Post from the Pale Fire forum
I like to think I possess some literary grit but… yikes. This bedroom passage had me sweating. I’m enjoying this overall, but all of the technicalities were asked to sort out with zero context is a hard ask. I think it’s appropriate to let some noise float by, but there’s just no way to know at this point what it’s important I’m catching.
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Pale Fire
Vladimir Nabokov
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Atmosphere
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Post from the Atmosphere forum
Beyond the cruelly good plots, I just love TJRs writing. The description of feeling so much momentum about something, and how good it feels when that finally syncs up rings so true for how it feels when I’m excited about something.
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charavel finished reading and wrote a review...
The first thing I need to say about this book is it just might be my favorite cover design. I'm almost disappointed it was so short because I don't get to keep carrying it around with me.
Overall I enjoyed my time on I. As others have indicated, this book is surprisingly cozy for it's premise. I'll admit I was expecting something... weirder. It was both more religious and less atmospherically reverent than I was hoping for.
If you're anticipating a pure historical novel this is not that. The dialogue is very modern (though well-written, historical accuracy aside) and as I'm reading reviews from better informed readers, it sounds like whole concepts don't match the time period.
charavel commented on a post
So, until this point the sister is a bitter, entitled B. Alright. I really hope the author gives her some qualities later or something. Otherwise she's just a caricature :/
Post from the Atmosphere forum
“You have to have something on the line for it to be called character” Such a grounding sentiment. Both loving and fearing the stakes here 🫣💕
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Atmosphere
Taylor Jenkins Reid
charavel finished reading and wrote a review...
Sorry 🫣
Sometimes I fear I’m hardest on authors I already love. Babel is such a treasure and dense in all the right ways. I found myself caught up in disappointments reading Katabasis. The magic system didn’t feel as integrated (mostly because babel’s was just so cool), the pacing dragged, I didn’t love the characters as much, and mostly I was disappointed by the missed opportunity to play with the layers of hell more. Dont get me wrong, there is plenty to appreciate here, but as much as I wanted to love this it just didn’t pull together for my personal reading pleasure.
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The Book of I
David Greig
charavel commented on a post
Intellectually I know books don’t have an expiration date but I feel so behind in not having read this particular dark academia entry. I’m finally getting it!
I have friends who’ve loved this and disliked it, so I’m hoping I land on the loving it side. Language. Colonization. Oxford. Academia. Original magic system. Seems like a green light to me.
This’ll be my first read from the author. Yellowface next most likely.
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