Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading.Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading. It's not funny and the characters are all bland. It just doesn't stand out in any positive way (and the areas where it is notable are all… less than favorable). It overall is a major disappointment for what could have been. It is readable and not truly terrible which saves it from a dreaded one star... but it's just not that interesting.
Could it improve in a second volume? Sure, that's possible. Do I care to find out? Not really. 2/5
My thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading. It's not funny and the characters are all bland. It just doesn't stand out in any positive way (and the areas where it is notable are all… less than favorable). It overall is a major disappointment for what could have been. It is readable and not truly terrible which saves it from a dreaded one star... but it's just not that interesting.
Could it improve in a second volume? Sure, that's possible. Do I care to find out? Not really. 2/5
My thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
How does one write a eulogy for Batman? That's the question DC pretty much gave Neil Gaiman, telling him to write a final story for the initial run ofHow does one write a eulogy for Batman? That's the question DC pretty much gave Neil Gaiman, telling him to write a final story for the initial run of Detective Comics. Sure Batman would continue, but how would he make a story that sums up everything that Batman is and was?
Well, it's an impossible task. The book does not fully succeed, nor could it ever, but what we get certainly gets the point across.
Here we are given a funeral for Batman. Friends, foes and several characters somewhere in-between gather together and tell the story of how he died. They are all extremely inconsistent, but all feel like an ending that could have fit a different era of Batman. It's a fascinating read with beautiful artwork and as good of a send off to a beloved character as could possibly be done... not perfect, but wonderful. 4/5 ...more
Ah, the first Sherlock novel. The one that introduced us to the world's greatest detective. The one he seemingly hands over to another narrator for a Ah, the first Sherlock novel. The one that introduced us to the world's greatest detective. The one he seemingly hands over to another narrator for a third of the book…
Do you want to hear Doyle rant about Mormons for a good third of the book? If that is the case, you my dear friend are in luck! For everyone else, the mystery of this book is fairly interesting, but the long section where we break away from our leads is more of a sad story with more than a touch of the author standing up and ranting.
The most entertaining aspect about the novel for me was, as someone who has read many of the stories prior to the novel, is how the characters changed after the initial book. I always think of Watson as something of the man of action, and here he talks about being lazy and being in such poor health that he feels it unlikely that he will fully recover. Seems quite a different Watson from the one most people I think generally know.
Overall I found the book entertaining, but I think Doyle greatly improved as he went on. Particularly in terms of his short stories plotting. 3/5 stars...more
I am not a good enough reviewer to properly express why this is a five star book. I cannot do it justice with my meager words. My only hope is to possI am not a good enough reviewer to properly express why this is a five star book. I cannot do it justice with my meager words. My only hope is to possibly express just a touch of why this book works.
I've read three of Soseki's books and I've had a weird "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" reaction to them. First was Botchan which I really liked but had some major issues with the translation (this chair was too hard). Second was Kusamakura which has one of the most perfect translations I've ever read, with every chapter being beautiful, but I simply disliked the book (this chair was too soft). Then there is Kokoro which is just right in every way.
The book is deceptively simple. It follows a young man who meets an older gentleman who he refers to as Sensei the entire time. He looks up to Sensei though can't quite seem to express why. Sensei is a cynical man who holds no position. He simply stays home with his wife and reads. What happened in Sensei's past? Well that's something our narrator intends to find out.
Let me say now, during the first third of this book I kept asking myself why I was continuing on with it. The narrator is not a particularly likable fellow and Sensei honestly isn't really either. I was annoyed at these two people (and at least one of our narrator's actions actively angered me... which is unusual as I'm not the sort to get mad at fictional characters) and frankly when we started getting Sensei's past I thought it was pretty obvious where it was going... but at some point something clicked for me. It's hard to fully explain but I became engrossed not with the actual events, but the reactions of the characters. When we get inside Sensei's head and hear some of his descriptions of events I was caught up in his practically paranoid outlook and found the way he unfolded his tale to be fascinating.
