Tin Minute Book Reviews

An Interesting Snippet into a Far Too Cruel World

Revisado: 10-19-23

In this novelette, Japan has taken over most of the world and uses brutality, invasive survalance, and the erasure of the past as a way of heavy handed control. Only two people, Sarah, a glorified hacker librarian and David, a politician who lost his entire family to the regime, are willing to do anything about it (albeit in different ways and for different reasons). Overall, it was a good listen but I wish there was more.

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Sci-Fi At It's GREATEST!

Revisado: 09-25-23

Partition is a wild ride that won't let you off, even if you wanted to! Starring and Eric and his Night, well, Eric, this book reads like a sci-fi movie from the 90s in the BEST way possible. Have you ever felt like you needed two of yourself just to get done one day's worth of work and activities? Hold that thought. Understanding the shifts between Day and Night perspectives, as well as what's real and what's Virtual Reality generated is going to be the key to enjoying this book.

In Partition, the US has been reduced to litter covered streets and every statehood holds their own sovereignty. If you're wondering, yes, that means if you're from Utah but living in California, you can be deported from California. No more just picking up to move when you want to. But if everywhere is a different version of a slum, what's the point of moving anyway? They only thing that makes life palatable is the presence of intelligent AI that helps to get things done, and virtual reality interfaces that overlap or in some cases, completely cover over what's actually being seen. Live in a rundown apartment and sleep on a creaky old murphy bed that barely folds out of the wall? No you don't! You reside in an expensive 1940's Parisian hotel room with all of the priciest amenities and an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower. You're not sitting on a couch supported by floors and walls that were old when your great grandfather was just born. No, you're sitting on an oddly comfortable log in the middle of a rain forest, watching adorable monkeys swing from vine to vine. All areas of life have these VR interfaces that make the actual drudgery all around feel more bearable. Think about the video game, We Happy Few, but without the happy pill and you'll get the picture.

Just one more thing to make the future more livable is the invention of the Partition which allows its owner to split their lives up into two parts, Day and Night. A person's true self would be a Day. They spend their waking hours going to day clubs, playing in the park, catching up on errands, and just living a relaxed life in general. A Night however, does all the heavy lifting of going to work, keeping the body fit, and running more errands. And what's the best part? Due to the Partition's technology, no actual sleep is needed because the Night is resting while the Day is awake, and the Day is resting while the Night is awake. The two never meet, and can only communicate via written notes and prerecorded messages. It's the equivalent of having an artificial amnesiac wall that's been put up by choice.

Day Eric is a goof-off and a screw up on a good day, while Night Eric is police detective who's dedication to force is only rivaled by his Day's dedication to doing nothing of value. His wife Dee is an activist by day and a scientist by night. What's interesting about this is she chose her profession before becoming Partitioned, while Eric's Night chose his afterwards. But if a Night has no autonomy, how can they chose to do anything other than what they were programmed to do? And if something can make choices independent of its owner, is it really just a devise created to ease the day to day minutia of life, or does it have a life of its own? This is the theme of the book, and the author takes it and runs! The story as a whole forces you to think about what sentience really means, and the morality behind creating a technology that so closely mirrors life, but then denying that creation full access to it.

Murders happen, crimes are committed and plots for revolutions are made, but where does this leave a Day who just wants to party and be left alone, and a Night who is sworn to serve and protect everyone... even from himself? My only issue with this book is the sheer amount of gratuitous cursing it contains. After awhile it just becomes wearing. Ultimately I preferred the Night's perspective vastly to it's Day, but it was an overall a great listen. William DeMeritt had to have channeled several different people into himself. That is the ONLY logical explanation as to how he could've done so many voices, so accurately, all the time, every time. I look forward to hearing more from him, and I also look forward to whatever Kevin Kane puts out next.

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Not Really About Life and Love with Dyscalculia

Revisado: 07-05-23

I sincerely wanted to like this book, I really did. As someone who has suffered from Dyscalculia all of my life, I understand that the disorder is not a monolith, but I don't feel as though this story embodied the experience. I know it's meant to be a poetic memoir of sorts so I can't take anything away from the authors experiences, but I know very little people with this disorder (myself included) who use math or a lack of its understanding as metaphors for life. Most of us are just struggling with the basic concept of it, so why would we literally use it in a way that complicates our lives even further? If I'm having relationship issues with my partner or parenting issues with my child, I'm not going to use the Pythagorean Theorem for a life a reference. Once again, this is not being said as a way to discredit the authors life experiences, but it is to say that I found no commonality with it.

