When I started reading this trilogy in part due to our Stars and Sorcery book club, I never thought I would be binge rCW: torture, violence and deaths
When I started reading this trilogy in part due to our Stars and Sorcery book club, I never thought I would be binge reading the whole thing in the same month. But once I began, I really wanted to know what was going to happen next and couldn’t help but stay up late nights to finish it all. And wow was that an intense finale.
As far as final books in a fantasy series go, we all have a few standard expectations - lots of tense moments, action sequences, major revelations and realistic consequences - and this book delivered them all and how. I can’t believe that this is the same story that took place in a small town in Timekeeper because of the way this world has expanded, and the unbelievable implications of clock towers and time on innocent people. The author just ramps up the pacing and action many notches here, with the story spanning rebels fighting for freedom, terrorists seeking destruction and control, desperate youngsters fighting for family and love, gods fighting gods for supremacy, and an extremely intelligent megalomaniac villain pulling the strings behind it all. The story and writing was equal parts exciting, horrifying and heartbreaking and I just couldn’t put it down. There were parts where I thought it dragged a little or instances where I thought it was all too convenient, but it was great writing overall.
I don’t know how the author manages to make me care about Danny so much, even when I’m infuriated with him. There is an inherent loneliness in him that I relate to so much, and he cares a lot about his friends and family which all make him a great protagonist to root for. But his single minded obsession with Colton unnerved me at times, especially when he wouldn’t let Colton grieve or feel anger properly for what was done to him, and felt jealous Colton’s feelings about the people from his past. But he also suffers greatly throughout the book, both mentally and physically and considering his already traumatic history, I couldn’t hold any grudge against him for too long. He is really put through the wringer this time but when it’s really necessary, he puts out all the stops to do what’s important for the greater good and I just kept wishing that things turn out better for him towards the end.
But it was definitely Colton and Daphne who stole the show for me. Colton’s trauma is truly unimaginable and I was in awe of the way he tried to process it all while also struggling with the intense situations he is put in constantly and having to make choices with high a price. His journey from being a happy positive clock spirit to someone who can feel the full rage of human emotions and care for so many people, and then make more sacrifices though he has already done so much - he has a great character arc and I really loved reading about him. Daphne on the other hand has a different kind of evolution, understanding to let go of the past and finding a new home and future for herself, while also doing whatever she can for the greater good.
I really don’t want to talk more about these three or the remaining wonderful cast of side characters who all have their own unique journeys and leave a memorable impression on the reader, because the author doesn’t shy away from making them all suffer and also killing some of them. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen so many significant character deaths and other consequences in a YA fantasy and I have to hand it to the author for making such bold choices.
In the end, all I want to say is that this was an intense finale to a fun and interesting fantasy series and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. It’s a great feeling when you discover a wonderful new author (to me) in the first month of the new year. And if you are someone who likes the idea of an alternate Victorian England, time controlling clock towers and spirits, lots of Greek mythology influences, an angsty forbidden love story and lots of POC and queer characters - then you should totally checkout this series. And now that I’ve finished the author’s entire backlist in a month, I guess I have no choice but to find another wonderful author!!
Merged review:
CW: torture, violence and deaths
When I started reading this trilogy in part due to our Stars and Sorcery book club, I never thought I would be binge reading the whole thing in the same month. But once I began, I really wanted to know what was going to happen next and couldn’t help but stay up late nights to finish it all. And wow was that an intense finale.
As far as final books in a fantasy series go, we all have a few standard expectations - lots of tense moments, action sequences, major revelations and realistic consequences - and this book delivered them all and how. I can’t believe that this is the same story that took place in a small town in Timekeeper because of the way this world has expanded, and the unbelievable implications of clock towers and time on innocent people. The author just ramps up the pacing and action many notches here, with the story spanning rebels fighting for freedom, terrorists seeking destruction and control, desperate youngsters fighting for family and love, gods fighting gods for supremacy, and an extremely intelligent megalomaniac villain pulling the strings behind it all. The story and writing was equal parts exciting, horrifying and heartbreaking and I just couldn’t put it down. There were parts where I thought it dragged a little or instances where I thought it was all too convenient, but it was great writing overall.
