Jillian

This was a very interesting, bittersweet and thought-provoking read. Viewing the world from the perspective of an artificial friend was really neat and the author did an excellent job putting us into her shoes. The way the world seems to be different from ours is slowly revealed as the book progresses but is left intentionally vague. This vagueness combined with the decisions being made by some characters and the way the ending plays out leaves a lot of room for discussion regarding ethics and the use of technology to artificially create and alter the human experience or aspects thereof.

This deserves every bit of praise it receives and then some. Heartbreaking and breathtakingly beautiful.

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." 🥹😭

What an incredible story. It's a harsh look into the reality of racism in the 1930s, however not so harsh that the book becomes a difficult read in my opinion. It just feels authentic to the time period and important to understand what life was like back then. It takes place in such a wonderful small town setting and has amazing character writing. The book is only 376 pages but I somehow felt like I had spent so much longer with this family, their neighbors and their town. Atticus, Scout and Jem Finch are characters that will stay with me for a lifetime.

If you're picking up this version of the Tao Te Ching as your first version, and you're not already into philosophy - do not get this version. Do not make my mistake. It is VERY academic and technical.

All that aside, despite some rather direct/dry translations, the commentary was thorough and interesting. I'm still new to this area of literature and history so I know I didn't get nearly as much out of it as someone smarter than I would, but I did still find some interesting facts, concepts, ideas and quotes throughout my read.

This was such a pleasant surprise. The world and magic system is so unbelievably innovative and unique. The pacing was excellent and the characters were very likeable and realistic given their circumstances. I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the next books!