finished reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ๐๐๐๐๐
by Robert Louis Stevenson.
When our baser urges are allowed to run free, they end up dominating. Disturbing, even if the 'science' is a bit amusing.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Mars House ๐๐๐๐๐
by Natasha Pulley.
A sci-fi romance set on Mars, where recent refugees from climate-riven Earth are so strong in the low gravity that they are a mortal accidental risk to Martians. Excellent premise, and the contradictory reactions of the protagonist feel real & difficult. But some of the underlying science is dubious (MW โ MWh!!!), the romance had potential but felt a bit weak and the ending used up its momentum too soon. Mammoths!
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Comes the Night ๐๐๐๐๐
by Isabelle Carmody.
YA dystopian set in Canberra! In a polluted world, cities have been enclosed in domes and pervasive tech & propaganda keep the population in line. A teenage boy gets entangled in mysterious intrigue, and soon starts to wonder if his dreams are more than they seem. Very slow and overly explicatory, except for the ending which was sudden, unclear and too easy.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Slade House ๐๐๐๐๐
by David Mitchell.
Every nine years, people disappear into a house which otherwise can't be found. The author's usual layering of stories across different time periods gradually reveals the truth, though it's not particularly clever this time around. Dark arts & illusions, bit creepy, not really my thing.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Watership Down ๐๐๐๐๐
by Richard Adams.
The trials & adventures of rabbits setting up a new warren: strange cultures, claw-biting escapades and the terror of war. Similar to Wind in the Willows but the anthropomorphism is weaker and the characters less vibrant. It's just as misogynistic: does are thought of as mere 'breeding stock', though worth fighting over. Drags along though it builds to a decent climax.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Skyward Flight: The Collection: Sunreach / ReDawn / Evershore ๐๐๐๐๐
by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson.
While the hero of the series is lost in the Nowhere, her fellow pilots get on with being awesome and taking the fight to the oppressors. Decent YA fare with lots of dogfights, light humour and a little romance. The hyperslugs are adorable.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Season ๐๐๐๐๐
by Helen Garner.
The author shadows her grandson's under-16 Aussie Rules team for a season. A glimpse from the boundary line of boys on the cusp on manhood, the solidarity of teammates, the strange spiritual appeal of sport. Wonderfully written & absorbing, but it's still just footy and Melburnians are weird.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Help ๐๐๐๐๐
by Kathryn Stockett.
In 1960s Mississippi, white women and the black maids they employ navigate the upheaval of the civil rights movement. The contrast of ingrained racism and the deep emotional integration of black women into white family life is astounding. Potential for deep analysis, but you can also just enjoy the story.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Cruel Stars ๐๐๐๐๐
by John Birmingham.
Action space opera that doesn't take itself too seriously. Humanity has become a diverse species dangerously dependent on digital & genomic enhancement - a zealous puritan strain plans to change that. A few too many characters to begin with - none of them I connected with, and many of whom die - but they come together nicely.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading A Court of Thorns and Roses ๐๐๐๐๐
by Sarah Maas.
My first foray into #romantasy. The plot is so-so (humans vs faeries, love & intrigue) but finishes strongly. The romance is weak - it's never clear why she loves the faerie lord, except for his sexy man-beastiness. Hopefully this is not the best the genre has to offer.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Art of Uncertainty: How to Navigate Chance, Ignorance, Risk and Luck ๐๐๐๐๐
by David Spiegelhalter.
A fairly readable overview of probability & uncertainty, from the straightforward games of chance through to the deep uncertainty of future risks such as climate change & AI. Not sure who it's aimed at: some of it is too complex for the layman, but not deep enough for the technically minded. Has some good examples, especially from covid. Would have liked some worked examples of how to apply its principles to real life decision-making.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Playground ๐๐๐๐๐
by Richard Powers.
The glorious wonder of the ocean, the fraught love of competitive friends, our tangled dependence on both extraction & love of the natural world, the tempting appeal of AI. Felt like there was too much to wrap up in so short a space, but he pulls it off remarkably, leaving an uncertainty as to what was real and what imagined or simulated.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Bookshops & Bonedust ๐๐๐๐๐
by Travis Baldree.
A worthy prequel to Legends & Lattes. New friends come together to reinvigorate a bookshop, with a couple of baddies dealt with along the way. Loved Satchel the animated skeleton. Moist!
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The Scar ๐๐๐๐๐
by China Mieville.
An exuberant, barely believeable steampunk world with cactus & mosquito people, underwater & floating cities, and mysterious powers. Very very long, and rather too serious.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Prophet Song ๐๐๐๐๐
by Paul Lynch.
A horrifying realistic account of an everyday Western country being gradually consumed by an authoritarian regime. Every moment of encroaching terror is disturbingly relatable. Writing style felt like a monotone ramble, which masked its poignancy.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading The World We Make ๐๐๐๐๐
by NK Jemisin.
New York finishes the job against the Multiverse, despite the conservative reticence of the Old Cities. Clunkier and without the freshness of the original. But fun to see more city avatars. I think Mamdani could easily be a character in these books!
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Wind and Truth ๐๐๐๐๐
by Brandon Sanderson.
An absolute brick of a book - possibly the longest I've ever read. Could certainly have been shorter (successful authors get way too much latitude), with too frequent changes in PoV, and while I appreciate his use of mental health to disrupt tired fantasy tropes, after three weeks of amateur therapy I was a bit over it. But he does pull together sprawling plotlines to a satisfying climax, with an appealing set up for a fresh take on the second half of the series.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading Contact ๐๐๐๐๐
by Carl Sagan.
A message from outer space is detected, and humanity sets about decoding it, then attempts to make contact with the originators. Delves into the nexus of science & religion, the complexity of international collaboration, and the social upheaval of such a paradigm-shifting discovery. Some excruciating elite-level gaslighting. Surprising ending!
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
finished reading We Are the Stars ๐๐๐๐๐
by Gina Chick.
That wild woman who captivated us on Alone Australia is the product of genes, a generous upbringing, and intense tempering in the crucible of life. A remarkable range of life experience, and an impressive capacity to learn & evolve from life's challenges. Heavy on nebulous metaphor, but fitting. I envy her capacity to inhabit her emotions & body so fully.
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@WildWoila @wildwoila@wyrms.de
