Eternal Curse - Kara Leigh Miller

Prepare yourself for a very fun and entertaining read. "Eternal Curse" is one of those books that can be read in basically one sitting, so much fun it is to be with its characters and so fast is the pace of the plot, with things happening here and here so boredom doesn't set in and with a not overly complicated and easily to jump in world.

It all starts with Chloe, whose mother just died, arriving to a new town, to start a new life with her aunt, uncle and cousin Abby. The story is seamlessly set up, with a start that allows the characters to have a background but also an environment for new opportunities and dangers to arise.

Chloe, of course, pretty soon meets pretty boy Trent, also new in town, and things start to get complicated. This relationship is well developed and it was fun to see these two together, and there is a nice streak of humor that keeps them relatable. But Trent and Chloe, even if the center of the story, are not the only two characters, and many others have a chance to shine, even if, being in the background, their roles are less developed.

The best thing is how fun it all is. From page one, the author does a great job in making the reader want to continue reading, to see what is going to happen and what new mystery or danger awaits Chloe. It was so easy to jump into this world and start to care for the characters and to want to know more of them. And the writing helps, the style perfect for this type of book and nicely reflecting the inner world and way of thinking of a young person, their fears and desires.

There are some shortcomings, though, that stop the novel from being more, something special. The first is the aforementioned similarities with some very famous novels/TV shows, which leave the reader with some sense of déjà vu. For some readers this will be a plus, but for others, it could be a little bit repetitive.

Otherwise, the story (and the characters' motivations) sometimes feels rushed, in such a way that, even if things never become boring, it feels that slowing down the pace a little bit would have given the characters a little more space to breathe and develop their feelings more. There is a very important plot development around one third into the book that plays a vital role in the characters' actions, but pretty soon it feels brushed off, as if it, almost, never happened. I think it would have been better to dwell a little more on the impact of those events in the inner world of the characters and their everyday life (the story would have been longer, though, and the pace may have suffered).

Also, there are sometimes when I, personally, wanted Chloe to be stronger, more independent. It is something that happens more than I like in these kind of YA books, and maybe it is just me, but Trent, as other male characters, feels too strong and overprotective compared with Chloe, who seems to need an anchor. Kudos, though, to the author, because those behaviors have a reason to be and it makes sense that Chloe behaves the way she does. But, stronger Chloe would have been better for me.

One last point that could be improved is a little problem with Chloe, that pops up a couple of times. Some character says: 'This happened to me' and Chloe compares that with her own situation and experiences. Doing that internally is normal, human, but then she seems to have the need to tell the other characters it, as if they were competing in difficulties or problems, and it makes her seem a little bit whiny, as if she was belittling the other character's feelings or experiences.

But, if you have the chance, and you like the genre, read it. It is fun, it is fast, the characters are easy to be with, and the story offers a lot to enjoy.

The best: the characters are easy to relate to; the story is read in a breeze; the beginning, that sets up things prettily, and the ending, which leaves the reader wanting to know more about the characters

The worst: feeling of déjà vu'; the story feels rushed in some parts

Alternatives: well, if I say "Twilight" no one will be surprised, right?; there are many YA out there, like "The Lunar Chronicles" or "The Hunger Games" that are also a lot of fun to read

6.5/10

(Read in English)

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author and booksirens for the copy*

ノルウェイの森 (上) - 村上 春樹 (Haruki Murakami)

In my last review I was saying that there are some authors that sound pedantic, that, while reading them, come out as people who seem to think too highly of themselves, and I put a particular group as an example of where you can find many of these authors. Well, I was kind of lying. Because while reading this first volume of "ノルウェイの森" ("Norwegian Wood") by Haruki Murakami, I got the same feeling: that the author thinks he is amazing, his writing amazing and he becomes intoxicated with his own words.

That is not to say that the book is bad or Murakami doesn't know how to write, because he does. But he becomes repetitive in the long soliloquies that many characters in this book say, and in how our 'hero' seems some kind of twisted male fantasy, with so many women relying on him to tell him their life stories. The style is good, dreamy, and there are some quite beautiful moments, but having a random character who we just met deciding to tell Toru all about themselves, reeks a little bit. And it is also kind of creepy.

Let's see how things evolve in the second volume (and yes, I read it around fifteen years ago, but I don't remember anything).

The best: the writing style

The worst: repetitive; all those female characters revolving around our Toru

Further reading: I preferred Murakami's "Sputnik Sweetheart" (I read it when I was way younger, though) or a smaller work like "東京奇譚集"; Shion Miura, Jaume Cabré... are other authors that remind me of him.

5.5/10

(Japanese)

Ventajas de viajar en tren - Antonio Orejudo

As it just happened to me with the Kjartan Fløgstad's book I read before this, this is one book that left me with the feeling the author is a snob that thinks too much of himself. It may be just me, but normally, when this feeling happens while I am reading a book, it is always a white, middle-aged man (it can be younger or older, but the white man is almost always there). It may be just me, but "Ventajas de viajar en tren" just feels like an ego-trip from someone who thinks they are SO smart.

The story, to call it something because this is one of those stories within stories type, starts with a woman going home in a train. And I will leave just there, because even if I felt the author squandered his opportunity, I don't want to tell more than I already did.

And why didn't I like it? Because, as I said, the writing style felt too full of itself, snobby and posh. And the 'story' per se is not so interesting as Orejudo seems to think it is, repetitive, a little creepy (very, and not in a good way) and not particularly smart. With so many better works out there, it feels pointless to read this.

