Review: The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi (Translated by William Scott Wilson)

★★★☆☆.5

The Book of Five Rings (translated by William Scott Wilson) is a manifesto written by the undefeated Samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Born in either the Harima Province of Japan or the small village Miyamoto in Mimasaka in 1584, Musashi won his first fight against the swordsman Arima Kihei at just 13 years old. Other than the small amount of information he writes about himself, (literally half a page in his book), everything else we know of this incredibly successful samurai has been pieced together from bits of sources here and there. At the age of 62, in 1645 Musashi died as an undefeated warrior, and not long before his death, he wrote down his Ways. 

The Book of Five Rings, detailing Musashi’s beliefs and practices of his Way of Truth. The book is really easy to read, and accompanied by an insightful introduction and a great bibliography at the end. Coming into this with no prior information about Japanese samurai culture didn’t feel like a disadvantage after reading the introduction, and the accessible way in which it has been written. It can be understood as Musashi’s guide book on how to be a successful samurai, and hints many times at the things he thinks you should research more thoroughly, or practice consistently. 

The book is split up into five sections ‘The Earth Chapter’ ‘The Water Chapter’ ‘The Fire Chapter’ ‘The Wind Chapter’ and ‘The Emptiness Chapter,’ and each deals with a separate facet of Musashi’s practice and beliefs, known as his ‘Way’. Chapter one is the Earth Chapter and is an introduction into Musashi’s Way, and give an overview of what he is going to cover in the next four chapters. Chapter two is the Water Chapter, which uses water as a model for the mind, and focusses on the swordsmanship of his Way. Musashi detail practical knowledge and tips to holding and handling swods, specifically in his preferred style of the ‘Two-Sword Style. Of course, he takes the time to tell you why his style is the correct one, and why any other style is inferior. Musashi runs through a number of different scenarios and the ways in which you can defeat your opponent. He also stresses the importance of the mind and the body; specifically, the eyes, hands, feet, head, neck, and posture when learning the Ways. The use of a sword is a full-body experience.

"You should consider these principles as though they were discovered from your own mind, and continually make great efforts to make them a physical part of yourself."

Miyamoto Musashi

The Fire Chapter is chapter three, and in this section, he uses fire as an analogy for battle since, like fire, battles can be small or large. This section focusses on the use of your mind in every situation to your advantage. This is also the section in which he explains ways you can use your physical surroundings to your advantage. Where the best place to stand is in regards to the light source, and the strategies to keep in mind when fighting. This is also the section that focusses more on issues that may arise during battles, and different tactics to gain the upper hand, like using fear to your advantage, and working with the rhythm of your opponent. The Wind Chapter is pretty much all about why the other ways of martial arts are wrong, and why his is superior. And finally, The Emptiness Chapter (which is the shortest chapter) was written: "so that you might naturally enter the Way of Truth.”

“Fear resides in all things, and the great of fear is in the unexpected”

Miyamoto Musashi

This book was a VERY interesting read. As I was getting into the rhythm of the writing style and the content of the manifesto, I started to make comparisons to how you can use his rules and tips in your everyday life. One of the sections that resonated with me was ‘Renewel’ in which Musashi writes ‘when you and your opponent are fighting and nothing is going right, nor is there progress, be of mind to throw off your former intention and start entirely anew.’ When I read this I thought of the times that I got in the way of myself, and how switching up a routine or starting something anew after being stuck in a lull gave me a fresh perspective and renewed energy or enthusiasm for a project or task. If you are going to read this, keep an open mind and try and see how you might be able to use some of Musashi’s tips in your own life.

This was a bit of a different read for me, but still really enjoyable! Let me know if you’ve read this, or something similar, or if you have knowledge of the history of samurai’s in Japan! I would love to learn more about this history!

Review: A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

★★★☆☆.75

A Touch of Darkness is the first book in the Hades and Persephone series by Scarlett St. Clair. It’s a loose retelling of the abduction of Persephone by the Lord of the Underworld in Greek Mythology, re-written in an urban, contemporary setting. I listened to the audiobook, which I wouldn’t necessarily recommend because I didn’t really vibe with the narrator, but the story definitely has its merits!

This book is definitely an easy read. It’s addictive and binge-worthy, and I raced through it in 4 days. The story follows Persephone, the Goddess of Spring who has been hidden from the rest of the gods by her mother Demeter, the Goddess of Vegetation. She has been allowed to leave the confines of Demeter’s greenhouse to attend university and live a normal life glamoured as a mortal, and has been brought up being told to stay away from the gods, especially Hades. This book covers just over 6 months, and Persephone doesn't just ~not~ stay away from gods, she ends up becoming very acquainted with many! St. Clair has made many changes to the initial myth to make it work for her story and her setting, and honestly, I was SO here for it!

