Book reviews: The Cuckoo's Calling | Stolthet och fördom | Ædnan

Title: The Cuckoo's Calling
Author: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Original title: The Cuckoo's Calling
First published: 2013
Genre: Crime, Adult
Series: Cormoran Strike #1
Publisher: Sphere
Format: Paperback
Pages: 550
Finished: 27/07/2020
Summary: When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. A war veteran, wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike's life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get - and the closer he gets to terrible danger.

My thoughts: I read this together with some friends over the course of a few weeks. Unfortunately, we were all very disappointed in it. The writing style is definitely Rowling's, and that's good when we're talking Harry Potter. However, it did not work as well in this context. Rowling mixes in crude words and attempts a harsher style, which doesn't go naturally with her normal style. The clash wasn't pleasant. Another thing is the change in perspective. We switch from Cormoran to Robin now and then, but they both have the exact same narration. The POV would also change in the middle of a chapter without warning, which was confusing and lead to annoyance. Overall, the characters had little depth. I think part of the fault here is the sheer amount of characters explored in the murder investigation. There were so many that most of them became only shallow figures based on stereotypes. Then there's Rowling's way of describing black people as opposed to white. She only described skin colour when observing a black character, and many times such characters would be described with words like 'exotic'. Also, the only characters who had written out accents were black. Need I say more?
What of the mystery? Well, the investigation was mostly tedious and to someone like me who has read close to no crime novels before, this was not the one to make me more interested in the genre. In the end I became too bored to feel any curiosity. I stopped wanting to know who was the murderer, if there even was one. The resolution was unsatisfactory. I didn't buy the motivation for certain things.
Overall, I don't recommend the book, but it could've been worse. I liked most of Robin's character, and Cormoran was okay at times. I will most likely never continue with the series.

Rating: 2,5/5

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Title: Stolthet och fördom
Author: Jane Austen
Original title: Pride and Prejudice
First published: 1813
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Albert Bonnier
Format: Danskt band (??)
Pages: 462
Finished: 31/07/2020
Summary: Mrs. Bennet has but one aim in life: to find a good match for each of her five daughters. Mr. Bennet, a mild and indolent man given to witty cynicisms, refuses to take this vulgar project seriously; he ridicules his wife instead of giving her support in her schemes. One of the daughters, Elizabeth, becomes prejudiced against her future suitor, Darcy, because of his arrogance and his uncalled-for interference with his friend Bingley’s courtship of her sister Jane. In interfering with Jane and Bingley, Darcy is influence by Mrs. Bennet’s undisguised husband-hunt and her impropriety in general; he mistakenly believes that Jane is only seeking an advantageous match and that her feelings are not sincere. In spite of his disapproval of the Bennet family. Darcy cannot keep himself from falling in love with Elizabeth, and he proposes to her. The tone of the proposal (it is evident that his love for Elizabeth is a blow to his pride) and her own prejudice cause Elizabeth to coldly reject him.

My thoughts: Probably one of my new favourite classics, and definitely one of the best books I've read this year. Austen writes characters and relationships in an expertly manner and I instantly felt at home in the historical setting with its balls, intrigues, and minor scandals. I loved the bond that Elizabeth had to her sisters and parents; it actually felt like a real family. Each sister was their own person, and her parents were truly polar opposites of each other. There's also a lot of humour in this novel, and I had to laugh out loud at several points while reading. To think that the wit of a British lady who lived two hundred years ago is still funny! Furthermore, this is of course an iconic work of romance. Reading about Mr Darcy and Miss Bennet was exciting and romantic. However, I want to point a finger to the wonderful feminism that's sprinkled over the story, even despite of the time it was written. Elizabeth is a woman with an independent mind and will, with obvious feminist values that were thoroughly refreshing for a classic. If all this sounds intriguing to you, I highly recommend you pick up this book soon!
Note: 'Danskt band' is a format for which I can't find any proper translation. It means 'Danish bind' and is a mix between paperback and hardcover. It has the shape of a hardcover but the soft bind of a paperback.