The best: I have a weakness for the story within story mold

The worst: snobby, repetitive, poor writing style, creepy

Alternatives: well. the obvious one is Jan Potocki's "Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse"; if you have already read it, you can try...: Kjartan Fløgstad, David Foster Wallace, Virginia Woolf, Karl Ove Knausgård, Margaret Atwood, Shiwon Miura, Kôtarô Isaka, Jaume Cabré...

4/10

(Spanish)

Crimson Hunter - N.D. Jones

This is not a bad book at all. N.D. Jones knows how to write, creating characters, setting and atmosphere with a few strokes, in an engaging style that, even if at the beginning is a little bit difficult to follow what is going on, the author throwing you to a whole new world, is easy on the eye, and good in giving flow to the story. The characters, even if of the cardboard type, are relatable, easy to like (and/or hate) and do not overstay their welcome.

However, I have to say that "Crimson Hunter" left me kind of cold. Because, even with all the metal, witches, and werewolves in another world (or maybe because of that), it has nothing that makes it stand out from the herd of similar novels, nothing new here that you haven't read or seen before, and probably done better. The relationships are stereotypical, the whole plot can be inferred after, like, one third of the book (or less) and, for a book about witches and werewolves, it lacks... how can I say it... oh, yes, magic. Also, I found the constant sexy scenes between Oriana and Marrok pointless and without adding much to the story, the characters or anything at all. Maybe I am a prude, but I need some reason for characters to get naked.

You may not regret reading it. But I think there is better out there.

The best: the style suits the story; the characters are enjoyable

The worst: it is not particularly original; too many 'steamy' moments for my taste

Alternatives: hmmm... Karen Chance, "The Dresden Files"... I haven't read much, actually, of urban fantasy, to which, even if very different, this books reminded me of; Marissa Meyer's "The Lunar Chronicles" is a good option too

5/10

(English)

*Thank you to the author and booksirens for the copy*

Kniven på strupen (Con el cuchillo en la garganta) - Kjartan Fløgstad

In the middle of nowhere (ok, in Norway, in a little industrial city which economy is based on oil, and where 'crazy' capitalism has taken over), some characters' lifes get entangled with surprising consequences.

But who cares about the plot? Because it is pretty clear that Fløgstad doesn't. This is a story that goes from A-ish to somewhere-ish, with simply depicted but full of life characters, whose motivations are a little bit cardboard-y. And that is because Fløgstad cares more about atmosphere, situations, use of language and criticize the modern (and not so modern) capitalist consummerist world.

And how does he fare? He actually does a really good job at it, with a great use of language (smartly translated; I can't read Norwegian), beautiful depicted situations and a clear critique of Norway and the world. At the same time, it is all kind of a mess, the story getting more and more convoluted as it goes along, difficult for the reader to care for the characters and what goes on, and with a couple of situations/comments on society that seem a little bit old fashioned (or they come out that way).

Interesting read but it fizzles a little bit along the way.

The best: Fløgstad knows how to write (and the translation is great); the sarcasm and irony that permeates the text

The worst: it is all kind of a mess; the unnecessary 'physical' moments

Further reading: David Foster Wallace, Virginia Woolf, Karl Ove Knausgård, Margaret Atwood, Shiwon Miura, Kôtarô Isaka, Jaume Cabré...

7/10

(Castilian translation by Kirsti Baggethun & Asunción Lorenzo)

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Mary Sue & Gary Sue fall in love in this boring romantic story that ticks all the boxes with only one twist, the fact that both characters are cancer patients, which gives us a lot of cringey moments, as Green doesn't seem to know how to develop a story or characters.

And it all starts well enough, Hazel and Augustus's introduction funny and relatable. However, it is pretty soon that one notices that both characters (their illness apart) are too perfect, handsome, beautiful, smart, already in university even though Hazel is still sixteen and also a writer of poetry... etc., etc., on top of both of them being basically the same character: Augustus and what for Augustus a perfect female would be, a strange wish fulfillment of a male's idea of a female. Even Isaac is basically the same character. And throwing into the mix a random and very cringey character doesn't help the story (view spoiler). And also, Augustus being kind of a sacrificial lamb for Hazel, the prince in a shining armor that comes to bring light to the depressed female, didn't sit very well with me.

Poor romance with a twist that seems to have been put there just to make readers cry, "The Fault in Our Stars" lacks.

The best: the beginning; some humor; the story is easy to follow

The worst: read the first thirty, forty pages and you have already read all character development; the plot is very simple and basic and goes downhill pretty fast; the characters are very poorly drawn; the humor becomes repetitive; I can't believe this love story; the protective male

Alternatives: just read Jane Austen, or Margaret Atwood, or Marian Keyes...

5/10

(English)

Immortal Defiance - Laura Maybrooke

Picture me pleasently surprised by "Immortal Defiance", a fantasy book well grounded, that instead of centering on big fights and journeys, decides to center on the relationship between Dulcea, an elven enchantress, and Krath, a vampire.

At the beginning we find Dulcea in danger, betrayed by one of her own warriors and in the hands of her enemies. Enemies that are going to sacrifice her to their god, so she becomes his maid for all of eternity.

But then, out of the blue, Krath appears and saves her. Krath being a vampire and not very willing to let her go back to her war.

What follows is an interesting and enjoyable (and sometimes a little bit worrisome for me, Dulcea too willing to put herself under Krath's influence) story, Dulcea's fears and desires being shaped by her new acquaintance, a vampire that makes her see things in a new way. It is a nice touch that the author has decided to center on the characters and she has a knack to make them relatable and interesting, even if a little bit stereotypical.

