Tag: fiction

Just Stab Me Now, Jill Bearup

Age Rating: Complicated.

This book isn’t my usual genre, but I watched all her shorts as she developed this world with skits and parodies of the usual romance genre and I loved them. I got the book for Christmas and read it in less than 24 hours.

Layer 1

The essential basis of the book is that it is multiple layers. At the bottom there is the fantasy enemies to lovers story. It uses an older heroine whom has children the usual age of the main characters and is subsequently wiser to the world. Rosamund deals with her problems like an adult, an adult whom has already been through one political foreign marriage to Hugo and has been left a widower in a war that is being fought with the king her sister married too. Honestly the basic story while it has a twist or two on the usual tropes isn’t that exceptional. Its not supposed to be, the interaction between the characters and the author is where Bearup has focused her efforts.

Layer 2

Caroline the author talks to her characters regularly in the middle of scenes, directing them what to do and arguing with them about what to do. She is desperately trying to make genre expectations work despite characters whom are actively rebelling against her outline.

Layer 3

Carolines own life with her annoying CFO at a tech firm. Essentially it is there to support Carolines frustrations with her character and also to slid in some parallels like the book plot reflecting her own life just with a more satisfying ending.

Layer 4

Editor Comments. Like the gorgeous cover which looks half way through editing, Henry her hot editor (his descriptor throughout all of the book) occasionally puts in a note about historical accuracy and she responds with her own ideas.

It sounds complicated, and it semi is. I struggled for a few chapters to get a grasp on the rapid switching of POV and layers. I think that Caroline chiming in for only a few lines and then ducking back out was the hardest thing for me to follow. I do know that I read exceptionally fast, and so reading the book that fast means that I do wrestle with Pov changes that are that small because I have to double back and figure out who said what.

The point of this book is to parody and show a different side of an authors life, the one whom wrestles with deadlines, her other life and horrible historical limitations that should NOT exist in fantasy (but have to. For the record if it is a historical fantasy I don’t want modern inventions!) Its not what I usually would review but I do think its worth a read if you read a lot of fantasy/romance/anything in the YA/adult popular booktok categories that centre on magical systems.

Plot – 3/5

Characters – 3/5

Romance – 3.5/5 – Sweet Romance – (I am giving a lot of 3s! but the Romances of both, Leo and Rosamund (sweet and I did like it.) and Henry and Caroline (sneaking in that boss/employee trope in there to play with which I usually hate but can just let slide this time.)  NB – I did appreciate that Bearup had Leo (mmc) point out the flaws in her plan for him to make an inappropriate comment during the plot.

World – 4/5 – Standard fantasy world but with some interesting world building details thrown in. because what we are reading is the first draft, there are a few notes that Caroline will add more lore in later. I would have liked that lore in the book but still a good dual world with multiple aspects.

Things to be aware of: so for the age I have no clue, its mostly suitable I’d say 12+B but the actual content does not reflect whom it is written for. I would hesitate to say it is a YA novel, I would say it is an adult novel that is enjoyable and its content is suitable. I would honestly recommend this for after all the samey samey romantasys and random rom-coms. I have been reading a lot lately so this was nice to see my own thoughts reflected.

Overall I am delighted that the skits managed to turn into a manageable book and if you are looking for a chill read with a relaxing predictability and some new interesting perspectives then give it a go!

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Tuesdays at the Castle, Jessica Day George

10+

This first book introduces us to the eleven-year-old Celie and her siblings Rolf and Delilah. As the youngest child of King Glower the seventy-ninth (I have an entire blog post dedicated to this delightful legacy of the name and how it affects the succession but back to the point). Celie as the youngest of King Glower is given a lot more freedom than her siblings, and spends her days roaming around the ever changing sentient castle. She keeps a sheaf of papers with the Castle maps with her that she regularly changes and alters to keep up with the ever changing castle.

