Two-and-a-half stars, rounding up thanks to the more interesting last third of the book. But jeez Louis, this book was actually quite bad! Let me justTwo-and-a-half stars, rounding up thanks to the more interesting last third of the book. But jeez Louis, this book was actually quite bad! Let me just spitfire some things that were just plain bad writing in this book:
- Why yes, I do want to get a B.S. in fabrial engineering. Navani droning on and on about this made me just zone out. - Why yes, do please tell me again (for the 100th time!) that Taravangian is dumb/smart depending on the day. You did not make this point very clear in the previous novel, so do please repeat it every other sentence when it is a Taravangian chapter. - Why yes, do let every single character suddenly have PTSD and a total problem with what them the characters they had become until that point. I have no problem with mental health as a topic, but come on, everyone? - Editing. This book could easily cut 400 pages and still contain 98% of the content it told. I mean, what really happened in this book? How was the story actually driven further? Most of this could have been covered in half a dozen chapters. I listened to the audiobook, which damn near 50 hours!
Really, Sanderson is already known to be quite formulaic, but this book felt like a tick-the-box session on steroids....more
Amazing how a book can be so well written, yet is so boring, and so long, yet contain no story. Someone please explain me what is so great about this Amazing how a book can be so well written, yet is so boring, and so long, yet contain no story. Someone please explain me what is so great about this book?...more
Some books are meant to be found. I would probably never, being a beardy adult man, buy a John Green book, because John Green writes YA. I don't read Some books are meant to be found. I would probably never, being a beardy adult man, buy a John Green book, because John Green writes YA. I don't read YA. So when I found this book in a big bag outside my door, which I as marked as to give away, I was sure to take this one home when I saw it. And dammit John, I did not regret it. Some tears might have been shed. Some thought might have been had. Thank you....more
I love mythology. The stories, despite their inherent weirdness due to the distance they have between our understanding of the world and theirs, are yI love mythology. The stories, despite their inherent weirdness due to the distance they have between our understanding of the world and theirs, are yet so familiar. I believe this is due to us taking over so many of their concepts and ideas into modern media. Heroes' journeys, fair maidens, dragons and demons, gods and traitors, none of it feels fresh, which is why reading mythology can be difficult sometimes. Reading modern stories makes you feel like ancient stories are incomplete, or unfinished. What I mean is that modern stories, with their plotting, character development, and other modern tropes, feel so much better organized. It is a bit like preferring the copy of something, or the work of the student who has outdone the master. Stephen Fry manages to cast the original in a new mold, making it all the more exciting. With grace, he merges a modern sense of humor with ancient prose.
Wat kunnen we nog zeggen over deze novelle wat nog niet gezegd. Een kort, simpel maar intrigerend verhaal van een kind in oorlogstijd. Marga Minco zelWat kunnen we nog zeggen over deze novelle wat nog niet gezegd. Een kort, simpel maar intrigerend verhaal van een kind in oorlogstijd. Marga Minco zelf had nooit gedacht dat het zo populair zou worden, al was het maar omdat het al sinds jaren op de leeslijst staat van zo'n beetje iedere middelbare school leerling. In minder dan 80 pagina's verteld ze een kant van de oorlog, die wellicht vaak onderbelicht is gebleven, die van de onderduiker die overleefd. In dit boek geen verhaal uit de kampen, maar de ontreddering van het verliezen van familie terwijl je zelf de oorlog overleefd op het platteland....more