The story (this is the first volume of a trilogy) is well developed, even if there are too many flashbacks to tell of what has come before, and sometimes I wished the plot developed faster, but these are minor quibbles. Also, Maybrooke's writing style is perfect for the genre, with a good balance between dialogues, description and a good care into developing the atmosphere and the scenery, the world in which the story happens.

A good fantasy book. And a nice first step into a new world full of mysteries and adventures waiting to happen.

The best: the relationships between the characters are well developed, and they feel alive; that Maybrooke can pull Dulcea and Krath's relationship off

The worst: the relationship between our two heroes sometimes falls into the worrisome, the masculine dominating the femenine (decide whatever you want about this); the plot could go faster

Further reading: this kind of books falls into the David Gemmell or Terry Pratchett (minus the humor) fold: good characters (and maybe not so much plot)

6/10

(English)

*Thank you to the author and booksirens for the copy*

Normal People - Sally Rooney

A horrible book about a sick relationship between two toxic people, a relationship that never feels real, between two characters that are as cardboard-ish as they come, with zero arc and non-relatable at all, "Normal People" is a failure on all levels, a novel that is boring as they come and that could be summarized in: we like each other but we will make each other and people around us miserable; wash, rise and repeat.

Connell and Marianne are both studying at the same high school, but while Connell, even if from a poor family, is a good student and also good at soccer, Marianne comes from a rich family (for whom Connell's mother works as a cleaning person), nerdy and anti-social (and bullied). The book centers on these two despicable (because they are) characters and drags us for almost three hundred (million) pages through their lame, superficial, boring and stereotypical lives, till... Well, I will not spoil the ending.

Poorly written, with an unclear and unfocused writing style, and zero ideas on where to take the story, Rooney fails on all levels in making the story interesting at all, or of giving us an insight to the lives of these broken people. Instead of understanding them, we will end up hating them, and finding their behavior just plain boring.

Not worth your time.

The best: a couple of surprisingly well written paragraphs (maybe because all the rest is so rubbishy)

The worst: boring, horribly repetitive, despicable and toxic characters

Alternatives: Jonathan Coe, Shiwon Miura, Margaret Atwood, Jaume Cabré... if you want a touching and well written look on humans there are many good options, way better than this book

2/10

(English)

Metropolis - Philip Kerr

Bernie Gunther is a young detective who gets the opportunity to join the homicide's department in this prequel to the series that ended up being the swan song by Philip Kerr. Gunther gets the order to help investigate into the killings of prostitutes by a figure known as 'Winnetou' by Berliners, in reference to the character from Karl May's novels. And the investigation will take Gunther to the darker side of the Berlin of the era.

This is the first book by Kerr I have ever read. And I have to say I am pleasantly surprised: nice and streamlined written style, with little touches and flourishes that give life to the text; well developed characters (even if of the card-board variety); and an amazing depiction of the life and atmosphere of an era (or at least as how we could imagine that era to be). The plot, the mystery, is also well told and developed, even if it is a little bit (a lot) obvious. The only big downside is the constant messages around strong-men-that-drink-and-get-all-the-women type. It gets a little bit too much, our hero your prototypical and boring charming rogue.

The best: the characters have personality; the atmosphere and the environment are top-notch

The worst: the killer is an obvious choice; those 'bad&violent-men-but-also-soft-inside' archetypes that perpetuate silly (and dubious) ideas around masculinity

Alternatives: older like "Man In The Queue"; Japanese like Edogawa or Kirino; Val McDermid or Camilla Läckberg

6/10

(English)

One of Us is Lying - Karen M. McManus

A highly entertaining but shallow book, "One of Us is Lying" is not the worst you can do on a free afternoon, but it won't really surprise or shock you particularly.

It all goes around Simon, Simon being the 'official gossiper' in his particular high school, the teenager who gets to know all the secrets to then post them on the internet, to the chagrin, anger or enjoyment of his schoolmates.

Simon dying from an allergic reaction pretty soon in the book. To then becoming the four students that were with him in detention suspects in his death. While reading it, it reminded me, of course, of all those shows like "Pretty Little Liars", where teenagers with extraordinary romantic/sex lives get entangled in surprising mysteries and deaths.

We get prototypes here: the jock, the geek, the pretty and shallow one, the bad guy... Who McManus does a great job in developing, creating nuanced and full of life characters, people you will feel close to and care about, and worry that one of them may or may not be Simon's killer.

However, all this great character creation and development, and stale but enjoyable depiction of high school life, gets bogged down by a pretty poor mystery, and a resolution that seems fairly obvious once you are one third into the book.

The best: the characters are well fleshed out and you will care about them and their world and evolution

The worst: you can see where all of it is going pretty soon; some of the connections to real life events may not sit well with some readers (in particular if you are sensitive/close to those events)

Further reading: there is so much mystery to read out there... so, "Gone Girl" or if you are more into YA... not a mystery one, but "The Hunger Games" or "Cinder" are highly entertaining

6/10

(English) 

Purgatori - David Marín

A little town where a witch has come back. A priest that has been killed in a roundabout frequented by prostitutes, with his trousers down and cocaine in his car. How are those two events related? Secrets and more secrets. A bunch of policemen will try to find the truth.

"Purgatori" is, theoritically, a noir or mystery novel with a touch of the fantastical. I say theoritically because Marín fails miserable at this. The mystery is your run-of-the-mill character with a lame secret; the suspects are poorly drawn and developed; the 'witch-y' affair is lazy and an excuse for a couple of sex scenes; and those sex scenes are totally unnecessary and feel like the writer's wish fulfillment when it comes to women.

