Drop Down Menu

Monday, March 18, 2024

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson



Title:
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Author: Stieg Larsson (Swedish, 1954-2004)
Originally published: 2005


Page count: 463
Dates read: 1/29/24-3/17/24
2024 book goal progress: 4 out of 24


Read my other book reviews for my 2024 goals HERE.




Description on back of book:
A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue. It's about the disappearance 40 years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden...and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance...and about Lisbeth Salander, a 24-year-old, pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age, who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism - and an unexpected connection between themselves.

Trigger Warnings:
-Sexual abuse
-Religious fanaticism and human sacrifice
-Abuse of power
-Manipulations, mind games, and threats
-Extreme violence and other crimes

Note: These are trigger warnings for the book, but this review does not discuss them.

First sentence:
"It happened every year, was almost a ritual."

Favorite quotes:
"Friendship - my definition - is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 6.6/10 - ⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 8
Atmosphere   - 7
Writing Style - 6
Plot                - 7
Intrigue          - 10
Logic             - 5
Enjoyment     - 3
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
I read this book in high school, over 15 years ago (wow, I'm getting old). All I remembered was Salander's mini-story at the beginning of the book and absolutely nothing else (I honestly question if I finished the book the first time around), other than a general weariness due to extreme violence, which led to a hesitancy to reread the book. I decided that was a long time ago and I've changed/grown a lot since then, so I was going to give it another chance. I wish I hadn't. This is an incredibly disgusting book.

I was sickened by most of the book, nonetheless, I got sucked in and it definitely was a page-turner for me. The description says it's a love story, but it most definitely is not. There are 3 non-traditional lovers, and none of them turn into actual love interests... and none of them are all that interesting.  Some choices of the protagonists seemed illogical, and other choices I vehemently disagree with. We're introduced to sooo many characters that are only around for a brief time and then not really mentioned again (Detective Morell anyone?). Also... I really wanted to like Salander, but I just couldn't... and, thinking about it, there isn't any character in the book (of which there is an incredibly large cast) that I particularly liked. Salander's dragon tattoo was mentioned in passing, but had no significance in the book, and don't understand why it turned into the title of the story since I also wouldn't consider her the main character either.

The ending was not satisfying and the book overall was unnecessarily long. The main mystery was enough of a story that could then be broken into the stories of finding out the truth about 2 particular people. On top of the main mystery, though, there's the story of the: magazine Millennium, businessman Wennerstrom, and Salander has two mini-stories of her own, one towards the beginning and one at the end. All of which felt like unnecessary fluff and filler by the time I finished the book. When I got to the ending, I simultaneously thought, 'That's it?' and 'Thank God I've made it to the end. That was way too much.' By the time the main mystery was solved, it felt like a chore to finish reading about Wennerstrom. The main mystery should have been its own sick story... and then if Larsson wanted to make a story out of the other pieces, they should've been their own book. The book definitely draws you in, but, honestly... I don't recommend it.

Personally, I avoid much of the news due to it being incredibly depressing, and I can't do anything about it (government, economy, climate, crime in general, etc.). This book, though fiction, read like a true story to me. I believe that things like this exist and I couldn't help but think of Epstein, as well as other, still living, billionaires of the world today... and what their unknown activities are. I also thought of the American government trying to censor freedom of speech by banning TikTok (a Chinese company), controlling Facebook/Twitter (American companies), and more. My final quote touches on that a bit.

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Stieg Larsson have the last words:

"It would be deplorable if the special interests had the power to silence those voices in the media that they find uncomfortable."

Replace 'special interests' with government and/or billionaires/big business. Translation:

It would be deplorable if the government, billionaires, and big businesses had the power/money to silence the voices in the media that can point out their shady business practices and/or outright criminal activity. (Keep in mind that much of the media today is run/controlled by those billionaires in question.)

Monday, March 4, 2024

Storm Breaking by Mercedes Lackey



Title:
 Storm Breaking (Mage Storms #3)
Author: Mercedes Lackey (American, 1950- )
Originally published: 1996


Page count: 451
Dates read: 1/29/24-2/27/24
2024 book goal progress: 3 out of 24




Read my other book reviews for my 2024 goals HERE.



