I haaaaated Legends & Lattes, and im so glad you did too because I've seen almost nothing but praise for it. To me it seemed gimmicky. It got people excited with the idea of "D&D setting.....but they open a coffee shop!" and then did nothing interesting with that concept whatsoever. The characters and relationships were flat, the plot was boring, and the world building was so uninspired that this same story could have been told without any fantasy and had the same impact. And the colonizer aspect is such a good point!!! That perfectly illustrates the main problem with cozy fantasy, which is that if you spend no time interrogating the speculative aspects of your story, you're going to end up telling a story that is at best pointless and at worst actually harmful.
Can this video win a Hugo? Because I’m still impressed by the binge read and still keeping brain function through it and editing 😅 And while out of the ones I’ve read so far, I’d like Nona to win, I just think the barrier to it is too high for most voters that aren’t already invested in the series. No clue what way it’s going to go…
I think you might have been joking, but BookTube channels are Hugo-eligible in the Best Fancast category, and individual videos can be nominated in Best Related Work!
I would love a video on the locked tomb series! I finished it a few weeks ago and I fell in love, obsessed. I also borrowed the nettle and bone audiobook bc of your recommendation. High expectations xD
I appreciate your thought on Legends & Lattes because for me it was an all vibes comfort read but I like that people are taking it more seriously in the context of it being nominated for awards! I am in the severe minority of people who don’t appreciate the Locked Tomb AT ALL and would love to hear your thoughts on the whole series. I was fine enough with Gideon the Ninth so I read Harrow and realized it was solely me liking Gideon as a character that got me through the first one. People insisted Harrow paid off at like 70% and I gave it my closest to finish DNF ever at 82% because it just didn’t for me. Hearing Nona required even more reader trust at the beginning really turned me off from trying again, but seeing it through another person’s eyes is valuable to me!
Oh, same on Legends & Lattes. Part of my annoyance with it isn't entirely its fault, with the way anyone mentions wanting to read anything and reddit and BookTok and BookTube will go "Have you tried Legends & Lattes? It's SOOOOO cozy." And it's like... fine. The characters have no real problems, the main character is completely unbelievable as a leader, it falls into that trope of "we spent five seconds with each other and now we're family" and look if you wanted to read about characters inspired by D&D who drink coffee and eat cinnamon rolls, I totally get how this would scratch that particular itch, but it needed to be about 100 pages shorter for how little content it has.
Congratulations on the job, Marines!! Appreciate your efforts spent on the Locked Tomb series. Looking forward to the possibility of more content spent on these books.
I have so many thoughts about the Hugos nominations this year. I think one of the biggest things that stands out to me between the best novels and novellas is that only 2 out of 12 nominees are non-Tor books. The Hugos are often big on Tor, especially in the novella category, but the fact that The Daughters of Doctor Moreau is the only non-Tor novel is very telling about how about people are voting for books. A common opinion I've seen about the list is that there are some excellent authors on it but that they're being nominated for works that are just not at all their best. It's wonderful to see Moreno-Garcia nominated, it's kind of a shame that it's for this book. Tchaikovsky and Scalzi have some really great works... and then they have their nominated books. Of course, there are also particularly noticeable exclusions from the list. Babel is the one that first comes to mind, particularly because it's doing so well elsewhere in the awards circuit. I don't think Kuang has said anything either way but there's a theory that certain works have been left off of this list because of where WorldCon is going to be this time around. If I remember correctly, a few authors came out and said that they had withdrawn themselves from the Hugos because of that particular issue. Obviously, we don't know if that's why Babel isn't on this list, but it is one of the only awards lists this year where it's not making an appearance. Personally, I think it's a real shame that The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez hasn't made an appearance but I hope we get to see him on these lists more in the future. I will say that I do think the short fiction/novelette categories are pretty strong. I always look forward to those particular categories to introduce me to new works. The winner of last year's short story category, Sarah Pinsker, has since become my most recent favourite author and I don't think I would have found her work without looking at these awards. For the novels/novellas, however, I definitely prefer the list for the Locus/World Fantasy awards. I think they have some really interesting picks and some books that I'm really excited to pick up. Spear by Nicola Griffith in particular was one of my favourite reads of last year. On another note, I'm so excited about hearing more of your thoughts on the Locked Tomb. I do think there are some pretty glaring flaws in her writing but at the end of the day, Muir is doing something that feels so interesting and new. Rereading this series is one of my favourite reading experiences that I've ever had and there are certain lines that I think will stick with me for years, not least because Moira Quirk's narration has decided to take up permanent space in my brain. It's also been nominated for Best Series which is almost a shame. If a series wins in that category it cannot be nominated again, but also if the series is nominated and doesn't win, it can't be nominated until there have been at least two more entries in the series. The next book is going to be the final book which means the series will never be able to be nominated in it's completed state. It's a small gripe, but still. Just for fun, I'll leave with this short animatic using the audiobook narration from the scene from Harrow where M describes an RB for the first time. The artist's ability to really capture every single interpretation of what an RB looks like is absolutely incredible: ua-cam.com/video/pvJOuUJNcx8/v-deo.html&ab_channel=sweetmorgan
Congrats on the new job! I also just started a new job after being unemployed for a few months. It is SUCH an immense sense of relief to sign the offer, and even more so on day 1. ❤️
Congratulations on the new job!! And thank you for this video, I've been binging your old ones for a bit lately because I just love your takes :) I really appreciate your perspective on the Locked Tomb series, I read Gideon earlier this year and didn't enjoy it as much as I initially thought I might, but sounds like I should continue the series to see if what I was missing might be included/explained later on
Mari congrats on the job!! 💗💗💗 Honestly I'm surprised I love Daughter of Dr. Moreau as much as I did - but I definitely agree about it having less character complexity than I'm used to with SMG! Ahh Nettle & Bone has been my fave Kingfisher so far so I am SO HAPPY you loved it! I feel like it's an example for me of an author doing a really excellent job of incorporating humor and heart without cheapening the series elements that are also present - which is something I tend to love about T. Kingfisher in general. Edit: Yes exactly! I think you said it so well OKAY YES I enjoyed The Spare Man but that was one of my problems with it as well! Spoiler for my excruciatingly long and late vlog for this project lol, but that was an issue I'm having with the Hawthorne Legacy series by Jennifer Lynne Barnes too......
I've read all of these except for Kaiju Preservation Society, and I had a similar reaction to you when I first saw the slate. Like did I enjoy all of the ones I read? Absolutely! But it's hard for me to look at this list and say that any of them are a clear award-worthy read. If I was voting in the Hugos, I'd probably go for Nettle & Bone just because I love T. Kingfisher, but I don't think there's anything particularly groundbreaking about that particular book! I'd definitely be interested in seeing you do a video dedicated to the Lock Tomb because I'm a fan :)
You are truly the queen of procrastination 😂 I've been going through your catalogue, watching videos from 8 years ago, and the procrastination is really a theme. Seeing the hair evolution has been wonderful, though!
