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Queen of Swords (Wilderness #5)
Book
It is the late summer of 1814, and Hannah Bonner and her half brother Luke have spent more than a...
ClareR (6106 KP) rated Savage Beasts in Books
Jul 4, 2023
Savage Beasts is a re-imagining of the story of Medea. This time, Meena (not Medea) betrays her father, the Nawab of Bengal, and runs away with an adventurer called James Chilcott. But Meena’s initial feelings of adventure and excitement soon wear off when she realises that the man she took to be an adventurer, was just an opportunist who spends her money and betrays her in turn.
I thought it was really clever how the Greek myth was woven into Meena’s story, and showed the impact of colonialism. Great Britain doesn’t come out of this well. James’ uncle, Sir Peter Chilcott, is a powerful man in the East India Company. He’s cold, unforgiving, and sees Meena, Indians, Bengali’s, and anyone from anywhere foreign, as below him and little better than an animal.
It made for really uncomfortable reading, and made me so angry!
Meena comes across as being so young but desperate to be older. She’s determined to make a good life for herself and her child - despite how difficult James and his reprehensible family make it for her.
Honestly, by the end I firmly believed they deserved whatever was coming their way!
I listened to this on audiobook, kindly sent to me via NetGalley by HarperCollins UK Audio. The narrator, Shazia Nicholls, really was outstanding. It always amazes me how a good narrator can make all the characters sound so different - especially in this case, the men. Sir Peter came across as a sneering, superior, calculating monster, and in contrast, Meena was both young and wise - and it felt as though she was really there, speaking for herself. Shazia read with such emotion that it became entirely believable. This could well have been an historical memoir as much as a piece of fiction.
Yes, this is described as a Greek retelling, but it has been made into something all of its own. If you know the story of Medea, then you’ll see where in particular it is borrowing from that story - but this is a great story in its own right. It’s powerful, feminist and it’s about colonialism. It’s a story about family, trust and the devastation of betrayal.
Highly recommended!
I thought it was really clever how the Greek myth was woven into Meena’s story, and showed the impact of colonialism. Great Britain doesn’t come out of this well. James’ uncle, Sir Peter Chilcott, is a powerful man in the East India Company. He’s cold, unforgiving, and sees Meena, Indians, Bengali’s, and anyone from anywhere foreign, as below him and little better than an animal.
It made for really uncomfortable reading, and made me so angry!
Meena comes across as being so young but desperate to be older. She’s determined to make a good life for herself and her child - despite how difficult James and his reprehensible family make it for her.
Honestly, by the end I firmly believed they deserved whatever was coming their way!
I listened to this on audiobook, kindly sent to me via NetGalley by HarperCollins UK Audio. The narrator, Shazia Nicholls, really was outstanding. It always amazes me how a good narrator can make all the characters sound so different - especially in this case, the men. Sir Peter came across as a sneering, superior, calculating monster, and in contrast, Meena was both young and wise - and it felt as though she was really there, speaking for herself. Shazia read with such emotion that it became entirely believable. This could well have been an historical memoir as much as a piece of fiction.
Yes, this is described as a Greek retelling, but it has been made into something all of its own. If you know the story of Medea, then you’ll see where in particular it is borrowing from that story - but this is a great story in its own right. It’s powerful, feminist and it’s about colonialism. It’s a story about family, trust and the devastation of betrayal.
Highly recommended!
The High Divide
9.0
Rate It
Book
“A deeply moving, gripping novel about one man’s quest for redemption and his family’s...
Historical Fiction
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated BANG! in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
“I’m gonna bang you.” Taken out of context, one might be slapped for saying such things. While playing a rousing game of BANG! The Dice Game, it’s only too common. To “bang” someone (in this game) is to shoot them. With a gun. While Purple Phoenix Games does not condone violence or murder, you gotta admit that banging your friends with no risk of bodily harm is definitely exciting!
Okay, so at its Wild West heart, BANG! The Dice Game is just that: a dice game. Have you played Yahtzee! before? Or anything with the Yahtzee! mechanic? You know, you throw some dice, save one or more for scoring, and can re-roll up to twice more to try to get the desired result? Well now you know how to play BANG! The Dice Game – mostly.
What makes this different and more exciting than Yahtzee! is that everyone will have a special identity which affords them a special player power. It could be re-rolling a specific die face again, or minimizing damage from an attack. Add to that the fact that everyone is also dealt a role card to determine their team affiliation – Sheriff and Deputy, Outlaws, or the Renegade. The Sheriff wins if the bad guys are eliminated, the Deputy wins if the Sheriff survives, the Outlaws win if the Sheriff is eliminated, and the Renegade wins if they are the last one standing.
Now, I didn’t mention that there are “Indians” who could possibly shoot arrows at the players because it’s not politically correct, but this is set in the Old West, and that’s unfortunately what they called Native Americans, and that’s the terminology that is used in the game.
This game boasts a play experience that is fast, engaging on every turn (even the other players’), easy to learn, and just plain hilarious fun. Yes, you could be eliminated in a game, but games typically last like 15-20 minutes, so you don’t have to wait long to get back in the fight.
