NetGalley Archives - Page 28 of 47

Yzabel / October 3, 2015

Review: Tin Stars (Descender #1)

Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Young Robot boy TIM-21 and his companions struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Some time in the far future, the worlds of the United Galactic Council are attacked by unknwon robots soon nicknamed “Harvesters”. Ten years later, after robots were outlawed and culled, a child-companion by the name of Tim-21 wakes up alone in a deserted mining colony, only to find out that the kid he was assigned to is gone. Tim doesn’t know yet that he may be the key to unlocking the secret behind the Harvesters, and potentially to fight them in case they ever return, which is why Captain Telsa and former robotics genius Quon try to find him before others do. Others who would like nothing more than to scrap him.

An enjoyable comics, even though it’s not the most original story I’ve read so far in term of such themes and how they’re being explored: the now fallen scientist, the sexy military officer following in her father’s steps, a cult bent on exterminating robots… Tim’s memories were quite interesting, as they touch upon his relationship with his foster family, and what it meant to him, but I can only hope they will be explored further in a next volume, since it’s definitely worth more. A couple of things didn’t make too much sense, too; for instance, why does Tim—a robot-companion created for *cgildren*—carry an embedded weapon? (Unless it’s related to how robots came to be, but even then, it doesn’t stand to logics to leave them with such weapons when everything else, like their height and AI programs, could be changed.)

I quite liked the artwork (watercolour illustrations); I found it really beautiful for close-ups, though a bit confusing when it came to larger-scope scenes. Some fonts were also hard to read, and didn’t fit too well with the overall mood set by the graphics.

This first volume ends on a cliffhanger that may have lots of potential in the next one, so here, too, I hope the story will find a good way to explore this new twist.

2.5/3 stars

Yzabel / September 28, 2015

Review: The Euthanasia Protocol

The Euthanasia Protocol by Grahame Howard

My rating: [rating=2]

Blurb:

In this vision of the future, set after the apocalyptic religious wars, the State is managed by a series of secular Life Protocols.

Drawn up by a young and idealistic civil servant called Giles, the Protocols soon become grossly misinterpreted as an end in themselves, rather than being an aid to government. Society becomes slavishly adherent to these documents, to the extent that they begin to take on pseudo-religious significance. Among the Protocols is one addressing the problem of an aging population, and this Euthanasia Protocol is implemented throughout the country as an income-generating, yet socially acceptable, method of age control.

Giles rapidly becomes disillusioned by the way in which his concept has been abused. However, when he attempts to rectify the situation, he falls foul of the system, being condemned to a life of ignominy. As an old man who is resigned to euthanasia, can he appeal the order in time?

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

A book whose review was long overdue, and since the copy I got wasn’t the fully edited, final product, there may have been some changes brought to it when it was actually published.

The society depicted in this novel, while definitely a caricature in many ways (including through some of its most outrageous characters, especially Doreese), gives food for thought, in that it deals with the issue of aging populations and the potential means to solving it. There’s no denying that euthanasia could very well become such a means, at some point in the future, and the farcical approach here manages to highlight it fairly well.

“The Euthanasia Protocol” is one of those dystopian stories where the world has gone a nonsensical road, with a government so entrenched within its ways and desires to “make things right” again after religious wars that it fell head first into the very same mistakes it was trying to avoid. The Protocol is revered like a messiah, officials make a point of convincing themselves that euthanasia for “criminals” is not capital punishment, and trials and verdicts are left in the digital hands of computers fed information through a system that just cannot ensure common sense to bear any weight. It is comical, it is a farce, and it has the potential to make people both laugh and shudder—because the execution (pun totally intended) may look ridiculous, but the contents are quite frightening. And it’s not all giggles, since quite a few characters throughout the story are killed in the name of the Protocol, to make an example, to cause other people to bend and break, or simply to fuel a wish for personal revenge.

My main criticism, and one that unfortunately mitigated my enjoyment, was the writing style itself. It may just be me, or it may be because I had an ARC and not a final copy (though in my experience, ARCs are so close to their published version that it’s approximately the same—I mean in style, not typos and the likes). I don’t know. I kept finding it too “dry”, describing the characters’ feelings and thoughts rather than letting me see them in action, so to speak. It made thoughts and dialogues rather stilted, all the more when The Boy was concerned: I’m all for stopping dumbing down teenager characters, but nobody thinks or talks like he (and others) did, even as adults. And I’m not sure it was absolutely necessary to enforce the satirical side and the novel’s messages through a narrative of the “tell, don’t show” kind.

