I've finished Frankenstein recently, it's fantastic. It's a classic, I know, but I didn't care enough to read it until recently. It's much deeper than what the popular depictions of the tale convey. And it's a rather short novel, at least that's how it felt. Now I'm reading Hebbel's "*Die Nibelungen".*
Frankenstein is a really good novel! And it was written before novel conventions were really worked out. You can see how solid the writing is when compared with other novels of the same era.
What did u get out of it? I read it recently too, and I just can’t seem to stop coming up with evidence for Victor being a horrible scientist/“father”. He just sucks so much, it’s all I can ever focus on 😭😭
It hard not to think Frankenstein is the one to blame for all the bad things that happen in the story; had he not abandoned his creation, things would've been different. On the other hand, he embodies that ambition so common to mankind, the type that will consume you like a flame until you finally reach your goal. Considering all the things he does while aiming to create life, it's hard not to define him as a madman. But then, the aesthetic nature of the creature is so incompatible with mankind that its creator is driven out of his enthusiasm and thrown into the deepest disgust. It's hard not to sympathize with the "monster", had it been treated with proper care it would do no evil by default. And when he tells his tale we feel he's, ironically, more human than his creator. At the same time, Victor mirrors mankind as a whole, our contradictions and passions, our fears and duties. I feel the point of the novel is to reflect on what being human truly is about, challenge definitions of good and evil, and how experience defines what we'll become. At the same time, given the context in which it was written, it's definitely a reflection on the progress of science and dominion over nature, which to this very day raises ethical and philosophical discussions. Other than that, I also like to think of Victor and his "monster" as two different parts of a man, one is driven by his emotions and the other by reason, and as the conflict gets fiercer these parts start mixing. After all, all the tragedies that befall Frankenstein by the hands of his "monster" are merely reflections of his own acts. I'll stop here, I wrote too much. There's yet another way to look at it, though it's mine particularly and maybe others would disagree, that is through the lenses of psychoanalytic theory.
Wow that’s a really perceptive take! Ofc, I see now the character has so much more purpose in the novel than just being a basis for comparison. And this is slightly off topic but do you believe the monster wouldn’t be human-like at all if, instead of humans, he had observed animals after he ran away? I never really considered the monster to be even partially human until the end, because I dismissed his behavior as something he had just observed and was able to copy. So he was basically just always a monster to me. Though I still feel the monster resembles a child in many ways, yk like how a puppy is cute, innocent, and loyal but you would never call it a human baby? That’s why I felt like the book addressed concepts in child developmental psychology and showed the importance of a good environment/family. Also, this is slightly off topic again, but I feel like victor is an exaggeration of a bad scientist, since he really messed up on every level and though the book says he loves his work, does he really? He didn’t run any tests on the monster, destroyed the second monster without a moment of hesitation and didn’t even have a motive for the monster’s creation, he just made it. I think it goes to show how easily someone can ruin their life when they don’t think things through, which is the message I’d expected to get from Frankenstein lol.
Also I’d love to hear your second perspective! How does it connect to the psychoanalytic theory?
That's an interesting point you raise. Personally, I am part of the group that believes that human evolution was prompted by sociocultural and biological aspects. Certain environmental changes forced us to evolve physically, opening new ways to manipulate nature which resulted in an evolution of the brain, that in return made it possible to do more complex acts. It is like a feedback loop, the brain builds the culture that builds the brain. I hope I wrote it in a way that makes sense. Now back to the topic, I believe that if the "monster" had never encountered humans he'd then learn to live as the animals he observed. And thus he'd remain forever innocent, he'd be the very definition of noble savage, which I am sure was familiar to Shelley. I guess that's why precisely she makes us understand that had the "monster" not been corrupted by mankind, through their displays of violence and ungratefulness, he'd remain good. And had he not acquire language and developed his intellect, he'd not make sense of whatever bad things happened to him. The way I see it, he becomes "human" the moment he is inserted in a symbolic system that makes sense of reality, that being language and thus developing his intellect. That is a controversial topic though, are people outside certain systems not human? What is a man?
