Sept 26th, 2025 - Well Now I'm Generally Rethinking Reality
This week I hit 150 books read so far this year! I'm not entirely sure how I've read that much this year (....honestly it's probably because I had a manga phase this summer), but I'm happy I've been able to explore so many stories. It's been a good year for reading!
The honor of being the 150th book I've read so far this year went to...
Author: Jillian Forsberg
Genres: Historical fiction and Adult Fiction
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Review Type: NetGalley ARC review
My Tags: NetGalley-ARC, historical-fiction, region-europe
Synopsis*
In a world where ambition is as fragile as porcelain, two lives are shaped by a king's dangerous obsessions. In 18th-century Dresden, the dangerous whims of King Augustus the Strong shape the court and the lives of those held captive, both people and animals.
Johann Kändler, a talented young artist, is drawn into the world of King Augustus the Strong. The king's relentless desire for a lifelike porcelain menagerie could make or break Johann's future. As Johann works to meet the king's impossible demands, he finds unexpected allies in former royal mistress Maria and her daughter Katharina. Johann's art might secure his future-or ruin it if he fails to satisfy the king.
Decades earlier, another story unfolds. Fatima, a Turkish handmaiden, is chosen to replace Augustus's discarded mistress. As she tries to create a menagerie of exotic animals and navigate the intrigues of an unpredictable court, Fatima must learn to survive in a world that values beauty and power above all. She must fight to keep her identity and unlock her own cage in the king's dangerous realm.
Johann Kändler, a talented young artist, is drawn into the world of King Augustus the Strong. The king's relentless desire for a lifelike porcelain menagerie could make or break Johann's future. As Johann works to meet the king's impossible demands, he finds unexpected allies in former royal mistress Maria and her daughter Katharina. Johann's art might secure his future-or ruin it if he fails to satisfy the king.
Decades earlier, another story unfolds. Fatima, a Turkish handmaiden, is chosen to replace Augustus's discarded mistress. As she tries to create a menagerie of exotic animals and navigate the intrigues of an unpredictable court, Fatima must learn to survive in a world that values beauty and power above all. She must fight to keep her identity and unlock her own cage in the king's dangerous realm.
My Review
I'm not often a historical fiction reader, but every now and then I get in the mood for something different than my normal diet of fantasy and adventure. Historical fiction offers me a palate cleanser--something that's a bit more tangible and fact-based than fantasy worlds where things can conveniently happen at an author's whim.
I was in such a mood when I requested the ARC for The Porcelain Menagerie audiobook from NetGalley. I knew nothing about Germany or Poland at the time period when the book was written, and frankly I knew nothing of porcelain other than you can make all kinds of beautiful and valuable things (including occasionally creepy-looking dolls) with it. I now know much much more.
Here's the thing with history: it's complicated. People are nuanced, and that means it's hard to put someone in a black-and-white category of all good or all bad. Instead, real people are a mix of all of it--the good, bad, and ugly all swirled around until you can't put them in a nice little box with a nice little label. It's one of the things I find refreshing about good historical fiction. Good historical fiction reminds me that life is nuanced and complicated and people's decisions result in situations they never expected (both for better and for worse), and, in my opinion, this book did a good job portraying that. While some characters had significantly more depth than others, none felt truly flat or one-dimensional. Instead, they felt like real people making real, human, messy decisions. I especially appreciated the author's note at the end where the author broke down what she took from history and what she didn't because it made me appreciate her portrayal of even the horrible characters even more. She handled the nuances well.
That being said, history isn't always pretty, and this book didn't shy away from that either. There were some scenes of fairly blatant animal cruelty (unfortunately grounded in historical reality), and some of the prominent characters were in abusive relationships that included uneven power dynamics, manipulation, sexual abuse, and forced extramarital sexual relationships. While the sexual content all happened off-screen, the author made some pretty strong implications about what was happening so that I as a reader was able to easily fill in the gaps. If you're not in a spot right now where those kinds of heavy themes or ideas would be beneficial, then skip this book.
Personally, I'm glad I gave this book a chance. The story was compelling, the narrator did an excellent job, and I enjoyed wrestling with the characters through the struggles they were experiencing and untangling the messy knots together. This isn't a book that gives you a clear answer or ties everything off with a nice bow at the end--but it is a good book to have as a conversation partner where you can wrestle with the ideas alongside the author and the characters and emerge a little more thoughtful than you'd been when you started.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Here's the thing with history: it's complicated. People are nuanced, and that means it's hard to put someone in a black-and-white category of all good or all bad. Instead, real people are a mix of all of it--the good, bad, and ugly all swirled around until you can't put them in a nice little box with a nice little label. It's one of the things I find refreshing about good historical fiction. Good historical fiction reminds me that life is nuanced and complicated and people's decisions result in situations they never expected (both for better and for worse), and, in my opinion, this book did a good job portraying that. While some characters had significantly more depth than others, none felt truly flat or one-dimensional. Instead, they felt like real people making real, human, messy decisions. I especially appreciated the author's note at the end where the author broke down what she took from history and what she didn't because it made me appreciate her portrayal of even the horrible characters even more. She handled the nuances well.