I don’t know how the author manages to make me care about Danny so much, even when I’m infuriated with him. There is an inherent loneliness in him that I relate to so much, and he cares a lot about his friends and family which all make him a great protagonist to root for. But his single minded obsession with Colton unnerved me at times, especially when he wouldn’t let Colton grieve or feel anger properly for what was done to him, and felt jealous Colton’s feelings about the people from his past. But he also suffers greatly throughout the book, both mentally and physically and considering his already traumatic history, I couldn’t hold any grudge against him for too long. He is really put through the wringer this time but when it’s really necessary, he puts out all the stops to do what’s important for the greater good and I just kept wishing that things turn out better for him towards the end.
But it was definitely Colton and Daphne who stole the show for me. Colton’s trauma is truly unimaginable and I was in awe of the way he tried to process it all while also struggling with the intense situations he is put in constantly and having to make choices with high a price. His journey from being a happy positive clock spirit to someone who can feel the full rage of human emotions and care for so many people, and then make more sacrifices though he has already done so much - he has a great character arc and I really loved reading about him. Daphne on the other hand has a different kind of evolution, understanding to let go of the past and finding a new home and future for herself, while also doing whatever she can for the greater good.
I really don’t want to talk more about these three or the remaining wonderful cast of side characters who all have their own unique journeys and leave a memorable impression on the reader, because the author doesn’t shy away from making them all suffer and also killing some of them. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen so many significant character deaths and other consequences in a YA fantasy and I have to hand it to the author for making such bold choices.
In the end, all I want to say is that this was an intense finale to a fun and interesting fantasy series and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. It’s a great feeling when you discover a wonderful new author (to me) in the first month of the new year. And if you are someone who likes the idea of an alternate Victorian England, time controlling clock towers and spirits, lots of Greek mythology influences, an angsty forbidden love story and lots of POC and queer characters - then you should totally checkout this series. And now that I’ve finished the author’s entire backlist in a month, I guess I have no choice but to find another wonderful author!!...more
CW: anxiety and on page panic attacks, depression, talk of suicidal ideation, bullying, loss of spouse and parent in the past. There are other contentCW: anxiety and on page panic attacks, depression, talk of suicidal ideation, bullying, loss of spouse and parent in the past. There are other content warnings which are mentioned in the beginning of the book.
I know I don’t read enough ownvoices gay romance stories even though I like the genre a lot, but I’m always looking out for more. And Cole McCade is definitely one author I look forward to even though I did abandon his Criminal Intentions aerial after reading nine or ten episodes because it was too dark for my taste. But this is a new romance series and I was so excited when I got the ARC.
While this series is definitely not dark, it’s also not like the romcoms I’m used to reading. Both the characters of Fox and Summer are the products of their pasts and traumas, and their depictions felt so real and visceral. Summer suffers from anxiety and panic attacks but he is also brave enough to give voice to his desires when challenged and I admired him so much for being compassionate and relentlessly trying to get out of his comfort zone.
Fox on the other hand has closed himself off for years because he couldn’t process the grief of losing his wife. He is a professor everyone is quite scared of because he is a very tough taskmaster, but underneath he is so soft and just needs someone to show him that deserves to live and love again.
Cole has a way with words and the writing really is exquisite at places, tugging at your heartstrings so much that you can feel all the pain and the joy that the characters are experiencing. Even though I did feel that the falling in love part happened a bit fast, it was still very believable and I was rooting for them all the way. I wasn’t sure I would like the setting of the boarding school before I started reading the book, and I’m still not entirely impressed with it because the concept of rich kids being bullies and traumatizing each other is not my kind of narrative, but I liked the direction the author took that particular subplot in. There were not many other side characters except Summer’s mom who only made a couple of appearances, but was delightful.
Overall, this was a very emotional love story with great depth in the characters and I thoroughly loved my reading experience. And I’m quite excited to see where the series goes next.