I read Legends & Lattes (3.5 stars), The Spare Man (3.25 stars) and the Kaiju Preservation Society (3 stars). I enjoyed reading them all, although the John Scalzi book felt like a summer action movie. It's an enjoyable way to spend 2 hours but I will forget it in a day or 2. The Spare Man felt like an Agatha Christie novel in space. Which is not a bad thing because I enjoy a traditional mystery book. I read Legends & Lattes in the Winter and was cozy and sweet. I have Gideon the Ninth and Nettle & Bone on my tbr. Those two seem the most interesting to me.
Marines, I was looking forward to like half these books and your ratings are brutal! I am invested! I really trust your opinion so this is like so fascinating to me!
Congrats on the new job! The only one on this list that you mentioned that I read was Legends and Lattes but now the Gideon of the Ninth series is about to move up my tbr. And THANK YOU. I did not vibe with L&L but I only see people praise it. It was okay but I had a lot of the same issues you had with it. I’ll read the sequel/prequel but definitely a disappointment given all its hype.
So glad I saw this vid! You and I agree on Nettle and Bone. I love T. Kingfisher's work and her Paladin series cracks me up, esp Paladin's Strength, every time. You've inspired me to reread Gideon the Ninth and then read and finish Harrow then Nona. I don't think I made it 100 pages in w Harrow before setting it aside. John Scalzi always delivers but I agree with your assessment of Kaigu and of The Spare Man. I've just started reading Silvia Moreno and steered away from Island which looks like a good decision. My beef w you is about Legends. Unfortunately, I can understand and even reluctantly validate most of your points. I am the last person to get a D&D ish reference (due to age and lack of interest) but yes, there were moments when even I thought, "oh, that's a reference to something, isn't it?" and wished the author had included enough to make the reference at least, Googleable. The uneven amounts of tension and how some of the tensions were resolved were disappointing, I agree. I disagree though that this wasn't found family. They are. You've got introverted, reticent, distrusting, world hurt characters slowly climbing out of their shellacked shells to interact with each other as more than coworkers or hired help. They don't use words so much as actions. Their actions do move them closer to family status. The other disagreement I have is that at no point did I interpret Viv as the saviour bringing coffee to the unwitting masses. (My upbringing as Black female in the U.S. raised by a Black Am. historian and a member of the LR9 means that my radar for things that whiff of colonialism or white savior is well attuned.) I got that Viv had into coffee in her travels as a merc and fell in love with it. When dreaming of a different life, she found coffee gave her that chance. And took it. Apprehensive as to its welcome and hoping she hadn't sunk her funds and "magic" into a lost cause. In fact, much of the charm for me was seeing this hulking merc Orc invest in a future she wasn't sure she could pull off or deserved. How that translates to colonialism, I can't see. But, that said, I agree that this book is, imho, a great first book, not a Hugo nominee. I was quite surprised to see it on the list. Your thought about the pandemic make sense to me. Perhaps, as much as the writers sought comfort, so did the readers.
I just want to start by saying that I value your opinion so much, even if we disagree, which I haven't disagreed you with very much. I think I've only ever disagreed with you on one book. But regardless, I trust your reviews so much, they're so thought provoking. Which is why I, selfishly, am glad you like The Locked Tomb series. They hold such a high place in my heart and my reading experience. I was going to be so sad if you didn't enjoy them, even though I know I shouldn't be because everyone has different reading tastes and different opinions. LOL. Also congratulations on the new job!
My Discord was literally on edge waiting to see if I would like it lol. I was a littl hesitant because I started Gideon so many times but it really worked for me! I can't wait to read them all again before Alecto.
Oh my gosh I have missed you and your beautiful brain Mariness! Alas I have been too busy for YT lately. I am so so grateful the Hugo's forced you to power through Gideon and Harrow. Nona is such a sweet little cinnamon roll, everybody deserves to experience Nona! T Kingfisher continues to produce instant favorites, and I really hope she gets the recognition she deserves. Now, most interesting was your assessment of Legends and Lattes. We read it months ago and thoroughly loved it, but every critique was spot on. Thank you for your thoughtful reviews,I feel so enriched by your videos 😻
Mary Robinette Kowal writes fantastic married couples. It's one of my favourite aspects of her Lady Astronauts series. I didn't love The Spare Man's plotting and pacing but the relationship and especially the setting was super fun. I need more luxury space cruise books.
Congratulations on the job! I'm so glad you liked Nona (and I'm not the only one unimpressed by Legends & Lattes). I need to check out Nettle & Bone. I've been reading Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series (starts with Paladin's Grace) and they are a good time.
If you liked the Saint of Steel series, have you checked out Swordheart? That was my first T. Kingfisher book and I loved it! (I've Read Paladin's Grace afterwards and while I also liked it, I personally found the characters in Swordheart even more fun to read about :) ) Feel the thing about Legends & Lattes as well, although tbf I never managed to get past the beginning because I found it kind of boring and it didn't even manage to catch my attention, so maybe I haven't given it enough of a chance, who knows...
@@ChiaraMihara I actually just read Swordheart in August. It was very cute! I've been considering if I should continue backwards and read her older YA duology set in the same universe
@@aspiring_recluse The Clocktaur War series? Yeah, I've read the extract on Amazon and it's on my TBR ever since but I somehow always get distracted with other books haha... Seemed pretty interesting, though! (Also, I'd read anything with Zale in it, they're amazing! Though I don't think they appear in the Clocktaur War, sadly)
I don't know why, but whenever you read a bunch of books in a lost and compare them it just makes my braincells fire 😅 congratulations on securing a job
Sorry for the whole ass essay that is this comment, but I had feelings, since I somehow read all of them except the Scalzi. damn, it feels so good to see someone who didn't like Legends & Lattes. I would call it more like an entrepreneur girlboss orc story doing neoliberalism. The mafia plot was horrible, and the bit at the end felt extremely MEAN. Not to mention that I feel like labor rights were very ignored in the book? time and time again, Viv, the boss, ignores the fact that her *employees* (not family, not friends, she employs them) keep working more and more when the coffee shop has success and compensation and overtime or even time off are never mentioned. Considering Starbucks... that felt terrible to me. I am sooooo excited for maybe Locked Tomb content!!! I read all three of them this year. And I also listened to the audiobooks for Gideon & Harrow as a re-read, damn, I love that series so much. But I am excited for you to maybe re-read and have space and take it slower, cause it feels like any one of those 3 books is very intense on my brain and there is so much to process. for my book club's Halloween party, we'll have a group costume (I will be Nona :D) I adore these books! Yeah, Daughter of Dr Moreau is my least favorite Silvia Moreno Garcia as well. I also loved Nettle & Bone! I think our opinions only diverge in The Spare Man, I really could not stand Tesla, she was so privileged and all of the class undertones were just really... bad? I did like her dog and her PTSD & disability did make me empathize with her. But every time she interacted with a service person, she was just terrible, she had to remind herself not to be bitchy with waiters. I felt like the way the book called attention to that was very underbaked. And also in the beginning the book kinda signals that there is wealth disparity with her and her husband but the book does nothing with that in the end. Worst line: when she tells someone (who is of lower class but still privileged) that they could not afford her sharky lawyer.