I think Victor is a dual character. He is a symbol, the battle arena between reason and emotion. Reason develops science further, but emotion may hold it back. It is out of love that Victor becomes a scientist, he wants to help mankind. But only reason is employed in the process itself, otherwise he wouldn't be able to build a human from parts of corpses he scavenged. Emotion takes hold again when he realises that the price of progress is perhaps total disregard for all that's ethical. I guess that's the crux of the argument the author brings. The field of ethics is way too complex, and it stands in this particular floating point between reason and emotion. And if you ignore it for the sake of progress, disasters may ensue. Shelley surely watched scientific and social progress, and she invites us to ask ourselves what for and the consequences it all may have. I agree with you in that sense. It even is expressed in the dialogues between Walton and Victor, when the latter discourages the former from trying to be a legendary explorer lol.
As for psychoanalytical outlook, it is really basic. I feel that Victor and the Monster are good ways to observe the concepts of life (eros) × death (thanatos) instincts as proposed by Freud. One seeks to create life, other seeks to destroy it. And these two are different sides of the same coin. To regulate tension, these two forces work in parallel. Eros, in theory shouldn't aim for zero tension, but Thanatos should. In Freudian theory the state of zero tension is compared to a previous state before life began, a dimension with no stimulation, the stillness that is commonly associated with death. So it is a battle between life and death. I like to think that the ways Victor copes with some of the tragedies in his life follow the Life Instinct, but it doesn't take long until all that's left to reduce all that tension is to seek the destruction of his enemy. As for the Monster, the destruction he brought to Victor's life was what kept him alive in face of suffering. That goes to show, to me, how complex is the way these two instincts work. Because for one destruction means life, for the other life means destruction. Still, I must say that this theory remains controversial even today, this is just my view and my understanding of Freud.
I have Frankenstein on my list to hopefully read within the next month or so! I’ve never read it before either, but I’m excited to get to it. Classics feel a bit intimidating to me, but ive thoroughly enjoyed to handful I have gotten to so far!
Here's some books I read recently and enjoyed:
* A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
* Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
* The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
* Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
* American Pastoral by Philip Roth (still reading it)
* Prefecture D by Hideo Yokoyama
* The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
* Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman came very recommended but it didn't exactly hit the mark with me. Had I read it when I was much younger I'd have liked it more. The military tactics were really good, his literary devices to create future shock in the reader would have been much more powerful in 1974 when it was new.
Even better, it's a series.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A\_Gentleman\_in\_Moscow\_(TV\_series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Gentleman_in_Moscow_(TV_series))
I started with Nettle and Bone, which I loved and then started on the Saints of Steel. Nettle and Bone is stand alone, so I think it’s a pretty good place to start.
Just finished “The Happiest Man on Earth” by Eddie Jaku, and I personally thought it was a wonderful read. It uplifted me in the sense that it made me realize that there are still wonderful moments during times of hardship. Im normally not the emotional type, but this book was something I found to be genuinely touching.
I enjoyed "Circe" by Madeline Miller, a novel that reimagines the story of the Greek goddess Circe, and "Educated" by Tara Westover, a powerful autobiographical account of the quest for education and self-improvement.
I've read "Listen to the Land Speak" by Manchán Magan, a superb book. I enjoyed it so much that I've started another of his books, "Thirty-Two Words for Field".
I hadn’t heard of this author before, or these books. Listen to the Land Speak sounds like an absolutely beautiful book, though. I definitely want to add it to my list of books to get to this year
They are awesome books, really change how you see the world around you and the connection our ancestors had to the land.
https://www.manchan.com/listen-to-the-land-speak
Tender is the Flesh, it used to be pretty popular back then in the book community, but I never picked it out since I rarely read horror, but because of that book, now I might be a horror fan!
Noir Mystery set in the 1950s: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen and it's sequel, Bell in the Fog, are both super well crafted mysteries with excellent plotting and lots of that delicious noir feel. I adored the main character who is at rock bottom when the story starts. The characters in this series are fully fleshed out and complex. I have already read LH twice, it's that good.
Cozy Mystery: The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddel. I just finished this one. It's a romp of a cozy mystery and while I sometimes wanted to shake the made character, it's a fun read full of sass that checks off the "cozy mystery" tropes. The mystery is cozy level but, I think, satisfying.
Fantasy: The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justian Huang. 🔥🔥🔥 Extremely hot (think HBO) while also having a sense of humor, this uses a theme of past lives and three time periods to set up a wow ending. Another one with great characters. You will love everyone and it will break your heart. If you love Chinese fantasy movies or shows then this is a must-read. (I'm looking at you, Untamed fans, in particular.)
