Dainey’s Comments (group member since Dec 11, 2017)

Dainey’s comments from the 2022 ONTD Reading Challenge group.

Huh, the book turned out to be a much faster read than I expected from the page count.

It definitely earns the young adult classification, and for my tastes there were bits about 3/4 way through that were almost unbearably twee, and there was some characterisation whiplash to serve us some not that well-built tropes.

I loved the world-building, and could see and feel the emotional place it was written from. The lore was exciting and fresh, and left me wanting to learn more of this world. The end was very satisfying, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for a sequel because I want Zélie and Amari to sort shit out.

I've heard so many good things about this book, so I'm curious to read it, and super eager to support non-western fantasy!

A.D.: After Death

After realising I'd have no time to properly settle in to enjoy a good read this month, I picked this graphic novel with a hefty emphasis on the novel.

I think it's one of those "love it or hate it" deals. I didn't enjoy the art or even find it compelling for the story. I liked the idea of the plot, but the structure and narrating style just failed to deliver for me overall.

Hmm, mine's the Wordsworth classics one, and I fave a feeling it's the version with Percy's "improvements". Maybe I'll find the original one and do a comparison one day!

Frankenstein

I've had this book on my shelf for over a decade, and every time I've started to read it, the purple prose wears me out before I can finish.

This is the perfect opportunity to make myself power through it!

About halfway done, and seriously waiting for some of the characters to develop some depth.

I don't know whether the editor was overzelous in keeping the length down, or Rollins's writing style is just that brief, but the whole thing has a very "Book of the Film" feel about it. He writes what happens, and leaves the actors and stunt coordinators take care of the actual delivery.

I started on this last night, and although having checked the reviews/ratings you posted, I was not prepared.

I was fully expecting the usual "this was written by a man and it shows" experience, but basic silliness like Mister Fancy Science Pants doesn't know the difference between poisonous and venomous... xD

I've finished the book, and enjoyed its humour. Things is, though, I was completely surprised by how one thing about the ending made me downright angry. Maybe I'd forgotten about it when I last read the book ages ago, or maybe my stupid teenaged self didn't even pick up on it back then...

(view spoiler)[Shadwell getting a happy ending of being catered to for the rest of his life. He'd just spent the whole book being an absolutely horrible person (and his entire life, we can presume), and there was no hint of him going to be that much less horrible, so Madame Tracy is just gonna shrug it off with "that's our Mr. S *teehee* *pat pat*".

I know it was just Adam fixing the world as he best knew how with his 11 years of life experience, and the bungalow names were a cute throwback to earlier.

But it's one thing to care that your disgusting, cranky neighbour with minimal life skills doesn't starve to death, and wholly another to shack up with him out of loneliness (and supernatural intervention).

Maybe I just know too many Shadwells irl to not be depressed by this. (hide spoiler)]

Guess my age is showing, and I'm too used to Pterry being full of righteous anger and championing the Importance Of Not Being An Asshat.

Reading this for January, totally due for a re-read after 15 or so years, with the series coming out!