Rating: 4,5/5

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Title: Ædnan
Author: Linnea Axelsson
Original title: Ædnan
First published: 2018
Genre: Historical, Poetry
Series: --
Publisher: Albert Bonnier
Format: Hardcover
Time: 760
Finished: 
Summary: A mother and her youngest son rest with a few other women, elders, and children in a goahti. Ahead of them on the migration route, her husband and elder son push the herd of reindeer. They're headed for an island in northernmost Norway, where they will find pasture for summer. Nobody suspects that the border to Norway will close for them in a few years; that they will be forced to leave their home, and that future generations will face difficulties of a new kind.

My thoughts: Ædnan is old sámi and means the land, the ground, and the Earth.

This is a brick of a book, but it's read quite swiftly. I'm unused to reading in verse, which this is written in, but it was interesting to try it out. I think I've concluded that the format isn't really for me, or perhaps I should begin a search for a verse novel that suits me. Either way, I feel that the format was somewhat to this book's disadvantage. Being poetic can come at the cost of making the content of the story more difficult to understand and interpret. Whilst I feel that I grasped what the story was meant to tell, I fear a lot was still lost on me. Another factor to this was the way the storytelling switched constantly back and forth on the timeline, as well as between points of view. Had the story not been written in verse, I think it would have been easier to keep track of the different characters and their stories. However, I could never quite grasp who was who and what relationships the characters had to each other or what happened when and what consequences things had. I wish we'd just followed a maximum of three characters the entire book, and not jumped back and forth on the timeline. Like I said; a lot was probably lost on me because of the way the story is told.

Still, this book has some powerful scenes. And I did learn some things. It was emotional to read about the sámi people being forced to alter their lifestyle by the cruel ambition of Swedes. They were stripped of their land, their rights, and their dignity when the Swede decided through 'scientific racism' that sámi were beneath them, inferior and undeserving. It's a dark and despicable time in history, and the sámi deserved so much better. The book does a good job of explaining what the sámi people have been exposed to and how they're still affected today by the actions of the Swedish people. I dearly wish that whatever steps can be taken for the sámi people to regain their rights, their land, and their former lifestyle will be executed as soon as possible. They deserve respect and love. I'd like to read more fiction or books by sámi people and about sámi culture and history. Perhaps I will have a greater chance at understanding the message of a book written in traditional prose.

Also, wtf Vattenfall? Rude!!

Rating: 3,25/5

Book reviews: Convenience Store Woman | The Stranger | Heart of Darkness

Title: Convenience Store Woman
Author: Sayaka Murata
Original title: コンビニ人間
First published: 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Granta
Format: Paperback
Pages: 163
Finished: 21/07/2020
Summary: Keiko has never really fitted in. At school and university people find her odd and her family worries she'll never be normal. To appease them, Keiko takes a job at a newly opened convenience store. Here, she finds peace and purpose in the simple, daily tasks and routine interactions. She is, she comes to understand, happiest as a convienience store worker. But in Keiko's social circle it just won't do for an unmarried woman to spend all her time stacking shelves and re-ordering green tea.

My thoughts: I read this for the 2020 Reading Rush, for the challenge to read a book set in another continent than the one you live on. I live in Europe and this is set in Japan in Asia.
I liked this book, though it won't leave a long lasting impression. Some books are like that. Keiko is a rather passive protagonist whose perspective at times seemed bizarre. I like that she's gone her own way in life, and I could sometimes see myself in her, though we are very different in most aspects. The male character she at a point gets involved with is infuriatingly annoying and rude, but in an almost comical way. Overall it's a fairly pleasant and quick read with a definitely unique atmosphere and narrative.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: The Stranger
Author: Albert Camus
Original title: L'Étranger
First published: 1942
Genre: Philosophy, Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 117
Finished: 23/07/2020
Summary: Meursault will not pretend. After the death of his mother, everyone is shocked when he shows no sadness. And when he commits a random act of violence in Algiers, society is baffled. Why would this seemingly law-abiding bachelor do such a thing? And why does he show no remorse even when it could save his life? His refusal to satisfy the feelings of others only increases his guilt in the eyes of the law. Soon Meursault discovers that he is being tried not simply for his crime, but for his lack of emotion - a reaction that condemns him for being an outsider.