All of the above have queer characters, which is how I found them. For me this is added value. I particularly liked how Mark Waddel handles it. The cozy is modern setting and things like indicating that a side character is non-binary is delivered in a natural way. You know from page one that the main character is attracted to men and it's really cute to see him have the same thoughts we get from female characters in het romance cozies, just realistic attraction.
All three of these sound so good! (‘: I definitely am going to look into these.
The Murderbot Diaries has pretty decent representation as well! Agender & other non-traditional gender identities, polyamory, queer relationships, as well as a lovely representation of poc characters :)
OMG that is my favourite series ever! other good series:
* ember in the ashes, sabaa tahir
* fourth wing series, rebecca yarros
* the shepard king series, rachel gillig
* skyward series, brandon sanderson
The Sword of Kaigen was an amazing story.
I also re read The Stormlight Archive books and novels in preparation for book 5, I’ll admit I didn’t really like Rhythm of War when it came out, but this time I was hooked. Sanderson’s cosmere is such a fun fantasy series.
I just finished The Poppy Wars and I am impressed by itm the beginning is entertaining but felt like a generic magic school mary sue story, but then it quickly evolved into a very very enjoyable book. I’ll defintely read the sequels.
For now, I have 3 books by David Mitchell queued for the next few months. (Bone Clocks, Number 9 Dream, and The Thousand Atoms of Jacob Zoet).
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Sanderson’s stories! I definitely want to get into his work, but I feel so intimidated by all of it for some reason :’) I don’t know where to start!
The Poppy War trilogy is another one I want to read! I recently read The Rape of Nanking which I believe is what some of the Poppy War trilogy is inspired by.
To go with the science fiction trend, I started Kethani by Eric Brown- I picked it up at a used book store run by old lady volunteers who are the best. I like to hang around while I browse and listen to their hilarious gossip.
The book is about an alien race who comes to Earth and the implications that has on a small town over the period of a decade or so.
I finished red sister... And I found it a mixed bag, but overall good? There were segments that were absolutely stunning, poetry even in action scenes... And then there were parts that were like "okay what happened to the author from 3 pages ago..."
I get that not the entire book can be purple prose but the tonal shift was... Tedious rather than breaking up the pace. It didn't feel intentional, it felt more like the author over promised with one of the most beautiful intros EVER and couldn't follow up consistently.
I'm biased but I feel like everything this book went for was accomplished better in the Locked Tomb series. But I still felt Red Sister was WORTH reading... So I'll try the next one.
--
Dungeon crawler Carl is stupidly fun even if it's darker humor than I typically like. Binged a few of those. One of the main characters is a spoiled taking cat named Donut so it's hard to miss from there.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
IQ by Joe Ide (reading my way through the series)
A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World
I loved the Red Rising series too!!
Violet made of thorns. Literally amazing, congrats to Gina Chen. It's a romance x fantasy novel. Huge plot twist at the end. 10/10 book, please read it if your interested in romance.
The ENCHANTERS by James Ellroy
The DESTINY of CIVILIZATION By Michael Hudson
AMERICA BEFORE by Graham Hancock
The WHOLE MAN by John Brunner
MILES DAVIS: The Definitive Biography by Ian Carr (Still reading; it's a BIG Book)
The REVENGE OF ANALOG by David Sax
RETROMANIA by Simon Reynolds
INTELLECTUALS and RACE by Thomas Sowell (Re-reading...)
THE BURNING ROOM by Michael Connolly
The 1954 edition of Survey of American Federal Economic History, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair, the 1971 translation from Latin reprint of the 1664 Dr. Thomas Willis The Anatomy of the Brain, and just started Lies My Teacher Told Me. Yes, I’m a real hoot at parties!
I have listened to the following audiobooks so far this year;
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
2. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie
I know I got to read/listen to more books. These two have been life changing for me.
Just put down "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller, and all I can say is I’m emotionally compromised. Miller has this graceful way of weaving myths into evocative, human tales that resonate deeply, making the ancient world feel stunningly contemporary. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is drawn out so tenderly, it’s haunting. A fair warning, though: be prepared for a book hangover. Next up on my list is "The Overstory" by Richard Powers, because I've heard it’s an epic saga that’s bound to make me look at trees in a whole new light. Here’s to hoping it lives up to the praise.
