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review 2024-03-03 21:32
14 April 1912: Titanic
14 April 1912: Titanic - David Ross
Książka Davida Rossa na pierwszy rzut oka wydaje się być kolejnym reportażem o tej tragedii, jakich napisano już wiele. Nic bardziej mylnego. Jest to bardziej książka historyczna niż stricte reportaż. Autor zaczyna opisywać wydarzenia już począwszy od roku 1840. Tym samym poznajemy krótko historię początków migracji ludzi do Stanów w poszukiwaniu lepszego życia. Tym samym nie trudno się domyślić, iż historię Titanica Ross poprowadził od początku powstania stoczni Harland & Wolff w Belfaście w 1961 roku. Autor w swojej książce często skupia się na postaciach związanych z historią statku, dlatego często możemy spotkać kluczowe dla tej opowieści postaci. Gustav Christian Schwabe i Thomas Henry Ismay którzy łącząc siły wykupili stojącą na skraju bankructwa White Star Line; siostrzeniec Gustava Schwabe - Gustav Wolff, który razem z Edwardem Harlandem i Walterem H. Wilsonem założyli stocznię oraz jeden z pierwszych budowniczych statków William Pirrie, to nazwiska, które dały początek narodzinom pierwszych statków linii White Star.
 
Ponadto możemy przyjrzeć się budowie statku, poznać osoby, które były zaangażowane w projekt Titanica (to jest między innymi: Thomas Andrews, Alexander Carlslie). Wszystko to opatrzone fotografiami przedstawiającymi budowę Titanica, ale też Olympica. W rozdziale poświęconym budowie statku, dzięki fotografiom, możemy zobaczyć między innymi: bojlery, silniki, śruby oraz przeczytać historię powstania poszczególnych segmentów ówczesnego giganta.
 
Przedstawiono też rejs Titanica począwszy od pierwszych chwil po zderzenie z górą lodową, opatrując ten rozdział w oryginalne fotografie poszczególnych pomieszczeń: od kajut, sal dla pierwszej klasy, restauracji, Cafe Parisien, przez kącik czytelniczy, salę gimnastyczną, po słynne schody i promenadę statku. Ponadto możemy zobaczyć kilka fotografii obrazujących pokój radiotelegrafisty, łazienkę lub kajutę trzeciej klasy oraz poznać sylwetki załogi (między innymi Kapitana Smitha, Harolda Lowe i radiooperatora Harolda Bride).
 
Rozdział poświęcony kolizji z górą lodową dokładnie opisuje ten moment. Autor zapoznaje czytelnika z tematem paru godzin przed zaobserwowaniem góry lodowej do chwil poprzedzających samą kolizję oraz - pobieżnie - heroiczną walkę Williama Murdocha o uniknięcie zderzenia. Opisano zatonięcie statku, akcję ratowniczą Carpathii oraz pokrótce przedstawiono wydarzenia, które nastąpiły po zatonięciu: czyli dochodzenie w sprawie katastrofy. Czytelnik przy okazji tych rozdziałów może przyjrzeć się portretom osób, które przeżyły katastrofę (na przykład Margaret "Molly" Brown, Lucy Duff-Gordon) oraz tych, którzy zginęli 15 kwietnia 1912 roku (między innymi John Jacob Astor, Isidor Strauss czy Ben Guggenheim). Historię wieńczy odkrycie wraku przez Roberta Ballarda oraz dziedzictwo Titanica.

Książka opatrzona jest masą dobrej jakości fotografii, w większości czarno-białych, choć zdarzają się też barwne. Na ponad dwustu dwudziestu stronach ukazano historię Titanica w sposób interesujący, niejednokrotnie wchodząc szczegółowo w niektóre tematy.
Książka Davida Rossa z pewnością jest godna polecenia każdemu, kto choć trochę fascynuje się tematem tego liniowca, bądź zaczyna przygodę z poznawaniem jego historii.

Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogspot.com/2024/03/14-april-1912-titanic.html
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review 2020-07-01 22:47
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke
The Boneless Mercies - April Genevieve Tucholke

“Once upon a time, in the final days before Salt and Marsh Witch War, four Boneless Mercies turned their backs on the death trade, and went west, seeking immortality.”

 

The Mercy trade is a life of death, and it is a trade only for woman. This book follows four Mercies who travel town to town performing mercy killings, never revenge or vengeance. It's a hard and sad life, one that makes them outcasts from everyone they come across, they have themselves and no one else. But one day they decide to change their path, to seek a life that could change it all. A chance at a warriors glory like something from the old Vorse tales.

 

This book is very atmospheric and the author does a wonderful job at building this world and painting the forest they travel through. The story follows the single POV of Frey, which is a shame as I would have liked to read from the other girls as they're all so different and come to the trade for different reasons. Frey's blood sings for glory and wants more than the sad work of Mercy killing.

