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Scorpica – G. R. Macallister
Scorpica, the first book in G.R. Macallister’s The Five Queendoms series is billed as a feminist Game of Thrones, which is somewhat misleading. Not every epic fantasy with Grimdark elements is like Martin’s work! But that’s one of my pet peeves. It’s more like Tasha Suri meets Joe Abercrombie if I had to give some comps, although this was one that felt like it didn’t quite manage to hit the expectations set out by its scope.
Many thanks to Sarah Mather at Titan Books for sending me an ARC for review, all opinions are my own as usual.
RELEASE DATE: 22/02/2022
STAR RATING: 3/5 ✶
SUMMARY: In an ancient matriarchal world of magic, gods and warriors, the last girl – unbeknownst to the five queendoms – has just been born. As time marches on, the scribes of Bastian find no answers in their history books. The farmers of Sestia sacrifice their crops to the gods. Paxim, the empire of trade and dealings, has nothing to barter but boys and more boys. Arcan magic has no spells to remedy the Drought of Girls. And finally, Scorpica, where every woman is a fighter, their commander, their queen, has no more warriors to train. The lines of these once-great empires soon to die.
After centuries of peace, the ensuing struggle for dominance – and heirs – will bring the five queendoms to the eve of all-out war.
But the mysterious curse is linked to one of the last-born children, an orphaned all-magic girl, who is unaware she has a claim to the Arcan throne… (from Titan)
OPINIONS: This is one of those books where I’m not sure what to think about it. I think the copy comparing it to Game of Thrones is very ill-fitting, as it feels more like a love child of Joe Abercrombie and Tasha Suri – political fantasy focusing on a grand scope, in a South Asian/Arab inspired world, with some Grimdark elements, but nowhere near the George R.R. Martin-like scope of close PoVs that switch quickly. The narration is really much further removed – which may be part of what made me struggle with the story as I tend to focus on the emotional connection I have with what is going on more than anything else. I have noticed that I tend to be far more forgiving of a story that connects with me, while one that doesn’t makes me be critical of every last detail as it doesn’t absorb me while reading – and one of the things that I’ve found makes a difference in how well I connect is how far removed the narration is from the characters. So wide shots of scenes make me care far less than lots of close-ups that let the reader piece together the grand picture over time.
That said, I am intrigued enough that I will be picking up the next volume in the series when it is ready – I feel like this, while it is rather large, is just enough to whet the reader’s appetites. It doesn’t feel like a story that stands on its own – not a satisfying one at least – very much like part of an ongoing series, so for me, how it goes on will make or break it as a whole. Scorpica is fun to read, and of an epic scope – and I am curious to see how the questions posed in this first book will pan out.
I do wish that Scorpica focused a bit more on individual characters rather than sweeping political happenings, as I did feel that I didn’t get to know the characters as well as I would have liked to. This is a series that will appeal to those readers who enjoy the epic scale over the personal stakes at work, and an almost cinematic approach to storytelling. It is the sort of story that is predestined for adaptation, with a rich world, visual contrasts and the style of writing. So even if it didn’t fully convince me, it is definitely the start of a series to watch out for, and one that will likely make many readers fall in love with it.
If you are intrigued, you can add Scorpica to your Goodreads here, and pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
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The Atlas Six – Olivie Blake
Damn this book. In an elevator pitch, I’d describe it as sexy and compelling – it’s that kind of book. Once you get sucked into it, you just can’t stop. I’m so glad I’ve got my reading mojo back thanks to these lovely publicists sending me the exact right books to get me out of my slump – The Atlas Six and Blood Scion worked wonders! This is one of the most hyped releases of this spring, and I hate to say it, but the hype is correct…
Massive thanks to Black Crow PR and UK Tor for spoiling me and sending me an ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
RELEASE DATE: 03/03/2022
STAR RATING: 4.5/5 ✶
SUMMARY: The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.
Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.
When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.