That being said, history isn't always pretty, and this book didn't shy away from that either. There were some scenes of fairly blatant animal cruelty (unfortunately grounded in historical reality), and some of the prominent characters were in abusive relationships that included uneven power dynamics, manipulation, sexual abuse, and forced extramarital sexual relationships. While the sexual content all happened off-screen, the author made some pretty strong implications about what was happening so that I as a reader was able to easily fill in the gaps. If you're not in a spot right now where those kinds of heavy themes or ideas would be beneficial, then skip this book.
Personally, I'm glad I gave this book a chance. The story was compelling, the narrator did an excellent job, and I enjoyed wrestling with the characters through the struggles they were experiencing and untangling the messy knots together. This isn't a book that gives you a clear answer or ties everything off with a nice bow at the end--but it is a good book to have as a conversation partner where you can wrestle with the ideas alongside the author and the characters and emerge a little more thoughtful than you'd been when you started.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'd recommend this book for: People who enjoy a good historical fiction and are in the headspace to wrestle through both the ugliness and beauty that history holds.
Find this book on GoodReads and StoryGraph
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Ok, for this next review to make sense, you're going to have to understand a few things.
I have a problem.
Sort of.
Basically, I can't resist unhinged mass-market paperback covers at used bookstores. I see them and something in me goes, "This is either going to be amazing or I'm going to hate it and it's only $2." And then I buy it. I have a whole shelf of mass-market paperbacks with unhinged covers, and it's one of my great pride and joys.
So when I saw this book in all its mass-market paperback glory at used bookstore, I was doomed from the start. I mean, just look at it! Look at the beautiful unhinged-ness of that cover!
Yeah, it was an insta-buy
To make things even better, I did end up really enjoying it. This experience has only increased my desire to buy second hand mass-market paperbacks with unhinged covers, and time will tell whether this newfound confidence in my gut's ability to choose good stories based on bizarre covers, an odd synopsis, and an enticing old book smell is the pride that comes before a fall or a true talent.
In the meantime, I'm going to keep enjoying the random wins. Good job, gut.
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy
My Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Review Type: Mass-Market Paperback impulse buy
My Tags: fantasy-series, impulse-buy
Synopsis*
For forty years, Wizard Derk's world has been devastated by Mr. Chesney's Pilgrim Parties--packaged excursions for tourists from the next universe in search of adventure. When mild-mannered Derk is chosen to play the role of this year's Dark Lord, he is forced by the sinister Mr. Chesney to turn his bucolic country estate into a labyrinthine castle lit by baleful fires, manifest himself as a nine-foot-tall shadow with flaming red eyes, and lead his minions in a climactic battle against the Forces of Good. Can Derk find a way to put an end to the evil Mr. Chesney and his Pilgrim Parties--once and for all?
My Review
Anyway, I stumbled across this book in a used bookstore, recognized Diana Wynne Jones' name (she wrote Howl's Moving Castle!), read the absolute fever-dream of a blurb on the back, and immediately bought it, convinced it was going to be a good read. And then I started reading the actual story and it was better than I'd expected. Somehow this book has just about everything. The characters are interesting and nuanced and complicated, the family dynamics are realistic in both their flaws and their strengths, the themes are poignant in their social commentary, and the plot is unhinged in the most entertaining way. This book is easily the most wholesome, compelling, convicting nonsense I've ever read, and I'm already looking forward to rereading it.
One of the things that I really appreciated about the book that may be a detracting feature for some readers is that the story maintains a lighthearted tone while discussing things that are objectively pretty awful. Now, I think it's a brilliant storytelling device that provides a timely and cutting critique of the ways we monetize and gain entertainment from legitimately awful real world events, but it can be a bit jarring and does add a dark undertone to an otherwise lighthearted story. Frankly, I think the book's critique of entertainment culture is even more timely now in 2025 than when Diana Wynne Jones originally wrote the story in 1998. Just because we can use something for entertainment doesn't mean we should. If people are being hurt, minimized, or abused because of our thirst for entertainment, then I think we need to seriously evaluate and reassess what makes us feel like we have the right to be entertained at someone else's expense. I think I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while and using its ideas to reassess what I use for entertainment and whether there are better options I should pursue instead.
One of the things that I really appreciated about the book that may be a detracting feature for some readers is that the story maintains a lighthearted tone while discussing things that are objectively pretty awful. Now, I think it's a brilliant storytelling device that provides a timely and cutting critique of the ways we monetize and gain entertainment from legitimately awful real world events, but it can be a bit jarring and does add a dark undertone to an otherwise lighthearted story. Frankly, I think the book's critique of entertainment culture is even more timely now in 2025 than when Diana Wynne Jones originally wrote the story in 1998. Just because we can use something for entertainment doesn't mean we should. If people are being hurt, minimized, or abused because of our thirst for entertainment, then I think we need to seriously evaluate and reassess what makes us feel like we have the right to be entertained at someone else's expense. I think I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while and using its ideas to reassess what I use for entertainment and whether there are better options I should pursue instead.
Also, I know this is technically book one in a series, but you can read it as a standalone with no problems.
I'd recommend this book for: People who want both the laughter that comes from a humorous, unhinged read and also the thought-provoking, heartfelt warmth that comes from strong characters and timely themes.
Find this book on GoodReads and StoryGraph
*Synopsis for The Porcelain Menagerie and pictures for both books taken from their respective GoodReads profiles.
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