Category: fantasy

The spirit of local history

Posted on Posted in fantasy, ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
Kindle advanced reader copy
Vibes I wanted: adventure, ghosts, history, magic
Vibes I got: history, 1920s atmosphere, magic heists, intimate relationships, no-nonsense protagonist, destiny
Vibe rating: 5/5

I loved this book. I pulled out my phone at every chance to read a few more pages, I stayed up past my bedtime, I texted my friends as soon as I finished. This met and exceeded my expectations.

When I read the book described as a “magical heist,” I said yes without paying any attention to many other details. So when I started reading it and realized it was set in DC, it felt like an extra treat. DC is seriously underrepresented in fiction in general, much less fantasy, and Penelope does such a wonderful job of making the setting a vital part of the story. (Full disclosure: I recognize I live in the suburbs, but this is still exciting for me!)

Tied to her excellent use of the city is Penelope’s skill with the history side of historical fantasy. As someone who doesn’t know a lot about DC’s Black history and had never heard of U Street’s past as the center of Black Broadway, I spent much of the book looking up Penelope’s references to real people and places. Many of the people were familiar but I had no idea they had ties to DC in the 1920s. I’ve added the books Penelope mentions in her author’s note to my to read list, and I’m excited to learn more.

The fantasy elements fit perfectly within the 1920s atmosphere, heady and dangerous, and the magic acknowledges both the highs and the lows of the era. It’s intoxicating and unforgiving and full of potential. Against all of that, Clara Johnson is a perfect no-nonsense protagonist who’s being dragged into this world. I wouldn’t say she’s unlikeable—she is quite likable—but she’s not the most charming or exciting character. I like her all the more for it, and having her as the reader’s view into this world makes the novel’s Big Ideas of pasts and futures more powerful.

My favorite part, though, is the tenderness Penelope uses when writing the characters. The relationships they have with other people and the ones they develop with each other feel so genuine and intimate. Someone says to Clara, “You got something more powerful than stagecraft and illusion. You got a gift, a group of folks willing to help you, and a task worth doing. More than I can say for most.” And it’s with those relationships that dragons can be slayed.

I was trying to come up with some things I would change to prove that I can be a fancypants critical reader, but then I remembered I’m just here for the vibes. And the vibes are so, so good with this book. And honestly, I’m not sure there’s anything I would change.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What’s the evil queen’s name?

Posted on Posted in fantasy, ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
Audiobook read by Amy Landon

Vibes wanted: upended fairy tale tropes, romance, sarcasm, hero going through reluctant/unwilling introspection, power of narrative
Vibes given: meta, queer, feminist, stubborn, recklessly brave and loving
Rating: 4/5

I am a nerd for narrative. My undergrad thesis was about trauma and narrative theory in Zusak’s The Book Thief. While I don’t have a degree in fairy tales (if only!), I did spend time studying them, so when you talk about agency or the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index, I go full heart eye emoji. 😍 <— an actual picture of me reading this book. So for me, this book was a Very Good Time, capital letters and all.

I read A Spindle Splintered on my Kindle, and I enjoyed it but wasn’t wowed. Listening to A Mirror Mended was a much more enjoyable experience. I think that’s because I usually read too fast for my own good so novellas feel abrupt. By listening to it, I was forced to take more time and actually let myself get immersed in the universe, and that’s what this book deserves really.

My favorite parts: the explicit and implicit themes of narrative, identity, and power (I am always down to talk about these things if anyone wants to chat!); the evil queen (even the clichés were compelling); Charm and Prim, who are friends anyone would be lucky to have; and Zinnia’s blend of duty and selfishness. Hooo boy I had some feelings about her throughout the book, but even when I was so frustrated with yet another dumb decision she made, I relished how reckless and foolhardy she could be. It felt freeing, especially in the context of a chronic illness, to be able to say fuck it and keep on running. Responsible? No, of course not. But a little thrilling nonetheless.

There were tiny things that I wish had been different. The nerd I am, I would have loved even more multiverse implications, more! The pop culture was fun but I got tired of it after a while. I went in assuming that the “twist” would happen at some point and the ending was a bit cluttered. Just little things that didn’t sit right and kept the vibes from being impeccable. But to be clear, this is a very very fun book.

As a final note, the story jumping here made me think of ‘verse jumping in Everything Everywhere All at Once (the book might also call it universe jumping but I can’t remember). In an interview, Harrow talked about how she was inspired by Into the Spider-verse and whether “there were dozens of versions of that same conversation [about being inspired by the movie] happening simultaneously, given the recent boom in multiverse content.” I don’t have any specific thoughts there, just that it was something that stuck out to me. Well, I guess there are some thoughts: Does exploring the multiverse always lead back to your home ‘verse/story? What makes the multiverse so popular right now? What does it mean that A Mirror Mended actively values the other universes in their own right while EEA@O uses the other universes as a comparison to the one main characters exist in? Is that even a fair description of what’s happening?

A Cup Full of Sweetness

Posted on Posted in fantasy, ReviewTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Kindle book (spring 2022)

Vibes I wanted: cozy, magical, heartwarming, I wanted to leave the book craving a cup of coffee and wanting to be a better person
Vibes I got: cozy, earnest, optimistic, patient, a little formulaic
Vibe rating: 4/5. On paper, it checked all my boxes, but in practice, it fell just a little short of being a perfect read.

The cover of the Kindle version I have describes this book as “a novel of high fantasy… and low stakes,” and that’s pretty much true. A part of me would have liked higher fantasy and lower stakes, but it’s a sweet short read as it stands.

One of my favorite parts of this was Viv’s external and internal journey from mercenary to coffee shop owner. Baldree does a wonderful job of opening Viv up gently to her new world, acknowledging that her previous life isn’t something she can immediately shed. And no journey is complete without good traveling companions, and here Baldree really shines. Cal and Thimble are not flashy characters, but they’re written with such generosity and kindness that I immediately fell in love, and by the end of the story, I would have died for them.

Viv and Tandri are also good characters, don’t get me wrong! I thought their relationship was beautifully developed, slow and patient. There’s no real drama there, and that’s a wonderful thing. I guess I just wanted a little bit more from their characters. Viv, as an orc, and Tandri, as a succubus, exist within a broader context (both in terms of common understandings of orcs and succubi and within the story itself), and I know this is meant to be a slice-of-life story, but I left wishing there had been more information/backstory given.

For me, the actual plot fell in a fuzzy area that was both too much and too little. I think having a purely internal plot would have worked well here. But as it is, I have too many questions to be fully satisfied.

But maybe that’s on me. Maybe this is an example where I’m thinking too much and not vibing enough. I believe this book is being re-released this summer, so I wonder what edits (if any) will be made with that process. And I would absolutely welcome more books in the universe so I can get more answers but, more importantly, so I can spend more time with Cal and Thimble.