The Castle itself is an immensely powerful sentient building – but we know nothing about it. The inhabitants know nothing either, and Celie mentions a few of the varying theories about how the Castle brought rooms back and forth depending on the need. For the extra house guests the castle grows several more rooms, tailored to its feelings about the guests. If it doesn’t like you, it kicks you out and the Castle’s actions are uncontrollable by the Royals who live there.

As we see, the house guests and villagers are suitably leery of the idea of a sentient castle. Pogue Parry, Princess Delilah’s flirter (I wont say suitor because their relationship feels to me like they both know it wont last) acknowledges this, saying it is only because he has seen it with his own eyes multiple times he can believe it. I like this dose of realism, of course people wouldn’t honestly believe in an unexplainable sentience of a building they hadn’t seen.

I just love this book. It was one of the first series I read that really managed to dip into so many different aspects of fantasy and serious odds while retaining that feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket. It may just be because I have read it so many times but this book has only been reread so many times because of its warm feel. I don’t know how else to describe it, just read it!

Plot  – 4/5 – Love it, every time I am still just as excited and delighted at each turn even though I really should know what happens by now)

World – 5/5 – gushed about it in my review, the Castle location is simply divine. I love it. It is rare that a book with just one location can get a 5 stars from me, but despite the fact they never leave the castle, I love it! (and the world gets better and better and more complex as you delve deeper into the series!)

Romance – NA – no real romance, Lilah and Pogue flirt a tiny bit.

Characters – 4/5 – I do like the characters a lot, they are enjoyable and interesting. Celie actually feels like an eleven year old! Its so rare that characters under twelve actually match their literary age and so this fits perfectly.

Things to be aware of: Honestly not much, there are mentions of death or planned death but nothing on the page.

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Anti-Heroine vs Classic Heroine

Why are Anti Heroes so attractive?

So what is an Anti-Hero? When do they become the villain? Is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons a villains actions or a heroes?

I love a good anti hero. They are often more complex than the classic hero and their moral compass can differ depending on the situation. It makes an engaging read and in YA and adult it hopefully creates a character that we cant predict. A true anti-hero is someone who balances on the edge of good and evil. They have done evil things, but they in the end are a force for good – at least for now. Celaena Sardothien from a Throne of Glass immediately springs to mind.

Review here! https://damselindelightcom.wordpress.com/2023/12/31/throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j-maas/

She is a classic example of an anti hero. Frequently throughout the series she does ruthless and merciless things but the audience is still rooting for her! Through the novellas (which I really do recommend, they are an excellent starting point to dip your toe into the Throne of Glass world) we really grasp just how much of her childhood was spent forming her into an assassin not a balanced person. When she does choose to do the right thing, it sometimes isnt for the right reasons or not clearly defined ones. She does what she can with difficult circumstances and a flimsy moral compass and shows a fierce loyalty to anyone who does the same.

The Morally Grey Heroine – or the inbetween hero

It is also interesting and sometimes effective when the author balances on the line of an anti-hero. I feel like Ana from Blood Heir is approaching this sometimes.

Full Review Here!https://damselindelightcom.wordpress.com/2024/08/10/blood-heir-by-amelie-wen-zhao/

She is a classic hero, given a dangerous power that people around her fear and punish her for and working to survive and do her best in a world that is rapidly proving to be more complex than she ever imagined. Why I say she sometimes skirts the line is that she is fueled by revenge not justice. However despite this and the fact that her incredibly difficult abusive childhood would lead to the formation of an anti-hero archetype she does cling close to the good side of the world. She still keeps the classic hero character while wielding an ability and a past that leans towards the anti-hero side of things.

Classic Heroine

We’ve all met and loved this hero archetype. They are in so many different books in so many different iterations but they all share one clear thing. They are all clearly on the side of good. They have clear aims, or are at least working towards things they believe in doing. The Classic heroine doesnt have to be boring or predictable – they can still have huge character growth but they always represent the morality of the story and are good. The Classic heroine is someone like Elisa in Rae Carsons Fire and Thorns.

Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Are we also losing something that is a crucial element in storytelling?

By focusing on villain backstories and morally grey being romancifed and fantasy heroines evolving to balance on the edge of evil are we losing something key in storytelling?

