imjustadow's reviews
285 reviews

paul jenkins you beautiful bastard. this novel was such a delight and so heartwarming. from page 1, wil had the imagination inside of him. he just needed to learn how to use it on things other than his pessimism, which is a lesson i think we can all learn a little bit from

in gathering my thoughts to review this book, i looked back to my review of the first novel, which i wrote in november of last year. i remember it being a rather poignant reminder of the political turmoil of the end of trump's presidency, where things like his ideologies could lead, and finding comfort in the idea that change can be something that is actively embraced, not feared and despised

and i believe that in the months since, i've come to embrace that idea myself. which is why, reading through parable of the talents, i found it rather appropriate that the belief was challenged so mercilessly by the events of the novel. this is not a feel good novel, and if it were, it would not be nearly so powerful. unlike the last book, the events of this one bear a *striking* resemblance to a lot of modern society; political zealotry, fascism, blind belief with no substance to ground it from hypocrisy

and yet, despite all of that, the simple truth that things will never be the same as they were, even a mere moment ago. that alone is grounding. that alone demands a choice from us. a choice to either accept and use change for the betterment of ourselves and others, or a choice to fight it and anyone who does accept it until the whole world goes mad.

olamina is not a perfect leader, or person for that matter. no human being alive can ever hope to be. but that is no excuse for giving up on the things that do matter. the potential for change that exists within all of us. i've mentioned in many prior reviews that i believe that all the media we consume changes us. how fitting then, that olamina, through butler's work, seems to be speaking directly to that belief of mine, and challenging me to do something with it. to surround myself with people and books and ideas that change me and the world around me. i know i'll be taking this novel, and the ways it has changed me, with me far into the future

i love reading about other people's lives. i used to think i was the only one who had crazy things happen to them all the time, but the more biographies i read, the more i learn that life *is* crazy things happening all the time, and we *are* life, or at least our response to the things that happen in ours.

i've always like mcconaughey, and getting a glimpse into his inner self in this book was a joy. definitely taking some of the lessons from this book with me, as i do with all the things i read

editing to add more thoughts that have come to me:

i think the greatest thing this book was able to offer me is the assurance that no matter where you are, what you're doing, who you're surrounded by, or what's in front of you, the answer we all inevitably take is moving forward. time doesn't stop for anyone, and the darkest nights don't last forever. my mantra i've been telling myself recently is "we all find our own way to sunrise" and mcconaughey lives that, at least as far as his book seems to suggest. the only way to lose is to stop playing, and if i'm going to play, i owe it to myself to find the ways to enjoy and be proud of my playstyle

think i'm done with this series. the shock value of the first volume kinda fades into just a depressing drudgery of an all-too-realistic possible future given how things are going in modern society. there doesn't seem to be much of a through-plot, which is more of what i care about in a story anyway

this is not an easy book to read. when i tried to write something similar, it was not an easy book to write. and even in hindsight, my version was too clean, not cruel enough to reflect the reality of what children like pulga, flor, and chico experience. how can it be, unless i myself had taken the journey.

this country has so many ugly, cruel practices - practices that i feel some justify by pointing to the cruelty that happens in the countries these migrants are escaping. but it's merely a delusion we give ourselves so that we do not have to think about the horrors that these people experience

we are not from here is a visceral, vivid account of merely *some* of the trauma that is experienced by people every single day across the border to the south. i hope that by reading it, others will be awakened and see the truth for what it is

i received this book as a giveaway on goodreads (thanks kensington books!)

holy shit was that ever a rollercoaster. it's been awhile since i've had the pleasure of experiencing characters written so perfectly with the purpose of absolutely despising everything about them. nothing is safe, nothing is sacred, and the last 5 or so chapters made me feel like i was watching the classic snl skit "dear sister" because it was dramatic reveal after dramatic reveal

shanora williams had me guessing up until the very end, which is not something that happens often with me with as many stories as i've devoured in my lifetime. if you're into revenge thrillers, this is absolutely the book for you

i really enjoyed this one. gives me lots to think about. it's hard to really appreciate the life you have when you're living it, and even harder to see your own impact on the lives around you. this was a fascinating, entertaining change of perspective

i love historical fiction, especially those which attempt to add new context to a story that most people believe to be complete. the story of ana in this novel is a fascinating one. her relationships with her brother, judas, and husband, jesus provide a unique perspective into the lives of those often ignored in the telling of jesus' story. even though it is fiction, i would recommend this to anyone who finds jesus, the historical figure, as fascinating as i do

i really enjoyed this book. it raises a lot of the same questions that i had when i decided to get rid of my smartphone, as well as highlight a lot of the same challenges i've faced since doing so. when technology goes from just a status symbol to something everyone assumes you're just naturally going to have, it makes it difficult to justify to others why you've chosen to opt out, or more critically, decide to get rid of it. i think we could all do with more questioning of the ways new technologies, while helpful in many aspects, can affect the way we act, think, and treat others. i would recommend this to anyone who has questioned why we spend so much time, energy, and money on all the latest devices and tech and whether it is actually worth the cost of investment