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ha1yan's reviews
67 reviews
A Wolf for a Spell by Karah Sutton
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
20th Century Boys: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved the nuance in the characters and worldbuilding. Shimin is an intensely loveable character. My main criticism of the writing was that the word shuddered/stuttered was used noticeably often.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is Becky Chambers in her element, speculative fiction. The novel relishes the journey rather than the destination. The Wayfarer crew's adventures on different planets made this galaxy feel alive and vast. I truly believe this is the blueprint for the science fiction found family. Two later niche works of a similar vein come to mind: the webcomic Star Trip and Khôra Podcast. Each character's development felt natural and satisfying at the story's conclusion. Chambers carefully illustrated the dynamics between the characters to make the reader understand how they trust one another so deeply. And, oh, what a beautiful ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The science fiction worldbuilding was the highlight of A Memory Called Empire. I think some parts of the political tension dragged on for too long. It felt as if Arkady Martine introduces a variety of characters just for the purpose of throwing the reader off an otherwise simple mystery. I wish there were more non-political interactions between Mahit and Three Seagrass to build up their chemistry. Their romance took me by surprise! Characters are really important to me, and Mahit and Three Seagrass just didn't give me enough flavor. I found I wasn’t as invested in their dynamic as Yskandr and Nineteen Adze’s or even Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea’s.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Xenophobia