Kam
My review of The Shadow of the Empire (Judge Dee Investigation #1) by Qiu Xiaolong is now live! Technically sound in that all the plot points work together fine, but lacks any kind of genuine flair that lets it stick in the reader's mind after finishing it. The quoted poetry is great though.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/767450948900618240/title-the-shadow-of-the-empire-judge-dee
My review of The Shadow of the Empire (Judge Dee Investigation #1) by Qiu Xiaolong is now live! Technically sound in that all the plot points work together fine, but lacks any kind of genuine flair that lets it stick in the reader's mind after finishing it. The quoted poetry is great though.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/767450948900618240/title-the-shadow-of-the-empire-judge-dee
My review of Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, trans. Moshe Gilula is now live! The narrative's a bit confusing at times, but it's otherwise a solid horror novel. Might also be a monsterfucker romance, where the monster is REALLY monstrous but that's just me.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/766843858120212480/title-echo-author-thomas-olde-heuvelt-trans
My review of Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, trans. Moshe Gilula is now live! The narrative's a bit confusing at times, but it's otherwise a solid horror novel. Might also be a monsterfucker romance, where the monster is REALLY monstrous but that's just me.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/766843858120212480/title-echo-author-thomas-olde-heuvelt-trans
Overall, this was a fascinating read, if occasionally confusing when names and timelines get a bit tangled. Despite that though, the story the author lays out shines a little light on the complexities of the antiquities trade, as well as the dangers of engaging in said trade without proper expertise or support. It also tackles the imperialist history of said trade, and how it supported theft on a grand scale of valuable cultural and historical items both in the past and into the present, and likely in the future as well. It also sheds some light on how American evangelical Christians are participating in the antiquities trade in order to shape a historical narrative more aligned with their view of the world - something which needs to be watched very closely and carefully, because if current US politics are anything to go by, these are the last people whom anyone would want shaping the historical narrative on ANYTHING.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/765845558958194688/title-stolen-fragments-black-markets-bad-faith
Overall, this was a fascinating read, if occasionally confusing when names and timelines get a bit tangled. Despite that though, the story the author lays out shines a little light on the complexities of the antiquities trade, as well as the dangers of engaging in said trade without proper expertise or support. It also tackles the imperialist history of said trade, and how it supported theft on a grand scale of valuable cultural and historical items both in the past and into the present, and likely in the future as well. It also sheds some light on how American evangelical Christians are participating in the antiquities trade in order to shape a historical narrative more aligned with their view of the world - something which needs to be watched very closely and carefully, because if current US politics are anything to go by, these are the last people whom anyone would want shaping the historical narrative on ANYTHING.
Full review here: https://kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com/post/765845558958194688/title-stolen-fragments-black-markets-bad-faith
A novel where the (admittedly entertaining) mysteries were more scaffolding around which the characters could be built, and upon which to articulate the novel's main theme: how money and privilege let the wealthy get away with (metaphorical and literal) murder.
Full review at blog.
A novel where the (admittedly entertaining) mysteries were more scaffolding around which the characters could be built, and upon which to articulate the novel's main theme: how money and privilege let the wealthy get away with (metaphorical and literal) murder.
Full review at blog.