The point is possibility. It's the same with stationery. Buy a new notebook, and you could fill it with a bestseller, or an award-winning screen play, or a revolutionary cookbook, etc. Or you can use it to detail a new invention, a research project or a political policy. Or you can really nail down some goals and then track them and actually turn your own life around. Or something else broad-sweeping and important. You buy a notebook, you are (partially) buying into the idea that you yourself could be any of those things. This holds right up until... you write in the notebook. Same old to-dos, probably not even organised in the best manner. Same old self. Same old life. Nothing changes, no fresh starts for you. And new books (and new fabric, and new music, and new many things) is the same. The possibility. The whiff of "maybe this time..." that pervades. But also, it's a time thing. There are a LOT of good books (think how many are even in one solitary bookstore). There are only a finite number of reading hours in a day. And that's a whiff of possibility too, the ultimate form of escapism; that maybe one day I will have the time to read so many books that I don't have right now.
As a Canadian, we really don't talk enough about what happened to the indigenous children. Thankfully or rather sadly, ever since they discovered the mass grave of children at one of these schools, more people are paying attention to the abuse and racism that took place here. It's a part of our history we tend to ignore and overlook but the outrage of the situation and Anne with an e has a lot of people paying attention
@@carolinabergamaschi401 while I’m a sucker for the books and the 90’s movie trilogy, I really appreciate what Anne with an e did by adding that storyline. It brought so much attention to this type of problem.
living in Halifax Nova Scotia, the city where the first residential schools were established as a vast majority were operating, it astounds me that schools spend maybe 3 days covering residential schools. Anne with an E did so much for the aboriginal and I'm glad this is being discussed more and that people outside of Canada even know about the underdiscussed mass genocide.
@@af2954 honestly, I was shocked to find out about residential schools because I only learned about it in cegep of all places! I didn’t even learn about it in high school! Maybe they covered it but three days is not enough time to have kids really understand what happened. I had to do my own research. It’s about time that they start to really talk about what happened in schools and out of it.
I had forgotten your name and I literally searched “sassy British guy shitting on bad books” and RUclips came through lol. Subscribed to avoid any future mishaps 🙃
This comment made my day, currently suffering from wisdom teeth removal pain and your comment made me smile :)) (which is not best feeling, when it comes to the pain it causes, but still)
I saw a women who was indigenous and this was her favorite book. She addressed the controversy and had no problems with the author or the story. But that is only one persons perspective but it is a valuable one.
Personally I heard from an Indigenous woman who had a problem with it, so it’s definitely contentious. It’s something to keep in mind especially if you’re giving money to the creator. Just because some Indigenous people are okay with it (a valid opinion), doesn’t mean we should jsut all close our eyes and ignore any issues
@@neothepenguin1257 Yeah, of course, but drawing inspiration from the events is different from comparing. Also, if you've read the book, it's literally addressed inside of the text!
My tip for avoiding overbuying books: I think about them as puppies. I want the puppy. I would be so stoked to take the puppy home with me. But with so many puppies already at home, will I be able to give this one the time and attention it deserves? It *usually* works. And if it doesn't, those are the ones I tend to start the second I get them home.
Yes!! This works for books I buy from big bookstores or order online BUT if I find an old buy that most likely I will never see again I just have to buy it. I think the best thing I got from being obsessed with John Green in 5th grade was Alaska’s idea of collecting book your whole life because they are your life journey and you will always have them now or in 50 years
This could be the first time when someone said they didn't enjoy the book actually makes me wanna read it. I love how you review books, being specific about what you didn't like, because a descriptive slow book on mourning one's mother by a daughter is totally my kind of genre!
@@floralalune1299 oh that's great, I have also heard positive reviews of it. I am guessing it is a blend of domestic fiction and women's memoir, am I right? Will definitely pick this up soon.
@@pathbetweentrees i don’t think it is really domestic fiction, I struggle to describe it! it is just incredibly intense - I don’t understand personally why people dislike this book but like books such as Luster, My Year of Rest and Relaxation which I personally found so boring and hated the main character! I also love some of the interviews Avni Doshi has done, she’s a fascinating writer. I hope you love it as much as I did 😊
I appreciate how even when you rate a book low, you don't completely bash it. It's refreshing with many booktubers just (figuratively) burning books they didn't like.
