I also love it when an author integrates music in their story, especially when the music contributes to the themes. Well said about conflict in relationships too. Conflict adds believability to a fictional relationship, and working through the conflict makes the relationship even deeper, as you say. That scene you mention from Grand Conspiracy in regard to consciousness is probably my favorite so far in WOLAS. Wonderful video -- thank you, Johanna!
Thank you, Philip! I find few things more emotionally uncomfortable than facing conflict with loved ones, and I appreciate how fictional conflict can reveal depth, care, and complexity in relationships. Funny how I immediately thought of you when reading that Grand Conspiracy scene! It was fun discussing that scene!
Good prose can do so many things, but I think perhaps the most important to me is when it unveils the profundity of the human experience. Sometimes this is most powerful for me when it's done in surprising, subtle and nuanced ways which catch you off guard. Nothing wrong with a knock-you-down-obviously-revelatory-reading-experience either but subtlety and nuance are more common in real life and perhaps harder to portray powerfully.
What an exceptional video Johanna! Your videos always spark me to explore elements of a book I might have otherwise overlooked. These are some incredible insights you provide here. Kudos, and thank you for continuing to provoke thought, deeper analysis, and even sometimes challenge our assumptions and help us look at a piece of writing/a passage/an aspect of a book in a way we've never looked at it before!
This is such a great video to make! Lately I feel like I've been coming across a lot of videos ranting about current bookish trends the dislike/hate so it's so lovely to come across a video celebrating the good.
Silver Nitrate and Velvet Was the Night also have spotify playlists that accompany them. I love it when authors do that as well. I didn't realize The Spear Cuts Through Water had one.
I didn't know about those playlists 😮 There were some fan-made playlists for 'Signal to Noise' too. And Silvia made an official playlist for the latest edition.
5:55 the minute you described scenes in the Janny Wurts series a few videos ago like an opera, I immediately ordered book 1 and I just got it a week ago. I cannot wait to dive into her books! Opera is probably my next favorite thing after books, so I can’t wait!
I hope you enjoy the series! I think you'll understand what I mean when you read Wurts's style. I couldn't imagine any other kind of adaptation than opera for that series. Happy reading!
My favorite thing about you is how you make me think deeper about literature. Many of these things I’ve never directly thought of before, but I find myself agreeing with you. Tonal difference is something that lands with me for example. I think that’s one reason I like Abercrombie; mixing extreme violence with humor.
I remembered your video on love triangles, and need to agree--subtlety is a must there. Conflict in relationships is so important! Otherwise, it often seems as if every group gets along very well, and it's just not very realistic; it's one of those things that I can't pass even if it's fantasy. I really like #9 generally, but #10 is by far my favourite of this list. A tweak to that would be exploring non-human ethics/morals, especially in speculative fiction! Great video Johanna!
Thank you, Livia! I agree with you about needing some conflict not just between but within fantasy groups. I think there’s an art to it so that the reader isn’t pitted against one character over the other. I’m glad to hear you love number 10, and I like your tweak to that one!
❤❤ love discussing trends amd tastes in books 📖 i think more booktubers should do these. Diff things appeal to different people. I love the examples!!! 😊
A good example of #9 is The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. The first chapter is from the perspective of a child with a mental disability and the writing style is very confusing stream of consciousness, his thoughts jump around, as he experiences a feeling he may remember a moment in the past, so you are jumping around all in time. The remaining chapters are from his siblings perspectives and while having their own voices as well with the writing style they help fill in the parts from the first chapter and by the end you are like oh that is what he meant back in chapter 1 and it all just works together so well.
Oooh this is such a fun video, I have never even really thought about what types of 'micro tropes' I love in my stories. I feel like we share a lot of preferences, which is probably why I trust your recs and reviews so much. Figuring out your tastes is such a fun process!
As always such amazing thoughtful analysis. Mitchell worked in a record store for a good chunk so music is important to him. His book Utopia Ave is all about a band forming in it you will see some ripples from Bone Clocks.
