review: an enchantment of ravens by margaret rogerson
Sometimes life hits us hard, & there’s not much room to breathe. It’s been awhile, but I’m back and reviewing! First up from the trusty Brooklyn Library Kindle collection is An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson. I saw the word fair folk and sold my soul before reading any of the reviews in great length. (Clearly riding a high from The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and craving some fae action.) Sort of wish I had glanced at them, but still read the whole thing in 2 1/2 train rides.
Our story’s heroine is Isobel, a talented seventeen-year-old girl who makes her living painting portraits for the fair folk in the lovely town of Whimsy. I cannot for the life of me remember how she came to live in Whimsy, nor think it was ever really discussed in the novel, but Whimsy is this magical town stuck in perpetual summer. The fair folk come to visit said town when they want humans to work a “Craft”. Think of a Craft as human magic. Cooking, painting, writing, sewing are things only humans can do, and if a fae attempts them, they’re dust. It’s actually an interesting concept that I’ve got to give credit to Rogerson for. It takes away any credibility and appeal of being a fair folk, and gives us mere mortals some power. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Isobel’s Craft is highly prized, and she’s known across the courts (although we only hear about 3 maybe 4 patrons tops...).
One day, a new patron comes to town. It’s Rook, the autumn prince. A prince who knows human emotion, a rarity amongst the fair folk. And Isobel makes a terrible mistake and paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, a weakness that can cost him his...position. (And I guess life since it’ll be a duel for the death.) In a fury, Rook spirits her away from Whimsy to stand trial for this terrible crime in the autumn court. But things don’t turn out exactly as he planned...
If you want a light, fluffy read with a sometimes loyal heroine and a shade of a love interest, this is for you. Rook really has no personality (other than a past love interest we hear nothing about). Isobel falls right in love with him for no absolute reason other than the fact he’s pretty & “different from all the other fair folk.” The fair folk are moreso sad than terrifying. I personally enjoy my fae with a little more bite, more pride, and less vanity. These fair folk are caricatures craving human emotion. Sure, they’re a little annoying and mischievous, but I wasn’t buying the we can kill you at any turn aspect. Hell, I’m all behind the Alder King (the supposed biggest baddie of them all) who essentially wants to sleep through their idiocy. This novel really discredits fair folk lore and actually makes them more human than the humans. Or maybe I’m just feeling bloodthirsty and sadistic.
Did I mention light, fluffy train read with an instalove couple?
Now all I want to do is rename this novel to The Mystery of Whimsy. Truly, how does this world exist? We hear about the World Beyond (I’m assuming our dimension), but no background. None. Also, what the heck is Isobel’s true name?
When I was younger, I read Tithe by Holly Black. It was a dark novel, full of Fae, blood, and imagery that gave me shivers. I loved it because it was different. It was polished, yet unpolished for a young adult novel. It was a raw, dark fairy tale. That was in 2002. A few weeks ago, I re-read the novel in hopes for the same experience I had when I was younger. Being 15 years older and wiser and all that jazz, it totally fell short.
Kaye, the protagonist, wasn’t cool and different. She was lonely. In fact, her lengthy, weird descriptions she spouted and annoyed her friends with got on my nerves as well. Her romance with the Unseelie knight was rushed, his character half-baked, I can go on. Despite the drudgery and lack of character development (minus Corny, he was decent), Tithe painted some lovely, gruesome pictures. Holly Black has a way with imagery that is wholly her own. Her writing is dark, but not as dark as I remembered as a kid. The raw descriptions she comes up with though make me envious. Is Tithe a perfect novel? Of course not. But I’m not the audience anymore.
And that was my long-winded explanation for how I felt about White Cat. I can tell I’m no longer the audience. If I read this back at the same time I read Tithe, I would have been enamored with Cassel, the language, the whole nine yards. But present day, mid-twenties me is way more cynical.
Cassel, our main character, comes from a long line of curse workers. People who can change your emotions, physically break you, make you forget things – all with a touch. Hence why everyone in Cassel’s alternate universe wears gloves. The irony of all this is Cassel doesn’t have magic. He is cursed though, cursed with the knowledge that he killed his bff a couple of years ago in cold blood.