Description on back of book:
As mysterious, magic onslaughts ravage Valdemar and the Kingdoms of the west, the western allies, have traveled far to locate the ancient ruins of the Tower of Urtho, Mage of Silence, and excavate his legendary Vault, a hidden stronghold of some of the most powerful magical weapons ever devised. They know now that the mage storms are an "echo" through time of the prehistoric Cataclysm which permanently warped their world more than two thousand years ago. If they don't find a way to stop these magical vibrations they will culminate in another Cataclysm - this time destroying their world for good.

But Urtho's Vault is not the only thing buried for centuries below the Dorisha Plains, and camped in the ruins of what once was the workplace of the most ingenious mage their world has ever known, the desperate allies soon realize that their solution may lie beneath their feet. The saving of their world just might be accomplished by the work of a man who has been dead for millennia!

First sentence:
"Karal lay as quietly as he could, keeping his breathing even to avoid jarring his head."

Favorite quotes:
"Fleas at court! Well, they were not the only bloodsucking vermin here, only the most honest about it. In some ways, he would have preferred fleas to some of the other vermin he had to deal with on a daily basis."

"When it all comes down to it, what is done for the cause of Good is done in the name of every Power of the Light."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.9/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 9
Atmosphere   - 8
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 8
Intrigue          - 7
Logic             - 7
Enjoyment     - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
This was a great ending to a great story. It follows 3 different story lines and I wish we got a glimpse of them all in the aftermath at the end. I guess the next trilogy will mostly be dealing with all the aftermath and how the 3 different groups faired. The solution to the problem was found through people of a variety of nations, cultures, and ways of thinking coming together to work on a common goal. It was a combination of magic/mages, math/science, politics/governament, and religion/gods. This is a beautiful example of unity at its finiest - if only it wasn't fantasy, the real world would be a much better place. 

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Mercedes Lackey have the last words:

"Please remember that religions are made up of people, most of whom have very little control over what their priests decree is doctrine. Keep in mind that given that the priests and the people have free will and the means to exercise it, gods may not always be able to control their priests either. So what the priests say, and the people believe, is not always the whole truth. Any God is far more than His people make Him. It is the responsibility of the priest to lead them to that understanding, so that they do not attempt to limit Him to what they know."

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Storm Rising by Mercedes Lackey



Title:
 Storm Rising (Mage Storms #2)
Author: Mercedes Lackey (American, 1950- )
Originally published: 1995



Page count: 400
Dates read: 1/11/24-1/26/24
2024 book goal progress: 2 out of 24



Read my other book reviews for my 2024 goals HERE.



Description on back of book:
In Storm Rising, mysterious mage-storms are wreaking havoc on Valdemar, Karse, and all the kingdoms of the West, plaguing these lands not only with disastrous earthquakes, monsoons, and ice storms, but also with venomous magical constructs - terrifying creatures out of nightmare. Both Valdemar's Heralds and Karse's Sunpriests struggle to marshal their combined magical resources to protect their realms from these devastating, spell-fueled onslaughts. But as the situation becomes bleaker and bleaker, the still fragile alliance between these long-hostile lands begins to fray. Unless Valdemar and Karse can locate and destroy the cause of the storms, they may see their entire world demolished in a final magical holocaust.

First sentence:
"Grand Duke Tremane shivered as a cold draft wisped past the shutters behind him and drifted down the back of his neck."

Favorite quote:
"Sejanes cackled and slapped Master Levy on his back. The old man was stronger than he looked; the Master engineer actually staggered for a moment. 'Hiding arrogance behind false modesty, boy? Don't bother; we all know we're in elite company, and you're included in that.' "

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.6/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 8
Atmosphere   - 7
Writing Style - 7
Plot                - 8
Intrigue          - 8
Logic             - 7
Enjoyment     - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Although, instead of Elspeth, it was Firesong who annoyed me with some poor character choices this time - though it was supposedly resolved by the end. I really like Karal and I'm enjoying reading this trilogy through his eyes. The truth spell was finally brought back and I question why it wasn't used in the first book. Some non-paired Companions are communicating and working with non-heralds, which is unheard of, but I like the twist. I appreciate the overall theme of this trilogy regarding the challenge to look beyond your own prejudice and assumptions about others.

