has more twists and turns than most mysteries and thrillers I've read. Not only is the story utterly riveting, but it's also insightful and thought-provoking, touching upon science, politics, philosophy, and history. I found myself glued to the pages. I wanted to inhale the story as fast as I could, but I had to slow myself down periodically to reread and fully absorb all that the book was trying to tell me.
This is my favorite type of science fiction, one that puts science front and center and unabashedly celebrates everything about it. There's no handwaving, no hocus pocus. Every point brought up is eventually explained via actual science in ways that made complete sense. And what ingenious explanations they are, sure to stun and amaze any reader.
I found the initial pages, set during the Cultural Revolution, to be enlightening. This was the defining event of my parents' generation, yet they hardly talk about it. How do you put into words the frenzy that overtook a whole country, such that science and learning were denounced, and friends turned on friends, neighbors turned on neighbors? It's like a fever burned through the population, and left famine, trauma, and destruction in its wake. This emotionally fraught experience influences all who went through it, including the characters in this book.
With translations, there's always the fear that some vital but intangible part of the story will be lost. And this is especially the case when the two languages in question do not share a common linguistic ancestor, so translating between them is not as simple as one-to-one. In the translator's notes at the end of the book, Ken Liu mentions that he was cognizant of this and tried hard to preserve not only the story, but also the cadence and feel of the Chinese language and culture in his translation. I think he did an excellent job.
One thing to note is that the official book blurb is quite short for this story, but in my opinion, even that gives away too much. This is a book best experienced blind, so if you're going to read it, don't look up anything about it ahead of time.
What a tremendous way to start the trilogy. My expectations for the remaining two books are sky high, and I'm assured by everyone I know who has already read them that they will be met and exceeded. I have no doubt only goodness awaits me.
After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children.
The Thursda
After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children.
The Thursday Murder Club meets every Thursday (hence the name) at Coopers Chase, a peaceful retirement community where nothing much happens. That is, until a murder occurs within its idyllic community, and four of its septuagenarian residents decide to stick their noses in and solve it themselves.
I was immediately taken with the quirky and loveable cast of characters. The senior citizens made me chuckle with their sassy antics and their unapologetic zest for life. The gentle humor strikes just the right balance, without coming across as too flippant or cheesy. I also adored the detectives in here, with their protectiveness of these septuagenarians and their good-natured acceptance of their often questionable behaviors.
As for the mystery itself, it started out really strong. I was completely bought in during the first half, playing arm chair detective while following along with each clue and red herring. But then it kind of became convoluted and confusing. It seems like the book tried to insinuate guilt on every single character, one by one. It was fun for the first one or two, thinking that I've been duped, but it quickly became tedious. Thankfully, the ending wrapped everything up in a satisfying, if long-winded, way.
Overall, this was a really entertaining read, in large part due to its cast of sweet and funny characters. I'm glad this is the first of what looks to be a series, and I can't wait to read more.
The Queen of Nothing starts off where the last book left off, with Jude at a disadvantage and trying to figure out how to take back the power she has The Queen of Nothing starts off where the last book left off, with Jude at a disadvantage and trying to figure out how to take back the power she has lost. There was a little bit of setup at the beginning to get the story going, but once it did and the action starts, it doesn't let up. My heart was in my throat the entire time, hoping Jude will overcome whatever current obstacles are in her way, and then as soon as she does, another crazy obstacle appears. It was a thrilling ride from beginning to end.
This is the book that we really see Jude come into her own. In the past, she was angry and ruthless, but indiscriminately so in her quest for power and respect. In this one, she is faced with decisions that require her to confront her humanity, and it was satisfying to see her character develop into someone more well-rounded.
All the things I loved from the previous books are back. There is so much clever dialogue in here, with everyone verbally cutting down everyone else. What I really need is to remember some of the witty repartee so I can incorporate it into my everyday conversations. And everyone is still scheming and mercilessly trying to advance their own agenda, so there are plenty of entertaining clashes.
This series contains one of the most tautly written romantic pairings I can remember, with so much shared hatred and mistrust, but also passion and hope. Those elements of the relationship are still going strong in this book, but we finally see it soften and become more affectionate as each side learns to trust the other.