Completely agree with all your critiques of Legends & Lattes, and I'm so glad to see somebody bring up the coloniser vibes. It's certainly a Choice to have your western-coded protagonist walk into a 16th century Middle Eastern-coded coffeehouse, say "I'll take the lot!" and proceed to go home and open Fantasy Starbucks - to take those two familiar points from real-world history and replace the waves of migration, diaspora cultures and political movements connecting them with a single white (uh, green) lady who went on holiday in Foreign Parts.
I loved Kaiju Preservation Society; it's just a good popcorn novel. It did make me interested in reading his other works, and I ended up being surprised at the relative depth of Old Man's War.
I can't believe I've already read most of these! I love Nettle & Bone and Nona the Ninth so much, they would be my top picks. I also enjoyed The Kaiju Preservation Society and Legends & Lattes, but to a lesser extent. I'm glad to hear your thoughts on Legends & Lattes in particular, because you have put into words the issues I had with it. I totally agree with the person who said it was more like "found co-workers" lol. I haven't had a whole lot of luck with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work in the past, but I'm going to keep trying - she has such a range that surely there is something for me, haha. Congratulations on your new job 🎉 and on getting everything read in time! 😂
Last man was so hard to get through for me for exactly the reasons you say. The first 20 or 30% is just Tesla having nasty interactions with ship staff
I can totally see Scalzi winning but I'm also crossing my fingers for Nona so hard 🤞 And now I'm excited to check out Nettle & Bone since I've been craving another fairytale read and have been needing to try out T Kingfisher after hearing a lot of varied feedback. Congratulations on the job!!
it makes me so happy that you ended up loving the locked tomb so much!! i'm hoping for nona to win but my expectations are low since the series barrier to entry is difficult for a lot of people to cross, so i'd be very happy with a nettle and bone win. i feel like nettle and bone is better executed with fewer weaknesses, but it didn't make me FEEL nearly as hard as nona did. looking forward to any future potential TLT videos and congratulations on the job!
This is going to sound terrible but to me, Legends and Lattes is a prime example of people overlooking the issues because of positive representation, in this case queer representation. The romance/crush took up so much space and as a romance I don’t think it was written well (it was a man writing hot lesbians, so ya know). I also can’t reconcile the effort of bothering with a fantasy setting and characters when the story and vocabulary don’t demand it.
I really agree with your list, I DNF L&L and skimmed to the end Kaiju, my favorite was also Nettle and Bone. I will try Nona the Ninth. Thanks for the video and congrats on the new job!
Nettle & Bone is definitely my #1 choice in the Best Novel category this year, and I am rooting for it to win just because fairy tale novels NEVER win Hugos, and my little fairy tale heart is pissed about it. I'm a little envious that you got to binge the Locked Tomb books. I read each of them for the Hugos the year they were nominated without any time to go back and re-read, and I know I missed stuff because of all the things I forgot between books, but Nona has been my favorite so far. I may need to do a re-read before Alecto comes out, but I am daunted because there were things I distinctly didn't like about each of the first two books (vibes things, not critical things), and I dunno if I can handle the whole series at once. I think if the Kaiju Preservation Society wins, it'll be in part because it's the only one of these nominees available in translation for the significant number of Chinese voters this year.
@@stormeyedselkie If you want some of the dark fairytale vibes, try Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (Wild Swans retelling) or Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (thematic riff on Rumpelstiltskin). For more of T. Kingfisher's eccentric characters and humor, try more of her books! Swordheart is a standalone fantasy romance. The Seventh Bride is a loose retelling of Bluebeard. Thornhedge is a novella-length Sleeping Beauty retelling. She has lots of others, but those are three I'd recommend in particular for fans of Nettle and Bone!
Great video!,,i only read nettle and bones, and I gave it 4 stars. I am not a huge fantasy person but I read them from time to time. You made me curious to read Gideon the ninth.
I think I read Legends & Lattes at a very specifically perfect time in my life to love it, but I think it definitely won’t stand up to a re-read lmao. Also congrats on the new job!
Thank you! I’m happy people found some joy reading it but my God was I mad that after all the hype, this was about the coffee colonizer and the people she employs 😭
I really couldn't get into Gideon the Ninth, but I'm glad you enjoyed the series :) I liked Legends and Lattes but I don't think it should win, I feel like Daughter of Dr. Moureau was better written, more complex, and I would like to see my girl Silvia win c:
I’m from Aotearoa New Zealand and so I absolutely loved Nona because it was so very New Zealand. God is Māori and I love that. And I just love Gideon the most. Can’t wait for Alecto!
Great review of these! I kind of wish Nona hadn't been nominated, because I see Locked Tomb as one book with four very different sections, rather than an entry in a series.
Hello! Congrats on the job, I'm glad that stress is off your shoulders 💕. I'm glad you enjoyed The Locked Tomb! I feel like I've seen a lot of people be divided on it, many especially give up on Harrow the Ninth. But my friends and I all loved the series! It does feel big brain, like you said. Theories are so fun too! Reminds me a bit of how early Game of Thrones book fandom was all into meta-analysis. Also, I wanted to mention that there is a short story on Tor's website called "The Mysterious Study of Doctor S*x" and it's really cute. Well, more accurately, it's all fun and games until Muir nails you right in the feels with her last line. (Sorry again if this comment shows up three times, I keep making it but then UA-cam just makes it disappear? I just want to share the story cuz I love those two characters.)
That was probably comment filters automatically catching it! But this one came through. I haven't read the short story, but I'll have to check it out. And I agree that part of the fun is the piecing together of the mystery.
I really want to read The Locked Tomb series and was hesitating because I thought it might be better to wait until it's completed. I have a couple of T. Kingfisher books on my list and idk why but I'm having a hard time picking it up and keep diverting to other stuff, even though I've always really enjoyed everything I read. Hard agree on Legends and Lattes, I enjoyed it while reading but the contrivance just really got away from it I think. It's included in my Beverage List of Shame alongside the A Coup of Tea series and to a lesser extent Cursed Cocktails whereby books with interesting premises that I genuinely wanted to enjoy progressively make them more and more unreadable the further you get away from them.
Congrats on the job! I also don't really understand all the hype around L and L. I will say the author did a wonderful job narrating it for audio, though.
Well, dang. I was going to read Legends and Lattes but maybe not. I pretty much cannot do any coffee/tea shop cozies for those reasons. I pushed myself through The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb, waiting for it to connect with me somewhere/anywhere in my life and finally at the end I did get some joy but the lead up was too long for me. I just can't do the colonial love and friendship unless they are willing to betray their people 🤭 and now I'm outing my eccentricities.
i have yet to read a silvia morena-garcia novel, i keep hearing such great things about her but also everyone seems to have different opinions on which her best work is, the same as with sally rooney. i trust your opinion mari so i’d love to know which one you’d recommend!
Way late to the game but I found it yesterday: philosophytube has a video, called beauty in ugly times, and it covers works of art created during the last pandemic 100 years ago and how they low-key kind of suck, and that all the great stuff came out of the pandemic happened way after the pandemic and I feel like that just applies to these Hugo award nominees that we’ve been seeing recently. also i read legends and lattes and you know what it really is a book about nothing . I get that some people are into that but it’s a whole Lotta nothing.
