Audiobook Review: If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Posted on May 19, 2020 33 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Mystery
Series: Short Story Collection
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (April 21, 2020)
Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
What a great collection to ease myself back into the work of Stephen King! I used to read a lot of his stuff, but admittedly not so much these days. In fact, The Outsider was my first King book in almost eight years, but because I enjoyed it so much, it also motivated me to pick up If It Bleeds, a collection of four novellas including the title story which features another harrowing adventure with Holly Gibney. Below are my thoughts on each one.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone – 4.5 stars
A sweet but at times unsettling story of a boy’s unique friendship with his elderly neighbor, this opening tale had vibes of Hearts in Atlantis and ended up being one of my favorites.
Initially set in the late 2000s, it introduces readers to Craig, our young protagonist who does odd jobs for Mr. Harrigan, a retired business magnate. One day, Craig wins several thousand dollars from a lottery scratch ticket gifted to him by Mr. Harrigan, and having just recently received his very own iPhone, the boy decides to surprise the old man by getting him one as well. Considered cutting-edge technology at the time, the phone quickly becomes a focal point of their relationship, leading to the two of them discussing apps and sharing what they’ve learned with each other on a regular basis—until the day Mr. Harrigan passes away unexpectedly.
I loved the concept behind this story, and the central theme of technology bringing together people from different generations and disparate walks of life. Mr. Harrigan was a great character, and Craig’s friendship with him was very unique and special without sacrificing sincerity. There’s also an element of the supernatural which occasionally pushes the narrative into horror territory—nothing too frightening or dramatic, but do expect plenty of chills down your spine from this one.
The Life of Chuck – 3 stars
King tends to adapt his style to whatever he’s writing, and I find this to be far more noticeable when it comes to his short stories. I’m not usually a fan of his more abstract and metaphysical stuff, which might explain why I didn’t connect with this novella as much as the others.
Told backwards in several parts, this story starts with the coming apocalypse. The world is falling apart, and suddenly, everything comes down to a dying accountant named Chuck. It’s hard to describe the plot to this one, since the very nature of its structure makes it confusing and disjointed. The style almost feels experimental, which I did not really enjoy. No doubt some readers will have a blast with this story, especially if you’re into King’s brand of weirdness, but due to its lack of cohesiveness and closure, I can’t say it left me too satisfied.
If It Bleeds – 4 stars
And here we come to the title story and the longest novella in this collection. It is highly recommended you read The Outsider before tackling this one because it is something of a sequel, catching up with Holly Gibney following her encounter with a creature of pure evil.
Without spoiling too much of the story, If It Bleeds begins with detective Ralph Anderson receiving a cryptic note from Holly along with a package containing a drive full of evidence from her latest case. In the event she should die during the course of her investigation, the message reads, Ralph must be careful if he decides to finish what she started. In essence, Holly is convinced that she has found another outsider, a creature that feeds off misery and can change its form to avoid detection, after a horrible explosion at a school in Pennsylvania.
Obviously, being a novella, this story isn’t as rich or powerful as The Outsider, but it does contain many of the same themes as well as similar levels of action, thrills, and suspense. But of course, the big bonus here is that readers will get to spend more time with Holly, who simply won’t stop stealing our hearts with her determination and moxie.
Rat – 4 stars
And now we come to the final story, which I totally ate up because it exuded that old-school horror vibe. The protagonist, Drew Larson, is an aspiring writer with a dream of completing his very first novel. Taking a sabbatical from his teaching job, he travels to a remote cabin in the Wyoming woods where he can work without the distractions from his family or work. But try as he might, the creativity juices just wouldn’t flow—until a bad storm blows in, bringing an unexpected visitor.
This one’s your classic make-a-bargain-with-the-devil story, which always ends badly. While it didn’t have the unique hook of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone or the heart-pounding urgency of If It Bleeds, I still enjoyed this one a lot. It’s the most eerie and chilling of the four tales, and that’s certainly a high note on which to end things.
Audiobook Comments: There’s a reason why Will Patton is so beloved among Stephen King fans, simply because his narration is amazing and his voice has this way of adding that extra bit of gritty magic to the author’s books. Steven Weber and Danny Burstein also add their talent to the mix, resulting in an incredibly rich and immersive listening experience for the If It Bleeds audiobook.
