The Ones Who Look - Quick Book Review

 

The Ones Who Look

by Katharine Duckett

What is it about:

Ethical Empire built the gate to heaven, and their employees hold the keys. By offering custom-built afterlives through full-brain uploads, they answered the needs of a society pushed to the brink by climate change and cascading antibiotic failure. But for Zoe, who works daily to assess the sins of users and decide who's worthy of salvation, heaven is not so simple. Despite the urging of the angels on her shoulder, she is determined to uncover heaven's secrets, no matter the cost.

What did I think of it:

Another novelette.

In a future where everyone can get their own custom made heaven, Zoe is one of the people to count the points to see if you deserve that heaven. With a loved one already in heaven she is eager to know what it's like. When she starts dating one of the people who makes these heavens she tries to find out more about heaven just as he tries to find out more about the scoring.

I was intrigued from the start and eager to find out where the story would lead. There's some clear foreshadowing and metaphors in the story, but not in an annoying way. I very much enjoyed this story and might look into what else Duckett has written.

Why should you read it:

It's a intriguing near future read.

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Of Roses and Kings - Quick Book Review

 

Of Roses and Kings

by Melissa Marr 

What is it about:

In this dark, skewed take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice is now the Red Queen, and her maid must tread the fine line between favor and blame in this strange world.

What did I think of it:

This is a strange little tale, but I enjoyed it. It shows what Alice has become as new Red Queen, and what this means to those close to her. I loved the writing and imagery. The story is short, but as it builds on what you know about Alice in Wonderland it doesn't need a lot of worldbuilding, making it that you can dive right into the story. 

Why should you read it:

It's a very enjoyable fantastical read.

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No Flight Without the Shatter - Book Review

No Flight Without the Shatter
by Brooke Bolander

What is it about:
After the world's end, the last young human learns a final lesson from Earth's remaining animals.

What did I think of it:
I just had to read more by Bolander, so picked up this novelette.

This story is poignant and beautiful in its sadness.

Bolander has a way to give a more than believable voice to animals and cuts you right to the bone. Once again she had me in tears and kept me thinking about the story and its atmosphere long after I finished the book.

You bet I'll get my trotters on more of her work.

Why should you read it:
It's a heartbreakingly beautiful novelette


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The Only Harmless Great Thing - Book Review

The Only Harmless Great Thing
by Brooke Bolander

What is it about:
In the early years of the 20th century, a group of female factory workers in Newark, New Jersey slowly died of radiation poisoning. Around the same time, an Indian elephant was deliberately put to death by electricity in Coney Island.

These are the facts.

Now these two tragedies are intertwined in a dark alternate history of rage, radioactivity, and injustice crying out to be righted. Prepare yourself for a wrenching journey that crosses eras, chronicling histories of cruelty both grand and petty in search of meaning and justice.

What did I think of it:
As I loved Bolander's short story that was nominated for this year's Hugo Awards, I had to read her entry for Best Novelette of course.

*insert wildly flailing and blubbering piggy*

This is such a painfully beautiful story!

This alternate history has elephants working in a factory to paint the dials and numbers on watches with radioactive paint. As the story unfolds you get to know the girl who is instructed to teach them, and one elephant who is slowly getting to her breaking point. In between there are parts where elephants tell each other the stories of their ancestors.

I can not even tell you how much this story gripped me, how much I was rooting for the characters, and how much I cried over this book. I can tell you that I immediately ordered a print copy of this book when I finished it, and that I'll definitely will read more by Bolander.

Why should you read it:
It's a painfully beautiful story.


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