I am fighting for my LIFE trying to get through Gideon. Muir is verbose to the point of making me want to tear my skin off 😢 There was an early scene where Harrow is outlining why Gideon must mind her P’s & Q’s once they leave for the First House and I promise. Harrow made the same exact point three separate times in the same conversation. I am going mad
Please keep in mind that it's totally okay to dnf a book, especially once it stops being an enjoyable reading experience and really just turns into pain. 😞 Even if a third book in a series might be amazing, suffering through one or two before that isn't typically worth it...
My pick would be Nettle & Bone, but I'm kinda expecting Legends & Lattes to do so, just based on the hype I've seen for it. (I really enjoyed it, so I won't be mad.)
I really loved Nettle and Bone and Legends and Lattes. I do understand your critique of L&L but I loved the relationships between the characters and love books with strong descriptions of food 😂 I loved how Nettle and Bone started so dark but became more cozy as she picked up companions. I also loved how it turned fairy tales on its head with the witch and fairy godmother being the heroes. I have got the Tamsyn Muir books to read and loved your review.
Yeah for me the relationships weren’t really there! And the utter thoughtlessness about the food aspects was to distracting to enjoy the description. I just did not have a good time 😩 Enjoy the Muir if/when you get there!
Ye gods, the commitment of getting to and through Nona in like 3 days - I bow before you 😄. I personally hated Gideon and Harrow with a passion for so many reasons but I'd love to hear your thoughts on the whole mess -- err -- series 😅
I truly understand hating it for what it’s doing but I don’t think you can fault Muir for a mess. This is one of the most thoughtful, pre-planned works I’ve read in a while. It is incredibly organized chaos.
@@mynameismarines Oh I meant "mess" just as a generalised, hopefully more youtube friendly swearword than what I was thinking 😅 I agree the novels are definitely purposeful and carefully constructed - arguably to the point of being massively overconstructed.... Though I'd also argue there *is* one thing that is at points literally "messy" and that's her voice delineation between narrator and different char focalizers. She as an author has far too many very unique turns of phrase or types of "jokes" the use of which she unfortunately constantly spreads out across different characters who would never talk/think the same way. In a series that makes such a big deal of identity etc. I found that very jarring.
@@asherscott3151 I mean, Harrow at least read as if there was finally an editor involved who vetoed most of the atrocious world-breaking similes and millenial language that had my toe nails curl up all throughout Gideon - but I wouldn't say that made the prose actually good. I have a PhD in English Lit and even I kept getting utterly thrown out of any possible chance for immersion by all the thesaurus words she was trying to cram into the most unnecessary places - and into the mouths and thoughts of characters who made no sense to be using that sort of language.
I sent an email to your business address about editing services. Please give that a look when you have a chance (or let me know if it got lost in the sauce)
@@israaalkatip9881 We go live once a month on Thoughts on Tomes' channel! I'll add the cards on the video, but if you search House Salt Book Club, all of our past lives should come up ♥
Personally I would love it if you do a deep dive on the Gideon the Ninth series. My friend recommended it to me a while back and lent me their copy… I tried reading it. I made it through 60 pages and was gonna give up, but it was 2021 and books were hard to come by so I pushed through to page 200 and regretted ever life decision that lead me to reading that book. I just don’t get the love. Gideon was the most passive character throughout those first 200 pages, I get the whole wanting to flee slavery, but to join up with your oppressor’s army to fight a group the author never named for reasons the author didn’t bother to figure out wasn’t a cute look. Then the author made such a piss poor attempt at incorporating the sci-fi setting, if you had’ve told me the story took place within an archipelago I’d believe you. The author also followed the annoying trend of having a magical school where there are no lessons, no teachers, essential the hollow trappings of worldbuilding with zero effort. Plus people mentioned that the story devolved into a slave in love with their slave master troupe… sorry but the lesbians can’t save that. I just don’t get it, please explain the love.
I have very similar feelings towards Legends & Lattes. I read it in a moment where I was really into cozy and low stakes books, but that one I just... didn't fully get. I felt like there was potential in the plot lines and themes and relationships, but nothing was really explored or had any depth. It was an okay read at first, then I got bored (the constant repetition of the menu in the audiobook was excruciatingly painful to listen to lol) and then when I finished I forgot everything. To me, low stakes may not be epic or legendary, but the fact that are usually more intimate or close to what we experience in our daily lives make them even more appealing or interesting to read (sometimes, I'd say potentially also more anxiety inducing). Here, I just did not find this kind of depth or familiarity at all. I just found myself not caring, and I felt so bad, because I sooo wanted to love this.
IT WAS 10 MINUTES LATE. Also, I somehow skipped Legends & Lattes at the very beginning. My brain really said no ♥
I am sooo happy for you, Marines!!! There are few feelings greater than the relief after signing that offer letter😅
I haaaaated Legends & Lattes, and im so glad you did too because I've seen almost nothing but praise for it. To me it seemed gimmicky. It got people excited with the idea of "D&D setting.....but they open a coffee shop!" and then did nothing interesting with that concept whatsoever. The characters and relationships were flat, the plot was boring, and the world building was so uninspired that this same story could have been told without any fantasy and had the same impact. And the colonizer aspect is such a good point!!! That perfectly illustrates the main problem with cozy fantasy, which is that if you spend no time interrogating the speculative aspects of your story, you're going to end up telling a story that is at best pointless and at worst actually harmful.
This is such a great way to frame the speculative elements! I totally agree that “cozy” is not an excuse not to interrogate those elements.
Reading all 3 locked tomb books in a couple days is impressive! I need like a month to decompress between each
You have the most disarming, endearing laugh. 🥰 How lovely.
Can this video win a Hugo? Because I’m still impressed by the binge read and still keeping brain function through it and editing 😅
And while out of the ones I’ve read so far, I’d like Nona to win, I just think the barrier to it is too high for most voters that aren’t already invested in the series. No clue what way it’s going to go…
I think you might have been joking, but BookTube channels are Hugo-eligible in the Best Fancast category, and individual videos can be nominated in Best Related Work!
i’m so glad you loved Nona and the locked tomb series !!! one of my faves for sure (my fave book so far is harrow)
I’ve been having a hard time picking a favorite because they all feel so different! I think Harrow will the one that most benefits from reread.
I would love a video on the locked tomb series! I finished it a few weeks ago and I fell in love, obsessed.
I also borrowed the nettle and bone audiobook bc of your recommendation. High expectations xD
I am so glad you and Bethany did this so I didn’t have to 😂
I appreciate your thought on Legends & Lattes because for me it was an all vibes comfort read but I like that people are taking it more seriously in the context of it being nominated for awards!
I am in the severe minority of people who don’t appreciate the Locked Tomb AT ALL and would love to hear your thoughts on the whole series. I was fine enough with Gideon the Ninth so I read Harrow and realized it was solely me liking Gideon as a character that got me through the first one. People insisted Harrow paid off at like 70% and I gave it my closest to finish DNF ever at 82% because it just didn’t for me. Hearing Nona required even more reader trust at the beginning really turned me off from trying again, but seeing it through another person’s eyes is valuable to me!