Only some atmosphere and depiction of the life and language of Balaguer and surroundings help the book save some face. Better options abount.

The best: the setting and local touch

The worst: there is no sense of mystery, threat or danger; the unnecessary sex scenes with 'scintillating' female characters

Further reading: look no further than "Man In The Queue" or "The Killings At Badger's Drift". In Catalan language, Carbó's books have more mystery and atmosphere than this one

4/10

(Original Catalan)

Teoria King Kong - Virginie Despentes

This is one of those books that, even if I don't agree with everything it says (it takes a couple of cheap shots, kind of out of the blue, like when she attacks short, ugly men; some statements seem way too much written into stone), is a very interesting and necessary read, that won't bore you and will make you thing about some very important topics in any society, like prostitution, gender and power relations and the role of capitalism and money in gender (and human) relations. Despentes just goes on a rant for around 150 pages (in this translation) but she never becomes too repetitive and makes the reader want to read more about the topic and become more active in their daily life when it comes to these themes.

The best: it is a really worth your time and read around women, gender, men, violence...

The worst: it is ranty, so if you don't like that style...; a couple of cheap shots

Further reading: A lot, like "A Room of One's Own / Three Guineas" (Virginia Woolf), "Nightwork" (Anne Allison) or "Sex Among Allies: Military Prostitution in U.S.-Korea Relations" (Katharine H.S. Moon)

8/10

(Catalan translation by Marina Espasa)

The Testaments - Margaret Atwood

The best thing that can be said about this book is that it is written by Atwood, so it is well written and it has some interesting ideas.

The worst it can be said is that it is totally unnecessary, pointless, and it feels like a money grabbing affair. Even worse, it can be seen as diminishing the world in which "The Handmaid's Tale" happened, making this dystopian world a less interesting and ambigous affair.

Because "The Testaments" feels like an afterthought, a book written by Atwood just because "The Handmaid's Tale" became so popular after its adaptation in a TV show. It is easy to read, yes, and the characters, even if cartoonish, don't overcome their welcome. But the story is simple and not particularly interesting and, as said, it diminishes the ambiguity that so well worked in the first book of this now series. And the ending is kind of weak.

The best: it is Atwood, even if a minor one

The worst: it feels totally unnecessary and it takes some of the atmosphere and 'charm' that was in "The Handmaid's Tale"

Alternatives: Just read the first one

6.5/10

(English)

Narrenturm - Andrzej Sapkowski

This book could be great if it wasn't for the fact that almost two thirds of it are about Sapkowski and his characters leering over women. Because the other third is really entertaining and fun, the adventures of Reynevan, who has to run away after being found with a married woman and whose life gets entangled with religion, dark magic, wars and politics. After finding himself on the run early on in the book, Reynevan gets to meet with all kinds of different and interesting characters, and is in the middle of betrayals, secrets, the Inquisition... And all with your traditional dark, gritty, dirty, messy Sapkowski style to tell a story and to give voice to the characters. Too bad then that he is so obsessed with bodies and looks, in particular women's, and dedicates long passages to their description, taking the reader from the story and making it a little creepy affair. It was something that was already on "The Witcher"'s series, but here it feels tenfold. Entertaining, yeah. Tiring, too. The best: religion & adventures! The worst: Sapkowski and women 4/10 (Castilian translation by José María Faraldo)

I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon - Philip K. Dick

If only the introduction to this book was good, this book would be already totally worth reading. Because in the introduction, Dick creates a fascinating account around art/politics/culture/religion that is so chilling and thrilling that the rest of the book will feel a letdown after it.

And not because the science-fiction stories that follow are bad, because they are not, with your typical Dick's penchant for mixing religion, what is real, what is human, with the future, making for a hallucinated compilation that is a must. A little old-fashioned, of course, and with a little bit too much of religion for some tastes, of course, but gripping nonetheless.

But that introduction, woah.

The best: the introduction is a work of art on itself

The worst: too much religion

Alternatives: Frank Herbert, who also had lots of religion (in a different way); Heinlein; Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"; more Philip K. Dick; Neal Stephenson... The list is endless

9/10

(English)

Ordesa - Manuel Vilas

Dross. This book is so boring, so utterly incompetent, so repetitive, so badly written, so wrong morally/ideologically, so horrible, you will feel your IQ is going down while reading it.

It all goes about Vilas taking a page from Karl Ove Knausgård or Thomas Bernhard and looking on his life, his relationships, his experiences, his family, but doing it in so an inept way as to make your eyes bleed. The writing is boring, with poor use of language and repetitive sentence construction. The style is so horrible it is difficult to describe it without wanting to throw the laptop out of the window. The description of Spain and Aragon is so head-scratching-ly poor as to be unable to understand anything or to feel any kind of attachment.

And that is without entering into Vilas sick relationship with his family, with creepy sentences about his mother, both his parents converted into horrible ghosts that feel like those relatives that will never, ever, never, ever, leave your home in Christmas. Or his obsession with beauty and money, looks and possessions.

Keep away.

The best: some random sentences

The worst: everything else

Alternatives: for white males talking about themselves in that 'meta'autobiographical style, you have better options, like Karl Ove Knausgård or Thomas Bernhard; Jaume Cabré to read about families with wonderful writing, humor and use of language; David Foster Wallace for an analysis on language & humanity

0/10

(Castilian)

My Sister, the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite

This is a bad book. "My Sister, the Serial Killer" is a pretentious, with delusions of grandeur, story, one of those that talk about powerful female characters, powerful being synonym with selfish and violent.