There's something about this book that is practically insidious. The story itself is interesting, but not exactly groundbreaking... but it's told in a perfect manner. It got under my skin in a way that I couldn't stop thinking about it. I would be at work and a part of it would pop into my head. I would be driving and start thinking about Sensei's words. It's the sort of book that feels, while not really a perfect story, a perfectly told version of the story.
Again, I don't even know if what I'm saying makes sense, but at this point it's really the best I can do. The book is a masterpiece and one that will no doubt be staying with me for quite some time. 5/5 stars. ...more
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai is the most painful book I've ever read. I found it a masterpiece, but it's not a book I could ever say that I "enjoyedNo Longer Human by Osamu Dazai is the most painful book I've ever read. I found it a masterpiece, but it's not a book I could ever say that I "enjoyed" as it felt like a diary of pain and despair. A work, more like a suicide note and confession than actual novel.
Did you know it had a prequel?
The Flowers of Buffoonery was written around a decade earlier and focuses on Oba Yozo as he stays in a sanitarium after one of his failed suicide attempts. About half of the book is taken up in conversations with his friends who come to visit him, or with his brother who is trying to, if not cover up the situation, at least make it tidy. Much like No Longer Human, it is a character study... but not on the character himself. It is on the author.
This book is short at only 96 pages, but what little bit of genuine story there is would make for only a very short and unmemorable tale. What makes this story both longer and actually work as a book is Dazai's interruptions.
"I guess I'll never be a great writer. I'm a softy. I'll admit it. At least we've figured that much out. A softy through and through. But in my softness I find peace, however fleeting. Ah, it doesn't matter anymore. Forget I said anything. It would seem the flowers of buffoonery have shriveled up at last. And shriveled up into a mean, disgusting, dirty mess while we're at it."
There is no criticism of this book that can truly be offered without Dazai at least trying to beat us to the punch. He will tell us the story only to interject that a line sounds childish or overly poetic and not fitting the scene. He will make note that it sounds like an amateur trying to sound like a professional.
""I blame that newfangled philosophy. Marxisim." A fabulously silly line of dialogue. Superb."
I didn't add that second line. He genuinely writes that into the book, as if making his own editor notations.
Where No Longer Human was a diary of suffering, this one is almost a comedic look at insecurity. He will praise himself one moment only to find himself loosing control of the book the next. He introduces a character that seems to be moving what little plot there is along only to interject on the next paragraph that he regrets doing so as he does not feel tonally appropriate.
The entire book is a tightrope walk, balancing the melancholy feeling of No Longer Human with a jovial air of buffoonery. His characters laugh whenever they say something serious to try to hide that they actually said something so real, and the author does that as well. He's mocking himself as this is almost a trial run for the later book... it's expressing so many of the same things, but he keeps laughing and self mockery to not fully show it. It's not the masterpiece that No Longer Human is, but it's a much more enjoyable read for that very reason. I think that those who like this will likely be people who've read the later book and want to see something of a first attempt at it, but from someone trying to laugh and still maybe hopes that things will work out alright rather than the author who will commit suicide promptly after finishing his work. 4/5 stars.
"Once a writer loses his affection for his subject, his sentences display a marked decline in quality. Actually, I take it back. That last one there was snazzy."...more
The amount of glee that I felt at finding a copy of this in a used bookstore cannot be properly expressed, but let me try to.
Back when I was a teenage The amount of glee that I felt at finding a copy of this in a used bookstore cannot be properly expressed, but let me try to.
Back when I was a teenager, I desperately wanted to find a copy of this book. It was spoken of with a sort of reverence in some of the circles I traveled in as a sort of dark humor holy grail... but there was no way to find it. It wasn't in any of my local comic shops or bookstores. Amazon wasn't much of an option back then for me... it just wasn't to be. I kept my eyes out in book shops for years though hoping to find it.
