As much as I reread Carriger, it‘s been a minute since I went back to this first. It‘s charming to@think of the complexity and depth of personality the characters have gained over the series, as compared to this first introduction; Alexia really comes into her own later, and secondary characters earn far greater characterization. A comfortable bedtime companion.

While absolutely lovely, it didn‘t prove to be as narrative as I prefer.

With nothing more than a title to suggest it, I expected The Chalk Man to be a supernatural thriller, perhaps a bit gory, of modern horror film ilk. What I found was a fascinatingly human protagonist in a broken and human community, slugging through a mystery that requires attention. Not at all frightening, but well-paced, convincingly-written, and very engaging.

I find it incredibly lazy when authors attempt to create suspense and mystery by being vague and withholding, instead of being crafty. Clipped sentences and tunnel-vision narrators are not mysterious, they‘re juvenile.

Another reread, chosen for being on my kindle during a panic attack

The characters are as trite as the premise. The back of the book suggests this is a good fit “For fans of Shirley Jackson,” but they‘d do much better with Jackson, and perhaps some Euripides. Bailed after seven chapters.

The most recent in The Custard Protocol is shockingly and abysmally lazy. I am clearly a fan of Carriger‘s steampunk novels as a body, and this had none of the play or narrative development of earlier books. It is dry and formulaic, one‘s _desire_ to love the characters warring with the story as it is artlessly written. I regret my purchase, and wish I had discovered the disappointment as a library book.

In first reading I appreciated the queerness of Competence. It is difficult to place modern identity in an historical context, and the attempts are at times clumsy. Ultimately, representation matters more, and overall the whole is still a noble effort on rereading.

On retreading this story feels incomplete, but I blame my familiarity with the narrative arc of the series rather than the book as written. The queer themes of this series makes it particularly charming for me.

When I find myself with “nothing” to read, or need comfort, I turn to two authors these days - Pratchett and Carriger. Another whimsical reread.

Highly recommended, this dystopian novel about a biological evolution that allows for a shift in power _should_ have been one I ravenously consumed. As much as the premise and the hype intrigue me, I find no interest or investment in the characters, and so could not maintain interest before my library loan expired.

Rereading thoughts: A take on racism and dehumanization that circles around the concept of classism, and offers definitions of personhood that hinge on _making_.

Discworld is my comfort space, and the focus on Nanny Ogg was just what I needed to recharge

Beautiful, grim, and compelling

I _really_ admire Adam Savage, and thoroughly enjoyed the autobiographical accounts in Every Tool‘s a Hammer. Inspirational texts are not my bag, however, so this wasn‘t a total win for me as an individual reader. Still worth picking up for fans of Adam Savage, making, and cosplay.

Deeply human, Home After Dark is a depressing but moving exploration of boyhood moving into manhood, and the crushing need to find one‘s place.

A fun alternative storyline, Thrillkiller is a 1960s pulp play at the Batman franchise. While the story itself isn‘t really astounding, the artwork is gorgeous, and the alternative characterizations are compelling.

Horrific and devastating from the first page, _Brother_ is utterly Shakespearean, and well worth reading.

An incredible disappointment. I saw this book featured prominently on “best” lists of contemporary horror, but found it to be as dull and plodding as the old men who feature as the novel‘s protagonists. There is much better, more creative, and more thoughtful horror to be found - this isn‘t worth the time.

A fantastically-foreboding horror novel propelled by the uncertainty of a sympathetic but untrustworthy narrator.

A ghoulish comic with stunning art and compelling narratives.

A charming little horror comic that plays beautifully with the tropes of old Hollywood classics, with an absolutely delightful conclusion. Well written and beautifully drawn.

Sci-fi is not my bag

Seed is a proper southern gothic, well-paced and mysterious, with a solid creep factor. Though I loved the conclusion, I was constantly taken out of the narrative by the immaturity of the children, who are the same age as my own, and can‘t help but wonder how much stronger it would have been if they acted six and ten. Still, a solid summer horror read.

Castle Waiting is a graphic narrative inspired by traditional fairy tales. Illustrated in black and white, the text is nonetheless vibrant in character and narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed the text, with the exception of its religious turn. For this reason i will avoid subsequent volumes - it‘s not a kind of myth making I support.

A curious start to a series. While a bit heavy handed, the characters carry it through and maintain affective interest. I‘ll certainly be checking out the next.

A powerful sequel to a strong narrative

Dissertation

Dissertation

Dissertation

Dissertation OOS

This internet recommendation was on the nose for me. A Handmaid‘s Tale by a more aggressive name will smell as sweet, and the same dystopian gender fuckery drives the comic, in a satire that‘s so real.

This comics series has been on my radar for some time, lauded by readers and lists alike for positive representation and engaging story. The latter was less so, at least for me as a reader; ultimately I was not engaged by the excessive - and thus realistic - juvenile antics. This doesn‘t make the book bad, just bad for me.

ETA: My kids have become obsessed with this series as of this week, especially the 7-year-old

Terry Pratchett‘s industry novels remain my favorites. The protagonists are not heroes, but people with ideas, who work diligently to change industries and cultural customs with words rather than might or magic. Moist‘s deviance is the sort that exposes the shortcomings of others, and his actions show that challenging the status quo can really be for the better. A thoroughly enjoyable re-read.

Dissertation and pleasure

I‘ve written enough in my chapter to not write reviews here, but I continue to be confused by any who assert that Dr Jekyll is “good”....

Dissertation and pleasure

Dissertation and pleasure

I was much less invested in the fanfic than in the story of the young woman who was supposed to write it

A charming and human story about someone struggling to find themselves, after defining themselves in proximity to others - a twin sister, a fandom, and fanfic - their whole lives.

It‘s just as one would expect - just as poorly written, egocentric, sexist, and sixties.

A thoughtful comparative analysis

Though Andrews has done well to cut down the number of family and church members crowding the plot and “small” town, the series has become dry rote with no real sense of suspense. The core characters have lost the personality that once made them interesting, and the story feels much like we are really running those endless errands with Meg.

Not as engaging as Austen‘s most famous, but a reliable re-read

Like most later Anita Blake books, this latest story is 1/3 dull and plodding exposition, 1/3 self-indulgent introspection which emphasizes how awful and artificial the characters are, and 1/3 actual new story.

The text is almost entirely sweeping statements and unsupported assertions, powered by assumptions and poorly-utilized sources. The length alone (or lack of) can indicate the quality of this text on a nuanced, long, and complicated subject.

Patricia Briggs is a wonderfully consistent urban fantasy author, who develops and maintains an interesting cast of characters, and organically stitches folklore and fantasy onto the tapestry of paranormal narratives. A light and enjoyable read, as usual.

My first finished read of 2019, _Maestra_ was an enjoyable surprise. The plot is a dastardly rags-to-riches tale, firmly grounded in the gendered constructions of opportunity and industry, while gilding a sense of agency to a subtlety inconsistent narrator. Touches of practicality make this fantasy of a thriller seem plausible, allowing for the enjoyable anxiety needed of the genre. While not my usual fair, I found it to be good fun.