Even knowing the myth of Persephone and Hades, this book is filled with imagination and I really enjoyed the urban setting (although it took me a bit to get used to). The biggest issue I had with this book was Persephone. Honestly, most of the notes I made whilst reading this book was just my frustration over the Goddess of Spring. One of the biggest issues I had with her was her inconsistent and wishy-washy personality. I understand that this is a character who has only been allowed into the real world for the last four years, but she was constantly contradicting herself, and just not making a lot of sense. Persephone’s character seems to have been written purposefully to aid in the whole ‘miscommunication’ trope, but instead of actually having issues of miscommunication, she just doesn’t tell Hades anything? Some of the things she thinks were just so DUMB, she was sometimes so self-absorbed, and she seemed to actively listen and believe everyone else (including gods she’s just met), over Hades, and it makes absolutely no sense.

“Oh, darling”

Scarlett St. Clair

Anyway, she was honestly my biggest problem with this book. Her, and the ‘insta love’ vibe I got. However, with the insta love, that is definitely stemming from the roots of Greek Mythology so that, I accept begrudgingly. What I LOVED about this book was Hades, Hecate, literally everyone that works for Hades and the Underworld. Getting to slowly see how Hades lives his life, find out what makes him happy, and who he is as a person behind all of the garbage nonsense that is spread around was my favourite part of this book. He withdrew from the public eye for thousands of years, and so, in his wake, rumours and gossip grew and mutated into nothing but lies about his character, and his motives. And the thing is, the reader can see this from the first encounter between Persephone and Hades, but it still takes Persephone, like, the WHOLE DAMN BOOK to get with the program. *sigh*

“If they feel you’re worthy of celebration, don’t you think that’s enough?”

Scarlett St. Clair

Hecate, the souls in the underworld, and all the gods that are portrayed in this book were so wonderful! I thought Hermes was so brilliant, and Thanatos made such an impact, even though he was only in it for a short time. The friendship that grows between Hecate and Persephone was brilliant, almost as heartwarming and Lexa and how unconditionally she loves her friend! Definitely an underrated character. This book was also VERY steamy. Like, surprisingly so. This is your warning 😂 If you want to know more about Scarlett’s research, inspirations and development of the book, then I would definitely recommend you watch Erica’s interview(s) with her over on Youtube!

So, if you’re looking for an easy read, steamy, greek mythology retelling, then this is definitely the book for you! I got so much more invested in the relationship than I was anticipating (obviously because of Hades), and I am so excited to continue on with the series. You’ll also find many, many tidbits from Greek mythology all throughout the book including common names and other myths! I love it when authors incorporate as many references and nuances as possible! In saying that, I’m definitely more excited to read the Hades perspective than the Persephone. Have you read this book? Which perspective do you prefer?

Review: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout

★★★☆☆.5

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire is the second book in the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This is going to be a spoiler-free review for this book, but will definitely spoil the first book in the series so if you haven’t read the first one, then pls don’t read this if you don’t want to be spoiled!

---

Okay! On to the review! So at the ending of the previous book, we found out that Hawke isn’t just Hawke, but is actually Casteel Da’Neer, the Prince of Atlantia, also known as the Dark One. If you haven’t already read my review for From Blood and Ash which explains my chaotic thoughts about that book, you can find it here. Honestly, this one started off just as problematic. There were a few things I liked about this book, and a few things that really, really bugged me. The way Casteel acted, his manipulative behaviour was toxic and made me feel so uncomfortable, and a lot of those feelings followed me throughout the first third of this book too. The way he acts is possessive in a way that isn’t hot and broody but uncomfortable and NOT my vibe. He definitely grew on me as the book continued past the first third and we actually learnt more about him, but I can’t forget the way he acted in the way that apparently Poppy can.

“You can’t spell dysfunctional without fun, now can you?”

— Jennifer L. Armentrout

This takes me to the utter lack of communication between Cas and Poppy for LITERALLY 90% of this book. It took them SO LONG to deal with their OBVIOUS attraction and it really bugged me. I definitely understand why it would be a serious conflict for Poppy, this man literally lied about who he was for months, but really. Poppy’s internal monologues were too frequent and so incredibly pointless. They were all so repetitive, and at the end of it all, nothing is ever resolved for her. It bugged me, and she bugged me. Plus, their constant referencing to ‘pretending’ was so frustrating.

A common theme in this review is that, after the first 60%, everything about this book got better. Since in the first 60% literally, nothing happened and the dialogue was so repetitive. There were significantly fewer internal monologues, things actually happened, and the introduction of more characters which really improved this book. I loved learning more about Atlantia, the history of the world in this book and the Atlantians in general. But, I would have LOVED to have learnt this information another way, rather than a massive info dump question and answer. It wasn’t at all engaging, and I feel like there was SO much potential and it just fell flat.

