Most people would probably not jive with this book since it leans more towards the academic side. As an amateur historian and social studies educator, a book like this falls right into my wheelhouse. The author did an excellent job handling this significant event from a comprehensive angle while maintaining a chronological structure to the narrative. I also found several striking quotes that have unfortunate resonance to situations in current events. Whenever that happens,
the narrative rises in my opinions and makes for a fulfilling personal reading experience. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that this narrative expanded my understanding of the Irish potato famine significantly, making me realize that my previous understanding was significantly simplistic. I highly recommend this book.
Unfortunately, I somehow neglected to write a full review of this book soon after I read and have since read 20+ books. (See my “Gala of Peace” recap to come soon.)
West did a really good job with this work, diving into the actual scientific measures of racism and its effects while keeping the language readable for laymen. This approach shows, yet again, how irrefutable the fact of racism is and why we all need to work to eradicate it. I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this. I believe that this is a debut and if true, that makes this book rise even higher in my estimation. The author creates a fascinating fantastical world rooted in Slavic (Eastern European folklore with authenticity that comes only from someone who grew up with these stories. The main character (whose name I have predictably forgotten) goes through extensive character development throughout as she grapples with
her internalized self-doubt in her ability in her ability as a witch. This world has two cities next to each other, one with magic but also copious monsters that roam unchecked during the first few days of each year known as Foul Days while the other does not have magic – safe for items smuggled from the magic city – but also does not have any monsters. A wall that physically attacks anyone who attempts to cross surrounds the magic city. This wall becomes a crucial part of the plot, starting when the main character finds herself on the non-magic side. She then gets herself caught up in a murder investigation meeting the male main character, a police officer with his own secrets that gradually unfold throughout the book. I’m really eager to pick up the sequel and conclusion to the duology.
I had lower expectations for this book because of my recent string of book box book DNFs and low ratings. Thankfully, this book surpassed those expectations and will stay in my library. The world of this book was created by people now known as saints, seven of them with one no longer revered and all of his images and followers destroyed after a catastrophic rise of one of his followers that resulted in tremendous
destruction. That brings up another aspect of this world. Some, not all, people descended from the long dead saints manifest powers and are elevated above the rest of the population. Those who never manifest these powers, known as the unannointed, live a much more deprived life and frequently are conscripted to fight on the front lines of a war. (I will admit that I find that portion the weakest aspect because I have no idea of the purpose of this war or the identity of the opponent. Lobb may have discussed this but if she did, I missed it,) The main character manifested powers late and serves her guild grudgingly, hating the ruling regime who ordered the execution of her father and sent his head back to the family from the front. The male main character, a childhood friend of the female main character and son of the man who executed her father, served on the front but now deals with PTSD so severe that his father pulled strings to get him home and put him in charge of the city guard. Their paths recross when both investigate disturbing murders. The plot gets even more complex from there.
I looked forward to reading this book after how much I enjoyed Stewart’s debut trilogy. This one, unfortunately, did not grip me like Bone Shard Daughter did which I found disappointing and affected my reading experience. That being said, if I put that aside, this book creates a fascinating fantastical world. Hundreds of years before the start of the book the world shattered, a result of a war between the gods where one
ended up reining supreme after killing the rest of the major gods. He also has a plan to remake the entire world in a process that leaves half the population eliminated (Reused for magical power) and the remaining people and all other life forms drastically altered. This novel opens with two sisters on the bring of survival in a part of the world that becomes the next targeted for “restoration.” The sisters end up irreparably separated. Ten years later, the majority of the plot picks up with each sister attempting to survive while also trying or wishing to reunite. As in the Bone Shard trilogy, Stewart has more than those primary points of view. The narrative also includes two other contemporary perspectives, cousins, one which connects with those of the sisters and the other which remains only indirectly connected. It also includes one from the time of the shattering. At first I found these multiple perspectives confusing but towards the end when the perspectives started to come together, I breathed a sign of relief since this saved the reading experience for me.
I had such a fun time with this book. It seems like an unintended theme for this week was murder mysteries, especially in the novels that worked for me. This book centers a female main character two months postpartum – not something often seen – in a world where echoes of reality exist that some people can traverse but only the trained do so on purpose and those people tend to avoid anything below the third echo because that’s
when things start to get weird. The main character works as a Hound, the law enforcement in this world, who specialize in rescuing those who slip through weak spots. At the opening of the novel, she finds herself at a New Year’s Eve party, able to attend because her sister volunteers to take care of her two month old daughter. The main character desperately tries to avoid any thought of work since, as she frequently tells those around her, she is on leave. Unfortunately for her, the Empyreans (beings that, I think, created this world and can traverse all the echoes with ease) have much different ideas for the night. Thus, she finds herself caught in a game of tremendous and horrific consequences along with a woman she considers her rival and also someone she thought that she loved. This book worked for me on so many levels. It also spans so many genres, defying easy categorization. Is there a portmanteau of science fiction, fantasy, and horror?
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