I agree 100% it took me so long to even start harrow knowing how the first book ended
Oh, same on Legends & Lattes. Part of my annoyance with it isn't entirely its fault, with the way anyone mentions wanting to read anything and reddit and BookTok and BookTube will go "Have you tried Legends & Lattes? It's SOOOOO cozy." And it's like... fine. The characters have no real problems, the main character is completely unbelievable as a leader, it falls into that trope of "we spent five seconds with each other and now we're family" and look if you wanted to read about characters inspired by D&D who drink coffee and eat cinnamon rolls, I totally get how this would scratch that particular itch, but it needed to be about 100 pages shorter for how little content it has.
Yay for the new job! 🎉
I'm loving these videos so much
These collabs are so much fun! ❤️
Congratulations on the job, Marines!!
Appreciate your efforts spent on the Locked Tomb series. Looking forward to the possibility of more content spent on these books.
I have so many thoughts about the Hugos nominations this year. I think one of the biggest things that stands out to me between the best novels and novellas is that only 2 out of 12 nominees are non-Tor books. The Hugos are often big on Tor, especially in the novella category, but the fact that The Daughters of Doctor Moreau is the only non-Tor novel is very telling about how about people are voting for books. A common opinion I've seen about the list is that there are some excellent authors on it but that they're being nominated for works that are just not at all their best. It's wonderful to see Moreno-Garcia nominated, it's kind of a shame that it's for this book. Tchaikovsky and Scalzi have some really great works... and then they have their nominated books.
Of course, there are also particularly noticeable exclusions from the list. Babel is the one that first comes to mind, particularly because it's doing so well elsewhere in the awards circuit. I don't think Kuang has said anything either way but there's a theory that certain works have been left off of this list because of where WorldCon is going to be this time around. If I remember correctly, a few authors came out and said that they had withdrawn themselves from the Hugos because of that particular issue. Obviously, we don't know if that's why Babel isn't on this list, but it is one of the only awards lists this year where it's not making an appearance. Personally, I think it's a real shame that The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez hasn't made an appearance but I hope we get to see him on these lists more in the future.
I will say that I do think the short fiction/novelette categories are pretty strong. I always look forward to those particular categories to introduce me to new works. The winner of last year's short story category, Sarah Pinsker, has since become my most recent favourite author and I don't think I would have found her work without looking at these awards. For the novels/novellas, however, I definitely prefer the list for the Locus/World Fantasy awards. I think they have some really interesting picks and some books that I'm really excited to pick up. Spear by Nicola Griffith in particular was one of my favourite reads of last year.
On another note, I'm so excited about hearing more of your thoughts on the Locked Tomb. I do think there are some pretty glaring flaws in her writing but at the end of the day, Muir is doing something that feels so interesting and new. Rereading this series is one of my favourite reading experiences that I've ever had and there are certain lines that I think will stick with me for years, not least because Moira Quirk's narration has decided to take up permanent space in my brain. It's also been nominated for Best Series which is almost a shame. If a series wins in that category it cannot be nominated again, but also if the series is nominated and doesn't win, it can't be nominated until there have been at least two more entries in the series. The next book is going to be the final book which means the series will never be able to be nominated in it's completed state. It's a small gripe, but still.
Just for fun, I'll leave with this short animatic using the audiobook narration from the scene from Harrow where M describes an RB for the first time. The artist's ability to really capture every single interpretation of what an RB looks like is absolutely incredible:
ua-cam.com/video/pvJOuUJNcx8/v-deo.html&ab_channel=sweetmorgan
Congrats on the new job! I also just started a new job after being unemployed for a few months. It is SUCH an immense sense of relief to sign the offer, and even more so on day 1. ❤️
Congratulations on the new job!! And thank you for this video, I've been binging your old ones for a bit lately because I just love your takes :) I really appreciate your perspective on the Locked Tomb series, I read Gideon earlier this year and didn't enjoy it as much as I initially thought I might, but sounds like I should continue the series to see if what I was missing might be included/explained later on
Mari congrats on the job!! 💗💗💗
Honestly I'm surprised I love Daughter of Dr. Moreau as much as I did - but I definitely agree about it having less character complexity than I'm used to with SMG!
Ahh Nettle & Bone has been my fave Kingfisher so far so I am SO HAPPY you loved it! I feel like it's an example for me of an author doing a really excellent job of incorporating humor and heart without cheapening the series elements that are also present - which is something I tend to love about T. Kingfisher in general.
Edit: Yes exactly! I think you said it so well
OKAY YES I enjoyed The Spare Man but that was one of my problems with it as well! Spoiler for my excruciatingly long and late vlog for this project lol, but that was an issue I'm having with the Hawthorne Legacy series by Jennifer Lynne Barnes too......
Congrats on getting your new job :D !
I've read all of these except for Kaiju Preservation Society, and I had a similar reaction to you when I first saw the slate. Like did I enjoy all of the ones I read? Absolutely! But it's hard for me to look at this list and say that any of them are a clear award-worthy read. If I was voting in the Hugos, I'd probably go for Nettle & Bone just because I love T. Kingfisher, but I don't think there's anything particularly groundbreaking about that particular book!
I'd definitely be interested in seeing you do a video dedicated to the Lock Tomb because I'm a fan :)
You are truly the queen of procrastination 😂 I've been going through your catalogue, watching videos from 8 years ago, and the procrastination is really a theme.
Seeing the hair evolution has been wonderful, though!
You are my favorite booktuber with adhd!
😉
💛 congrats on the job!
Thank you! ♥️
I read Legends & Lattes (3.5 stars), The Spare Man (3.25 stars) and the Kaiju Preservation Society (3 stars). I enjoyed reading them all, although the John Scalzi book felt like a summer action movie. It's an enjoyable way to spend 2 hours but I will forget it in a day or 2. The Spare Man felt like an Agatha Christie novel in space. Which is not a bad thing because I enjoy a traditional mystery book. I read Legends & Lattes in the Winter and was cozy and sweet.
I have Gideon the Ninth and Nettle & Bone on my tbr. Those two seem the most interesting to me.
congrats on the job, mari 🦋
Congratulations on the job!!!🎉🎉
Marines, I was looking forward to like half these books and your ratings are brutal! I am invested! I really trust your opinion so this is like so fascinating to me!
Congrats on the new job!
I love your laugh
oh no, the comparison between Legend and Lattes and Ready Player One was spot on...
You are a breath of fresh air and your laugh is adorable/hilarious.
Congratulations!! Im still looking.
Good luck! It’s a really tough market. Passing on all my good job finding energy to you ❤️❤️
thank you for such a dive into these book 🥺 love your laughter pls always smile 🧡
I pray that your new job is all that you need it and want it to be.
Super video!
I LOVED Nettle & Bone. It felt so fresh, but familiar at the same time. I loved this... I might actually check out Gideon the Ninth.
T Kingfisher's newest novella Thornhedge feels very in-line with the Nettle and Bone tone, which I adored.
@@TheNumnutRandomness I will have to check that out, thank you!
Oh Nettle and Bone was wonderful! I loved Bone Dog especially, such a good boy!
