September Wrap-Up
what I read and watched this month
This is my Monthly Wrap-Up series, where I share quick reviews for the things I read and watched during the previous month. If you are a new reader (welcome!), here’s the August post:
And now, let’s talk about September. This month I wanted to focus on two genres, high fantasy and historical fiction. I have been very busy, so I wasn’t able to read or watch as many things as I wanted to, but quality is always more important than quantity, and I really enjoyed most of the things in this list (except for one big disappointment).
What I Read.
The Other Wind, by Ursula K. Le Guin.
A young widower is being haunted in his dreams by the dead of the Archipelago, who are trying to escape the Dry Lands, the bleak realm where the dead wander. He goes from island to island searching for help, which ultimately leads him into the Court of King Lebannen, just in time to witness events that will lead to a new era in Earthsea. Characters from all the previous books make an appearance, and the way they fit in the bigger picture of the world becomes clearer. Change has always been an important theme in the series, and the last books have been building up to a massive upheaval of the very fabric of the world, which is exactly what happens in this final entry.
This was a beautiful farewell to Earthsea and these characters. Calling it a farewell fits better than calling it an ending, as the story concludes with the feeling that there’s still more about to happen for the people of Earthsea and to our protagonists, but we are not going to be there to see it. It was bittersweet, and it made me think deeply about the value of life. I’m giving this book a 4.5/5. It wasn’t perfect, there’s a female character that was written in a somewhat Islamophobic way, but in every other regard I think this was a great way to end the series. If you are interested in my thoughts on the Earthsea Cycle as a whole, here’s my full review for paid subscribers:
Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld.
Alek and Deryn finally arrive in Istanbul to deliver Dr. Barlow’s gift to the sultan, which the scientist hopes will smooth things over with the Ottoman Empire. The world continues to expand, and the Steampunk version of Istanbul that we got to explore this time was just as captivating as the insides of the Leviathan. There’s so much creativity put into the mechanical beasts and contraptions, I had so much fun every time a new machine appeared. The setting continues to be my favorite aspect of the series, and I can’t wait to see more of this world. I also enjoyed Alek’s character development and seeing him become more independent, he grew into a leader in a very natural way and he’s easily my favorite character. On the other hand, I struggled a little with Deryn. Her romantic feelings for Alek became a much bigger part of her character, and it got annoying at some points. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how things turned out between her and the new girl that came into the mix, Lilit. At first, it seemed like just a typical love triangle, but it had a really fun twist. I love how the series sets up classic YA tropes and then completely subverts my expectations.
The political intrigue and the battles are even more entertaining than before. I wish we had seen more of the Count and Dr. Barlow in this book, but I understand why they had to step back a little so Alek and Deryn could make their own moves. 3.5/5 I hope the next book sticks the landing.
The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss.
This is the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicles, an unfinished trilogy about a man named Kvothe who has retired after a life of adventure and become an innkeeper. One night, Kvothe is convinced by one of his patrons to tell his version of the events that led him to be known as the Kingkiller, and so Kvothe starts recounting the story of his life, promising to be done with his tale in 3 days.
Sadly, this was my second DNF of the year, and it’s the big disappointment I mentioned before. I gave up around 15% through this book, I really tried to get into it, but after two weeks of barely making any progress I decided it wasn’t for me.
I love stories about storytelling, and the “retired badass” is one of my favorite character types, but Kvothe was an incredibly dry and annoying narrator that really got on my nerves. The prose is too pretentious and the use of repetition got old very quickly. I couldn’t care less about how “awesome” Kvothe is, and the whole thing just feels like a male power fantasy, but the thing that really made me give up on the book was the casual sexism at display here. There are too many jokes where the punchline is “women, amirite?”. Maybe if the world was more interesting I would have been able to continue, but the only thing that slightly caught my attention was the sympathy magic, and it wasn’t enough to keep me going. 1/5 I may try this series again in the future, but I doubt it.
What I Watched.
The Elusive Samurai.