With easy, fast, and fun gameplay, an interesting theme to role play, and great components, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a rootin’ tootin’ 13 / 18 (Josh hasn’t played it yet).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/02/bang-the-dice-game-review/
Okay, so at its Wild West heart, BANG! The Dice Game is just that: a dice game. Have you played Yahtzee! before? Or anything with the Yahtzee! mechanic? You know, you throw some dice, save one or more for scoring, and can re-roll up to twice more to try to get the desired result? Well now you know how to play BANG! The Dice Game – mostly.
What makes this different and more exciting than Yahtzee! is that everyone will have a special identity which affords them a special player power. It could be re-rolling a specific die face again, or minimizing damage from an attack. Add to that the fact that everyone is also dealt a role card to determine their team affiliation – Sheriff and Deputy, Outlaws, or the Renegade. The Sheriff wins if the bad guys are eliminated, the Deputy wins if the Sheriff survives, the Outlaws win if the Sheriff is eliminated, and the Renegade wins if they are the last one standing.
Now, I didn’t mention that there are “Indians” who could possibly shoot arrows at the players because it’s not politically correct, but this is set in the Old West, and that’s unfortunately what they called Native Americans, and that’s the terminology that is used in the game.
This game boasts a play experience that is fast, engaging on every turn (even the other players’), easy to learn, and just plain hilarious fun. Yes, you could be eliminated in a game, but games typically last like 15-20 minutes, so you don’t have to wait long to get back in the fight.
With easy, fast, and fun gameplay, an interesting theme to role play, and great components, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a rootin’ tootin’ 13 / 18 (Josh hasn’t played it yet).
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/02/bang-the-dice-game-review/
Braddock's Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution
Book
On July 9, 1755, British and colonial troops under the command of General Edward Braddock suffered a...
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Spring for Susannah in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Okay. So. I got this in the mail and read it through completely the same day. That's got to be worth something.
I loved the premise of this book. It sounded so sweet, it sounded like it had a lot of potential. And I loved it: up until the halfway mark.
Halfway through, Susannah, seemingly out of nowhere, storms out of the house and tells her husband she's leaving. One minute she was fine, and she was beginning to love him, and the next minute, that horrible smelly house is just too much for her. It made no sense.
Also, their arguments were like that (what few of them they had.) on minute they were fine and the next minute they have a little bickering or frustration with each other, and he's like "if it's that bad for you, we'll get divorced." (not an exact quote, but it was something like that).
Then he left her. It was tolerable up until that point. But then he just snapped, and he left her. The locusts came back and he wouldn't listen to her, he just left and was like "I'll bring you home money because now I can't support you." He went all Edward Cullen on me just as I was really beginning to like him!
And then she found out she was pregnant.
And then he gets captured by Indians.
And then she thinks he's dead and two other guys say they'll marry her.
A little bit of plot overkill, maybe?
I was really disappointed. It would have been so much better if the conflicts were more realistic, and the plot consisted of less events that were more pointed towards the same thing.
Then there was her salvation. She wasn't really a christian before, and her faith didn't seem much improved by the end either. I was hoping for a heartbreaking realization or a sacrifice or a change, and all I saw was "huh I guess he's on to something, okay I'll pray too. God please give me back my husband."
Because of all that, near the end I found myself skimming and reading just the dialogue so I could get to the end. And the very end could have had so much more emotion, so much more response, but it just felt very dead.
I really wish I had loved this book because it sounded so adorable. If only it hadn't turned at that halfway point.
Recommended for ages 15+ for one scene in which the doctor gives some advice to the married couple
I loved the premise of this book. It sounded so sweet, it sounded like it had a lot of potential. And I loved it: up until the halfway mark.
Halfway through, Susannah, seemingly out of nowhere, storms out of the house and tells her husband she's leaving. One minute she was fine, and she was beginning to love him, and the next minute, that horrible smelly house is just too much for her. It made no sense.
Also, their arguments were like that (what few of them they had.) on minute they were fine and the next minute they have a little bickering or frustration with each other, and he's like "if it's that bad for you, we'll get divorced." (not an exact quote, but it was something like that).
Then he left her. It was tolerable up until that point. But then he just snapped, and he left her. The locusts came back and he wouldn't listen to her, he just left and was like "I'll bring you home money because now I can't support you." He went all Edward Cullen on me just as I was really beginning to like him!
And then she found out she was pregnant.
And then he gets captured by Indians.
And then she thinks he's dead and two other guys say they'll marry her.
A little bit of plot overkill, maybe?
I was really disappointed. It would have been so much better if the conflicts were more realistic, and the plot consisted of less events that were more pointed towards the same thing.
Then there was her salvation. She wasn't really a christian before, and her faith didn't seem much improved by the end either. I was hoping for a heartbreaking realization or a sacrifice or a change, and all I saw was "huh I guess he's on to something, okay I'll pray too. God please give me back my husband."
Because of all that, near the end I found myself skimming and reading just the dialogue so I could get to the end. And the very end could have had so much more emotion, so much more response, but it just felt very dead.
I really wish I had loved this book because it sounded so adorable. If only it hadn't turned at that halfway point.