Make me feel incompetent and kill more than me, Princess.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

One of the saving graces in the book was Kieran and the dynamic between him, Casteel, and Poppy. I honestly wanted more Kieran! I better get more Kieran in the next book. Their relationship really developed as the book went on, and I was SO here for it. Poppy became so comfortable with the two boys, and the banter between them was honestly a lifesaver in some of the more dull sections of this book, since, and I STRESS, barely ANYTHING happens in this book. The major events that did happen were brilliant, the fight scenes were well written and the dialogue that wasn’t about Poppy and how special or violent she is was so entertaining. We get to see more of the world, learn more of the history of both the world and the characters, but Poppy’s inability to work through anything, the lack of action, events, and literally anything of importance happening in the first 60% is the reason I had to dock off 1 1/2 stars.

Not as good as the first book, but still enjoyable. The last 20% of the book and the cliffhanger have made it impossible for me to not read the next book! I’d love to know what you thought of this! Let me know in the comments, or you can always find me on insta at @kell_read!

Review: The Porpoise by Mark Haddon

★★★★★

The Porpoise is a novel that seamlessly intertwines a modern tale with an ancient story. After Philipe’s wife is killed in a plane crash and their daughter Angelica survives, the wealthy father raises his daughter in near isolation. Although she wants for nothing, the father-daughter duo is not as it appears from outside eyes. When Darius stumbles into a far darker and troubled home than he was anticipating, he flees the house and the girl in desperate need of help. It is at this point that the ancient story of Pericles, Prince of Tyre, a story which dates back to Ancient Greece, is woven into the novel as easily as taking a breath. From this moment you are transported from present-day to ancient history, from consciousness to consciousness in a truly unforgettable way.

She recounts these tales to herself in idle moments, inevitably changing them a little every time and comes to believe, in some occult way, that these are stories of her own invention, that she is bringing these lives into being, as if she is one of the Fates, those supernatural women who make and cut the thread of life.

Mark Haddon

It is incredibly hard to put into words how I feel about this book. For most of the time, I was like ‘?????’ But also actively enjoying it. Haddon’s prose is stunning. It ebbs and flows in a way that makes you feel steady amidst a novel so busy. His language is whimsical in a sense that the perfect words have been chosen to convey the dreamlike, or almost, an intangible sense that nothing is as it seems. To say that this book doesn't give you a break is an understatement. From page 1 you know that this is going to be unlike anything you’ve ever read before.

She can see it clearly now. Everyone inhabits a different world.

Mark Haddon

The Porpoise effortlessly blends the modern with ancient. It’s split into five sections and has no chapters, but often changes in time are marked by a paragraph marker. I think this was such a brilliant way to keep the novel flowing as one continuous story. To have chapters splitting up time and space would have made it feel clunky and wrong, but this way, you simply glide from one time to the next, letting the story take you with it. The novel is a retelling of a Greek myth that no longer survives and incorporates the play written by Willian Shakespeare and George Wilkins; Pericles, Prince of Tyre. I’m not sure whether being familiar with the myth and the play will work to your advantage when reading this book, but I loved going into it completely without bias. Haddon had full rein over this myth, since there is no ancient source to work with, and what he has done with it is truly incomparable. The writing is mesmerising and the characters are all so unique and utterly human. They’re flawed, often they’re morally grey, and together, they convey the spectrum of the human condition.

She likes the idea that death did not come to take him away but that he decided to go and meet it.

Mark Haddon

Once again I have written the most chaotic book review to ever exist, but It’s impossible to get into any plot point or even character in this novel without giving something away. It is unlike anything I have ever read before, but I implore you to read this book.

Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

★★★★☆

Hello friends and welcome back to another chaotic review (non-spoiler)! Although, as always, this will have spoilers for the previous books in the series! 

Okay, so, I came into this book after rereading the rest of the series with medium expectations. I really like SJM’s writing style and the world she’s built but I was really unsure about Nesta. So far we have been mostly in the mind of Feyre, with a couple of jumps to Rhys and then we got a few different POVs in the novella (which I loved and want more of ASAP), so I think my trepidation for a book focussed on Nesta is because so far, her motivations were a mystery. She acted like a self-entitled brat, she was cold, rude and didn’t lift a finger to help Feyre when she was younger and kept the family alive, and didn’t get that much better even after she and Elain were turned into Fae. Although it seemed in ACOMAF that she was improving, it was obvious that the war and the death of her father caused a drastic decrease in her mental health. 

