Review: Cosplayers

Cosplayers by Dash Shaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book and thought it was a lot of fun. I'm noticing that it's getting mixed reviews. I think people who are into fandom/nerd culture, like me, are more likely to relate to the stories. Also, it is a certain brand of humor: wry, witty, a little snarky and sarcastic at times, so it worked for me. It is a pretty accurate snapshot of CONs, cosplay events, comic shops, and who tends to frequent them. I needed a good laugh during this political season, and this book accomplished that goal for me. I recommend it. Dash Shaw and I are roughly the same age, so I'm impressed at how much he's done in his writing and creative career. It motivates me!

View all my reviews

Review: Shadowshaper

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book for Avid Bookshop's YA book club, and I enjoyed it. To me, it was Libba Bray's The Diviners meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only set in Brooklyn (with moments in Harlem) and with a more diverse cast of characters. I loved Sierra as a character and saw a lot of myself in her. Also, my sister went to Columbia for law school, so I'm familiar with the university and with that area of New York, and the author does a great job of describing it. It definitely gave me a different perspective on how some people might perceive Columbia. The mystery plot of the book is very well done, and I loved the suspense and the "ghost story" elements.
I guess the only part of the book that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is Sierra's relationship with Robbie. I totally understood that they had an artistic connection, and I could relate to that. But the romantic chemistry seemed a little forced to me. Sierra is more of a pragmatist, and like me, she's tough and a little slow to trust people sometimes, especially those of the opposite sex who are interested in her. So, I had a hard time buying it that she would fall for Robbie so quickly. I think it would have worked better if they were more like Hopper and Joyce in Stranger Things, really good friends and "partners in crime" with the potential for more to develop as the story goes on, especially since the novel apparently has a sequel, if not more books to come. But maybe I'm just jaded. :) Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot, and I could definitely appreciate Sierra's interactions with her realistic family. She's a spunky and brave character, and I'm glad she's hitting the YA shelves.

View all my reviews