Science fiction where grit and grace collide
The traditional star system is just a bit limited in what it can tell a potential reader/viewer about what someone thought of a particular story. To make things plain and simple, here’s the breakdown of my system so you can understand at a glance why a book/movie/show received a particular
Madeleine’s Score: Enjoyed it—would watch it again (4/5 cool points) Gus is just a normal kid. He loves his dad, reading books, playing with his stuffed animal named “Dog,” and guzzling sugar. There’s just one thing… He’s part-deer. The world fell ten years ago during “The Great Crumble” when a
Continue reading…Sweet Tooth: An Endearing Tale about a Very Special Boy
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey Madeleine’s Score: It was okay—wouldn’t read it again (3/5 cool points) “The burn patrols have to be really careful, because there are lots of hungries still out there. If they get your scent, they’ll follow you for a hundred miles, and
Continue reading…The Girl with All the Gifts: Believable Zombie Apocalypse
Madeleine’s Score: Made myself finish it (2/5 cool points) Welcome to New World, a recently colonized planet where all male humans and animals have “noise” that everyone can hear and see. “Noise” is comprised of a man’s innermost thoughts, which appear in both audio and visual forms around his head at
A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher Madeleine’s Score: Enjoyed it—would read it again (4/5 cool points) “…if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. If we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the
Continue reading…A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World: Loyalty Epitomized
Madeleine’s Score: Loved it—telling everyone about it! (5/5 cool points) A Quiet Place is in my top five favorite post-apocalyptic movies of all time, and because A Quiet Place: Part II heads to theaters at the end of May 2021, it seemed an excellent choice for my first movie review.
Continue reading…A Quiet Place: Familial Love Amid Terrifying Silence
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Madeleine’s Score: It was okay—wouldn’t read it again (3/5 cool points) It’s the end of the world as we know it, all thanks to a new strand of swine flu that takes people out in a number of hours. Now, fifteen years later,
Continue reading…Station Eleven: Fragmented Storytelling in a Questionable World
Bird Box by Josh Malerman Madeleine’s Score: It was okay—wouldn’t read it again (3/5 cool points) Malorie is pregnant and finds herself suddenly alone in a world where people are dying just by looking at mysterious creatures who have taken up residence on Earth. We see her in the present
Continue reading…Bird Box: Great Premise, Missed Opportunities
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan Madeleine’s Score: It was okay—wouldn’t read it again (3/5 cool points) First, I must admit that I didn’t look into this book before reading it. I was simply drawn in by the GORGEOUS cover and the fact that it was about dragons.
Continue reading…A Natural History of Dragons: Lovely Language, Needs More Dragons
Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey Madeleine’s Score: Enjoyed it—would read it again (4/5 cool points) When one considers the origin of this book, that it began its life as a serial novel, it’s hard not to be impressed by it. Hugh Howey crafted an intriguing world that has the potential