This book really made me understand Nesta. It made me understand the choices she made when she was human, and her outlook on life. It was obvious in ACOFAS that she was struggling, but this book really showed how bad she got. This book was massive, both in physical size and what it covered with Nesta. She went through SO much in this book, and although she really bugged me in the beginning, she has become a character that I actually really like (which is a huge surprise).

“I cannot survive without reading.” 

Sarah J Maas

This redemption arc is EVERYTHING that I hoped for, and that definitely has something to do with having Cassian as a main focus and a POV, and Nesta creating her own found family as Feyre did. I really enjoyed Cassian’s POV, it gave his character so much more depth, and he is such a sweet and honourable male and I think that this book was so wonderful in that it allowed us to get so much more of an insight on who he is, and his motivations and history. It was wonderful. 

The new characters in this book, the priestesses, Emerie and Gwyn was so great. I loved having these three women, all who had gone through such hardships, find each other and allow themselves to grow and heal together. Like, YES. And the House! I have to say, the friendship between Nesta and the House was one of my favourite aspects of this book. 

“The cold of the gaps between stars, the cold of a world before light.”

Sarah J Maas

One point I want to make, is the incorporation of ancient history elements and even legendary history. The Myrmidon mountains were one, and also it seemed like Maas used the rough legend of Arthur, Gwyn, and Lancelot at one point which I liked! There was definitely more, but I can’t remember!!! 

The book was so long though, I docked a star off my rating for a few reasons, one, is how LONG it is. I feel like there could have been 100/150 words less and have been just as powerful. I feel like there was a bit of filler in there, but it probably could have been a bit shorter. There was also an issue with repetition, up until about the 120-page mark, I really felt like there was a lot of unnecessary repetition in the thoughts of Nesta + Cassian and it was super frustrating and made the beginning tedious. I also didn’t really vibe that much with the sex scenes, but the angst and tension it caused for the overall story was pretty brilliant. This aspect definitely got better though, as the book went on and the characters grew and healed and developed!

Anyway, I enjoyed this more than I thought! I thought the writing was as good as always, the world-building is always spot on, the characters were all well fleshed out and the events of this book were all new and unique and made me want to keep reading it! All in all, a wonderful read and I would recommend it to anyone who may be having doubts about a book from Nesta’s POV!! 

Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight (Re-read) by Sarah J Maas

★★★★☆

As always, this review is spoiler free (although, nothing much really happens so there isn’t much to spoil), but this review WILL discuss happenings from the previous books. So, if you haven’t read them all yet and you don’t want to be spoiled for any part, please don’t read this review until you’re all caught up!

I think this novella was the perfect way to end the Feyre/Rhysand main plot in this series. I understand why people would not vibe with this, they’re right, nothing really happens. It’s more of a bridge. The ending of one focus, and the beginning of a new one and I thought they ended Feyre and Rhysand’s story really beautifully (although I am sure they will make plenty of appearances in the next one!) I am eager for the next book (hopefully) to delve into the internal processes of characters like Elain, Mor and Az are going through, of course in addition to Cas and Nesta which I can only assume are the two POVs in the book? Not sure, but these characters went through war. They went through such horrific events, Elain and Nesta were ripped from their lives and turned into something completely new, and Mor has been struggling with herself, her identity for 500 years. I want to see development! I want to see these characters learning and growing and healing dammit.   

Reading about how Veralis and it’s people were recuperating and rebuilding after war is something that goes beyond this fantasy world, to the world we’re living in. Each of these characters is dealing with their demons in their own way, so I have a feeling that this novella was a way to prepare readers for the next one which may (by the sounds of it) be less major event-based, and more character-driven?? (I would definitely vibe with that). 

“To the blessed darkness from which we are born, and to which we return.” 

Sarah J Maas

What I want out of the next book that this novella made me realise: I want to know what the vulgar expression is thanks!!! I also want Azriel to speak more and just be given more page time!! I love his unique type of humour, and I am SO curious about him and his shadows. I think that if we get to see from his POV, it’s really going to make his character shine in a way it wasn’t given a chance in the previous books. This book also showed how tender and gentle the budding friendship between Elain and Azriel is, and I want MORE thank you very much xo  

Obviously, I am excited to continue to follow Rhys and Feyre and their journey together, but the rest of the characters are all so unique and interesting, I am keen to see what happens next. Okay, so this review was sort of both my thoughts for this novella (I thought it was a lovely way to conclude the arc of Feyre and Rhysand), and introduce the focus for the next books, and also a review for how I think this might work with the next book and my hopes for it. SO basically, this has been just as chaotic as my other reviews, but you should all be used to that by now, right? 

“Stars flickered around us, sweet darkness sweeping in. As if we were the only souls in a galaxy.” 