Most of them. (from Tor)
OPINIONS: There are many different things I tend to like about books. But selfish people in an academic setting, competing, sleeping with each other and other people and a healthy dose of backstabbing and magic is a formula that never fails to grip me. And The Atlas Six can compete with the best of them in that regard. It is the sort of book you just have to devour once you get stuck in, the kind that makes you stay up far later than you’d like because you simply need to know how it ends. And now I am eagerly waiting for book two…
It is not highbrow or necessarily the most creative story out there. It is made up of a slew of tropes, but I think that’s exactly where this book’s charm lies. It takes many of the elements from books we’ve all read and loved growing up and turns them into pure entertainment. In some ways, The Atlas Six is a The CW show of fantasy books – glossy, full of beautiful people who really are horrible, and compulsively readable, pure escapism. And for me personally, that’s exactly what made it resonate so much. Taking these shiny elements that made it fun, adding a good pinch of escapism and combining that with the magic school and library setting that I click with as a book nerd? You’ve got a winning formula there.
And despite the characters all being objectively terrible and selfish people with moral issues, I loved basically all of them. For me, that speaks to good writing – because them being interesting mattered more than them being actually likeable, and they charmed their way into my heart anyways. I think my favourite was probably Libby, disaster bisexual that she is, with her weird rivalry with Nico, bordering on obsession. But honestly, all I want to do is start rereading the book again. I have a feeling this may become a comfort read…
Add The Atlas Six to your Goodreads here, and pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link), though it’s worth checking if Waterstones, Illumicrate or Fairyloot still have any of their announced special editions available…
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The Novellas of Osten Ard
Over the past year, I had the pleasure of returning to Osten Ard with two novellas that book-end the original Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series: The Heart of What Was Lost and Brothers of the Wind. Once again I am astounded by the greatness that is Tad Williams. I know, I know, I’m a total fangirl, but I can’t help but argue it’s with good reason! For fans of Tad Williams, getting the opportunity to return to the rich and sprawling world that is Osten Ard with a targetted, short-format purpose that nonetheless delivers his style of prose, world-building, and characterization (twice!) is beyond satisfying to say the least. For me, it’s like wrapping myself in a warm blanket and drinking a cup of tea – pure comfort through the written word. Although these novellas vary significantly in terms of their themes and objectives, they are both quintessentially Tad Williams and fit perfectly into and expand upon the experience of Osten Ard. All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Rating: 5/5 ✶
Summary: The Heart of What Was Lost takes place in the half-year after the end of To Green Angel Tower, and tells of the attempt by Isgrimnur and a force largely made up of Rimmersgard soldiers to destroy the remaining Norns as they flee back to their homeland and their mountain. It also answers some questions about what actually happened in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Green Angel Tower.
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Rating: 4/5 ✶
Summary: Set a thousand years before the events of Williams’s The Dragonbone Chair, Brothers of the Wind tells the tale of Ineluki’s tragic boast to destroy the deadly dragon Hidohebhi and what it brings from the POV of Pamon Kes, Hakatri’s faithful servant. Kes is not one of the Sithi but a member of the enslaved Changeling race, and his loyalty has never before been tested. Now he must face the terrible black dragon at his master’s side, then see his own life changed forever in a mere instant by Ineluki’s rash, selfish promise.
The plot of The Heart of What Was Lost focuses on Duke Isgrimmnur’s pursual of the retreating Norns and epic siege of their home Nikkiga (siege fans – this book is for you!) after the human and Sithi victory at Asu’a. The plot forms the basis for not only delivering page-turning action and world-building, but also two main themes: the tendency the de-humanize an enemy in war, in this case the Norns, and a reminder that the atrocities and brutalities of war exist on a personal level and represent its true cost.
Williams’s use of multiple POVs is strategic and perfectly executed to support the book’s themes. First, he presents part of the story through the contrasting viewpoints of Duke Isgrimmnur, who leads the charge on Nikiiga, and Viyeki, a noble-born Norn working to protect his race from being exterminated at the hand of the human invaders. After witnessing the atrocities of the Norns throughout Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, this fascinating juxtaposition in POVs requires an empathy from the reader that is unexpected and yet very real. The Norns are a noble people in their own right, simply fighting for their existence. Experiencing their way of life within their home “humanized” the Norns and further deepened the world-building of Osten Ard in a way that changes your view on the war.
Williams pulls on your hearstrings in an entirely different manner with a third POV, that of Porto, a mercenary conscribed to help finish the war in the North. The care-abouts of an average soldier and his young comrade-in-arms, e.g. wanting to return home to family, questioning why they are there, hunger and cold, provide a stark contrast to the “noble endeavor” of eliminating the last vestiges of their land’s mortal enemies. Here the reader is reminded of the brutal realities of war, and for me, the reminder was poignant.