Well, time went on. Literally decades have passed. It, like so many things one desires as a teenager, kind of fell by the wayside. Though not entirely forgotten, at least no longer that important. Had I been actively searching I could have no doubt bought it a dozen times over. Hell, I could have on a whim bought it on Amazon years ago and just never did. Still, as I was walking through a used bookstore and saw that big "Z?" on the cover my brain still reacted on impulse, holding it with almost reverence thinking "No way... it can't be." An almost childish nostalgia ran through me as I flipped through gory black and white page of dark comedic nihilism.
It was finally mine.
Oh, how very much I wish I would have found this twenty years ago though. While I still smiled at the sick sense of humor it presented, I found myself not devouring it in one sitting as I would have back then. While it would no doubt have been a favorite of mine had I found it when I actively wanted (nay, NEEDED) a copy, now it was just amusing. My tastes have changed and the more random moments came off as only mildly amusing (dare I say occasionally annoying). Nny's rants grew tiring, the jokes a touch repetitive. Don't get me wrong, there were a few moments I genuinely laughed and the nostalgic joy never fully left me while reading it, but it sadly was no longer the grail that it could have been.
There is no moral to my little tale above. There is no way to properly review it. I enjoyed it for what it was, but know that there was a time I would have loved it. Sadly for the book (though thankfully for me as those were not the best of times) it is no longer that time. Still, this little piece of nostalgia will remain on my shelf now, and likely there will come a time when I will pull it down and grin a macabre little smile to myself.
...
Also, call me a bad parent if you will, but if my daughter ends up having the same darker sense of humor that I did as a teen, I will give her my copy and hope that she experiences half as much amusement as I would have then. 3/5 stars. ...more
If one were to ask me what my favorite genre was, depending on my mood I would answer either fantasy or horror. It used to always be fantasy, but someIf one were to ask me what my favorite genre was, depending on my mood I would answer either fantasy or horror. It used to always be fantasy, but sometimes I get jaded with the genre and its frequently reused tropes. When this happens, I find that I pretty much all but abandon the genre for a bit... until something comes along and reminds me why I loved the genre so much in the first place.
Tress is one of those novels. Now first I’m going to state that I’m not super familiar with Sanderson’s works. So, if you’re like me and don’t have his works memorized inside and out, fear not, this is a wonderful stand-alone. There are references to his other works (and I gather our narrator is kind of a big deal to say the least) but you in no way need the information to follow along with the story. In fact, this may be a good go to if you’re interested in the author and don’t know where to start.
This is a pure fun read. This is not a book about the fate of the universe being in peril, but rather a Princess Bride meets Pirates of the Caribbean style adventure. The book has an absolutely wonderful sense of humor to it as well, with a narrator that found a way to delight me in every chapter (I particularly love a running joke in which he informs us that there are more characters than he can remember, so unimportant ones will all be called Doug as it’s the only name that exists in every world he’s been to).
I’ve seen some say that the book has a YA feel to it. I honestly don’t fully see it. While the book has nothing objectionable for younger ages, and does indeed have a few tropes that YA loves, it feels more like an 80s fantasy novel that would have inspired such works rather than being a part of them. Maybe I’m just too jaded with the term YA, but I just don’t fully see it here.
Tress is a wonderful adventure novel filled with humor and heart. One I recommend to every fantasy fan... and yes, this may be the one that finally convinces me to check out other Sanderson novels. 4/5 stars. ...more
“The clocks were dead, and in the end, brooding on it, the Duke decided he had murdered time, slain it with his sword, and wiped his bloody blade upon“The clocks were dead, and in the end, brooding on it, the Duke decided he had murdered time, slain it with his sword, and wiped his bloody blade upon its beard and left it lying there, bleeding hours and minutes...”