Book Review: Network Effect by Martha Wells
Posted on May 18, 2020 27 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 5 of The Murderbot Diaries
Publisher: Tor.com (May 5, 2020)
Length: 350 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Martha Wells once again shows us why her Murderbot series is so beloved with a new installment. This time though, there’s also extra reason to rejoice, because our favorite serial-watching, cynically cranky rogue SecUnit is back in its first full-length standalone novel, and speaking as fan who has been eagerly anticipating Network Effect ever since its announcement, the book was well worth the wait.
So, what’s a Murderbot to do when its pesky human charges can’t seem to stay out of trouble? Step in and save their hopeless asses again, of course. Even after hacking its own programming to free itself, Murderbot can’t seem to be rid of certain commitments, like once more feeling the need to intervene when its crew’s latest mission goes horribly wrong. However, this time the situation ends up being more complicated and disastrous than anyone could have imagined, involving no less than a brazen kidnapping, a hostile takeover, multiple alien threats, and an unexpected reunion with an old friend.
Well, so much for being left in peace to binge watch the latest soap drama.
To begin, it’s probably no surprise that what makes this series is the character of Murderbot itself. For an artificial intelligence, our protagonist is surprisingly full of heart, yet at the same time, unmistakably non-human. Still, for every machine-like trait it has, there is a perfectly relatable one to balance things out. This, I believe, is the key to the magic behind the series and its successes, because I’m sure most of us have an inner introvert that allows us to see something of ourselves reflected in Murderbot’s thoughts and actions—even if it’s as simple as an addiction to a TV show, or like being extremely annoyed by the human race.
The storyline of Network Effect is also very rich, and if you enjoyed the previous Murderbot Diaries novellas wishing they had been longer or that they had delivered more, then you will be very pleased indeed, not to mention how fans of the second one, All Systems Red, will be receiving an extra treat. Of the four novellas, that one had been my favorite because of a certain character, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled by his return (after a period of panic, that is, when Wells almost ripped out my guts with a devastating plot point before revealing everything was not as they seemed. Which was good, because I would have never forgiven her.)
It really is impressive, when you think about how far this series has come in such a short time. While I loved the novellas, I’ve never made it secret that I much prefer full-length novels because I feel they are more conducive to meaningful story and character development. Certainly, it helped a lot to have the background of the novellas under my belt before heading into this, but I also felt that Network Effect was the book which finally gave Murderbot the breadth and scope it deserved. I’ve been a fan of Martha Wells for a long time now, having discovered her work through Books of the Raksura. Clearly though, she’s found a new niche in sci-fi, and I think what makes her so damn good at it is the nature of the Murderbot series and its protagonist, which allows her to really let loose with her imagination, humor, and passion for adventure.
All in all, if you enjoyed novellas one through four (and I do highly recommend reading those before tackling this one), I see no reason why you wouldn’t love Network Effect as well. It is everything great about those stories, but even more fun, more action-packed, and more intense. Readers will love journeying with Murderbot again in a bigger and wilder adventure guaranteed to leave you craving more. Needless to say, I’m already burning to get my hands on the next one.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of All Systems Red (Book 1)
Review of Artificial Condition (Book 2)
Review of Rogue Protocol (Book 3)
Review of Exit Strategy (Book 4)
YA Weekend Audio: Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen
Posted on May 17, 2020 10 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 2 of Dark Shores
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (May 5, 2020)
Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: DeVante Johnson, Stephanie Willis
So, I’m a bit torn about this book. While it wasn’t bad for a sequel, I thought it somehow lacked the magic of the original. Sure, part of it might be due to the fact Dark Skies wasn’t a traditional follow-up, featuring a plotline that runs concurrently with the one in Dark Shores so that it could show a different side of the story. It might also be the fact the book switches focus to a new set of protagonists, who simply did not inspire the same level of interest for me.
In Dark Skies we follow Lydia and Killian. We’ve actually met Lydia before, briefly in the previous book as Teriana’s bookish scholar friend, but this time we get to experience the lead-up to the war through her eyes. The adopted daughter of a senator, Lydia has always felt like an outsider despite a life of privilege among the upper class of Cel society. Her features clearly mark her as a foreigner, and of course it also doesn’t help that she has a close friendship with Teriana of the Maarin traders. This causes Lydia’s father much concern about her future, especially with him in ill health. If he dies, Lydia would be left with nothing, putting her at the mercy of his political enemies. Thus, in an act of misguided love, he arranges a marriage between her and Lucius Cassius, the man poised to become the head of the Celendor Empire, believing that this would keep her safe.
