#ktreviews

[booksandwords]

The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Deer by Ember White. Illustrated by Marta Maszkiewicz

Age Recommendation: Pre-School Topic/ Theme: Integrity/ Authenticity (it's all about being true to yourself so...) Setting: Unspecified, America at a guess

Rating: 4/5

I never would have found this or read it without stumbling across the author on social media showing some of their... weirder reviews, and tbh asking for Aussies to balance out the crazy. I saw at least one review calling The Boy Who Wanted to be a Deer grooming and to be honest, if you want to see it that way, that's how you will see it. Though why you would choose to see it like that I don't know. That's just weird. To look at this absolutely beautiful book as something with a malicious message is beyond me. I'm glad I did read this though. Not so much for Ember White's story as lovely as it is but for Marta Maszkiewicz's stunning illustrations.

I will make some comments on Ember White's story first. Let me start by sharing a quote from one of Ember White's tumblr posts. "I wanted to tell that story of anyone's who ever felt that they didn't belong anywhere. Whether you are a nerd, autistic, queer, trans, a furry, or some combination of the above, it makes for a sad and difficult life. This isn't just my story, and this is your story as well." Ember's story is quite unlike anything I've read in a while. Their story is well thought out well, and you can see that all their heart is in their book. You can see that their book is the book that they wish they could of had as a child. Embre gives us Tommy a young boy with a secret. In his case it is a pair of deer antlers that he keeps in a box and a want to be something else. The message of The Boy Who Wanted to be a Deer is to just be you. It shows the pain of repression, the pain that happens when you try to be someone you aren't. The phrasing is beautiful and enjoyable. I can see how this could be a very good read-to, it has the right message and easily memorable writing. The choice of a deer as the animal the boy wants to be is a good one. It's one of the animals with the most diverse symbolism some of the basics are harmony, happiness and innocence (phrased as being in touch with your inner child).

I would love to know who paired illustrator, Marta Maszkiewicz and Ember White. Marta's a perfect match style-wise for Ember's script. I adore her beautiful style it feels young and playful when it needs to and adds that moment of darkness when it is necessary. Her dark stormy moments with the purples and blues have the perfect depressing tone for Tommy's sadness. Storms have a rainbow-like background a nice touch. There is a scene where Tommy is looking at potential future careers (doctor, accountant, engineer), I love the choice Marta makes to give Tommy oversized clothes, a child playing dress up. Not just playing dress up but uncomfortable and awkward more than expected. Marta has done a fantastic job of aging Tommy up from his child self to his adult self to his true self. His true self is kinda in the middle in appearance, like he has shed the weight that he was carrying around as an adult that he has now shed. The dance/performance element is executed particularly well. I can sense the movement coming off the page and that outfit is lovely. The final illustration is just beautiful it is light and hopeful and innocent. Honestly, I can't praise the illustrations enough. I really want to find more of Marta Maszkiewicz's illustrations.

This is highly controversial and will remain so. It does what Ember wanted it to, it challenges the status quo and some people aren't ready for that. But some of us, librarians, parents and those outside the neurotypical, cishet sociocultural norms that are ready for it. The ending is unexpected but I really like that The Boy Who Wanted to be a Deer chooses to break the conventions that the children's publishing by giving the reader an unexpected ending of fulfilled dreams. I'm happy I read this and I think many others willing to look beyond the judgemental reviews probably will too.

Ember White is @emberwhite on here.

#ember white #the boy who wanted to be a deer #marta maszkiewicz #picture story #book review #ktreviews #read 2023 #booklr

[krishtalapada-blog]

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[booksandwords]

'Twas the Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick. Illustrated by Juana Medina

Age Recommendation: Pre-School/Kinder Topic/ Theme: Pride, LGBTQ+ Rights Setting: Generic American City, New York City

Rating: 5/5

I would honestly give this 5🌟 for originality alone, who would have thought of combining Christmas and Pride? 🎄🎼 +🏳️‍🌈= 💖

I love this it's just cute and fun and a great way to introduce pride to young children, especially those with queer parents. It includes Stonewall and the importance of Pride (both the parade and the concept/emotion). Everything is wonderfully in line The Night Before Christmas, a rhyme and meter children and adults will be familiar with making it easy to read out loud (as intended). Medina's illustrations are so nice. They are playful and always give the reader something to point out, look for. While this is a book about pride, I do about the choice not to go overboard on the Pride flags. There are a lot of Pride flags, yes, but not obnoxiously so or at least I don't think so. I really like the outfits that Medina has chosen for her characters they are lovely, and great choices, particularly for the adorable protagonist. The end pages are beautifully coloured. Unsurprisingly rainbow, it's a soft rainbow not watercolour but something akin to it. This background is covered by outlines of people. A diverse arrangement of people, all them implied to be queer or allies.

Basically, this is just super cute and I recommend it to readers who like queer books. No one says you have to be queer or a child to enjoy this. In some ways reading picture story as an adult is even more fun. It's just all colour and cute.

#twas the night before pride #joaana mcclintick #juana medina #lgbtqia+ #book review #ktreviews #booklr #read 2022

[booksandwords]

100 Tales from Australia’s Most Haunted Places by Ben Pobjie

Read time: 4 Days Rating: 5/5 Stars

The quote: For as long as human beings have been dying, they have been turning into ghosts. Or maybe they haven't. That's the great thing about ghosts: nobody knows if they're real, so they are endlessly entertaining, like Bigfoot or Elon Musk. — Introduction

Warnings: We are talking ghosts here and it often takes bad stuff to create a ghost. So some warnings: death, murder, suicide, torture, racism, classism and ableism. Among possibly other things.

Okay, I should probably start with where I stand on ghosts real or not. My stance on ghosts basically comes down to a quote from a book "I'm not sure whether I believe in ghosts, but two centuries worth of suffering has to leave a mark." (Billy, The Little Wartime Library). In Australia's case, it's not two centuries our Anglo-Saxon history doesn't go back that far but the point stands. Essentially I'm not above believing in ghosts because of human suffering.

I'm very glad I read this. Ben Pobjie has a fantastic sense of humour (he is a comedian, so massive shock that), and that sense of humour lands in all the right places to keep the mood where it should be. Some of these tales are truly dark, the humour is necessary to lighten to mood. Though I did find myself wondering what was with the (joking) hate on Tassie, and to a lesser degree South Australia. Don't get me wrong I laughed but I found myself curious. I found this to be quite informative in its own way. I have an interest in anthropology and this scratches that itch. It tells stories of everyday people and even ghosts are a part of that field. Some warnings for content death and murder are possibly to be expected in a book about ghosts, it takes death to create a ghost and suicide and torture are others that may be unsurprising. Other warnings that might be less obvious include racism (because you know Australia), classism (because British Empire) and ableism (because 19th century everything). Ben Pobjie is not an author I'd read before, though I do want to read more.

I appreciate the introduction it sets the tone and engages the reader. Pobjie gives his potential reasons for the belief in ghosts. They're pretty on point. The first entry is important, it is the one that grabs the reader and sets the tone. Nurse Kerry, about Aradale Lunatic Asylum, is the right choice. She is perfectly distressing. Not that her patients are sunshine and rainbows. The Bushranger Hotel feels like an odd choice to end on. But it does reference something Australia is known for, Bushrangers (in specific Ben Hall and Jack Dunn) and leaves the reader with a friendly and helpful ghost in the Quirks. The two of them are the right kind of entries to bookend the book. They balance well asylums and pubs are both common in the book, even more so when you look at them as a place of incarceration vs a place of rest and relaxation. I did find it to be quite well organised. The places that had multiple entries were spread out, the types of ghosts are varied and not repetitive in their order. Each chapter is two or three pages long with a relevant title, either the ghosts name, the location or a joke, under that is the geographic location by town and state. If the location isn't in the title it is usually in one of the first two paragraphs. It all just works so well.

Some quotes and comments. It's not for all of them but there are quite a few.

• Frederick Carr was hanged in 1929 at Adelaide Gaol. He's an oddly jovial ghost despite the injustices against him. He was hanged for the murder of his wife Maud. He's presentation has changed over time. Going from faceless to having a face and no one knows why. I just like that he's not angry.

• There is an intriguing dichotomy to the young ladies of Young & Jackson's the nameless ghost and Chloé. One is highly celebrated and prized while the other is nameless, lost and alone.

• The former denizens of the old convict settlement close in around you, insistent and suffocating, as soon as you arrive. If you can't hear them, you can feel them: the souls of thousands of the tortured, the abused and the murdered. The very air is weighted and perfumed with the pain and anger and sadness of a place built specifically to inflict those things. — I love this quote okay it's just so visceral. I like the way Port Arthur is managed. There are only a couple of brief examples. It feels like a yeah of course there are bloody ghosts here. It was a place of death and misery. (p.11, Ghosts of Port Arthur). Much the same thing is done with The North Head Quarantine Station, though there the story of the Gravedigger's cottage.