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Mercedes Lackey have the last words. The quote below is a little longer than usual, but it doesn't have any spoilers.

"As Karal squeezed her hand, he allowed himself a moment of annoyance. 'Now tell me this - what good does it do to be a Priest or to be able to talk with Avatars if neither your God nor the representatives of your Goddess are going to give you any clues?'

Natloli chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment. 'I've been listening to you and An'desha talking about the God Vkandis and the Goddess Star-Eyed, and I wonder if this isn't another one of those cases where there are many choices and, since none of the choices are detrimental, They aren't going to help. I mean - They watch while people kill people and let people die all the time, and only take a hand in things once in a while, when it will make a big difference down the road. The rest of the time, people have to do what they feel they should, and accept the results. It's that "free will" thing again.'

He groaned, 'I could do with a little more guidance and a little less free will!'

'I couldn't.' Once again, she surprised him. 'I want to make my own decisions, and if they're all the wrong ones, then I'll learn from them. I want to be an adult, not a child. I don't want to be led along the safe path! The safe path is never new, and the safe path never teaches you anything others don't already know!'

Had she always been like this, or had her enforced idleness given her time to think about these things? He was astonished at the clarity and fearlessness of her outlook. 'A lot of people wouldn't agree with you,' he replied, answering her as seriously as she had spoken. 'A great many people would rather have the safe path, and be taken care of. They'd rather have all their answers assured, neatly packaged, with "the end" put on the last page.'

'Then they can look for that neat package, but it's a false one, and they're only fooling themselves.' Her eyes were shining, and her color heightened with excitement. 'There is no end to questioning, except decay. And I'm not ready to sit down and rot, and neither are you.'

'You're right, I'm not.' "

Monday, January 8, 2024

Storm Warning by Mercedes Lackey



Title:
 Storm Warning (Mage Storms #1)
Author: Mercedes Lackey (American, 1950- )
Originally published: 1994


Page count: 418
Dates read: 12/18/23-1/5/24
2024 book goal progress: 1 out of 24


Read my other book reviews for my 2024 goals HERE.





Description on back of book:
Karse and Valdemar have long been enemy kingdoms - their people filled with mutual prejudice and mistrust. Only the vile deeds perpetrated on both kingdoms by Ancar of Hardorn, and the subsequent emergence of the armies of the Eastern Empire in the wake of his defeat, have forced these two so-different lands into an uneasy alliance.

The Eastern Empire, which has long been isolated and shrouded in mystery, is ruled by a monarch whose magical tactics may be beyond any sorcery known to the Western kingdoms. Forces to combat this dire foe, not only must traditional enemies unite, but the Companions may have to reveal secrets which they have kept hidden for centuries - even from their beloved Heralds.

First sentence:
"Emperor Charliss sat upon the Iron Throne, bowed down neither by the visible weight of his years nor the invisible weight of his power."

Favorite quote:
"Compassion and honor. Those are what is important. So long as you have both, and act with both, you cannot make any mistake that will bring lasting harm. But good intentions count for something, else I'd have been condemned to the coldest Hell long ago! If you have compassion and honor, and you made a mistake that harmed someone, must you not, out of compassion and honor, see that the mistake is being made and try to stop it? 

And having seen the effects of such a mistake, must you not also try to reverse them? Don't you see? Compassion and honor require that you not make excuses, nor allow yourself to say, 'nothing can be done.' So, even if you make a mistake, you must fix it. You want to."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 8.3/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 9
Atmosphere   - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 8
Intrigue          - 8
Logic             - 7
Enjoyment     - 9
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
This was an incredible story! In the last trilogy, I did NOT like how Elspeth was written as a character. Elspeth is a little annoying in this book, too, but she plays a small role instead of a main role in the series so far - so she's bearable. Other than her, I love the characters in this story. It's a bit predictable, but I'm enjoying the story itself, too. It deals with significant trauma, as well as extreme prejudice and changing one's point of view. I laughed. I cried. I'm invested in the plot. If you've made it this far into reading Valdemar, I suggest you keep reading!