In Australia, there was a thing called 'The Stolen Generation' which happened between 1910-1970, similar to the Native American scheme. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were abducted from their families and taking to white foster homes or orphanages. The Rabbit Proof Fence is a brilliant book about the Stolen Generation that I think you would consider it a great read.
Oh I remember watching the movie adaptation of Rabbit Proof Fence in school. Just that was powerful. It was part of our English class where we were learning about the cultures and histories of countries who speak English around the world.
As a Canadian trying to reconcile a country that has a world wide reputation of kindness that also has committed - and arguably continues to commit - cultural genocide (because let’s be clear, most children that went into residential schools did not survive) is incredibly difficult. Having a narrative that addresses how people can change in both perspective and action helps give me hope that the work being put in now to right these wrongs will result in a Canada worth being proud of.
These are good points and definitely things we need to think about. It's important to listen to Indigenous leaders-something the government says they do but does not play out like that when you look at the legislation that's been passed even in the last twenty to thirty years. I hope that as we uncover the remains of those who died at the schools, our country continues to think about and listen to the Indigenous communities around us now. We cannot let it fade into yesterday's news as Indigenous people continue to face systemic racism.
World wide reputation of kindness? Not in Latin America. Go and research about what canadians mining companies do to native latin american people TODAY.
I'm from Quebec and I'm really glad people are paying more attention to this. It's something that is barely addressed in the school system and I honestly knew very little about our history of racism against the indigenous and the residential schools until 2 - 3 years ago in cegep and university. It's horrifying what happened to these children.
@@andres.alegre i think yes in latin america. I'm Colombian and Canadians still have a very good reputation in the cities because a lot of people don't care or don't know about Canadian companies mining in the amazonas for example, so there's a huge lack of information here too sadly. ):
I'm so happy to subscribe to someone who makes it a point to be well informed when it comes to the books you are reading. However, the trauma you discussed suffered by indigenous peoples was not the source material. It was one of the things that inspired him to write about trauma. It is NOT a fantasy retelling of a terrible thing perpetuated by white people. I think it is important to note that. Inspiration does not equal retelling. There is definitely human-saviorism in the book that can be equated to white saviorism in discussions, but it is just that, a discussion point, not a stark equivalency.
English isn't my first language so it can be hard sometimes for me to express what I think but you did it very well. They're is a difference between retelling and just hearing about something that make you think more deeply about certain aspects of life and make you want to talk about the things you discovered (or think about). The subject of the book is very different from the part of history that make him think about writing about trauma and how society push for people to all fit in the same box.
As a Canadian, just thought I’d pop in here to shed a tiny bit more light on our history, and present, with Residential Schools. The last School didn’t actually close until 1996, which is hard to comprehend as someone born in 2002. Residential Schools feel like such an archaic idea, but they were still open just before my lifetime. All this being said, there have been many unmarked graves of children found this past year in relation to Residential Schools, so if this is a part of Canada’s history you’re unfamiliar with, now is a great time to learn and educate to better understand and empathize with the horror and deep sadness Canada’s Indigenous people are constantly dealing with.
Correction: the last school was “a day school” which was on reserve (communities of indigenous folks) so the last school was still teaching European ideas but the children weren’t taken away from their families
currently stuck in a tent during a thunderstorm but that’s okay because I’ve got Jack Edwards Edit:omgg thank you for the nice comments making sure I was okay!! The storms are due to start again but we’ve packed up and left so I’ll be fine!!
I just love Jack’s balanced perspective on Cerulean Sea in this video bc on twitter it’s very either ‘this book is cancelled never touch it’ or people defending the book to the point of completely ignoring indigenous voices
Learning that I can scan books to load them on goodreads has honestly been the most important thing I’ve learned during this pandemic (and I’ve been doing a physics major)
Perhaps we have learned that Jack is starting to be a book mum as "live, laugh, love" and that if somebody doesn't like a book that doesn't mean you wouldn't!
The lost generation you talk about that happened in Canada is called the Stolen Generation in Australia. Different country. Same unfortunate story. And I do feel it was more stolen than lost.
I personally thought Circe was brilliant, just as good as the Song of Achilles, but there was a much greater emphasis on the Greek god mythology aspects, there was a lot of interesting little plot notes in relation to different Greek myths other than the central Circe myth which was really good. If you like Greek myth at all you'll probably like circe a lot. Also I personally I liked the first banner the most, it's very bright and eye catching.