Sarah J Maas

Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas (Re-read)

★★★★☆.5

This was another re-read in lead up to A Court of Silver Flames, which has very recently come out! The difference between this one and the previous two books is that I have only ever read this one once, and honestly, I could barely remember anything that happened… I realised as I was reading it that it was probably because not a lot actually happened. (There will be spoilers for the previous two books in this review, but will be spoiler-free for A Court of Wings and Ruin!) 

This book felt much more character and politically driven than the previous two books. There were less major events, and more small choices and character interactions which fuelled the majority of it. For me, I really didn’t mind it. I love a book that is heavily character-driven, but I understand other people’s issues that not enough happened until like, the last 100 pages. With that being said, I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel, with Feyre working as a double agent in the Spring Court. It was such a thrill, and the changing relationships and dynamics between the characters was so interesting, compared to the beginning of ACOMAF. 

I loved seeing more of the world, and finally being introduced properly to all of the High Lords. All of their different and unique characteristics, and how they work within their courts was one of my favourite aspects, and the politics between them was tense but also humorous. The most character development and focus though, was definitely on Elain and Nesta. After being forced to turn into Fae at the ending of ACOMAF, seeing how the two dealt with this massive change in their lives in such different ways was really well done. 

Kindness can thrive even amongst cruelty.

Sarah J Maas

One of my biggest peeves in this book is the use of the word ‘Hybern’. We have heard the King of Hybern in previous books, and it has been shortened to ‘Hybern’ when characters are talking about the king, but in THIS book!!! It meant SO MANY things. It was the king, a place, his armies?? and his people in general?? It made absolutely no sense?? I feel like Maas just lost the plot with that particular aspect of the book, it was so confusing!! Is it a place??? Is it the name of this man?? The name of his army?? Please, someone, let me know what is going on 😂

I find it wild, that Lucien left on his mission (keeping the specifics quiet cause spoilers), and then everyone just forgot about him and didn’t communicate with him at all until he showed up later. Not to mention, the ending! Honestly, many aspects of the ending were out of character and hard to believe (yes, it’s a high fantasy novel, but you know what I mean!) It was anticlimactic in a way I forgot about during my first reading of it, and that definitely impacted my final rating which I downgraded to a 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

Night Triumphant- and the Stars Eternal.

Sarah J Maas

I still really enjoyed this book, and this entire series, but ACOMAF is 100% my favourite book of this series. I will be reading A Court of Frost and Starlight before finally moving on to A Court of Silver Flames. I love books with multiple POV’s which is what I would have LOVED from this series, even just this last book! Each character had their place in this finale to the initial trilogy, and it would have been so wonderful to see some of it from a different point of view (although to be fair, Feyre steadily got more interesting and less annoying as the books went on). This is probably the aspect I am most excited about A Court of Frost and Starlight (which will be a re-read) and A Court of Silver Flames. Let me know what you think of this book!! Of course, if you have spoilers you want to rant about, find me on Insta @kell_read!

Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas (Re-read)

★★★★★

This is a non-spoiler review, but it will have spoilers for ACOTAR (fair warning). Just like ACOTAR, this was my 3rd reading of A Court of Mist and Fury, with the last one being about 3 years ago. This one is without a doubt, my favourite book in the series. It turns out that my taste in books hasn’t changed at all and this was still very much a 5 star read for me. This book had so much more going for it than ACOTAR, it had more depth in every aspect from character development, relationships, world-building, and just general tension, angst, and events. It absolutely hooks you in from the very first chapter, and doesn’t even release its grip after you finish it. 

Let’s start with the addition of the new characters; Cassian, Azriel, Mor, and Amren. I absolutely adore them all. They are all so unique, but all work so well together. Learning about each of their backstories, as well as Rhysands, and how they became the family that they are is truly one of my absolute favourite aspects of this book. The banter between the inner circle, and how they’re so comfortable with each other gives much of this book such a homely feel to it. 

“He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.” 

Sarah J Maas

The main focus of this book is Feyre, how she is dealing with the events from Under the Mountain, and her personal development as a Fae. The treatment of PTSD, and highlighting the importance of having people around you who understand and are there for your well-being is so prevalent in most of this book. Feyre learns so much about how she has changed, physically and mentally from before the events under the mountain, and she realises what she deserves and DAMN I’m here for it. Because Tamlin, Ianthe and even Lucien (poor Lucien), acted like such trash. Their treatment of Feyre, their continuous exclusion of her and their inability to see that she was obviously struggling really bothers me. Every time I read this book, their actions make me queasy. And don’t for ONE second tell me that Tamlin never, not once, woke up to Feyre vomiting, like excuse me. No. 