Merged review:
CW: anxiety and on page panic attacks, depression, talk of suicidal ideation, bullying, loss of spouse and parent in the past. There are other content warnings which are mentioned in the beginning of the book.
I know I don’t read enough ownvoices gay romance stories even though I like the genre a lot, but I’m always looking out for more. And Cole McCade is definitely one author I look forward to even though I did abandon his Criminal Intentions aerial after reading nine or ten episodes because it was too dark for my taste. But this is a new romance series and I was so excited when I got the ARC.
While this series is definitely not dark, it’s also not like the romcoms I’m used to reading. Both the characters of Fox and Summer are the products of their pasts and traumas, and their depictions felt so real and visceral. Summer suffers from anxiety and panic attacks but he is also brave enough to give voice to his desires when challenged and I admired him so much for being compassionate and relentlessly trying to get out of his comfort zone.
Fox on the other hand has closed himself off for years because he couldn’t process the grief of losing his wife. He is a professor everyone is quite scared of because he is a very tough taskmaster, but underneath he is so soft and just needs someone to show him that deserves to live and love again.
Cole has a way with words and the writing really is exquisite at places, tugging at your heartstrings so much that you can feel all the pain and the joy that the characters are experiencing. Even though I did feel that the falling in love part happened a bit fast, it was still very believable and I was rooting for them all the way. I wasn’t sure I would like the setting of the boarding school before I started reading the book, and I’m still not entirely impressed with it because the concept of rich kids being bullies and traumatizing each other is not my kind of narrative, but I liked the direction the author took that particular subplot in. There were not many other side characters except Summer’s mom who only made a couple of appearances, but was delightful.
Overall, this was a very emotional love story with great depth in the characters and I thoroughly loved my reading experience. And I’m quite excited to see where the series goes next....more
I didn’t even know about this book until a few weeks ago but when I saw the author tweet about the kinIt’s probably more of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.
I didn’t even know about this book until a few weeks ago but when I saw the author tweet about the kind of themes he was talking about in it, I wanted to give it a try. And I’ve previously read an anthology edited by Lamar Giles called Fresh Ink which was amazing, so I was expecting this to be equally compelling.
It’s actually been a while since I’ve read a YA contemporary because I’ve started feeling a bit too old for them, so I’m trying not to project my adult perceptions onto the book. The book was very easy to read, engaging in a way that made me not want to put it down more than a couple of times. I thought the conversation style between the teenagers was realistic but I truly don’t have any experience to compare it to. The author also manages to keep the fun going while interspersing the narrative with some serious discussions and introspection and I thought that was done real well.
Religion plays a major role in the storyline here and while it’s another experience that I can’t comment about its authenticity, I thought the importance of being a part of the church and adhering to its teachings among the characters was depicted very realistically. And I liked the message that though some in the leadership and elderly congregants might stick to old school principles, it’s the young people with their new ideas and new perspectives that can make the church and religion itself much more progressive and inclusive.
The other major theme throughout the book is male entitlement and how men (and young boys) dismiss the opinions or just about any assertion by a woman, assume that they themselves are always right, consider themselves entitled to women’s time and space and bodies, and then lash out when their so-called feelings aren’t reciprocated. Obviously toxic masculinity can’t be eradicated by reading one book but the author definitely tries to talk about how young boys can be taught to recognize such behavior within themselves and try to change.
The author also tries to talk about the dichotomy of a church preaching abstinence and purity pledges, trying to prevent the school from following a comprehensive sex ed program despite an increasing rate of teen pregnancies and how this adversely affects the young women who do end up getting pregnant and then slut shamed, but no one even cares who the responsible father was. The undue burden put on women in every aspect of their lives is shown extremely realistically in a couple of chapters which hit very close to my heart and those few chapters are definitely what make me want to recommend this book to everyone.