Neal Gaiman in his introduction calls this “possibly the best book in the world.” I don’t know if I fully agree with that, but I found it an absolute delight. The plot is simple. There is an evil Duke with a princess. There is a prince who wishes to marry her. He is given an impossible task to win her hand, and we just follow along. It’s a fairy tale from start to finish, operating under fairy tale logic, and while the story may be simple, the writing is not. If there was ever a book that begged to be read aloud, it is this. It works in a way that is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. The language of this book is what elevates it and what I’ve come here to praise. Take this dialogue exchange:
“Half the places I have been to, never were. I make things up. Half the things I say are there cannot be found. When I was young I told a tale of buried gold, and men from leagues around dug in the woods. I dug myself."
"But why?"
"I thought the tale of treasure might be true."
"You said you made it up."
"I know I did, but then I didn't know I had. I forget things, too.”
Phrases move with a poetic flow, beautiful, funny, clever, nonsensical... It’s almost like Dr. Seuss for an older age, but that’s not right either. It is simply what it is, and as the book says, “it’s the only one there ever was.” Will this be a book for everyone? Certainly not. That said, it was a charming read from start to finish and one I see myself revisiting. A rare 5/5 stars. ...more
I have read and enjoyed some of Hiromi Kawakami's works in the past (particularly The Nakano Thrift Shop) but this... this is something different.
The I have read and enjoyed some of Hiromi Kawakami's works in the past (particularly The Nakano Thrift Shop) but this... this is something different.
The book is a collection of very short stories (most only three pages, a few towards the end a little longer). They have recurring characters and places, as the title implies they all take place in the same neighborhood. They are all surreal. Some are funny, some a touch eerie (though never what I would call frightening) and some are a bit sad. All though are very strange.
As with almost all short story collections, some worked better for me than others, but all of them carried this strange little neighborhood to new places. I can't say that it's a great collection, but for those who like a touch of surrealism, you could do far worse. Personally it was a bit too "weird stuff happens because weird is interesting" feeling for me (something I haven't personally cared for since I was a teenager) but I still overall enjoyed it. 3/5 stars....more
Warning: There are some minor spoilers in this review. If you’ve seen the Critical Role show, you’ll know them already. If you have not, I’d honestly Warning: There are some minor spoilers in this review. If you’ve seen the Critical Role show, you’ll know them already. If you have not, I’d honestly advise skipping this review (and book) until you have finished campaign two.
Alright, before we start this review I need to explain something. I’ve been a long time Critical Role fan. I was watching it back in the Vox Machina days and am still keeping up with it now. I saw it grow from a “bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors” to the borderline event it has become each time a new episode hits... and I still delight in this.
I also need to state now the rather unpopular opinion in some circles that The Mighty Nein are a far more enjoyable group of characters than Vox Machina ever was (and I love the original group). So, when the first Critical Role novel came out and had the subtitle “Vox Machina” before the title, it was my great hope that a second book would have The Mighty Nein in front. It did and I rejoiced. Even more so because it starred Lucien/Molly who I think is one of the most interesting characters in all of Critical Role.
So, did it live up to expectations?
Let us break out my old friends, pros and cons.
Pros:
Lucien remains a wonderful villain and seeing what he was like prior to the series was a delight. I also loved seeing his dynamic with his original group and how different (yet similar in some ways) he is to the version we saw as Molly.
There’s an interesting spin in that a good portion of the book is a prequel, but we get a bit more beyond that seeing a bit more of the story than we saw in the show.
There are some interesting “House of Leaves” style meta tricks (the author cites it and “The King in Yellow” as major inspirations and you can see them). While this would feel out of place in most stories about the Critical Role characters, here it is quite fitting.
Cons:
If you’re not already a fan of Critical Role, do not pick this up. You will be confused as all hell as it assumes you’ve seen it. Gaps in narration are left, some scenes are seemingly skipped over, and aspects fly through so fast if you haven’t literally devoted yourself to the 100+ 4 hour episodes of campaign two, you’ll just be wondering what you missed. Some likely will not find this a con, I find though some of these decisions made for poor pacing as while yes, I know some of the things that happened, they felt off being left out.
Some of the scenes that are recreated lose a lot of their power in the translation from show to novel. In particular, one of my all-time favorite moments (the tarot reading) loses a lot.
