theelliad's reviews
234 reviews

Never been the hugest fan of the overly war/political tragedies of shakespeare- coriolanus has some interesting moments and explores nicely power, isolation, public favour and betrayal, there are just many better plays in my opinion 

A beautiful and emotional end to this series! I truly didn’t realise how much i loved this series until this book- you can really see that these aren’t just written for children anymore and there were messages within this that genuinely resonated more now than i think they would of 10 years ago! I LOVED how this book is so conclusive and yet still leaves enough space for future stuff (the sun and the star im looking at you with eager eyes). I LOVED the queer joy, the found family, the independence and the growth of this series- this universe has carried me through all walks of life and still has me laughing out loud and crying for fictional demigods! 

It’s always difficult to write a continuation of a story which has been concluded, and it’s no surprise this one didn’t quite match Library of Souls in my opinion. Jacob has quite frankly never felt as annoying as he did here, the bipolar narrative voice literally made me want to pull my hair out at times and i was so aware that Riggs is trying to address more adult issues; complex family life, relationship struggles, fame and the desire to achieve more, heroism and misunderstandings, in a way that is palletable for children. That said, this is a super fun adventure with characters i know and love and sets up nicely for a second trilogy! It’s a lot of fun to see the wards in a vastly different context and grappling with their own needs for independence!

This is what Stephen Fry wanted to do, but slightly missed the mark on. Natalie Haynes brain is so completely iconic and this book in particular reflects that entirely in its disjointed and rambled structure. While the information revealed was far from revolutionary, I particularly enjoyed the pop culture references and nuanced, heavily researched approaches made palletable! 

This book is genuinely one of the most vibey, interesting and absorbing texts that has ever been created. From the very form and it’s intertwined perspectives and timelines to the overarching textbook gothic of it! Immaculate vibes

I feel like this gets better from seeing it so I’m going to pop it on here, though the original script is wacky as fuck! 

Gonna clearly distinguish what I respect vs liked about this book as they are very different: 

Things I respected: 
- The level of research and detail in EVERY SCENE 
- The clear level of planning and forethought 
- The revolutionary nature of it in historical fiction 

Things I liked: 
- Finishing it 
- Being able to say that i finished it 

This was a very different approach to the typical AIDs memoir and I loved it! Hoffmanns recounting of Mikes life and death through scattered moments is raw and beautiful; building a potent image of Mike in all his flaws and successes. She is also introspective to her own faults which gives the narrative voice a witty, sarcastic and nuanced feel which goes beyond the typical memorialisation of the dead without sacrificing any of the emotion. 

I love M.L Rio so much. As much as I love the slightly creepy, dark campus vibes of the story, the plot is far from what makes this book brilliant. The essay at the end is beautifully written and provides excellent commentary on academia, isomnia, madness and transformation! 

Suitably unsettling and well written for Stephen King. STOP SEXUALISING WOMEN THOUGH GEEZ