My thoughts: I read this one for the 2020 Reading Rush challenge to read a book with a title that starts with the word "the".
This was my type of book! There was something about the simple, yet graceful and almost calming way it was written that struck something in me. The story itself is a fascinating one, and the perspective from which it is told is equally interesting. I ended up really liking and rooting for Meursault, despite his crimes and obvious lack of remorse. I couldn't help it! The story was simply that well written and brought to light important questions of how we judge a person and what punishment we give criminals. Meursault is not just judged for his crime; he is judge doubly for his inability to feel sadness, loss, or regret. Is the crime made more horrible if the criminal shows no regret, or should it be judged all the same?
If you enjoy other modern classics like "Stoner" by John Williams or "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, I strongly recommend you check this one out as well. It exceeded my expectations with splendour! 

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: Heart of Darkness
Author: Joseph Conrad
Narrator: David Horovitch
Original title: Heart of Darkness
First published: 1899
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Naxos
Format: Audiobook
Time: 4h 38min
Finished: 23/07/2020
Summary: Newly-employed in an ivory trading company, Marlow travels down-river into the depths of the African jungle. As he goes, he witnesses the shocking subjection of the natives, and his faith in the imperialist mission weakens. The enigmatic chief of the trading camp Kurtz becomes the focus of this ambivalence. Reports of rapacious and violent deeds seemingly contradict his reputation as an idealistic and admirable leader, and the suspense mounts in the lead up to the appearance of this shifting, unknowable figure.

My thoughts: This one I read for the 2020 Reading Rush challenge to read a book completely outside my home.
Not much to say. Maybe the format of audio wasn't to this book's advantage. Though the narrator did an admirable job with the voices and such, I didn't ever become really interested in the story. Or in anything. The writing doesn't strike me as bad, but it's not the best. There are too many long metaphors and similes that lead close to nowhere, and without them the story would've shortened in length. I was a bit interested to see how the ivory industry would be described, but it was only mentioned offhandedly on one or two occasions. The author describes the black population residing near the Congo river in a cruel and abhorrent fashion, using amongst others the word 'savages' to refer to them. While he was certainly a person with views from his time, I was no less appalled. The characters overall had no positive impact on me whatsoever, although I was obviously supposed to react very strongly to every 'horror' that Marlow encountered on his trip to Africa. Yes, the writing could be good at times, and I really admire the commitment the narrator showed in the audiobook. Nevertheless, I'm bound to forget about this book soon.

Rating: 2/5

Book reviews: Britt-Marie var här | The Black Prism | Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel

Title: Britt-Marie var här (Britt-Marie Was Here)
Author: Fredrik Backman
Narrator: Marie Richardson
Original title: Britt-Marie var här
First published: 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Bonnier
Format: Audiobook
Time: 11h 13min
Finished: 
Summary: At first sight, Britt-Marie is a fussy, passive-aggressive busybody. But hidden inside her is a woman who has bigger dreams and a warmer heart than anyone around her imagines. When she finds herself alone for the first time in decades, she realises she's spent her life making choices for the sake of other people. Is it too late for her to change? And in a small town of big-hearted misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs?

My thoughts: "Britt-Marie var här" is both a story about fitting in and breaking free. To go from accepting one's lot in life to demanding something better for oneself. To exit one's comfort zone and widen one's horizons. About feeling needed and wanted. About a world changing, but on a very small scale.
This was a very nice little story. I must say it was expertly narrated by Marie Richardson, whose voice fit perfectly with Britt-Marie's character. I suppose this book is sort of feelgood, while also being quite sombre at times. It's got some good wisdom to share, while also being a bit ridiculous at times. Overall, I wasn't blown away, but I liked it a fair bit nonetheless. Britt-Marie was a great character to follow, and the book almost made me feel something for football (other than utter despise). I liked the setting, because it was uniquely described and I felt like I've been in a hundred similar little towns in my life. Run down, but still loved. However, I didn't feel a lot for most of the characters, and the kids kind of annoyed me. But I appreciated Britt-Marie enough to look past that.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try out good Swedish literature, and who's looking for something uplifting, thought through, warm, and unique. I'd love to read more books centred around senior characters. I also recommend the audiobook in Swedish.
PS. The book has been translated to several different languages, including English, if you'd like to check it out.

