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dearrivarie

"May your Paths be safe, your Floors be unbroken, and may the House fill your eyes with Beauty."

     isbn: 9781635575437 | pages: 245
     publication date: September 15, 2020 | source: library
     genre: adult, magical realism
     rating: 7/10 

    A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
    B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S

a story of journal entries
If I was well-versed and eloquent enough, I might be able to compile my thoughts for Piranesi into a structured essay, but unfortunately my writing abilities have failed me. Instead, let me attempt to summarize why this book completely captured my attention from start to finish. Piranesi is a story that is hard to describe - it follows a narrator as he lives in this massive house with never ending halls and vestibules. He answers to the name Piranesi as that's what the other house resident The Other calls him but he knows that's not his real name. Despite living his days content in collecting seaweed, keeping a record of what he sees around the house, it is his meetings with The Other that introduce the conflict of the story. 

It takes a while to get into the story because of the strange narration style. Everything is told through a series of journal entries that he keeps which include all the little details of his life. In a different format or even from a different narrator, the entries would read incredibly boring and mundane, but because it's told through Piranesi's voice, it seems simply fascinating. Something about the syntax and word choices that he makes takes the most simple aspects of life like the changing of tides, the daily happenings of birds, and walking through endless halls, and makes it so interesting to read. It made me want to take a step back from the business of life and just appreciate all the little details of the world.

exploring intrigue 
This book walks the fine balance of being short in length but feeling like it lasts forever. At times I felt like I've been reading hundreds of pages only to find that I've completed 3 journal entries, but it just works for this story. As Piranesi starts to uncover the origins of the House, the Other, and himself, we get to delve into philosophical and moral conversations about the human understanding of world and society. I honestly could not have guessed where Susanna Clarke was going to take the plot and it truly felt like we were discovering each piece of the puzzle with Piranesi which made the reading experience all the more intriguing. 

Piranesi is a story that reads like a timeless reflection of the desire and fascination with the confines of the human mind as well as the effects of scholarly ambition and greed. Each of the characters introduced give readers a glimpse into a grey spectrum of morality as you try to piece together the origins of the house and Piranesi's presence. This is a story that despite its short length, elevates the simplest aspects of life and makes it just a bit more wonderful.

9:16 PM 2 Comments

Hello there! I am once again back with another drama to book recommendation post. Are these my new favorite things to write? Possibly. Unfortunately, with school and work slowly consuming me, I have very little time left to spend watching dramas so this might be the last one for a while until the next break hits. Regardless, I thought I'd share some of my anticipated releases for 2022 by recommending them to the lovely cast of DOOM AT YOUR SERVICE.

The moment I saw that Park Bo Young was in a new drama, it was a no brainer that I was going to watch it. DOOM AT YOUR SERVICE is a fantasy melodrama that explores the questions of love, family, and the impact one leaves in life. The story starts with Tak Dong Kyung finding herself with only three months left to live after discovering a tumor inside her brain. That, on top of realizing her boyfriend is a married cheater, leaves her to wish on a star for the destruction and doom of the world. Lucky for her, it happens to be Myul Mang's birthday and as the personification of doom, he'd like nothing more than to grant her wish. The two strike a bargain, Dong Kyung lives pain free for the rest of her three months and in exchange she'll wish for the end of the world before she dies. 

However, their bargain raises up questions and emotions that they weren't expecting and at the end of three months, Dong Kyung has to decide if the doom of the world is really the answer.

Tak Dong Kyung - Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Tak Dong Kyung is such a sweet character who really just gets the worst scenarios handed to her. However, she's willing to take everything in stride and learns throughout the k-drama that it's okay to rely on others and to break down when life simply gets overwhelming. Xingyin from Daughter of the Moon Goddess has to embark on a journey to the Celestial Kingdom after her powers are discovered and separated from her mother. Dong Kyung, as an editor for web-novels, would absolutely fall in love with Xingyin's journey and I could see it providing her some comfort and down time amidst the craziness of her life.


Myul Mang - Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
Myul Mang is a sassy king who tries to deny his emotions but in reality cares more than he'd like to admit. Being the personification of doom, he would absolutely love a dark and twisted fantasy like Violet Made of Thorns. He would definitely be making the snarkiest comments as he follows the court politics and the maneuverings of the characters as they navigate the newly awakened curse. Based on what I've seen from early reviews, this story hits all the right spots and could make even Doom himself feel a thing or two. 

Na Ji Na - Loveboat Reunion by Abigail Hing Wen
Na Ji Na has quickly become one of my favorite characters ever - fiercely loyal and independent, she's someone who wears her emotions on her sleeves and has a tendency to get lost in the past. While I'm personally a bit on the fence about picking up this companion novel, I can 100% see Ji Na loving the dramatics that Loveboat Reunion is bound to have and it might even spark some ideas for her own web-novel career. Plus, it brings a tiniest bit of joy to imagine her freaking out over the drama to Joo Ik who would be completely unfazed. 

Cha Joo Ik - A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
While he strictly drank coffee in the drama, Cha Joo Ik just seems like a tea person. As an editor, he has an attention to detail and a genuine heart that he masks behind his indifferent attitude. He would 100% by drawn in by A Magic Steeped in Poison's stunning cover and unique premise at first but then get lost in its prose as he starts reading. A magic derived from tea sounds like it'll be up his alley and the perfect story to unwind after a stressful day of dealing with his clients, roommate, and love interest.

