Here’s a couple of reviews for some recent reads… 

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr (courtesy of Netgalley)

  
This was a truly incredible novel, fully deserving of all the accolades it won (the Pulitzer, no less)… amazing characters, extremely well-written, a powerful story, all the elements you seek in a novel and more. 

What worked:

Everything… but specifically, the characters (Werner and Marie, so well developed), the story (humanising both sides of the WW2 story in a unique, heart-warming way), the structure (the short chapters, the back and forth between characters, the to and fro pre and post the siege of Saint Melo), I can go on, but rather why don’t you read it and see for yourself?

What didn’t:

Very little… perhaps the ending gets strung out a bit too much, maybe it could’ve ended much sooner. But I’m nit-picking… 

Verdict:

5 out of 5. Amazing book. Go read it.
All the Birds in the Sky – Charlie Jane Anders
  
When you go to buy a book, be it online or at an actual bookstore, you’ll typically find Science Fiction and Fantasy as one section… I guess both genres cater to a similar type of reader. Yet, as far as I could remember, it is quite rare for a novel to combine both. Then along comes “All the Birds in the Sky.” Look up how people classify the novel, and you’ll find a fairly even split between Sci Fi and Fantasy… The thing is, it actually worked. Though the book could’ve done with a little bit of a better plot, the overall concept of merging the two genres was well-executed, and I enjoyed the read.

What worked:

The main characters, particularly Patricia, were very well developed. The setting of the novel itself worked wonders, as it allowed us to track the development of these characters through their formation years into adulthood. You end up feeling for these characters, and that’s a great accomplishment in any novel.

What didn’t:

Overall, the story was a bit weak, and it felt more developed for the entire purpose of showing how magic and science can work for the same goal than anything else. It feels a bit of a missed opportunity to not develop more the actual learning of magic or of science, or the supporting characters on each field. Despite great main characters and an interesting concept, as it happens when the story is just not the powerful, by the time the end comes you are not as hooked as you wanted to be. 

Verdict:

I enjoyed the book, thought it had great moments and found the concept of mixing magic and science quite well made. The story was weak, though, and ultimately it feels like the book didn’t deliver as much as it had promised from the start. A good, solid read, but unfortunately not a great one. 4 out 5.