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: The Black Prism
Author: Brent Weeks
Original title: The Black Prism
First published: 2010
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: Lightbringer #1
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Pages: 735
Finished: 17/06/2020
Summary: Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.
When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

My thoughts: Oh, where to start? Perhaps with the expectations I had? They were high to say the least. Lots of people on BookTube had raved about the series, what with the somewhat recent release of the final instalment, and the reviews on Goodreads were raving. This was bound to be my new favourite thing in the world! What could go wrong? Everybody loved it!
A lot could go wrong, it would seem. Truly, a lot. I will keep myself as short as I can. Let's start with the protagonists. Kip, who is around 15 years old, is an insolent little brat and I'd rather see him dead. He has very few redeeming qualities. He is rude, insensitive, dumb, and immature. I wish him no happiness as a character, but I much less wish to hear more of his whining. Then there's Gavin, who is a so-called morally grey character, meaning the reader is supposed to like and feel for him despite him being morally dubious. Was he morally dubious? Yes. Did I like him? No. He's twice Kip's age but they have about the same mindset and maturity level. There is also Karris, the female protagonist. I didn't feel much of anything for her.
Next, there is the blatant sexism sprinkled lovingly all over this novel. The majority of the female characters were at some point, often at several points, described as sex objects. Their breasts, lips, butts, and hips were mentioned over and over again. Far too many times for me to keep up with the counting. Both Kip and Gavin express themselves in a very sexist manner and seem to have a immature (yes, I'm using that word again) view on women. To make up for the fact that Gavin can't have the love of his life, he's got a sex slave who looks like her to sleep with him instead. At several points Kip shows some minor 'weakness' or emotion and it's joked that 'he's almost as bad as a woman'. I didn't see any point to all this sexism and I grew tired of it very quickly.
Third is the writing style, plotting, and other. The style of the writing is very simple, almost juvenile. Not in any way elegant or beautiful. I almost think Brent Weeks must be a 15 year old himself in a disguise. The writing would also switch at random from third person view to first person to presumably show a character's thoughts, but would do so without any italic text or quotation marks.  The plot was repetitive. Kip almost drowns more than three times in the course of one book. Three times. Brent Weeks got obsessed with describing what it's like to nearly drown, and decided to include it several times for the same character and no one else. I've also read the word 'luxin' enough times for a life time through this book. There are several small but noticeable plot holes that I won't mention because they're spoilers.
What did I even like? I think some of the world building was interesting. The story had promise, but wasn't executed well. It was way too long. I'm glad I finished it, though, and didn't leave it half read. At least now I can write a review. I don't recommend this book to anyone I like.

Rating: 2,25/5

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Title: Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel
Author: Richelle Mead
Illustrator: Emma Vieceli
Original title: Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel
First published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel #1
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 144
Finished: 20/07/2020
Summary: St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, they must stay alive.

My thoughts: I read this for the challenge to read a book from a genre you wish you'd read more of for the 2020 Reading Rush!
While I loved the "Vampire Academy" series, the first book was my least favourite. It's a bit simple, shallow, and cliche. I wanted to read the graphic novel adaption to see if it added anything to the story of the first book that would make it better. I didn't find that was the case. The story became compressed because of this new format, and thus a lot of character and world building was lost on clumsy exposition and a frenzied pacing. It was, however, pleasant to see certain aspects of the story visualised, such as the St Vladimir school, the magic, and some of the characters that I thought was very well depicted. Overall I didn't fall head over heels for the art style, though satisfactory, or the shortened format.