This is such an excellent video Johanna. Finding out what works for me in books has been a journey. Listening to you describe aspects in books to enjoy definitely will be helpful to me. Many times I'm reading without being conscious of those things in stories I truly like. I think I might actually start writing these things down. Thanks Johanna!! Flowers of Algernon is sitting on desk in front of me and I'm dying to read it!! Cheers!!
Yay! I'm happy to hear this was helpful, Dan! I always think you speak well about what you love in books. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Flowers for Algernon. It's so impactful!!!
Perfect! I stink at making lists. You do it so well! I like how you said "things go sour" in Warhost of Vastmark. Great way of putting that, especially considering what happens later. Thanks for putting on the thinking cap and making this video.
I always appreciate these videos of yours because they get me thinking of what I enjoy reading on a different level of thinking. Talking GOT it is truly amazing how GRRM handled the "ripple effect" of the death from the first book, actually two when you think about it (The one at the very beginning that set everything in motion) but yeah the end of book death left such an emotional impact throughout the rest of the entire series both on the characters and on us. I am so excited to read my next GGK book. A Song for Arbonne is definitely one of my top reads for 2024 so far... and think we are going to hit Tigana next! - Cheers!
Hooray for A Song for Arbonne! It's still my favorite GGK, but I enjoyed Tigana. So true about the both deaths in ASOIAF. Thank you so much, Christopher! ❤️
Strong themes of conflict in this list! As it happens I’ve noticed that I detect themes a bit more easily than I have in the past. Perhaps I consumed stories before, but nowadays I’m savouring them a bit longer because of the socials. Another that I’ve noticed in the past 2y is giving space for characters - I’m much less an action boy than I had ever realised, which was a staggering lesson to learn after all my years.
You’re right about that theme of conflict in this video 😅. I think conflict is something I tried to avoid in real life, but it’s so important to understand it more deeply. It’s hard to emotionally connect if there is no conflict, and there is tremendous skill involved to make it convincing. So well said about allowing characters space and time to breathe. I’ve become the same way as a reader!
This was a really interesting way of making a video. I appreciate the way your starting with themes, motifs, and ideas, then highlighting books that explore those themes. Also, ugh, I still have to read Stoner and haven't gotten to it yet. I promise. Soon... soon.
Thank you, Jordan! I don't want to overhype Stoner because it's such a ridiculously simple premise. I hope you enjoy it if you read it, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Really enjoyed hearing you talk about these Johanna. Solaris is one I hope to read at some point. Pretty sure I first heard about it from Jonathan at Words in Time.
Jonathan always has great SF recommendations. I loved Solaris! There are "info-dump" chapters, and while those parts might be a little dry, I think they served an important function and had a certain kind of charm. 😅
I look forward to hearing what you think about how music is used within Peril’s Gate. As for recommendations, Age of Five trilogy by Trudi Canavan hits several of these items. It’s also an epic fantasy tick (nodding to your recent chat with Tori). It’s an excellent series.
I've been reading a lot of Michael Crichton books lately. He's very good at describing wounds and the physical pain his characters are going through. Also, after finishing "Timeline" I realized how well he describes architecture which is something I've never really stopped to appreciate in other books. The way he is able to describe the structural weakness of a particular part of a building from the 14th century during an action scene is incredible.
Really liked this different approach. I seem to meet you on a few of those. Loved Guns of the Dawn, Flowers for Algernon, as well as Stoner (those moments are seared in my mind). Solaris was great too, although can’t say I loved it (need more mulling over). Nearly finished Tigana. For the language angle and friendship, I thought of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I can’t help but think that you’d like A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (Teixcalaan duology but you can read the first and stop there if you want) for the society element as well as colonialism and language. If you like her, you can then try Ann Leckie and C.J. Cherryh. That is definitely something I am fascinated by - language. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel comes to my mind about the power of music, but also for the structure of the narration and how everything is interconnected. Finally, have you read The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West or The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa? They both deal with memory and identity in such breathtaking ways (and both are short). Ok, better stop inundating you.
I think the only one you recommended that I've read is The Color Purple. I'll have to check those out, especially the last two based on the short length and themes you mentioned. That sounds along the lines of what I've been craving lately. Thank you! 💗
Exploration of an unfathomable consciousness in Solaris was fascinating; another book with an interesting take on consciousness was Blindsight by Peter Watts. I thought the book was fascinating (unforgettable) even though I didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it.
@@Johanna_reads I can’t wait to see your sci-fi tbr! I appreciate how you vary your reads mixing Fantasy with SF and still finding time to read books like Stoner, All the Pretty Horses and Shogun. 🙌
For me, the author is not dead but more alive than ever. Many of my recent favourites have had autobiographical or meta components that I was aware of prior to reading. Some of these (Toll the Hounds - Erikson, Suttree - McCarthy) I think I would have loved regardless but others (Ice - Kavan, Confessions of a Mask - Mishima, The Book of Disquiet - Pessoa) I think my experience was greatly enhanced by the knowledge.
Hahaha! I'm also hit-or-miss when it comes to meta stuff, but I think it's mostly a hit for me. I've noticed authors aren't always nice to themselves when they keep themselves alive!
I love the concept for this video! 😍 It’s making me think about what I like in books. Based on all the things you mentioned, I think you’d really like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I won’t say any specifics because as Brian said in Jimmy’s latest CWN, it’s a book you should go in without knowing anything, but yeah I think you’d like it 😝
I was accidentally spoiled for that book a few months ago! 😭 I did put a hold on Remains of the Day, and I'm really looking forward to reading from Ishiguro. Thank you so much, Mariana! 🥰
@@Johanna_reads ohhh accidental spoilers are the worst! 💔 I actually read the book after watching the movie and still loved it, so it’s amazing either way! I don’t like spoiling it because I don’t like spoiling in general, but no matter 🤓
I have really been loving slice of life in my books recently. I think Cujo kicked that off. Im currently reading Misery and while I wouldn't say its slice of life it does have those mundane moments of normal mixed it with all the horror.
I love slice-of-life books as well. If you're okay with super dark and disturbing, I might recommend Disgrace by Coetzee. It's a short, consumable, very deep, and disturbing. It mixes slice-of-life with realistic horrific stuff!
I did have to chuckle, though I don't know why, when you avoid spoiling A Game of Thrones even though the book has been out since 1996, and a highy successful first season was produced "recently" for TV. The more I read GGK, the more I wish I could talk to him about writing. I would love to hear him talk about his craft, and exchange ideas with him. Conflicting points of view are always interesting when handled well. And you made me think about Stephen King. Since he doesn't plan or plot, I believe it would be fair to say that all his stories are character focused, which gives them a very organic, if sometimes messy, feel. Unfortunately, I can't say much about the other books or authors you mentioned in this video, but I do want to express my appreciation at the depth of the themes you choose to talk about in your videos. It's involved, and I think that's what makes me enjoy your videos.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I was watching Chatting with Nutts tonight, and there are still people who have not been spoiled for ASOIAF. Bookborn was one of those people, so I'm trying to be mindful of that. GGK is a masterful writer, and King is so excellent at writing realistic characters. Cheers!
Hi 👋 if you’re happy with changing ur channel name I’m happy for you! I will always support you whatever u makes you happy 😊 u always do a great job!! 👏🏼 😊
I also love it when an author integrates music in their story, especially when the music contributes to the themes. Well said about conflict in relationships too. Conflict adds believability to a fictional relationship, and working through the conflict makes the relationship even deeper, as you say. That scene you mention from Grand Conspiracy in regard to consciousness is probably my favorite so far in WOLAS. Wonderful video -- thank you, Johanna!
Thank you, Philip! I find few things more emotionally uncomfortable than facing conflict with loved ones, and I appreciate how fictional conflict can reveal depth, care, and complexity in relationships. Funny how I immediately thought of you when reading that Grand Conspiracy scene! It was fun discussing that scene!
Good prose can do so many things, but I think perhaps the most important to me is when it unveils the profundity of the human experience. Sometimes this is most powerful for me when it's done in surprising, subtle and nuanced ways which catch you off guard. Nothing wrong with a knock-you-down-obviously-revelatory-reading-experience either but subtlety and nuance are more common in real life and perhaps harder to portray powerfully.
So well said. I couldn't agree more. That‘s what I gravitate towards the most these days.
What an exceptional video Johanna! Your videos always spark me to explore elements of a book I might have otherwise overlooked. These are some incredible insights you provide here. Kudos, and thank you for continuing to provoke thought, deeper analysis, and even sometimes challenge our assumptions and help us look at a piece of writing/a passage/an aspect of a book in a way we've never looked at it before!
Thank you so much, P.L.! That means a lot to me coming from you!
This is such a great video to make! Lately I feel like I've been coming across a lot of videos ranting about current bookish trends the dislike/hate so it's so lovely to come across a video celebrating the good.
Thank you, Amy! I enjoy challenging myself to identify specific reasons I love certain books. I'm so glad you enjoyed this!
Silver Nitrate and Velvet Was the Night also have spotify playlists that accompany them. I love it when authors do that as well. I didn't realize The Spear Cuts Through Water had one.
That's good to know about Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I bet she has some really interesting choices. Thank you for watching, Alicia! ❤
I didn't know about those playlists 😮 There were some fan-made playlists for 'Signal to Noise' too. And Silvia made an official playlist for the latest edition.
What’s this? A discussion of positive trends? We need more of this on UA-cam! Great job!
Thank you so much! I had no difficulty creating this list, and I'm glad to contribute in a positive and meaningful way!
5:55 the minute you described scenes in the Janny Wurts series a few videos ago like an opera, I immediately ordered book 1 and I just got it a week ago. I cannot wait to dive into her books! Opera is probably my next favorite thing after books, so I can’t wait!
I hope you enjoy the series! I think you'll understand what I mean when you read Wurts's style. I couldn't imagine any other kind of adaptation than opera for that series. Happy reading!
My favorite thing about you is how you make me think deeper about literature. Many of these things I’ve never directly thought of before, but I find myself agreeing with you. Tonal difference is something that lands with me for example. I think that’s one reason I like Abercrombie; mixing extreme violence with humor.
Thank you so much! 🥰 Abercrombie is so good at playing with tone in a funny, dark, and entertaining way!
I remembered your video on love triangles, and need to agree--subtlety is a must there. Conflict in relationships is so important! Otherwise, it often seems as if every group gets along very well, and it's just not very realistic; it's one of those things that I can't pass even if it's fantasy. I really like #9 generally, but #10 is by far my favourite of this list. A tweak to that would be exploring non-human ethics/morals, especially in speculative fiction! Great video Johanna!
Thank you, Livia! I agree with you about needing some conflict not just between but within fantasy groups. I think there’s an art to it so that the reader isn’t pitted against one character over the other. I’m glad to hear you love number 10, and I like your tweak to that one!
❤❤ love discussing trends amd tastes in books 📖 i think more booktubers should do these. Diff things appeal to different people. I love the examples!!! 😊
Thank you so much, my friend! 🥰♥️
A good example of #9 is The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. The first chapter is from the perspective of a child with a mental disability and the writing style is very confusing stream of consciousness, his thoughts jump around, as he experiences a feeling he may remember a moment in the past, so you are jumping around all in time. The remaining chapters are from his siblings perspectives and while having their own voices as well with the writing style they help fill in the parts from the first chapter and by the end you are like oh that is what he meant back in chapter 1 and it all just works together so well.
Sounds like an excellent example! I’d really like to read from Faulkner someday. Thanks!
Oooh this is such a fun video, I have never even really thought about what types of 'micro tropes' I love in my stories. I feel like we share a lot of preferences, which is probably why I trust your recs and reviews so much. Figuring out your tastes is such a fun process!
"Micro tropes' sounds like a great way to put it! Thank you so much, Esmay! ❤️
As always such amazing thoughtful analysis. Mitchell worked in a record store for a good chunk so music is important to him. His book Utopia Ave is all about a band forming in it you will see some ripples from Bone Clocks.
I didn't know that about Mitchell! I need to pick up Utopia Ave and Cloud Atlas. Thank you, John! ❤️
@@Johanna_reads 1000 Autumns is a great starting point.
This is such an excellent video Johanna. Finding out what works for me in books has been a journey. Listening to you describe aspects in books to enjoy definitely will be helpful to me. Many times I'm reading without being conscious of those things in stories I truly like. I think I might actually start writing these things down. Thanks Johanna!! Flowers of Algernon is sitting on desk in front of me and I'm dying to read it!! Cheers!!
Yay! I'm happy to hear this was helpful, Dan! I always think you speak well about what you love in books. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Flowers for Algernon. It's so impactful!!!
Perfect! I stink at making lists. You do it so well! I like how you said "things go sour" in Warhost of Vastmark. Great way of putting that, especially considering what happens later. Thanks for putting on the thinking cap and making this video.
It hurts to think of where things led after that scene! 💔 It was so well written. Thank you so much, Jarrod!
I always appreciate these videos of yours because they get me thinking of what I enjoy reading on a different level of thinking. Talking GOT it is truly amazing how GRRM handled the "ripple effect" of the death from the first book, actually two when you think about it (The one at the very beginning that set everything in motion) but yeah the end of book death left such an emotional impact throughout the rest of the entire series both on the characters and on us. I am so excited to read my next GGK book. A Song for Arbonne is definitely one of my top reads for 2024 so far... and think we are going to hit Tigana next! - Cheers!
Hooray for A Song for Arbonne! It's still my favorite GGK, but I enjoyed Tigana. So true about the both deaths in ASOIAF. Thank you so much, Christopher! ❤️
Strong themes of conflict in this list!
As it happens I’ve noticed that I detect themes a bit more easily than I have in the past. Perhaps I consumed stories before, but nowadays I’m savouring them a bit longer because of the socials.
Another that I’ve noticed in the past 2y is giving space for characters - I’m much less an action boy than I had ever realised, which was a staggering lesson to learn after all my years.
You’re right about that theme of conflict in this video 😅. I think conflict is something I tried to avoid in real life, but it’s so important to understand it more deeply. It’s hard to emotionally connect if there is no conflict, and there is tremendous skill involved to make it convincing.
So well said about allowing characters space and time to breathe. I’ve become the same way as a reader!
This was a really interesting way of making a video. I appreciate the way your starting with themes, motifs, and ideas, then highlighting books that explore those themes. Also, ugh, I still have to read Stoner and haven't gotten to it yet. I promise. Soon... soon.
Thank you, Jordan! I don't want to overhype Stoner because it's such a ridiculously simple premise. I hope you enjoy it if you read it, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Great idea for a video! I really enjoyed this
Thank you, Olly!
Really enjoyed hearing you talk about these Johanna. Solaris is one I hope to read at some point. Pretty sure I first heard about it from Jonathan at Words in Time.
Jonathan always has great SF recommendations. I loved Solaris! There are "info-dump" chapters, and while those parts might be a little dry, I think they served an important function and had a certain kind of charm. 😅
@@Johanna_reads good to know. Thank you so much.
What a nice video! Thank you for sharing all these thoughts with us!
Thank you for watching!
I look forward to hearing what you think about how music is used within Peril’s Gate.
As for recommendations, Age of Five trilogy by Trudi Canavan hits several of these items. It’s also an epic fantasy tick (nodding to your recent chat with Tori). It’s an excellent series.
I'm looking it up right now! Thank you!
I've been reading a lot of Michael Crichton books lately. He's very good at describing wounds and the physical pain his characters are going through. Also, after finishing "Timeline" I realized how well he describes architecture which is something I've never really stopped to appreciate in other books. The way he is able to describe the structural weakness of a particular part of a building from the 14th century during an action scene is incredible.
That’s a great skill! I enjoyed “Timeline” and have been meaning to reread it. I pay careful attention to those things when I do!
This was a fun video. I wish I had a fraction of your skill at recognizing themes! Seriously!
Aw, thank you so much, Josh! 😊
Really liked this different approach. I seem to meet you on a few of those. Loved Guns of the Dawn, Flowers for Algernon, as well as Stoner (those moments are seared in my mind). Solaris was great too, although can’t say I loved it (need more mulling over). Nearly finished Tigana.
For the language angle and friendship, I thought of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I can’t help but think that you’d like A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (Teixcalaan duology but you can read the first and stop there if you want) for the society element as well as colonialism and language. If you like her, you can then try Ann Leckie and C.J. Cherryh. That is definitely something I am fascinated by - language.
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel comes to my mind about the power of music, but also for the structure of the narration and how everything is interconnected.
Finally, have you read The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West or The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa? They both deal with memory and identity in such breathtaking ways (and both are short). Ok, better stop inundating you.
I think the only one you recommended that I've read is The Color Purple. I'll have to check those out, especially the last two based on the short length and themes you mentioned. That sounds along the lines of what I've been craving lately. Thank you! 💗
Exploration of an unfathomable consciousness in Solaris was fascinating; another book with an interesting take on consciousness was Blindsight by Peter Watts. I thought the book was fascinating (unforgettable) even though I didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it.
I think I'm going to have to pick up Blindsight at some point! I might need to make a new sci-fi TBR later this year. Thank you, Bart!
@@Johanna_reads I can’t wait to see your sci-fi tbr!
I appreciate how you vary your reads mixing Fantasy with SF and still finding time to read books like Stoner, All the Pretty Horses and Shogun. 🙌
@@bartsbookspace I feel the same watching your channel!
For me, the author is not dead but more alive than ever. Many of my recent favourites have had autobiographical or meta components that I was aware of prior to reading. Some of these (Toll the Hounds - Erikson, Suttree - McCarthy) I think I would have loved regardless but others (Ice - Kavan, Confessions of a Mask - Mishima, The Book of Disquiet - Pessoa) I think my experience was greatly enhanced by the knowledge.
Hahaha! I'm also hit-or-miss when it comes to meta stuff, but I think it's mostly a hit for me. I've noticed authors aren't always nice to themselves when they keep themselves alive!
The characters in the Bone Clocks did feel like real people! I loved that about the book.
Truly some of the best character writing I've read in a long time! ❤️
I love the concept for this video! 😍 It’s making me think about what I like in books. Based on all the things you mentioned, I think you’d really like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I won’t say any specifics because as Brian said in Jimmy’s latest CWN, it’s a book you should go in without knowing anything, but yeah I think you’d like it 😝
I was accidentally spoiled for that book a few months ago! 😭 I did put a hold on Remains of the Day, and I'm really looking forward to reading from Ishiguro. Thank you so much, Mariana! 🥰
@@Johanna_reads ohhh accidental spoilers are the worst! 💔 I actually read the book after watching the movie and still loved it, so it’s amazing either way! I don’t like spoiling it because I don’t like spoiling in general, but no matter 🤓
I have really been loving slice of life in my books recently. I think Cujo kicked that off. Im currently reading Misery and while I wouldn't say its slice of life it does have those mundane moments of normal mixed it with all the horror.
I love slice-of-life books as well. If you're okay with super dark and disturbing, I might recommend Disgrace by Coetzee. It's a short, consumable, very deep, and disturbing. It mixes slice-of-life with realistic horrific stuff!
@@Johanna_reads I have added it to my tbr! Thank you for the rec
I did have to chuckle, though I don't know why, when you avoid spoiling A Game of Thrones even though the book has been out since 1996, and a highy successful first season was produced "recently" for TV.
The more I read GGK, the more I wish I could talk to him about writing. I would love to hear him talk about his craft, and exchange ideas with him.
Conflicting points of view are always interesting when handled well. And you made me think about Stephen King. Since he doesn't plan or plot, I believe it would be fair to say that all his stories are character focused, which gives them a very organic, if sometimes messy, feel.
Unfortunately, I can't say much about the other books or authors you mentioned in this video, but I do want to express my appreciation at the depth of the themes you choose to talk about in your videos. It's involved, and I think that's what makes me enjoy your videos.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I was watching Chatting with Nutts tonight, and there are still people who have not been spoiled for ASOIAF. Bookborn was one of those people, so I'm trying to be mindful of that. GGK is a masterful writer, and King is so excellent at writing realistic characters. Cheers!
Hi 👋 if you’re happy with changing ur channel name I’m happy for you! I will always support you whatever u makes you happy 😊 u always do a great job!! 👏🏼 😊
Thank you, Safina! 😊
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