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jstilts's reviews
116 reviews
Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A definite improvement over the second book, this one feels like it could stand alone if it had to while being a solid continuation of the series - the majority of this volume is set on a school trip to Paris, which gives this part of the ongoing story some individual structure. The art quality continues to improve, or the style has just fully grown on me now!
This time our characters both discover coming out as a couple isn't as straightforward as they imagined, while touching on issues of mental health that will doubtless be explored more in the future. It's another very wholesome exploration of LGBTIQ+ relationships that highlights solutions (sometimes just attitudes!) to overcoming issues rather than mining them for grim dramatic potential - but there is still drama, as this series continues to be extremely engaging, and there are a few punch-the-air moments.
Definitely looking forward to seeing the threads laid down for Volume 4 explored, but in many ways this would have been a satisfying conclusion to the series.
This time our characters both discover coming out as a couple isn't as straightforward as they imagined, while touching on issues of mental health that will doubtless be explored more in the future. It's another very wholesome exploration of LGBTIQ+ relationships that highlights solutions (sometimes just attitudes!) to overcoming issues rather than mining them for grim dramatic potential - but there is still drama, as this series continues to be extremely engaging, and there are a few punch-the-air moments.
Definitely looking forward to seeing the threads laid down for Volume 4 explored, but in many ways this would have been a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, Outing, and Alcohol
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Not as good as "The Martian", but what is? Andy Weir's latest novel is hard to review without spoiling the plot, especially as the lead is amnesiac - slowly revealing the backstory as more pressing events unfold. So comparing it to his previous work is probably the best I can do.
What I can say is compared to The Martian this is much more speculative forward-looking SciFi disaster novel that borders on the fantastical - which is fun and well done, so long as you can get past the first few chapters that may have you wondering if this is a light re-tread of The Marrian. It's not, but it's fair to say it shares similar themes of isolation and problem solving, but of a distinctly different flavour.
What I can say is compared to The Martian this is much more speculative forward-looking SciFi disaster novel that borders on the fantastical - which is fun and well done, so long as you can get past the first few chapters that may have you wondering if this is a light re-tread of The Marrian. It's not, but it's fair to say it shares similar themes of isolation and problem solving, but of a distinctly different flavour.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
This is a collection of short stories that vary in quality and interest, so a bit hard to give a useful star rating. Some of the stories are little gems, some so-so, the final story I almost skipped (but glad I didn't).
The stories all explore family life as affected by cats, usually at least partly from the cats perspective. Maybe, being a Japanese translation, the directions the stories take or fail to take are a little surprising to this western reader (the first especially so). For some reason the majority of these tales depict the fathers as being buffoons or jerks, which wears a little thin - but overall they are interesting insights into Japanese family life.
Be warned, there are a few sad tales.
The stories all explore family life as affected by cats, usually at least partly from the cats perspective. Maybe, being a Japanese translation, the directions the stories take or fail to take are a little surprising to this western reader (the first especially so). For some reason the majority of these tales depict the fathers as being buffoons or jerks, which wears a little thin - but overall they are interesting insights into Japanese family life.
Be warned, there are a few sad tales.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another Japanese slice-of-life book that is so gentle and slow it's hard to call it an exciting page-turner, but nevertheless I find myself utterly absorbed - and complete these books faster than any other type.
A book of two halves - so much so it's almost a novella and it's sequel - this quiet emotional book follows Takako into her uncle's bookshop as she retreats from a life that just fell to pieces.
We see her anger, we see her grieving, we see centre herself, we see her uncertainty at her ability to ever leave the cosy confines of the bookstore. I'd like to say there's a dramatic twist, but this book is very grounded in reality - life just goes on until you choose to make changes happen.
Unexpected events do occur, but it's refreshing to read a book where the characters truly are in charge of their own destiny - and the obstacles they need to overcome are usually ones from within, dictated by their personality, drives and emotions.
A book of two halves - so much so it's almost a novella and it's sequel - this quiet emotional book follows Takako into her uncle's bookshop as she retreats from a life that just fell to pieces.
We see her anger, we see her grieving, we see centre herself, we see her uncertainty at her ability to ever leave the cosy confines of the bookstore. I'd like to say there's a dramatic twist, but this book is very grounded in reality - life just goes on until you choose to make changes happen.
Unexpected events do occur, but it's refreshing to read a book where the characters truly are in charge of their own destiny - and the obstacles they need to overcome are usually ones from within, dictated by their personality, drives and emotions.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Miscarriage
Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Fun futuristic mystery thriller in detective-noir trappings, this book is surprisingly absorbing once it settles down after the first few chapters. A few silly moments may pull you out of the book, but it's usually for a deserved laugh. Twisty enough that I didn't quite work it all out before it was all laid out for me, but saw the last chapter coming from the start. Fun, and worth a sequel - there's plenty of characters in this world beyond the lead that are worth revisiting, and the Titans are a decent critique of the wealth and power divides in our society. However the characters are a bit too lightly sketched and detached from reality to be taken very seriously.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, and Medical trauma
Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Essential reading for those who read Volume 1 (and for those who plan to read Volume 3) as the main characters relationship progresses significantly, and (mild spoiler) the main plot of this book involves one character deciding whether or not to come out in public with their sexuality.
