subparsunlight
they/them • embodying sufjan stevens’ “futile devices”
1855 points
0% overlap
My Taste
Reading...
0%
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
8h
The Doors of Perception
Aldous Huxley
The Doors of Perception is a philosophical essay, released as a book, by Aldous Huxley. First published in 1954, it details his experiences when taking mescaline.
The book takes the form of Huxley's recollection of a mescaline trip that took place over the course of an afternoon in May 1953. The book takes its title from a phrase in William Blake's 1793 poem 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'.
Huxley recalls the insights he experienced, which range from the "purely aesthetic" to "sacramental vision". He also incorporates later reflections on the experience and its meaning for art and religion.
0
0Reply
subparsunlight commented on subparsunlight's update
18h
subparsunlight started reading...
19h
Hazelthorn
C.G. Drews
CG Drews, acclaimed author of Don't Let the Forest In, returns with another deeply unsettling and yet hauntingly beautiful tale of murder and botanical body horror, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child. For his safety, Evander has been given three ironclad rules to follow:
He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.
That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander seven years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.
But when Byron suddenly dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn’s immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family's vast wealth. There’s just one caveat: He must choose a new guardian from amongst Laurie's scheming, backstabbing relatives to help manage the estate until he turns eighteen.
Except Evander's sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next. Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is refusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day. As the family’s dark secrets unravel alongside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he’s really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.
15
3Reply
subparsunlight started reading...
19h
Hazelthorn
C.G. Drews
CG Drews, acclaimed author of Don't Let the Forest In, returns with another deeply unsettling and yet hauntingly beautiful tale of murder and botanical body horror, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child. For his safety, Evander has been given three ironclad rules to follow:
He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.
That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander seven years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.
But when Byron suddenly dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn’s immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family's vast wealth. There’s just one caveat: He must choose a new guardian from amongst Laurie's scheming, backstabbing relatives to help manage the estate until he turns eighteen.
Except Evander's sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next. Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is refusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day. As the family’s dark secrets unravel alongside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he’s really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.
15
3Reply
subparsunlight wrote a review...
19h
the concept was super cool and had a lot of potential, but i wasn’t a huge fan of the delivery… the writing took itself too seriously for what it is, and the dialogue came across as childish and trite imo— especially between sylvia and lorelei
i was also disappointed by the lack of diversity in the book, especially considering the themes of discrimination, racism, and prejudice that the plot was centered around. yes, i can acknowledge the ways brunnestaad is modeled after wwii germany (and can appreciate the criticism of antisemitism) however having an entire fantasy world of only white people didn’t really sit right with me…
1
0Reply
subparsunlight finished a book
19h
A Dark and Drowning Tide
Allison Saft
A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.
Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.
The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.
But there are other dangers lurking in the forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.
As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
2d
Someone You Can Build a Nest In
John Wiswell
Discover this creepy, charming monster-slaying fantasy romance—from the perspective of the monster—by Nebula Award-winning debut author John Wiswell
Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love.
Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth.
However, the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she’s found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, she realizes humans don’t think about love that way.
Shesheshen hates keeping her identity secret from Homily, but just as she’s about to confess, Homily reveals why she’s in the area: she’s hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Has Shesheshen seen it anywhere?
Eating her girlfriend isn’t an option. Shesheshen didn’t curse anyone, but to give herself and Homily a chance at happiness, she has to figure out why Homily’s twisted family thinks she did. As the hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly, Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly, or soon both of their lives will be at risk.
And the bigger challenge remains: surviving her toxic in-laws long enough to learn to build a life with, rather than in, the love of her life.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight commented on a post
3d
moski
Edited
welcome welcome everyone! recommendations go here :)
hello all and welcome!!! i dedicate this quest to the animal kingdom! 🐈🐶🦥🐇🦔🐿️🦊🐻🐖🐃🦋🐐🐍🐝 🦍🦅🐟🐢🐯🐓🐅🐙🐑🐘🦎🦌🐺🦉🐳🦇🐌🦒🦞🦘🐊🦫🪱
i’m so excited to share “through the eyes of animals” w/ you all!
if you’ve got recommendations i’m all ears!! please comment any suggestions you’ve got on this post, but first check to make sure it matches my criteria! i’d also love any further info or thoughts you have on the book you’re submitting for consideration!
some notes on my criteria:
- books must (obviously) feature animal main characters whose thoughts and experiences guide the story + frame the world. this can be through first or third person narration as long as it’s clear that an animal or multiple animals are the lens through which we’re experiencing the story.
- multiple povs / non-animal povs are okay! as long as the portion of the book told through an animal pov is significant! one or two chapters isn’t really enough - ideally i’d say like i’m looking for at least 30/40% animal pov or higher. if it’s less than that, the animal pov section would have to make quite an impact on the story to be considered!
- talking animals ≠ animal pov. if the animals just talk to people but are not the protagonists or narrators the book won’t be a good fit!
- while there are lots of awesome animal narrators in the realm of children’s literature, i am trying to steer clear of children’s lit and middle grade as much as possible + instead prioritize YA and adult. you’ll see i have a few books on here that are borderline children’s or middle grade, but i’ve included them bc they’ve got some more adult themes and are classics among adults as well!