That said, the writing style is a bit of a put off. If you have read any of the books in the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, then you'll know what I mean. This book is either a sea of similes or a river of symbolism. Either way, the unprepared reader drowns in all of the seemingly baseless comparisons and untethered references. Now I say 'seemingly' because I, once again, do acknowledge that this is the author's personal rendering of events in her life, so I'm sure for her and those who know her, the comparisons that she alludes to make perfect sense. But, for someone who is unfamiliar with the author, the writing comes across as unnecessarily flowery, and steals away any perceived meaning or understanding for what is being conveyed.

All in all, I had hoped for a relatable representation in this title that I just did not get. I feel as though if someone was reaching for this book in an attempt to understand a loved one or colleague with Dyscalculia, they would end up even more confused than when they'd started.

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A Hidden Piece of History

Revisado: 04-25-23

First off, it feels weird rating the Performance of this title due to it being presented in an interview/documentary style. That said, The Debutante was excellently done. Jon is conversational, and although he is respectful with everyone he interviews, he doesn't shy away from asking the hard-hitting and uncomfortable questions. The courage it must have taken to create this documentary had to have been astounding. Jon could have shied away from his heritage while speaking with White Supremacists who undoubtedly despise people like him in front of as well as behind closed doors, but he proudly declared that he's Jewish at every turn. He allows people to lie or tell creative truths for the purpose of getting their stories out, only challenging them when they went so far off base that they left the land of conjecture and entered into the realm of fantasy. He does the work, despite the clear and ever present danger to himself, and even goes into a town that is dedicated to making America into a place without people of his ethnic background. This man is not only truly dedicated to covering this story, he is dedicated to his craft. ***WARNING*** Because this is an interview style documentary, there is some cursing peppered throughout but not egregiously so.

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I Loved It, But I Desperately Wanted to Like It

Revisado: 12-08-22

In the Blood Traitor, we once again find ourselves in league with a version of Kiva which doesn't hearken back to the strong willed yet quick thinking heroine who we met in book one. She wasn't quite simpering but the troupes that were put in play didn't serve her. The protagonist is the strongest person on earth but afraid to use their power, as well as the villain is always stronger /smarter troupes was woefully over done. Kiva, a girl who had survived in a death prison by herself since she was a child, somehow comes as weak, constantly searching the eyes of those around her for love and approval. She essentially raised herself but now needs the caring gaze of others? It simply made no sense. Without giving away any spoilers, the way she masters her powers and ultimately saves the day are very My Little Pony, use the magic/power of friendship-esque. Not to put too fine of a point on it, but if my sister was in process of trying to kill me, I don't think I'd be surrounding myself with warm and fuzzy thoughts.

Since this was the end of the series, I will say that although I was ultimately dissatisfied with Kiva's character arch from the first book to this one, it was an overall good ride. Tip remains adorable and seems to be the only character that made any real development over all three titles. Also, the story-line with Kestra felt more like filler than anything that the reader could actually engage in or root for. All in all, if you are the type of person who loves a story for the plot alone, this is the series for you. But if you like strong female characters that remain that way,... well you might still like this series if you don't treat Kiva as the main character but instead as a conduit for the actual story.

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A Much Need Story for "Invisible" Children

Revisado: 09-30-22

As an adult who suffers from Dyscalculia, this story brought tears to my eyes. I wasn't diagnosed with it until I was a sophomore in High School, so I can deeply empathize with Cassidy's embarrassment and confusion. Children with this disorder often go un-diagnosed, and are left to struggle with an "invisible" disability alone. When Cassidy was counting and the numbers kept "moving," I felt like I was in the first grade all over again, miserably trying to count to 20 while the whole class laughed at my efforts. This book is needed to show little children with Dyscalculia that they are not stupid or defective, they just learn differently. I really wish something like this title existed when I was growing up, but I'm empathically grateful that books like these are on the market now. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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A Slave Master is No Queen to Her People