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Mercedes Lackey have the last words:

"It is a man's deeds that define him. A good deed done in the name of the Dark is still done for the Light, but an evil one done in the name of the Light is still quite evil, and a soul could be condemned to Darkness for it. I have always felt that, before I passed judgment on any man because of the god he swore by, I would see how he comported himself with his fellows - what he did and how he treated them. If he acted with honor and compassion, the Name he called upon was irrelevant."

2024 Reading Goals

My goal is to read 20-24 books in 2024!

I'm not doing any book challenges and the 2 book clubs I'm a part of are a bit irregular right now. My main focus for this year is going to be reading from my literal TBR shelf and making progress in multiple series. I'm not really planning on reading a play (unless I'm cast in one!), but I'll definitely read a Christmas book.

I'll edit this page throughout the year and link my reviews to the titles below.

Series:
Of the series listed below, I'm already in the middle of four of them, know that I will finish one series I haven't started yet, and I don't own the last series yet.

Valdemar Universe by Mercedes Lackey (American, 1950- ) - 1-2 trilogies:
The Mage Storms Trilogy:
     -Storm Warning (1994) - TBR
     -Storm Rising (1995) - TBR
     -Storm Breaking (1996) - TBR

Darian's Tale - A Trilogy:
     -Owlflight (1997) - TBR
     -Owlsight (1998) - TBR
     -Owlknight (1999) - TBR

Tortall Universe by Tamora Pierce (American, 1954- ) - 2-3 quartets:
Song of the Lioness Quartet:
     -Alanna: The First Adventure (1983) - TBR
     -In the Hand of the Goddess (1984) - TBR
     -The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (1986) - TBR
     -Lioness Rampant (1988) - TBR

The Immortals Quartet:
     -Wild Magic (1992)
     -Wolf-Speaker (1994)
     -Emperor Mage (1995)
     -The Realms of the Gods (1996)

Protector of the Small Quartet:
     -First Test (1999)
     -Page (2000)
     -Squire (2001)
     -Lady Knight (2002)

Fables Comic Series by Bill Willingham (American, 1956- ):
     -90 comics and 1 short prose story (2009-2014) - TBR
     -The Wolf Among Us (2014) - video game
     -Werewolves of the Heartland (2012) - graphic novel, TBR

Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (American, 1973- ):
     -The Narrow Road Between Desires (2023) - TBR

Maybe I'll get to these other two series:

Father Brown Collections by GK Chesterton (English, 1874-1936):
    -The Donnington Affair and Father Brown's Solution (1914) - shorter, TBR
    -The Incredulity of Father Brown (1926) - TBR
    -The Secret of Father Brown (1927) - TBR
    -The Scandal of Father Brown (1935) - TBR

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (American, 1964- ):
     -Angels and Demons (2000)
     -Da Vinci Code (2003)

Other Books on my TBR:
My partner and I have many more books that I haven't read yet, but these are some of the top choices I'm considering. I'm aware that several are also part of a series, but I only own the first book and don't know if I will do a deep dive into them.

Testing a Series:
     -American Gods (2001) by Niel Gaiman (English, 1960- )
     -The Poppy War (2018) by RF Kuang (Chinese-American, 1996- )
     -The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005) by Stieg Larsson (Swedish, 1954-2004)
          -I will not be reading more in this series.