Sounds vaguely interesting, right? I was down to try another Holly Black novel, so I gave it a shot. Cassel is sarcastic, mouthy, and my kindred spirit. He manages to be fairly clever (and slow) when it suits him. I had a ball with his unreliable character. Plot-wise, I predicted the whole novel from the get go. Maybe I’ve just read way too many of these young adult novels, or maybe it was because Black didn’t trust her readers to make the leap themselves. But it’s probably because White Cat wasn’t written for me. Neither was A Fault in Our Stars by John Green, another book I felt that I was being talked down to.
Overall, a fun, quick read. Sure, Black could have definitely fleshed out the history of curse workers and and some of the cardboard cut-out antagonists. *le sigh* C’est la vie. I don’t think I’ll be reading the rest of the series, but I’m sure they address these issues.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I read The Hazel Wood awhile back when it was first being released to the masses. I told myself I’d review it later, then life happened, and well, here we are. Despite its sometimes scattered narrative, what stuck with me all these months is the writing. Albert has mastered the art of disguising a whimsical voice and purple prose within the dialogue of a seventeen-year-old girl named Alice. If you enjoy dreamy magical realism and metaphors, this is for you. The novel embodies a dark fairy tale within a modern setting - there’s mystery, words that mean nothing and maybe something, and misdirect.
It took me a few times on the subway to read this. (It’s definitely not a fast-paced book, and meant to be enjoyed or mulled over.) The Hazel Wood opens up on the relationship and background of Alice and her mother, Ella. Most of Alice’s life has been spent on the road due to a string of bad luck clearly linked to the elusive Althea Prosperine (Alice’s grandmother) and her collection of dark fairytales - Tales from the Hinterland. Alice has never met her grandmother, but when her mother is seemingly kidnapped, she teams up with grandma and #1 Hinterland groupie, Ellery Finch, so she can use his knowledge of the stories to find her grandmother’s secret estate - the famous Hazel Wood.
The whole story plot pace is hinged on fairytale logic. You know, the when you want to find it, good luck, but when it wants you to find it, tadaaa, and less on the intelligence of the characters. Alice was sometimes hilarious, sometimes cold and distant. (To be fair, the girl doesn’t really have a past.)
“I remembered less from my own life than I did from the books I read.”
Ellery (I think) is a hipster, or at least a hipster wannabe with the veneer of an academic.
The Hinterland is very similar to Alice in Wonderland (not the Disney version). And in the end, I wanted to hear more of the fairy tales from Tales from the Hinterland rather the adventure of Alice and Ellery. If Albert ever writes a collection of Hinterland stories, sign me up. The stories we were able to read were creepy, dark, and exactly what I was craving.
Overall, would recommend to people who love fairytale retellings, a little bit of nonsense, and a novel that can be enjoyed without thinking too hard.
You never know what world you’re about to delve into when you first start a book. And believe me, the world Somaiya Daud created in Mirage was completely unexpected. This novel is so saturated with culture, hell, it basically bleeds it. I loved how while this novel is technically set in an alternate, future-ish scifi universe, it is a meld of new and old. It’s sci-fi that could be fantasy, could be historical, there’s even a touch of magical realism here and there. It’s one of those novels that you almost need to re-read immediately after to capture every detail.
Mirage centers on Amani, an eighteen-year-old woman on the cusp of adulthood. Her world is a small backwaters moon. Her family comes from a line of farmers. And her life is simple, albeit shadowed by the oppression of the brutal Vathek empire. Despite all of this, Amani is rich, especially in comparison to some of the later main characters. She has grown up knowing her background, her culture, her language, despite the Vathek occupation and their determination to erase other cultures and religions. She is a dreamer, living on lyrical old-world poetry and mythology of gods and history past. And while she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya (a religious entity) for an adventure outside of her isolated moon, she isn’t quite prepared for what that means.
“I’d dreamed forever of leaving Cadiz, of visiting other star systems in our galaxy. But I’d never thought I would be taken against my will. I was dragged through the building, pulled onto a ship, silent and numb, then finally deposited in a holding cell.”
The novel begins with Amani being whisked away from her coming of age ceremony on Cadiz, taken in secret to the royal palace. Here, she discovers she is nearly twin to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. And because Princess Maram is hated amongst the star system, she needs a body double, someone ready to imitate her completely, even in death.
I enjoyed Amani - she finds strength in her situation, and has to make a couple of big decisions that decide how her fate plays out. She places her trust a little too quickly, but isn’t unintelligent. We do have love, and while it’s obvious as to the reasons why the characters fall in love so quickly, I can’t quite pin it as instalove.