• There is something highly amusing about Pobjie not rant exactly but a paragraph that could have gone there about darkrooms being extremely spooky. I had never thought of it.

• Late one night, early in his residence, Bishop Trower awoke to find his bedroom awash with an unearthly light. The illumination emanated from a man who had, rather impolitely, entered his bedchamber without so much as a by-your-leave. — In the same chapter but a different point. There is something highly amusing about a pearl, The Rosinate Pearl, having vaguely homicidal tendencies. That (perhaps fictional) pearl has quite a high body count. (p.17, The Pearl Buyer of Broome)

• The Liftman is written in an interesting way. It's the only one written from a dual perspective and I like it.

• Under the laws of the time, suicide, or felo-de-se ('felon of himself' in Latin) was a crime equivalent to murder, — I knew this law existed but I never knew the Latin for it. What I found more interesting was that being found guilty of felo-de-se allowed the state to seize your assets. Francis Grote also has a pretty good ghost. (p.26, The Huntsman of Rostrevor)

• Catherine Spense broke my heart but she is exactly the kind of woman you aspire for your daughters to be.

• And to this day, every November, Campbelltown celebrates the Fisher's Ghost Festival, an event which brings together the whole town to celebrate community and ghosts. — This celebration is kinda weird to me, and I'm guessing a lot of others. Fisher has only had one appearance, unfinished business and all that. He's a bit different among this collection. (p.35, Fisher's Ghost)

• It could be that the sandhills themselves are simply replaying their own memory of the nightmare that descended upon them that chilly autumn night. — The feel of the unknown in the sandhills. It's different, and I like the imagery. (p.38, The Murdering Sandhills)

• I adore Albert Ogilvie so much as a ghost. He was a legend as a man too.

• Even in the olden days, when hanging people was more a fun family day out than a law-enforcement technique, slipping the noose around a female neck was something not done lightly. — This is about Martha Rendell and my response was essentially Jesus Christ you what? (p.43, The Stepmother from Hell)

• Marybank's protective ghosts are great. Allowing themselves to be heard but not seen by the occupants of the house, the descendants of the first family, the Fox's. But more than willing to reveal themselves to guests. It's a bit of a quirk among the entries.

• the Miracle House of Guildford in Western Sydney is fascinating. If you believe the story (and this one I am sceptical of) Mike Tannerous fulfilled his life goal to help people. I had to laugh when I read this entry though. Just days ago my mother and I were talking about canonisation in the Catholic church.

• The fact that Old Tailem Town was constructed Frankenstein-style, from historic buildings from elsewhere, means that it occupies a unique place among ghostly locations. Rather than being haunted by those who died on the spot, spirits have been trucked in from myriad other spots to rub shoulders on the pioneer village. — They are some pretty unique ghosts though. I do like the idea of a Frankenstein-style construction of a town. (p.75-6, Terror of Tailem Town)

• I am absolutely unsurprised that the Old Melbourne Goal is in here. The ghost of choice is Cell 17, a notorious and extremely physical ghost. I do quite appreciate Ned Kelly's silence on spectral matters.

• Quinn's Light is fascinating. But questions... I have questions.

• Indeed, as there are plenty of other spirits haunting the North Kapunda Hotel — hence its 'most haunted' appellation — the Man in Black likes to keep busy menacing them as well. It's a rare and particularly obnoxious ghost who devotes his time to spooking other spooks, but that's the Man in Black all over: a total jerk. — The North Kapunda Hotel is the place with the most entries. Dr Blood (no seriously his real name), The Man in Black, Sarah and Emily and her sister. They are all different and I like that are all here. The Man in Black is a total jerk and I kinda like it. (p.102, The Man in Black)

• But seriously: if you want to know how terrifying an old maternity hospital can be, just think about babies. Lots of babies. Crying. Screaming, sobbing, wailing. In the night. — Nope, nope, nope. How about nope. (p.104, The Evil Matron)

• I'd heard of George Grover, convict and all-round toss pot. But I didn't know he went ghost.

• Adelaide Arcade has more than a few ghosts, but us was the family case that got me.

• I'm honestly not surprised Mad Dan Morgan has a ghost and a nasty one at that. And that is two headless horsemen in Australia. What does surprise me is the lack of bushrangers with ghosts in general. It kinda gives a beaten by the better men or death wish to their life choices/ actions.

• George Ferguson Bowen had a well travelled and illustrious career. That his ghost settled in Brisbane makes me wonder... why?

• I appreciate the inclusion of the modern ghosts in The Road to Capalaba. I wish we knew their story. But in a way not having it is even better. Because they could be everyone.

• There are three chapters on The spooks of Monte Christo, with Monte Christo being a Homestead in Junee, New South Wales. They are all very different ghosts. The maid that found herself in a delicate condition was completely unsurprising fukn men in power. But it is Harold, Harold that broke me. Instead, going by the most cutting-edge medical and psychological advice available at the time, they decided to help Harold to live a rich and fulfilling life by chaining him to a wall. (p.140, ) Hahaha... NO. He was chained to a wall for 40 years. 🤬 No wonder he became a ghost. It was horrifying. The only shock is that he's a friendly ghost. As in he just was to make friends 😢.

• Melbourne's Princess Theatre opened in December 1886 and has been haunted since March 1888. That's impressive. I didn't know about the vacant seat tradition. Though it is hardly the only theatre with that kind of tradition.

• How have I never heard Elizabeth Scott's story before now (Poor Elizabeth Scott)? Hanged at the Old Melbourne Goal in 1863 for conspiring to kill her husband. She was married off to her husband at 13 (a little young even for the time) and of course, he was an abusive pos. The shotgun blast to his head fixed that malady (good). And because I can't resist.

• But there's something sweet and hopeful about the sight of Blanche and Dave wandering St Mark's together, because that's exactly what they are: together. Being a ghost seems like a lonely lifestyle, and all the moreso for a child. If these two youngsters, talked by tragedy and separated by six decades, have in afterlife found each other, their friendship might b cause for uplift in that grim and sombre place. —(p.178, The Cemetery Children)

• Sometimes the presentation of the ghost feels like true indication of the rest of their story. Like the milliner mourning her own death in the fashions of the day and in the art (trade if you must) that was her life.

• All countries have ghost stories, but only one turned a ghost story into its most popular patriotic song. Of course, 'Waltzing Matilda' isn't just a ghost story: it's also a cheerful tale of suicide and depending on your point of view an account of either justice or injustice done. —I really like all the falsehoods in the song but that original story should not be forgotten. (p188, And His Ghost My Be Heard...)

• I'm pleased there are ghost animals in here. Animals may be more disconcerting than humans.

• The hangings at the Old Windmill (Brisbane) in July 1841 were horrifying. If you want to hang someone hang them, not whatever that was.

• The current proprietors of the Albany Convict Gaol have, in the interests of giving their customers value for money in the frights department, adorned the rooms of the old building with a variety of dummies of frankly nightmarish aspect. They set them in chairs to stare at you so that when you turn to go into a room, you jump out of your skin and let out an embarrassingly high-pitched nose because there's some kind of deformed evil gypsy watching you with one bulging eye. —The book actually contains an image of one of the mannequins and they scare me more than any ghost in that place could I think. (p.242, The Black Hole) There are baby cries... baby cries in a convict gaol? I think not thank you. It's just so very wrong. The title The Black Hole is a sensory deprivation cell. Again no thank you. And I'm pretty sure they are still used.

• Oh man, the ghosts in Steiglitz outnumber the people... by quite a way.

• I did not know that Australia even had a monastic town, let alone that it had its own guardian ghost. New Norcia in W.A. was settled by Spanish Benedictine Monks in 1847. The ghost, known as The Blue Nun, is that of Sister Maria Harispe.

• The best known and most seen of Gaiety's cast of spirits is Ava, the theatre's proud addition to the pantheon of little-girl ghosts. — Honestly Ava sounds kinda adorable. She just kinda ignores people and goes about her business. (p.261, Ghosts of the Gaiety) There really in a pantheon little-girl ghosts. I'm just going to put a couple of them here. The little girl at Larundel Asylum is so heartbreaking, her music box would be disturbing though. The young girls at Spook Cemetery are horrifying. As much as more of these places would be great to visit not his one. You need nice hands. The last little-girl ghost we meet is at the Coach & Horses, she just wants friends, appearing mostly to children.