@@stormeyedselkie the best boy
Congrats on the new job!
The only one on this list that you mentioned that I read was Legends and Lattes but now the Gideon of the Ninth series is about to move up my tbr. And THANK YOU. I did not vibe with L&L but I only see people praise it. It was okay but I had a lot of the same issues you had with it. I’ll read the sequel/prequel but definitely a disappointment given all its hype.
Só happy for you Marines! Good luck at your new job!
I need to take a closer look at some of these!
Also, I feel like I’m learning more about writing listening to you talk about these strengths and weaknesses. Great analysis!!
congrats on the job! hope everything goes really well
Thank you!! Me too 🤞🏽🤞🏽
So glad I saw this vid! You and I agree on Nettle and Bone. I love T. Kingfisher's work and her Paladin series cracks me up, esp Paladin's Strength, every time. You've inspired me to reread Gideon the Ninth and then read and finish Harrow then Nona. I don't think I made it 100 pages in w Harrow before setting it aside. John Scalzi always delivers but I agree with your assessment of Kaigu and of The Spare Man. I've just started reading Silvia Moreno and steered away from Island which looks like a good decision. My beef w you is about Legends. Unfortunately, I can understand and even reluctantly validate most of your points. I am the last person to get a D&D ish reference (due to age and lack of interest) but yes, there were moments when even I thought, "oh, that's a reference to something, isn't it?" and wished the author had included enough to make the reference at least, Googleable. The uneven amounts of tension and how some of the tensions were resolved were disappointing, I agree. I disagree though that this wasn't found family. They are. You've got introverted, reticent, distrusting, world hurt characters slowly climbing out of their shellacked shells to interact with each other as more than coworkers or hired help. They don't use words so much as actions. Their actions do move them closer to family status. The other disagreement I have is that at no point did I interpret Viv as the saviour bringing coffee to the unwitting masses. (My upbringing as Black female in the U.S. raised by a Black Am. historian and a member of the LR9 means that my radar for things that whiff of colonialism or white savior is well attuned.) I got that Viv had into coffee in her travels as a merc and fell in love with it. When dreaming of a different life, she found coffee gave her that chance. And took it. Apprehensive as to its welcome and hoping she hadn't sunk her funds and "magic" into a lost cause. In fact, much of the charm for me was seeing this hulking merc Orc invest in a future she wasn't sure she could pull off or deserved. How that translates to colonialism, I can't see. But, that said, I agree that this book is, imho, a great first book, not a Hugo nominee. I was quite surprised to see it on the list. Your thought about the pandemic make sense to me. Perhaps, as much as the writers sought comfort, so did the readers.
I just want to start by saying that I value your opinion so much, even if we disagree, which I haven't disagreed you with very much. I think I've only ever disagreed with you on one book. But regardless, I trust your reviews so much, they're so thought provoking. Which is why I, selfishly, am glad you like The Locked Tomb series. They hold such a high place in my heart and my reading experience. I was going to be so sad if you didn't enjoy them, even though I know I shouldn't be because everyone has different reading tastes and different opinions. LOL.
Also congratulations on the new job!
My Discord was literally on edge waiting to see if I would like it lol. I was a littl hesitant because I started Gideon so many times but it really worked for me! I can't wait to read them all again before Alecto.
Oh my gosh I have missed you and your beautiful brain Mariness! Alas I have been too busy for YT lately.
I am so so grateful the Hugo's forced you to power through Gideon and Harrow. Nona is such a sweet little cinnamon roll, everybody deserves to experience Nona! T Kingfisher continues to produce instant favorites, and I really hope she gets the recognition she deserves.
Now, most interesting was your assessment of Legends and Lattes. We read it months ago and thoroughly loved it, but every critique was spot on. Thank you for your thoughtful reviews,I feel so enriched by your videos 😻
Congratulations on the new job! Thank you for your always thoughtful reviews. :)
Thank you for watching ♥️
Mary Robinette Kowal writes fantastic married couples. It's one of my favourite aspects of her Lady Astronauts series. I didn't love The Spare Man's plotting and pacing but the relationship and especially the setting was super fun. I need more luxury space cruise books.
I agree! Really enjoyed her Lady Astronaut’s series, and the relationships were a big part of that.
Congratulations on the job! I'm so glad you liked Nona (and I'm not the only one unimpressed by Legends & Lattes). I need to check out Nettle & Bone. I've been reading Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series (starts with Paladin's Grace) and they are a good time.
If you liked the Saint of Steel series, have you checked out Swordheart? That was my first T. Kingfisher book and I loved it! (I've Read Paladin's Grace afterwards and while I also liked it, I personally found the characters in Swordheart even more fun to read about :) )
Feel the thing about Legends & Lattes as well, although tbf I never managed to get past the beginning because I found it kind of boring and it didn't even manage to catch my attention, so maybe I haven't given it enough of a chance, who knows...
@@ChiaraMihara I actually just read Swordheart in August. It was very cute! I've been considering if I should continue backwards and read her older YA duology set in the same universe
@@aspiring_recluse The Clocktaur War series? Yeah, I've read the extract on Amazon and it's on my TBR ever since but I somehow always get distracted with other books haha... Seemed pretty interesting, though! (Also, I'd read anything with Zale in it, they're amazing! Though I don't think they appear in the Clocktaur War, sadly)
I don't know why, but whenever you read a bunch of books in a lost and compare them it just makes my braincells fire 😅 congratulations on securing a job
Thank you and thank you for watching! ❤️❤️
I am sooooo glad you enjoyed The Locked Tomb! I’m also pulling for Nona or Nettle to win.
Sorry for the whole ass essay that is this comment, but I had feelings, since I somehow read all of them except the Scalzi.
damn, it feels so good to see someone who didn't like Legends & Lattes. I would call it more like an entrepreneur girlboss orc story doing neoliberalism. The mafia plot was horrible, and the bit at the end felt extremely MEAN. Not to mention that I feel like labor rights were very ignored in the book? time and time again, Viv, the boss, ignores the fact that her *employees* (not family, not friends, she employs them) keep working more and more when the coffee shop has success and compensation and overtime or even time off are never mentioned. Considering Starbucks... that felt terrible to me.
I am sooooo excited for maybe Locked Tomb content!!! I read all three of them this year. And I also listened to the audiobooks for Gideon & Harrow as a re-read, damn, I love that series so much. But I am excited for you to maybe re-read and have space and take it slower, cause it feels like any one of those 3 books is very intense on my brain and there is so much to process. for my book club's Halloween party, we'll have a group costume (I will be Nona :D) I adore these books!
Yeah, Daughter of Dr Moreau is my least favorite Silvia Moreno Garcia as well.
I also loved Nettle & Bone! I think our opinions only diverge in The Spare Man, I really could not stand Tesla, she was so privileged and all of the class undertones were just really... bad? I did like her dog and her PTSD & disability did make me empathize with her. But every time she interacted with a service person, she was just terrible, she had to remind herself not to be bitchy with waiters. I felt like the way the book called attention to that was very underbaked. And also in the beginning the book kinda signals that there is wealth disparity with her and her husband but the book does nothing with that in the end. Worst line: when she tells someone (who is of lower class but still privileged) that they could not afford her sharky lawyer.