One of the first fantasy series I really loved and reread over and over and over was Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Eragon the eponymous main character of the Inheritance Cycle is a very classic hero and I loved that. He still had complexities in his character, but the plot and world was so rich that the main conflict didn’t have to be in his character. Throughout the four book series he has his ups and downs character wise but I certainly didn’t worry he was going to abandon his duties and the right thing.

HOWEVER – (there is always a however) – We do have an anti-hero. Murtagh is a classic anti-hero. He has the dark past and has made mistakes, usually because his circumstances were so complex that the reader doesnt even know what they would do in that situation. Yet he does have a streak of good! We dont know when its going to appear or disappear or for how long, but he is a complex character. Paolini does explore complex characters incredibly well in general – the leader of the Urgals, Galbatorix and Murtagh all can be seen as villains, victims and freedom fighters all in different lights.

So I do think that anti-heroes are interesting and engaging but I also love the classic hero! Anti-heroes dont necessarily need to be the main character – I would like to put out the opinion that sometimes having a supporting character who is an anti-hero shows just how strong and stalwart the classic hero is for sticking close to their morals. Whether all heroes do end up sacrificing their morals and values and becoming closer in their mindset to the villain to be able to defeat them is another question entirely. One persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter is a popular saying and I would like to bookify it – “One characters hero is another persons antagonist”. I may do another blog post on this in the future because it is a really interesting thing!

So what do you think? Are villain backstories that make all villains anti-heroes interesting? Do you prefer Anti-Heroes or the Classic Hero?

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Changeling by Molly Harper

13+

I can honestly say this book took me by surprise. From the title Changeling I was expecting quite a rustic fae story that would be closer to a classic fantasy mixed with a fairytale but Changeling combines several genres in an intriguing world that we only just start to explore. The world is a delightfully classic dystopian world mixed with witchy academia and it is set in England!! Most dystopian novels, Hunger Games, Red Queen, Divergent are set in North America but this one is set in North England which is just a little world thing I love!

Sarah is a Snipe – a powerless human whom works as a servant in the house of the Winters, a powerful witch family. In return for her and her entire family’s servitude they are protected from some of their vulnerability of being magic-less in a rigid society where magic determines your social class. The Winters and the rest of their social peers are called Guardians but it is clear to the reader this is rigid oppression despite the fact that this is apparently to protect the Snipes. This is the system we are introduced to at the beginning, which Sarah doesn’t even dream of questioning. It is quite a classic dystopian class system, people divided by powerful and not, but one of the most interesting things is how Sarah being given power is approached.

A lot of books when a girl/boy from the lower classes is suddenly given a noble power they are swept up to the noble class immediately as soon as they and anyone else finds out. However Sarah has actually had her magic muffled and oppressed her whole life hence her sickly weak stature which is one of the first things that gets mentioned. Her physical appearance as she gets healthy is a classic physical example of her power growing but back to the magic oppression! It is really interesting because it is more realistic. Of course someone would have figured it out and the natural reaction to something that would shake the roots of a world that you are already surviving in (and I suspect by Snipe standards their family would argue they were thriving. all of their children were literate and worked a good stable job with a Guardian family and they were able to live off site which is something that is prized) but they are still very oppressed and Sarah’s mother can acknowledge that enough to do something about her daughters power.

While its a complex moral issue from the reader – should you truly oppress a child’s power to the point of them being extremely weak and fragile just so they dont rock the boat? To the Snipes it would be a black and white issue, and the Winters reaction is certainly more balanced that some Guardian’s reactions would have be.

I wont give any more details because then they lean into spoilers! But this mix of classic dystopian and the popular witchy academia with a lean into the classism within classes and the desperation within politics is such a memorable read!