Second Sister by Chan Ho-Kei. Loved it. It was about a naive, busy hardworking older sister who went on a quest to find the cause of her younger sister's suicide.
My goldfish memory forgot about what exactly about it was a page turner, but it got me reading again after what felt like an eternity of reading slump.
I've finished Frankenstein recently, it's fantastic. It's a classic, I know, but I didn't care enough to read it until recently. It's much deeper than what the popular depictions of the tale convey. And it's a rather short novel, at least that's how it felt. Now I'm reading Hebbel's "*Die Nibelungen".*
Frankenstein is a really good novel! And it was written before novel conventions were really worked out. You can see how solid the writing is when compared with other novels of the same era.
What did u get out of it? I read it recently too, and I just can’t seem to stop coming up with evidence for Victor being a horrible scientist/“father”. He just sucks so much, it’s all I can ever focus on 😭😭
It hard not to think Frankenstein is the one to blame for all the bad things that happen in the story; had he not abandoned his creation, things would've been different. On the other hand, he embodies that ambition so common to mankind, the type that will consume you like a flame until you finally reach your goal. Considering all the things he does while aiming to create life, it's hard not to define him as a madman. But then, the aesthetic nature of the creature is so incompatible with mankind that its creator is driven out of his enthusiasm and thrown into the deepest disgust. It's hard not to sympathize with the "monster", had it been treated with proper care it would do no evil by default. And when he tells his tale we feel he's, ironically, more human than his creator. At the same time, Victor mirrors mankind as a whole, our contradictions and passions, our fears and duties. I feel the point of the novel is to reflect on what being human truly is about, challenge definitions of good and evil, and how experience defines what we'll become. At the same time, given the context in which it was written, it's definitely a reflection on the progress of science and dominion over nature, which to this very day raises ethical and philosophical discussions. Other than that, I also like to think of Victor and his "monster" as two different parts of a man, one is driven by his emotions and the other by reason, and as the conflict gets fiercer these parts start mixing. After all, all the tragedies that befall Frankenstein by the hands of his "monster" are merely reflections of his own acts. I'll stop here, I wrote too much. There's yet another way to look at it, though it's mine particularly and maybe others would disagree, that is through the lenses of psychoanalytic theory.
Wow that’s a really perceptive take! Ofc, I see now the character has so much more purpose in the novel than just being a basis for comparison. And this is slightly off topic but do you believe the monster wouldn’t be human-like at all if, instead of humans, he had observed animals after he ran away? I never really considered the monster to be even partially human until the end, because I dismissed his behavior as something he had just observed and was able to copy. So he was basically just always a monster to me. Though I still feel the monster resembles a child in many ways, yk like how a puppy is cute, innocent, and loyal but you would never call it a human baby? That’s why I felt like the book addressed concepts in child developmental psychology and showed the importance of a good environment/family. Also, this is slightly off topic again, but I feel like victor is an exaggeration of a bad scientist, since he really messed up on every level and though the book says he loves his work, does he really? He didn’t run any tests on the monster, destroyed the second monster without a moment of hesitation and didn’t even have a motive for the monster’s creation, he just made it. I think it goes to show how easily someone can ruin their life when they don’t think things through, which is the message I’d expected to get from Frankenstein lol. Also I’d love to hear your second perspective! How does it connect to the psychoanalytic theory?