Rating: 2,25/5

Book reviews: The Final Empire | My Year of Rest and Relaxation | The Well of Ascension

Title: The Final Empire
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Original title: The Final Empire
First published: 2006
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: Mistborn #1
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Pages: 643
Finished: 13/01/2020
Summary: In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with colour once more?
In Brandon Sanderson's intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage— Allomancy, a magic of the metals.

My thoughts: I'm so glad I believed enough in this series to buy the boxed set, because I need to continue on with this now. I don't care that the sequel is almost 800 pages; I require it in order to live on! I've heard that "The Final Empire" is the weakest in the trilogy, and if that's true... I'm about to go through a lot in the upcoming weeks, let's just say that.
Brandon Sanderson is an author that I've held to extreme standards, even having read "The Reckoners" trilogy and only liking it, but not loving it. I always felt that once I got into his high fantasy stuff, he'd become my favourite author. I just had to get through one of his bricks... And now I have! "The Final Empire", along with the rest of the original "Mistborn" trilogy, has been in my possession for a few years now. I've lived in anticipation for them, but all along felt intimidated by the page count. However, it was for such fears that I made my goals for 2020 (to read more thicc books).
This story offers such depth and character development, twists and turns, plots and schemes, that I was just left flailing in absolute awe (literally). Our protagonists, Kelsier and Vin, were amazingly prominent and expertly carved out in their personalities. The world building has a strong and solid base and leaves a lot to be discovered in future books. The plot itself, built on high fantasy politics, a daring heist, and whispers of rebellion was juiciness itself. Just dripping with action and excitement that will have anyone biting their nails.
As for the downsides that forced the rating down from 5/5 to 4,75/5, well... Many have criticised Sanderson for his simple language in this novel but that wasn't something that bothered me. It didn't need to be flowery and lavish; the plot and characters made up for that quite enough. What I will say, however, were that some fighting scenes were difficult to imagine, at least to me, because of somewhat lacking descriptions. Stuff was certainly happening, but I didn't always grasp exactly how the fighting scenes played out and who flew where etc. My second complaint is about some important sideline characters that I kept getting mixed up because they were just too similar and had roles that were similar to each other. I think those could've been more fleshed out, but maybe that's something that will happen in the next book.
Regardless of these small complaints, I really loved this book, and I want to end this review on a positive note. Brandon Sanderson seems to have been writing excellent fantasy since at least 2006 (when this was released) and I can't wait to read more by him. This novel ended up packing such an emotional punch that I won't be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon.
(PS. I love Kelsier)

Rating: 4,75/5

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Title: My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Author: Ottessa Moshfegh
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Original title: My Year of Rest and Relaxation
First published: 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Audiobook
Time: 7h 15min
Finished: 13/01/2020
Summary: Our narrator should be happy, shouldn't she? She's young, thin, pretty, a recent Columbia graduate, works an easy job at a hip art gallery, lives in an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan paid for, like the rest of her needs, by her inheritance. But there is a dark and vacuous hole in her heart, and it isn't just the loss of her parents, or the way her Wall Street boyfriend treats her, or her sadomasochistic relationship with her best friend, Reva. It's the year 2000 in a city aglitter with wealth and possibility; what could be so terribly wrong?