This was the stunning conclusion to the trilogy that has taken over my life for the last week. I tried extremely hard to read this book as slowly as I possibly could, savoring every word. But alas, two days and I am done with it (and this world... forever). *sobs* And what an ending it was, the sort befitting such an epic story and journey....more
Now that I have found in myself a taste for power, will I be loath to give it up?
Jude finally has what she so desperately craves. Now she must do
Now that I have found in myself a taste for power, will I be loath to give it up?
Jude finally has what she so desperately craves. Now she must do everything she can to hold onto it. But that is no easy task. How was she to know how much harder it is to keep power than it was to take it by force in the first place? After all, she is just a mere mortal in the world of Faerie.
Ah, this series is just so darn satisfying! All the political intrigue and scheming and backstabbing I loved in the first book are back, and now there is even more deception afoot. Usually, all these machinations and power struggles aren't my thing. But it's absolutely riveting here, mostly because it's so clever and I never see it coming.
Every character is as nasty as they were in the first book. It's one of the hallmarks of this series, and it really speaks to the author's ability. It must not be easy to write such morally corrupt characters, yet Holly Black makes them compelling and relatable. Even if I don't agree with their actions, they make sense to me. I understand why they must behave the way they do, so it makes them likable in their own way, even if they aren't inherently good.
The writing is as sharp as ever, with witty barbs and putdowns traded on every page. It's hard to look away. Often, I would slow down to marvel at the dialogue and reread it a few times just to make sure I fully soaked it up.
I have this fear when reading the middle book of a trilogy that it won't be as exciting as the first book (all that setup!) and the last book (the ultimate climax is here!). And this does start off a little bit slow. Not much really happens in the first two-thirds, though it was still an interesting read. Could this be the dreaded middle-book slump?
But I needn't have worried. When we hit the last 100 pages, so much happens, one right after another. I thought I could foresee where it was all going, but I was just fooling myself. I was surprised, again and again. It was so thrilling, with a showstopping finish that perfectly sets up for the next book.
I can't wait for book 3. I already know I'll be sad when this trilogy is over and I'll have to say goodbye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ See also, my thoughts on: #1. The Cruel Prince ~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them.
Wow, what a start to the trilogy! I'm not sure what I expected going into The
I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them.
Wow, what a start to the trilogy! I'm not sure what I expected going into The Cruel Prince, but it certainly wasn't this much fun or this much nastiness.
Jude was only seven years old when her parents were brutally murdered in front of her eyes. The man who killed them took her and her sisters to the High Court of Faerie, to be brought up as one of them. Yet, in the ten years since, Jude has never felt like she belonged. As a mortal, she is always less than in the eyes of the Faeries. In particular, she makes an enemy of the cruel Prince Cardan. When treachery comes to the High Court, Jude must figure out what she's really capable of in order to grab the power she so desires.
Right off the bat, it's clear that every character in here is somewhat morally corrupt, including our heroine Jude. To survive and thrive, they must continually scheme and do bad things. While I don't normally gravitate towards this sort of story, it works here because everyone's motivations make sense. I feel an emotional connection with each character, so I'm able to cheer them on, even as their actions become crazier and more questionable. It sure makes for an entertaining read, one I can't look away from.
The writing is truly top-notch, with a sharpness that keeps me on my toes. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue, which is so witty and scathing that it feels like every line is worth savoring and rereading. The worldbuilding is easy and effortless, drawing the reader seamless into this universe. It proceeds bit by bit, so there's never any confusion or info dumping. And the way every tidbit eventually fits together is satisfying to the extreme.
There's so much packed into this one story: politics, family drama, revenge, power, and murder. There's even a bit of romantic intrigue disguised as mutual hate, which is quite delicious. Everything builds up slowly, increasing in tension until we reach a turning point about halfway through. After that, the gloves are off, and we are treated to one surprise after another. I never knew what the next chapter would bring, so I was turning the pages as fast as I could.
When I think of a fantasy story I want to sink my teeth into, I'm looking for a few things: sharp writing, well-plotted story, compelling characters, and seamless worldbuilding. And if there's a dash of romance, I certainly wouldn't object. Well, this book has them all, and I'm in awe over how flawlessly everything came together. I can't wait for more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ See also, my thoughts on: #2. The Wicked King ~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Winter of the Witch is the last book in the Winternight Trilogy, and it was a very nice conclusion to a most wonderful series.