The story is a simple, very simplistic one: we have a nurse (the ugly one) in love with a doctor (the handsome one, with a ripped body... I mean, the good one), the nurse also having a sister (a very pretty one).

I don't need to add anything else. You can already know were everything is going. The only 'twist' here is that the pretty sister has killed a couple of men with whom she had had an affair. So, you know, a serial killer, a twist that isn't so interesting anyway, and with which Braithwaite doesn't seem to know what to do. It all ends up with our 'heroine' talking for almost two hundred pages about looks, looks, and looks (blergh), and all characters being so shallow and selfish and all plot twists so obvious it won't hold your attention for long. Lame.

This could had been a very funny novel, all sarcasm and irony. As it is, it is a bore.

The best: hmmm... you can read it in one day?

The worst: shallow; so much talk about looks; repetitive; selfish and violent behavior that doesn't make much sense

3/10

(English)

The flaw - D.M. Rasey

First, I have to say that this book seems to have been hastily (and heavily) edited, and to be a way shorter version of a longer one, which is a pity, because all through reading it, the only thing you can think about is about these many scenes / plot exposition moments that have been cut out, rendering the reading a head-scratching one.

And that is a pity because D.M. Rasey writes well enough to create a nice sense of paranoia in his novel. From the very beginning, it is easy to jump into the story, and, even if it feels it was written by a conspiracy theories fanatic, it is realistic enough to be 'scary' (even if the use of real events and the cameos by famous people can be something to have a dialogue about). But also, from soon enough (like the first page), all the weird time/space jumps, the feeling of whole chapters and scenes being left in the editing room, and even sentences that start and never end, take the reader from the story; so much, that it is impossible to consider this a 'real' book. Also, Rasey makes the characters take some really head-scratching decisions to take the story to its ending, giving the feeling that he has a movie in his head (so, he is writing a script) more than a book.

Unfortunately, a mess.

The best: Rasey knows how to write; some ideas are interesting

The worst: it is a mess on all levels; the cuts have made it a frantic affair; using famous people and events is a decision that may not sit well with some readers; that there seems to be a novel with a body and a spirit somewhere

Further reading: "Cryptonomicon", "The Santaroga Barrier" or "The Handmaid's Tale"

3/10

(English)

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy*

Man In The Queue - Josephine Tey

A highly entertaining whodunit, "Man in the Queue" starts with a murder in the middle of a crowd, not your average mystery novel set up, and follows along a path that brings a couple of nice surprises to readers of this genre, in particular when it comes to character development and atmosphere. It is a pity, then, that the ending is a little bit of out of the blue, even if it fits perfectly with what has come before.

The best: characters, atmosphere; Tey takes her time to develop both of them and does it so in a great way, with little touches that in a sentence or two bring characters to life

The worst: Deus Ex Machina resolution; it can be quite annoying/surprising/rub the wrong way all the comments about 'typical English', 'typical Italian', and other comments about race and cultures that appear in the story

Further reading: here is where Agatha Christie or Kyôtarô Nishimura come to mind

7/10

(English)

Moral Disorder - Margaret Atwood

"Moral Disorder" feels like a minor Atwood's work, even if it still has all of her strong points: great writing, good pace; vivid characters who have amazing inner worlds to which Atwood's writing brings us... However, this story of a woman and her family ends up feeling a little bit like more of the same, as if we are reading once again the same novel. It is fun, it is entertaining, but something is missing.

Really enjoyable, nonetheless. Totally worth reading.

The best: the writing is still amazing; it has a sense of humor; Atwood has a knack to create vivid memories and personalities from her characters, characters that pretty soon feel like family

The worst: it feels like a minor work; it is more of the same Atwood, so if you don't like her writing or ideas...

Further reading: Margaret Atwood has lots of good novels like "Alice Grace" or "The Handmaid's Tale"; Shiwon Miura for a novel in Japanese; Virginia Woolf's "Three Guineas" for non-fiction

7.5/10

(Original English)

おはん (Ohan) - Uno Chiyo

This novella tolds a short time in the life of a man, a man who left his wife Ohan for another woman who works as a geisha, just at the time his wife got pregnant. He stayed with this new lover, disconnecting from his past, doing nothing, just taking advantage of the money his new partner had, till the day his path and Ohan's cross again. And their son. From that moment their lives become entangled, and a series of consequences will come to happen because of this fortuitous encounter.

The story is not really important, because what Chiyo Uno really wants to do is describe the life of this man, his inner world, his thinking, his doubts and desires. And she does a great job in developing this 'despicable' character, selfish, and incapable of doing the right thing, always too weak to take responsibility for his actions. From page one, you get into his head, and his ramblings, the description of his actions, all is done in a way that you can keep reading even if you totally disagree with his behavior.

However, the novella is also quite simple, and it is pretty obvious were all of this is going, the character's journey masochistic in some sickly, moralistic, way. A little bit like a guilt trip.

The best: the way Chiyo gets into the head of the protagonist

The worst: you know from pretty early on where this is going (I mean, Chiyo is actually telling you), and it becomes kind of moralistic because of that

Alternatives: Miura Shiwon, Shigeko Yuki, Ichiriki Yamamoto or Seiko Tanabe

6.5/10

(Catalan translation by Albert Nolla)

Alas de fuego - Laura Gallego García

An angel discovers that the princess she is protecting is actually a bad person who is bent to invade a neighboring country. But the angel discovers it too late, and she is sent to a prison from were no one has ever been able to break free.

"Alas de fuego" is a curious book. Instead of centering on an angel that sacrifices itself to protect the princess from danger and traitors, it is soon discovered that the princess is actually the 'bad one' and the angel finds itself (herself) in a dire situation. It makes for a nice break from hero journeys, and it sets things for a couple of neat surprises.