Conclusion: 2.5 stars. Enjoyable, but I admit it would’ve worked better for me if the writing had been different.

Yzabel / September 26, 2015

Review: Ghost Fleet

Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P.W. Singer

My rating: [rating=1]

Blurb:

The United States, China, and Russia eye each other across a twenty-first century version of the Cold War, which suddenly heats up at sea, on land, in the air, in outer space, and in cyberspace. The fighting involves everything from stealthy robotic–drone strikes to old warships from the navy’s “ghost fleet.” Fighter pilots unleash a Pearl Harbor–style attack; American veterans become low-tech insurgents; teenage hackers battle in digital playgrounds; Silicon Valley billionaires mobilize for cyber-war; and a serial killer carries out her own vendetta. Ultimately, victory will depend on blending the lessons of the past with the weapons of the future.

Review:

[I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

DNF at 56%. I tried, I really tried, but it’s been weeks and I just can’t get interested in the story or the characters. I don’t mind when there is more than two or three, I don’t mind short chapters in general; only it’s not working at all for me in this novel, and halfway in, I still don’t care about what’s happening to whom, whether the insurgents will survive, whether Carrie will be found out or not, whether Jamie will mend his relationship with his father… I see, strictly speaking, where it is going. Yet it doesn’t matter, because it’s going in a very dry way that makes everything confusing after a while, all the more as reading a few pages, then leaving the book again for a couple of days doesn’t help (not being interested enough to keep trudging through it, that is).

The other, really important thing not working for me is how little is actually given in terms of geopolitics, even though the characters talk about it; that’s info-dumping without actually giving enough information. There is the Directorate (the new China), allied with the Russians, waging a blitzkrieg on the United States by taking down satellite coverage and basically scrambling communications, GPS on board of planes, etc. Clever and efficient plan, yet why exactly? I would have wanted to learn so, so much about how this state of war came to be, what strings of events led to such a decision, why the NATO countries dropped out of it so fast. So many things just don’t make sense without more background here. I think such a book demands additional information (and handled differently), otherwise it’s not believable.

The technological aspect was somewhat OK. A bit heavy-handed, though (nothing really “new”, some devices were pretty similar to ours only with a more “futuristic” name). I didn’t love nor hate it, which is already something, I guess.

I’m rather sad, because this story had potential, especially regarding the level of creativity the insurgents came to (Walmart going to war as an underground supply chain: both funny and oddly logical), but it didn’t deliver on the human and global relationships factor, at least not when it comes to what I expected from it.

Yzabel / September 17, 2015

Review: Dreams of Shreds and Tatters

Dreams of Shreds and Tatters by Amanda Downum

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

When Liz Drake’s best friend vanishes, nothing can stop her nightmares. Driven by the certainty he needs her help, she crosses a continent to search for him. She finds Blake comatose in a Vancouver hospital, victim of a mysterious accident that claimed his lover’s life – in her dreams he drowns.

Blake’s new circle of artists and mystics draws her in, but all of them are lying or keeping dangerous secrets. Soon nightmare creatures stalk the waking city, and Liz can’t fight a dream from the daylight world: to rescue Blake she must brave the darkest depths of the Dreamlands.

Even the attempt could kill her, or leave her mind trapped or broken. And if she succeeds, she must face the monstrous Yellow King, whose slave Blake is on the verge of becoming forever.

Review:

[I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Granted, I took my sweet time in reading it… so by now the book has been out for quite a few months.

Overall an interesting experience, though I expected more out of it. I’ve been fascinated by the original work behind this, The King in Yellow, for a couple of decades, from the weight it bore in Lovecraft’s works to the stories by Robert Chambers that actually inspired it. Simply suggest one nightmarish yet terribly beautiful and sublime (in a Burkian sense) city, and I will think “Carcosa”. And while we don’t have a play here, we do have art, including the painting of a door.

Mostly I liked the descriptions, especially of what happened in dreams and how some people in Vancouver were affected. Liz the dreamer, chasing after her friend Blake to bring him back from his coma. Blake, lost in a place he doesn’t understand, where pain and promises of eternal pleasure tempt him both. Rainer and his circle of artists who dabble in magic too potent for them. Rae and other people addicted to mania, a dream-inducing drug that does just that, and more, turning them into zombie-like creatures desperately wanting to taste the real dream. Above them all, the shadow of the King in Yellow, watching from his throne, and the Twins, waiting for an opening. Waiting for, yes, a door.