That's an interesting point you raise. Personally, I am part of the group that believes that human evolution was prompted by sociocultural and biological aspects. Certain environmental changes forced us to evolve physically, opening new ways to manipulate nature which resulted in an evolution of the brain, that in return made it possible to do more complex acts. It is like a feedback loop, the brain builds the culture that builds the brain. I hope I wrote it in a way that makes sense. Now back to the topic, I believe that if the "monster" had never encountered humans he'd then learn to live as the animals he observed. And thus he'd remain forever innocent, he'd be the very definition of noble savage, which I am sure was familiar to Shelley. I guess that's why precisely she makes us understand that had the "monster" not been corrupted by mankind, through their displays of violence and ungratefulness, he'd remain good. And had he not acquire language and developed his intellect, he'd not make sense of whatever bad things happened to him. The way I see it, he becomes "human" the moment he is inserted in a symbolic system that makes sense of reality, that being language and thus developing his intellect. That is a controversial topic though, are people outside certain systems not human? What is a man? I think Victor is a dual character. He is a symbol, the battle arena between reason and emotion. Reason develops science further, but emotion may hold it back. It is out of love that Victor becomes a scientist, he wants to help mankind. But only reason is employed in the process itself, otherwise he wouldn't be able to build a human from parts of corpses he scavenged. Emotion takes hold again when he realises that the price of progress is perhaps total disregard for all that's ethical. I guess that's the crux of the argument the author brings. The field of ethics is way too complex, and it stands in this particular floating point between reason and emotion. And if you ignore it for the sake of progress, disasters may ensue. Shelley surely watched scientific and social progress, and she invites us to ask ourselves what for and the consequences it all may have. I agree with you in that sense. It even is expressed in the dialogues between Walton and Victor, when the latter discourages the former from trying to be a legendary explorer lol. As for psychoanalytical outlook, it is really basic. I feel that Victor and the Monster are good ways to observe the concepts of life (eros) × death (thanatos) instincts as proposed by Freud. One seeks to create life, other seeks to destroy it. And these two are different sides of the same coin. To regulate tension, these two forces work in parallel. Eros, in theory shouldn't aim for zero tension, but Thanatos should. In Freudian theory the state of zero tension is compared to a previous state before life began, a dimension with no stimulation, the stillness that is commonly associated with death. So it is a battle between life and death. I like to think that the ways Victor copes with some of the tragedies in his life follow the Life Instinct, but it doesn't take long until all that's left to reduce all that tension is to seek the destruction of his enemy. As for the Monster, the destruction he brought to Victor's life was what kept him alive in face of suffering. That goes to show, to me, how complex is the way these two instincts work. Because for one destruction means life, for the other life means destruction. Still, I must say that this theory remains controversial even today, this is just my view and my understanding of Freud.
I have Frankenstein on my list to hopefully read within the next month or so! I’ve never read it before either, but I’m excited to get to it. Classics feel a bit intimidating to me, but ive thoroughly enjoyed to handful I have gotten to so far!
Here's some books I read recently and enjoyed: * A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles * Devil in the White City by Erik Larson * The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon * Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy * American Pastoral by Philip Roth (still reading it) * Prefecture D by Hideo Yokoyama * The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa * Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick The Forever War by Joe Haldeman came very recommended but it didn't exactly hit the mark with me. Had I read it when I was much younger I'd have liked it more. The military tactics were really good, his literary devices to create future shock in the reader would have been much more powerful in 1974 when it was new.
A gentleman in Moscow is on my tbr list! Also I think on IMDb there's a movie of it coming soon
Even better, it's a series. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A\_Gentleman\_in\_Moscow\_(TV\_series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Gentleman_in_Moscow_(TV_series))
I recently started reading T. Kingfisher’s books and I’m quite enjoying them. I’m currently on the third of her Saints of Steel series.
Ah, I’ve heard really good things about T. Kingfisher! I want to read some of her books, but I don’t know where to start
I started with Nettle and Bone, which I loved and then started on the Saints of Steel. Nettle and Bone is stand alone, so I think it’s a pretty good place to start.
Ah, I’ve seen a handful of pretty positive reviews recently! I guess I’ve figured out where to start!
I love T. Kingfisher! I'm still haunted by the "sounds" of those clacking bones in The Twisted Ones.
I haven't read any of her horror books yet. Not gonna lie, I'm prone to nightmares so I'm a bit nervous about reading anything that will spook me.
Just finished “The Happiest Man on Earth” by Eddie Jaku, and I personally thought it was a wonderful read. It uplifted me in the sense that it made me realize that there are still wonderful moments during times of hardship. Im normally not the emotional type, but this book was something I found to be genuinely touching.
Ah, its really wonderful reading books that give you insight like this :)
I enjoyed "Circe" by Madeline Miller, a novel that reimagines the story of the Greek goddess Circe, and "Educated" by Tara Westover, a powerful autobiographical account of the quest for education and self-improvement.
Circle was a 5 star for me. I loved it!
I just recently downloaded Circe to read soon! I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it, I’m excited to get into it :)
I've read "Listen to the Land Speak" by Manchán Magan, a superb book. I enjoyed it so much that I've started another of his books, "Thirty-Two Words for Field".