My thoughts: I'd only heard about this book from two BookTubers (Ariel Bissett and TheBookTuber) and they'd both pitched it as this purely weird book that really left a mark, in an odd way. I became curious, though not enough to purchase the book or find it in a library, but when I eventually found it on the new audiobook app I downloaded, I was too curious to let the opportunity pass. It is, after all, only 7 hours long, and will expire from the app entirely on January 17th (2020).
I must say that this book is truly bizarre. I don't think I've read anything quite like it since "The Wasp Factory" by Iain Banks, which I liked, but was also disturbed by. With this book, I certainly felt disturbed. Our main character has been feeling depressed to say the least, and decides that the best solution to her problem is to hibernate. During an entire year, she does whatever she can to sleep as much as possible. It's not at all healthy, yet she goes to such incredible lengths to fulfil this new idea. It is disturbing to read about, but also captivating in a way. She's not easy to like - in fact I think I'd hate her if I knew her in real life. She appears to lack empathy and compassion, and in some cases acts like a really horrible person. I don't even know for sure if I enjoyed reading about her.
However, here is the catch... I couldn't stop listening. Did I like the book while reading it? Maybe. At times I'd say no, at other times I found it humorous. Could I stop reading? No! It was just too weird. I had to know what would happen to her; would she somehow die from sleeping too much, would she ruin her own life through the "project", would she be able to really go into hibernation?
I do recommend it if you're just looking for a super weird reading experience, and the audiobook was alright. In the end, I'm conflicted about my feelings, but happy that I read it.

Rating: 3,25/5

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Title: The Well of Ascension
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Original title: The Well of Ascension
First published: 2007
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: Mistborn #2
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Pages: 763
Finished: 30/01/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert! Vin, the street urchin who has grown into the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire. Three separate armies attack. As the siege tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

My thoughts: As stated in my review for "The Final Empire", I really enjoyed reading the first book in the "Mistborn" series. It was a good mixture of slow and fast paced, setbacks and successes, friendship and betrayal, good times and bad times. It had a good balance, making it easy to stay interested and excited.
I didn't quite find that this was the case with "The Well of Ascension". That balance was somewhat lost, and after hundreds of pages without it, I started to lose interest... I knew, of course, that I wanted to finish the book, and furthermore finish the series, but I was starting to get worn down. A great chunk of this book consists of piles upon piles of setbacks for our main characters. Not only do things start out looking grim; they keep getting grimmer for each page. Now, I can appreciate a story where not everything goes well for the hero, but when everything just goes bad it's not as fun anymore.
That being said, despite how slow this novel was, I enjoyed following Vin's character development, and also seeing the focus shift to characters that were kept mostly in the background of "The Final Empire". The part of the story that contained action were still entertaining, but many of them were too similar to one another. I want each fight to be more original, or else the motivation for so many seems null. I wish this book had been shortened by some hundred pages. I can see why this is the lowest rated book in the trilogy.

Rating: 3,75/5

Book reviews: The Archived | The Priory of the Orange Tree | Daisy Jones & The Six

Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Original title: The Archived
First published: 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: The Archived #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 327
Finished: 25/12/2019
Summary: Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

My thoughts: I wanted to squeeze this in before the end of the year, as I've been wanting to read it for a long time and probably won't get the chance to in 2020. After reading "The Near Witch", another one of Schwab's earlier YA works, I didn't have very high expectations on this one. It turned out that I was right in that assumption, because it is obvious that Schwab is an author who has developed immensely in her writing over time. And that's awesome; her adult novels keep such a high quality, and "Vicious" is one of my all time favourite novels. Nevertheless, this also means that her older work is of a lower standard. This was the case with "The Archived".
I just never got into this story. The concept was sort of intriguing, though not executed well enough for it to keep my interest. Schwab's writing style has also developed since these early novels, hence we're lacking the presence of its current quality in this one. The protagonist was rather bland, though I will say I didn't necessarily dislike any of the other characters. In fact, I disliked Mackenzie the most (didn't hate her). I found Schwab's negative comment on a boy looking silly because he wore eyeliner rather repulsive, and I hope that's something she's left behind her.
I can see why she never completed the trilogy, and why she's be hesitant to do so now. It's a step down from the author she's become, and I don't know if she'd be able to go back to the style of writing she once had when she wrote "The Archived". I just don't think the project would be very successful, and she's much better off creating new original worlds and characters instead.
All in all, I'm sad to say this turned out to be a very average YA urban fantasy novel that was bound to get lost in the sea from the very start. I'm happy to see that Schwab has evolved in her style, and that she nowadays publishes splendid novel and has a faithful following. However, to fans of her later work, I don't suggest that you explore her earlier books, unless you wish to see how her writing has changed. There's better stuff out there.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree
Author: Samantha Shannon
Original title: The Priory of the Orange Tree
First published: 2019
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback
Pages: 804
Finished: 26/12/2019
Summary: The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across the dark sea, Tane has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