I read The House in the Cerulean Sea while writing my thesis on becoming and remaining nonprejudiced because I was too stressed about my thesis and second wave of COVID had hit India, and the book gave me a little joy during really uncertain times. I was also pleasantly suprised that the book dealt with overcoming prejudice. I didn't have the time to research on the source material of the book back then, so thank you for enlightening me on that, I have a more balanced perspective about the book now.
your reviews of the books are insanely insightful. i love how you researched the source material for the house in the cerulean sea, i think it’s really important and often overlooked.
From being a non reader to a person who reads 2 books per week 🥰 I have definitely come a long way. Thank you ❤️ Jack for inspiring me. Love from India 🇮🇳✨
“I literally cannot stop myself from buying books” I’ve been in another lockdown for 6 weeks and I’ve bought over 20 books so far, so I understand your problem
I love that you gave a few quotes you enjoyed from the lower rated book!! That might not be for everyone but I appreciated it since I won’t end up reading many of these!
I really appreciate you addressing the controversy around The House in the Cerulean Sea!! I haven't seen many people on booktube talk about it, but I do think it's important!
I never felt like Linus was supposed to be the saviour. I always saw Arthur as the saviour and Linus as just the person that learned to put aside black and white rules and fall in love with living life authentically. Obviously, I cannot make the decision of whether the author had the right to tell this story, but I do think he did so in a good way. At no point did I feel like the children should change to fit in, or that Linus was the hero, or that the town was so great for finally accepting them. I understand that for people who might have racist values this story might still read like a white saviour story and that is never a good thing. I don't think it was written to be a white saviour story though. I loved the story, I loved the kids, and I cried for the thousands of indigenous children that were forced out of their homes. that doesn't mean that I see this book without flaws and I am definitely open to change my mind about it if it will negatively impact the lives of indigenous people whether or not that was the author's attention. but if this was for example written about autistic kids who used to be locked up in asylums etc I would not have taken offence to it I think, I am autistic myself, but maybe I would have, I will never know because I didn't read it with that experience. I really hope I don't offend anyone, that is certainly not my intention. I know it is not my place to judge if this book is problematic or not, if I did say something offensive then please let me know so I can change it.
I started reading immidiately when Jack mentioned it was fantasy and I'm currently on the 9th chapter. I agree, Linus doesn't seem like a saviour, just a spectator, he isn't the one responsible for these children, Arthur is. Though I am not far in the story, I'm enjoying it. My first book since 6th grade that I got to reading
I just finished reading The House in a Cerulean Sea. I didn’t know about it’s source material before. Thank you for sharing that information in this video!
OMG YOUR COPY OF CIRCE IS LITERALLY STUNNING! also, I've read it and I honestly loved it sooo much. The writing style is incredible and I love how Madeline Miller based the story on a seemingly "unimportant" character. At first I was also really nervous to read it, because I thought I was going to be disappointed because the song of achilles is my fav book ever lol.... But then I read it and I was like...wow, how tf did I survive without reading that?
I love how Jack is so aware of the white privilege in books and in society in general, and also supports feminism and the LGBTQ+ community; we need more men like him. 😭💘
there's lots of decent people. But decent people also don't' usually keen to blame themselves in things they're not guilty for and bashing themselves for being "privileged". Don't you see that it's pure hypocrisy? People love to be trendy and things. Dunno about you but decent people usually don't put other people in "problematic"-bucket just because they have even a little different opinion. For me (again, I never had any problem with different people because of their race or sex, feels silly to make disclaimers like this) when a person says things like "white privileged author doesn't have right to write fantasy..." and it's totally OK - it's terrifying how racist it is. When assuming people's races became cool?
@@yinhannasjournal 1. I'm very sorry about the guy who responded to you. 2. I honestly love how he points out that it's weird, but then DOESN'T try to explain it himself. He's just says "I don't think this guy has the right to talk about this" and then moves on with his life, and specifically finds authors who he believes do have the right to talk about those struggles. Chefs kiss for my man Jack
Woah! I didn't expect there to be so many unread books but that mini montage just blew my little mind. Now, I'm not embarassed about my unread books lol.
