mar's reviews
358 reviews

How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa

fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Sexual content

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Medical content

Tiger, Tiger Vol. 1 by Petra Erika Nordlund

adventurous funny 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? No

5.0

FROTHING AT THE MOUTH

Ammonite by Nicola Griffith

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

some VERY solid and thoughtful social/anthopological sci-fi, reminded me of Le Guin’s work a lot :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

A Matter for Men by David Gerrold

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

LOVE how deadly fucking serious Gerrold treats "invasion of man-eating fluffy catterpillars from outer space." not all of it aged well, and it has an unfortunate tendency for pretentious lectures, but the base concept of an ecological alien invasion - i.e., aliens apparently attempting to terraform (…xenoform?) the Earth to their liking through the introduction of various invasive species - rather than the traditional military one is SO interesting.

also, the dumb chapter epigraphs were so fun. one chapter ending with

Jim and Ted

finally kissing only for the next one to start with the quote "Bad taste is timeless." made me laugh out loud ngl

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Gore, Homophobia, and Sexism

Minor: Drug abuse and Sexual content

heavily revolves around the aftermath of deadly pandemics

Accidental Astronomy: How Random Discoveries Shape the Science of Space by Chris Lintott

informative medium-paced

3.0

Walking Practice by Dolki Min

dark funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

while it works really well within the story, the visceral, graphic grotesqueness just wasn't my thing; definitely my shortcoming, not the book's. still, i loved the way the author & translator play with the form, and the exploration of transness and disability really hit home

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fatphobia, Hate crime, and Excrement

Salvation Day by Kali Wallace

adventurous tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

all style no substance i'm afraid :/

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark

adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

love a magic contract loophole 👍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Child death, Gore, and Murder

Minor: Torture

The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb

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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Antisemitism