- i want to have a diverse array of animals represented here! right now, for example, i’ve got a lot of dogs and foxes, so i am more inclined towards adding books that feature other animal povs (feel free to still suggest titles ofc!). similarly, since there is a cat pov quest, i will probably only add one or two more cat books to this quest over time - and no more books from ehawley’s awesome quest will be considered to lessen the crossover!!
111
81Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
3d
From Below
Darcy Coates
No light. No air. No escape.
Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, a graveyard waits...
Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered more than three hundred miles from its intended course...a silent graveyard deep beneath the ocean's surface, eagerly waiting for the first sign of life.
Cove and her dive team have been granted permission to explore the Arcadia's rusting hull. Their purpose is straightforward: examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished.
But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death, and something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them.
Because once they're trapped beneath the ocean's waves, there's no going back.
1
0Reply
subparsunlight TBR'd a book
3d
Sphere
Michael Crichton
A psychological thriller about a group of scientists who investigate a spaceship discovered on the ocean floor. In the middle of the South Pacific, a thousand feet below the surface, a huge vessel is unearthed. Rushed to the scene is a team of American scientists who descend together into the depths to investigate the astonishing discovery. What they find defies their imaginations and mocks their attempts at logical explanation. It is a spaceship, but apparently it is undamaged by its fall from the sky. And, most startling, it appears to be at least three hundred years old, containing a terrifying and destructive force that must be controlled at all costs.
1
0Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
3d
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Captain Nemo, #2)
Jules Verne
When an unidentified “monster” threatens international shipping, French oceanographer Pierre Aronnax and his unflappable assistant Conseil join an expedition organized by the US Navy to hunt down and destroy the menace. After months of fruitless searching, they finally grapple with their quarry, but Aronnax, Conseil, and the brash Canadian harpooner Ned Land are thrown overboard in the attack, only to find that the “monster” is actually a futuristic submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by a shadowy, mystical, preternaturally imposing man who calls himself Captain Nemo. Thus begins a journey of 20,000 leagues—nearly 50,000 miles—that will take Captain Nemo, his crew, and these three adventurers on a journey of discovery through undersea forests, coral graveyards, miles-deep trenches, and even the sunken ruins of Atlantis. Jules Verne’s novel of undersea exploration has been captivating readers ever since its first publication in 1870, and Frederick Paul Walter’s reader-friendly, scientifically meticulous translation of this visionary science fiction classic is complete and unabridged down to the smallest substantive detail.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight joined a quest
3d
The Sea Was Never Meant For Us: Ocean Horror 🌊⚓️🛳️
🏆 // 608 joined
Not Joined
From ancient monsters to doomed voyages and the crushing silence of the deep, these are stories soaked in saltwater, isolation, and fear. Some horrors surface. Others pull you under.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
3d
Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat
Perumal Murugan
Through a seeming act of providence, an old couple receives a day-old female goat kid as a gift from the cosmos. Thus begins the story of Poonachi, the little orphan goat.
As you follow her story from forest to habitation, independence to motherhood, you recognise in its significant moments the depth and magnitude of your own fears and longings, fuelled by the instinct for survival that animates all life. Masterly and nuanced, Perumal Murugan’s tale forces us reflect on our own responses to hierarchy and ownership, selflessness and appetite, love and desire, living and dying. Poonachi is the story of a goat who carries the burden of being different all her life, of a she-goat who survives against the odds. It is equally an expression of solidarity with the animal world and the female condition. The tale is also a commentary on our times, on the choices we make as a society and a nation, and the increasing vulnerability of individuals, particularly writers and artists, who resist when they are pressed to submit.
Reviews for Poonachi
“Murugan’s sarcasm speaks of the robustness of his spirit … As in all his novels, (his) story is rich in detail … (He) sustains the narrative tension right from the start.”- Elizabeth Kuruvilla, The Hindu Literary Review
2
0Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
3d
I Am a Cat
Natsume Sōseki
Written from 1904 through 1906, Soseki Natsume's comic masterpiece, I Am a Cat, satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him.
A classic of Japanese literature, I Am a Cat is one of Soseki's best-known novels. Considered by many as the most significant writer in modern Japanese history, Soseki's I Am a Cat is a classic novel sure to be enjoyed for years to come.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight joined a quest
3d
Through the Eyes of Animals 🐦⬛🐾🐢
🏆 // 657 joined
Not Joined
Oh to see the world how animals see it! These books feature one or more animal main characters and show us the world through their eyes.
3
0Reply
subparsunlight joined a quest
4d
¡Ay wey! Mexican Authors 🇲🇽💚🎉
💎 // 410 joined
Not Joined
A collection of Mexican literature across genres by acclaimed Mexican authors.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight joined a quest
4d
Southern Gothic Fiction 🪕👻🏚️
💎 // 676 joined
Not Joined
A selection of contemporary titles exploring the decay, despair, and trauma of the reconstructed American South. Come for the atmospheric settings, stay for the commentary on the legacy of the South's oft-romanticized past.
2
0Reply
subparsunlight is interested in reading...
4d
A House with Good Bones
T. Kingfisher
A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.
"Mom seems off."
Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.
She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.
But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.
To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.
2
0Reply