I recently started a new job, I love it, I'm very lucky but as a bonus I found two new book loving employees and we started our own mini book club. Books really bring people together x
If I am remembering right, the author of the House in the Cerulean Sea already had the cute characters and the setting sort of figured out but needed an idea for… the antagonistic force for his characters, give them a reason to be together, and grabbed the idea while reading a quick toned-down summary of what happened in Canada with the residential schools. I think it was a mistake to mention the source of his idea, when he clearly didn’t think of it past there and never set out to explore what happened in Canada through his story, he just took the idea and ran lol
I’m so happy that you decided to discuss the controversy with Cerulean Sea. I completely agree. I think the white savior aspect of it is certainly problematic, but in itself it could also work as an allegory to many disenfranchised minorities. Before I knew of the controversy, i genuinely thought it was about the lgbtqia+ experience, seeing as the author himself is part of the community, so it really resonated with me and moved me in so many moments. The whole equating a minority to monsters didn’t bother me because it’s just about perception of what monsters are. In the story’s universe they are genuinely painted as people with certain abilities or differences, that are only rejected because of what people, in their learned prejudice, believe they are, much like the lgbt+ community or many other minorities. However, if the story is written by someone who isn’t a prt of the community that the book is based on, someone who doesn’t and cannot fully understand that experience and horrible trauma, then the whole monster allegory begins to rub me the wrong way. I do think it’s good that it’s shined a light on this part of history, but I’d certainly suggest doing some research afterwards, and learning from this author’s mistakes.
Every single indigenous person I saw talking about this book didn’t give a shit about what the author said or wrote. A few of them have actually criticized the ones that said things like Jack. Most authors are inspired by history they aren’t part of. For example the historical fiction genre would be dead by now if your and Jack’s opinion would be the one of the general public. There are so many stories about the Second World War and the people who had to flee even though they aren’t part of that history. Also how many straight people write queer love stories. Look at the m/m ya romance books. More than 90% of them are written by women, a lot of them aren’t even queer. Also how many white straight romance novels are out there that include the forbidden love trope. I agree that there are some stories that some people shouldn’t write. For example a few years ago a white American woman wrote a literary fiction novel about a Mexican immigrant woman and most people thought that the book was own voices even though it wasn’t. But you cannot control what people are inspired by and most of the time it’s history or the news. Most authors are inspired by history they aren’t part of but unlike Klune they don’t say it out loud.
You are not the only one who lets stuff rubbing the wrong way for the reason you mentioned, i’ve noticed there is a trend and a bias going around now days. I remember a while back seeing a book about dictatorship and communism in my country, written by a foreign author. And my first thoughts were ‘ how dares him..who does he think he is to write about the oppression and trauma that we lived in …’. However I understood that it doesn’t matter who the author is . What matters is to take the message across, to let it be heard as far as possible so people can hear it, and in time to understand it. It annoys me when i see people reducing a book to not much ( even though their initial thought that the read is good ) just because the author is not that or is not the other thing , is not to part of that community. It’s wrong to think this way, to cancel a voice for this reason. Otherwise there wont be enough voices to sing that song. So no, dont get sucked into this trend, dont let it rub the wrong way, dont look for reasons to dismiss a good book.
@@localabsurdist6661 ok who are u talking abt? link me. im an indigenous person who feels rubbed wrong, so am i to be discarded just because im in opposition to other native voices?
I haven't personally read him because he's not my genre but try Mark Oshiro. He's LGBTQ+ and has done a lot in raising awareness for minorities as a minority and write stories that are very specific to his trauma and life experiences.
@@4-1-19 i did try to read Anger is a Gift but had to DNF it unfortunately at about 100 pages. The book definitely had its heart in the right place but I just couldn’t get past the poor writing. The story just went in circles and kind of tried to explain every identity as if trying to justify itself including diversity. A much better example imo is Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender or Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian.
Hi, Canadian here! I really enjoy your videos and content, and really appreciate you talking about some of the source material for House in the Cerulean Sea! I think your description is a tiny bit off though, in that indigenous children weren't just put into foster care-- they were forced into a resident school where they were forced to learn how to assimilate into European culture, often ended up murdered or never heard from again, and some sold into slavery. Again, super super appreciative that you've even scratched the surface of this topic and are sharing it with your audience, I just wanted to elaborate for those that care to know a little more!
I honestly loved all of the banners, but especially 2, it really fits your channel I think. Also thank you for the entertainment during this boring summer x
I loved cerulean sea because I genuinely did not realize what the source material was. I think a lot of people who love the book do not know what it was based on. I knew a lot of elemants felt very real especially the parts about the schools but I didnt know exactly what it was based on
OMG, He's back!! Watched your Wattpad Video, and I literally had to pause the video, to laugh, so that I don't miss what you both are saying next... Can't wait to watch this one!
