Review: The Future

The Future by Naomi Alderman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Future by Naomi Alderman from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.  

As a fan of The Power, I was so excited to receive a copy of The Future by Naomi Alderman.  While The Future is fiction, it bears a close resemblance to our current world.  The world is suffering from unprecedented pandemics, wars, and natural disasters led by a handful of billionaires who control social media, logistics, and online commerce.  Sound familiar? The story is told from a variety of perspectives.  It's a great technique because even a villain is the hero of their own story.  There are preppers, survivalists, and a cult.  For epistolary lovers, there are the chapters that are snippets of forum postings complete with comments.  There is plenty of fodder for deep thoughts.  The questions the book poses aren't even new.  Could we have a better world with less suffering if those with power and resources stopped being motivated solely by profit?  Naomi Alderman imagines a world where someone decides to take action to find out.

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Review: Nettle & Bone

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever have a book keep popping up in your life? Every website seems to recommend it to you.  Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher was one of those books for me.  I finally broke down and checked it out of the library.  I'm glad I did!  I didn't read a summary so I didn't know what to expect.  There was probably going to be some nettle and maybe some bones?  Turns out it is more fairy tale than I would have thought.  It actually has godmothers!  The fantasy elements were very fun.  While the main plot is very serious, a woman sets out to save her sister from an abusive relationship, there is a lot of humor.  The band of helpers she collects along the way is delightful.  If you want to read an epic adventure without investing in 300+ pages, this is a great choice.  It's got everything while also being a fast-paced read.      

Bonus points for the best use of bones ever!  

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Review: Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush

Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush by Tom Doyle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush by Tom Doyle from Rowman & Littlefield Publishers via NetGalley.

Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush by Tom Doyle is the biography that Kate Bush fans should be reading.  I have long been a fan of Kate Bush.  I remember the first time hearing her.  I was in college.  The song was Love and Anger. I am thrilled that Stranger Things introduced a whole new generation to Kate Bush.  Media has not always been kind to Kate Bush because of her propensity to avoid the spotlight and not seek fame the way many other artists do.  She takes a long time to release new music.  She doesn't tour or promote her music like others.  This book is split up into 50 segments focused on songs or periods in her life that give you a really in-depth idea of what was going on or how the song came to be.  I learned that Kate is a serious perfectionist.  That's really why the delay between albums, not a lack of inspiration.  I also loved learning about her fusing of theatre and music, the way she develops her videos or live performances.  Actually, everything about her process is fascinating.  And to think it started when she was just a girl is even more incredible.  She has also helped pave the way for artists to maintain creative control over their work in an industry that doesn't really support such a thing.  She's pretty amazing.  Now, excuse me while I go listen to her entire catalog of songs again.     

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Review: The Constant Rabbit

The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde couldn't be more timely.  Set in a world where a limited number of animals have been exposed to some event that evolved them into human-like creatures, the world is trying to figure out how to respond.  Elephants have it the easiest.  Rabbits, though, are vilified.  You don't have to think really hard to understand that this situation very much reflects much of what is happening today surrounding immigration politics.  All the arguments for and against the rabbits are things we see and hear every day in the news or in conversation.  Fforde does a great job showing just how absurd the xenophobia is.  In this world, people align with foxes against the rabbits.  The description of the main fox character sounded an awful lot like someone orange we all know.  As much as I like foxes, I was not a fan of this one. 

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Review: The Travelling Cat Chronicles

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa is a must-read for anyone who likes/loves cats.  It is told from the point of view of a cat who travels with his person to try to find a new home.  During the travels, we meet friends of the human and learn about the human's life.  We also meet other animals along the way.  It's very sweet.  It made me want to visit Japan.  It also made me want to open a bed and breakfast for pet travelers.  It made me have a lot of feels.  The thing it does the best though is remind you that no matter how much your cat may ignore you or treat you like the hired help, when the chips are down, they can be fiercely loyal. May wish to have some tissues on hand when you finish this book.   

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