However, Lucius has something else in mind, forcing Lydia to flee her home to escape his murderous schemes. She ends up on the far side of the Endless Seas, where she finds herself in Mudamora, which itself is trying to fight off an invasion from the Corrupter’s tireless armies. Killian is a commander who had already failed his people once, but he’s not about to let it happen again. Now sworn to the crown princess, he is under obligation to fulfill his royal bodyguard duties, though the position also grants him a new perspective on the political comings and goings of Mudamora. Joining forces with Lydia, the two of them must figure a way out of their predicament in order to save the kingdom.
Strangely enough, while the beginning parts were slow, they were perhaps my favorite sections of the book. I loved getting to know Lydia, particularly since I barely remembered her from Dark Shores. She was trapped in a dangerous conflict, a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” type of situation where she found herself at the mercy of her father’s terrible choices, yet you couldn’t even really hate him because he was doing it all out of concern for his daughter.
Killian’s chapters, on the other hand, did not interest me at all, harsh as that may sound. He’s also trapped in his own way, struggling with immense pressure and the expectations placed upon his young shoulders, forcing him to take up a position with Princess Malahi after his disgrace. But for all that, I found him to be really bland with not much to distinguish him from an endless lineup of overdramatic male YA heroes who beat themselves up for not being able to save the whole world.
As the plot progressed, I started enjoying both POVs a bit more, though admittedly not by much. To be fair, we’re dealing with a pretty strange dynamic here where certain sections were rehashes of events from the previous book, and while I get that the novels are meant to complement each other so they can be read in either order, the feeling of repetitiveness lead to some frustration on my part. Quite honestly, I also missed the awesome maritime action and seafaring themes which were heavier in book one. And while we’re comparing notes, as I recall, things started off pretty slowly in Dark Shores as well, but improved once Teriana and Marcus’ paths crossed and the two started connecting on a deeper level. Sadly though, I didn’t quite catch that spark with Lydia and Killian, since I personally feel they lacked chemistry as a couple.
That said, I don’t want to make it sound like Dark Skies was a complete bust, because it absolutely wasn’t. I liked the way this book expanded the world-building, adding a lot more to what we know about the Endless Seas, including the lore of its people and their politics, religion, and culture. I would still seriously consider picking up the next installment, especially since I’ve read that the author plans to bring the characters and storylines of Dark Shores and Dark Skies together, and that’s something I would very much like to see.
Audiobook Comments: Being able to experience Dark Skies as an audiobook was pretty amazing actually, especially since it helped make getting through some of the more repetitive parts easier. Stephanie Willis and DeVante Johnson gave fantastic performances as the book’s narrators, infusing the characters’ voices with so much life and energy.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Dark Shores (Book 1)
Bookshelf Roundup 05/16/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on May 16, 2020 20 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Boy, do I miss book mail! But a couple more packages landed on my doorstep this week, both from the kind folks at HarperCollins. With thanks to their William Morrow imprint, I received a hardcover of Eagle Station by Dale Brown. I’ve never read the author’s books, but my husband is a fan, so his ringing endorsement was definitely a factor in my decision to accept this one for review. Plus, its description of a “geopolitical technological” thriller-adventure grabbed my attention. Up next, I also received Sunshield by Emily B. Martin with thanks to Harper Voyager. This book was already on the reading list for this month, but I’m happy to have a finished copy!
I hauled a lot in the digital pile this week, mostly audiobooks. But from NetGalley, I couldn’t resist snagging Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power with thanks to Delacorte Press when I saw it pop up in my auto-approvals. I’ve been kicking myself for missing out on the author’s Wilder Girls, and I’m not about to make the same mistake with this one. And as you might recall, earlier this month I also featured It Will Just be Us by Jo Kaplan for Waiting on Wednesday, and I was so happy when my request for the e-galley was approved, with thanks to Crooked Lane Books.
And now for the parade of new horror and thriller titles! With thanks to Harper Audio, I received This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf, which I’ve been hearing great things about. I was also fortunate enough to receive a trio of exciting listening copies, courtesy of Brilliance Audio. I had already gotten a copy of The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne from my Amazon Prime offers earlier this year, but I would definitely prefer listening to it in audio format especially as it is narrated by the incredible Susannah Jones! I also received What Lies Between Us by John Marrs, which sounds absolutely terrifying and insane. And speaking of terrifying, while this next one isn’t exactly new, the audiobook edition certainly is, and considering how much I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous work, I was thrilled to received a listening copy of If You See Her by Ania Ahlborn.
