Ninett
This was a good book, just not aimed at me, someone who has already implemented a lot of the suggestions outlined within. Some of the internal triggers solutions we too vague to be put into practice, and I'm not sold on scheduling every moment (waking AND sleeping) of my day. I did put some of the advice to use though, especially the distraction tracker and the scheduling of the work day.
This was a good book, just not aimed at me, someone who has already implemented a lot of the suggestions outlined within. Some of the internal triggers solutions we too vague to be put into practice, and I'm not sold on scheduling every moment (waking AND sleeping) of my day. I did put some of the advice to use though, especially the distraction tracker and the scheduling of the work day.
Not bad, just very slow. The finale is not what I expected, but I guess it is what the main characters deserved. I really thought that at least Asta Sollilja would end up with a brighter future, but her fate is bleak and broke my heart. Bjartur - nothing really could redeem this man who puts his silly pride before the lives of others. I disliked him from the start. Putting his selfish and rude demeanor down to an intense desire to be independent just did not cut it for me. Humans are made to be social and to survive together - no man is an island. I suppose the point of the novel is to prove this, and it does that well. It is very difficult to write a loathesome character and still elicit some shred of empathy for him by the reader, but when his house was taken away I felt a twang of pity.
The depth and the complexity of the writing kept me reading, the emotional lives of the characters often striking a chord within me that made me feel seen by the author, even as someone from a vastly different place and time than the characters. There is something universal about the human experience that was captured by Laxness in the lives of these miserable sheep farmers.
Not bad, just very slow. The finale is not what I expected, but I guess it is what the main characters deserved. I really thought that at least Asta Sollilja would end up with a brighter future, but her fate is bleak and broke my heart. Bjartur - nothing really could redeem this man who puts his silly pride before the lives of others. I disliked him from the start. Putting his selfish and rude demeanor down to an intense desire to be independent just did not cut it for me. Humans are made to be social and to survive together - no man is an island. I suppose the point of the novel is to prove this, and it does that well. It is very difficult to write a loathesome character and still elicit some shred of empathy for him by the reader, but when his house was taken away I felt a twang of pity.
The depth and the complexity of the writing kept me reading, the emotional lives of the characters often striking a chord within me that made me feel seen by the author, even as someone from a vastly different place and time than the characters. There is something universal about the human experience that was captured by Laxness in the lives of these miserable sheep farmers.
The second installment of the Cradle series picks up exactly where the previous left off - almost as seamless as if they weren't separate books. This series is lamentably a bit predictable, but the light reading entertainment it provides nonetheless is sometimes exactly what's needed. Eithan in particular is an interesting character, and I'm pleased we're following him into the next book.
The second installment of the Cradle series picks up exactly where the previous left off - almost as seamless as if they weren't separate books. This series is lamentably a bit predictable, but the light reading entertainment it provides nonetheless is sometimes exactly what's needed. Eithan in particular is an interesting character, and I'm pleased we're following him into the next book.
This book was actually fantastic as an introduction. That said, the problem I have with books written about scientific topics but not written by scientists is that they often don't delve deep enough for my liking. I realise this may be a tall order given that this is a whistle-stop tour of the human body and not a thesis, but I nevertheless did feel like I was reading a collection of semi-popular facts at times. There were a few chapters from which I made no notes (with my note-taking policy being only write down things you didn't know previously).
The tone and language were excellent, however, and I did still manage to take away some newfound knowledge.
P.S: What about the lymphatic system?!
This book was actually fantastic as an introduction. That said, the problem I have with books written about scientific topics but not written by scientists is that they often don't delve deep enough for my liking. I realise this may be a tall order given that this is a whistle-stop tour of the human body and not a thesis, but I nevertheless did feel like I was reading a collection of semi-popular facts at times. There were a few chapters from which I made no notes (with my note-taking policy being only write down things you didn't know previously).
The tone and language were excellent, however, and I did still manage to take away some newfound knowledge.
P.S: What about the lymphatic system?!
Not bad. At first I was annoyed because I thought the plot was just going to be a repeat of the first book, and it kind of still is, but at least there is a twist in the appearance of an AI bad guy . I did find myself annoyed that at times I was just essentially reading a tldr of a twitch stream rather than an actual story.
Still entertaining, but also it's hard to write a continuation story about an underdog character who is no longer an underdog.
Not bad. At first I was annoyed because I thought the plot was just going to be a repeat of the first book, and it kind of still is, but at least there is a twist in the appearance of an AI bad guy . I did find myself annoyed that at times I was just essentially reading a tldr of a twitch stream rather than an actual story.
Still entertaining, but also it's hard to write a continuation story about an underdog character who is no longer an underdog.
This was good! Not really my usual genre, I read it because GPT recommended it as part of a Halloween reading list. I wasn't really sold on it until about at least a quarter of the way through, and I didn't like the main character - I thought she had a childish, spiteful streak that I didn't succeed in warming up to. The premise is great, and I was really into the gothic manor-on-a-hill vibe. I recently read Entangled Life, so the fungus aspect of it was also right up my (current) alley. Dark and at times disgusting, the evils were well fleshed out, I could practically smell the decay at times.
This was good! Not really my usual genre, I read it because GPT recommended it as part of a Halloween reading list. I wasn't really sold on it until about at least a quarter of the way through, and I didn't like the main character - I thought she had a childish, spiteful streak that I didn't succeed in warming up to. The premise is great, and I was really into the gothic manor-on-a-hill vibe. I recently read Entangled Life, so the fungus aspect of it was also right up my (current) alley. Dark and at times disgusting, the evils were well fleshed out, I could practically smell the decay at times.