This is a fictional version of the fall of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan, following Hojo Tokiyuki, the last survivor of his clan, in his quest for revenge against Ashikaga Takauji, the man who betrayed them. Tokiyuki is a young boy with a supernatural ability to evade and escape, something that may not seem honorable in such an era where dying in battle and upholding the samurai code was extremely important. With the help of a priest who claims to be able to see the future, Tokiyuki will fight in his own way.
The biggest draw of the show is its beautiful animation, which maintains a high level of quality for its entire run. The occasional CGI is not the best, but it’s easy to forgive. The animators clearly had a lot of fun, and they are able to do long sequences in unique styles, which makes the show a feast for the eye. Besides the animation, the characters are decent, and the plot has good pacing. The constant tone-switching from gruesome horror to bizarre comedy can be jarring, but it gives the show its own personality. My biggest criticism is that some of the character dynamics haven’t been properly developed, but the story is just starting, so this could change overtime. 4/5 The ending theme is a certified banger.
The Heike Story.
Based on the Japanese epic tale of the rise and fall of the Taira clan, the series follows Biwa, a young minstrel girl with mismatching eyes whose father was murdered by the Taira. She ends up becoming part of the Taira household after meeting Shigemori, the heir, who also has mismatching eyes. Biwa is able to see the future, while Shigemori can see the souls of the dead. The present-day story is interrupted by Biwa’s narration, indicating that she’s both a witness to these historical events and the one who will carry on the story of the Taira.
I’m in love with this story and these characters. It’s interesting to compare this with The Elusive Samurai; both series have characters that can see into the future and are somewhat aware of the role they and the ones they care about have to play in the history of Japan, but the different in genre makes these two shows approach this idea in completely different ways. The Elusive Samurai is an action comedy for young boys, while The Heike Story is fundamentally tragic. There’s a lot of focus put into the interpersonal relationships between the characters, to highlight how the events they live through affect them on an intimate level. The overall tone of The Heike Story is melancholic, there’s a sense of sadness that lines every interaction Biwa has with her loved ones. It’s extremely moving and heartbreaking, and I love how the series handles the themes of fate, love and forgiveness. This is an easy 5/5 for me.
From Me to You / Kimi ni Todoke (Season 3).
For those that aren’t familiar with late 2000s/early 2010s Shojo anime, Kimi ni Todoke follows a girl named Kuronuma Sawako and her group of friends as they navigate High School. It’s a classic of the genre, one of my personal favorites, and I’m so glad that we got a new season after such a long wait. I’m living for the Shojo Renaissance of 2024.
Admittedly, I struggled a bit with this season. My issue with season 3 has nothing to do with the story or the characters (which continue to be stellar), but the format. Netflix’s decision to release 5 hour-long episodes instead of just giving us a normal 12 episode season makes no sense to me, it severely impacted the pacing and the structure of the show. Other than that, Kimitodo is still one of the best explorations of teenage angst, I’m deeply invested in all the character dynamics and I think the show does a fantastic job at showing them develop their emotional intelligence through their relationships with one another. 4.5/5 I hope Netflix continues the story, and they pick up more Shojo titles, but please, give us regular seasons.
I wish I had dropped The Name of the Wind sooner, so I would have been able to read something else! Hopefully I will get a lot more reading done during October, since my TBR is mostly short horror books, except for The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, which I hope isn’t another let down.
The Fall 2024 Anime Season has also started, with lots of shows that I want to check out. I will certainly be watching the new Re: Zero season and Uzumaki (perfect for the spooky season), and I’m very curious about Negative Positive Angler, Nina the Starry Bride, and Blue Box. Let me know which shows you are excited about!
Upcoming:
October 13: Otaku Hot Girl, talking about my complicated relationship with Shōnen (manga aimed at young boys).
October 18: Adapting Fantasy, essay about the challenges of adapting fantasy literature to TV and movies, with a look into some specific cases.
[Paid Subscribers] October 20: Full Leviathan Trilogy Review.
October 27: Basic Guide to Anime, a list of recommendations for people who aren’t familiar with the medium, similar to my fantasy guide.
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I love the post! I really liked watching Elusive Samurai to the point I binged the entire series...kind of regretted doing that now hah
I have been meaning to check out Name of the Wind. But after reading you review it might go even farther back on the backburner haha.