Search
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Forest of a Thousand Lanterns in Books
Jan 11, 2018
A fun blend of Fairy Tales and Asian mythology.
You know I love my Fairy Tales! Especially re-imagining the villains. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is an Asian take on the evil queen from Snow White. The author is a Vietnamese American, and this is her debut novel. She has quite skillfully woven a new origin story for the wicked stepmother in a fantasy land heavily influenced by East Asian mythology and culture. I don't know enough about the individual countries' mythologies to tell you if the influences come specifically from Vietnam, or more generically from the area. I know that their beliefs can vary pretty wildly by locale.
That said, this is another superb debut novel. I'm eager to read the sequel - it's billed as "A Rise of the Empress novel" so I'm sure there will be one or more. Xifeng is a pretty complex character - she is somewhat single-minded in what she wants, but conflicted in what to do to get it. (It being the position of Empress.) I was intrigued by who was chosen to fill the roles of the traditional tale; Xifeng, of course, would be the wicked stepmother. The Fool is Xifeng's version of Snow White, and Xifeng thought for some time that she knew who The Fool was. The reader, of course, knows the Fool must be Snow White, and so not the people who Xifeng suspected. The one that surprised me was the identity of The Huntsman. I won't spoil anything - but he was unexpected.
There's also more going on than just the Snow White plot. There are gods and goddesses and spirits and an underlying war. I am quite eager to see how those play out.
There is a slow spot in the middle - I set the book down for a couple of days before picking it up again, and that's always a sign I'm not as absorbed in the book as I could be. But I did pick it up again and read straight through to the end, so it's not too bad!
If you like Fairy Tales and Asian mythology, this is definitely a neat blend of the two. I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
That said, this is another superb debut novel. I'm eager to read the sequel - it's billed as "A Rise of the Empress novel" so I'm sure there will be one or more. Xifeng is a pretty complex character - she is somewhat single-minded in what she wants, but conflicted in what to do to get it. (It being the position of Empress.) I was intrigued by who was chosen to fill the roles of the traditional tale; Xifeng, of course, would be the wicked stepmother. The Fool is Xifeng's version of Snow White, and Xifeng thought for some time that she knew who The Fool was. The reader, of course, knows the Fool must be Snow White, and so not the people who Xifeng suspected. The one that surprised me was the identity of The Huntsman. I won't spoil anything - but he was unexpected.
There's also more going on than just the Snow White plot. There are gods and goddesses and spirits and an underlying war. I am quite eager to see how those play out.
There is a slow spot in the middle - I set the book down for a couple of days before picking it up again, and that's always a sign I'm not as absorbed in the book as I could be. But I did pick it up again and read straight through to the end, so it's not too bad!
If you like Fairy Tales and Asian mythology, this is definitely a neat blend of the two. I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ariadne in Books
May 31, 2022
95 of 230
Book
Ariadne
By Jennifer Saint
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.
When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?
Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.
I love Greek Mythology and I liked this I was expecting to love it as everyone is raving about it and although it was good and well written I didn’t love it like I would! It possibly deserves a 3.5 almost 4 star but I don’t know I felt a little flat about it. I would recommend it but I would advise possibly not to read the hype on TikTok then you will have a more balanced read and opinion I think.
Book
Ariadne
By Jennifer Saint
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.
When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?
Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.
I love Greek Mythology and I liked this I was expecting to love it as everyone is raving about it and although it was good and well written I didn’t love it like I would! It possibly deserves a 3.5 almost 4 star but I don’t know I felt a little flat about it. I would recommend it but I would advise possibly not to read the hype on TikTok then you will have a more balanced read and opinion I think.
Tonya (52 KP) rated The Librarians - Season 4 in TV
Dec 23, 2017
Funny, likeable Characters (2 more)
Adventures
Wit
Quirky, humerous, but a bit ridiculous this season
First of all, my family loves watching the librarians. But this season is off to a less than captivating start. Four episodes in and each one has tried to tell us a bit more about the past of one of the main characters and in my opinion it has fallen flat. While the character info has been interesting, using it as the foundation for the episode has led to a ridiculously week storyline. I much preferred seasons past based on history or mythology where the character info was the bonus. Jenkins as usual saves the day and I will keep watching.
tonidavis (353 KP) rated Moana (2016) in Movies
Jul 20, 2017
Demi Gods in Disney
I love Disney as a whole Little Mermaid and Beauty and beast are my favorites. I also love mythology so soon as I heard demi god I was this is going to be a much watch film. However whilst I think the plot to this Disney film was possibly one of the best and the side kick where adorable. For me the music let it down normally I leave with song stuck in my head for days the first time I watched this I came out not remembering a single song. :'(
The grandmother in this film was great I loved the line "I'm the village crazy person "
The grandmother in this film was great I loved the line "I'm the village crazy person "
Dean (6926 KP) rated Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) in Movies
Jun 7, 2018 (Updated Jun 7, 2018)
I was pleasantly surprised by this. I had a feeling it was aimed at a young audience but actually it's pretty good for the whole family. There are great effects scenes with some of the Greek mythology creatures doing battle with the demi gods. It felt like Clash of the Titans but set in modern day America, crossed with National Treasure. It has a great cast, although some have very short screen time. It whizzed by at a good pace, with plenty of action, cheesey humour and some decent action effects. I wouldn't call it a Potter or Narnia clone but if you like those sort of adventure films you can't go wrong with this!
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated Akata Witch (Akata Witch, #1) in Books
Oct 1, 2018
Loved it! Not sure why I didn't pick it up sooner, it's absolutely wonderful! I really enjoyed the cultural details and mythology of Nigeria as well as how the author used physical abnormalities and learning disorders such as albinoism, scoliosis, and dyslexia as an indicator of strong magical abilities. I also thought the characters were well developed and relatable. My only issue was with the climax. There was such a strong buildup for an ultimately underwhelming ending. Overall, I found it to be a wonderful story that fans of Harry Potter will likely enjoy. I can't wait to read Akata Warrior to see what happens next!
*Thanks to First to Read for the arc!*
*Thanks to First to Read for the arc!*
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Anansi Boys in Books
Dec 3, 2018
Don't compare this book to American Gods. You will be disappointed; for good reason. Unlike American Gods, this is Anansi's book (or his son's book). This book is humorous, silly, and whimsical in its lightness. Not to suggest the West African trickster can't be dark and scary that is just not the point in this story. Some parts do get dark and scary.
It is a story of family among other things. For people who are not a mythology nut like me. There are stories about Anansi in the book (somewhat like the coming to America stories in American Gods) so you will have an idea who this slightly random god is.
It is a story of family among other things. For people who are not a mythology nut like me. There are stories about Anansi in the book (somewhat like the coming to America stories in American Gods) so you will have an idea who this slightly random god is.
Problem Glyphs
Entertainment, Lifestyle and Stickers
App
Problem Glyphs is a project by renowned artist Eliza Gauger in which sigils are drawn in response to...
Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Superhero
8.0
Rate It
Book
In 1938 Action Comics #1 introduced the world to Superman. In a matter of years, the skies of our...
Pagan Portals: The Crane Bag
Book
An introduction to the ritual tools and practices found in the Druid tradition. Held deeply within...