In closing: overall, I’d still say this is a satisfying read, that is if you’re already a fan of the series. It was a book obviously written for Critters who wanted to see more of a fan favorite character. I’m sure some would have preferred doing an origin story for one of the main player characters (after all, Lucien isn’t really the same character as Molly... and perhaps Molly’s story would have been a more “satisfying” read). That said, it’s entertaining, the meta touches are a blast and I loved spending more time in the world of The Mighty Nein. A solid 3/5 stars and a recommendation to those who are already fans....more
In tonight’s thirteenth episode of Fade to Black, we will be investigating the Foundation House and its many mysteries. A group of scientists decided In tonight’s thirteenth episode of Fade to Black, we will be investigating the Foundation House and its many mysteries. A group of scientists decided to combine the occult and modern science, forming something of a hippie commune to conduct their experiments. They all disappeared. Did they find what they were searching for or did something else find them? Our intrepid crew of paranormal investigators will spend seventy-two hours inside this house and what they find will shock you to your core. Stay tuned as we FADE TO BLACK.
Oh man, how do I even review this one? Fun little opening advertisement for the show aside, this is actually a tricky one for me to talk about as I devoured all 433 pages quickly having to know more, but found myself frustrated with it as well.
First off, let me compliment the author as he pulled off something quite tricky. This is a found footage horror novel. Yes, a sub-genre of horror that should be exclusively for film, and he pulled it off as a novel. It’s written in an epistolary fashion, using a lot of journal entries, emails and text messages, but also a good portion of it reads like a script, with descriptions of what is being shown as if we are reading a transcript of the episode. It all works and makes for a fast-paced and fun book.
The characters are also really well done. I believed every single one of them and the direction they go in. Using the journal entries from multiple characters we see how they see themselves and the others around them, so while one may see his or herself in a certain way, we don’t question a seemingly out of character action (from their point of view) because others show us another side of them. It makes for a wonderful character study and shows different ways people react to both fear and obsession.
Which brings me to the reason I can’t give it more than three stars even though I had a lot of fun with it. Frankly the ending hurts it for me. Not because of where each character ends up at the conclusion (all fitting) but because the very nature of the structure makes aspects feel unfinished. There are questions brought up about characters pasts that we can interpret in different ways, but because of the structure being only episode thirteen, we are given no clear answers. For some this will likely add to the allure, for me I found it unsatisfying (particularly in regard to the characters of Matt and Kevin in which they allude to some things pre-show which I would have like to see much more of).
I’m also not a big fan of the final nature of the haunting, but that likely will be something a lot of readers like. So, I can’t say it hurts the novel, just my personal enjoyment of it.
In closing: Is the book good? Yes. Do I recommend it to my fellow haunted house fans? Again, yes. Overall, it’s a very satisfactory novel and I can’t even say that my negatives will be something that bothers anyone else. Give it a shot... but for me it’s an enjoyable 3/5 stars. ...more
Junta is a side character if ever there was one. He blends in with his surroundings, his teachers often forget he's in class unless he makes sure theyJunta is a side character if ever there was one. He blends in with his surroundings, his teachers often forget he's in class unless he makes sure they notice him, and if he sneezes everyone is alarmed that he "snuck up" up on them. That said, there is one of his fellow students who notices him. Kubo sees him and has taken quite the interest...
This is a fairly entertaining slice of life comedic manga. Almost what would happen if you mixed Komi Can't Communicate with Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro (though not quite as cutie of designs as the first and without the mean spirited nature of the second). It has a gentle nature to it and is frequently quite funny. It also manages to take its main concept, continue using it, yet not feel too repetitive.
Overall this is a solid start to this series and was entertaining enough to make me want to pick up a second volume. 4/5 stars. ...more
Alice has been dead, or at least presumed dead, for quite some time. Her wife Keisha has mourned her. She has attended therapy. She has tried to contrAlice has been dead, or at least presumed dead, for quite some time. Her wife Keisha has mourned her. She has attended therapy. She has tried to control her anxiety, but it’s just too much... especially as she starts to see Alice in the news. Not as a feature of the broadcast, or as a newscaster, but as just a person in the background crowds always staring straight at the screen. Keisha decides to go on a road trip, as she’s now sure that Alice isn’t dead.
