Books 2021 Reading Challenge

Love & Respect (301/301 pages)

So I read it in four days, couldn't put it down. As I was reading Yadriel's cousin and Julian's deaths are connected and I wanted to know the how they're connected. Yadriel and Julian's interactions are also very fun with Yadriel the more reserved and straightlaced while Julian is more outgoing and obnixious. I also like Julian's cousin Martiez, she's fun.

There's also some nice references to Lation/Hispanic culture like the Day of the Death stuff but moreso fantasy with the spirits and such. It's also nicely connected to Yadriel as he's transgender and he want to fit in as a brujo, or men who help the spirits go into the afterlife. One of his uncles and late mother were supportive of him while his father isn't at first (but later at the end). Besides wanting to be a brujo, there are other instances where Yadriel struggles with his gender idenitity like scribbling over his deadname on his yearbook with his real name.

I think I'm a bit eh on the climax of the book where a huge creature from the equivalent of hell is summoned and one of the characters' motivation with him wanting more power. Maye it's because I've played and watched too many JRPGs where this trope happens lol.

January 2021
1. The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices by Xinran

2. Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood

3. Virtuoso by Yelena Moskovich

4. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

5. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

February 2021
6. Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma

7. Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories From the 21st Century by Alice Wong

8. Educated by Tara Westover

9. Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

10. I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed The World by Malala Yousafzai

April 2021
11. The Way We Were: Remembering Diana by Paul Burrell

June 2021
12. You Will Get Through This Night by Daniel Howell

13. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

July 2021
14. Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller

15. Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum

16. Desert Children by Waris Dirie

17. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• The Shining by Stephen King
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
• The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
• The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton
• 1984 by George Orwell
• The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

The plot synopsis of the series is basically, greco-roman myths are real. Gods still can't keep it in their pants and make demigods. The main character (Percy Jackson) is one such demigod, is involved in a major prophecy that might spell the end of the world and has to go on adventures.

It was a fun reread. I'm surprised at how much foreshadowing and how many easter eggs I'd missed when first reading these books. The biggest one was Silena Beauregard's name. She's a daughter of Aphrodite and her last name literally means "Pretty look / pretty sight" in French (the language of love).

I will say that looking back, book two felt a bit cringe but it was understandable and relatable in a way - like, it was intentional. I feel that the main character's voice didn't really change a lot across the five books, which is more of less a span of four years.

There were some digs at certain aspects of society that felt a bit forced. Like, the complaints - mostly environmental - were valid and I do think it's good that we're talking about these issues in children's media, but with few exceptions they didn't really feel that natural in the context of the story.

Given the story relies heavily on greek mythology, most of the characters are tragic heroes and when you take a look at the stories' structure there's a very Greek myth feel. There's usually a prophecy that'll come true in some ironic way, everything will try to kill or take advantage of the characters. There are a few old school tragedy arcs.

Two of the characters are my babies and I'm still deeply sad about how they ended up.

At the beginning, there was a heavy feel of "anybody who was ever important is in the demigod club, so fuck all the mortals" which is ... not the best idea when you consider the implications but by the end they actually had a few situations in which mortals came in handy and started to be appreciated, which is nice.

The only thing I really wish they'd explore more was how the gods are kinda terrible people, and that the power balance is so skewed that the non-gods just kinda have to take the abuse. This was lightly touched but was mostly brushed off, but I will admit that it was more than usually is done in presentations of mythology to children, so yay?

Not necessarily tied to the stories, but it was written by Riordan to teach his son about mythology and have neurodivergent representation for his son - which much like all demigods, has ADHD and dyslexia. I'm not sure how this was received in these communities, but I thought it was touching and it does give the series brownie points because that's a very nice gesture.

All in all, I would absolutely recommend it to someone, regardless of age.