Such imagery I found quite fascinating, even though I admit it didn’t extend to the actual Vancouver (rain and cold is standard weather where I live), and that I found myself eagerly waiting for the oneiric dreams, the ones involving Liz seeking Blake in the strange streets, corridors and rooms in Carcosa, under inhuman skies. Those were the most interesting scenes for me. Also some other mysteries, such as Lailah and the two other “jackals”, which may or may not be akin to certain hounds living beyond the folds of time and space, but…

…But that’s one of the problems that prevented me from enjoying this story more: a lot of side stories and hints that made the characters more enjoyable, and paradoxically were really frustrating, as they’re not resolved in the end. Alex, for instance: his past involvment with Samantha was brushed upon, where it would have deserved more, considering the sequels it left him with. The artists, too: running from a Brotherhood, rivals of another wannabe sorcerer, the beginning of a strange relationship where Rae was concerned… yet all of this collided a bit too fast (almost in a chaos that may have been intended to mirror the circumstances everybody was thrown in, only it didn’t work that well). Such subplots deserved either more developement, or not to have been included at all, as the middle ground didn’t feel so satisfying. More answers as to who was what and what was who would have been appreciated. Where does Liz’s power come from? What about the memories she sacrificed, would those come back to bite her later? What exactly is Lailah? What role did Seker play, apart from being some deus ex machina?

Also, a lot of the characters had a sort of “hype” edge bordering on pedantic, as if they were trying too hard—including the asexual relationship thrown in there (are Liz and Alex happy that way? Because Alex sure doesn’t seem to be, not that much). I’m all for various kinds of relationships instead of the usual, often bland typical ones, but something didn’t quite fit here.

I still liked this story, mind you. I just expected more out of it, I guess.

Yzabel / September 13, 2015

Review: Pop Sonnets

Pop Sonnets: Shakespearean Spins on Your Favorite Songs by Erik Didriksen

My rating: [rating=5]

Blurb:

The Bard meets the Backstreet Boys in Pop Sonnets, a collection of 100 classic pop songs reimagined as Shakespearean sonnets. All of your favorite artists are represented in these pages–from Bon Jovi and Green Day to Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, and beyond. Already a smash sensation on the Internet–the Tumblr page has 50,000+ followers–Pop Sonnets has been featured by the A.V. Club, BuzzFeed, and Vanity Fair, among many others. More than half of these pop sonnets are exclusive to this collection and have never been published in any form.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Clever, very clever.

And in proper rhyming structure *and* iambic pentameters (yes, I counted; not for every single sonnet, but I still counted, just to make sure).

This collection of 100 famous songs—some dating back to the mid-20th centuries, some much more recent—revisited as Shakespearian sonnets was very funny to read, as well as interesting: the poetry does respect the form, appropriates some lines from actual plays (“the winter of our disco tent”), and translates modern concepts into Elizabethan wording. Guitars become lutes, cars become coaches… However, the content of the songs is very easy to recognise. Here’s an example from Roxanne by The Police:

“Pray, do not put those bawdy vestments on
or paint that vulgar rouge across thy face;
thou needest not those wanton garments don
nor with that ruddy brush thy cheeks debase.
I beg thee to this sordid life forego:
turn not a trick, but prithee turn the page!
O, dear Roxanne, thou dost not need to go
into that den of sin to earn thy wage.”

Compare with the song’s lyrics, and there you have it. In general, although the sonnets don’t include *all* lines (Bohemian Rhapsody, for instance, would be hard to translate in only 14 lines), mostly they really fit their songs counterparts.

Of course, the “downside” is that, to fully enjoy this book, you have to a) be a Shakespeare geek of sorts, and b) know the songs and their lyrics. Without that, odds are it won’t be as amusing, or at least not more than “heh, nice”. On the other hand, it’s also a good opportunity to go and discover/listen to the songs one knows less.

I spent a merry good time reading this book, and I highly recommend it to whoever likes Shakespeare, famous songs, and wants to have a laugh. Not to mention to have fun with friends and/or try to find the real Shakespearian lines in there.