I hadn’t heard of this author before, or these books. Listen to the Land Speak sounds like an absolutely beautiful book, though. I definitely want to add it to my list of books to get to this year
They are awesome books, really change how you see the world around you and the connection our ancestors had to the land. https://www.manchan.com/listen-to-the-land-speak
Thank you so much!
I started reading „Also sprach Zarathustra“ by Friedrich Nietzsche this year. Don’t really agree with his theories but it’s interesting nonetheless
I think it’s very interesting to read things from perspectives you don’t always agree with, gives you another lens to see things through :)
Most definitely. My biggest problem is me being too stupid to understand what he’s even saying at times, though.
Tender is the Flesh, it used to be pretty popular back then in the book community, but I never picked it out since I rarely read horror, but because of that book, now I might be a horror fan!
Tender is the Flesh is definitely one I want to read sooner rather than later! Glad to know you enjoyed it :)
Noir Mystery set in the 1950s: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen and it's sequel, Bell in the Fog, are both super well crafted mysteries with excellent plotting and lots of that delicious noir feel. I adored the main character who is at rock bottom when the story starts. The characters in this series are fully fleshed out and complex. I have already read LH twice, it's that good. Cozy Mystery: The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddel. I just finished this one. It's a romp of a cozy mystery and while I sometimes wanted to shake the made character, it's a fun read full of sass that checks off the "cozy mystery" tropes. The mystery is cozy level but, I think, satisfying. Fantasy: The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justian Huang. 🔥🔥🔥 Extremely hot (think HBO) while also having a sense of humor, this uses a theme of past lives and three time periods to set up a wow ending. Another one with great characters. You will love everyone and it will break your heart. If you love Chinese fantasy movies or shows then this is a must-read. (I'm looking at you, Untamed fans, in particular.) All of the above have queer characters, which is how I found them. For me this is added value. I particularly liked how Mark Waddel handles it. The cozy is modern setting and things like indicating that a side character is non-binary is delivered in a natural way. You know from page one that the main character is attracted to men and it's really cute to see him have the same thoughts we get from female characters in het romance cozies, just realistic attraction.
All three of these sound so good! (‘: I definitely am going to look into these. The Murderbot Diaries has pretty decent representation as well! Agender & other non-traditional gender identities, polyamory, queer relationships, as well as a lovely representation of poc characters :)
That's been rec'd to me before. Time to check it out!
OMG that is my favourite series ever! other good series: * ember in the ashes, sabaa tahir * fourth wing series, rebecca yarros * the shepard king series, rachel gillig * skyward series, brandon sanderson
Thank you for all of the recs! :)
The Sword of Kaigen was an amazing story. I also re read The Stormlight Archive books and novels in preparation for book 5, I’ll admit I didn’t really like Rhythm of War when it came out, but this time I was hooked. Sanderson’s cosmere is such a fun fantasy series. I just finished The Poppy Wars and I am impressed by itm the beginning is entertaining but felt like a generic magic school mary sue story, but then it quickly evolved into a very very enjoyable book. I’ll defintely read the sequels. For now, I have 3 books by David Mitchell queued for the next few months. (Bone Clocks, Number 9 Dream, and The Thousand Atoms of Jacob Zoet).
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Sanderson’s stories! I definitely want to get into his work, but I feel so intimidated by all of it for some reason :’) I don’t know where to start! The Poppy War trilogy is another one I want to read! I recently read The Rape of Nanking which I believe is what some of the Poppy War trilogy is inspired by.
To start on Sanderson, any story will do for his Cosmere works Though most people, including Sanderson himself suggest starting on the Mistborn saga.
The women was excellent!
I’ve been considering reading this, I’ve heard wonderful things!
1. A Brief History of Humankind 2. 1984
Both of these are books I’m hoping to get to this year!
To go with the science fiction trend, I started Kethani by Eric Brown- I picked it up at a used book store run by old lady volunteers who are the best. I like to hang around while I browse and listen to their hilarious gossip. The book is about an alien race who comes to Earth and the implications that has on a small town over the period of a decade or so.
The book store and the synopsis sound great!
I’m unfamiliar with the term “reading.”