• Determinig whether the Royal Derwent Hospital, popularly known as Willow Court is haunted is a relatively simple process. Just ask the question, 'Is Willow Court Australia's oldest mental health facility?' If the answer is 'yes,' then OF COURSE, IT'S HAUNTED, YOU IDIOT. I mean, surely we know by know: if it's old and it once housed the mentally ill, there will be ghosts fizzing about inside it. — There is so much going on at this place nearly all of it bad. 'Asylum's abortion chair' is just three words that do not belong together here, unsurprisingly that chair has its own ghost. (p.263, Winston of Ward 5)

• It's interesting The Poinciana Woman echoes a few female folk tales globally. A huge injustice was committed against her I'm glad that the tale exists. Like so many of her sister tales she has become both a caregiver and an angel of vengeance.

• And they stare at you with their lifeless eyes, as if you say, 'As soon as you turn your back is turned, we are going to jump you and sink our mannequin fangs into your tender flesh like those statues from Doctor Who.' — I really did not expect a Faraway Tree. Yeah, they are pretty damn odd. Oh and we get this Doctor Who reference in the same entry as a treat. What other Doctor Who monster are we going to reference other than Weeping Angels. (p. 93, The Grouch Major)

#100 tales from australia's most haunted places #ghosts #read australian #ben pobjie #book review #ktreviews #read 2022 #booklr #haunting #non fiction #tw death #tw murder #tw suicide #tw torture #tw racism #tw classism #tw ablism

[booksandwords]

When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt by Kara Cooney

Read time: 6 Days Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

The Quote: Once upon a time, there were women who ruled the world. Six of them—Merneith, Nerferusobek, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Tawosret and Cleopatra—climbed the highest the wielded the most significant power: not as manipulators of their menfolk but as heads of state. Each started as a queen—a mere sexual vessel of their king—but each became chief decision-maker, five of them served as king outright. — Kara Cooney

When Women Ruled the World is perhaps unsurprisingly divided into six sections, one for each of the six queens, an introduction and a conclusion (both of which are on a theme). The six queens are Merneith, Nerferusobek, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Tawosret and Cleopatra. There are other women of power noted some are queens others are just women in positions of power in the Egyptian system. These include Neithotep, Tetisheri and Ahmes-Nefertari. The Queen/ King's Horus names are included and explained, all of them are interesting. Nefertiti and Hatshepsut's particularly so. A suggestion for those new to academic non-fiction, if you have an interest in the added detail provided by the notes, try using a second bookmark. But the narrative style used by Kara Cooney means you can skip them with ease. Same are added commentary, some are simply sources and some are where to look for more information.

🤎 Merneith — Queen of Blood (ca 3000-2890 B.C.) Merneith is the first of the six queens ruling as a regent for her son, Den during the 1st dynasty. Her entry acts as an overview of the kingship in ancient Egypt and the role of the Queen in it. Merneith provides something of a fascinating study in brutal strength and the things one must do to survive. Little is truly known of her really but I like the way this is written. The style empowers her and allows her ferocity to shine. As much as this is about the women Den himself is interesting, The First King of Upper and Lower Egypt. Den must have greatly respected Merneith burying her in a tomb fit for a king though with fewer human sacrifices (nothing to do with gender everything to do with afterlife necessity).

💚 Nerferusobek — The Last Woman Standing (1777-1773 B.C.) Nerferusobek has one of the best name meanings, beauty of Sobek. "Named for the fierce god of the Nile inundation, a deity of aggressive sexuality and violent fecundity." (p.77). Her crowned names are Beloved of Re; Daughter of the Powerful One; Mistress of the Two Lands; Stable of Appearances. This entry continues the discussion on succession discussing royal reproduction practices, including harems and a quite interesting section on incest (all neat logic no ick factor). There is an insightful and logical comment on harems that I quite appreciated. Her subtitle comes from why she was even sitting on the Horus Throne, Nerferusobek was the last royal of the 12th Dynasty, a product of incest (probably) causing sterility. She perhaps willingly but perhaps reluctantly took the throne to steady the ship. She had little to gain and was little threat to the status quo, with no chance of a male heir. Her short reign allows the board to be reset and allowed all the major power players to get their viable sons into position for the start of the next dynasty. Nerferusobek is almost the exact opposite of her female predecessor, it is easy to admire her patience and intelligence.

💛 Hatshepsut — Queen of Public Relations (1473-1458 B.C.) "Hatshepsut broke all the rules."(p.99) is the first line of this section and it is the perfect summation of her rule. Let's start with the pronunciation of her name as included by Kara Cooney Hat-shep-suit. One of the cutest moments in this section is what the young princes were called... nestlings look it made me smile okay. There was an interesting moment for me. The extremely young pharaoh, the two-year-old on the throne, could only happen in ancient Egypt with its focus on mythos and god-kings. Anywhere else would be civil war. Cooney has a great reading on Hatshepsut's potential romantic attachments. They weren't needed for her to maintain power, there was little place in the historical record for them. I did like the section on Hatshepsut and one day I will get around to reading Cooney's Hatshepsut work but not today. This is the longest section of the six, unsurprising really, Cooney wrote The Woman Who Would Be King dedicated entirely to Hatshepsut. As that book does exist there is less discussion and commentary in the notes they are nearly entirely sources. In some ways, I would consider her the opposite side of the coin to Merneith. Where Merneith held her position with strategic blood and violence Hatshepsut used ideology and human relations. Especially ideology.

For her countrymen there was no longer any point referring to her as "queen." That title was only used for women subservient to their sovereign. — Kara Cooney (p.84)

🧡 Nefertiti — More Than Just a Pretty Face (1338-1336 B.C.) Ideology was also important in Nefertiti's reign. Nefertiti was actually treated as an equal to her husband during his reign. An equal female to his male god. (Because yes he was a 🤡) What is clear is that in any other time, any other place, her husband, the completely bonkers Akhenaten would likely have faced regicide. There isn't a consensus that she even ruled alone, if she did she ruled with her daughter taking the role of Queen, the feminine role to her masculine. So much of everything around her is dependent on which school of Egyptology you belong to. It can be difficult. Was she ever a King in her own right? 🤷🏼‍♀️ Nefertiti is... complicated. It had to make many comments on her. So much of Nefertiti's reign in her own right is a matter of superposition. But I'm not even sure I knew that I ever knew the potential connection between King Tut and Nefertiti.

💙 Tawosret — The Survivor (1188-1186 B.C) Tawosret comes from a very different period of Egyptian history. She was needed by Egypt but not welcome. Women were greatly distrusted in any position of power. She is a mixture of all the previous queens except maybe Nefertiti. It all starts with a discussion of how times had changed in Egypt and the Ramesside period. Her crowned names are Daughter of Re, Beloved of Amun; Mighty Lady, Chosen of Mut; Strong Bull, Beloved of Ma'at; Founder of Egypt, who vanquishes foreign countries. Using the title Chosen of Mut is a brilliant ideological move, ditto Beloved of Ma'at. Mut was a mother goddess, her name means mother, she's a primordial deity. Ma'at was a deity tied to balance and justice, a key to the processes of entering the afterlife. All these women knew how to manipulate the greek pantheon for their own power. There is a lovely quote in here about human society and feminine rule. "Many of history's women could rise to power only within extraordinary crisis and, when the immediate predicament had abated, were unceremoniously pushed aside. Indeed, the catastrophe itself was usually blamed on the woman's rue, a Catch-22 if there ever was one." (p.240). Tawosret feels like something akin to one of the British succession crises (there have been three), but one, in particular, ended with a queen on a throne decided from a piece of genetics.

💜Cleopatra — Drama Queen (51-0 B.C.) If you are going to know any of the Queens it will definitely be Cleopatra. Cleopatra was a true power player, a power player that would likely succeed even in the modern-day, maybe more so in the modern-day. Sex is power and she was totally unafraid to use it but that is far, far from all she was. Cleopatra was also strategic, intelligent and openly ambitious. Even if you know Cleopatra you will likely find information in here you don't know. For example, Cleopatra was in Rome when Ceaser was assassinated or the import of Ceaserion. There was an amusing moment for me when I realised Cleopatra essentially bought Mark Antony, she wanted his power for some form of legitimacy, he needed money to pursue his military campaigning. Cleopatra's section ends with a quick section on what happened to her children. While her sons were killed her daughter, Kleopatra Selene was married to a Roman ally and well. She went on to become a queen and clearly inherited her mother's intelligence. What I didn't know was that Kleopatra Selene and Juba II's son was killed by Caligula just for being descended from Marc Antony and Cleopatra.

I did enjoy this. I enjoyed learning about new powerful women. Women who used power in different ways to maintain the stability of their Egypt and their position. There is some well-written background included too, like the way an heir was chosen and reproductive practices. I had completely missed in all my time reading about ancient Egypt the connection between Nefertiti and Tut. I do appreciate the use of the modern to help readers understand, Trump, Clinton, the Saudi Royal family and just general or universal expectations moments experienced by women.