Finally, and as always, Williams is adept at weaving the stories of these myriad characters in such a way that the ending is both powerfully unexpected and thoroughly satisfying; all loose ends are tied.
Brothers of the Wind tackles entirely different themes using the single POV of Pamon Kes, Prince Hakatri of the Sithi’s armiger servant of the enslaved Changeling race. The book is split into two main quests, the first of which is to slay the dragon Hidohebhi, and the second to find a cure for the pain and madness plaguing Hakatri who has been burned by Hidohebhi’s magical blood. Aside: It was a delight to visit all my favorite locations in Osten Ard during Hakatri’s quest for a cure – the Wran, Sesuad’ra, Aldheorte, to name a few. It was like a mini-recap of Simon’s journey through Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Again, in true Williams fashion, the plot serves the themes, which are twofold and strikingly disparate. First, he explores the slippery slope that is unchecked hubris and anger. Readers are finally presented with the backstory of Prince Ineluki’s seduction by the Norn queen. She manipulates Ineluki’s anger with himself and his love for his brother into hatred for the humans, thereby providing him an outlet for his tumultuous emotions and ultimately gaining his allegiance. At the same time, Williams tells this entire story through the POV of Hakatri’s devoted servant. The reader is not only given a deeper understanding of the Changeling race, but also the sacrifces Pamon has made with respect to his identity – both through his own choice and unintentionally through racism and social constructs – because of his blind devotion to his master Hakatri. The noble Sithi are not without fault, and once again the world-building of Osten Ard is deepened through the exploration of this unsettling relationship between the Sithi, Norn, and Changeling races.
There is a heart-warming end for Pamon Kes; he is released of his servitude to live his own life and learn the history of his people. But, surprisingly, the reader does not learn the ultimate fate of Hakatri. Does he ever find his relief across the sea? Who was the mysterious woman in his visions, and what was the choice she foretold he might make? How will this affect Osten Ard? Williams has left the door open for these questions to be answered in the final two installments of The Last King of Osten Ard, but the conclusion of the story did not suffer because of it.
It was a pleasure to return to the world of Osten Ard and several of its characters in these two novellas. The stage is set for the follow-on series, The Last King of Osten Ard. Although you don’t have to read Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn to enjoy either of these short books and get a feel for Williams’s manner of writing, the context is key to experiencing the full impact of their objectives. Highest of recommendations!
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Monday Minis
Sorry for missing last week’s Monday Minis, it’s been a bit of a crazy time with visiting family, staying with friends and travelling back to the UK. But I’m back today with an interesting mix of YA and teen books for you! Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with eARCs for all of these titles, all opinions are my own as usual.
The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh is the third book in her The Beautiful series. And I’ve got a lot of mixed feelings about this installment – beginning with how I thought this was a trilogy and kept waiting for resolution that did not come, only to be blind-sighted by the story ending just after 90% and finishing on excerpts from ALL of Ahdieh’s series. Written in Ahdieh’s signature compelling style – I don’t think I’ve read anything of hers that hasn’t gripped me – this pivots away from the first two books a bit by focusing on Pippa and Arjun, two characters present in The Beautiful and The Damned. And I have to say, this is a choice that I really liked. They are great characters, and it made for an interesting change – however, this series is a bit all over the place. It started out as a historical vampire romance-y story, and now it’s more of a fairy story. Although I’m enjoying myself and they’re entertaining reads, I feel like I’m being conned to an extent, not necessarily in a bad way. I’m just not sure if I’d have picked up the series if I’d known where it’d go – and the ending to this particular volume made me grumpy. I was all set to give it four stars and then the very end changed my mind. So one to read if you’ve been enjoying the series, but no reason to pick up the series by itself.
Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis is a Rick Riordan-esque middle grade adventure about a girl who finds herself transported into a world of Irish mythology. Centred around Kelcie who grew up in Boston, knowing nothing about herself apart from her name, the story soon evolves into a fast-paced adventure when she finds her way to the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts and starts finding out more about her true powers and heritage. As is the norm with these sorts of books, she soon becomes part of an ancient struggle for the destiny of the world together with her friends. It is fun and a quick read – a very entertaining book that I think lots of readers will enjoy. However, I have to say it is not one that stands out, not in terms of plot, writing or characters. It is perfectly fine, but not one that I think I’ll be thinking about again or recommending to people much. If you think the premise sounds great, go for it, it may work better for you than it did for me though!