Overall, Mirage is a fast, smart read, but moreso because you’re interested in the developing characters than the events that take place. The end conflict’s logic threw me off a bit, but I realize Daud’s strength isn’t plot, it’s setting. Mirage’s rich background and cruelties mirror both Moroccan history and colonialism (think 19th-century British imperialism). It’s also seeped in tradition of Arabic poetry, which I loved.
I am 100% behind Veronica Roth and what she said about the novel.
“Mirage is full of characters who feel like they existed long before the story began, and a rich world that is as beautiful as it is cruel.”
review: when the moon was ours by anna-marie mclemore
This book cover does this story absolutely no justice. Why? Because McLemore’s novel was magic. This novel is more than just a love story, it’s a becoming story, a story of friendship. It’s timeless. It’s magical. And it’s perfect to snuggle up with in this upcoming fall weather. (I just can’t believe I only now discovered it.)
My life has been a little insane lately with work (hence the slower time in between reviews), but When the Moon Was Ours was the perfect pick-me-up. First off, it’s magical realism to the core. If you’re not in the mood to have your wonder and belief be suspended, then wait. The story straddles the line between fantasy and reality. It’s all about the metaphor, and the novel is about the struggles each character faces.
The writing is ethereal. I don’t know how to describe it otherwise. I feel like when it was written, the author was channeling the moon, darkness, stars, and a little witchcraft. If I had to assign it a month, it’s very October/November. A cold night with a slight breeze. A feeling you can’t explain that leaves you giddy. The exaltation you have at the start of a new beginning.
The story arc revolves around two teenagers - Miel and Samir. Miel is Latina and Samir (Sam) is an Italian-Pakistani trans boy. They’re best friends, and both a little strange in their own ways. Miel spilled out of a water tower when she was 5, and has roses that grow from her wrist. Sam is an artist known for the moons he paints and hangs in trees. He’s the oddball in town because where he comes from. I loved how culture and tradition were so closely interwoven with lunar references and the magical realism in this novel. And it was worked in so naturally that you didn’t even question what was what.
The main antagonists are the Bonner girls, four beautiful sisters that are the same as much as they are different. They’re after Miel’s roses, and will use secrets as knives to get them. In this novel’s case, they were used more as a tool to unravel the characters than as ways to move along the plot. I think we all are parts of a Bonner sister. They represent hopes, dreams, and perspectives that are altogether sometimes extremely misguided. Miel and Sam were even moreso relatable.
It’s alarming to say, but I haven’t read a ton of same-sex non-contemporary novels. This one tackled teen issues with such sensitivity and grace, it was almost heartbreaking at times. When The Moon Was Ours covers social issues (transgender, racism, same-sex, etc.) in a way that I’ve never seen before. It’s not sensationalized, it’s not glossed over. It’s respectful. It’s powerful. It’s moving.
I actually read this a few weeks ago on a bus to Boston and totally forgot to share my thoughts. The premise is fairly interesting - it’s about a man (Milo) who has been reincarnated nearly 10,000 times. I know the book summary talks about his search to be with his beloved, but he’s not really aiming for that. He’s aiming to reach Perfection. He also just happens to be in a relationship with Death.
Reincarnation Blues is interesting & almost reads like an anthology. Every life Milo has is its own little story. They’re individual in plot and could be small standalones in some aspects. And with all anthologies come stories that we love, and stories we can do without. That’s how I felt about Milo’s lives that were showcased.
When we are introduced to Milo, he has lived 9,995 lives and only has 5 more left to achieve Perfection. If he doesn’t, he’ll become nothingness. No more lives or existing. It’s doesn’t help that he’s in love with Death aka Suzie. She’s a complication because if he only has 5 more lives, how is he supposed to be with her to the end? And of course, life is all about that pursuit of happiness, knowledge, and hard choices.
The book itself is fiction, but sometimes historical, sometimes fantasy, dystopian, and science-fiction. Poore’s definitely a creative and a philosopher of sorts. Reincarnation Blues definitely makes you think. I had a great time with the idea of this novel, but it loses steam in the middle if you’re preoccupied. Lives blend together, and nothing new is revealed for a few chapters. Suzie’s part could have been more engaging too. I felt like she wasn’t super evolved. Poore could have dialed up certain aspects. It almost tried to be too many things. Go for the whacky humor or go philosophical/sentimental. It tried to be both and missed on both fronts.