Appreciate the reviews, thanks! About to reload the e-reader so this is well timed
Completely agree with all your critiques of Legends & Lattes, and I'm so glad to see somebody bring up the coloniser vibes. It's certainly a Choice to have your western-coded protagonist walk into a 16th century Middle Eastern-coded coffeehouse, say "I'll take the lot!" and proceed to go home and open Fantasy Starbucks - to take those two familiar points from real-world history and replace the waves of migration, diaspora cultures and political movements connecting them with a single white (uh, green) lady who went on holiday in Foreign Parts.
That was a Herculean effort 👏
I feel seen by you not liking legends and lattes. I was underwhelmed, especially the relationships.
I loved Kaiju Preservation Society; it's just a good popcorn novel. It did make me interested in reading his other works, and I ended up being surprised at the relative depth of Old Man's War.
I can't believe I've already read most of these! I love Nettle & Bone and Nona the Ninth so much, they would be my top picks. I also enjoyed The Kaiju Preservation Society and Legends & Lattes, but to a lesser extent. I'm glad to hear your thoughts on Legends & Lattes in particular, because you have put into words the issues I had with it. I totally agree with the person who said it was more like "found co-workers" lol.
I haven't had a whole lot of luck with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work in the past, but I'm going to keep trying - she has such a range that surely there is something for me, haha.
Congratulations on your new job 🎉 and on getting everything read in time! 😂
I love the Locked Tomb series and wasn't sure what you would think! Nona is also what I think should win from this batch.
I am also surprised that there was no NK Jemisin nom
Congratulations on the new job 🖤
Last man was so hard to get through for me for exactly the reasons you say. The first 20 or 30% is just Tesla having nasty interactions with ship staff
I can totally see Scalzi winning but I'm also crossing my fingers for Nona so hard 🤞 And now I'm excited to check out Nettle & Bone since I've been craving another fairytale read and have been needing to try out T Kingfisher after hearing a lot of varied feedback.
Congratulations on the job!!
it makes me so happy that you ended up loving the locked tomb so much!! i'm hoping for nona to win but my expectations are low since the series barrier to entry is difficult for a lot of people to cross, so i'd be very happy with a nettle and bone win. i feel like nettle and bone is better executed with fewer weaknesses, but it didn't make me FEEL nearly as hard as nona did. looking forward to any future potential TLT videos and congratulations on the job!
Thank you! And yes this exactly how I feels. I’m trying to manage my expectations so I don’t get disappointed 😂
This is going to sound terrible but to me, Legends and Lattes is a prime example of people overlooking the issues because of positive representation, in this case queer representation. The romance/crush took up so much space and as a romance I don’t think it was written well (it was a man writing hot lesbians, so ya know). I also can’t reconcile the effort of bothering with a fantasy setting and characters when the story and vocabulary don’t demand it.
I really agree with your list, I DNF L&L and skimmed to the end Kaiju, my favorite was also Nettle and Bone. I will try Nona the Ninth. Thanks for the video and congrats on the new job!
The Locked Tomb is a lot of work but Muir is really going for it with that series! Thank you and thanks for watching!
Proud of you!!
Nettle & Bone is definitely my #1 choice in the Best Novel category this year, and I am rooting for it to win just because fairy tale novels NEVER win Hugos, and my little fairy tale heart is pissed about it. I'm a little envious that you got to binge the Locked Tomb books. I read each of them for the Hugos the year they were nominated without any time to go back and re-read, and I know I missed stuff because of all the things I forgot between books, but Nona has been my favorite so far. I may need to do a re-read before Alecto comes out, but I am daunted because there were things I distinctly didn't like about each of the first two books (vibes things, not critical things), and I dunno if I can handle the whole series at once. I think if the Kaiju Preservation Society wins, it'll be in part because it's the only one of these nominees available in translation for the significant number of Chinese voters this year.
Do you know of any books that have similar themes or atmospheres to Nettle and Bone? It was such a wonderful read for me and I NEED MORE!
@@stormeyedselkie If you want some of the dark fairytale vibes, try Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (Wild Swans retelling) or Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (thematic riff on Rumpelstiltskin). For more of T. Kingfisher's eccentric characters and humor, try more of her books! Swordheart is a standalone fantasy romance. The Seventh Bride is a loose retelling of Bluebeard. Thornhedge is a novella-length Sleeping Beauty retelling. She has lots of others, but those are three I'd recommend in particular for fans of Nettle and Bone!
@@TheFancyHatLadyReads oh thank you so much!
If you enjoy audiobooks, 1000000000000% recommend the Locked Tomb audiobooks!
Great video!,,i only read nettle and bones, and I gave it 4 stars. I am not a huge fantasy person but I read them from time to time. You made me curious to read Gideon the ninth.
I read L&L twice and didn't get the hype.
I think I read Legends & Lattes at a very specifically perfect time in my life to love it, but I think it definitely won’t stand up to a re-read lmao. Also congrats on the new job!
Thank you! I’m happy people found some joy reading it but my God was I mad that after all the hype, this was about the coffee colonizer and the people she employs 😭
I really couldn't get into Gideon the Ninth, but I'm glad you enjoyed the series :) I liked Legends and Lattes but I don't think it should win, I feel like Daughter of Dr. Moureau was better written, more complex, and I would like to see my girl Silvia win c:
so happy to see this video!!
I’m from Aotearoa New Zealand and so I absolutely loved Nona because it was so very New Zealand. God is Māori and I love that. And I just love Gideon the most. Can’t wait for Alecto!
So many things are explained about the vibe of this book just knowing that God is Māori and was probably on Tumblr at some point.
Great review of these! I kind of wish Nona hadn't been nominated, because I see Locked Tomb as one book with four very different sections, rather than an entry in a series.
Hello! Congrats on the job, I'm glad that stress is off your shoulders 💕.
I'm glad you enjoyed The Locked Tomb! I feel like I've seen a lot of people be divided on it, many especially give up on Harrow the Ninth. But my friends and I all loved the series! It does feel big brain, like you said. Theories are so fun too! Reminds me a bit of how early Game of Thrones book fandom was all into meta-analysis.
Also, I wanted to mention that there is a short story on Tor's website called "The Mysterious Study of Doctor S*x" and it's really cute. Well, more accurately, it's all fun and games until Muir nails you right in the feels with her last line.
(Sorry again if this comment shows up three times, I keep making it but then UA-cam just makes it disappear? I just want to share the story cuz I love those two characters.)
That was probably comment filters automatically catching it! But this one came through. I haven't read the short story, but I'll have to check it out. And I agree that part of the fun is the piecing together of the mystery.
The Kaiju Pres sounds so good in theory, it's such a simple idea that it's just super disappointing that it doesn't work 😢
I'm going to be reading the nominated novellas at least that's more achievable before the award announcement 😂🖤
I really want to read The Locked Tomb series and was hesitating because I thought it might be better to wait until it's completed.
I have a couple of T. Kingfisher books on my list and idk why but I'm having a hard time picking it up and keep diverting to other stuff, even though I've always really enjoyed everything I read.
