I love these laterish standalones by Pratchett the best. Full of great similes, great characters, and great thinks to think. He mostly sucks at romanc...moreI love these laterish standalones by Pratchett the best. Full of great similes, great characters, and great thinks to think. He mostly sucks at romance, and his female characters are often stereotypes, but I love his creatures so much (loooved the golems) that I forgive. Plus, there's Vetinari.(less)
A really charming read about a step-father and daughter reuniting, and the new friendships forming around that. Not high on the tension meter, but I l...moreA really charming read about a step-father and daughter reuniting, and the new friendships forming around that. Not high on the tension meter, but I liked everyone so much that I enjoyed it.(less)
I wasn't crazy about Angua's character, which is why I knocked this down to three stars. The "he's your master now" business was... bleh. Not to menti...moreI wasn't crazy about Angua's character, which is why I knocked this down to three stars. The "he's your master now" business was... bleh. Not to mention, if we are going to have the only female guard in a romance, at least make it a good romance. There was NO chemistry. Really boring.
And then there's Lady Sybil, who in the previous book was funny and interesting, but here was so much "the old ball and chain." Why would she be so interested in Vimes leaving the Watch and being part of society? In the previous book she doesn't seem like someone who gives a crap about society life.
Luckily I've read later Pratchett books, so I know he gets better with his portrayal of women. If this had been the first book I'd read, I might have been too put off to keep reading.
But I loved Gaspode, Detritus and Cuddy. And, as usual, the Patrician. Detritus and his gang really made the book for me.(less)
Got half way in and gave up. Just wasn't hooked. Didn't care much about the characters, didn't feel romantic tension, Regency didn't feel authentic, a...moreGot half way in and gave up. Just wasn't hooked. Didn't care much about the characters, didn't feel romantic tension, Regency didn't feel authentic, and the magic hadn't yet impacted the plot in any way.(less)
Read it straight through, thought it was lovely. I'm so tired of brooding heroes and spunky heroines... it was just nice people falling in love. It's...moreRead it straight through, thought it was lovely. I'm so tired of brooding heroes and spunky heroines... it was just nice people falling in love. It's a first novel, so there are some weaknesses, and it's not funny like a Heyer. But as another reviewer said, it was just really romantic. I highly recommend it.(less)
Between 3 and 4 stars. I liked the character and will probably read the next two books. The first person voice is funny and similar to Georgia Nichols...moreBetween 3 and 4 stars. I liked the character and will probably read the next two books. The first person voice is funny and similar to Georgia Nicholson; but the satire sometimes over powers the story. Through Alice, the author skewers all kinds of hippie / left wing people, to a point that it started to feel like lit meant to promote conservatives. Even though we sometimes see she's an unreliable narrator, still... it began to pall after awhile.(less)
Super entertaining. I really enjoyed the book's unusual structure (emails, IMing, etc)--it wasn't conducive to a great love story, but it totally work...moreSuper entertaining. I really enjoyed the book's unusual structure (emails, IMing, etc)--it wasn't conducive to a great love story, but it totally worked as a comic read. (less)
Helped me enormously in the hardest year I've ever had. Even if you only take away a couple good concepts, they'll be enough to help you through hard...moreHelped me enormously in the hardest year I've ever had. Even if you only take away a couple good concepts, they'll be enough to help you through hard times.(less)
I didn't agree with all Moran's opinions, but I do think she's addressing important topics that people concerned with women's equality should be think...moreI didn't agree with all Moran's opinions, but I do think she's addressing important topics that people concerned with women's equality should be thinking about. And she's damned funny at the same time.(less)
There's a lot of witty writing in here--very Douglas Adams--but it slowed the story down. By the last quarter I was skimming so I could just find out...moreThere's a lot of witty writing in here--very Douglas Adams--but it slowed the story down. By the last quarter I was skimming so I could just find out what happened already. I think the balance Pratchett found in his later books, between the jokes and the character/plot, is much better. And the result is funnier.