I just finished reading 'CIRCE' last night. I'm shocked you haven't read it yet. Millers' writing has been improved so much in this one. The flow of the story was so rhythmic and absolutely beautiful. I personally liked 'CIRCE' more than 'The Song of Achilles'
holy shit i had no idea that the house on the cerulean sea was based on the sixties scoop???? that is so wild. i completely agree with you about facilitating conversation but at the same time, a lot of people who were kidnapped by the canadian government aren’t even elderly yet. i would be interested to know how they feel about the book…
it’s really interesting that you make the comparison between cerulean sea and refugees/immigrant populations. the fact that this book is fantasy lends itself well to be viewed in the context of any marginalized group I think. I never thought about it in the refugee/immigrant context. when I was reading it, I immediately saw it in the context of the disabled community, the history of institutionalism, etc., especially the fear and misunderstanding that historically surround those with mental, intellectual or physical disabilities. I guess it depends what is more salient to you as a person, but I find it cool that one story can be viewed through different lenses. I didn’t know about the Canadian controversy when reading it; my initial thoughts were that it was a charming book that a lot of people who feel marginalized could relate to, and for those who don’t identify with marginalized identities, an encouragement not necessarily to “save”, but simply be curious, kind and respectful about identities that we will never be able to understand because we aren’t living it
Saw The House in the Cerulean Sea in the cover and had to watch the video. It might be my favourite book I read this year. I feel like children would become more efficient and confident if we teach them the way Arthur was teaching and training them, I wish our schooling system could adopt that. Also, that poem about paper is my absolute favourite.
I did my research on house on the cerulean sea, cause it was on my TBR when all broke loose... I was certain I wasn’t going to pick it up now. It was also very complicated to find more information him addressing the situation and also the way the subject was treated in the book (because I didn’t read it) and now, thanks to you, I will definitely pick it up to understand what exactly is wrong... sometimes we can learn from books that make mistakes too, so thank you jack, I think that will be very informative 😊
The house in the cerulean sea is one my favourite books, I didn’t find out about the controversy surrounding it until after I’d read it and at the time I read the forced assimilation as a queer allegory, throughout history we’ve been forced to assimilate so I read it as more of a story about the experiences of queer people taken to a fantasy setting with the schools and orphanages being an allegory for conversion camps and the many other institutions that were created to either ‘fix’ queer folks or just punish us for existing. I definitely see where the backlash is coming from though and agree that it opens up really interesting conversations about representation
@@ashtaylor4107 You don't (necessarily) pick what inspires you. If he was reading stories about children being separated from their families, any one of them could have given him the spark of inspiration that ended up evolving into this story. I don't know what the author has actually said, since this is the first time I was made aware of the inspiration and the controversy over the book. Just, as an artist and writer myself, what inspires you isn't necessarily in your hands. I can name inspirations behind my art and stories. Sometimes I need to stop and think before I can find what could have inspired them and sometimes I remember having an actual moment of inspiration from something I saw or read. We say inspiration here, but we don't necessarily know if it was the first spark that started the idea or if it was something that was referenced and researched. Well, seeing as its a book that got published, I'm sure he actually did research it. But he might have also researched other similar incidences like what the original commenter here said. The baseline vibe you get while reading is that the children as separated because they're different, and these particular children are separated because they're _extremely_ different. There's hints of societies that have been totally destroyed, but there's so little worldbuilding that its hard to tell. I know there's actual context, but in the end its themes talk about something general enough that you can attribute this to _a lot_ of humanity's history and actions over the years. I know context is important, but as the reader the book is out of the author's hands and we can attribute whatever context we get out of it as we read. Sorry for the novel of a response. I hope you have a good day!
As a black-American, I personally saw heavy segregation themes in it. The themes of oppression are so common in the world it is easy to find it in other times in history
A very good indigenous made podcast, "Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo," is a brilliant narrative of the 60s scoop and the generational trauma and fallout from that.