Recommended for ages 15+ for one scene in which the doctor gives some advice to the married couple
Moses Boyd recommended Grounantion by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari in Music (curated)
The Bluecoats - North vs South
Games and Entertainment
App
The Bluecoats - North vs South UNIVERSAL, colorful strategy! ¤ New : Multiplayer ! ¤ ...
Singapore Marco Polo Pocket Guide
Book
Marco Polo Singapore: the Travel Guide with Insider Tips. Fully revised and updated for 2017. Now...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murder and the Birth of the FBI in Books
Nov 24, 2017 (Updated Nov 24, 2017)
Mind-blowing and a disconcerting read
I can say without a doubt, this is one of the best novels I've read this year. It is a disturbing and excellent real-life account of the plight of Native Americans who found themselves the unwitting beneficiaries of a financial boom in the 1920's after oil was discovered under the previously barren and worthless reservation they were moved to.
This fantastic book relates to a story covered in blood, racism and greed. Oil, black gold, made the Plains Osage tribe incredibly wealthy. By the 1890's, the remnants of this great people were in the scrub lands of Northern Oklahoma.
Their life was continually harsh, the soil poor. In the late 1890's, by chance, oil was struck in Osage County, flowing in abundance and in great demand. From 1918 to 1928, $202 million was paid to the tribe which by then numbered around 3000, transforming their lives. 680 barrels were obtained in a day in 1920 from a strike at Burbank, angering the whites and thus began the "Reign of Terror" in which hundreds of the Osage tribe members were subsequently killed in the most horrendous display of corruption.
The book itself begins in 1921 with an Osage woman who had a share of the mineral riches to be found under the Osage land. Mollie like others was subject to a law that treated her tribe as juveniles whose estates had to be administered by white guardians, that is local lawyers and businessmen, appointed by local courts.
Guardianship was unpoliced and few records were kept. Fraud was therefore prevalent and many of the local white community participated in corruption - murder was widespread as a result. Mollie's sister, Anna, was the first noticeable murder in which she was shot and killed, launching a major probe into similar killings in the area. Many other murders were committed over the following years, with poisoning as the most common method of killing. Essentially it was a covert form of genocide.
The locals refused to act, partly due to fear or involvement in this heinous plot, so J. Edgar Hoover, who was the first president of the FBI, became involved in the investigation. He sent a tall Texas Ranger called Tom White to scrutinise an epic series of murders in which even investigators were targets.
What follows is not only history but a riveting detective story and the book demonstrates yet again the enormous cost of American nationhood. It provides some fascinating insight into the early workings of the FBI (not least Hoover's nascent megalomania) for whom this was a celebrated case and a valuable reminder for folk who thought the persecution of American Indians ended in the late 19th century. Author and journalist David Grann does a superb job in collating all of the information with dozens of pages solely highlighting attributions and references - it is thorough and well-researched. Therefore it is hardly surprising that Hollywood has snapped up this book to turn it into a major motion picture - let's hope they don't whitewash history once again.
This fantastic book relates to a story covered in blood, racism and greed. Oil, black gold, made the Plains Osage tribe incredibly wealthy. By the 1890's, the remnants of this great people were in the scrub lands of Northern Oklahoma.
Their life was continually harsh, the soil poor. In the late 1890's, by chance, oil was struck in Osage County, flowing in abundance and in great demand. From 1918 to 1928, $202 million was paid to the tribe which by then numbered around 3000, transforming their lives. 680 barrels were obtained in a day in 1920 from a strike at Burbank, angering the whites and thus began the "Reign of Terror" in which hundreds of the Osage tribe members were subsequently killed in the most horrendous display of corruption.
The book itself begins in 1921 with an Osage woman who had a share of the mineral riches to be found under the Osage land. Mollie like others was subject to a law that treated her tribe as juveniles whose estates had to be administered by white guardians, that is local lawyers and businessmen, appointed by local courts.
Guardianship was unpoliced and few records were kept. Fraud was therefore prevalent and many of the local white community participated in corruption - murder was widespread as a result. Mollie's sister, Anna, was the first noticeable murder in which she was shot and killed, launching a major probe into similar killings in the area. Many other murders were committed over the following years, with poisoning as the most common method of killing. Essentially it was a covert form of genocide.
The locals refused to act, partly due to fear or involvement in this heinous plot, so J. Edgar Hoover, who was the first president of the FBI, became involved in the investigation. He sent a tall Texas Ranger called Tom White to scrutinise an epic series of murders in which even investigators were targets.
What follows is not only history but a riveting detective story and the book demonstrates yet again the enormous cost of American nationhood. It provides some fascinating insight into the early workings of the FBI (not least Hoover's nascent megalomania) for whom this was a celebrated case and a valuable reminder for folk who thought the persecution of American Indians ended in the late 19th century. Author and journalist David Grann does a superb job in collating all of the information with dozens of pages solely highlighting attributions and references - it is thorough and well-researched. Therefore it is hardly surprising that Hollywood has snapped up this book to turn it into a major motion picture - let's hope they don't whitewash history once again.