My thoughts: I finish off 2019 by reading one of the biggest books I've ever taken on. This behemoth came out this year and has been celebrated by many of those who have read it. I myself want to dive more into high fantasy, and thought that this gorgeous book would help me along the way. It did!
The start was a bit slow, as Shannon begins with building up the new world and its politics. However, once all the information had settled in my brain, I found that I grew accustomed to the ways of this world with ease. I was looking for a slow paced novel filled to the brim with high fantasy politics, and that is partly what I got out of it. Luckily, I also got a lot more.
I ended up thinking I was gonna rate this around 4/5 stars in the beginning, to being sure it was near a 5/5 star read towards the end. This story just keeps on building and building and the world and characters grew more and more rich until I reached a point where I went from thinking it was good to knowing it was amazing. I found the relationships really endearing, and the slow build up to the romance was very nice. I was at the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen, and whose hearts would be broken!
The few downsides to this book involves the finale and perspectives. Out of the four perspectives, I only found that two or three helped fulfil the story. One of them (I have a specific one in mind) could easily have been skipped. They could've been kept as a character, but the added perspective just slowed down the whole narrative. These parts were my least favourite in the story. When it comes to the finale, I will be writing mild spoilers (I think you could still enjoy the book knowing them, but be warned). Too see those spoilers, highlight the following 'invisible' text: The finale was luckily not a rushed one, which I appreciate. However, the stakes were high, and I wish the losses would have been greater. It would have had a greater impact on me if somebody important had died or something else sad had occurred. Nothing of that sort really happened, and hence I didn't get the tearful and emotional ending I'd anticipated and hoped for. I wanted it to pack a harder punch. It's still a satisfactory ending, though, so I'm not mad. Just a little underwhelmed by that particular part of the story.
I've heard the book get some criticism for being a standalone novel, because there's a ton to explore in the universe and with the characters that Shannon has built. However, I like that it's a standalone. I don't have to worry about mentally preparing for a sequel and the (possible) disappointments it might bring, and the big project of reading another book of this size. It's done very well as a standalone story, and I think it should get good credit for that!
I want to say that the book is truly worth reading. I ended up not rating it a full 5/5 stars because of the downsides that I mentioned, but I still consider this one of the best books I read in 2019.

Rating: 4,75/5

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Title: Daisy Jones & The Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrator: Full cast
Original title: Daisy Jones & The Six
First published: 2019
Genre: Historical, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Audiobook
Time: 9h 3min
Finished: 07/01/2020
Summary: Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

My thoughts: This is the first audiobook I've listened to in over a year, and I was pleasantly surprised by the format. Especially this book, with its full cast of voice actors, was incredibly well produced, and I had a lot of fun listening to it. It's also my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I know she's gotten praise for writing characters that felt like they've actually existed. This format definitely added to that quality.
Besides this being a phenomenal audiobook, it's also a very good book. The characters are well written and developed, and the format felt new and refreshing. I felt for the characters, and I could imagining them existing in real life. I was almost convinced that Daisy Jones and The Six were great artists from the 70's. The author did a great job with the interview style of writing, and I'd love to get to her other book, "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo", later this year.
The slight downsides to this book is that I know I wouldn't have like it as much if I'd read it rather than listened to it. The audio production just adds so much to it. I guess that shouldn't lower my opinion of it, and I could consider re-reading it in physical form, but I don't think I'd enjoy it as much. The other thing which is the main reason that I couldn't give the book the highest rating, was that it pushed too hard on the romance. I wasn't for the romance; I thought it was unnecessary and added little to the story, yet it was given a lot of space and importance.
Other than that, though, it's a great book. I highly recommend the audiobook, and I think it'd be good in its original form as well. I'm happy to have read this book, and I look forward to more by this author!

Rating: 4,25/5