I have always loved Rhysand as a character, but never more than in this book. Not only do we get to understand who he is, but we learn about his history and the lasting effects of what he had to do Under the Mountain. He is exactly what Feyre needed, and it frustrated me how long it took her to realise that he was a good guy, and was doing what he could to help her because he FULLY understands how she feels. He didn’t need to be connected with her to understand the darkness inside her from what she had done. It’s just, so much more complex than ACOTAR in every way and I really loved it. 

“To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys.” Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

Sarah J Maas

Getting to see more of Prythian and this world is another wonderful part of this book. Here we get to learn about the Night Court, we get to understand how courts differ more than just whether they’re Spring, Summer, Dawn, etc and the choices that the High Lords can make. We get Velaris, we get the Court of Nightmares and we get an introduction into the Illyrians. Just, so good. Plus, the writing definitely felt improved from the first one. 

This book had a lot of brilliant development in it, for the characters, relationships, the main plotline (which I won’t get into because spoilers), political tensions, and the world as a whole. If you loved this book, if you hated this book, I’d love to hear your thoughts/rants and opinions! Got spoilery stuff ya want to rant about? Feel free to send me a message on Insta, you can find me at @kell_read!!

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses By Sarah J Maas (Re-read)

★★★☆☆

This was my third reading of A Court of Thorns and Roses, and my feelings and opinions on it haven’t changed much at all from the second reading, but my initial thoughts were quite different. So let’s get into this (spoiler-free) review! 

First and foremost, I always enjoy the whole Beauty and the Beast retelling-vibe. I also thought that the world-building was pretty great. You get enough in this first book of the series to get a feel for the world, but to leave some things to be found out in the later books which I really like. And honestly, the last 100 pages are so good, they’re darker and they’re raw and I really enjoy them. Every time, I forget how much better this series gets the longer you get into it. 

The character development, and development of the relationships and relationship dynamics throughout the book I also think is excellent. In the beginning, Feyre was pretty damn annoying. It was frustrating being in her head, but honestly, by the end of the book she was much more interesting and maybe it was the fact that she went through SO much at the end that she was a way better POV. As she loosened up at the Spring Court, and formed connections with Tamlin, Lucien, Alis and even Rhysand, she became more interesting. 

Lucien and Rhysand are still my two favourite characters from this book. They are funny, witty and just way more dynamic than the predictable and a bit boring Tamlin. Tamlin is painted as ‘swoon-worthy but I really do find him boring and predictable. The dialogue between Feyre and Lucien is probably the most interesting part of the first 60% of the book to be quite honest. Lucien backstory never gets easier to read, it always makes me so sad. Maybe it’s because we get more information about Lucien than Tamlin, which is why I like him so much more? I don’t know. Tamlin seems like he’s just a bit self-serving? It’s interesting. Also, let’s just say, don’t take Rhysand at face value. This book only hints at the depth and layers of these characters and the world which you really only get into in book two. 

Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy 

Sarah J Maas

But, compared to the other books in the series, this one is seriously lacking. It definitely sets up the world and the characters for so much potential, but on it’s own, it falls short. Elain and Nesta are interesting characters, Elain is sweet but oh so very useless, and Nesta is icy and brutal. I will be very very interested to read a book from her POV to hopefully get a bit deeper into why she is how she is, because honestly, at the beginning of this book her words and actions are inexcusable. She is definitely better when we encounter her later in the book, but still. Doesn’t make up for her initial behaviour.

Let’s finish this mess of a review by saying it’s hard to review a book impartially when you have read the next ones… Honestly though, if you read this and don’t vibe with it that much, PLEASE try to read the next one. This is my least favourite book in the series and it honestly gets SO much better! If you’ve read this book, or the series, let me know what you think of it!

Review: The Iliad by Homer (translation by E.V. Rieu)

★★★★☆

— Okay so I do go through the main plot of the Trojan War, so I guess there are spoilers? But also, this story is over 2000 years old so if you don’t want to know the main events of the Iliad don’t read this review —

The start of my relationship with the Iliad didn’t go so well, which is why I have only now just finished it and didn’t read it all throughout my three-year Ancient History degree or honours year. In 2018 I picked it up for the first time, I struggled, I put it down after the damned Book 4 catalogue of the ships and never read anymore. I pretty much just gave up on it. I left it in my ‘currently reading’ on Goodreads for over a year until I took it off, knowing I wasn’t going to pick it back up. 