Hard agree on Legends and Lattes, I enjoyed it while reading but the contrivance just really got away from it I think. It's included in my Beverage List of Shame alongside the A Coup of Tea series and to a lesser extent Cursed Cocktails whereby books with interesting premises that I genuinely wanted to enjoy progressively make them more and more unreadable the further you get away from them.
I wish I could join to since I want to find more award for translate books
I felt like L&L was just fine, it was cute. But Hugo worthy??? Not in my mind
I really did not like it 😭😭😭 HUGO NOMINATED is wild.
Congrats on the job! I also don't really understand all the hype around L and L. I will say the author did a wonderful job narrating it for audio, though.
Yeah I also didn't really vibe with Legends and Lattes, I just really didn't vibe with it. But I didn't even think of the colonizers aspects
Well, dang. I was going to read Legends and Lattes but maybe not. I pretty much cannot do any coffee/tea shop cozies for those reasons. I pushed myself through The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb, waiting for it to connect with me somewhere/anywhere in my life and finally at the end I did get some joy but the lead up was too long for me. I just can't do the colonial love and friendship unless they are willing to betray their people 🤭 and now I'm outing my eccentricities.
i have yet to read a silvia morena-garcia novel, i keep hearing such great things about her but also everyone seems to have different opinions on which her best work is, the same as with sally rooney. i trust your opinion mari so i’d love to know which one you’d recommend!
also congrats on the new job!! that’s a huge deal, i wish you all the best in this new endeavor!
I think people have different opinions on what her best novel is because the novels tend to be quite different.
@@simonepreussner ooh now i’m even more intrigued, i love when an author has a versatile catalogue! which one is your favorite?
Way late to the game but I found it yesterday: philosophytube has a video, called beauty in ugly times, and it covers works of art created during the last pandemic 100 years ago and how they low-key kind of suck, and that all the great stuff came out of the pandemic happened way after the pandemic and I feel like that just applies to these Hugo award nominees that we’ve been seeing recently. also i read legends and lattes and you know what it really is a book about nothing . I get that some people are into that but it’s a whole Lotta nothing.
I am fighting for my LIFE trying to get through Gideon. Muir is verbose to the point of making me want to tear my skin off 😢
There was an early scene where Harrow is outlining why Gideon must mind her P’s & Q’s once they leave for the First House and I promise. Harrow made the same exact point three separate times in the same conversation. I am going mad
Please keep in mind that it's totally okay to dnf a book, especially once it stops being an enjoyable reading experience and really just turns into pain. 😞
Even if a third book in a series might be amazing, suffering through one or two before that isn't typically worth it...
My pick would be Nettle & Bone, but I'm kinda expecting Legends & Lattes to do so, just based on the hype I've seen for it. (I really enjoyed it, so I won't be mad.)
Does anyone know if you need to read the island of dr moreau to fully appreciate/get context for daughter of dr moreau?
I haven’t read the original! I’m sure the experience is fuller with the background knowledge but it’s perfectly understandable without it.
@@mynameismarines thanks for the response!! Great to know & I love your videos so much!
I really loved Nettle and Bone and Legends and Lattes. I do understand your critique of L&L but I loved the relationships between the characters and love books with strong descriptions of food 😂 I loved how Nettle and Bone started so dark but became more cozy as she picked up companions. I also loved how it turned fairy tales on its head with the witch and fairy godmother being the heroes. I have got the Tamsyn Muir books to read and loved your review.
Yeah for me the relationships weren’t really there! And the utter thoughtlessness about the food aspects was to distracting to enjoy the description. I just did not have a good time 😩
Enjoy the Muir if/when you get there!
Congratulations to finding a job. Hope you can relax a bit now
Yes, the 5 months wait is over for her!!!
Ye gods, the commitment of getting to and through Nona in like 3 days - I bow before you 😄.
I personally hated Gideon and Harrow with a passion for so many reasons but I'd love to hear your thoughts on the whole mess -- err -- series 😅
I've been trying to read Gideon for months but the pose is just so bad
I truly understand hating it for what it’s doing but I don’t think you can fault Muir for a mess. This is one of the most thoughtful, pre-planned works I’ve read in a while. It is incredibly organized chaos.
@@mynameismarines Oh I meant "mess" just as a generalised, hopefully more youtube friendly swearword than what I was thinking 😅 I agree the novels are definitely purposeful and carefully constructed - arguably to the point of being massively overconstructed....
Though I'd also argue there *is* one thing that is at points literally "messy" and that's her voice delineation between narrator and different char focalizers. She as an author has far too many very unique turns of phrase or types of "jokes" the use of which she unfortunately constantly spreads out across different characters who would never talk/think the same way. In a series that makes such a big deal of identity etc. I found that very jarring.
@@asherscott3151 I mean, Harrow at least read as if there was finally an editor involved who vetoed most of the atrocious world-breaking similes and millenial language that had my toe nails curl up all throughout Gideon - but I wouldn't say that made the prose actually good. I have a PhD in English Lit and even I kept getting utterly thrown out of any possible chance for immersion by all the thesaurus words she was trying to cram into the most unnecessary places - and into the mouths and thoughts of characters who made no sense to be using that sort of language.
I sent an email to your business address about editing services. Please give that a look when you have a chance (or let me know if it got lost in the sauce)
where can I watch the live show?
For Happy Place?
@@mynameismarines yes, and the other book discussions you contribute to
@@israaalkatip9881 We go live once a month on Thoughts on Tomes' channel! I'll add the cards on the video, but if you search House Salt Book Club, all of our past lives should come up ♥
Personally I would love it if you do a deep dive on the Gideon the Ninth series. My friend recommended it to me a while back and lent me their copy… I tried reading it. I made it through 60 pages and was gonna give up, but it was 2021 and books were hard to come by so I pushed through to page 200 and regretted ever life decision that lead me to reading that book. I just don’t get the love.
Gideon was the most passive character throughout those first 200 pages, I get the whole wanting to flee slavery, but to join up with your oppressor’s army to fight a group the author never named for reasons the author didn’t bother to figure out wasn’t a cute look. Then the author made such a piss poor attempt at incorporating the sci-fi setting, if you had’ve told me the story took place within an archipelago I’d believe you. The author also followed the annoying trend of having a magical school where there are no lessons, no teachers, essential the hollow trappings of worldbuilding with zero effort. Plus people mentioned that the story devolved into a slave in love with their slave master troupe… sorry but the lesbians can’t save that. I just don’t get it, please explain the love.
I have very similar feelings towards Legends & Lattes. I read it in a moment where I was really into cozy and low stakes books, but that one I just... didn't fully get. I felt like there was potential in the plot lines and themes and relationships, but nothing was really explored or had any depth. It was an okay read at first, then I got bored (the constant repetition of the menu in the audiobook was excruciatingly painful to listen to lol) and then when I finished I forgot everything. To me, low stakes may not be epic or legendary, but the fact that are usually more intimate or close to what we experience in our daily lives make them even more appealing or interesting to read (sometimes, I'd say potentially also more anxiety inducing). Here, I just did not find this kind of depth or familiarity at all. I just found myself not caring, and I felt so bad, because I sooo wanted to love this.