Revisado: 07-21-22

In Queen of the Conquered, the author works hard to get the reader to sympathize and empathize with a rapist, a collaborator, a race-traitor, and a slave owner. Sigourney is no queen, she is a slave master. Her people don't serve a beloved monarch, they fear a harsh and oppressive master. Within the first few pages of the book, Sigourney murders her own people, forces an old woman who'd been tortured all her life to kiss her feet, and rapes a man she owns. It is also indicated that he is not the first man forced into her bed. If the protagonist had been male and the victims female, everyone would be up in arms. But, because it is a woman committing the atrocity of rape, it seems as though her crimes are dismissed by readers at large. Throughout the book, she commits, orders, and condones the mistreatment of Black people like herself in the name of achieving a goal she ultimately fails at. That said, the writing style is concise although at times repeatative, and the plot, once made clear, is easy to follow.This book is unapologetically problematic and is NOT RECCOMENDED.

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The Janitors Will Save Us All!!!

Revisado: 05-31-22

This book is essentially a space opera about a sanitation crew who save humanity. With an idea so abstract as this, I struggled to find one singularity that would throw the story off. There were none. Even I hadn’t listened to Terminal Alliance dramatized, it would have been no less thrilling, and no less compelling. Mops is the quintessential leader, duty bound and loyal to both her superiors, and her crew. The other characters are fleshed, and author avoids ‘filler’ by even giving characters who remained nameless or unimportant, souls and agendas. The secret behind what caused the humans to go feral was interesting, but I can’t wait to see how it’s expanded upon in the next book.

Without spoiling anything, those who love the Lilith’s Brood series from Octavia Butler, will enjoy this modern take on the alien savior troupe.

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Filler Book, Disinterested Narrator

Revisado: 05-22-22

With the cliffhanger left by the first book, I was excited to read this one, hoping the series would be a duology. It is not, but that’s not what does this title in. There are 3 things that bring this book down.

One, the book starts off with a fight scene with a person the reader hasn’t yet to meet. Mind you, the first book ended with Nami on her way to safety. This feels like waking up in a car going a hundred miles per hour with no clue who’s driving, let alone the destination. More scenes like this occur where characters are suddenly (to the reader) inserted without any introduction. Explanations of who they are and their relationship to Nami come across as afterthoughts, as if the reader is supposed to already know them even though the author knows we’ve never met. It’s like there was another book in between the first and second, but there isn’t. Things move along like oil skimming water, and as the reader, you’re not allowed to delve deeper. Because of this, the additional characters come across as paper thin, and disposable.

Second, Nami is still not a likable character. She is still trying to tell people who’ve been living in this land what to do and how they should do it. Her actions come across as annoying and entitled in ways that shouldn’t exist in someone who knows she fighting for the freedom of others and herself.

Finally, the narrator. This book was read like a term paper on parliament. The narrator sounded bored, disinterested, and almost sleepy. Because of this, the book was grating to get through.

All in all, the 2nd book in the series lacked the luster, excitement, and engagement of the first. I’m still on the fence about checking out the next installment, but I do have my DEEP reservations.

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Not the same Kiva

Revisado: 05-20-22

I loved the first book in the series because the heroine was so smart and quick on her feet. This was not the case this time around. Kiva just seemed to have too much allegiance to a mother who willfully left her to die, a sister who only sees her as a pawn, and brother who means well but has no means to actually help her.

Kiva’s actions at first make sense but then dwindle down to acts that seem to only happen move the plot along. She knows her family left her die in a death prison on purpose, but still acts to help them gain a throne they don’t actually rightfully deserve. It’s not even a cause she believes in or will benefit from but she goes through with it anyway. And for what? Loyalty to those who have never been loyal to her? It was just odd to say the least.

Also, Kiva is aware that her family is leading a rebellion but she’s somehow shocked and upset that they harm and kill the very people that they are rebelling against? Towards the end, Kiva becomes a peripheral character in her story, ping ponging between loyalties, and being used a pawn by all. The cliffhanger ending did nothing to make me want to continue the series. The only reason I will be continuing the trilogy is because I was so highly invested in the first title. Admittedly, this book was interesting until Kiva begins behaving in an un-Kiva-like fashion.

The narration was on point, but if the simpering and gullible Kiva we have now had been the one introduced in the first book, I would have never checked in for the second.

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