Written by Joseph Fink, one of the two creators of the popular Welcome to Nightvale series. Alice Isn’t Dead feels like it could very well take place in the same universe... except that Nightvale is funny, whereas Alice is dead serious. Bad things happen here. There’s a fairly high body count and some of those deaths are rather gruesome. It’s not explicit like an extreme horror novel, but it’s very clear what is happening to the people who have the misfortune of meeting one of the things along the road.
This book owes a great debt to David Lynch. Much more so than Nightvale even. In Nightvale the unexplained weirdness is so over the top and comical, where here it is threatening and just close enough to reality to make it uncomfortable. The Thistle Officer who changes her name every conversation reminds me rather unnervingly of the "Mysterious Man" from Lost Highway. I mean that in a complimentary fashion as he’s my favorite character in any Lynch film... but it adds to the overall uncomfortableness of the book
Let’s talk a moment about anxiety. Keisha suffers from it, and let me tell you, if you do too be prepared for a potential panic attack because Fink gets it like few other authors do. I felt myself starting to experience it quite frequently not during the monster encounters, but when Fink would describe the feeling of anxiety.
“It is often said that bad experiences are like nightmares. But what Keisha noticed most was how real it was, how she couldn’t escape its reality, how she would never be able to convince herself she had remembered any part of that evening incorrectly.”
That... that feels too real.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. I wish I could say I liked it more but I have two very big issues with it. First, frankly, the villains toyed with the characters too much for things that have managed to work in the shadows/survive so long. There were so many times where I felt it just seemed off that Keisha wasn’t flat out murdered. Also, the ending... no spoilers, but I’m not a fan of the approach Fink takes. It almost feels like the ending to a much different book.
In closing: I enjoyed it for what it was. I wish I had loved it. Still, I’ll take enjoyable. 3/5 stars. ...more
“Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything“Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else.”
So begins Charles Dickens’ Hard Times. He creates a thesis for a character who believes that facts and a rationalism philosophy can conquer all, and for the next 280 pages will break down this philosophy.
It is well known that Dickens is a rather emotional writer. He wants to make people feel, so such a philosophy as the above must have been quite irritating to him. Imagine if you will that Dickens’ point in this novel is a watermelon. I know this sound peculiar, but bear with me. How to make sure that all his readers understand his point?
By doing the following:
[image]
This is the most blunt and blatant book imaginable. I’m not faulting him for that. Dickens wanted to make sure his readers got his point, and he was the most popular author amongst general readers, including many lesser educated. He wanted to make sure they got it, and by God, he would do his best to make sure they did. That said, the lack of subtlety hurt it from a modern perspective... still, he cannot really be faulted for that.
I’ve now read four Dickens books and of the four this is my least favorite. It doesn’t have the emotional impact of A Tale of Two Cities, the good humor of Oliver Twist or the perfect delivery of his moral that A Christmas Carol has. That’s not to say this is a bad book, it was quite a comfortable read with moments of the genius I’ve come to expect from him, it just didn’t quite match up to what I’ve enjoyed in the past. I’ve noticed that I tend to prefer Dickens when he’s in a more comedic mode, and while there is humor here, it is overall a much more serious book. At one point, prior to starting to read Dickens, I almost chose this to be my first one on account of it being so short compared to his other books. I'm glad I didn't as I'm not sure I would have felt the need to immediately jump to another of his works. Still, I’m glad I read it and will be continuing making my way through his works. 3/5 stars....more
Remy Pendergast, the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne, is a vampire hunter with a bit of an unpleasant reputation. His mother was the subject of gosRemy Pendergast, the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne, is a vampire hunter with a bit of an unpleasant reputation. His mother was the subject of gossip even before she ran off with a vampire, giving rise to the many rumors that Remy is himself half-vampire, and at least a few high ups had an old feud with his father and thus decide to take it out on Remy. Opportunities are few and far between for him, but with two diplomats arriving from two separate vampire courts in order to make a peace treaty, and a murder following shortly after, Remy has a bit of work to do... especially as he is the main suspect.
