This last year, like many Cannonballers, I read more books than I got a chance to review and so this final review of 2018, which will end up being my first review of 2019, is a sort of odds and ends. Here in no particular order are books that I read while in China, books I read while on vacation in Northern Wisconsin, and books I read during my fall and spring semesters that I just didn’t have time to write about at the time. […]
I did not enjoy it.
And I’m pretty bummed about it. I wanted to like it. I liked the first half, in which nerd genius Laurence and young witch Patricia meet in middle school and become half-assed friends. I liked its many, many beautiful lines. I liked young Patricia and to a small degree, adult Patricia. I liked that it was a book by a trans woman that got mainstream attention without her trans-ness being the reason. I liked the cover art. I liked that a nonbinary character who used […]
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ve been dreading writing this review. I just don’t know what to say about this book, because I don’t really know how I feel about it, still, and it’s been months since I finished it. Ultimately, I just don’t think this was the book for me, but that kind of thing doesn’t fill up a review space. It’s also not helpful to anyone reading this review, because only people who pay extremely close attention to my reading habits might have a clue what a “for me” […]
Science vs. Magic: Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Charlie Jane Anders’ new novel is about science, magic, and the need to work together for the sake of the world. Our two main characters are the embodiment of science and magic. Laurence is a gifted geek who, in 8th grade, figured out how to make a wristwatch time machine. It could only take you 2 seconds into the future, but still…. Patricia is a magic and nature geek who occasionally can talk to animals and once spoke with a tree. In adulthood, Laurence and […]
Genre Mix and Match
This is one of those books that defies categorization. It’s the messed-up, weirdo love child of sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and dystopian fiction. There’s no way around it; This book is weird. But in a good way. Mostly. And you should know in advance that there’s no way I can summarize it that will do it justice. The story follows two people, Patricia Delfine and Laurence Armstead, from childhood to adulthood. Their lives intertwine in interesting and important ways even though they’re the yang to each […]