Yzabel / September 12, 2015

Review: Great Expectations (Manga Classics)

Manga Classics: Great Expectations by Stacy King

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Great Expectations has it all: romance, mystery, comedy, and unforgettable characters woven through a gripping rags-to-riches tale. Naive Pip, creepy Miss Haversham, beautifully cold Estella, terrifying Abel Magwitch, and the rest of Dicken’s fantastic cast are perfectly envisioned in this new adaptation in this 300-plus page volume featuring artwork by artist Nokman Poon. Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This series of classics turned to manga remains interesting. I read Great Expectations some 9 years ago, so I admit I forgot a lot of details, and it’s difficult now for me to properly decide if this adaptation is faithful enough or if it culled through a lot. However, I think that for someone who never read Dickens’s original story, this manga version covers the essential parts: Pip’s feelings towards his class as he grows up and moves up the ladder, his relationship with the beautiful but cold Estella, and the mystery about his benefactor. For those who have read Dickens, well… it’s a good reason to read him again, I say.

The artwork is similar to that of the other adaptations in this series: not by the same artist, but nonetheless quite pleasant to look at. Miss Havisham’s dress is plain gorgeous, and her dusty, spiderweb-covered room definitely creepy. Estella’s posture and attitude reflect the way she was brought up. Joe isn’t like the character in the novel, physically, yet no matter what his design still conveyed that he’s a good man. Actually, it’s easy to detect who is “nice” and who is “evil” from their features—and while it may be considered a graphic shortcut, it also quickly allows the reader to picture who does (or will do) what, something that would be more difficult to achieve here anyway than in the original prose form.

The pace was rushed in places, though, especially when it comes to how Pip’s take on life, people and events changed: it was wrapped up a little bit too fast, and as a result, Pip mostly came off as bratty most of the time (which he is, alright). And as the format demanded the story be restricted to 300 pages, some of its depth was lost along the way; the novel left room for more development, whereas in the manga, most characters felts rather one-dimensional.

Still, I would recommend it if only for the artwork and for its ability to make one want to (re)read Great Expectations itself. 3.5 stars.

Yzabel / September 3, 2015

Review: Armada

Armada by Ernest Cline

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.

But hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don’t get chosen to save the universe.

And then he sees the flying saucer.

Even stranger, the alien ship he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.

No, Zack hasn’t lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.

It’s Zack’s chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can’t help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little…familiar?

Review:

[I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley and Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.]

I loved Ready Player One by the same author, and I was rather worried about this one: reviews were extremely mixed, and I kept wondering whether I’d like it or not. In the end, while I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did RPO, I still managed to like it. Which doesn’t mean it’s not without faults. Basically, for me, this was all a constant game of “good!” and “but…!”.

Armada plays with a lot of tropes, from beginning to end. The video games-addicted kid living in the memory of a father he never knew, and who suddenly finds himself an ace in a top-secret military organisation where his gamer skills are of the utmost importance. Games used as training (more about this later). The hot gamer/hacker chick. A handful of mavericks saving the world. Faceless aliens threatening humanity. The same aliens’ strategy resembling so much that of a video game.

The downside is that, in a way, the novel also feels like some kind of wish-fulfilment, and this always tends to ring a bit silly. Unless this is another subverted trope? It’s difficult to tell. Another issue may be the way the novel ties into specific works, namely Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card . Although I didn’t read it, I know enough to see the links, and the same goes with movies mentioned along the way. It’s acknowledged in Armada, but I can’t make up my mind whether it’s homage or “borrowing too much”, so to speak. And then, there are all those “geek culture” references that are OK for a while, yet become burdensome in the end. They were more justified in RPO, because of the nature of the game itself and the hints the players had to decipher; here, they tether between “hey, funny”, “I don’t get it” and “you didn’t need to explain that”. (In other words, the balance is very thin between references readers may miss, references that are understandable and in the right places, and references that are likely to make one roll their eyes.)

The story itself could’ve been more original; on the other hand, it could also have been *less* original. All in all, it was interesting along the pattern it followed, if you like such patterns. Good call on some characters’ part to wonder about the aliens’ real goal. Also, the stakes are real. People do die in this book. The invasion leaves destruction in its wake, and the gamers have to quickly wake up and realise it’s not a joke, it’s not a game anymore. The way they’re quickly thrown into this new reality, brought to this realisation, was a “good” thing, as it made the threat more real. But! At the same time, the twists were fairly predictable. Or was it on purpose, to fit into the mould of tropey alien invasion stories?

Speaking of the characters: likeable enough, but nothing to write home about. Zack was probably too serious for his age, and the others didn’t left much of an impression. Nice and forgettable. I wish I could’ve gotten to know them better, see more of them, as it would have made more of an impact when X or Y got into trouble during a fight against the aliens, and so on. (And yet, again, I have to wonder: isn’t this also part of the private jokes contained in the novel—a bit like red shirts? Tricky, I tell you!)