 

As they travel closer to their destiny you see such a change in her fellow Mercies, which is why it would have been nice to have different POVs, the people they meet and they stories they share and tell has an impact on them. They are a family and they decide their fates together.

 

Truly I loved how this was written, every moment felt right and written with depth and care, but it was defiantly lacking something. There didn't feel like a sense of urgency, or any real wow moments, when I think back to any fights they did have on the road or going into the Marsh to face the Cut Queen it wasn't quite punchy enough. But on the flip side I loved the entire section with the Cut Queen, it felt weird and creepy and unpredictable but it lacked that something, that drama.

 

There's a lot to love about this book and there's a lot that needs some va va voom, there is a standalone companion book set in the same world I will be giving a read.

 

“I wanted to change my fate, to force it down another road. I wanted to stand in the river of time and make it flow a different direction, if just for a little while.” 

 

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review 2020-06-29 18:37
What is Given from the Heart - Patricia C. McKissack,April Harrison

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

A sweet story about kindness and caring for others.

The artwork in this book is lovely. I really enjoyed the various textures used.

There are some rather dark themes in the beginning, such as the main character's father going to sleep on the porch and not waking up, which may not be a good fit for younger children. There are also issues of poverty that come up, which can be a great way to discuss the topic with older children.

Overall, it was a very lovely book. The ending was very sweet and it had a wonderful message about showing kindness to others and the beautiful idea of "what is given from the heart reaches the heart".

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review 2020-05-03 18:02
Wink Poppy Midnight - April Genevieve Tucholke

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

I came across this in the Lending Library. I liked the odd title and the gorgeous cover and the fact that I had really no idea what it was about.

When I started reading it, I was instantly conflicted. I really liked the poetic narration. However, the characters were two-dimensional cardboard cutouts you can find in any teen book. They aren't unique or fully-formed or even that interesting.

Also, the loose plot that is strung through the book didn't interest me. It just kind of went along without any real story, just the boring, annoying characters describing their lives with oddly similar narration styles. Also, Midnight's sections were so long that I just ended up hating him. I would go days without reading this if I was on Midnight's section or would just put it down partway through his dull narration because I had no interest in it.

My main problem with the book was that I just didn't care about any of the characters. The whole time you're supposed to be trying to determine who is the hero, who is the villain, and who is the liar. However, from the start, it's pretty obvious it's not going to be as clear-cut as presented. The book didn't make me feel invested in anyone so whenever something actually happened, I just kind of shrugged and moved on.

Once the big reveal comes about, it didn't even affect me because of this lack of investment. I was mostly just annoyed because it felt like the author was just trying to "trick" you with unreliable narrators, rather than coming up with an interesting twist.

Despite my initial excitement, I was left feeling dissatisfied when I finally finished this. Nothing happened, the message was fairly obvious, and any of the unpredictable twists just didn't seem to matter because the characters just felt like shadows on a page.

However, the narration was quite lovely at times with beautiful lyricism and interesting descriptions. I did enjoy the writing style overall. It was almost like reading a really long poem. I may check out more by this author, but I am definitely going to need a more interesting plot and more compelling characters.

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text 2020-05-02 04:02
April Books

I read 22 books in April with an average score of 3.66. 1 was a graphic novel and 13 were YA. My most-read genres were fantasy, contemporary, and historical.

 

My favorite book was You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters - Kate Murphy. My least favorite book was Infinity Son - Adam Silvera.

 

I made some progress on my 2020 Reading Plans list by reading 1 more book. I'm now at 16/38.

 

 

5 Stars

You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters - Kate Murphy 

 

4.5 Stars

Kingdom of Back - Marie Lu Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 1 Vol. 2 - Miya Kazuki,quof,You Shiina  A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope - Patrice Caldwell 

 

 

4 Stars

The Glass Forest - Cynthia Swanson  What Girls Are Made Of - Elana K. Arnold  The Disasters - M. K. England  Beloved - Toni Morrison  Archie, Vol. 6 - Mark Waid,Audrey Mok  Gracefully Grayson - Ami Polonsky  The Bromance Book Club - Lyssa Kay Adams  

All-American Muslim Girl - Nadine Jolie Courtney  Late to the Party - Kelly Quindlen  Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America - R. Eric Thomas  Spellhacker - M. K. England  

 

3.5 Stars

Hot Dog Girl - Jennifer Dugan 

 

3 Stars

One of Us Is Next - Karen M. McManus The King of Crows - Libba Bray  

 

2.5 Stars

Imagine Me - Tahereh Mafi Brown Girl Ghosted - Aiedeo Mintie Das  

 

2 Stars

The Truth About Love and Dukes - Laura Lee Guhrke 

 

1.5 Stars

Infinity Son - Adam Silvera 

 

 

 

 

Books by author gender:

  • Male: 3
  • Female: 16
  • Genderqueer: 2
  • Female/Non-binary Mix: 1

 

Books by format:

  • Physical: 3
  • Audio: 19

 

 

 

 

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