Bronwyn Knox

Sweet and cute kinda-sorta sci fi. I'd group this in a category with Remarkably Bright Creatures where it is mostly a character/family drama story and using in this case alien invasion as the hook.

This is a pleasant and fun read. Nothing terribly challenging. There's some humor at times but I would have appreciated sharper edges. There isn't much conflict or depth. It's sort of a celebration of humans and America in particular with our bacon, cheese, plastics, and television.

I'd say if you are feeling down and in need of a light, cheery, and slightly oddball book to read, this is a good pick. Also, it helps if you love cats. There's a lot of words thrown at the reader about enjoying life and being human. Probably good advice.

“...no-one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away... The span of someone's life, they say, is only the core of their actual existence.”
― Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

This was one of the first Discworld books I ever read and I had no idea when I picked it up what I was in for. Turns out it was the perfect book for me; a far out story with wacky, witty humor. I had no idea at the time that Discworld was a fantasy series parody; to me this book had a life of its own and much better than any standard warrior and wizard novel. You don't have to read the series in any particular order. You can pick up any of these books and enjoy them without feeling lost.

Re-reading I came to appreciate it on a deeper level besides just “woo, zany comedy.” There is a tidy symmetry between the two main stories. The Death incarnation from Discworld is fired and has to live as a mortal human. Rather than existing as an eternal, unchanging being, he experiences a life with limited time. He also needs an occupation, so he gets a job as a farm hand and becomes a companion to an old woman, and even risks his life to save a child.

The second part of the story is Windle Poons, a wizard who dies but is not allowed to move on because Death is absent. He is forced out of his sheltered life at the University and becomes active and observant, something he never was when he was alive. He discovers an evil entity that's trying to take over the city by means of a shopping mall, and he and his new undead friends help foil it.

Both Death and Windle Poons have greater adventures and deeper human connections than they would have been capable of in their original incarnations. It may be a cliche but it seems the characters needed to face death in order to live life fully. With Pratchett this message never becomes too cheesy because he knows how to throw in the jokes at the right moments.

There is also an assortment of eccentric characters if the two above don't strike a chord with you. There's a psychic who answers your questions before you know you're going to ask them. The bullheaded wizard archchancellor whose curse words turn into flying insects. And don't forget the boogeyman who is just looking for a door to hide behind.

If you like Discworld and haven't read this one yet, it's worth picking up. If you're thinking about trying the series this is a fine place to start. Good for fans of humor, fantasy, SciFi, and intelligent thoughtful writing.

Cute, “family movie” vibe with the added gimmick of an octopus and his internal monologue. It's in the same vein as A Man Called Ove, featuring an older person who has been through some tragedy and gets the chance to connect with new people. (Hey, octopuses are people too!)

I wish she had pushed the light comedy a bit further and made it funnier. There was potential, but most of the characters were humorless. Van Pelt kept very specific characterizations. Cameron: resentful, Tova: practical, Ethan: generous, Knit-Wits: meddlesome, Avery: spirited. There wasn't much complexity.

Other reviewers mentioned disliking Cameron, and I get it. He's insufferable to the point where I didn't want to see things work out for him. The author must have thought readers would be on his side if she kept serving him bad luck. Sometimes it's more about how the character handles setbacks than the setbacks themselves.

Despite all the backstory of death, child abandonment, and other heartbreak, it's uncomplicated and light-hearted if you're in that type of mood. It was entertaining for the time I spent reading it.

Interesting premise and has themes similar to Fight Club, but there's not a lot to this book.

After the set up of the various sub plots, some scenes of Vincent interacting in the various subplots, comes the revelations and very little actually happened. Any consequences of his activities are not part of the limited story.

Some of the scenes are amusing; a lot more are lewd due to the sex addict subplot. If you're squeamish about bodily fluids of all kinds, possibly consider skipping this one.

It's not my idea of “subversive” as most of the criticisms of society and convention are overtly stated.

It was mildly entertaining but although it seems to take on heavy topics (addictions, the medical care system, child abuse, finding meaning in life, etc.), Choke is lightweight.