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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Bird King in Books

May 22, 2019  
The Bird King
The Bird King
G. Willow Wilson | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have not yet read G. Willow Wilson's first novel, Alif the Unseen, but I really want to now, because this one was beautiful. I really enjoyed this story, watching Fatima mature through her travels and change from the sheltered Sultan's concubine/possession to become - well - what she becomes.

The Bird King is the story of Fatima, concubine, and Hassan, mapmaker, on the run from the Inquisition. They were both members of the house of the last Sultan in Iberia. When the Spanish (and the Inquisition) came to negotiate his surrender, one of their conditions was they wanted Hassan, because of the magic he used in his maps. Hassan has been Fatima's only real friend; he's the only man that wanted nothing from her, because he's gay and unmoved by her beauty. His sexuality has been largely ignored by the court; his maps were too important to the war effort, so it was tolerated and just not spoken of. When Fatima discovers the Sultan intends to turn Hassan over, she runs away with him. She has some unexpected help in her journey, which, along with Hassan's mapmaking, makes this a kind of magical realist historical fantasy novel. It's not really alternate history, because nobody's actions change how history plays out on a large scale.You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
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ClareR (5577 KP) rated The Disappeared in Books

May 25, 2019  
The Disappeared
The Disappeared
Amy Lord | 2019 | Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dystopian Britain
Set in the near future, Britain has become a one party, military controlled state, where reading the wrong book could mean that you are ‘disappeared’.

The Authorisation Bureau we’re responsible for the disappearance of Clara’s father, a university English lecturer, and she is determined to pick up where he left off. Along with her History professor boyfriend, they decide to teach a select group of students about the past and the books that they are now forbidden to read. But things do not go as planned. Clara has some protection, as her stepfather is a ‘high up’ interrogator with the Authorisation Bureau, but this can only go so far to protect her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark tale of an alternate UK. It was rather violent in places, but it’s message was ultimately that of hope. My only complaint (which isn’t really a complaint) is that we could have done with more from the resistance organisation, Lumiere. I would have loved to have read more about them.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to the author, Amy Lord, for reading along and answering questions.
  
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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War through Afghan Eyes in Books

Mar 15, 2018  
NG
No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War through Afghan Eyes
Anand Gopal | 2014
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow. I certainly knew that the situation in Afghanistan was dire, but it's eye-opening to see just how dire. And it's also eye-opening to see just how much the United States has contributed to that. It's not that the US went in with the intention of making life there miserable, and it's not that many Afghanis themselves aren't also at fault, but it is stunning just how much those that the US put in charge of things seemed to lack any basic knowledge of how the country worked and how the people would react to various ideas. This book describes life in the country from it's pre-Russian invasion days through the present by both reporting its history, and by following the stories of 3 very different citizens; a pro-US warlord, a member of the Taliban, and a housewife. Their experiences can alternate between harrowing and shocking, but remain pretty universally distressing. It's hard not to get angry throughout this book as the amount of human cruelty and stupidity on display can become too much to handle. And in the end, it does live up to its title, as it ably demonstrates that there is no one involved without some blame to bear.