I really enjoyed Kiersten's writing in this novel. It felt soft and flowy and time just flewUPDATE 01/03/2021 - review added
Well that was captivating!
I really enjoyed Kiersten's writing in this novel. It felt soft and flowy and time just flew by. I also think the narrator's voice was quite mesmerising. The story was really engaging and the twists on the original legend of King Arthur were brilliant. I liked that there was both softness and steel in Guinevere and I am excited for book 2!
UPDATE 27/02/2021 - Rereading in preparation for reading book 2!...more
Well I really enjoyed this book. It is seriously begging to be made into an action blockbusteCW: (view spoiler)[sexism, extreme racism (hide spoiler)]
Well I really enjoyed this book. It is seriously begging to be made into an action blockbuster movie.
The book is set in an alternate post Civil War USA where slavery is no longer legal but racism is still running rampant, along with hordes of zombies. I think Jane is an excellent main protagonist and I really love the relationship she has with Kate (That’s not my name, it’s Katherine). It’s so great to see strong friendships develop between intelligent and confident women. Jane has such a no-nonsense approach to survival and her action scenes are epic. The zombies whilst well written and ever present are not the real monsters in this book. It’s in the holiest of places that you will find the demons in this book.
I am going to leave this review here and let Justina Ireland’s own words tell you her thoughts about her brilliant book:
“Dread Nation is a book about the American Dream, and how that dream only truly exists for a small subset of the country. It’s about who gets to lay claim to their humanity, and who is seen as little more than a tool that can be used to achieve the goals of others. It’s about loving a place that doesn’t love you back, no matter how much you might be willing to bleed and die for it. It’s about understanding that, maybe, the things we’re told and the things other people believe aren’t enough to keep us safe. We can follow the rules and do the right thing, but at the end of the day life isn’t fair for anyone. And for some of us, an equal chance was never even an option.” - Justina Ireland in Black Girl Nerds Source: https://blackgirlnerds.com/zombies-an...
Come for the zombies, stay for Jane! A must read....more
CW: (view spoiler)[Horrific levels of violence, drug use and drug addiction, rape, suicide, self harm, genocide... basically all the possible categoriCW: (view spoiler)[Horrific levels of violence, drug use and drug addiction, rape, suicide, self harm, genocide... basically all the possible categories of content warning. All. Of. Them. (hide spoiler)]
I'm still reeling 2 weeks later.
It's like a journey. A horrific, wonderful, traumatic journey.
I only want to make a few points because it is impossible to write everything I thought and felt.
Firstly, Rin is incredible. I love her. She is powerful and vulnerable at the same time. She feels everything on a level I haven't seen captured in a book before. Everything that seems like it should break her only contributes to the vital strength that pours from her by the end of the book. Her magic is more visceral reaction than honed skill and I look forward to seeing how she continues to master her powers.
Secondly, how amazing is this world! One with echoes of reality underlying the imagined. The Poppy War is a military fantasy that loosely mirrors the wars fought by China during the 20th century. These were bloody times and the book does not shy away from highlighting this dark period in history. I cautioned a student at the school I work in that she was in for some truly dark reading (I mentioned "babies and fruit ninja" to her as an example of the levels of violence in the book). It really goes there Readers.
Readers may struggle with how jarring the first and the second half are but that's part of what I loved about the book. You get taken in one direction and there is a degree of safety and security as you recognise some familiar tropes and story arcs but then WHAM! it's a 180 into the depths of hell. Loved it.
I could keep going but I think this is definitely one that Readers need to experience themselves.
CW: (view spoiler)[transphobia (challenged), dieting discussion, gore, descriptions of disposing of dead bodies, death of friend, misgendering (hide CW: (view spoiler)[transphobia (challenged), dieting discussion, gore, descriptions of disposing of dead bodies, death of friend, misgendering (hide spoiler)]
Well that was a glorious, weird and wonderful oddity of a book.
Firstly the writing is beautiful and bewitching. However, it is the children that had me hurting and smiling. The cast is a collection of young people who don't quite fit in this world for various reasons. Whether by chance or fate they went through secret doorways and found homes in other strange and wonderful lands. After being cast out of these lands and back into ill-fitting homes they were sent to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children to adjust to life back in our world. This story is very much about being seen, being understood, and being loved for exactly who we are. Family and society's expectations of who we should be, or how we should be can create standards and norms that are prescriptive and restrictive. I absolutely loved this book about endearing children trying to be their authentic beautiful selves....more
Well the drama continued and got even darker! In my opinion the more interesting story arc in this book was Helene's. She is depicted as both vicious and vulnerable. I love characters that fight moral wars within themselves as she is torn apart by duty, familial love and the bonds of friendship. Not quite as strong as the first book but still loved it.
This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey....more
This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey....more
This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey....more
This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey....more
This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.
These books changed me. I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey....more
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