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger is absolutely lovely. I adored their debut, Elatsoe, last year and so I was thrilled to be approved for the audiobook for their sophomore novel. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the blurb, and ended up positively surprised by a story that was nothing like any book I’ve read before and full of magic. Nina is Lipan, a teen in our world, trying to decode and translate a story she recorded before her great great great grandmother’s death, while Oli is a cottonmouth (yes, the snake) from the land of spirits and monsters. For much of the book, their stories are told in parallel, but then events happen in both their worlds to bring them together – and they find out that they are far more connected than they ever realised. My two favourite things about this – and Darcie Little Badger’s work in general – are the amazing character work – they really come to life – and the lack of adherence to western storytelling conventions. I love learning more about the Lipan Apache that the author is from just through how they tell their stories, through what is important to focus on.
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Blood Scion – Deborah Falaye
It’s been a while since I’ve just sat down and raced through a book in a single sitting, but I did that with Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye. Originally drawn in by the gorgeous cover before I even knew what the book was about, I soon fell in love with the world Falaye built for her debut and I can’t wait to read book two.
Many thanks to Harper360YA for sending me an ARC for review, and as usual, all opinions are my own.
RELEASE DATE: 08/03/2022
STAR RATING: 4.5/5 ✶
SUMMARY: Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.
Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within. (from Harper Collins)
OPINIONS: I loved Blood Scion. This is one of the most addictive books I’ve read in ages, which is saying something – I think it’s pulled me out of a rut I didn’t even realise I was in. I need book two immediately and I don’t want to wait for it to be released (yes I am aware that this one isn’t even out yet…). The story is full of magic, darkness, betrayal and other wonderful ingredients – and minimal romance. It really felt like the book was about Sloane and her journey, about her discovering herself and who she is, rather than trying to pair her up or take away her personal development by focusing on a dynamic. And this really is what YA should be about. A main character who is well-developed, growing into their own, with their character arc at the heart of the story. Blood Scion reaffirmed my love for YA, and I am so happy I got to read it.
Now, Blood Scion is a dark book in many ways. It’s essentially about child soldiers, and the main character has to murder a loved one a few pages into the story. While it is still YA, it is also borderline Grimdark, and will certainly appeal to those audiences as well. The publisher comps it to The Children of Blood and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes, but I think an almost more apt comp in terms of darkness and setting would be Tochi Onyebuchi’s War Girls. However, that does not mean that Blood Scion doesn’t have it’s tender moments. As a whole, it feels balanced and to an extent even hopeful in its spirit.
One of my favourite aspects of the book is how it subtly incorporated aspects of Nigerian Yoruba mythology into its story. I am an absolute sucker for anything rooted in myth, so that just made me love it even more – and this was both subtle and worked really well. Really, Blood Scion is a book where there isn’t a lot to criticise, just a great read.
I highly recommend this one. Add it to your Goodreads here, or pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
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Blog Tour: Shady Hollow – Juneau Black
I’m thrilled to kick off the Hodder blog tour for Shady Hollow by Juneau Black. Published in the UK today (it’s been out over the pond for a while), this cosy crime series follows a small town community of antrophomorphic woodland animals as shady things start happening in their midst. It is a comfort read, lovely and bonkers – written by a team of co-authors, Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel, so I can only imagine the fun they’ve had while coming up with this story and its characters.
Many thanks to Ollie at Hodder for sending me a review copy and having me on the tour, all opinions are my own.
RELEASE DATE: 03/02/2022
STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶
SUMMARY: In the woodland community of Shady Hollow, you’ll discover a secret. Moose and mice, owls and
bears live side by side in civilized harmony. Shady Hollow has a coffee shop and a bookshop, a haberdasher and a bank. All is well… until the town’s querulous toad shows up dead. It’s something this village haven’t seen before: a murder.
Vera Vixen is new in town. She has a nose for news and catches the scent of a story, one that leads her to dark places. As she stirs up the still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery, and the folks in Shady Hollow learn that some of their neighbours are lying, while others are downright dangerous. It will take all of Vera’s cunning and quickness to come out alive. (from Hodder)OPINIONS: This book is so much fun. It’s bonkers, but in the best possible way. I’m not usually a big fan of stories for adults featuring animals, but I’m so glad that I gave Shady Hollow a shot, and now I can’t wait for book two in March. Imagine this as a classic murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie in terms of pacing, but with the most charmingly odd animal characters you can think of. Vera Vixen is the new reporter in town, so she ends up pulled into the investigation when the local toad is found dead – and the beaver mayor is poisoned.