Let me justify the rating. While I was reading this wasn't a 3-star book. But it feels more like a 3.5-star book upon reflection, I'm rounding down. Cleopatra's section let me down a little. I was confused for quite a bit of it, to be honest, it was a bit of a slog to get through. In the previous paragraph, I mentioned the moments experienced by women, that is also a bit of a flaw. This feels like it is squarely aimed at women. And perhaps relying too much on female experience and contemporary references.

#when women ruled the world #six queens of egypt #kara cooney #nonfiction #book review #ktreviews #read 2022 #merneith #hatshepsut #nefertiti #cleopatra #tawoset #nerferusobek #booklr

[booksandwords]

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Series: The Murderbot Diaries, #1 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 5/5

The quote: Granted, I liked the imaginary people on the entertainment feed way more than I liked real ones, but you can’t have one without the other. — Murderbot

Oh Murderbot... you are definitely something and I feel for you. This book feels like it can be used as a metaphor for LGBTQ identities. There are some aspects of the story that feel very aroace. Murderbot doesn't talk about their feelings but you can see the coding coming through. They are part human, and part bot but it's not a simple 50/50 split, one of their very bot traits is their lack of sexual organs. "I don’t have any gender or sex-related parts (if a construct has those you’re a sexbot in a brothel, not a murderbot) so maybe that’s why I find sex scenes boring. Though I think that even if I did have sex-related parts I would find them boring." (Murderbot). I honestly think quite a lot of people with LGBTQ identities may relate to this on some level. Oh and bonus point they are also coded autistic and in a semi-flirtatious, semi-argumentative relationship with an asshole AI called ART.

All Systems Red is wonderful and I can see where its popularity comes from and it is deserving of the praise it has received. It may be a short work but it is brilliantly written. Readable and engaging with a variety of enjoyable characters and a promise of great lore. The self-contained story and the way in which it is framed are so very well done. Murderbot themselves makes you care and is well developed they grow over time even if it is a novella. The ending becomes that growth honours it. I really do adore the framing of All Systems Red, and I would suspect The Murderbot Diaries more widely. The whole book is a message to a single character, in this case, Dr Mensah, I'm guessing the character may change from book to book as Murderbot moves through the universe.

This is a book with some fantastic quotes in it. I want to share them. All quotes are by Murderbot. • With my cracked governor there was nothing to stop me, but not letting anybody, especially the people who held my contract, know that I was a free agent was kind of important. Like, not having my organic components destroyed and the rest of me cut up for parts important. — The tracked chip is how Murderbot is how they are sentient. I like this total sense of self and the way Wells jas phrased it. I can hear it. • The sense of urgency just wasn’t there. Also, you may have noticed, I don’t care. — Even when Murderbot does care they are a pessimist. Honestly, it is kinda me. Sorta. The lack of urgency is in Murderbot wanting to do their job. • Yes, talk to Murderbot about its feelings. The idea was so painful I dropped to 97 percent efficiency. — Love the computer terminology used throughout this, you are never given the option or opportunity to forget that Murderbot is a bot. Even with their name there are things like how they track time and their hobbies that are so tech. • This is why I didn’t want to come. I’ve got four perfectly good humans here and I didn’t want them to get killed by whatever took out DeltFall. It’s not like I cared about them personally, but it would look bad on my record, and my record was already pretty terrible. — For a character that doesn't care about people, who is largely apathetic at times, it is interesting to watch the changes to Murderbot as time goes on as the develop some kind of bond with their humans. • And in their corner all they had was Murderbot, who just wanted everyone to shut up and leave it alone so it could watch the entertainment feed all day. — Tell me this isn't totally accurate at times? • I hate having emotions about reality; I’d much rather have them about Sanctuary Moon. — Now this is a mood. Sanctuary Moon is Murderbot's favourite TV show/ net drama. And oh I emotions about tv are so much easier to deal with.

I appreciate the world that Martha Wells has started building here. The follow-up answers a question posed in this piece. It allows for more exploration of the world Wells has created for Muderbot, now that the basic premise and introductions have been established.

Also total respect to @alex-van-gore​ for their fantastic art of Murderbot. The tag is well work checking out.

#the murderbot diaries #all systems red #martha wells #book review #novella #read 2022 #ktreviews #space opera #(?) maybe #booklr

[booksandwords]

Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir. Illustrated by Sarah Andersen.

Read time: <1 Day Rating: 3/5 Stars

The Quote: "Tsk. Such drama." "A Talking Cat?!" "Yes. Focus on the talking cat. It's not like there's anything else odd in the room. Now hush, while I use my natural lockpicks." "Thanks, Talking Cat!" "You're welcome, flying girl." — The Cheshire Cat and Wendy Darling

Just an adorable surprise from the SciFi author and the popular illustrator. This is an interesting idea I'm surprised I'd never seen done before. In the author's note, Andy Weir mentions that he finds fanfic fun, as you should if you are working on it. This work in particular is something that has been working on for years. But is well aware he is not an illustrator. His publisher brokered the arrangement with Sarah, someone he has always admired, whose comics he has always related to, to illustrate it. It's a wonderful aged up au for Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan. It shows the power of internal strength and the added trauma that can be added by peoples disbelief. I really do recommend it. If you like the idea of a good reimagining.

These are the three iconic world-hopping girls from our collective childhoods Alice Liddell, Dorothy Gayle and Wendy Darling put together in one place to cope with their various traumas... or not as the case may be. The story starts on Earth, in 1910 England with our three protagonists coming together at the titular Cheshire Crossing and learning their stories. Cheshire Crossing is a research facility run by Dr Rutherford. He believes that Alice, Dorothy and Wendy have been to different worlds, he wants to know how and why them. His facility is a huge improvement for them from the painful sanitoriums that people like this would be passed between for years. Alice, Dorothy and Wendy have reacted differently to the time between their disappearance and their present. Each suit what we know about the characters from their books, where we leave them. Dorothy has become very adversarial, partially due to her time in Oz partially due to her time afterwards. They have this friendship and bond that develops over time, a loyalty that comes from their difference. The setting moves through Earth, Oz, Wonderland and Neverland each with distinctive colouring and characters. there are different takes on characters notably a twist on Glinda and her actions. Tinkerbell is sweet, I like her whole attitude. The relationship between Hook and the Wicked Witch of West was fun and perfect.

Sanderson's take on classic characters was enjoyable. I like the individuality of the character designs and the way the world hoping is shown. THat world hoping was indicated by Weir but how Sanderson showed us was her choice. Wonderland's Jack (Knave of Hearts), the Cheshire Cat, the Hatter were lovely. By far my favourite is the Cheshire Cat designed with a twisted and marmalade colouring. Jack's is pretty good too. I adore his eyepatch and all the detailing but he can never beat a good interpretation of the Cheshire Cat. Oz gives us one of the most cutest takes on the tin man I've seen in a long time. The design of the munchkin mayor was respectful and well done too. Neverland gives us Peter Pan. Peter Pan ends up out of his element in the best possible way too. His design is smart. All the characters just work so well together. You can tell when they end up being a fish out of water walking in each other's worlds.

#cheshire crossing #andy weir #sarah andersen #book review #graphic novel #ktreviews #read 2022 #alice in wonderland #the wizard of oz #peter pan

[booksandwords]

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Read time: 4 Days Rating: 5/5

The quote: As someone told me recently, they told me that my problem isn't actually stage fright. My problem is life fright. And you know what? They're fucking right. Because life is frightening, and it's frightening for a reason. — Nora Seed

I had been waiting to read this book for 5 months. That is how long it took for the hold list at my local library to make its way down to me. It was a long wait, but well worth it. The Midnight Library deserves the praise and discussion it has received. The set-up is simple enough, the concept something that many of us have thought about and the ending pleasing. That ending was slightly surprising to me, but in a good way, on reflection it likely shouldn't have but it did. Realistically this is probably a 4.5-star book. It really is worth the time to read.

Main character Nora Seed is a relatable character in quite a dark way. I can see how you get to the point Nora is at. That desperate, hopeless, beyond melancholic point that ends in suicide. Haig writes her development well. It's consistent but realistic. There are moments of one step forward two steps back. The common thread through Nora's selves is philosophy, a theme to Haig's works I believe, it is a smart choice and suits the root Nora. She remains a likeable character throughout even in her darkest moments.

The other consistent character is 'Mrs Elm'. 'Mrs Elm' is tied to the library of the title, she is not what she appears. She is a projection of Nora's consciousness, a person she felt safe with. 'Mrs Elm' really is an intriguing idea for a character. For librarians/ those in the information service industry high school libraries and their staff often hold positions in memory of fondness, the protector, the kind one and a place of sanctuary. We were so often subjected to bullying and used libraries as refuges. We want to pay the kindness forward. Mrs Elm (the real one) is such a fantastic representation of that person.