The reason why I haven't scored this volume particularly highly is still debatable to me - on the dpwnsode it's a relatively straightforward tale that goes out of it's way to avoid complexity and subplots: the route to coming out progresses with relatively little conflict, incidents such as a sudden burst of violence could have given rise to second thoughts in their partner, family who may have reacted badly to coming out are very accepting - it's all rather drama-free. However on the flip side this is remarkably refreshing: many of those ignored plotlines are rather commonplace and cliche, the self-torturous path to coming out has likewise done a thousand times, instead here we are presented with a wholesome positive coming-out experience that is still grounded in reality.
I think in the end I have to go with the slightly lower score, as while this book is valuable repr sentation of LGBTQIA+ and an essential continuation of Volume 1 (and probably an essential bridge to volume 2) it does mean it's a little lightweight if taken alone.
The art style is very similar to Volume 1 but I feel it has improved - some pages are genuinely gorgeous, with decorative touches that help give insight into the characters mood. For instance a page near the end where one character is sitting with his mother is particularly beautiful, the flowers of the garden seen through the window seeming to radiate upwards onto the page and into the room with some subtle pencil work adding interesting lighting effects. I don't recall so many of these done so well in Volume 1. Looking forward to Volume 3!
The reason why I haven't scored this volume particularly highly is still debatable to me - on the dpwnsode it's a relatively straightforward tale that goes out of it's way to avoid complexity and subplots: the route to coming out progresses with relatively little conflict, incidents such as a sudden burst of violence could have given rise to second thoughts in their partner, family who may have reacted badly to coming out are very accepting - it's all rather drama-free. However on the flip side this is remarkably refreshing: many of those ignored plotlines are rather commonplace and cliche, the self-torturous path to coming out has likewise done a thousand times, instead here we are presented with a wholesome positive coming-out experience that is still grounded in reality.
I think in the end I have to go with the slightly lower score, as while this book is valuable repr sentation of LGBTQIA+ and an essential continuation of Volume 1 (and probably an essential bridge to volume 2) it does mean it's a little lightweight if taken alone.
The art style is very similar to Volume 1 but I feel it has improved - some pages are genuinely gorgeous, with decorative touches that help give insight into the characters mood. For instance a page near the end where one character is sitting with his mother is particularly beautiful, the flowers of the garden seen through the window seeming to radiate upwards onto the page and into the room with some subtle pencil work adding interesting lighting effects. I don't recall so many of these done so well in Volume 1. Looking forward to Volume 3!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Homophobia
The Murchison Murders by Arthur Upfield
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
A fascinating true story where fact meets fiction. Crime author Arthur Upfield, the Agatha Christie of Australia, details how his desire to find the perfect method of body-disposal to challenge his fictional Aboriginal Detective-Inspector led to a string of real-life murders.
With his novel as yet unpublished at the time the murders were established to have occured, things do not look too good for Arthur Upfield!
I'm now moving on to reading the novel that directly affected these true events - "The Sands of Windee"
With his novel as yet unpublished at the time the murders were established to have occured, things do not look too good for Arthur Upfield!
I'm now moving on to reading the novel that directly affected these true events - "The Sands of Windee"
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death and Colonisation
The Three Locks by Bonnie MacBird
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The fourth in this authors series of Sherlock Holmes novels, but - while I recommend it - not quite her best, as it lacks some of the page-turning pace and humour of my favourite "Unquiet Spirits". However this could be partly because I put this book down for weeks over Christmas.
MacBird's Sherlock Holmes are by far the best post-Doyle Holmes I have read, and this one is no exception - it's full of interesting characters and beguiling mysteries, and some artfully touching and insightful moments into Dr John Watson and Sherlock Holmes themselves.
I'll take an average Macbird over the best efforts of any other Holmes author!
MacBird's Sherlock Holmes are by far the best post-Doyle Holmes I have read, and this one is no exception - it's full of interesting characters and beguiling mysteries, and some artfully touching and insightful moments into Dr John Watson and Sherlock Holmes themselves.
I'll take an average Macbird over the best efforts of any other Holmes author!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide attempt, and Murder
I, the Vampire by Henry Kuttner
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
3.0
This very short story is a noir-ish horror set in early Hollywood that, for all the predictability of modern vampire stories, has a few surprising twists that are worth the quick read - and a few moments that linger in the mind slightly longer perhaps than you'd expect . Despite it's length the story has an array of characters, and delves just a little into the mind and history of the titular vampire.
Incidentally, some aspects of this story may possibly have been an inspiration for the John Malkovich / Willem Defoe movie "Shadow of the Vampire" which though hard to find is an absolute gem well worth seeking out.
Incidentally, some aspects of this story may possibly have been an inspiration for the John Malkovich / Willem Defoe movie "Shadow of the Vampire" which though hard to find is an absolute gem well worth seeking out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A light breezy read about two boys discovering themselves and falling in love, with the everyday obstacles and supports you'd expect (but not particularly cliched or tropey) along the way.
The art style is not particularly to my taste in a graphic novel, but it suits the light breezy style of the book well enough!
The art style is not particularly to my taste in a graphic novel, but it suits the light breezy style of the book well enough!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment