moss-mylk commented on inkyfingers's update
inkyfingers wants to read...
Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1)
Matt Dinniman
moss-mylk commented on sunnysunshine's review of Babel
What does it take for one to forgo their proximity to empire to fight back against it? What elements of violence are essential to that fight? Where is the balance between violent revolution and political maneuvering? These questions are all explored in a historical fantasy where silver and the translations between languages serve as the main tool of empire.
The not-so-good (aka my only critiques and possibly personal preferences rather than objective critique of the writing):
The pacing, while intentional to distort the reader's perception of time as it reflects the experience of Robin, our main character, is overdone to the point that certain less exciting parts drag on while the excitement and action happens relatively quickly. While I do appreciate the time distortion I don't believe every sentence in the slow sections was necessary and so the slow pacing for me was overdone. I wanted more character development and just more time with the characters. I would have sacrificed some of the lectures on translation if it got me more Ramy, Victoire, and Robin interacting (and I LOVED the linguistic lectures.) Some of the times where characters are really dived into I did feel more often that I was being told who they were rather than shown as well.
The amazing: This book isn't meant to teach you that colonialism is bad - it's pretty specific that everyone in the story already knows this - it's what conveniences one is willing to give up for this knowledge that Babel tackles, and what methods of fighting the injustice are considered valid or effective and how this distorts with what privileges one is accustomed to. This is explored through quite a few different intersections and what this means for different character relationships and decisions. One parallel with today's world is that many people by now know that their smartphones and other technologies are created unjustly and at the expense of the people whose countries we are exploiting for such conveniences. Yet we all still use our devices just as those who know there is injustice in Babel continue their translations and using their silver and separating themselves from the reality of empire. There is no clear answer to what balance between violence and political maneuvering must be struck, this is not an instruction manual to righting the wrongs of empire - it's a recognition that we must do -something- or we will remain in our complicity, shaking our heads and wringing our hands at injustice while believing that there's nothing we can really do as individuals. It's a reminder that this is the world we are in and if we do not take action to choose a side then we will inevitably side with the empire.
This book isn't going to teach you anything about colonialism as a negative force that you don't already know - it's going to make the privileged readers in the imperial core uncomfortable with all they do know and how they move through the world despite this knowledge. It's a reminder that when we choose comfort and convenience in the face of a known injustice that we are serving the empire while we ignore its victims.
moss-mylk commented on a post
āIt's easy to fall into the wrong world.ā
This opener lures us into thinking slips between realities are casual mishaps, but I think it foreshadows the chaos of unintended consequences. It mirrors how small choices lead to vast shifts in life. Thought-provoking start. š
moss-mylk commented on notbillnye's update
moss-mylk commented on a post
Hiiii, I am excited to read some of these books, but I was also wondering if anyone had Indian specific recs? I'm half Indian but raised in New Zealand so I don't really have a ton of connection to my culture and would love some recs to get a bit more connected :)
moss-mylk commented on moss-mylk's update
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moss-mylk commented on minsuni's review of Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1)
I mean, this was ok? Each story was interesting and emotional enough that it was enjoyable to read, but I also didnāt feel like it was anything that special that moved me or made me feel connected to the characters or story. The theme/lesson for each story also felt repetitive, with the āMother and Childā being the most original and moving, where the characters all went to the past for the general same reason and learning the same lesson: donāt wait to say what you want because it might be too late.
The way the women were narrated was a little yucky to me. They were jealous, childish, workaholics, with their soft skin and eyes that resembled the ones of a little girl, while the men were devoted to their work, romantic and caring and basically being praised for doing the bare minimum. The women changed their whole lives and did these grand gestures, while the men were just⦠there.
moss-mylk commented on a post
This year has been really tough in my personal life (although Pagebound has been a joy amidst the bs) and one of the things I've had to grapple with is my relationship to anger. As women, we're socialized to be understating, empathetic, and forgiving, often to our own detriment. Instead of feeling angry, many of us (myself very much included) tend to feel hurt or sad. I've found so much inspiration from women in literature who embrace their anger and act on it, even if it's in "unhinged" ways.
My therapist asked me to read "The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships" and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking to tap into their anger and use it in healthy ways. Anger is such an important emotion to be in tune with; it lets us know when our boundaries have been crossed and when we're being treated unfairly.
This quest means so much to me and really feels like a personal quest as well; I hope others find just as much inspiration from these books as I have.
moss-mylk commented on a post
I just saw a Goodreads review say that this book was too political and far too unrealistic and everyone was flat as cardboard. Tell me you didn't get the point without telling me you didn't get the point. That made me RAGE because you would've GOTTEN it if you'd had basic reading comprehension!
Look, I get it if you didn't like the writing style, it's not a one size fits all, but you didn't like the book for ENTIRELY WRONG REASONS! A book being too political is the dumbest excuse for disliking a book that I've ever heard. And if you say it's "unrealistic"ālook at our world now. Palestine, Congo, Syria, AND more. They don't have to be games like THG, but clearly, hundreds of thousands of children and innocents are dying. If you cannot see that, then society is doomed.
moss-mylk wants to read...
Foretokens
Sarah Howe
moss-mylk wants to read...
Long Lost
Jacqueline West
moss-mylk commented on a List
Third Places
Third places or "good great places" are social surroundings and gathering spots for relaxation or recreation that are separate from your home (first place) and work (second place). Think cafĆ©s, bookshops, parks, community centers. Recommendations welcome! š„°
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moss-mylk commented on kathytrithardt's update
moss-mylk commented on kittytornado's update
kittytornado completed their yearly reading goal of 150 books!
moss-mylk commented on robyn00's review of Silver Under Nightfall (Reaper, #1)
Cared a lot about the threesome, not so much about the main story Please more of the trio in the next book, thank you
moss-mylk commented on MadHoney's review of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
I liked this story so much more than I thought I would. I was a little iffy the first 20% but once creepy little Poe showed up I was sold. The banter in this story was great, they could tease each other but it didnāt seem mean. I also really liked the inclusion of the fairy stories, it really made it feel like she knew her field. I am looking forward to picking up the next book, I just need to figure out when I can fit it into my plan.
Format: Audio + eBook
moss-mylk commented on baileyisbooked's update
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Fantasy and Sci-Fi with a Side of Romance
Bronze: Finished 5 Main Quest books.
moss-mylk commented on a post
My mind is all over the place and blown so far š¤Æš¤Æš¤Æ