Finally, with thanks to Penguin Audio, I also received an advance listening copy of Death In Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh. It’s not your typical thriller, but the synopsis makes it sound so intriguing!
Reviews
You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce (4.5 of 5 stars)
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell (4 of 5 stars)
Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Pink
Posted on May 15, 2020 25 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“As pink as cotton candy”
~ any cover that is PINK
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch
The US/UK covers to this series have always been very striking. Add some pink to it though, and they really stand out! Here’s a comparison of all the available covers:
From left to right:
Gollancz (2016)/DAW (2017) – Gollancz Paperback (2017)
German Edition (2017) – Czech Edition (2018)
Winner:
I was all set to pick the classic pink Gollancz/DAW “map” cover for my favorite today, but that was before I discovered the Czech versions of this series. And if you actually get a chance to see the Czech editions for the previous books as well, they’re all so cute! Hate to say it, but I’m gonna have to go with the Johnny-come-lately this week, but it was a close one!
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thriller Thursday Audio: Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell
Posted on May 14, 2020 21 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Audio (April 7, 2020)
Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Vivienne Leheny, Carly Robins, Pete Simonelli, Nancy Peterson
Rarely have I come across a thriller I didn’t enjoy. After all, books in this genre are meant to be gripping or to keep you engaged by their very nature. Still, some are definitely better than others. Case in point, while overall I enjoyed the premise and plot of Something She’s Not Telling Us, the story wasn’t as suspenseful as it could have been and the payoff was a bit lacking.
At the center of this tale is Charlotte, owner of a successful flower shop in trendy Manhattan’s East Village. She and her husband Eli have a five-year-old daughter named Daisy who is doted upon by her parents, even if they can be a little overprotective. Charlotte’s own relationship with her family is complicated, however. Her mother is temperamental and unstable, a dangerous combination when Charlotte and her younger brother Rocco were growing up. Rocco himself has had pretty bad luck in life, never having been able to hold down a steady job. In fact, the only thing worse than his career prospects is his taste in women. In Charlotte’s opinion, all the girlfriends he’s ever brought home to meet his family have been losers, crazies, or worse.
And so, when Rocco tells her that he’s met someone very special and is bringing her over for dinner, Charlotte has reason to be wary. And yet, to her surprise, his new girlfriend Ruth actually turned out to be pretty normal. Sure, she may be overly chipper and likes to talk a lot, but she seems like a genuinely good person and is also nice to Daisy.
As a matter of fact, Ruth might be a little too nice in that regard. She appears strangely fixated with the little girl, something Charlotte has noticed and does not like at all. Still, might it possible that she’s just being a paranoid parent, and maybe even feeling a bit jealous at the way her daughter has taken to Ruth? But then one day, Charlotte’s worst fears are realized when she learns that someone had kidnapped Daisy from school, and there is only one person she suspects.
To cut to the chase, this was not a bad book, but as a thriller it left much to be desired. Mainly, what I missed was the mystery and suspense. Without spoiling too many plot details, all I’ll say is that there’s not much fun in it when all the answers are given in the first half of the book. The structure of the story was also very messy, bouncing back and forth between past and present without revealing anything significant that readers haven’t already guessed from the first handful of chapters. As such, there was no real twist because you already knew everything there was to know about the culprit, which was that they had serious mental issues, a non-motive that is neither surprising or new for this genre.
I also did not care for any of the characters, and not because they weren’t likable, as that was most certainly by design, but rather because I simply felt they weren’t very well written. Charlotte’s personality was all over the place, and Daisy was a little brat because her parents both spoiled her and also tried to raise her in a protective bubble. Ruth at least had a reason for the fact she was unreliable character, but that got to be too much to the point I just started dismissing everything she did or said.
Suffice to say, there was not much subtlety to this novel; everything from its plot to the writing was exaggerated and over-the-top. Sometimes that can work for a thriller, but with this one, the execution just wasn’t there. As well, it probably didn’t help that I had just finished a couple of excellent thrillers involving kidnappers and missing children, so it was hard not to compare and see how this book fell short.