In August last year (2020), I thought to myself, this is dumb, it’s time to pick the Iliad back up and give it another try. You’re older and wiser now (lol), you can do this. So I picked it up, I got back into it (I skipped the catalogue of the ships though), and then about 50% of the way through, I put it down and didn’t pick it back up for months. Every now and then I’d pick it up, read a section and then put it down. Until about a week ago. I picked it up, and I started reading it. And I kept reading it, and I finished it in about 4 days. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace, or maybe I just kept wanting books that I didn’t have to focus so much on, or maybe the second half of the Iliad is just way better than the first half (that’s what I reckon), because honestly, I loved it. 

So, after all that! After trying to read it for literally YEARS, I ended up loving it. It’s weird. So let’s get into this! The Iliad, by Homer is an early epic poem from Ancient Greece. It is believed to have been written down for the first time in the 8th century BCE, but would have been a well-known tale by then. It was initially part of the rich culture of oral poetry in Ancient Greece before being written down. This concept of oral poetry would have meant regions may have adapted and changed parts based on their city and culture which is such a fascinating phenomenon. There is also the idea that Homer was not actually one person but a whole bunch of people, but that is definitely something for another day. 

The Iliad tells the tale of the last year of the Trojan War, which had been raging for 9 years prior to the beginning of this book. The Trojan war started because Paris, the son of Priam the king of Troy, abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus who was the brother of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. Now obviously, Menelaus wasn’t okay with his wife being whisked off (voluntarily or against her will is also a topic for another day, and one that is still highly popular in discussions of the Trojan War), and so he pretty much rallied all the blokes he could from as many cities as possible to help him get Helen back. A lot of fighting happens, and the Iliad ends after the body of Hector (who has been killed by Achilles in response to Hector killing Patroclus) is returned to his family and wife. So that’s a simplified summary of the 10-year war. 

To the book! It was always so interesting reading this and remembering that this would have initially been spoken, not read. I absolutely loved keeping that in my mind whilst I read it, especially when passages were repeated and the use of epithets. You can only assume that these were features to keep it easier to memorise and relay to a crowd of people listening! The translation by E.V. Rieu was so wonderful, it was easy to read but didn’t feel to modern or jarring. I thought it really brought the story to life in a compelling way. 

I am not a fan of war books, I never have been and probably never will be. The fact that this documents the last year of the Trojan War wasn’t a good omen for me. I wouldn’t say that this is a traditional war book though, and honestly, the Greek gods are absolutely my favourite part of this. They are so vindictive, jealousy prone and downright human. They made me laugh so many times, they had childish feuds and are honestly just the most dysfunctional family you could imagine, and I am here for it. If you’re on the fence about it, read it if only for the part that Hera calls Artemis a ‘shameless bitch’ lol. 

The grief Achilles felt for the death of his closest friend and love, Patroclus, was palpable through the words. It was so raw, and the fact that he was wailing and displaying his grief in quite a feminine way was really interesting. The physical lament of pulling at hair and clothes was a tradition commonly observed by grieving women, so having Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Achaeans lamenting Patroclus in that way must have been a very explicit decision. I really would like to one day have my Ancient Greek abilities good enough that I could read this in the Greek. Anyone who thinks they weren’t lovers obviously hasn’t read the Iliad. I wouldn’t want my ashes to be buried in the same golden urn as someone who was just my super close friend. 

It’s hard to review a book that has over 2000 years’ worth of legendary history woven into it, but I thought it was such a great read (well definitely the last 50%). Reading how the citizens of Ancient Greece would have been living their lives in regards to their belief in the Greek gods is so incredibly interesting. How an arrow will go straight as long as you remember to sacrifice a young lamb in honour of Phoebus Apollo, as seen in Book 23 or if they have a favourite mortal, they will ferry them to safety without being asked. The complete incorporation of the Greek gods in the lives of every man and woman in this book is so striking. 

They’re my main thoughts and feelings about the Iliad, but I’m sure I’ll keep talking about it for a long long time, especially since I’d like to read different translations of it. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the Odyssey, and also Stephen Fry’s Troy. Have you read the Iliad? Which translation was it and did you enjoy it?? Lemme know! ❤️

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

★★★★★

Putting words down for how I feel about this book, how it made me feel reading it, is proving to be an incredible challenge. It is intriguing, dazzling, beguiling, wondrous, mesmerising and whimsical. It was soft, gentle and absolutely nothing like how I imagined it, and I am so incredibly glad.

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.”

Erin Morgenstern

The book is about a circus, which isn’t really anything like a circus. It all began with a challenge, a girl named Celia and a boy named Marco. This challenge has rules, but Celia and Marco don’t know them, and it takes them many years to fully understand the stakes upon which they are battling. However, it is the most thoughtful, gentle and elegant challenge, with each move made with purpose and intention. There was no action in this book, it was an incredibly slow burn and the romance is subtle, yet fits in perfectly with the book.