However all this setup is thrown out of the window because the plot is just too simple, with little depth for its characters (apart from, well, kind of, our angel; Gallego García will drill into your head with her repetitions that Ahriel HAS CHANGED) and a very, but very simple sentence construction and use of language (which, on the other hand, makes it a very easy and breezy reading).

Nice, if you have little else to read. But you will probably forget it as soon as you're finished.

The best: it is easy to immerse oneself in its world

The worst: way too simple (plot wise and writing style); there are almost no surprises

Further reading: this feels like fantasy YA, so... "Harry Potter", "Cinder", "The Hunger Games", "ソロモンの偽証" (even if it doesn't have fantasy elements), "The Lord of the Rings"...

6/10

(Spanish)

10分で読める 大わらい落語 - Tokio Domon

Rakugo, or a type of traditional Japanese humor with a long history, is the focus of this little book for children. I don't know much about rakugo, apart from seeing it on TV or in movies, so, in that respect, it won't affect much my review.

This book is a compilation of some very simple stories, with very simple humor, and a couple of puns and plays on words to make the reader laugh. It is all quite childish, and even if they may bring the reader to chuckle a couple of times, the level of the humor (as a read) is just too low. Also, being rakugo dependent on word play, this book, even with its easy Japanese, may be a difficult read for foreigners (because it will be difficult to get some of the puns without an acceptable level of the language). On the other hand, the book also contains a couple of pages dedicated to explain the world of rakugo, the theaters were it is shown, the variety shows that surround it...

Probably best to watch the real thing. Rakugo seems to be lost without the acting of a performer.

The best: a nice introduction to the world of rakugo

The worst: too simple

Alternatives: I don't know much about rakugo, so... manga with humor: "OnePunch Man" or "ヒロイン失格", and in English: Terry Pratchett, "The Order of the Stick" & "War and Peas: Funny Comics for Dirty Lovers" for older readers

5.5/10

(Original Japanese)

Doctor Mirage - Magdalene Visaggio, Nick Robles (Illustrator)

Doctor Mirage was capable of seeing the dead. But now, even her dead husband, who was always by her side, has disappeared. Mirage cannot live without him, so she will try her best to reunite with him, whatever she has to do.

"Doctor Mirage" is another of those supernatural comic/books with a simple story, and not a particular original development, that, however, surprises for different reasons, giving the reader a very entertaining and enjoyable time.

For starters the drawing style. Even if the drawings are not top-notch, the use of strips and color is amazing, and do suit perfectly the story, giving it a dreamy and kaleidoscopic atmosphere that feels like a trip to the underworld.

This use of color and strips is also mixed with some simple, but well used, storytelling techniques, perfectly combining the writing with the image, and making Mirage's story a seamless affair, with almost nothing that needs trimming.

Quite the contrary. It actually feels the story should be a little bit longer, because the ending feels a little bit rushed, and it's kind of a mess, as if it needed another chapter or two to better develop the story and its characters.

Minor quibbles, as "Doctor Mirage" is totally worth it.

The best: the use of color is amazing; it is a touching story; it has some very original storytelling/strip usage

The worst: the ending feels rushed

Alternatives: "Gretel", "The Dresden Files", "亜人" ("Ajin")

6/10

(Original English)

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy*

A Rose to the Torch - Bartholomew Lander

A young girl, that has been harboring a secret for all of her life, suddenly finds herself in the middle of a feud between to warring sides of hemomancers, the scourge of humanity.

The secret being that she is a hemomancer herself. Hemomancers being humans with the power to use their blood as a weapon. Lander being someone who has probably read "Tokyo Ghoul" just a few days before starting to write this book.

Or not, but while reading "A Rose to the Torch", "Tokyo Ghoul" was the reference that kept popping into my mind. Because the fights in that manga were, in my mind, quite similar to the blood fights Lander was describing in this book.

However, back to the review... This book is not a horrible one, far from it. However, it is horribly convoluted, and its world is not well developed, leaving many of the events just Deux Ex machina moments. We never really get into the mind of Coral, let alone Leblanc or Lena. Many of Coral's reactions come out of the blue, before we have really connected with her, and some of the uses of the blood, the power the hemomancers have over it and all the messy stuff there, is difficult to follow. It feels Lander was envisioning every scene in his mind as if he was watching a show or a manga, but on paper, they don't work so well. And many of the side quests feel unnecessary, just to have some eye candy moments. Lena's character, in particular, feels like an ill conceived decision.

The ending is actually quite acceptable, even though rushed, with a couple of little but nice surprises, and leaves the reader with a nice 'bloody' aftertaste.

Nothing, though, to make it stand out of the pack.

The best: the ending is nice enough (even if messy); some intents to be original

The worst: nothing to make it stand out; the hemomancers' powers are a mess and don't mix well with guns; their motivations and actions are also head-scratching

Alternatives: "Tokyo Ghoul", "The Dresden Files"

4.5/10

(Original English)

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy*

Etüden im Schnee (Memorias de una osa polar) - Yōko Tawada

Ego-trip. This is how one ends feeling like after reading "Etüden im Schnee" by Yōko Tawada, the story of some polar bears who do little to hold our attention, a story that stretches for so long that every page ends up feeling like 100, and which doesn't make much sense whatsoever.