In sum, Something She’s Not Telling Us wasn’t terrible, but while it may satisfy all the conditions of a thriller-suspense novel, it’s clear many of its genre elements could have been handled better. It gets an average rating from me for that reason, for being highly readable but not too satisfying.
Audiobook Comments: I always love it when an audiobook gets multiple narrators, especially when each POV gets their own reader. This was the case with the audio edition of Something She’s Not Telling Us, and the positive effect was clearly evident, especially since they got such great voice actors. The narrators who performed Charlotte’s and Ruth’s chapters were particularly great, which made for a immersive listening experience.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/13/20
Posted on May 13, 2020 17 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
A Dance With Fate by Juliet Marillier (September 1, 2020 by Ace Books)
To celebrate Wyrd and Wonder, I’ll be featuring fantasy/paranormal-related picks for my Waiting on Wednesday posts for the whole month of May! This week, I’m looking forward to the second book of Juliet Marillier’s Warrior Bards series!
“A young woman who is both a bard–and a warrior–seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.
The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau’s family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau’s home as a bond servant for the span of one year.
There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.
When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival….”
Book Review: The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell
Posted on May 12, 2020 33 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings
Publisher: Saga Press (June 23, 2020)
Length: 608 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
It’s probably no surprise that The Kingdom of Liars was one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2020, with a premise that promises magic, intrigue, and adventure. Although the novel does falter slightly at times, as debuts often do, I’m pleased to report that it exceeded my expectations and I found it to be an excellent and compelling read.
The protagonist of the story is Michael Kingman, son of the most notorious traitor the Hollows has ever seen. But while David Kingman was put to death for murdering the child prince nearly a decade ago, his wife and children are still suffering for his sins, scorned and mistrusted by their noble peers. Still, how far does the apple really fall from the tree? As the novel begins, Michael is being held prisoner, awaiting his trial and execution. His purported crime? For killing the king.
The story then flashes back to recent events as Michael begins to recount the harrowing journey which led to his arrest and current situation. It all started on the eve of the Endless Waltz, a long-standing tradition among Hollow nobility to present themselves and prove their worth. But for Michael, the event becomes an opportunity to rejoin high society and restore his family name. After all, the last ten years have been difficult the Kingmans. Michael himself barely survives off the money he makes as a petty con artist, while his sister Gwen works at the asylum, caring for their mind-addled mother. So when Michael is offered a well-paying job to be a chaperone for a heavy drinking, free-wheeling high noble named Charles Domet, he is forced to accept.
The older nobleman, however, is nothing like Michael expected. A talented Fabricator and adept at using magic, Domet agrees to teach Michael to develop his own fledgling skills while also sharing a secret piece of information our protagonist had long hoped for but never dared to believe—that his father, David Kingman, had been innocent and framed for his crime.
Over the years, I’ve read a great number of books involving unreliable narrators, but this one might be one of the most intriguing ways of handling the concept that I’ve ever seen. For one thing, have you ever thought about why this novel is called The Kingdom of Liars? Well, let’s put things this way—can you really trust someone to speak the truth, if they don’t remember it? Because that’s the crux behind the whole system of magic in the world of the Hollow. To use it costs memories, which means all experienced Fabricators have a way to help them remember the important details of their lives. However, our main character Michael Kingman’s abilities are just emerging, and with no telling when or how often he’s used his abilities, all we know is there are big gaps in his memories where he can’t recall certain details or remember someone who insists they’ve met before.
Not gonna lie, at times this made Michael and incredible frustrating protagonist. He bungles his way through his life, doing certain things while knowing full well he lacks the pertinent information to make good decisions. He’s also impulsive and easily manipulated, which made it difficult to sympathize with him when he inevitable does or says something stupid to get himself in trouble. That said, there’s a significant portion of this that is clearly done by design, and once we moved into the later parts of the story, that was when I gained a better understanding and appreciation for what author Nick Martell was trying to achieve with his character development.
