politics
Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White
But there are many ways to be powerful. There is power in stillness. There is power in watching, waiting, saying the right thing at the right time to the right person. There is power in being a woman—oh yes, power in these bodies you gaze upon with derision…. When you have something someone else wants, there is always an element of power.
I have been utterly destroyed by this wonderful book, and you know what? I couldn’t be happier about it. I have no idea what to do with my life while I lie in wait for the sequel for another year, but that is beside the point. I actually called my (now ex) boyfriend after I finished the novel and told him that I didn’t know how to exist in a world where I physically cannot go buy the sequel instantaneously, right now. He didn’t have any suitable advice for me—not from a lack of trying, but because I was inconsolable. For that reason, I’m going to blather on about my feelings for this book here. I hope you enjoy.
And I Darken is a gender-swapped retelling of Vlad the Impaler, who was a notoriously violent prince in 1400s’ Ottoman Empire. In this story, Lada—our Vlad—grows up in Wallachia with her younger brother Radu. She is raised to be cruel as a means of survival in a world that clearly favors men of wealth. Used as pawns in a political game, Lada and Radu have to cleverly outmaneuver all of the foes that move against their very lives. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Morning Star by Pierce Brown
I have anxiously been awaiting this book—this finale—for a year. I finally got to it recently, and I have so many emotions. There’s surprise, excitement, frustration, etc. I’m worried that this review will slight towards my frustrations more than my love for this book and the trilogy as a whole. After all, it is easier to write about negatives than positives. This review will have no spoilers. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
V for Vendetta, what could I possibly say that could describe the way I feel about you? The 2006 film V for Vendetta is my all-time favorite movie ever. To be perfectly honest, I cannot imagine that changing anytime soon. I suppose I knew going into this graphic novel that it would be a very difficult sell for me because of my adoration of the movie. That being said, there aren’t many things that are inherently wrong with this book, but overall, it just didn’t sit with me as well as its film version did.
Remember, remember the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.
If you are not aware, V for Vendetta is an incredibly complex tale of a corrupt, fascist government and one man’s journey to bring it down. It follows a large group of characters from the mysterious, masked V, his young follower Evey, to an investigator by the name of Finch. There is a high level of complications within the government, betrayals, and schemes. As the reader, you are never quite certain with where it will lead. Read the rest of this entry »