Catherine A Rector

Sedition asks, What makes us human?

Revisado: 05-07-21

Sedition is definitely a book for fans of introspective, deep characters who are enraged by the injustice of the world. Wright uses a steampunk alternative London to examine the intricacies of humanity, what makes us human, and the horrors that some of us inflict on others. Some lines struck me as too honest and raw to be anything but a true feeling of the author, and I think that it speaks to a lot of the moments of rage and helplessness we all feel (hopefully only from time to time ;) ) I was also able to spot a few "loose ends" that will surely show up in later books, which I find very intriguing! You should definitely give this book a shot!

Also, I listened to the audiobook and the quality of the reading is fantastic, so you should check out that option as well!

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A Masterful Exploration of Norse Myth

Revisado: 02-19-21

I stayed up past my bedtime to finish this and had the very best time.

The Witch’s Heart is a masterpiece of exploration into Norse Myth. Having dabbled in making a linear timeline out of these myths myself, it was an absolute joy to watch Gornichec weave the myths into the story in unexpected ways. There were moments where I stopped reading to appreciate the craft of how she put the pieces together in ways that had never before occurred to me.

This book is written in a very particular style that, to me, calls back to older types of storytelling. It might be a challenge for readers who are used to fast-paced, high stakes books that start with a deadly car chase at chapter one, but it’s a mistake to confuse the calm, steady pacing (and soothing audiobook narration) with a slow book. Angrboda spends part one creating a life for herself, only to have part two destroy so much of what she’s built. And the domesticity of part one is what makes this book as impactful as it is.

Something that’s desperately important to this book is its portrayal of the lives of women, and in general, how the lives and wellbeing of these characters revolve around a cast of male Gods who continue to affect the character’s lives despite these Gods rarely being on stage. Each of the women, as well as Loki (who is canonically genderfluid, fight me), find themselves manipulated and pitted against each other time after time, creating enemies out of allies. This might sound familiar to some women out there.

Gornichec makes no move to belittle or minimize Angrboda’s more traditional women’s roles as wife, witch, mother, and practitioner of seidr. To me, it’s a statement of bravery to spend so much time focused on a set of roles that some would claim unworthy of the spotlight. Being a mom isn’t important or exciting enough to be the theme of a book, everyone is a mom, get off the stage./s But by focusing so intimately and for a large part of the book on these roles, Gornichec creates a book that can be enjoyed by many, but that feels like it’s written as a testament to the women who hold up the world.

It also has to be said that I don’t cry over many books these days, but that ending had me leaking from my eyes.

TL;DR? Buy it.

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Loved it!

Revisado: 12-07-20

This book is very different from many dystopian that I've read. It takes the slow, calm pace of winter, and the story doesn't hinge on explosive moments like so many in the genre. It's more of a study of humans, and very much on the relationship between Indigenous Canada and settler culture. I feel like the more you understand about the Indigenous peoples and their history with white settlers, the more you'll get out of this book. (If you're looking for a primer, trying UAlberta's free course called Indigenous Canadians). Overall, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but was a fantastic listen. The audiobook is also well narrated, delivered with a sense of authenticity and care.

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Excellent historical slow burn

Revisado: 11-15-20

Engaging, mysterious, and thoughtful. The only thing I was missing was a little more speed in the climax, but that's a personal preference. The narrator was a treat to listen to, especially their performance of the most tense scenes.

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Nothing is black and white

Revisado: 10-05-20

A heartfelt look into the world of porn and at the humanity inside it. I'm honestly so disappointed there isn't more to listen to! I loved every episode

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A Solid Story with a Complicated f|f Relationship

Revisado: 04-15-20

This book had some moments I thought were fantastic, but also some that I felt could've been pushed just a little further. The dynamic between Anna and Elizabeth was the absolute highlight of the book, and every version of their relationship was well done. I thought the buildup to the historical Elizabeth that most people are familiar with was interesting, kind of a descent-into-madness style.

The last hour of the audiobook felt a bit anticlimactic to me, and there were a few moments which I won't spoil that I just felt underwhelmed. But to each their own.

If nothing else, it's a fantastically complicated f|f relationship with a complicated and fully formed female villain, and that's what I came here for!

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Monstrous and Delightful; Plethora of Eyeballs.

Revisado: 04-15-20

This book hurt me and I loved it.

In fact, I often fear middle books in a three-book series. This one defeated those fears and ran over them with a horse carriage that was delivering crates of spare eyes to Malachiasz.

I found the book to be a fantastic slow-burn examination of faith— in each other, in the powers that be, in their countries— and that was something I revelled in. Nadya's journey is so very human, the way her inner wants and needs conflict, the cognitive dissonance of things that she just can't live with. As much as I loved Wicked Saints, I somehow felt closer to the cast in this book, something that feels rare in my reading experience.

And that one time I had to pause the book and walk away because the 10-minute gore description was too vivid for my poor brain to handle. Stunning.

And such amazing monster kisses. Duncan knows what I want.

I'm going to end up listening to this again, I know it. Afterall, a year is a long time to wait for more eyeballs.

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