2.5-3 stars, in the end, to even out things between all these “buts”. I didn’t dislike it, *but* I didn’t love it the way I had expected to. It had good ideas, *but* were they homage, playing on tropes, or just using existing works to build without too much effort? The characters were likeable, *but* very cardboard-like too. And so on. You get my drift…

Yzabel / September 1, 2015

Review: Demon Road

Demon Road by Derek Landy

My rating: [rating=2]

Blurb:

The mind-blowing new supernatural thriller from bestselling author DEREK LANDY, creator of international sensation Skulduggery Pleasant.

Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor-sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in… Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.

Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

Review:

[I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Mixed feelings here, as some things I definitely liked, and some others rather bored me.

(For the record: I have never read anything else by Derek Landy, so I cannot compare with his Skullduggery Pleasant series. I guess it’s for the best, as I can judge this book as standing on its own, then.)

There’s a fair share of good ideas in this novel. The strange bodyguard with an even stranger car that definitely sends bad vibes (and digests people). Deals with a Demon, a real one, that doesn’t like being cheated and will demand rather gruesome things in payment (not just souls: it’s also in how they’re harvested). Characters able to transform in demonic creatures. The Road itself, carrying them onto weird paths and into weirder encounters. Little towns that look so nice at first, yet quickly reveal their true colours. Serial killers and creepy doll houses. A wooden witch that has her own human quality in spite of all her wrongdoings. Blood and gore and fighting—and the author doesn’t shy away from those, nor from offing characters, I’m not saying which ones.

There’s dark humour, too, sometimes in dialogue, sometimes in situations or descriptions. It fitted well enough with the overall serious matter of Amber having to run from her parents, since they want to kill and eat her. Her parents. Who are great in their own ways, see the scene where they handle the school’s principal, and this is where, straight from the beginning, you realise that this family is definitely a screwed up one.

However, I couldn’t warm up more to this novel, for two main reasons.

The first was the plot itself, as it quickly assumed a repetitive form: get in the car, arrive in new place, look for information, get into dire straits, solve issue, get into car again, rinse and repeat. There were vampires (of the rather traditional type) and witches and killers, but… after a while, the pattern became monotonous, and I found myself sometimes skimming to get faster to the final confrontation.

The second was some of the characters. Milo was alright, and hilarious in his own deadpan ways, although there’s quite some room left for more development here. Amber… I couldn’t decide whether I liked her or not—I’m somewhat annoyed at the whole “dull, vaguely fat teenager that every other guy calls ugly, but who turns into a sexy demon” (what’s wrong with being just plain average, and why did she have to be called on it anyway?). As for Glen…. Uh, he’s the kind of character you will either find incredibly sweet and bubbly, or incredibly annoying from being too chatty—and also too stupid to live. After all, the guy ended up with a certain dark mark for basically just… nothing? Being an idiot? I just couldn’t stand him anymore after a while.

There’s no romance, though. No useless love triangle. If only for that, I am glad!

I’m still somewhat interested in this series, as the ending opens up on pretty gloomy and dangerous prospects, but this will be more the kind of novel I’ll borrow from the library, not buy. 2 to 2.5 stars.

Yzabel / August 30, 2015

Review: Mechanica

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn’t want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.]

An interesting retelling of “Cinderella”, in that it veers away from the traditional Happy Ever After being brough by Finding True Love. Not that love isn’t nice, but I’ve always found it a bit… lackluster, in that it feels like a deus ex machina—why would there be any need for resourceful, smart, brave characters, right, since Love is meant to care of everything in the end! So this novel was a definite good change of pace, with Nick/Nicolette/Mechanica basically doing things herself, laying down her own plans and acting on them to get her own workshop. She was determined to reclaim her own life, without waiting on Prince Charming to come to the rescue, and I particularly liked that she realised this and chose her own path when other characters tried to force her into that particular mould.

Last but not least, the story focuses on friendship as a possible form of “love”, which isn’t something that I’ve seen that often in YA books, which too often only consider the couple aspect. Yet love has so many variations, offers so many possibilities…

The world itself was also intriguing, with its mix of steampunk-ish science and faerie wares, with the Fae getting the short end of the stick after having seen their lands conquered by the humans. It was a shame these two civilisations couldn’t coexist peacefully, and it raises the question of whether this could’ve been possible or not, or maybe if one of the sides (or both?) deliberately tried to sabotage relationships. Nick’s recollection of her childhood, of the family’s housekeeper, of her mother’s works—mixing technology and possibly a bit of magic—gave quite a few insights into how things degraded.

