Critiques et Commentaires

I guess it is long for a novella, but short for a novel. That means there is not a lot of room to build up characters. The protagonist is a bookish but uncomplicated boy but e.g. the parents are mostly ciphers.

It's an engaging story, I finished it in a few sessions, something I don't do very often these days. It feel very English, and very Rural, which isn't what I remember of Gaiman. It doesn't really break any new ground, but it well crafted, and the setting is more completely related than the characters.

It does have some scenes that would probably give sensitive souls (and children) nightmares.

Decent. Both typical and (more) atypical Gaiman.

I know the anti-church sentiment in Pullman's writing is a bit polarizing, but so far this feels more like more general anti-authoritarianism. Perhaps it's my own biases, and reading Maus in parallel.

At some level this is a standard sword-and-sorcery fantasy novel (mostly sorcery). The device of role-players cast into the game "for reals" has surely been done before. The interesting part is the characters, and how the plot progresses.

The hero (gender neutral) is extremely anxious, and the book presents their struggles in a way that is both relatable and interesting. The reader (at least this reader) sees themselves in these struggles even if they don't normally identify as neurodivergent.

Don't hate me for not giving it five stars, a few of the romantic(?) scenes didn't quite work for me. Maybe that says more about me though.

Good book. mini-review to follow.

I'm not going to be in an airport soon, but I'm going to read (listen to) this book anyway.

Another work related one...

Dear McMinn County School Board: This is not a sexy book. I am very disappointed.

Needed a physical book. This one was lying there, and I remembered I'd packed it away when moving in 2014 and never got around to reading it.

Friday night is for zombies!

'I don't know. I have always kept an open mind. There was much to be said on both sides.' Dr Porhoët, supporting character and expert on the occult.

This book achieved something like "suspension of belief", since I was not sure if the lead character was merely charismatic in some weird culty way, or possessed of occult powers until very late in the book.

It took me while to warm to the book. The beautiful young girl engaged to marry her guardian starts things off on a bit of an icky footing, and those are supposed to the the non-creepy characters. It also focuses a lot on youth and beauty in a way that feels quite shallow.

I am intrigued by the connection with the Wolastoqiyik people indigeonous to where I live.