Del is like any teenager who has a crush on a girl and finally thinks it’s his time because she has broken up with her boyfriend. He is also reluctant to go the church but finding Kiera at the same place gives him an opportunity to impress her and that’s how he gets involved in the activities. On one hand he makes some lasting friendships in the church group, realizes the importance of the community and how it can be a force of good and change; but on the other hand, he never deviates from his almost obsession with Kiera and neglects many other important tasks in his life. He is obviously encouraged by his other friends which just shows how much peers influence the behavior and how much more parents have to be in communication with their kids. I thought the author did a great job making Del sympathetic enough that we find him a relatable teenager but also are able to recognize his faults - I just wanted to give him a good shake sometimes and make him see how wrong he was.
The whole friend group is very diverse with very distinct personalities, their own unique relationship with faith and the church and with each other. There are conflicts and difficulties but they also resolve in their own ways and I enjoyed the varied dynamics between each of them. Del’s sister Cressie plays a very small but one of the most important parts in the story and I loved the transcripts of her YouTube videos. While I didn’t like that the author uses the concept of men learning to respect women’s boundaries when something happens to a woman in their family, I think the change has to start somewhere and this is as good a reason as any. I also found Del’s parents dynamic very interesting - they are so much in sync in many ways but still there’s an element of dismissal of a woman’s beliefs and fears and I thought that was so realistic as well.
To conclude, this is a great teen contemporary that gives a very unique perspective on religion, toxic masculinity, and female agency without beating down its message or portraying anyone as the villain. It’s charming, relatable, with a great cast of characters and a very important message that I think deserves a read. I would definitely recommend it to any teenage readers or parents of young kids, as well as anyone who enjoys reading contemporary stories rooted in reality.
Merged review:
It’s probably more of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.
I didn’t even know about this book until a few weeks ago but when I saw the author tweet about the kind of themes he was talking about in it, I wanted to give it a try. And I’ve previously read an anthology edited by Lamar Giles called Fresh Ink which was amazing, so I was expecting this to be equally compelling.
It’s actually been a while since I’ve read a YA contemporary because I’ve started feeling a bit too old for them, so I’m trying not to project my adult perceptions onto the book. The book was very easy to read, engaging in a way that made me not want to put it down more than a couple of times. I thought the conversation style between the teenagers was realistic but I truly don’t have any experience to compare it to. The author also manages to keep the fun going while interspersing the narrative with some serious discussions and introspection and I thought that was done real well.
Religion plays a major role in the storyline here and while it’s another experience that I can’t comment about its authenticity, I thought the importance of being a part of the church and adhering to its teachings among the characters was depicted very realistically. And I liked the message that though some in the leadership and elderly congregants might stick to old school principles, it’s the young people with their new ideas and new perspectives that can make the church and religion itself much more progressive and inclusive.
The other major theme throughout the book is male entitlement and how men (and young boys) dismiss the opinions or just about any assertion by a woman, assume that they themselves are always right, consider themselves entitled to women’s time and space and bodies, and then lash out when their so-called feelings aren’t reciprocated. Obviously toxic masculinity can’t be eradicated by reading one book but the author definitely tries to talk about how young boys can be taught to recognize such behavior within themselves and try to change.
The author also tries to talk about the dichotomy of a church preaching abstinence and purity pledges, trying to prevent the school from following a comprehensive sex ed program despite an increasing rate of teen pregnancies and how this adversely affects the young women who do end up getting pregnant and then slut shamed, but no one even cares who the responsible father was. The undue burden put on women in every aspect of their lives is shown extremely realistically in a couple of chapters which hit very close to my heart and those few chapters are definitely what make me want to recommend this book to everyone.
Del is like any teenager who has a crush on a girl and finally thinks it’s his time because she has broken up with her boyfriend. He is also reluctant to go the church but finding Kiera at the same place gives him an opportunity to impress her and that’s how he gets involved in the activities. On one hand he makes some lasting friendships in the church group, realizes the importance of the community and how it can be a force of good and change; but on the other hand, he never deviates from his almost obsession with Kiera and neglects many other important tasks in his life. He is obviously encouraged by his other friends which just shows how much peers influence the behavior and how much more parents have to be in communication with their kids. I thought the author did a great job making Del sympathetic enough that we find him a relatable teenager but also are able to recognize his faults - I just wanted to give him a good shake sometimes and make him see how wrong he was.