I loved Luggage though. My fave character in this one. (less)
I wanted a book that explained the spiritual practise behind yoga, so I could use it in tandem with meditation. This book explains the meaning behind...moreI wanted a book that explained the spiritual practise behind yoga, so I could use it in tandem with meditation. This book explains the meaning behind each pose, all of which are drawn from the earliest yoga texts. Really nice little volume.(less)
This was my first Wimsey novel, and very enjoyable. He's a charming character, very funny. Though sometimes Sayers makes dialogue run on a long time w...moreThis was my first Wimsey novel, and very enjoyable. He's a charming character, very funny. Though sometimes Sayers makes dialogue run on a long time with no markers, so I lose track of who's talking! Next time I want to read Gaudy Night, where he meets Harriet.(less)
This was my first Pratchett and I LOVED it. Super likable characters, lots of witty lines, and a premise that just gets more and more nutty as the boo...moreThis was my first Pratchett and I LOVED it. Super likable characters, lots of witty lines, and a premise that just gets more and more nutty as the book rolls on. Pratchett's prose can get a bit convoluted, but he does a good job of making the world understandable, even if you haven't read previous Discworlds.(less)
OMG this was terrible. At first I thought maybe I disliked it because it was poorly rendered from novel to comic; but reading the one star reviews of...more
OMG this was terrible. At first I thought maybe I disliked it because it was poorly rendered from novel to comic; but reading the one star reviews of the novel, people hated it for the same reasons I did. Let me preface this by saying I'm not a literary snob, and I don't think people are dumb for loving it. I enjoyed The Power of One when I was a teen, and it wasn't exactly great lit either. But thirty years later I prefer my fiction on the subtler side.
First, the relationship between the servant class and those they serve is so romanticized and paternalistic. Ease with all the self sacrifice for no good reason! And it extends through the generations.
Second, the moustache twirling villain. As soon as you make your baddie so Evil you stop being able to say something subtle and realistic and interesting about the people you're portraying.
Third, the coincidences. O the melodrama of it all!
Fourth, it's like some sort of misery porn. I felt manipulated. Like these horros happened to the characters just so we could see how eeeevil the baddie was, and for our protag to have something to redeem himself against. Like women in fridges. The tortured characters never felt rounded.
Finally, it seems like this is supposed to be about our protag finally redeeming himself, but he's really just dull and cowardly throughout. If this was a literary novel, that would work; but within a popular story, it was hard to tell if this was on purpose, or just bad writing.
I don't know why this was adapted into a comic, other than to make more money by jumping onto a popular trend. There are hundreds of stories out there, written as graphic novels, solely for that medium, that deserve to be read before this one. There were many points where I was confused and had to look up the plot on wiki. It didn't take particular advantage of the medium to bring (it seems to me) something new to the story.
Oh lord, go read Maus or something. This sucked.(less)
Wonderful. So full of love, down to earth, touching--this is exactly the kind of autobiographical graphic novel I love to read. I recommend highly. Th...moreWonderful. So full of love, down to earth, touching--this is exactly the kind of autobiographical graphic novel I love to read. I recommend highly. The subject matter ought to be depressing, but there's so much kindness in it, you'll feel good.(less)
I started off really liking this book because the characters are charming and funny. But halfway in, once the core plot got underway, I started losing...moreI started off really liking this book because the characters are charming and funny. But halfway in, once the core plot got underway, I started losing interest. I feel like this wasn't the right plot in which to feature these funny heroines.(less)
Part II, where the father is in Auschewitz--and worse. The drive to survive is so strong in people, it's astonishing. So much admiration for the "char...morePart II, where the father is in Auschewitz--and worse. The drive to survive is so strong in people, it's astonishing. So much admiration for the "characters" in the book, and Spiegelman's artful and touching rendering of it.(less)
Londonmabel
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