I really enjoyed thThe Winter of the Witch is the last book in the Winternight Trilogy, and it was a very nice conclusion to a most wonderful series.
I really enjoyed this book, though for me it doesn't quite reach the loftiness that was the second book, The Girl in the Tower, which remains my favorite of the trilogy. One reason is that this book feels more disjointed and less cohesive. It comes across as a few separate shorter stories rather than one big one. Also, some of my favorite characters from the other books have abbreviated or delayed showings. The scenes with Solovey and Morozko are magical, and I wish there were more of them. And at times, the pacing wasn't as tight as it could have been and parts of the book dragged on a little.
But these are pretty minor quibbles. I enjoyed the send off that this gave Vasya, our courageous and feisty heroine. She is all grown up in this book, having dealt with traumas that turn any child into an adult. Just like the previous books, the writing in this one is stellar, with many beautiful and lyrical passages that I can read over and over again. And this third book wraps up the tales of so many beloved characters and story lines, giving us readers the closures we're looking for.
This trilogy will go down as one of my all-time favorite series. It has been a wonderful journey, and I'm a little sad it has come to an end. I think I'll be on a bit of a book hangover until I find something this magical and beautiful again....more
The Girl in the Tower is the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, and wow, does it live up to my expectations and more! Our heroine Vasya is forcedThe Girl in the Tower is the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, and wow, does it live up to my expectations and more! Our heroine Vasya is forced to flee her village after being labeled a witch for saving her people from destruction and death. She dresses as a boy for safety and sets out for freedom and adventure, but trouble quickly finds her.
This book is action-packed from the very start. There is mystery and intrigue, magic, sinister villains, shifty characters with baffling motives, and dangers around every corner. The action doesn't seem to slow down, and once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down.
Vasya is the same feisty and vibrant girl that I loved in the first book, but older and more mature now. Her character has grown naturally with the progression of this series, and we get to see the courageous, but also conflicted and complex person that she has become. She is everything that I love in a female protagonist--strong, brave, clever, and of her own mind, and I can't help but cheer her on at every turn.
Arden has also matured as a storyteller. Her lyrical, earthy passages bring this world into sharp relief, and her nuanced portrayal of Vasya's dilemmas and complicated relationships with those around her are real highlights of this book. Every time Morozko or Solovey show up, they just steal the scene, and my heart. The painfully conflicted relationship between Morozko and Vasya is captivating, with the vast emptiness of all that is unsaid and unrealized between them.
Without a doubt, this series has stolen my heart. I don't think there has been a fantasy series that has so enchanted me in recent memory, and I can't wait for the next book!...more
The Bear and the Nightingale is an enchanting folklore of Russian winters, magic, and the power of believing in yourself. Arden is a beautiful storyteThe Bear and the Nightingale is an enchanting folklore of Russian winters, magic, and the power of believing in yourself. Arden is a beautiful storyteller. Her book is rich with interesting characters and stories within the main story. It feels like I'm reading a fairy tale with little short stories that all tie back to the big over-arching plot line.
I do feel that for all the buildup, the ending of the story seems a bit over-simplified, in the way that fairy tales often are. I'm not sure if Arden is going off of existing Russian folklore, so it's possible there is a limit to the material she had to work with.
I particularly enjoyed the main character Vasya; she is strong-minded and doesn't just want a life of being married off and having children. Instead, she wants to have adventures and see the world. When bad things start to happen to her village, she steps in without fear and tries to help, even when she is met with disbelief and nay-saying. How could I not love a character like that?
For me, the one negative of the story is that sometimes it was hard to follow all that was going on. That may be partially due to each character having multiple Russian names and ways of being addressed, so it was a little confusing to remember who was who. Also the author doesn't quite spell out exactly why things are happening, just that they are, so that it contributes to the fairy tale feeling, but it leaves a logistics-minded person like me curious about the question "why?" and wondering about the details.
Still, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the trilogy....more
Say no more. The Illuminae Files is going on my favorites list of all time for sure.
First of all, let me just take a moment to breathe after finishingSay no more. The Illuminae Files is going on my favorites list of all time for sure.