The whole friend group is very diverse with very distinct personalities, their own unique relationship with faith and the church and with each other. There are conflicts and difficulties but they also resolve in their own ways and I enjoyed the varied dynamics between each of them. Del’s sister Cressie plays a very small but one of the most important parts in the story and I loved the transcripts of her YouTube videos. While I didn’t like that the author uses the concept of men learning to respect women’s boundaries when something happens to a woman in their family, I think the change has to start somewhere and this is as good a reason as any. I also found Del’s parents dynamic very interesting - they are so much in sync in many ways but still there’s an element of dismissal of a woman’s beliefs and fears and I thought that was so realistic as well.
To conclude, this is a great teen contemporary that gives a very unique perspective on religion, toxic masculinity, and female agency without beating down its message or portraying anyone as the villain. It’s charming, relatable, with a great cast of characters and a very important message that I think deserves a read. I would definitely recommend it to any teenage readers or parents of young kids, as well as anyone who enjoys reading contemporary stories rooted in reality....more
This was an interesting collection of essays, and I liked getting to know a historical perspective of femiProbably more of a 3.5 but I am rounding up.
This was an interesting collection of essays, and I liked getting to know a historical perspective of feminism from a Black lesbian woman. The audiobook is narrated well too and I would definitely recommend the format. It might not feel as inclusive as we would like it to be, but it wasn't really a deal breaker for me....more
This was a very interesting take on specifically how the criminal justice system works differently for the white majority and the Black people, and ChThis was a very interesting take on specifically how the criminal justice system works differently for the white majority and the Black people, and Chris manages to draw a line between policing in historical times (right from the days of slavery) to contemporaneous practices, and how this historical context plays into who gets branded a criminal and who gets multiple chances for redemption. The author also gives a critique of how much politicians use the rhetoric of law and order to drive up bigotry and divisions in society, just for the sake of electoral gains without any consideration for the actual impact on the health of the country.
The audiobook narration by Chris also enhances the listening experience, because he is clearly able to bring his frustrations and righteous indignation about the subject matter to life. I would definitely recommend the book as well the audio, if you wanna know more about this issue. It’s a little old and short as well, but can definitely act as a beginner read. ...more
It was fascinating to me when I learned that until about a fifty years ago, many of the elite universities in the US didn’t allow women to apply, so IIt was fascinating to me when I learned that until about a fifty years ago, many of the elite universities in the US didn’t allow women to apply, so I was very much interested to read this book and know the history of how Yale finally decided to allow women and what kind of challenges these young women faced in such an old all male environment.
The story here focuses mainly on five students but we also meet many other women and people in the administration who strived in their own ways to challenge the status quo and make the application process gender blind. I was very inspired by these women who took up this unprecedented challenge and made me a mark of their own. But it was also quite disappointing to see so many of the men in powerful positions including the president of Yale believe that the university’s goal of nurturing future leaders of the country didn’t include women, and that the minuscule number of them who got into the university should just be grateful for the opportunity. The numerous barriers they created and how unsupportive they were made me quite angry, but kudos to the women who believed in equity as a virtue and their own worth, and never gave up on their goals.
This is definitely an important piece of history and I would recommend the book to anyone who likes reading historical feminist works - because this is a great insight into the fact that gender discrimination was made unlawful only a few decades ago and we still have a long way to go. The audiobook is also narrated very well and kept me engaged throughout. ...more
I definitely enjoyed this finale more than its predecessor. The whole drama surrounding the inheritance, all the family members vying for their share,I definitely enjoyed this finale more than its predecessor. The whole drama surrounding the inheritance, all the family members vying for their share, and the unexpected revelations made for a lot of entertainment. But I was pleasantly surprised when the revelations happened almost at the halfway mark and I wasn’t sure what more story could be left, but I actually liked the latter half of the book more. The ending was such an interesting resolution and I absolutely adored the arcs for both Astrid’s story as well as Nick’s.