I really appreciated the alternate universe concept it is the perfect framing for a novel about self-reflection and learning. What I found The Midnight Library ended being is a novel about learning from your mistakes and your maybes. It is a novel about one woman empowerment through a process that I'm guessing many a reader wish they could experience. You will meet characters you love, you will meet characters you are indifferent to. It feels like a life on fast forward and on a small scale. You are invited to live in Nora's shoes. To ride her emotions and experiences as she tries to find her perfect life. It does acknowledge that happiness means different things to different people.

Haig makes it an accessible concept. "The quantum multiverse creates a new universe when a diversion in events occurs, as in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics" (via Wikipedia). When it is used in novels it is often overwritten. I think most people who pick up this kind of book and start reading will understand the concept. When it is explained it is explained in context to Nora by a variety of characters (usually with their own motivations and their own takes).

The most important of these characters is Hugo. Hugo is a bit of an odd character I think he will be largely divisive depending on how you read him and his existence and a slider. There are several other characters that appear repeatedly through different timelines. Each time just a bit different. Joe in particular is a powerful character. For everyone will have a different experience while reading these characters. It depends on your personal takes on what you think makes happiness and ideal partners. That is very good.

Some quotes and comments to finish.

Given the cover on the edition I read I expected cats, or at least animals to be more prominent. Where they are used it is done well.

In every life where she has one or where it is relevant Nora asks a question "Do you believe in parallel lives?". I like it and the varying interaction that follow.

I had never heard of Dunbar's Number, the idea that we can only maintain 150 relationships at a time. The book goes over it very quickly in a conversation led by Hugo. But I really like it and I think it does explain so much about modern society

"And... and the thing is... the thing is... what we consider to be the most successful route for us to take, actually isn't. Because too often our view of success is about some external bullshit idea of achievement — an Olympic medal, the ideal husband, a good salary. Ans we have all these metrics that we try and reach. When really success isn't something you measure, and life isn't a race you can win. It's all... bollocks actually..." — (Nora) This is a lovely quote. It is a powerful moment and a powerful message.

"Librarians have knowledge. They guide you to the right books. The right words. They find the best places. Like soul-enhanced search engines." — (Nora) This quote makes my inner librarian's heart sing. I will be spreading this as much as I can.

Howl has fantastic lyrics. Especially once you find out the context. In quite a lot of lives Nora is a writer of some form. Howl comes from what is potentially the most painful life.

Every life contains millions of decisions. Some big, some small. But every decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. An irreversible variation occurs, which in turn leads to further variations. These books are portals to all the lives you could be living. — (Mrs Elm) This is quite possibly one of the key quotes in the book. It's key to the whole concept,

Named chapters feel unusual in this day and age, especially for the intended adult audience. The chapters are also quite short. Some are longer than others though I think the longest is less than 10 pages. The short chapters make it very easy to come and go from.

#book dragon #the midnight library #matt haig #book review #ktreviews #read 2021 #multiverse theory #spoilers on goodreads #bookdragon #booklr

[booksandwords]

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 5/5 Stars

The Quote: You wrote of being in a village upthread together, living as friends and neighbours do, and I could have swallowed this valley whole and still not have sated my hunger for the thought. Instead I wick the longing into thread, pass it through your needle eye, and sew it into hiding somewhere beneath my skin, embroider my next letter to you one stitch at a time. — Blue

This Is How You Lose the Time War (henceforth Time War) was such a stunning read. A surprise to me as well, I picked this up for its cover, animals to fill a prompt, I really didn't expect such a wonderful story and characters. A joyous way to spend several hours. I did read this is a single sitting between about 11 and 3 in the morning (woo disrupted sleeping patterns). Despite the time of night I was reading this easy to follow, something I was slightly concerned about. The only thing I missed until long after I should have caught it was the seeker following both Blue and Red through time and space as they read their letters.

Red and Blue are the book's protagonists, not their real names (we never learn those). Both women are time-travelling agents for opposing factions in a battle to create the ideal timeline. When the story starts they are both aware of each other already, both can sense each other moving upthread and downthread (the terms used for moving in the timeline) Red is an agent for the Agency, getting her orders from the Commandant. Citizens of The Agency are grown in what I see as Matrix-style tanks of liquid. Blue is a player for the Garden, receiving her orders directly from the Garden. Citizens of the Garden are grown in a garden bed. Red is more brutal in her style for making changes to the thread, Blue specialises in subtly. Though as different as they are they do have similarities. Both of them hate Atlantis, both see the beauty in the world and both are more isolationist than their people would like. Their letters to each other are hidden in creative and fun ways. Volcanos, tea, traditional paper and animals among others.

I really enjoyed the style. Time War is written in a combination of letters and third-person narrative following each protagonist in turn. This is a joint write between Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar, as I guessed while reading each author wrote a character. Max Gladstone wrote Red's letters and her reactions, Amal El-Mohtar wrote the same for Blue. They had agreed on a broad outline of the plot structure before starting but the emotional responses to the letters are organic (source: Strange Horizons). This is key to why the writing works so well. Gladstone and El-Mohtar give Red and Blue different voices befitting their different backgrounds. At least at first, I found that Blue had a beautiful mind and Red had a beautiful language. Eventually, their presentations are evened out as their trust develops and their relationship depends. Their letters are so sweetly flirty sometimes seemingly knowingly, sometimes not. The nicknames Red and Blue use to address each other range from funny to cute. There is a practical purpose to them but they are still really cute references. Some are more easily recognisable than others.

I usually ignore endorsements/testimonials/'puff-quotes' on books but I noticed one on Time War after I'd finished reading, it's from Madeline Miller, author of Cirice (more importantly I would say the legendary The Song of Achilles).

This book has it all: treachery and love, lyricism and gritty action, existential crisis and space-opera scope, not to mention time travelling super-agents. Gladstone and El-Mohtar's debut collaboration is a fireworks display from two very talented storytellers.

I like this quote because for once it does a halfway decent job of summarising the story and my feeling about it. I really do recommend this if the blurb appeals to you. It does a brilliant job of creating a world and really likable characters.

I could add so, so many quotes to the review here. I will try to refrain from going overboard. • "And then we'd be at each other's throats even more." Oh, petal. You say that like it's a bad thing. — It's just the way Blue writes this because both of them know this competition is part of them. (Blue, p.36) • Atlantis sinks. Serves it right. Red hates the place. For one thing, there are so many Altantises, always sinking, in so many strands. — The whole Atlantis thing makes me smile so many time travel books venerate Atlantis, and have it as a point in time to go back to a save. This book is very much is just it fails in every strand, why do we bother? (Red, 47) • We make so much of lettercraft literal, don't we? Whacked seals aside. Letters as time travel, time-travelling letters. Hidden meanings. — Should I explain the whacked seals bit? Red's last letter was concealed in a seal Blue had to kill to access it. (Blue, p.53) • I like writing to you. I like reading you. When I finish your letters, I spend frantic hours in secret composing my replies, pondering ways to send them. — This is intended to be reassuring to Blue and it is. There is also something so romantic about this. (Red, p.82) • There is a small hill from which can watch the sun set over the Outaouais River; every evening I see a red sky bleed over blue water and think of us. Have you ever watched this kind of sunset? The colours don't blend: the redder the sky the bluer the water, as we tilt away from the sun. — This is just such a visual description. It is in a letter from Blue while she an embedded operation, as she is for probably 1/3 of the book. This is what she does to remind herself of Red. (Blue, p.88) • I want to say, now, before you can beat me to it—Red, when I think of the seed in your mouth I imagine having placed it there myself, my fingers on your lips. — I'm not going to spoil this one. It is just a beautifully intimate quote. The longing is so plain to see. (Blue, p.125) • I'll be sent, no doubt, to undo the damage you've caused. And we'll run again, the two of us, upthread and down, firefighter and fire starter, two predators only sated by each other's words. — Does this just feel like a mix of want and content to anyone else? Red knows what she wants to be on the treads facing off against red, and she would be content with that... if she couldn't have more. I also really like the names she uses. (Red, p.128) • "You root in the air, my epiphyte. It's no hard thing to trace the new growth to you, singly." — I had to look up epiphyte, I should have guessed it was a botany term. "epiphyte: a plant that grows on another plant, especially one that is not parasitic, such as the numerous ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropical rainforests." It does kinda suit Blue. (Garden, p.145)

#tihylttw #sapphic fiction #lgbtq #sci-fi #book review #read 2022 #ktreviews #this is how you lose the time war #amal el mohtar #max gladstone #booklr #science fiction #spoilers on goodreads

[booksandwords]

Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower

Series: Magical Bookshop, #2 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Quote: There was a war going on in Charming Books as the crow and the cat positioned themselves against each other: a tight for shop mascot. Both Faulkner and Emerson thought they were deserving of the title. Faulkner, who had been a resident of the longer, had seniority on his side, but Emerson had him beat in crowd appeal. — Violet

I enjoyed Prose and Cons though not as much as Crime and Punishment. Though it's nothing to do with the characterisation and story perse more to the writing and the classic literature was used. Violet, Daisy, Emerson and Faulker are all still fantastic. Prose and Cons picks up in the 3rd week of October four months after the conclusion of Prose and Cons. Charming Books is all decorated for fall and Halloween. It's a busy time for Cascade Springs, it's their annual Food and Wine Festival. Being as it is Violet in Cascade Springs something inevitably goes wrong and someone dies. The death was entirely unexpected to me, Anastasia Faber. Anastasia is the literary fiction author from the Red Inkers we met previously. The prime suspect is another member of the Red Inkers, Sadie (the bubbly fashion queen). Worse still the death happens at Charming Books.