It’s a short novel, around 200 pages, and thus makes for a very fast read. It is written in a light and humorous style, which is very hard to put down – my goal was to read 50 pages, do a chore, rinse and repeat… but I didn’t manage because I’m weak and the book is fun. It’s the kind of wholesome read that cheers you up and makes a gloomy day better. And it would make a wonderful animated feature *cough cough, Netflix, listen up*. While it is sold as an adult novel, I think it is ultimately a family-friendly book, and would be appropriate for readers around twelve and up – there is no graphic content or similar and it is relatively light and fluffy – so… FAMILY BOOK CLUB TIME!
Thus, highly recommended for a feel-good read! Add Shady Hollow to your Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link). And the good news is, books two and three are being released in March and April respectively so you don’t even have to wait very long to binge the whole series!
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Blog Tour: Hold My Place – Cassondra Windwalker
Being on a bit of a thriller binge but also hating most police procedurals, this psychological mystery crossed with an almost Bluebeard-esque love story immediately caught my attention. It is extremely addictive – and it features a librarian, a lover of books, and lots of food, so basically my two favourite things. Perfect to curl up with and spend an hour or two trying to figure out what is going on.
Many thanks to Black Crow PR and Black Spot Books for sending me an eARC for review and having me on the blog tour. All opinions are my own.
RELEASE DATE: 25/01/2022
STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶
SUMMARY: When librarian Sigrun falls head-over-heels for the sophisticated and very married Edgar Leyward, she never expects to find herself in his bed—or his heart. Nevertheless, when his enigmatic wife Octavia dies from a sudden illness, Sigrun finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance worthy of the most lurid novels on her bookshelves.
Sigrun soon discovers Octavia wasn’t Edgar’s first lost love, or even his second. Three women Edgar has loved met early deaths. As she delves into her beloved’s past through a trove of discovered letters, the edges of Sigrun identity begin to disappear, fading into the women of the past. Sigrun tells herself it’s impossible for any dark magic to be at play—that the dead can’t possibly inhabit the bodies of the living—but something shadowy stalks the halls of the Leyward house and the lines between the love of the present and the obsessions of the past become increasingly blurred—and bloody. (from Black Spot Books)
OPINIONS: This is such an addictive read! It is quite short – closer to a long novella than a full-length novel, so it is easy to just get sucked in and read it in a single sitting. It starts out as very much a slightly gothic romance, with librarian Sigrun falling for her cooking instructor Edgar, turning from an emotional affair to a full-fledged whirlwind romance when a pandemic hits their community and Edgar suddenly becomes a widower. For a very long time, the story gives the reader the impression that something is very off here, but it is hard to figure out exactly what it is, whether it is supernatural or not, and that makes the book very uncanny to read.
I loved Sigrun as a main character despite all of her flaws – a librarian in her early thirties, and a total goth. As a book lover in their late twenties and a nerdy goth (not quite as all-out as Sigrun though), I totally identified with her, at least on a surface level. Less so when she was being an idiot, but that’s another matter. I’m a bit torn whether I am annoyed with how the book dealt with Sigrun losing herself in the relationship or whether that was extremely cleverly done in terms of plotting and worldbuilding. It definitely leads to a lot of psychological suspense and a story you don’t see every day.
Ultimately this isn’t a book that is deep literature or has any aspirations to be. It is entertainment and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It is the kind of book that would be amazing transported to a visual medium, I think, but while we wait for Netflix to pick up on that, don’t sleep and go read Hold My Place for creep and suspense with a good dose of sexy romance.
Add Hold My Place to your Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
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Blog Tour: Agent Moose – Mo O’Hara and Jess Bradley
RELEASE DATE: 20/01/2022
STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶
Agent Moose is one of those wonderful graphic novels you just breeze through and it makes your day better. Aimed at young readers – I’d recommend it for ages 7+ – it follows the hilarious adventures of Special Agent Anonymoose and his assistant Owlfred as they rush to investigate their one hundredth case. O’Hara’s story combined with Bradley’s illustrations makes this a wonderful book for children to both start exploring reading on their own, as well as deep-dive into reading adventures accompanied by a parent. It is full of funny moments, unique animal characters and just adorable quirkiness. Anonymoose is your typical blundering, arrogant agent, and Owlfred is the sidekick with the plans, but together, they charm their way into your hearts so quickly that you just end up wanting more.