This series may have been superficial and pretentious, but I did have a great time listening to the audiobooks and were the exact kind of books I needed during this time. Just pure fun. ...more
More of a 3.5 and that too because the audiobook narration is very funny and entertaining.
The plot itself is very meandering and not much happens butMore of a 3.5 and that too because the audiobook narration is very funny and entertaining.
The plot itself is very meandering and not much happens but it’s still drama which I quite enjoyed a bit during this week when I’m not in much of a reading mood. But the description of every single piece of clothing, artwork, building and food on every page kinda felt repetitive after a while, and I would have skimmed a lot of the book if I wasn’t listening to it. It’s still addictive and I’m already excited to read the finale. ...more
This was a very fascinating story about memory - the importance of remembering both the good and bad stuff, and how sometimes we forget some of them bThis was a very fascinating story about memory - the importance of remembering both the good and bad stuff, and how sometimes we forget some of them but being reminded of them later might give joy again. And how unfortunate it is for those who don’t have a lot of memories. ...more
This book can be called superficial and stereotypical and not very nuanced, but it’s definitely great entertainment. And the audiobook narrator is supThis book can be called superficial and stereotypical and not very nuanced, but it’s definitely great entertainment. And the audiobook narrator is super funny and I really enjoyed listening to it. ...more
This was predictably entertaining, with lots to learn about architectural marvels in Spain and a little bit more about religions. But it took too longThis was predictably entertaining, with lots to learn about architectural marvels in Spain and a little bit more about religions. But it took too long for the mystery to be solved and the reveal was very anticlimactic, while the identity of the murderer was boringly obvious. While I didn’t hate the book and it kept me good company over the weekend, I definitely wished it was shorter....more
I requested the audio galley without realizing that it didn’t have the full cast narrators that the usual audiobooks in the series have, which was a dI requested the audio galley without realizing that it didn’t have the full cast narrators that the usual audiobooks in the series have, which was a disappointment.
But otherwise this story of Mary was a lot of fun. The Queen of Scots is a great character, strong and compassionate and with good convictions. She is well supported by her husband Francis who is more of a thinker than a doer, and even if it takes time, he does stand up for what’s right. While Ari and Liv’s romance itself was cute, I can’t say I was always impressed with her decisions.
I was not always able to recognize the historical puns or references, but Ari’s visions of Hollywood movies were absolutely hilarious and I had a good laugh. This turned out to be a good beginning for the series, and I’m very excited to see which other Mary’s story we will get to read about in the sequel. ...more
This is a very well written collection of stories which felt very engrossing and full of depth, but ultimaProbably more of a 3.5 but I am rounding up.
This is a very well written collection of stories which felt very engrossing and full of depth, but ultimately left me feeling dissatisfied because many of them didn’t give me the kind of closure I expected. I understand they are short stories but most of them felt like beginnings, and I would enjoy more if they were all longer. However, it’s still an interesting anthology and I would also recommend the audiobook for its wonderful cast of narrators....more
This is a very common term that I use in my reviews - “as a self proclaimed Mahabharata fan” - but it is true because I lIt’s probably more of a 4.5.
This is a very common term that I use in my reviews - “as a self proclaimed Mahabharata fan” - but it is true because I love reading any versions of the epic I can get my hands on. One such reimagination that really captivated me was the Aryavarta Chronicles, so when I saw that the author was releasing a prequel featuring my favorite character from the trilogy, I knew I had to read it. It was disappointing to see that the book didn’t have a US release but the author was very sweet and sent me an eARC, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity.
Govinda Shauri was an absolute enigma in the original trilogy and I was completely in love with his character, and this book only cemented my love for him even more. The author doesn’t start off the story from his birth or from his parent’s imprisonment like most Krishna’s stories go - this describes only a few important incidents that lead to Govinda’s first trip to Mathura, and I thought it was a great choice by the author. This makes for a very fast paced plot, with life changing events happening at breakneck speed, keeping me totally hooked and unable to put the book down. And just like the trilogy, there are also a lot of political and philosophical arguments which I thoroughly enjoyed, and some of the themes related to oppression, the greed for power, the importance of building movements for and by the common people - these all touched a nerve, especially in the aftermath of the American election and all the shenanigans happening around.
Govinda as a character is hard not to love - he is charming, intelligent, has a way with words that can convince anyone, a strong conviction to defy the laws of the land put forth by the powerful and do something bigger for the welfare of the many - this sense of justice in his heart is so well articulated by the author in the dialogue that I felt mesmerized and kept wishing him to succeed in all his schemes. Balabhadra on the other hand may seem like he doesn’t like the person his brother is becoming, but their bond is unbreakable and I enjoyed watching them anticipate each other’s thoughts and act accordingly. There were quite a few other impactful side characters, but I particularly enjoyed the banter between Govinda and Yuyudhana, and how their relationship changed from being adversaries to one full of trust.
In conclusion, this is very engaging tale of how a common man came to be a master strategist and kingmaker within this world of Aryavarta, and it is full of memorable characters and intense situations, and even more unforgettable thought provoking discussions that feel very relevant to our real world. I really hope that the author has plans to continue this prequel into a series because I’m not ready to let it go yet. ...more
I only heard about this book a few weeks ago and I wasn’t sure if I was gonna read it, but when I found the audiobook narrated by Mayor Pete himself aI only heard about this book a few weeks ago and I wasn’t sure if I was gonna read it, but when I found the audiobook narrated by Mayor Pete himself and realized it’s pretty short as well, I picked it up because I wasn’t really in the mood to read a new fantasy anyways.
This turned out to be a good one. As you can see from the title, it’s about trust, mistrust and misplaced trust and the consequences of it all. The information that the Mayor presents here isn’t something new or what we’ve unheard of, but seeing it all put together, with historical as well as contemporary contexts and his own personal anecdotes, it makes for a thought provoking read. In his well spoken words, he emphasizes the importance of having trust in facts, in science, in our fellow human beings - to have a successful and well functioning society. And how decades of being lied to, presented with endless amounts of sensational misinformation, politicization of important issues like climate change etc have all now come to head in an election year ravaged by the pandemic, where both the government’s incompetence and unscientific ideology driven inaction and a significant amount of the population’s mistrust in basic facts and misplaced trust in a lying authoritarian leader - have led to more than 200K+ deaths with no clear end in sight.
As I said above, this is nothing new. But in these very cynical times where it feels like every fight for equal rights and protections, just basic healthcare and some competence from the government is too much of an ask - it’s important to remember that we need trusted sources to move forward, and people who believe in the same inclusive and equitable future should trust each other, and fight together for the solutions. All in all, it’s a well written, engaging and incisive read and I would definitely recommend the audiobook. ...more
I was pretty excited when I saw the announcement for this book and I would have loved to have it in my collection but unfortunately, I can’t afford itI was pretty excited when I saw the announcement for this book and I would have loved to have it in my collection but unfortunately, I can’t afford it right now so I had to settle for reading the ebook from my library.
After listening to a glimpse of the Shadow and Bone tv show’s score yesterday, I was feeling a little nostalgic, so it was nice to be back in the Grishaverse. The stories of the Saints in this book are just little incidents of their miracles in life and while they were interesting to read, I don’t think I would remember most of them. It was still a joy when familiar names of places or characters showed up. But as with many dark fairytales, most of these stories end in brutal ways for the Saints despite their benevolence because it’s human nature to misunderstand people and their good actions while they are alive, but revere the same ones after they are dead. So, this did end up being sad and bittersweet on many occasions. However, the illustrations for each of the Saints are beautiful and I’m sure they’ll look even lovelier in person. Hopefully I’ll get to buy it someday soon.
Overall, this book is perfect for you if you are missing the Grishaverse and want to delve into it again, and have a little time to indulge. Here’s hoping it’ll satisfy me till we atleast get the trailer of the show. ...more
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