And it starts well enough. The first polar bear, let's call her the matriarch,'s story is more or less interesting, with a nice touch of magic realism, treating the bear like a human that goes to conferences, works, finds love... All played more or less straight, making for some acceptable humor and a nice atmosphere. However, Tawada decides then to stretch the story with two more polar bears, the daughter and the grandson, whose adventures are really, but really really boring, and whose lives are also boring as hell. The descriptions stretch, the commentary becomes too much in your face, and the reader will stop caring at all about what is going on. Not that it makes much sense anyway <spoiler> what is Michael Jackson doing there?</spoiler>.

Bad.

The best: the first third

The worst: repetitive, narcissistic rubbish; the reader comes out of the book feeling Tawada thinks she has written a masterpiece (of course, it could be she is still scratching her head in amazement this was given the ok for publication)

Alternatives: ff you want to read about families, go for Jaume Cabré if you can; maybe Shigeko Yuki's "女中っ子"; Lucia Berlin's "A Manual for Cleaning Women"; "A Room of One's Own / Three Guineas" by Virginia Woolf

2/10

(Spanish translation by Belén Santana)

The Killings At Badger's Drift - Caroline Graham

A couple of months ago I read P.D. James's "Death In Holy Orders", in which an old lady was killed for seeing something she shouldn't have. And here we are again, in "The Killings At Badger's Drift" with an old lady being killed for seeing something they shouldn't have.

These British old ladies...

Luckily for us, "The Killings At Badger's Drift" is a better book than the other one, even if it also suffers of rushing to the resolution with as little police work as possible. Here we don't have our Sherlock's moments of analyzing what we know and what we have read; here we come to those moments of sudden clarity in a way that it is all too forced.

Well, too bad. Because the set up, with Chief Inspector Barnaby being visited by another old lady that tells him her friend has been killed, even if it all pointed out to an accident, is quite good, our 'hero' going all around the place, poking his nose everywhere and discovering everyone in that little, cute town is as dirty, corrupt and pompous as possible. The presentation of the characters is good, the conversations give us just little snippets that can, or not, give you an inkling to whom the killer may be, and some turns along the way help to pull you out of the scent and keep you on your toes till the killer is revealed.

A competent little mystery.

The best: The characters, all so sleazy and selfish; the atmosphere

The worst: it is easy to get a little bit lost with so many little set pieces; the resolution is a little bit lame

Alternatives: I have read so many whodunits that I am at a loss to recommend something that doesn't sound Agatha Christie-ish; so let's say "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn and a classic: "The Mystery of the Yellow Room"by Gaston Leroux

6.5/10

(English)

Intemperie - Jesús Carrasco

A novel of nowhere, anywhere, with a little child running from someone at its center, in a dry, deserted environment, seethed by heartless characters; that is what "Intemperie" is about. A novel that is dry, unwelcoming, and not precisely naive, that suffers from Carrasco trying to bite more than he can.

Because this would have worked better as a short story, the plot losing steam as the pages turn around, our child's misadventures becoming a little bit too long in the tooth as Carrasco overwhelms us with as many words we haven't heard of as he can use. He does, though, create an amazing atmosphere, which could be anywhere in Spain after the Civil War as much as in a post-global warming-gone crazy near future. The story's setting, characters, plot is ambivalent by necessity, by desire, our journey the same as the child's, walking from one place to the other with purposelessness, just to stay alive. With violence, death, around every corner, with selfishness, lust, in front, behind, everywhere. Too bad it is not more tightly done, because this ends up being an exercise in mood creation.

The best: the use of language; the atmosphere; the dry violence; the way it makes the reader feel this is a world we could find ourselves in any moment in the near future

The worst: Carrasco gloats a little bit too much in his use of language, transforming the story in a 'search in the dictionary' quest; this would have been way better as a short(er) story; some moments are dragged on and/or are too repetitive

Alternatives: it reminds, as it says on the cover, to some of Delibes's stories (in atmosphere and writing, not as much in plot); and maybe also "For Whom The Bell Tolls" to add a little bit more options

6/10

(Castilian or European Spanish, whatever you want to call it)

"82년생 김지영" ("Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982") ("Kim Ji-young, nacida en 1982") - Cho Nam-Joo

Dull. A research paper masquerading as a novel (with references et. al.), "82년생 김지영" ("Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982") is a very interesting, fascinating, and probably, needed look on women's life in Korea, let down by poor prose and a pointless, non-existent story, that leaves you feeling you are reading a table of contents of all the horrible situations a woman can go through in the country.

Because it is difficult to say this book has a story.

It all goes around Kim Ji-young, a young, married, with a child, woman, who starts to behave in a strange way. But the story doesn't stop to analyze or see the development of her behavior, but jumps in time to the moment she was born to lecture us on Korean women's life in the country from the 80s (every chapter more or less a decade).

Now, this is a book of passion, with a relentless anger and the need to say a message (a message it is difficult to disagree with, the life of a woman in Korea, if you believe even like, 10%, of what Nam-joo is saying, being kind of like living under constant surveillance in a dystopian state). But is a book that loses itself in the anger, and ups being a lecture were the author just constantly hits you on the head with data and terrible after terrible situation for Kim Ji-young, all of those situations being to blame on selfish, self-centered, violent, sexist, dangerous men. Now, there are a couple of moments were you see that Nam-Joo knows (or feels) that the system, the structural and cultural violence, are as much or more to blame than the individuals, but she does little to develop that, just centering on specific casesin a, look, my example is the only example! kind of exposition.

If there were also some moments of positive analysis to some of the men's behavior, or, better, more analysis on the way many women also play into theses structures and cultures of sexism, the book would have been better. As it comes, it feels like the author is gloating in those situations.