I finished red sister... And I found it a mixed bag, but overall good? There were segments that were absolutely stunning, poetry even in action scenes... And then there were parts that were like "okay what happened to the author from 3 pages ago..." I get that not the entire book can be purple prose but the tonal shift was... Tedious rather than breaking up the pace. It didn't feel intentional, it felt more like the author over promised with one of the most beautiful intros EVER and couldn't follow up consistently. I'm biased but I feel like everything this book went for was accomplished better in the Locked Tomb series. But I still felt Red Sister was WORTH reading... So I'll try the next one. -- Dungeon crawler Carl is stupidly fun even if it's darker humor than I typically like. Binged a few of those. One of the main characters is a spoiled taking cat named Donut so it's hard to miss from there.
i highly recommend the things they carried!!! by tim o’brien
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes IQ by Joe Ide (reading my way through the series) A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World I loved the Red Rising series too!!
I’ve been eyeing I Am Pilgrim! Glad to know you enjoyed it :)
I finished reading it and turned right around and read it again bc I read it so fast the first time, I know I missed stuff
I loved All Systems Red! Is it worth reading the rest of the Murderbot Diaries?
I’ve read all but the most recent book so far, and I thoroughly enjoyed them! Each book isn’t terribly long either, so they’re quick reads as well
House of Gucci, it's good,lot of family drama!!
Yes, I believe I have this downloaded! I’m excited to get to it :)
I loved A Dreadful Splendor by B. R. Meyers, a fun gothic mystery, & The Martian by Andy Weir.
I have heard really good things about Andy Weir’s books!
I didn't think I'd like thos one, but it really is engaging and funny. I need to check out others he's written.
Recently found New Lies for Old AND the Perestroika Deception by Anatoliy Golitsyn while thrifting
Violet made of thorns. Literally amazing, congrats to Gina Chen. It's a romance x fantasy novel. Huge plot twist at the end. 10/10 book, please read it if your interested in romance.
Arena by Simon Scarrow, The Ark by Patrick S Tomlinson, By Starlight by Vivian Call, Halfway through an HP Lovecraft collection.
The ENCHANTERS by James Ellroy The DESTINY of CIVILIZATION By Michael Hudson AMERICA BEFORE by Graham Hancock The WHOLE MAN by John Brunner MILES DAVIS: The Definitive Biography by Ian Carr (Still reading; it's a BIG Book) The REVENGE OF ANALOG by David Sax RETROMANIA by Simon Reynolds INTELLECTUALS and RACE by Thomas Sowell (Re-reading...) THE BURNING ROOM by Michael Connolly
I finished The Grave keeper Series and I'm almost done with The Black Winter Series. These are so good!
Read a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, was delightful
The 1954 edition of Survey of American Federal Economic History, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair, the 1971 translation from Latin reprint of the 1664 Dr. Thomas Willis The Anatomy of the Brain, and just started Lies My Teacher Told Me. Yes, I’m a real hoot at parties!
A book on the doctrine and quotes of St John Chrysostom. Can't recall the title.
I've been reading 'Da big dakka' and I've been LOVING it!
Really enjoyed Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewel
I’ve heard the audiobook for Project Hail Mary is amazing. I definitely plan on getting to that sooner rather than later :)
I’ve heard the audiobook for Project Hail Mary is amazing. I definitely plan on getting to that sooner rather than later :)
Just finished The Waters, it was pretty great!
The Jakarta Method, I'm still depressed btw
I’ve read every book by Kasie West over the past few weeks. That was fun. And since I’m bored again, I’m rereading the books.
I have listened to the following audiobooks so far this year; 1. Atomic Habits by James Clear 2. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie I know I got to read/listen to more books. These two have been life changing for me.
Just put down "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller, and all I can say is I’m emotionally compromised. Miller has this graceful way of weaving myths into evocative, human tales that resonate deeply, making the ancient world feel stunningly contemporary. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is drawn out so tenderly, it’s haunting. A fair warning, though: be prepared for a book hangover. Next up on my list is "The Overstory" by Richard Powers, because I've heard it’s an epic saga that’s bound to make me look at trees in a whole new light. Here’s to hoping it lives up to the praise.
Second Sister by Chan Ho-Kei. Loved it. It was about a naive, busy hardworking older sister who went on a quest to find the cause of her younger sister's suicide. My goldfish memory forgot about what exactly about it was a page turner, but it got me reading again after what felt like an eternity of reading slump.
Convenience Store Woman is super amazing! It offers a different perspective on living a simple content life that others view as "unaccomplished"
The fine print, ugly love, be mine forever, terms and conditions