Well, this is Castlevania fan-fic with name changes. No, I don’t mean that as an insult, it’s practically spelled out in the advertising and one can’t help but notice if one is familiar with it... well, I happen to like Castlevania so that didn’t particularly bother me. What I got along with it was a pleasant surprise as there’s a lot of fantasy politics (something I prefer to action scenes) and a very interesting world. I was particularly interested in the vampire court system and how they operated on different levels (I do hope to see more of that in the second book as I believe the author has stated it will be a duology).
The world is interesting. Most of the characters are likeable... and I’m glad in regard to the mystery aspect that we didn’t have that classic “I’ll be stupidly suspicious of the outsiders because I usually hunt them” moment I expected from our vampire hunter, as while he is very flawed, he’s not stupid and thus quickly works with the two court vampires in regards to the situation.
Alright mostly positive but I do have issues with the book. My biggest is aspects of the author’s writing. There are several abrupt transitions. Say they’re in the middle of a conversation and then BAM attack next paragraph, no transition. First time it happened I thought it was an interesting way to jar the reader into feeling like something could happen at any time. It happened multiple times though and after a bit felt less like an interesting creative choice and more like an editor took out a paragraph of description in between to keep things faster paced. It wasn’t even always a fight, sometimes someone would just enter the scene without any notice, or we’d just move onto a new topic without any transition. It was never jarring enough to make me want to quit or anything, but it was frustrating enough that I noticed it repeatedly.
I’m also not an overly big fan of Remy as a character. He improves as it goes on, but dear sweet Dracula, he annoyed the hell out of me at the start. Had it not been for the interesting world and other characters (which is to say, literally everything about the book other than Remy) I would have DNF it.
As said though, Remy does improve, so overall my complaints are minor. It’s a fun read and pretty breezy for 500+ pages. Recommended to fantasy fans who happen to like vampires. 4/5 stars...more
I read this to my daughter tonight (for obvious reasons) and I must say, I seem to be in the minority on my feelings for this specific edition as I siI read this to my daughter tonight (for obvious reasons) and I must say, I seem to be in the minority on my feelings for this specific edition as I simply do not like it. I do not care for the illustrations, I do not find them lovely or even overly fitting. There is the inclusion of many elves (or at least helpers of some sort) that are featured prominently in this edition that, because it uses the words from the original poem, the narrator seems desperately trying to ignore. I guess this adds some humor as he's focused on Santa and doing his best to pretend these workers aren't his house or laying on his furniture, but it just seems so weird.
There's also little comments from the helpers on a few page that if read aloud disrupt the flow of the poem.
Other reviewers seem to really like this, and it seems to work for them, so by all means, give it a try... you may just want to look through it first because it may not be your cup of tea.
The poem itself is the same as always, it is a lovely work and I don't have anything to add. 2/5 stars....more
Harold’s crayon is CREEPY. In fact, it’s more than CREEPY, it may be evil. It seems pleasant enough at first, helping him ace his test, answer all queHarold’s crayon is CREEPY. In fact, it’s more than CREEPY, it may be evil. It seems pleasant enough at first, helping him ace his test, answer all questions right without studying, and allowing for more video game time... but then it won’t let him do anything for himself. No art time, no enjoyment, not unless the crayon allows it. Will Harold escape this CREEPY crayon?
Third in the series of kid’s books about this poor rabbit and his supernatural encounters. Again the art is wonderful, full of black, white and grays emulating old Universal monster movies (with frames that feel very much like they are from horror movies), with a dash of whatever the theme color is (in this case purple for the crayon).