King Arthur Themed:
     -Idylls of the King (1859) by Lord Alfred Tennyson (English, 1809-1892)
     -The Once and Future King (1958) by TH White (English, 1906-1964)
     -The Book of Merlin (1977) by TH White (English, 1906-1964)
Note: I've never been particularly interested in King Arthur, yet I've accumulated these above and want to read them. If I enjoy the legends more than I expect, I may look into getting other books such as:
     -Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1485) 
     by Thomas Malory (English, ~1393-1470)
     -The Crystal Cave (1970, series) by Mary Stewart (British, 1916-2014)
     -The Mists of Avalon (1982, series) by Marion Zimmer Bradley (American, 1930-1999)

Christmas Themed:
     -I Saw Three Ships (1969) by Elizabeth Goudge (English, 1900-1984)
     -The Christmas Box (1993) by Richard Paul Evans (American, 1962- )
     -Twelve Classic Stories of Christmas (2020) by multiple authors

Book Clubs
There is nothing scheduled yet for either my family or work book club. My family has a lot going on right now, so it might pick up later in the year. My work's book club is new and is still a bit irregular. I don't know the books, if any, will be read for these book clubs yet. I'll add them as I find out. 

Work - Jan/Feb - Little Fires Everywhere (2017) by Celest Ng - I skipped
Family - Jan/Feb/Mar - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005) by Stieg Larsson

Conclusion
Now I'm off to write the book review of the first book of the year! Then I can start the second book of the series! Let me know if you've read any of the books before!

Happy reading!

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Christmas Stories by L Frank Baum


Title:
 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus AND
A Kidnapped Santa Claus
Author: L Frank Baum (American, 1856-1919)
Originally published: 1902; 1904


Page count: 100; 12
Dates read: 11/27/23-11/16/23; 11/17/23-11/17/23
2023 book goal progress: 23 out of 23


Christmas!
Read my other book reviews for my 2023 goals HERE.



Description on back of book:
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus tells the captivating story of Claus, a child found and raised in the magical Forest of Burzee by a wood-nymph. Among the immortals, Claus grows into an innocent youth, until the day when he discovers the misery that rules the human world and hovers, like a shadow, above the heads of the children. Now, in an attempt to ease human suffering, he, with the help of his immortal friends, will work to bring joy to the children and teach them, for the sake of humanity, the importance of sharing and caring for each other.

A Kidnapped Santa Claus tells the story of Santa being kidnapped from the Laughing Valley by the five Daemons of the Caves (Selfishness, Envy, Hatred, Malice, and Repentance) on Christmas Eve. Can Christmas be saved?

First sentence:
"Have you heard of the great Forest of Burzee?" -Life

"Santa Claus lives in the Laughing Valley, where stands the big, rambling castle in which his toys are manufactured." -Kidnapped

Favorite quotes:
"Childhood is the time of man's greatest content. 'Tis during these years of innocent pleasure that the little ones are most often free from care. All seem equally fair and sweet while they are babes. Their joy is in being alive, and they do not stop to think. In after years, the doom of mankind overtakes them, and they find they must struggle and worry, work and fret, to gain the wealth that is so dear to the hearts of men." 
-Life

"A generous deed lives longer than a great battle or a king's decree or a scholar's essay because it spreads and leaves its mark on all nature and endures through many generations." 
-Life

"It is called the Laughing Valley because everything there is happy and gay. The brook chuckles to itself as it leaps rollicking between its green banks; the wind whistles merrily in the trees; the sunbeams dance lightly over the soft grass; and the violets and wild flowers look smilingly up from their green nests."
-Kidnapped

CAWPILE Rating (combined for both): Overall - 8/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 9
Atmosphere   - 9
Writing Style - 9
Plot                - 7
Intrigue          - 7
Logic             - 7
Enjoyment     - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus was written like a fairy tale and it's a mythology all about Santa Claus, broken into 3 parts: youth, manhood, and old age. You meet many characters including Jack Frost and a few select deer, 10 to be exact, who became reindeer to work for Santa, and the food they ate to give them special powers. Of which, flight is not one of their powers - they're just especially swift and agile (and beautiful). Their names are Glossie, Flossie, Racer, Pacer, Reckless, Speckless, Fearless, Peerless, Ready, and Steady.

The story also explains where Santa grew up, and who named and raised him. It tells where he lives now, who he works with, how and why he started making toys, why he travels in one night, why he goes down chimneys, how he delivers gifts to those without a chimney, how Christmas trees started, how he became immortal, and much more! I highly recommend this quick read into the lore of Santa Claus!

