My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Likeable goblin military rascals, an elf veterinarian, misguided magic, and a lot of good intentions that go awry are the basic recipe for this novella, whose only fault is being too bloody short because these characters deserve a whole book or more. (Also, worst kept secret in history, T. Kingfisher is really Ursula Vernon writing under her “not a writer of children’s book” persona)
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This series just keeps getting better.
By remaining in Stain’d-by-the-Sea we’re allowed to follow Snicket’s cracking of a new case while at the same time reinforcing his ties with the cast of characters and finding out more about the overarching mystery of Hangfire and the Bombinating Beast. This makes ATWQ somewhat more palatable and less frustrating for those (mostly adults, at least in my experience) … (Read more)
The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time is the only magic, and it’s sometimes a sad magic, because only a day passed for September but it felt like an eternity to read. I’ll admit, maybe I didn’t give this book all the attention it deserved (real life got in the way, so I read it in stretches and patches), but it felt like it … (Read more)
The Long War by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Twelve years have passed since the events of the first book, and the tension between the Datum US and the colonies, and between humans and nonhumans, is rapidly rising. The US sends a patrol of armed stepper zeppelins to patrol the worlds, the Chinese want to reach Erath East 20 million, the trolls are disappearing, and a new non-human threat… is vaguely annoying but only threatening because our … (Read more)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wrote a lengthy review but Goodreads ate it, so to sum up…
Rapture is more of the same as in the previous books, but in a wider scope. We get tantalizing looks at Umayma’s forgotten past, new nations, new enemies and dangers. It seems a bit odd to introduce so many elements so late in the game, especially since we only get a couple encounters with them before closure, … (Read more)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked Infidel better than the first book, possibly because the world and the characters were already established, which helped push the plot along faster and with less distractions (and trips to the dictionary). Maybe also because I got a little less squeamish about all the bug-based technology.
Being a middle book, is it true that the more things seemed to have changed, the more they stay the same. Nyx … (Read more)
Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the book where Melody comes into full as a character and is a great third instalment in the series.
The story is smaller and more familiar than the previous book, even though the plot is once again set in motion by global events (the year without a summer and subsequent famine) and touches upon class issues, prejudice, and political intrigue.
I was glad to see … (Read more)
Il canto della rivolta by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is the book where Katniss doesn’t get to do or decide anything, except wallow in a pit of self-loathing. She spends all her time doing promotional videos and sitting at the edges of the war, hating herself, worrying about Peeta and sending people away. Most of the characters from the previous books barely appear, except possibly to die. Also, at some point the plot suddenly picks … (Read more)
Manoscritto trovato a Saragozza by Jan Potocki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Un romanzo di racconti a scatole cinesi, a metà tra le Mille e una notte e il Decamerone, in cui la vicenda del protagonista è solo il filo narratore tra le storie dei vari personaggi che incontra sul suo cammino, nelle quali a loro volta vengono narrate altre storie che si ricordano e si rincorrono sempre per ripetizione, tematiche e simbologia.
L’unica pecca è che Adelphi ha … (Read more)
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
September is one year older, somewhat less heartless and definitely ready to go back to Fairyland and have a proper Adventure. Things however have changed a lot since she left: magic is leaving Fairyland along with its shadows, all because of Halloween, the Hollow Queen of Fairyland Below – her own shadow.
Once again, it’s up to September to … (Read more)