But see, I am doing a review of a research paper. This is not a novel, is just a series of serious and terrible situations to make Kim Ji-young, and the reader, miserable. A book that ends up as a shout out for being individualist and selfish, and not thinking but for oneself and one's own needs (free time, things, money, me, me, me!).

The best: how it criticizes some behaviors, micro-attacks, comments and situations in a sexist society; the 'anger' that is needed to change things; the way it depicts the paranoia state in which our heroine lives

The worst: it is just a relentless attack in list mode, with zero balance and not very well developed; it reinforces some ideas of selfishness and individualism

Further reading: heck, just go and read research papers; for Korea my recommendation would be "Sex Among Allies:  Military Prostitution in U.S.-Korea Relations" by Katharine H.S. Moon; East Asia in general (or more global, even): "Postcolonial International Relations" (Lily H. M. Ling), "Nightwork" (Anne Allison), "The Modern Madame Butterfly" (Karen Ma) or "East Asian Sexualities: Modernity, Gender & New Sexual Cultures" (several), and the chapter about Korea in Enloe's "The Curious Feminist"

5.5/10

(Spanish translation by Joo Hasun)

白河夜船 - Banana Yoshimoto

Privileged. That is the feeling I got reading for the first time Banana Yoshimoto twenty years ago and that still 'haunts' me as I read "白河夜船" in this 2020. These are the stories of a privileged person for privileged people, that gloat in their privilege.

That doesn't mean that the three short stories that are included in this volume are bad. No, or I wouldn't give them the rating I do. But, I always end up with the feeling that Banana's characters have too much free time, too much money and too many privileges, even if their lives are not the best or the happiest.

The first story revolves around a woman who doesn't work, doesn't do anything and lives her life thanks to the money from her partner, a married man. Yes, it could be understood as a critique of this kind of lifestyle and the purposelessness it entails, but it also gloats in the inner dialogues of the character, and her 'pain' for having too much free time.

The second is around a woman whose brother died, and two of the women that were in a relationship with him. Again, inner dialogues, nice introspection and study of the self, but also kind of shallow and superficial.

And the third is about a woman who was in a relationship with a man who also was in a relationship with another woman, and how the three kind of ended up living together, and how she goes to the 'dark side' of the city in search for answers when she starts hearing a strange music.

In all of them we find the inner dialogues, the need to find something in an empty life, the pain of loss, the pointlessness of modern, urban life, lesbian ambivalence... All very Banana, good, but also... shallow.

The best: some beautiful writing; dreamy and beautiful atmosphere

The worst: it leaves you with a strange aftertaste, as if all those inner dialogues were just Yoshimoto bringing her fantasies to live; in some ways, the stories revolve around problems for the ones that need to find problems

Alternatives: I feel Murakami (Haruki) is also part of this trend, or Yoko Ogawa or Hiromi Kawakami; some of their works I enjoy more than others

6.5/10

(Original Japanese)

The Betrayal of Ka (The Transprophetics Book 1) - Shea R. Oliver

Humans are all over the universe. And unbeknownst to Earthlings, some of them (the ones from Koranth and Zoranth, the dominant planets) are planning to invade the Earth and use it as a resources well. "The Betrayal of Ka" develops this, not particularly original, idea in a three-pronged story-line, where we have a mixture of adventure, mystery, everyday life conundrums, and political/economic thrills.

On one corner we have Kadamba, a human sent to prison for killing a child in one of those far away worlds, probably the better developed character, with some gravitas and a nice arc. On the second we have some Earthlings, in particular the brothers Dylan and Bjorn, whose story line is not so good, but is also enjoyable and is well balanced with Kadamba's one. On the third one we have some military types, in a story line that feels a little bit like filler and whose purpose in the big picture is, for now, a little bit of a mystery. They are not particularly interesting characters, and it took me a while to start to be able to take the Colonel from the Captain. On the last corner, we have the owner of one of those alien corporations who use portals to go from one world to another (someone has watched too many sci-fi shows) and conquer them to use them for their own purposes. The owner being one of those people with mental powers, and being in a relationship with one of the Ministers of the government of Koranth and Zoranth, a Minister with her own secret motivations and desire for power.

Does it sound convoluted? It is. A tiny little bit. Because, if the story had centered just on Kadamba and maybe the Earth children, it would probably have had a better balance. The military and corporations story lines feel like fodder, and the characters are a little bit boring, in particular the owner of the corporation. Also, some of Kadamba's adventures are stretched a little bit thin, and the Earthlings story takes a while to make any kind of sense (even though in the end it messes quite well with the rest of the plot).

The worst that could be said is that the book is not particularly original: humans are not only on Earth but all over the universe; there are portals for fast transportation from A to B planet; there are some secrets to stretch (I mean, develop) the story in future volumes; there are humans with powers. This point one that I didn't quite agree with.

Being so big a part of the story, it's a pity that the 'transprophetics' side quest feels like kind of an afterthought, with the powers of those humans poorly developed and their impact on the story not very well thought of. It feels like someone wants superhumans in their story just for the sake of it. It could be that the idea is better developed in future volumes, but, for now, it doesn't feel like there is a particular reason for them to be there.

"The Betrayal of Ka" is an entertaining book, with an easy to read plot and some good points, but it lacks something to make it stand from the pack.

The best: it is entertaining; it has interesting characters

The worst: it needs some editing; the use of language falters in a couple of places; it is not particularly original; the 'mental powers' part feels half-cooked; the corporations' storyline is kind of boring

Further reading: Frank Herbert's "Dune", Robert A. Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", Dan Simmons's "Hyperion" or Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War" come to mind.

5.5/10

(English original)

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy*