Our main character is Fatma el-Sha’arawi, a special investigator with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, who is looking into a mysterious death of a djinn. My only complaint about this story is that it is too short and thus the characters and the world are not fully fleshed out. However, there are more novellas and now a full length novel also, so I am definitely looking forward to spending more time in this world. 3 out of 5 stars.
I was not disappointed. I think Andy Weir's strength is writing science-y Sci-Fi about loners. We spend a lot of time in Ryland Grace's (our main character's) head, who wakes up in a spaceship many lightyears away from earth and is apparently humanity's the only hope for survival. Ryland meets an alien in this story - also the only survivor on his spaceship - who is on a very similar mission to save his own species. The two have to work together to come up with a solution, or at the very least, die together trying.
Even though the book is filled with stereotypes and minor inaccuracies, it is a very enjoyable ride. The self-deprecating humor is excellent, the story is moving at a nice clip, and Weir comes up with really fascinating and realistic scenarios for the story. His explanations never seem far-fetched and for a layperson, the science reads very realistic and true. It is by no means great literature, but it is highly entertaining and interesting. My understanding is a movie based on the novel is already in the making, and I think it definitely could be as successful as The Martian was. 4 out of 5 stars. Definitely recommend.
The book just reads a bit too young. Even though it is marketed as YA, I would say it is better suited for 12 to 14 year olds. I do hope that this and similar retellings inspire young readers to look into the actual historical events the book is based on and get them interested in doing a bit of research or perhaps even further reading. I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. An enjoyable story for younger readers.
I listened to this novel on audio, and it is a brilliant production. I am not sure what it is like to read this book on paper, but the audio narration was gripping. I found myself unable to stop listening and finished the audiobook in just a couple of sittings. The book is written as a mystery thriller. As more dead girls turn up, it becomes clear that there is a psychopath on the college campus. Mariana suspects an American professor who teaches Greek tragedy. Her suspicions are reinforced by the fact that all of the murdered girls had received a postcard with a verse in ancient Greek foretelling their deaths. Professor Fosca also has a select group of students, all female, whom he calls the maidens - and Mariana suspects that his relationship with those girls is not strictly that of a teacher.
Overall, I highly enjoyed this novel, and definitely recommend it. It is a murder mystery but also an intense psychological thriller. The audiobook is a great way to read this for sure. 5 out of 5 stars.
An audio ARC was provided by NetGalley.com
Overall, I would say I really liked the arc of the eldest daughter Nina's character. In some ways it is mostly her story. I also enjoyed following all of the Riva siblings and learning more about each of them. What I did not like about this book is the overall setting among the rich and the famous of Hollywood. I guess it's just not my cup of tea. The story was hinting at all of the hot topics of the day: objectification of women, toxic masculinity, even racism and police brutality. However, all these topics were I would say token mentions rather than underlying themes. The story just somehow lacked depth. I guess for me it is not that interesting to read about the struggles of children who have a super rich and super famous parents without exploring the underlying privilege and how it affected their lives. I am probably not the target audience for this book. 3 out of 5 stars.
An e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.com