It was nice to meet some new faces during Prose and Cons especially Danielle and Aster Cloud and EMT Keenan all of whom I think will make further appearances. I'm hoping Renee does too. Renee does all librarians justice. She's loud full of passion and personality and is really not a shusher. The epilogue is adorable. I adore Aster. She is just too cute, the best Joan of Arc I can think of. As an aside, I am now convinced there is no signposting for the killer or the motivation though it's Anastasia she was not particularly liked, unlike Benedict who was well-liked and respected. This is all about the reading and the journey.

The story of Prose and Cons is self-contained though perhaps a little less pleasing for me than Crime and Punishment, potentially due to an accessibility problem. It might due to the use of Dickinson's The Carriage vs Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher and The Purloined Letter, as a poem The Carriage the can be replicated with ease giving us the most relevant parts for the story as they are needed. Whereas The Fall of the House of Usher and The Purloined Letter are both approx twenty-page short stories that rely more on themes and impressions than words. If you haven't read them you are likely to understand less. I'm likely to see similar problems with Murders and Metaphors which uses Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. As with the Poe works I've never read Allcott's classic but it won't stop me from reading the next book in the series. That said using Poe was a great choice it does allow Faulkner to indulge in some raven yelling (no one wants to tell him he's a crow, not a raven).

The tree is interesting, protective of Violet and healing. They don't hide its power from David but David himself says in the course of the story that as important as Charming Books birch tree is to Violet they are sacred to David's people. They hide the secret yes but with him, he observes more and notices that something near-impossible has happened. Have some David and Violet quotes just because.

My gaze glossed over Trudy and Richard and locked with the amber-colored eyes of the village police chief. As a member of the Senca tribe, Rainwater had coal black hair, which he kept short, honey-colored skin, pronounced cheek bones, and eyes that were like pools of warm maple syrup. It went without saying that he was a handsome man. The fact was he was an aspiring writer of children's books could topple a book-loving girl like me clean over. — This is a lovely descriptive passage. And yeah just ditto to that last line. There is just something truly appealing about children's book writers. (p.26)

"My work is fiction for kids, true, but it's still a peek into my deepest thoughts. In a way, isn't that what all writers allow readers when they share their work, a window into another person's mind? Poe, the tortured soul that he was, was the perfect example." — This is David's reason for not letting Violet read his draft well the final reason he settles on after she calls bullshit on the others. The line is accurate but I would love to see what is in that book. What truth is he hiding from her? I mean at this point it could be anything. (David, p.40)

My eyebrows shot up a little father with this new information about the chief of police. He sounded like a true Renaissance man. Chief, writer, role-playing game aficionado. It just seemed a little too good to be true. I wondered what else I didn't know about Chief David Rainwater. — This is after Violet founds out from Keenen that he's in a D&D group with David. But before we meet Danielle and Aster. That just adds a whole other level of oh wow. (p.66)

""You do realize everyone else in the village, including my own grandmother, is pushing me toward Nathan, not David." She clicked her tongue. "The mayor is all wrong for you," she said with conviction." — While Violet may not like this conversation at least someone is saying 'oh I can see that'. Also, I like Renee in this scene, she makes me smile. (Violet and Renee, p.192)

More quotes to finish this very, very messy review.

The pounding came again, and Emerson seemed unconcerned by it, so I felt myself relax too. In the last few months since I had adopted the small tuxedo cat, I had begun to trust his instincts about people. He always seemed to know who was friend and who was foe. It was nice to have a feline litmus test, — This is a great take on pets. And Emerson is the best when it comes to an indication of good faith. (p.24)

"Adrian boxed up some more cookies for you. He copes with bad news by feeding people." I took the box from her and smiled. "Since I cope with stress with sugar, we are well matched." — And this is why we adore Adrian. I know Lacey is the suspect for bk 3 so it is going to be interesting to see hope Lacey and Adrian cope with that level of stress. (Lacey and Violet, p.85)

Despite growing up in wine country, I wasn't much of a drinker myself. I'd never acquired a taste for alcohol. If I was given the choice, I would much rather eat my calories in the form of sugary baked goodness like the cookies from Le Crepe Jolie than from a glass of wine. — I feel this on a deep level. I did grow up in wine country (and brewing area now). I too would rather eat my calories, or drink them through something close to designer tea. (p.159)

I could use a ruler-high stack of chocolate chip pancakes after the night I'd had. On second thought, Grandma Daisy could hold the pancakes and just hand over the bag of chocolate chips straight up was the only medicine that would do the trick. — Oh my god yes to this. (p178)

A student strolling the sidewalk did an about-face when the librarian screeched at me. Perhaps a yelling librarian was even more alarming than a running librarian. Nat that Renee was your typical librarian, with her tendency to be loud and her infectious laugh that could be heard all over the library building multiple times throughout the day. She wasn't one to whisper, and I had seen her shush a student only once, when a group of football players was especially rowdy. — It has been so long since I saw a librarian written this well. Renee is loud. Personality plus. And I can see why Richard is intimidated by her a little.

#amanda flower #magical bookshop #prose and cons #edgar allan poe #book review #read 2022 #cozy mystery #ktreviews #halloween #booklr

[booksandwords]

The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard

Series: The Universe of Xuya Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Quote: "That's all there is to it. Life isn't easy and neat." "You make it sound like it is. when you make your deductions from the smallest scraps of evidence." "When I deduce things? You're mistaken. The world is chaotic and without sense. But in the smallest of spheres it's sometimes possible to straighten things out; to make it seem as though everything means something." — Long Chau and The Shadow's Child

Despite only reading The Tea Master and the Detective I found the lore governing the Universe of Xuya is easy to understand. I like the characters, their dynamic was not unique but somewhat unexpected. It's a mystery to be solved by shipmind The Shadow's Child and human Long Chau. The story isn't a whodunit, de Bodard just tells the story, she doesn't ask you to help solve the crime. Though she does give hints and I've readers the option to figure out Long Chau's past (as she is asking The Shadow's Child to). It is the right balance for a novella. Some leading some thinking.

Long Chau and The Shadow's Child feel like and reversal of types. Long Chau is the colder of the two, the more objective. The Shadow's Child comes across as more fragile and emotional. Though these traits suit professions Long Chau is a detective, The Shadow's Child is a tea maker. As much as The Shadow's Child claims she isn't she absolutely traumatised after the events of a war and the loss of her crew. I look at their developing relationship as something like creating a brew, brewing a tea. It takes time for them to understand each other's elements and figure out how to work together. Well since we're in The Shadow's Child's head it takes a while for her to understand how she feels about Long Chau.

The writing style used by de Bodard is pleasing. The sentences can be quite long but it is descriptive and lyrical. It is well suited to The Shadow's Child's intelligence and soul (?). Long Chau's language is different but this is only right. I like the pronouns used throughout/. There are so few characters in the book both The Shadow's Child and Long Chau are female. So many of the characters that have an impact on the plot are which I have no problem with at all, there is something to be said about using a single gender to prove a point. But the ones that are the most interesting to me are the shipminds. Traditionally ships are female but de Bodard uses a mix of masculine, feminine and neutral. Sharpening Steel into Needles is referred to as they, The Three in the Peach Gardens and The Sorrow of the Four Gentleman are referred to he.