The technical aspects of the novel were also impressive, if a bit raw. In many ways, The Kingdom of Liars reminded me very much of the early works by Brandon Sanderson, such as Elantris or Mistborn—just a tad unpolished and slightly rough around the edges, but the story and the concepts themselves are solid. Take the world-building, for example. Several major details shine through, most notably the idea of a crumbling moon whose pieces sometimes fall to earth and wreak havoc on the Hollow, but the larger picture still needs fleshing out, such as of how the society works or more clarification on the Fabrication system. There are also minor issues with the writing such as an overreliance on epic fantasy tropes, with the obvious one being the protagonist sharing his life story in flashback. And while Martell is cognizant enough of showing not telling, he often falls back on familiar clichés to do so, like the old hand-on-the-back-of-the-head/neck action to convey embarrassment or discomfort (a very anime thing to do, which is why I took notice of the several times this cropped up in the text).
But did any of these issues seriously affect my enjoyment or overall experience? Heck no. Most of the ones I pointed out aren’t so much complaints but rather observations or minor hiccups that need to be ironed out, and I have no doubt that they will with some time and experience. Nick Martell is poised to become a promising and inspiring powerhouse in the fantasy genre, and I look forward to reading more of his work for years to come.
Book Review: You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce
Posted on May 11, 2020 32 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor Books (April 21, 2020)
Length: 256 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Wow, what did I just read!? Talk about being bowled over, considering I’d been on the fence on this book for a while due to the strangeness of its description. Admittedly, I only picked up You Let Me In because it had been languishing in my review pile and I needed a quick fantasy read for Wyrd & Wonder, but I ended up loving it to bits. Guess it just goes to show, you never know until you try.
But first, if you’re considering this book, my advice is not to put too much stock in its synopsis, which severely undersells what it’s actually about. This is no mere crime drama or murder mystery, for its true nature defies genre labels and encompasses so much more. At the heart of this tale is Cassandra Tripp, a 74-year-old romance author known for her steamy novels and the fact she was the main suspect at the murder trial of her husband almost forty years ago. Although she was acquitted, many questions related to the case were never solved, and now Cassandra is missing, leading police to believe that her disappearance may be linked to her dubious past. As more than a year has passed since she vanished without a trace, however, the authorities have reason to believe she is dead, thus putting in motion the procedures stipulated in her will regarding her sizeable estate.
In life, Cassandra was an eccentric prone to flights of fancy, so it was no surprise to anyone, least of all to her niece Penelope and nephew Janus, that her last wishes were filled with bizarre conditions. As her sole beneficiaries, they were each given the same instructions: to go to their aunt’s house in the woods, find a manuscript in her study and discover within a password that they can use to claim their inheritance—that is, should they decide they still want it after reading the manuscript, which turns out to be a wildly uncanny and oftentimes chilling account of Cassandra’s life growing up among a group of faeries only she could see, as well as the truth of what really happened to her husband.
As you’ve probably guessed, You Let Me In is this manuscript, a tell-all style memoir told from Cassandra’s point of view, revealing a troubled childhood and a long history with mental illness—or at least, that’s what her parents and the doctors said were the causes of her odd behaviors and anti-social tendencies. But to Cassandra, her faeries were very real, and it all began with the Pepper-Man, who is nothing like a child’s typical imaginary friend. A monstrous creature, he started visiting Cassandra when she was just a girl, and as you’ll soon see from this dark tale, he’s had a hand in almost everything bad that has happened to her since, even if no one believes her.
Although the niece and nephew are just peripheral pieces in this novel, I think it helps that the author really puts you in their shoes from the start, so that as the reader you feel fully invested in knowing the outcome of the story. After all, a lot of money is on the line, and the opportunity to finally learn everything there is to know about your crazy aunt is just too tempting to resist. But after a while, Cassandra’s voice emerges as a powerful force on its own, and then of course, the tragedies, shock, and horror take over in providing a strong hook. Let’s just say calling this one a twisted fairy tale is an understatement, for I guarantee it will mess with your mind in more ways than it’s ever been messed with before.
One reason for this is the unique way this narrative unfolds, and here I really have to hand it to Camilla Bruce for taking on this challenging mode of storytelling and pulling it off with flying colors. It relies on the unreliable narrator device to some extent, resulting in multiple versions of events, leaving it up to you to decide what to believe. The intrigue and mystery behind this aspect of the novel was what appealed to me the most and kept me glued the pages. That said, I can see how the unconventional style might turn some readers off, and I suspect the fact that we’re stuck in Cassandra’s head the whole time will also make some folks uncomfortable. It isn’t always a happy or nice place to be, and whether it’s due to some past trauma or just the way her brain is wired, sometimes her reactions or attitudes will come across frustratingly dispassionate or just plain off. Finally, this book also deals with some sensitive topics and difficult subject matters some readers might struggle with, so I advise discretion.