First of all, let me just take a moment to breathe after finishing Gemina. Like, wow, talk about an adrenaline rush. From the moment I cracked open that first page, the story immediately grabbed me. It was nonstop action from there, the sort that has your heart in your throat the whole time, compelling you to forsake all else just to read a few more pages. If there were a scale for unputdownableness, with 1 being a cure for insomnia, and 10 being better than crack, this would rate somewhere around 15.
Everything I loved about the first book was here—the unique format, the relentlessly fast pace, and of course, the most crazy, mindbending story.
This trilogy is first and foremost a science fiction one, and I have to applaud how well done it is. Sometimes science fiction gets a bad rap for being a genre that's difficult to understand and hard to get into. But this series totally blows that assumption away. It is science fiction at its most fun and entertaining, while retaining the epic scope that the genre is known for. And the end result is the most imaginative ride of your life.
The format that had me all agog in the first book worked even better here. In addition to the dossier-like chats, memos, and audio and video transcripts, this book also contains fabulous drawings and an ever-updating roster of the invaders, both of which added a richness and immediacy to the story.
In terms of the characters, I found Hanna to be a completely badass heroine. Her courage and fearlessness is exactly the sort I love in my female characters, and it was so much fun to cheer her on. While this book still keeps to the YA genre by sprinkling in lots of silly teenage love, it felt less cringey than in the first book, at least to me. Whether that's because there's actually less of it or I'm just getting used to the cringe, I can't say for sure.
When was the last time a series has worked its way into my thoughts and my imagination as deeply as this one has? I honestly can't remember. Every time I pick a book in this trilogy, I'm just in awe of its immense creativity and fun. If you're a fan of science fiction (or you just like a good story), you have to check this out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ See also, my thoughts on: #1. Illuminae ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Truly one of those books that breaks ground, Illuminae is a story told in a format that is as immersive as it is memorable.
First, to set expectations Truly one of those books that breaks ground, Illuminae is a story told in a format that is as immersive as it is memorable.
First, to set expectations correctly, you have to understand that I love all things space. Space battles, space tech, space rescues—you name it, I am so there. The more dramatic, the better. And on top of that, if you sprinkle in some mysteries (medical or otherwise) and an AI gone rogue, well, let's just say I'm pretty much putty in your hands. In fact, since we're being honest, I'll confess that Power Rangers was my favorite show growing up. So before I even started on this, it was already a foregone conclusion that I was going to love it.
Gosh, how to describe what a crazy, joy-filled ride this turned out to be? I love high-octane, plot-driven stories, and that's exactly what this is. The action starts right off the bat and doesn't let up. But it isn't action for action's sake. Rather, each part is necessary and sets the scene for the next, building up until we get to the explosive and heart-stopping finale.
A large part of why this story is so thrilling is its format. It's composed like a dossier, filled entirely with transcripts of interviews, memos, video and audio material, and illustrations. It reminds me a lot of the experience of watching a movie, though on paper. It's tremendously creative, and I can't help but marvel at the ingenious design, which pulled me into the story and kept me rivetted.
This is a YA book, so do set your expectations accordingly. There is a romance in here that at times induces quite a bit of eye-rolling, and the dialogue can be both snarky (yay) and cringey (nay) in the way of teenagers. But hey, at least it feels authentic to the age of the main characters. Overall though, it wasn't too bad and I was able to look past it to the awesome space-story within, and that's saying something coming from an old fogey like me.
One thing to note is that this book came out in 2015, and while it has aged well for the most part, there is one exception. A member of the supporting cast has certain characterizations that left me feeling a bit icky, and I imagine, given the chance to do so again, the authors probably wouldn't have written him in this way. While it's just a few words here and there, it is rather unfortunate, so just be aware if you're going into it now that it may be a bit offensive to today's sentiments.
As a whole, I have to say this book left me pretty speechless. The incredibly innovative format of the story made for a truly special and immersive reading experience, one unlike any I've come across before.
If you're a space aficionado like me, I can't recommend this enough. Just be sure to pick up the physical book instead of the e- or audio versions for maximum enjoyment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ See also, my thoughts on: #2. Gemina ~~~~~~~~~~~~
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