However, while the ideas carried through this retelling are excellent, I couldn’t help but be bored at times, as the story progressed rather slowly without exactly more than the basic original plot. Nicolette’s thoughts were not always the most interesting, and even though a Cinderella is supposed to be a solitary creature, so to speak, isolated from the world because of her step family, this resulted in maybe just a little too much beating around the bush. I think more interactions with Caro and Fin would have spiced up things a little, especially considering the relationship that developed between these three characters. Genuine female friendship, and none of the insta-dislike of the other girl because here’s a rival? Hell yeah. On the other hand, the lack of interactions in general made a certain love story border more on insta-love than anything else (not to mention that it developed in Nick’s fantasies more than “in real life”).

The other major “negative” point for me was how so many threads were left dangling. I’m not sure at all if this book is supposed to be a standalone or not. If it isn’t, it wasn’t made clear enough. If it is, then these plot points should’ve been resolved. The Ashes, more specifically, remain a mystery. What about the king’s latest decision regarding Faerie? And while the latter was a good element to include, somehow more details about the Fey themselves would’ve been a nice addition (and nice opportunities for twists and turns): revolution, trying to break the embargo, whatever… Only it didn’t happen. Here’s to hope it will happen in a next volume…

3 stars for the empowering message delivered throughout (make your own life, love yourself, don’t wait on a man to save you), and because I like machines and trinkets. Nevertheless, as it was rather uneventful, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would’ve otherwise.

Yzabel / August 29, 2015

Review: Classic Human Anatomy in Motion

Classic Human Anatomy in Motion: The Artist’s Guide to the Dynamics of Figure Drawing by Valerie L. Winslow

My rating: [rating=5]

Blurb:

This highly illustrated reference book provides artists and art students with an understanding of human anatomy and different types of motion, inspiring more realistic and energetic figurative art.

Fine-art instruction books do not usually focus on anatomy as it relates to movement, despite its great artistic significance. Written by a long-time expert on drawing and painting human anatomy, Classic Human Anatomy in Motion offers artists everything they need to realistically draw the human figure as it is affected by movement. Written in a friendly style, the book is illustrated with hundreds of life drawing studies (both quick poses and long studies), along with charts and diagrams showing the various anatomical and structural components. This comprehensive manual features five distinct sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the human figure: bones and joint movement, muscle groups, surface form and soft tissue characteristics, structure, and movement. Each chapter builds an artistic understanding of how motion transforms the human figure and can create a sense of expressive vibrancy in one’s art.

Review:

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This book took me more than a month to finish, not because it was boring, though: because there’s so much to get out of it, and a couple of sittings just isn’t enough. Incidentally, it is definitely worth having a paper copy, as a PDF is not the most convenient format to use it to its full extent.

The author goes methodically through anatomical fundamentals, along with plenty of illustrations to show how bones, muscle and sinews “translate” into once put on paper. While this can be read from front cover to back, I think it’s not the best way to approach this book, and it will probably be much more interesting to start with a specific chapter, learn from it, and/or observe first the drawings and then read the anatomical “lessons” related to them. I had quite a lot of fun observing myself, trying to make a note on every detail (where a bone is apparent, etc.) and then compare with the written information (“so that’s why there’s this little justting parth ere: it’s [bone X]”).

Another interesting element is how some of the illustrations likens the body to objects (for instance, the condyles of the femur to a pair of casters): it provides another kind of reference, especially useful for people with a visual mind and who are more likely to learn from visual cues in general, as they can recall such references in order to draw those very parts later. Additional tidbits are provided, among which the reasons why this or that body part was named in such a way, something that in itself I always find good to know.

Last but not least, it one needs to understand processes to learn better, then this book goes exactly into that: if you understand how limbs are articulated, how muscles are tied to bones and then work together, how the vertebrae allow the spine to bend… then after a while, you can draw pretty much any position. And this, to me, is something I neglected for far to long, and wish I had realised sooner: to base one’s drawings on realistic information and then only find one’s style, instead of doing the contrary and learning from bases that aren’t necessarily strong enough.

In other words, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn seriously about how to draw the human body and be able to draw it later without using (many) models and references.