Lee Hyun Gyung - Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie
Did I absolutely hate Hyun Gyung for a majority of this drama because he just got in the way of the best secondary couple in a k-drama? Yes. But again, this drama makes me all reflective so looking back I can appreciate his (slow) maturity and owning up to the consequences of his actions. Hyun Gyung is someone who is still very young at heart and as a result has developed the tendency to run from his problems and close himself off. I think he'd appreciate the self-discovery that Ophelia experiences in Ophelia After All. Plus, even though they may lead very different lives, he could still be inspired to continue his journey of self-reflection and one day may even be able to find his own version of happiness.

Goddess - The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
The Goddess is a character whose every word holds a hidden meaning making her incredibly confusing and a little irritating. However, as the story progresses, more is revealed about her and the haunting juxtaposition that comes with being the personification of life and having to suffer in death. First off, 2022 is THE YEAR of gorgeous illustrated covers and I think she'd immediately be drawn to the intricate details. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea also follows Mina who sacrifices herself for her family and her village, an act that will surely resonate with the Goddess whose very being is meant to be a sacrifice to pay for the wrongs of humanity.

Tak Sung Kyung - A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
I adored Allison Saft's debut for its atmospheric writing and characters that warmed my heart. Tak Sung Kyung goes through a lot in this drama from learning of his sister's sickness to becoming more self-independent and mature. A Far Wilder Magic sounds like it'll have him absolutely enraptured with its haunting atmosphere, tender romance, and the thrill of the magical Halfmoon Hunt. He also just deserves the best heartwarming characters that I'm sure this story will deliver.

This drama was definitely slower and sadder than I expected. It tackles the difficult questions of death and one's legacy in a way that's quietly reflective through the lives of Dong Kyung, Myul Mang, and her family. I struggled at first to continue because of its slow pacing but after finishing the drama, it definitely leaves an impact on you that leaves you looking at life from a different lens and appreciating the precious the time you have with your loved ones.

If you've watched DOOM AT YOUR SERVICE or have any books you'd recommend to the characters, please let me know!

1:45 PM 2 Comments

"They call this place the Venice of the East. Just as they call Shanghai the Paris of the East. When are we going to stop letting the colonizers pick the comparisons? Why don't we have call Paris the Shanghai of the West?"

 isbn: 9781529344561 | pages: 494
     publication date: November 16, 2021 | source: ebook/net-galley/tour
     genre: young adult, historical fiction, retelling
     rating: 6.3/10 

    A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S

the tensions of political unrest
Our Violent Delights is the thrilling and heartbreaking conclusion to Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights duology. Picking up in the aftermath of book one's events, the story follows Juliette and Roma as civil unrest and the threat of madness continues to loom over Shanghai. The sequel truly takes all the tension from TVD and raises the bar to another level as the cast of characters grapple with their dividing loyalties and the shifting political atmosphere of the city. So much happens but there's also this underlying sense that time is running out which makes the reading experience unforgettable.

This duology takes the themes from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette and offers a fresh new commentary on the changing political ties of Shanghai with the brewing war between the Nationalists and Communists. I particularly loved this aspect of the story because we're so often painted very black and white views of socio-politics that we don't often get to explore the heart of why these drastic shifts occur. Getting to see the struggle of the people, how power is manipulative and desperate, and also the racial roles that seemingly predetermined the victors from the start, were all aspects of the story that made it more than a retelling.

fighting for hope
I cannot talk about this sequel without mentioning my absolute love for the characters. As most of the internet is aware, Roma and Juliette have such a complex (and perfect) dynamic that walks the fine line between love and hate while managing to wring all the emotions from the readers. Personally, I knew I was going to adore the duo but it was the cast of side characters that captured my heart. Marshall and Benedikt, Kathleen and Rosalind, even Lourens and dare I say Tyler - every character was able to become more developed and fleshed out and together they really brought this story even more to life.

This is a story that I know I'll be able to revisit many times. As this is a highly praised and beloved duology, I did feel the hype getting to me at times - raising my already sky-high expectations and I would love to come back in a couple years and reread the story maybe with less pressure to absolutely adore this and see how it holds up in my memory (hands down think it will blow me away the second/third/etc. time around). Chloe Gong is an absolutely masterful writer and if this duology is any indication of her talent, I absolutely cannot wait for her future works.


Thank you so much Turn the Page Tours for allowing me to participate on this tour! Be sure to click the banner above to see all the other stops for Our Violent Ends!
about    the    author

Chloe Gong is an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, studying English and International Relations. During her breaks, she's either at home in New Zealand or visiting her many relatives in Shanghai. Chlose has been known to mysteriously appear by chanting "Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's best plays and doesn't deserve its slander in pop culture" into a mirror three times. You can find her on Twitter @thechloegong, check out her website at thechloegong.com, or email her at chloegongwrites@gmail.com. 
giveaway
Up for grabs, we are giving away ONE (1) finished copy of These Violent Delights and ONE (1) finished copy of Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong. This giveaway will run from Nov. 1st through 20th at 11:59 PM CST and will be open to US residents ONLY. One winner will be chosen. To enter, click the link below!

ENTER HERE


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DearRivarie

DearRivarie
Hi there! My name is Rivalie (Riv for short). Welcome to my blog where I share book reviews, discussions, and more fun things! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day! 🌸

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