Some quotes I liked... • But I liked the previous one. Strong chemistry between the characters. And to have a small mining operation was a smart change of setting. I loved the mindship and their habitat's Mind's lover, trying to find each other after decades had passed. — There is something pleasing about this line. I read a lot of romance novels, I have favourite authors that I can say things like this about. This I will read near everything they read and compare book to book. (The Shadow's Child) • The walls had caved in now, receding in what seemed a long and profound distance; the table was folding back on itself, showing the metal it had been made from, the bots that had hammered it into shape—the broken scraps of what it'd be, when it finally broke down, every moment existing tightly folded on top of one another. — This is a description of going into deep space. Kinda like a parker pocket of space, this feels like some form of hyperspace. Either way, it messes with the mind, the deeper you go the worse you get. The Shadow's Child makes teas to protect people'm minds in deep space. I said the lore was understandable, this was the only bit I didn't quite get. (The Shadow's Child) • "It was a long way away from here—the currents of unreality carried her a long way: you can see it in the way the shadow skin got shredded. And I could speculate, but it's an unhealthy pastime. We need certainty, not smokescreens." — I like Long Chau. I like the way her mind her analytical mind works. The language she is given is great too. (Long Chau) • "She'll be back." "Of course. She attacks problems the same way crocodiles attack prey, with relentless abandon. Giving up would be physically painful." — This is a well-respected and connected shipmind talking about Long Chau. Quite frankly I like it because it says a lot about her. This is Long Chau's reputation with shipminds in general. (The Shadow's Child and Sharpening Steel into Needles) • Long Chau lounged against the wall with the ease of someone who owned the compartment. Bots hung on the back of her hands—gilded and ornate like jewels, the needles on the tips of their bodies almost invisible. — This is just such a visual description. (The Shadow's Child) • Long Chau had been about to rise from the table. She sat down now. The languidness was gone, leaving only the sharp, fast and wounding edge of a blade. — Ditto on the visual description. This and the previous quote are pretty good examples of The Shadow's Child's language. (The Shadow's Child)

The Tea Master and the Detective has been sitting on my tbr pile for far too long. Honestly, I'm glad I've finally read it. I can definitely see how it won the 2018 Nebula award it did (plus a nomination for a Hugo). It was actually the cover that originally attracted me to this. Both covers I've seen are lovely, though Derek Berger's perhaps slightly better reflecting the characters better. Berger's is the cover I read.

oh man all the italics in this review. Out of respect to Aliette de Bodard I have kept her formatting for the shipminds names while maintaining my own formatting (italics for quotes and titles).

#the universe of xuya #book review #science fiction #sci-fi #read 2022 #ktreviews #booklr #the tea master and the detective #aliette de bodard

[booksandwords]

The Wicked + The Divine: Okay by Kieron Gillen. Art by Jamie McKelvie. Coloured by Matt Wilson. Lettering by Clayton Cowles.

Series: The Wicked + The Divine, #9 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5

The quote: "Oh, David. I have done many awful necessary things. But you had a choice... ...and even at this late date, all your choices were bad. I'll tell you this. I've been around a long long time. And I am oh so bored of men like you." — Ananke

This is a great and fitting ending to a series. It wraps up the storylines well and leaves the reader with a message. It does this while delivering emotional hits with no less weight than other volumes (more importantly issues) in the series. The last pages are, I think, an echo of a moment earlier in the series. Characters are all given their own moments, moments to remind the reader that they are human, also reminders that "people never really die" (Laura) and the power of love.

This whole thing starts with a series of videos about Baal's last gig. One of them is just so adorable, Tom is an everyday person we've met before that I didn't see again. He appears in The Imperial Phase: Part 1 in a discussion with Persephone. "Please! We... have a question." "Uh-huh?" "Some texts say your cult wasn't allowed to say your name We... wanted to honour that. What do you want to be addressed as?" "The Destroyer." Tom does make it clear that this is him. He's not just a Persephone fan, he's a Baal fan. And like so many of us he thinks Inanna is hot. The video itself is him doing the fan thing, opening the ticket, queueing and going to the gig. It's an inside view of the gig and maybe a sense of the betrayal that fans will feel towards the remaining gods. Just after this three of our four heads (Jon, Inanna and Lucifer) get bodies back with the help of Nergal/Cameron after visiting him in the cathedral he has built for The Morrigan. He allows them to take The Morrigan's bodies in a moment of catharsis in a way. What I did notice is that Lucifer honours The Morrigan, specifically Badb, by keeping her red hair (though in Luci's iconic style).

I can honestly say that of all the books that have made me tear up this is the one I least expected. It's not the deaths per se it's the loss of potential and the way they happen. Just to be clear warnings for suicide, murder and attempted murder.

I don't remember seeing the birth names of all the gods before. This is a tiny bit spoilerly so read on at your own peril. • Persephone — Laura Wilson • Urðr — Cassandra • Skuld & Verðandi — Meredith and Zoe (the other two thirds of The Norn) • Lucifer — Eleanor • Baal — Valentine • Inanna — Zahid • Baphomet/Nergal — Cameron • The Morrigan — Marion • Dionysus — Umar • Woden — David Blake • Mimir — Jon Blake • Amaterasu — Emily Greenway • Tara — Aruna • I can't find names for Ananke, Minerva or Sakhmet in the volumes I have available.

I made the choice to skip Volume 8 of WicDiv because it is a collection of special issues set apart from the main storyline. If I was to come back and reread the series I would read Vol. 8: Old Is the New New. But am only half invested in the series, ie invested enough to want to know how the series ends but not invested enough to spend more time with the characters. As it is I have a bit of time pressure to finish the books and get them reviewed before I have to return them.

#the wicked and the divine #okay #graphic novel #book review #mythological #comics #ktreviews #read 2022 #fandom #booklr #clayton cowles #matt wilson #jamie mckelvie #kieron gillen #the wicked + the divine #spoilers on goodreads #lgbtq

[booksandwords]

The Wicked + The Divine: Mothering Invention by Kieron Gillen. Art by Jamie McKelvie. Coloured by Matt Wilson. Lettering by Clayton Cowles.

Series: The Wicked + The Divine, #7 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5

The quote: "No. I'm a walking trash fire." "Hey, plagerist. Walking trash fire is my signature look. Get your own!" — Laura and Baphomet

Warnings: discussion of abortion, death of children (off-page), suicide.

Beware the Spoilers for the whole review. It was hard to review this one without any.

I'm going back to 4🌟 for Mothering Invention. We get a lot of backstory. Turns out Ananke partially started the bull***t with the reemergences. Laura might actually be a reincarnation of her sister (that is a guess). It turns out Mini is not the only person who is not who they pretended to be, Baal has been misleading people too. Don't forget there is more than one Baal. The focus switches seems to switch back to Laura a bit in Mothering Invention. She no longer wants to be called Persephone, kinda like she realises what it did to her. She essentially mind over matter strips herself of her godhood

Well, we managed to lose only one god in Mothering Invention, The Morrigan. Though it's kinda one and a half, Baphomet dies and comes back reborn as Nergal (which he may or may not have used at times before). Nergal was the Mesopotamian god of death, pestilence and plague, and Lord of the Underworld. He is given his rebirth with thanks to Annie, the same form of Morrigan that delivers Baph to Dionysus in Imperial Phase, Part 2. The cost for Baphomet's reincarnation... The Morrigan's life. Given with a snap. This makes logical sense, okay as much logical sense as anything in WicDiv ever does. It kind of feels like something of a redemption arc for her. The scenes where Baphomet is fighting The Morrigan are done so well. Juxtaposing their fighting god selves (including all three of the Morrigans) and their time as Marian and Cameron in the best way. It's chaotic with flashes of colour and near-constant switching focuses. It is Baphomet taking his control, his life back and it's perfect. He then carries The Morrigan to their home, what was going to be their church and she, all three shes, end up floating in the air. It's quite the moment emotionally.

At the start of Mothering Invention Laura is hiding a secret from everyone. Over the course of the story it is revealed, that Laura is pregnant and she doesn't know who the father is. She chooses abortion in a moment that feels like a natural progression of hurt and her identity rediscovery. Her becoming mostly not a god again is a moment.

Some random comments. • We finally get a list of every reemergence starting from 3862BC up to 2014 (present-day) and now know how the whole thing started. Aside from being every 90 years, there is another pattern but I can't see what it is. • There is a little blond boy in Mothering Invention who is focused on. I feel like he should be known but isn't. It could simply be Minerva but he certainly looks male. • The variant covers included are gorgeous. Jamie McKelvie & Matthew Wilson's wrap-around cover for issue 34 is particularly good. As is Phil Jimenez & Cunniffe's for issue 39. • I like Jon. He makes me smile. He just feels perfect for a head teen that has been trapped in total isolation for maybe 18 months. You have to remember how smart he is as Mimir too. • I found Woden's paternal behaviours towards Jon interesting. Mini/Ananke could use him to complete her collection Woden is protecting Jon. Woden may be a d**k but he is somewhat protecting his son. • It turns out The Destroyer normally exists during the reemergence. It was Minerva during the 1920s. It's in the eyes.

