Pieter

Like many people, I watched the Netflix series a few years ago. I found the series good, and now that I came across the book, I definitely wanted to read it.

I certainly don't regret it. Tevis's writing style is somewhat distant; he describes things in a fairly straightforward manner. The dialogues are quite sharp, and what stands out is his knowledge of chess. His expertise is good enough to make it seem realistic.

The story itself is, of course, quite standard and predictable. Even without the Netflix series as a spoiler, the story has no real surprises. An outcast in an orphanage, a girl, turns out to be a prodigy and becomes the world's best chess player.

It's no wonder that the book has been adapted for Netflix because it reads like a movie script.
A very entertaining book, but in this case, the series is better. The characters and the zeitgeist come more to life in the series. Refreshing, for a change.

“Night” by Elie Wiesel is a moving and impactful account of the author's experiences during the Holocaust. The book takes the reader through the brutal reality of the Holocaust and the effect it had on his life. Wiesel's writing style is straightforward and effective, making the reader feel the gravity of the events described. The book is a personal testament to the atrocities committed during that time and will linger in the mind of the reader long after finishing it.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is how Wiesel manages to convey the immense suffering and trauma of the Holocaust in a raw and personal way. He does not shy away from describing the concentration camps in detail, but also delves into the emotional and psychological impact it had on him and those around him.

Are we going to die now?
No.
What are we going to do?
We're going to drink some water. Then we're going to keep going down the road.

There are few books that have left such a deep impression as The Road.
A man, a boy, a desolate post-apocalyptic world, and The Road.
That's all.

McCarthy's writing style is just as desolate as the world he writes about. It never becomes entirely clear what has happened; brief, fleeting flashbacks are all the reader gets.
You can feel the despair of the world in which the man and the boy live.
The man is cynical, and survival is his top priority. The boy, on the other hand, has great compassion.
This gives rise to highly emotional situations.

A beautiful story that is heart-wrenching.
5 stars

Because we're the good guys.
Yes.
And we're carrying the fire.

Still funny, but the series slowly is starting to lose its magic.
The Shakespeare quotes shouted out randomly (because it makes you look mysterious) are really funny. There are some real gems in the chapter numbering and there is a fun reference to one of the mysteries in the Wheel of Time series.
The story is slowly getting a bit darker and I think Sanderson slipped in shades of grey regarding the morality of the characters. This is cleverly done.
But the constant addressing of the reader has its limits. Re-using jokes starts to be annoying.
As mentioned, some of the jokes are clever and funny, but dosing the humour is an art.