Danielle > Recent Status Updates

So gruesome. So heartbreaking. The realities and complications of war, vengeance, trauma, self-doubt… all directly addressed while still having moments of levity and love and friendship- it’s so good! These betrayals just keep coming though!

I can’t wait for Rin to get her shi- together. She’s driving me crazyyyyy! It’s weird how much I enjoy this because I’ve never been interested in war, but the way that Kuang writes about it is so engaging and vivid.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the way Kuang writes about war - and all related consequences - is devastatingly beautiful and awful. After reading Katabasis, I’m also really enjoying the varying theologies she incorporates into her writing.

I finally got my hands on a copy of this sequel, and I'm so excited. There was a quick, graphic death on page four in only the way Kuang does, so I know I'm in for another horrifically descriptive, traumatizing read - in the best way possible.

I’ve never done so much googling about mathematical structures, philosophers, logic problems, and paradoxes in my life. But I’m enjoying the journey through the underworld nonetheless!

I expected the pretentious tone; it’s dark academia and exactly what I signed up for. Despite having to look up some definitions and references (personal choice for enriching experience overall), I was HOOKED by page one. There’s murder and a trip to the underworld with a rival (with potential romantic tension) by page 15. Very excited!

Reading for work. Validating some practices I already have in my classroom and highlighting some ways I can help my students work smarter and not harder. We’ll see!

I wasn’t expecting such an action novel, but I’ve got it, and it’s so good! The heart and witty banter and uniquely quirky characters that Klune’s books tend to be full of- are all here. I dove into the book without knowing much, and I’m having a blast! It’s very hard to put down!

It’s just SO heartwarming. Every chapter. I’m tearing up. I’m laughing. Happy tears. Sad tears. Ridiculous laughter. Joyous laughter. Klune is just so good in these books!!

I cried happy tears and literally laughed out loud within the first ten pages. I am so happy to be back with these wholesome characters! I’m so excited to see the new way they bring happiness and change to their world using everyone’s super power: their voices!

After loving the Shades of Magic series SO MUCH, I was worried about diving into this book- worried I wouldn’t remember the details and adventures endured with my beloved Lila and Kell and Rhy and Alucard- but it’s coming back! And Lila and Kell are already making me grin like a fool as I read. Starting off meeting new characters was a risk- but it worked- I’m invested and excited!

I’ve never read such violent, horrific descriptions of war. It’s devastatingly well written. I’m almost to the end, but realized I hadn’t added it to Goodreads. Despite the setting, there are moments of levity, humor, and heart. I’m really enjoying every element to this book. I already know I’ll read the sequels!

I like that it’s organized into parts. I’m picking up more and more Pinocchio and even Wizard of Oz references. The machines trying to relate to human phrases and experiences is hilarious. There have been more heavy moments than I was expecting after so much levity in the beginning, but not in a bad way! I love all the commentary on humanity so far. Good and bad!

There’s just something about Klune’s characters that always put a huge smile on my face. Their dialogue and found-family banter is so much fun to read, immediately from the first page, but I know heartache is right around the corner. I just finished Chapter 8, and it had the most ominous final sentence!

I’ll be teaching this in just a couple weeks, and I haven’t read it since middle school. I can’t believe how much I forgot- but it’s been really fun to read as an adult. I’m definitely getting more out of it.

I had to look up a summary of the previous book to remember the details- but I’m only four chapters in, and already hooked back into this world!