#the wicked and the divine #book review #graphic novel #mythological #read 2022 #mothering invention #the wicked + the divine #kieron gillen #jamie mckelvie #matt wilson #clayton cowles #comics #ktreviews #fandom #booklr #beware the spoilers #tw abortion #tw suicide #tw child death #lgbtq

[booksandwords]

The Wicked + The Divine: Imperial Phase, Part II by Kieron Gillen. Art by Jamie McKelvie. Coloured by Matt Wilson. Lettering by Clayton Cowles.

Series: The Wicked + The Divine, #6 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 5/5

The quote: "Is this a sleepy bunny or a dead bunny? I'm thinking sleepy bunny? Am I rightsies?" "Hey, Annie. Long time, no see." "I'm a-knowing! Annie seems to be around less and less now. Just wings, squawking and talons all a-slashing... I wish Red Sister wasn't out and about as much. I don't think Shadow Sister has got much crammed in her noggin right now, either. I'm bettin' They'll be angry with me later..." — Dionysus and Annie

I'm rating Imperial Phase Part 2 5 stars for the way it manages to realise the plot points created by the Imperial Phase arc. It does include a lot of shock and awe but the payoff is worth it and the shock is in the usual style of WicDev not a mix of violent and cerebral (as suits the gods). The plot advances considerably with the death of more gods, the reveal of truth and new evil, while of course leaving questions for the future. And praise all things good Laura sees the light, leaving her to try and reconcile Laura, Persephone and the Destroyer.

I completely forgot that Dionysus is an ace, though not an aro. Everyone suspects Urðr is too, she is ah angry about it "Crap, crap, crappity, shitfuck." (Urðr is a very emotional being; who likes to swear and I respect that). Dionysus and Urðr have an interesting conversation about confessions and attraction which is respectful of both sexuality and romantic attraction. We actually spend quite a bit of time around Dionysus in Imperial Phase Part 2 and I adore him. We haven't seen enough of him. He's a peacemaker and everyone seems to like him even when The Morrigan is angrily trying to keep him from seeing Baphomet there is a side of her, Annie that likes him. Annie herself is interesting, she is the kindest most human side of The Morrigan, possibly kinder than Marian was when she was alive. Marian was a hard woman, a manipulator. Dionysus is protective of Baphomet and calls him Cameron, the only person who does. The Morrigan calls Baphomet My King in a derivative manner, Dionysus dislikes it but Urðr is only just picking up on the toxicity of it and Urðr being Urðr she will call out bullshit when she sees it.

I need to add something on the colouring to this review. Matthew Wilson shines in this volume using a wide range of colouring and light levels from the deep dark of the domain of the chthonic gods to the vibrant, borderline inverted colours of Dionysus's Hivemind. When Dionysus is waiting for Baphomet and while they are talking at times you can't see much more than their eyes, everything is so dark. The colouring of The Morrigan's forms are similarly muted, you can see her red hair but it's no where near as bright as it can be otherwise. The black and pink of Dionysus's speech bubbles really pop here. Another moment the colouring shines is when it switches from Woden's electric green and Amaterasu's electric red on opposite pages.

#the wicked + the divine #the wicked and the divine #kieron gillen #jamie mckelvie #matt wilson #clayton cowles #mythological #graphic novel #comics #book review #ktreviews #imperial phase #read 2022 #fandom #booklr #spoilers on goodreads #lgbtq

[booksandwords]

The Wicked + The Divine: Imperial Phase, Part I by Kieron Gillen. Art by Jamie McKelvie. Coloured by Matt Wilson. Lettering by Clayton Cowles.

Series: The Wicked + The Divine, #5 Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5

The quote: "If you have a giant laser, I will be disappointed but not exactly surprised by your cliched over-compensation." "I wish. Who wouldn't want an enormous phallic laser cannon." — The Norn and Woden

I'm back to The Wicked + The Divine after several long months off. It turns out taking a break after volume 4: Rising Action was possibly the best timing. A lot happened at the end of that volume, this volume recaps some of that action as needed and actually takes place some time later. Baal and Persephone are together, Minerva lives with Baal full time he is her legal guardian. A lot happens in Imperial Phase Part 1 too, the reader has a lot thrown at them. Alliances are ever-shifting, power dynamics too.

Issue 23 is one of the more unusual issues I remember seeing. The whole thing is formulated as an issue of Pantheon Monthly, the glossy fan magazine of The Pantheon. It is interviews with The Morrigan, Baal, Lucifer, Woden, Amaterasu and a couple of other additions. These are complete with portraits that fit the Gods. The portraits included of The Morrigan, in all three of her forms in stunning. I appreciate the incredibly meaningful inclusion of the gorgeous black and white photo style portrait of Baal and Inanna. Woden looks stunning as always with his Valkyries, Gõndul and Eir. On Woden this issue gives us a whole different look at him, it's honestly fascinating like his walls drop just a little.

There is a wonderful illustration on a single page that I really need to mention. I little bit of context is needed, the page is during a high-tension moment. Persephone gets the swing vote in a Pantheon vote, the two sides are led by Sakhmet and Baal. It's a half page on an angle of Persephone linking Sakhmet and Baal with The Norns (Cassandra), Persephone's friend and generally strongest ally in the middle. It's just sticking with the angles used, the darker colouring and Persephone's electric blue hair.

There is a change in the way Minerva is illustrated now, more than that the way she is presented. It is hard to remember how young Mini is sometimes, she's only 14 at the oldest. And over the course of her last birthday, her parents died in front of her, in a truly horrifying fashion. We don't see her in her god form anymore, she is shown as a teenage girl. A grieving, hurt and occasionally angry teenager who knows her own death is coming. Baal has a new nickname for her too Li'l Flower. Essentially Mini just feels so much younger and I don't know softer maybe in Imperial Phase Part 1 her god form looks older, a bit colder. The big evil, known as The Great Darkness, is targeting Mini for her fear or at least that is the presented reason.

Just some other quick comments. Dionysus is interesting in this volume, he feels a bit like he's playing off type. But I'm not sure how much we really know about him. We find out a lot about Woden in this volume, why? He has always been the mystery. Why give us details now? And yes despite his kinda distasteful attitudes at times I like him, he's the comedy. Overall throughout Imperial Phase Part 1 Persephone, our primary eyes to the world is an unrepentant mess. I kinda think she is presented as a pansexual aromantic (with no disrespect intended to lgbtq sibs). I say Persephone is a mess, well everyone is getting there. We are within months of the deaths starting now everyone is beginning to unravel slowly. Also WTF Sakhmet? What have we said about cannibalism? Lastly, props to Kieron Gillon (and the whole creative team) for showing domestic violence in the traditional/normal accepted gender roles. Baphomet (the male) is the one getting abused by The Morrigan (the female) and he is giving the exact excuses you expect. You never want domestic violence to happen but I appreciate fiction that shows twists the norm.

I'm glad I've come back to this. I forgot how much I like these characters, this world. I really hope I can finish the series.

#the wicked + the divine #the wicked and the divine #kieron gillen #jamie mckelvie #matt wilson #clayton cowles #mythological #graphic novel #comics #book review #ktreviews #imperial phase #read 2022 #fandom #booklr #lgbtq

[booksandwords]

Wise Words from Bookish Women: Smart and sassy life advice

Collection by Harper by Design

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 4/5 Stars

Fave Quote: The internet isn't reality. The things people are typing are words in an app you can choose to ignore. Put your phone down, close your eyes, count to 10. Think about how you can make the world a better place in the real world. We need you out here. — Lizzo

This comes across as kind of cheap and nasty, it is intended as a gift book but I like and collect quotebooks so I picked it up. When I say it looks cheap it's the illustrations and design, the only thing that makes the book unique. The illustrations are by Nicole Cicak with the design by Mietta Yans. At first glance, the design is pretty and feminine while simultaneously being youthful and fun. Nicole Cicak's illustrations do suit the quotes at least some of them, both the quotes and the women saying them but there aren't enough of them. The issues are not hers, she was at least an ok choice for the artist choice. Mietta Yans does what she can with what can feel like limited illustrations to work with. There are quite a few duplicates that are obvious, rainbows and pencils. So why do I say that makes it looks cheap? It honestly looks like Harper by Design was uninterested in properly funding the creation of this, like they didn't want to commission Nicole Cicak to create any more illustrations than absolutely necessary. I know it shouldn't be the focus of a review but it was off-putting when there were so many options for potential ways to option this.

While I did have clear issues with the design, I have no such reservations about the quote selections. This is an Australian book and it does show at points, with quotes included by Australian women that are otherwise unlikely to be included such as Julia Gillard, Penny Wong, Liz Cambage, Miles Franklin and Jacinda Ardern (? maybe her international profile is rising). The topics cover a range of topics such as knowledge, positivity and leadership.

#wise words from bookish women #life advice #quotes #harper by design #book review #ktreviews #read 2022 #nicole cicak #mietta yans #booklr