It was written out of time, with the beginning of each chapter probably in a different location, day or year than the one before. Its disorienting, like the entrance to the circus; you don’t know where you are, or where anyone is but you know if you keep going, you’ll be in the circus. The writing was so spellbinding, just as the magic in this book. It’s impossible to describe my feelings about this book, its soul is the circus, and the circus is nothing without those making it what it is. The Rêveurs were such a wonderful idea, and I will be a Rêveur for this book, forever. 

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.”

Erin Morgenstern

I want nothing more than to experience a circus like this, and I know I haven’t done this book justice with this review, but it is truly impossible. The characters, every single one (and there were many), were fleshed out, unique, and utterly pivotal to the story. They were (almost all), morally ambiguous, which heightened the level of ‘realness’ to this. People aren’t purely good or bad, people make bad choices, and the actions of the characters in The Night Circus, were so incredibly believable within this dazzling world. I will have to shout out my two favourite characters, Poppet and Widget. They brought something to the book that no other characters did, it’s an indescribable quality, but it’s there nonetheless. 

From the first chapter, and the obvious link to William Shakespeares The Tempest, I knew I was in for a story about spirits and illusions, magic and performances, and that’s exactly what I got. This book is much like Le Cirque de Rêves, it is beautiful, mystifying, and unique, and only with you for a short while. This book will not be for everyone, there is no action, it is not fast-paced, and there is no steamy romance, but it is probably one of the most intricate books I have ever read, and I implore you to give it a try.

Review: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout

★★★★☆

Okay, I’m going to keep this spoiler-free, but its gonna be damn hard. This is a very tentative 4 stars, because honestly, I had more issues with this than I was anticipating. But I will start by saying that I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did such a good job! I would definitely recommend listening to this book! 

That brings me to my first issue with this book, the writing. It started with this enormous info dump which I am going to assume takes up the first two-three pages. This was not a good experience when listening to the audiobook, especially because I couldn’t easily re-read it/ review it later when terms and people were mentioned. It was so bland to listen to and also just way way wayyyy too much information. Like, honestly. Build the world please. This book had so much potential, and I literally couldn’t tell you any noteworthy part of the world building?? There’s a big wall called ‘the rise’ (real original lol), and of course there’s small houses in the poor district, and the fancy big castle thing. That’s all I got. With the writing, there was so much repetition. SO MUCH. I found myself thinking, ‘we just heard this like 2 minutes ago, we don’t need to hear it again.’ So yeah, there was a few issues with the writing which put me off. The world grew later in the book, like, the last 30%, but before that, it was very two-dimensional and bland. 

However, the book was a slow burn, and to be honest with you, I vibe with that. Obviously, I would have preferred that the world was built, and dimensions were added in that time, but also just getting to know the characters, the relationship dynamics and history of the people we’re reading about is something I enjoy. 

What a great segway into the characters. We are in the POV of Poppy for the entire book (and in first person too which shook me at the beginning), and oh my god. Poppy is so stupid. Sorry, she is not some amazing heroine, she is dumb. Yes, she took the initiative to learn how to defend herself (bless Viktor), but you’d think being forced to be ‘The Maiden,’ and literally not allowed to talk to anyone would mean that she would be a good observer?? That she would use her inability to talk to people to observe, and actually SEE what was going on around her. But no, she literally didn’t see anything that was right in front of her the whole time, and would be absolutely bamboozled when explained to her. I understand why she feels how she does, she’s kept isolated and alone for her whole life – but she doesn’t act like it? And!! She doesn’t use it to her advantage? I dunno, her POV was mostly enjoyable, but damn she could be slow. 

Then we get to Hawke. I’m not going to say a lot about him, because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I am disappointed. He is not the sexy, brooding but actually soft and sweet bad boy that we live for. The ending was really interesting, like the last 5 or 6 chapters were just wild, and it’s really set up the potential for an exciting sequel, but the VERY LAST SENTENCE literally left me with goosebumps, but not the good kind. Yes I was surprised with one or two aspects of the wild final 30% of the book, parts of it were SO obvious that honestly, I picked them up pretty damn early. 

I love morally grey characters, I LIVE for a villain that is complex, but by the end of this book, I was just angry, frustrated, and frankly, incredibly uncomfortable. This book was a binge-read for me. It was interesting, and I wanted to keep reading and the last 30% of it kept me on my toes, but it wasn’t a 5 star read. I am SO conflicted. Honestly, it’s hard to review this without spoiling it, and it’s hard to give it a star review. I have probably contradicted myself a few times during this, and I can’t help it. I would LOVE to know your thoughts about this book! Please leave a comment, or message me on insta (especially if it’s about spoilers!) This was a wild mess, I’m sorry, but welcome to my brain!