Considering the blood-soaked and very recent history of residential schools in Canada (last one closing in 1998) where the bodies of now thousands of children have been found and survivors have stories of child abuse and rape about puts it in an even worse light. It was not something to sanitize and put into a book
That quote about grieving for someone who is gone yet is still too soon to burn the body, struck home. My dad has Alzheimer's. We grieved the loss of the adult, but embraced the new person who was more child-like. Then we grieved the loss of that child as an even younger child took his place. And with each step, we grieved what was lost and embraced and loved what emerged and what was left. He's now non-communicative, can't walk, and may or may not recognize us when we visit (with covid, we couldn't visit for 9 months so lost a good portion of what little time was left--but, it was worth it because that care home was one of the few in our province that didn't have any covid at all). But, sometimes he will still look at us, respond with a nod or a laugh, before disappearing again. There's so little of who he was left yet we will still grieve when even that disappears.
Oh 🥺 I'm so sorry you're going through such a difficult thing 😔 I like the way you're taking it one step at a time. Sending you good vibes and strength when it's most needed 💕
i've actually read all of the books on my personal shelf, but my parents have hundreds of books around the house that i could do this for. however, i am in the process of reading 3 books so maybe i should take a step back and finish those before i start on more lol
Appreciate you bringing up the issues of Klune's book and how intricate it is and the white savior part of it def doesn't sit well after more reflection. Like banner #1! This motivated me to try to some challenges to get through my unread books which are getting close to 200 and is just aghh!
I LOVED Circe, the writing was so lyrically beautiful and it was amazing seeing how Circe develops as a character. One of my favourite reads this year!
Can’t believe you are the first booktuber I’ve heard discuss the indigenous schools of Canada and their relation to the Cerulean Sea I had no idea the author was pulling from that reference and it really puts a deeper meaning into the story. In a way it makes me like the book more because when I read it I thought it just felt like a childish middle grade but now that I’ve made that connection, the themes hold a bit more weight and depth.
I like the first banner best because your name is prominent and the tagline smartly featured, but also because it has a reference to the world in it and I feel it's very you. Also also, the cheery colours in it remind me of your stationery line - I know it's not the same palette at all, but the very fact of being bright and colourful and joyful. The other two banners are more academia, and I feel like you evolved from just that. Idk imho lol
This is such a great idea and I am defiantly doing it. I have lots of feelings about burnt sugar, I think you’re right in that maybe a lived experience would definitely make some people understand it more and enjoy it more but for me I think the complexity of that relationship, the fact that no one was the good guy and no one was the victim, and the writing, I think it was a stellar book for that. I love when authors let the reader decide who to root for because then you have to reflect on your decisions that led you to root for that unlikeable character. Great video.
I don't know if I should read where the crawdads sing because delia owens stepson and husband are said to have killed poachers in Zambia and the whole story around it is so weird
15:40 - Just a heads up in regards to the controversy, just this year hundreds of these "fostered" children were dug up from under the "homes" where they were taken to. That isn't even accounting for the thousands who haven't been found yet.
The mother and daughter book reminded of a Korean Novel titled “Please Look After Mom” and that made me cry so much. Hope you’d read it! Would love to hear your thoughts
THANK YOU for the nuanced conversation around The House in the Cerulean Sea and how things are not either good OR controversial, but usually so much more complicated than that!!
The combination of both you and Daniel Greene are the reason I have bought so many books recently and have gone through the effort to make a beautiful bookshelf.
House on the Cerulean Sea felt like Walter Mitty became a social worker for hilarious, dangerous, magical children. Loved it, cried at it, quite possibly my favourite read of my adult life.
Finally someone who had the exact same thoughts about the house in the cerulean sea. A very cozy and fluffy and feel good read but it didn't live up to the sky high expectations (set by other booktubers) for me because it was just so predictable. Not just the ending, but also most of the journey of getting there. I also gave it 4 stars for those reasons and I did read about the discussion/controversy after I finished it and I think one should keep those points in mind when it comes to this book
Okay I cannot tell you how much I love seeing your videos. I have been following and sharing this channel for months now, when I realised I have never ever commented on any of the videos. So here is just a shoutout to the amazing work that you're doing !!!
that's the problem with allegorical discrimination, authors usually differentiate between one group and another by giving them super powers or other abilities that would make them "dangerous" while in real life discrimination happens on aspects that are harmless, like skin color or nationality. it's not a a good representation :/ anyways, banner two is my pick
I'd love it if you did a Shuggie Bain reading vlog, really curious whether you'd like it - I just finished it yesterday and while my heart is broken I absolutely adored it!