Many thanks to Kiran from Scholastic for sending me a review copy and having me on the blog tour – all opinions are my own as usual. Do check out the other stops on the tour for more amazing content all around Anonymoose, Owlfred and the gang.
Add Agent Moose to your Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link) – it’s well worth it. And now over to author Mo O’Hara on the writing of stories about animals!
Anonymoose hiding behind my sister’s origami animals ON WRITING ANIMAL STORIES – BY MO O’HARA
People have been telling stories about animals for as far back as… well…as far back as people have been telling stories. When early cave people sat around the campfire and exaggerated the size of the bear they fought or the mammoth they hunted they were beginning a tradition of animal stories that continues today. Myths, legends, and fables all have used animals in lieu of people to get their messages across. But why?
Well, there is a certain shorthand with animals and associated characteristics. You can be brave as a lion, quiet as a mouse, clever as a chimpanzee, stealthy as a fox, sneaky as a snake, wise as an owl or curious as a cat. The list goes on and on. So, when we are writing about animals its fun to explore those connotations that animals have associated with them and to sometimes write animal characters that work against those types. A lion that is timid? An owl that is easily confused? A mouse that is very very loud? It’s a great start for a story because you already have a built-in conflict between your character and the expectations of that animal character.
Also, when you are writing for kids you have the added bonus that kids just love reading about animals. Zoo animals, wild animals, farm animals, sea animals, pets? It doesn’t matter, kids love them! They are fascinated to find out animal facts but also intrigued to read about what those animals might get up to when no humans are watching. 😊 I regularly imagine the conversations that my two cats have when I’m not here. (And then I sometimes put those imagined cat chats into my books.) In fact, the character of Fang the vampire kitten (from My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series) is entirely inspired by one of my cats.
I think writing with anthropomorphic animals (or animals that behave like people) is fantastic fun as well. Creating the world of Big Forest and populating it with all the varied animals that live in the woods with Agent Moose and Owlfred was brilliant. Whether if was Newt (the newt with the nose for news) who runs the local newspaper or Paula Pelican a criminal in South Shore, or Barry the Barracuda who is not really as scary as he looks, each of the animals has their own story to tell. And when Jess Bradley started illustrating all the characters, they really took on a life of their own. Even lots of the incidental cast of animals that she drew and inserted all had a journey. The poor beaver who works for Camo Chameleon and who is always being crashed into or the chipmunk whose job it is to eat the secret message pods (even though she is digitally intolerant, and they give her gas) ended up being recurring characters because they were just so vivid. I was inspired to write more about them.
Writing about animals is nearly as fun as being around animals. And my cats would like to add that they feel the same about being around humans. Most of the time. -
Monday Minis
Welcome back to another week of Monday Minis – a literary historical novel I quite liked, and then two that I sadly didn’t get along with at all. I wish I could love every book I read! Nevertheless, many thanks to the publicists for giving me (e)ARCs of all of these titles for review, and as usual, all opinions are entirely my own.
Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth is a historical novel set in London’s theatres of the Victorian era. It follows Zillah, a young actress, born and raised in London, but playing a Black savage on the stage due to her mixed heritage. But her comfortable life is disturbed when she meets Lucien, a fellow Black man and grocer, who leads her to question her role on the stage and in life, and introduces her to new ways of thinking. Around the same time, she learns of another Black woman held captive by the owner of the theatre she works at, and so Zillah starts her own investigation into what is right and wrong. A captivating story with a strong leading character who undergoes a huge growth arc over the course of the book, this was one I did really enjoy. I thought parts of the resolution were a bit simplistic in its execution, but I loved the overall message that the book ended on. Definitely one to check out if you are into historical fiction at all – a story verging on a mystery, with a romantic component.