A Kidnapped Santa Claus was a short story about Santa Claus keeping his good spirits despite being tempted and tested by various personified vices. It was a fun story.

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let L Frank Baum have the last words:

"I have looked upon man, finding him doomed to live for a brief space upon earth, to toil for the things he needs, to fade into old age, and then to pass away as the leaves of autumn. Yet every man has his mission, which is to leave the world better, in some way, than he found it." 
-Claus in Life, Childhood

"Afterward, when a child was naughty or disobedient, its mother would say: 'You must pray to the good Santa Claus for forgiveness. He does not like naughty children, and, unless you repent, he will bring you no more pretty toys.' But Santa Claus himself would not have approved of this speech. He knew that the best of children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones were often good." 
-Life, Manhood

"But when many years had rolled away, Santa Claus grew old. The long beard of golden brown that once covered his cheeks and chin gradually became gray, and finally turned to pure white. His hair was white, too, and there were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, which showed plainly when he laughed. He had never been a very tall man, and now he became fat and waddled very much like a duck when he walked. But in spite of these things, he remained as lively as ever, and was just as jolly and gay, and his eyes sparkled as brightly as they did that first day when he came to the Laughing Valley."
-Life, Old Age

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Project Hail Mary By Andy Weir



Title:
 Project Hail Mary
Author: Andy Weir (American, 1972- )
Originally published: 2021


Page count: 473
Dates read: 11/12/23-11/21/23
2023 book goal progress: 22 out of 23


Work Bookclub 
Read other book reviews for my 2023 goals HERE.




Description on back of book:
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. He’s just awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

With his crewmates dead, and his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. With the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he?

First sentence:
"What's two plus two?"

Favorite quotes:
"I scour the screens for more info. Mostly they seem to be the kinds of things you'd expect on a spaceship. Life support, navigation, that sort of thing. One screen is labeled 'Beetles.' The next screen over says... Wait, beetles? Okay, I don't know if it has anything to do with anything, but I need to find out if there are a bunch of beetles on this ship. That's the sort of thing a guy needs to know."

"It's a simple idea, but also stupid. The thing is, when stupid ideas work, they become genius ideas. We'll see which way this one falls."

"I cross my arms and slump into my pilot's seat. There's no gravity to properly slump with, so I have to make a conscious effort to push myself into the seat. I'm pouting, darn it, and I intend to do it right."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.7/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 8
Atmosphere   - 8
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 8
Intrigue          - 8
Logic             - 6
Enjoyment     - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Review:
I enjoyed this book. I can't say much here because I don't want to give anything away. I laughed, I cried, I got angry... I became invested in the book and the characters. It does get pretty sciency and some stuff went over my head, but it's still good overall. If you're into science fiction, I recommend this story. I actually would suggest this book over The Martian, by the same author, due to Hail Mary being less monotonous.

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Andy Weir have the last words. The below quote is early on in the book when he is still getting memory flashbacks and trying to remember who he is. I found it a nice taste of dark humor.

"I'm watching NASA on TV and my first thought is... I'm elated! I can't wait to tell the kids!

I have kids? I'm in a single man's apartment eating a single man's meal. I don't see anything feminine at all. There's nothing to suggest a woman in my life. Am I divorced? Gay? Either way, there's no sign that children live here. No toys, no pictures of kids on the wall or mantel, nothing. And the place is way too clean. Kids make a mess of everything. 

How do I know that? I like kids. Huh. Just a feeling. But I like them. They're cool. They're fun to hang out with. So I'm a single man in my thirties, who lives alone in a small apartment, I don't have any kids, but I like kids a lot. I don't like where this is going...

A teacher! I'm a schoolteacher! I remember it now! Oh, thank God. I'm a teacher."

Later on in the book:

"If I had a nickel for every time I wanted to smack a kid's parents for not teaching them even the most basic things... well... I'd have enough nickels to put in a sock and smack those parents with it."