Despite the flaws, it’s a fun read. I’d definitely recommend for someone feeling a bit of everything in a book.
I was super psyched to read this book because I’ve been wanting to work on using perspective, and David Chelsea is a well-established cartoonist and artist. And my favorite thing about Perspective In Action? It’s written like a comic book.
Each frame is used to demonstrate the various technique and rules Chelsea is teaching his audience. It’s the best visual aid, and an excellent way to show versus tell. He doesn’t walk you step-by-step, but he gives you an idea of what you should be aspiring to. This is the third book in a series, so it’s assumed the reader has already mastered earlier skillsets/actually read the other 2 books. (Yours truly had not.) He does do a refresher course for the stragglers - the one-point, two-point, three-point perspectives - but it kicks off from there into advanced territory.
If you’ve already mastered the basics of perspective and are looking for a challenge, you’ll be able to go through Chelsea’s book and work through some of the exercises. Be warned, each exercise is a full project simplified by comics. If you’re still starting out and haven’t come to a perspective aha moment yet, this book is a little complicated. Each exercise will seem unapproachable (right now).
Perspective In Action is so fascinating in the way it describes advanced techniques and applications like the camera obscura, anamorphosis, cabinets of wonder, six-point, stereo perspectives. The secrets of optical illusions will blow your mind. Now I fully understand 3D sidewalk chalk. And the Ames Room. All about perspective and your vantage point. Like I mentioned, Chelsea sets up exercises for you so that you can paint on mirrors, create illusions of your own within your art. Some of the activities I wonder if anyone will even do, but I’m assuming he’s tried them all. I kept getting flashbacks to high school art class, and thought this would be a wonderful book for a teacher to use for Advanced Perspective. It’s engaging and visual enough to get students flipping through the pages if they’re hungry for more.
Overall, a great find, but a little too much for me since I’m still so new with perspective. That doesn’t mean I’m not sharing the recommendation with my more skilled art friends. It’s an awesome read and wonderful addition to the Art world.
Perspective In Action: 3.75 stars
I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.
Remember that guy who wrote The Martian and it became a bestseller & a movie? Well, he just wrote a new book called Artemis about a young smuggler. She’s 26-years-old, Arab, slightly criminal, and one of the more intelligent characters I’ve read in a couple of months. Oh, and did I mention she lives on the moon?
Jasmine Bashara (Jazz) is just your average twentysomething with eyes full of stars and an empty wallet. Profession? Porter and small time smuggler. Who said living on Moon’s first civilization was easy? Unless you’re a rich tourist or billionaire, most citizens are just trying to make it. Problem? She’s far more intelligent than your typical Moon citizen, and when she gets the chance to commit that perfect crime, Jazz can’t help but try to pull of the impossible. Money is money. Unfortunately for her, there’s no such thing as “the perfect crime” and soon she finds herself caught in the middle of a conspiracy as opposing forces fight to control Artemis.
Overall, this novel was fun. Jazz has a hilarious, likable personality, and uses humor as much as she can to tell the story. Weir definitely captures the typical millennial struggle of wanting to wander in life comfortably. I loved Jazz’s diverse background, her relationship with her father (despite it being strenuous), and entertaining perspective. I’m not sure if it was just me, but I just craved more. We got bite-sized information about Jazz’s past (some of it through e-mails), and a little bit about her present, but I would’ve loved some more character building. She’s the caricature of a kick-ass woman without the onion layers. And her promiscuity seemed to be her only descriptor at times which bugged me. I’d also have loved some world building. Don’t get me wrong. Artemis was described, for sure, but like Jazz, we only got to see the top layer. We got the rundown of the bubbles, the architecture of the city, but didn’t interact with anyone besides the main characters. If you want an action-packed, plot-heavy novel though, this one’s for you.
This book is similar to Weir’s other book in the sense that all the characters need to apply scientific knowledge in order to survive the challenges thrown at them. Is it sad that even with Jazz’s interesting and understandable (aka dumbed down) explanations, I still struggled to understand what the hell was happening? I’d say that I’m generally an intelligent person, but I had to re-read paragraphs in this novel a couple of times just to understand the physics, chemistry, and economics of it all. I got the gist, but not with ease. It made me question whether this was a YA or adult novel. It’s skimpy enough to be a YA novel, but a little to heavy on the science to really fit that category.
In a nutshell: A cool new addition to the sci-fi section and worth the read.