I struggled a lot with The Gift Book 1: Eleanor by RA Williams. This is a dark fantasy novel set in the first half of the twentieth century between the wreck of the Titanic and the beginning of World War II. It includes elements of Indiana Jones-esque hunts for antiquities, a ruthless, smart and driven protagonist and an obsessive mystery. However, I had two major issues with the book. First, the writing is rather clunky – it is not immersive and I felt that it would have needed further editing to reach a level to be ready for publication. This is not aided by the story jumping through years, weeks and months at will between chapters, making it harder for the reader to keep up while reading, rather than telling a coherent story. The other thing that I struggled with a lot is that it does not interrogate any of the events or privilege in the story – for example, Eleanor, the main character, moves to Berlin in the 1930s as a Jewish woman, and any concerns about Nazi Germany are pushed to the side as irrelevant as the family has plenty of money. And that sort of callousness isn’t something I’m happy to just take in the age of diverse books – privilege is fine, but use it as a platform to discuss issues from, to see it as a springboard for other things, not as an excuse to gloss over anything you want to ignore. So in a book where I felt iffy about the story already thanks to the writing, that lack of depth put me off, which means this is not something I will recommend.
I was extremely excited for Emily X. R. Pan’s An Arrow to the Moon. I fell in love with the writing in her debut which charmed me with its haunting and lyrical ways despite being quite a bit outside my usual taste, so having more of that in a contemporary fantasy retelling of Chinese myth sounded like a dream come true. An Arrow to the Moon reimagines the story of Chang’e and Houyi in 1990s US – which I didn’t realise from the blurb. I assumed it was set in the present day, and it read like it was, except for the lack of communication devices. And I get how the existence of the internet would have messed up some of the plot points, but also, the setting felt rather clumsy and like an afterthought. I guess that is how I feel about most of this book – there are some great ideas and concepts, but ultimately in execution a lot doesn’t seem to be quite thought through enough, or shown to the reader to the extent that demonstrates why they should care. Apart from many small gripes I had with this book throughout, it felt unfinished – like a draft that doesn’t actually tie up the loose ends, but rather serves to get the story down and then to identify those. It made me really sad because I was so hyped for the book and I realised quite early on that I was only continuing to read on because I hoped that it would get better. So sadly this one is a miss for me too.
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Mort the Meek and the Monstrous Quest – Rachel Delahaye
Mort the Meek is back! I loved the first Mort book when I read it last year – Mort the Meek and the Raven’s Revenge – see my review here, and so I jumped on the chance to request book two when it came out. This is more of the same macabre kids humour combined with wonderful illustrations and quirky narration, so just a gem all around.
Many thanks to Little Tiger for sending me a review copy, all opinions are my own.
RELEASE DATE: 06/01/2022
STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶
SUMMARY: Around the unfriendly, rocky island of Brutalia, the waves are awash with brave sea-farers, on a treasure hunt for their demanding queen. Among them is Mort, but rather than hunt for treasure, he’s more interested in looking for his family who are lost at sea. Unfortunately, his shipmate Punky has her eyes firmly on the prize.
But when the pair find the tentacle of a mythical sea creature, their adventure takes a dramatic turn. Is this the prize-winning treasure Punky and the queen seek? Or could it be a monstrous twist in Mort’s rescue mission? (from Little Tiger)
OPINIONS: I just love these books. They remind me a bit of A Series of Unfortunate Events aimed at a slightly younger audience – and less realistic. This is again narrated by animals explaining words and sarcastically talking about what is going on – sea creatures this time. The focus on lexicon and new vocabulary is one of my favourite aspects, and something I know I would have absolutely adored as a child as well. Set on the island of Brutalia, this second installment takes place quite a bit of time after the first, with enough time having past for Mort’s father and siblings to have gone lost at sea. Their terrible queen has decided that she is now going to be a god queen – and thus asks her citizens to go out and quest to be named half-gods.
Mort joins this expedition – not because he wants to be a half-god, but because he wants to find his missing family. On the way, he is paired up with the infuriating Punky, who has a soft core beneath her hard exterior, loses his pacifist ways and accidentally becomes a fish god. In the end, he has to find back to his pacifist roots to find a solution to Brutalia’s problems after receiving help from unexpected allies. Again, the story focuses on how ultimately issues can be solved through thinking and talking rather than violence, which I think is a wonderful message, and one that is very important to drill into the audience’s heads at that age.
I think these books are probably best aimed at young readers aged seven to nine, though my adult self still enjoyed it a lot. Join Mort on his adventures by adding Mort the Meek and the Monstrous Quest to your Goodreads here, and ordering a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
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