If this book sounds like something you would enjoy though, go ahead and check it out. I for one am glad I gave it a try, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more by Camilla Bruce, because if this is what she has for us for her debut, she clearly has a promising writing career in front of her.
YA Weekend Audio: Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
Posted on May 10, 2020 27 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (April 14, 2020)
Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve always said Francis Hardinge’s imagination is unrivaled, and Deeplight was another dark delight. This time, we are transported to the Myriad archipelago, home to a people who worshiped a pantheon of terrifying, monster-like gods that would rise every so often from the Undersea and wreak havoc on the islands. But just three decades before, something strange happened. The gods turned on each other, and no one knows why.
Now, all the gods are dead…but are they truly gone? Hark, our adolescent protagonist isn’t exactly concerned about such matters. An orphan, he’s too busy trying to survive on the streets, swindling the endless supply of gullible suckers who come to these islands looking for godware, the fragments of the destroyed gods left behind after their mutual slaughter. Even a small chunk of the real deal can fetch a fortune, if it still retains some of its magical properties. The way Hark sees it though, there’s no harm in making up a tall tale here and there, selling some not-so-genuine pieces if it helps him get by and also gives his mark a good story to tell. Nobody is hurt and everyone goes home happy.
But pretty soon, Hark’s luck runs out, and he ends up on the prisoner’s auction block after a heist gone wrong. A godware researcher named Dr. Vyne buys his contract and immediately puts him to work, though she is also good to him, promising a better life and an education if he follows her rules. One, he must never lie to her, and two, he must cut all ties with everything and everyone from his shady past. Before long, though, Hark finds himself breaking both rules as his best friend Jelt manages to track him down, demanding help on yet another one of his hare-brained jobs. Unable to resist Jelt’s manipulative ways, Hark agrees, and the two of them embark on a treacherous dive into the unexplored deep. What they find there though, will change both their lives forever.
Frances Hardinge’s novels are known for their endless wonders and curiosities, and the world of Deeplight is even stranger and darker than her previous works I’ve read before. As a protagonist, Hark is sharp-witted and crafty, but also devastatingly flawed. His biggest weakness is undoubtedly his relationship with Jelt. Even though the two of them are like brothers, with Hark owing much of his upbringing to the older boy, Jelt is a bully—no kinder way to put it. There’s clearly a deliberate lesson here for readers who see the way Jelt treats Hark and the way the latter just caves to the verbal abuse and emotional blackmail. Still, Hark’s massive blind spot for this complicated friendship might be the only point that irked me about this book, and given the huge role it plays in the overall plotline as well as the development of the protagonist’s character arc, I’m not sure it even counts as a criticism.
On the whole, I really enjoyed Deeplight. The relationships are deep and well-drawn, as I alluded to before, with these extending beyond just Hark and Jelt. Dr. Vyne also brought an interesting dynamic to this tale, along with other memorable players such as the old priest named Quest and a young pirate girl named Selphin. The world-building was magnificent, which was no less than I expected from the author, who must have put a lot of thought and research into her detailed portrayal of the culture and history of Myriad and its islanders. An example of how everything is connected can be seen in the deep-diving traditions of the people and the way that maritime living has shaped their way of life. With near drownings being an unfortunate yet common occurrence among deep sea scavengers, they even have a name for the condition of hearing loss suffered by many survivors, along with a system of sign language used widely among certain groups as a result.
Then there are the gods and their mildly Lovecraftian depictions, whose underlying tones of supernatural horror and uncanniness I simply adored. Indeed, there’s an awful lot of background lore in Deeplight—and if there’s one little quibble I had with the writing, it’s that the pacing of the story was a bit uneven, namely with the intro sections being weighed down with layers of world-building detail, causing a slower start. That said, none of it feels like an info-dump, with every bit of it filling me with fascination. With a little patience, this book will pay you back in spades once the story really takes off.
Honestly, I haven’t been disappointed by a Frances Hardinge book yet. Deeplight was another winner for me, a deftly written fantastical adventure filled with imagination and heart. I was also lucky enough to score the audio edition for review, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Impressively narrated by Joshua Akehurst who brought the story to life, this audiobook drew me in and held me captivated in its beguiling, mysterious world from start to finish.
The BiblioSanctum 