Aotea College

98,070 pages read and 4,947 team points

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JMY

8,198 pts

(7,713 pages read)

Buckeye

By Patrick Ryan

4 stars
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

By Gabrielle Zevin

5 stars

It was my second time reading this and I still cried like six times.
The Spear Cuts Through Water

By Simon Jimenez

4 stars

4.5 stars. The narrative is framed in such an interesting way, and the prose is beautifully written. Difficult to read quickly, but that's because every word is worth your attention.
Cloud Cuckoo Land

By Anthony Doerr

5 stars

A re-read of my favourite book. It remains my favourite book.
The Tainted Cup

By Robert Jackson Bennett

4 stars

4.5 stars. Well-realised fantasy world that serves as the setting for an intriguing murder mystery. There are clear Sherlock & Watson inspirations with the investigator and her assistant, and it is done excellently. The dialogue is witty and funny, while remaining grounded to avoid detracting from the fantasy and worldbuilding elements. Looking forward to reading the second book when I eventually make my way to the top of the library reserve list.
Gravity Let Me Go

By Trent Dalton

4 stars

This one is very different from his other three novels. I finished it in two sittings, for two reasons. Firstly, the multiple mysteries of the book are all gripping, and information and revelations about each come at a great pace. Secondly, unlike his other novels, there weren't many sentences or sections that made me want to stop and just sit with the beauty of his prose. I missed that element for sure, but really enjoyed the story nonetheless.
Project Hail Mary

By Andy Weir

5 stars

I'm calling this a 4.75, so basically a 5. I had heard a lot of good things about this before reading it, but I was still worried that it wouldn't be for me. Happy to be so wrong. The science part of sci-fi is balanced so well to be accessible without laborious re-reading, while also making you feel really smart for grasping it. Unexpectedly funny and made me laugh out loud a few times. One of those books that I think almost anyone would really enjoy, which is what the rest of the internet also says.
The Song of Achilles

By Madeline Miller

4 stars

4.5 stars. My new favourite depiction of Achilles and Patroclus. I loved the way time was treated: entire chapters lingering on single conversations and then months or years passing in a paragraph; as well as the shifts from past to present tense in some of the pivotal moments. Patroclus and his inner turmoil are written so vividly and beautifully, especially once they arrive at Troy and Achilles begins to change.
Vanishing World

By Sayaka Murata

3 stars

This book is really strange. I can understand the message or underlying thoughts that the author wants you to consider, but I didn't enjoy the reading all that much. I do think it is intentionally off-putting and uncomfortable to serve a purpose, and the horrific ending leaves no room for much doubt that Murata wants you to feel disgusted, but it wasn't for me. A bit disappointed after Convenience Store Woman and how wonderfully well the weirdness works in that one.
Katabasis

By R. F. Kuang

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book, even if not quite as much as I enjoyed Babel or Yellowface. I liked the academia background to it all, and the flashbacks and cutaways to explore more into that side. The quest itself was fun and went to interesting places - as did the romance - though I did think the pacing became a little rushed near the end. The whole satire of "the academy" worked for me, and I found the characters' ridiculous view of the world entertaining.
No One Is Talking About This

By Patrick Lockwood

4 stars

4.5 stars. A book all about what it is like to be "terminally online" and live in the age of the Internet, but actually done well. Disjointed and digressive in the best way. Genuinely hilarious in the first half, and still occasionally funny in the second half despite the shift in tone and focus. You can tell even without the author's acknowledgements at the back of the book that this is something Lockwood has experienced, and it is all the more beautiful for that fact.
Kataraina

By Becky Manawatu

5 stars

Just as hauntingly beautiful as Auē, with the same knife-edge balance of light and dark. I thought it was an incredible way to revisit and continue to tell the story of the previous book, while also highlighting the power of stories themselves and their tellings. The timeless whānau as narrator is really powerful.
Last One Out

By Jane Harper

4 stars

Without contest, Jane Harper is my favourite crime writer. The way she builds such an authentic picture of community and relationships alongside the mystery itself is exceptional. I like this one the most out of all her standalone novels so far, with only the Aaron Falk trilogy and its longer character development arc rating higher.
Taniwha

By Gavin Bishop

3 stars

Beautiful illustrations. The stories are pretty barebones, but I wouldn't say this is just for kids. A good starting point if you are interested in pūrākau about taniwha, as it will provide you with names and places to research further.
Ten Acceptable Acts of Arson

By Jack Remiel Cottrell

4 stars

My third summer in a row re-reading this. It's still very, very good.
The Rose Field (The Book of Dust #3)

By Philip Pullman

4 stars

I'm at more of a 4.5 with this one. I think the conclusion is a little heavy-handed in its themes, and there are a number of "loose threads" that aren't tied up. However, I think the scale of the journey and the sheer number of people that we meet and are involved in this book and the last means I am okay with not everything being tied up neatly. There are complex and wide-reaching changes happening in these worlds, and not everyone in the story has reached their individual conclusion when the pages run out. Feels real.
The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust #2)

By Philip Pullman

5 stars

Even better than the first! Intriguing, more grounded plot, even though it is still set in a fantasy world. Can't wait to read the third.
La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1)

By Philip Pullman

4 stars

The first book in the follow-up trilogy to the "His Dark Materials" books. I really liked the darker tone that this book has; it felt like less averting the gaze of the reader from the harsher moments and themes. The flood as a framing device works wonderfully, with the build-up and then the release, and the changing blend of magic and alternative reality is done well.
Orbital

By Samantha Harvey

4 stars

An interesting discussion to be had about how much of a certain type of prose is "enough" to get the point. In reading reviews after I'd finished, a lot of people seem to be put off by the way the listed observations of the Earth repeat and blend into one another. I, personally, really enjoyed it, and felt like that was the point; the orbiting of the Earth is a metaphor for how our minds churn and circle around, even in the most foreign contexts.

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Aotea College

98,070 pages read and 4,947 team points

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