My daughter loves all three, personally I rank this above the first (Creepy Carrots) and below the second (Creepy Pair of Underwear). In terms of the creepy factor though, I should warn that this is the most likely to scare children as the crayon, while presented quite friendly at first, comes off far more intimidating than the antagonists of the other books. 4/5 stars ...more
I can’t believe I missed that this had come out. I saw a friend had reviewed it and I literally stopped what I was doing and drove to a bookstore to tI can’t believe I missed that this had come out. I saw a friend had reviewed it and I literally stopped what I was doing and drove to a bookstore to track it down. I gave the first two books 5/5 stars and declared them both amazing reads and the fact that I missed reading this the day it came out was a massive disappointment (in myself, not the book).
Well, now I’ve read it. All is right with the world again and I can give an assessment. So, is it another perfect masterpiece?
…
I’m sorry to report back that no, in my opinion it is not. Now hold on a moment though, that’s not to say it isn’t good! It is. Very good. In fact, it’s a delight from start to finish and kept me smiling throughout. There’s just something about this one that doesn’t quite hit me like the first two books did. I think this has to do with the nature of the structure of this one. You see, this one feels a little more... “rambling” is the wrong word, but so is “less structured.” It’s a very well plotted tale, and much like the first two books it examines how we narrate stories and reexamines what isn’t said. In this one though, it feels a lot looser with its structure. In the first two we know exactly how the stories are structured and we see the variation on the narratives as the stories are going. Here one could be forgiven for missing some of the ideas it is pointing out because it cleverly doesn’t ever fully explain them to you. Now, I love it when an author assumes intelligence for their reader and I liked the structure here... but at the same time, I missed how the first one told the reader “Here is what you should know and here is what they never told you.” I missed how the second had characters correcting each other telling the same story but showing how it could be changed to fit different cultures. Here it plays again with the details not said, and how things connect, but it doesn’t seem quite as playful in the telling.
I know I’m sounding very critical, but that is not my intention. I’m trying to explain why it is not a perfect 5/5 like the others, that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it or didn’t like what was done with it. It’s a wonderful read, and seeing the return of cleric Chih was a delight. I fully do recommend it and was content the entire time.
The Singing Hills Cycle may genuinely be one of my favorite book series that I’ve ever read. Each one has left me delighted and feeling the need to revisit it. All three have been marvelous examinations of how stories function and examine the details behind what we think we know. While I did not enjoy this quite as much as the first two (the second of which is in my opinion a masterpiece) this is still another solid entry and only increases my love for the series. 4/5 stars ...more
An even better follow up to Creepy Carrots. This time Jasper the rabbit, being a big rabbit now, goes to get big rabbit underwear. He thinks a certainAn even better follow up to Creepy Carrots. This time Jasper the rabbit, being a big rabbit now, goes to get big rabbit underwear. He thinks a certain pair looks cool… but it ends up being CREEPY with its ghoulish greenish glow.
This one is honestly more fun of a story than the first (slightly less creepy which could be a pro or con depending on the child) and the artwork is a blast with the black, white, grays and glowing green color. Fans of the first will likely be excited by the slight cameo by the carrots from the first.
This is another one well worth a look if you have little horror fans in your life. 4/5 stars...more
My daughter has recently been in the mood to read "spooky books" something that as a horror fan I encourage, but I also don't want to terrify her. CreMy daughter has recently been in the mood to read "spooky books" something that as a horror fan I encourage, but I also don't want to terrify her. Creepy Carrots is the perfect read for a kid who wants something along those lines as it plays up horror tropes, it uses shadows in the art to create menace… but let's face it, the creepy things are carrots torments a bunny rabbit and that's pretty funny.
The artwork for this book is fantastic, especially as it uses a lot of black, white and grays to look like a classic Universal Monster movie (though with orange for the carrots). The humor is effective and overall this is a nice little read. Slight warning though, some of the images may be a tiny bit scary to little ones, so in my case I had to play up how silly it was on the first read. 4/5 stars ...more
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