World – 5/5 stars – i have gushed about it the whole of my review

Characters – 3.5/5 – they are quite classic characters and Sarah isnt an unusual Chosen One but i did enjoy them even if some of the female characters leaned a little into archetypes. Also I loved that Sarah struggled so realistically with the new subjects except the one she had come across in her previous life. Harper really managed to show how much information is imparted to children even before they are technically ‘taught’ magic just in the political expectations and world knowledge

Romance – Soft Romance – 4/5 for what is done, it is very mild and not even a proper subplot but there is an interesting representation of a one sided toxic relationship that developed from an innocent crush into something that really derailed that characters life.

Plot – 4/5 – it is quite a simple plot line up until the end, but I enjoyed it and it held up through the reread!

Things to be aware of: there is some bullying but that is very common in academia books. There is some fantasy violence, but in quite small doses and nothing to add that B. I would say that you could read it a little earlier if you wanted it just depends on when you would enjoy it the most. There is some betrayal, and mentions of necromancy but it isnt very violent which is why it hasnt got a B.

2

Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

12+

I have read this book several times over the last few years and every time the vivid world and courage of Zahrah has returned it instantly to my reread pile.

In general, I dont read a lot of sci-fi, but this one stands out from everything I have read both in that genre and in general because of the world of Ginen and the kingdom of Ooni. It is vivid and detailed and in places very similar to earth (and they mention earth as a ‘legend’ which might be one of the best and memorable worldbuilding details I have read yet) but with a sense of otherness that really defines the sci-fi genre. All the technology in Ooni is made using plants which I love! Even the library is made up of a giant plant. Even the computers grow with the child, as they are plants, and their leafboards grow to perfectly fit the child they are growing for. I love all these tiny little details that make the world so vivid.

Zahrah has dada – vines growing in her hair – which sets her apart from her peers at school and causes her to be bullied in the beginning. As the story progresses, we learn there are more to the dada than just vines as Zahrah grows up and matures. It is a classic character arc, but one that is portrayed beautifully and believably and freshly. One of the things that can be difficult with a story that is focused on a physical Quest is that the characters become stagnant or do not have any character development past their acceptance of the quest. However, this book neatly avoids all the pitfalls and allows Zahrah to grow alongside and separately from her quest in the greeny jungle to find an egg to save her friend who is in a coma despite the fact that no nobody goes deep into the forest and there are horrific stories of people who even go on the outskirts.

Characters – 5/5 stars – They are all rounded and realistic and everyone around Zahrah has their own stories that dont rely on hers (especially the frog! I love a good talking animal and the pink frog is the best)

World – 1000/5 stars – I have gushed about it enough, but honestly this world is so refreshing to read as it isnt based on a pseudo-european medieval land but instead Nigerian myths.

Romance – NA

Plot  – 5/5 stars – its perfect. just perfect.

This is honestly one of the books I think everyone should read between the ages of 10 – 13. Go read it!

1

The First Test by Tamora Pierce

12+B

This is an amazing series, with a glorious first book. Keladry is a strong female lead who is standing against a flood of sexism as she trains for her shield as the first openly female knight for centuries. This is a different series to the Alanna the Lioness series that is set in the same world but about two decades previously. It isn’t necessary to read Alanna the Lioness first, but the are a few spoilers, and I read this series first myself. One of the only problems with this first book is that Keladry is the only female character in the first novel. She is surrounded with hostile boys as she trains and certainly in the beginning, she is mostly alone. Nealan of Queenscove becomes her mentor and first friend, and later on several others spend time with her. I love Kennedy’s past as the child of a foreign ambassador and that she had been trained in a different cultures warfare.

I love this series and have reread it more times than i can count. I would recommend this as one of the great fantasy reads! On that note, I am off to go and find my copy…..

Characters – 5/5 stars

World – 5/5 stars – it is beautiful, and the depiction of such a complex and vast world is done without any info-dumps.

Romance – NA

Plot  – 5/5 stars – amazing, and 1000 stars if you read the whole series.

Things to be aware of: there are a few mentions from various male characters that Kennedy might sleep with the boys despite the fact she is only 10. There is some violence. It depends on what you are comfortable with, but I would say that you could read it around eleven if you are comfortable with fantasy violence. I personally read it about then and have reread it several times since and got just as much enjoyment as I did the first time.

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