I have two of the same unread books as you (thursday murder club and where the crawdads sing). I'm currently having the same book-buying problem, I should probably read the ones I own before buying more right now
Firstly you have a marvelous taste (for me, a non expert) and secondly a gigantic i love you for just buying and having on your to read list circe and the circle, two of my favourite books that i really love and made me so happy and excited to see :)
You should look into the hundred if not more graves recently discovered in Canada - and the Catholic church’s response. It’s pretty disgusting and abhorrent.
I really loved burnt sugar and read it all in one day I couldn't put it down! I was surprised that it had the lowest rating but on reflection I can see how it might not have been to everyone's liking! Loved this video :)
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
okay but buying books and reading books are two very different hobbies
honestly I feel this but also for me its "buying yarn and knitting are two very different hobbies"
@@GretaZewe Same. Add in buying fabric and sewing are two different hobbies. I have entirely too much yarn and fabric.
Stationery too
I disagree. What’s the point of having books if they are never read?
The point is possibility. It's the same with stationery. Buy a new notebook, and you could fill it with a bestseller, or an award-winning screen play, or a revolutionary cookbook, etc. Or you can use it to detail a new invention, a research project or a political policy. Or you can really nail down some goals and then track them and actually turn your own life around. Or something else broad-sweeping and important. You buy a notebook, you are (partially) buying into the idea that you yourself could be any of those things. This holds right up until... you write in the notebook. Same old to-dos, probably not even organised in the best manner. Same old self. Same old life. Nothing changes, no fresh starts for you.
And new books (and new fabric, and new music, and new many things) is the same. The possibility. The whiff of "maybe this time..." that pervades.
But also, it's a time thing. There are a LOT of good books (think how many are even in one solitary bookstore). There are only a finite number of reading hours in a day. And that's a whiff of possibility too, the ultimate form of escapism; that maybe one day I will have the time to read so many books that I don't have right now.
As a Canadian, we really don't talk enough about what happened to the indigenous children. Thankfully or rather sadly, ever since they discovered the mass grave of children at one of these schools, more people are paying attention to the abuse and racism that took place here. It's a part of our history we tend to ignore and overlook but the outrage of the situation and Anne with an e has a lot of people paying attention
YEEESS i was looking for the Anne with an e comment cause it was the first thing that came into mind !!!!
@@carolinabergamaschi401 while I’m a sucker for the books and the 90’s movie trilogy, I really appreciate what Anne with an e did by adding that storyline. It brought so much attention to this type of problem.
It’s literally taught quite extensively in elementary school to all children, so I don’t agree with your first sentence. The rest I agree with though.
living in Halifax Nova Scotia, the city where the first residential schools were established as a vast majority were operating, it astounds me that schools spend maybe 3 days covering residential schools. Anne with an E did so much for the aboriginal and I'm glad this is being discussed more and that people outside of Canada even know about the underdiscussed mass genocide.
@@af2954 honestly, I was shocked to find out about residential schools because I only learned about it in cegep of all places! I didn’t even learn about it in high school! Maybe they covered it but three days is not enough time to have kids really understand what happened. I had to do my own research. It’s about time that they start to really talk about what happened in schools and out of it.
"I literally can not stop myself from buying books" felt this in my soul 😩✊
We’re supposed to stop?
Me but with pens
buying new books >>> reading the ones u already have
Sis same😩✋ Also Name Twin!!💖
omg same. I think covid is the best that could ever happen to my bookshelf 😂
Jack: “I have 79 unread books on my shelf, which is SHAMEFUL”
Me with my TBR list of 790: 👁👄👁
Damn
Mine is 179 lol
Same
Mine is 145 😭😭🤌
no way
I had forgotten your name and I literally searched “sassy British guy shitting on bad books” and RUclips came through lol. Subscribed to avoid any future mishaps 🙃
HSLKDGNVKLSHGKNVSFLGKVNSLGVNA
This comment made my day, currently suffering from wisdom teeth removal pain and your comment made me smile :)) (which is not best feeling, when it comes to the pain it causes, but still)
LMAO
@@alejandrososa2016 random letters very creative
HELPPPPPP
I saw a women who was indigenous and this was her favorite book. She addressed the controversy and had no problems with the author or the story. But that is only one persons perspective but it is a valuable one.
Do you have a link? I'd really like to find out more
Personally I heard from an Indigenous woman who had a problem with it, so it’s definitely contentious. It’s something to keep in mind especially if you’re giving money to the creator. Just because some Indigenous people are okay with it (a valid opinion), doesn’t mean we should jsut all close our eyes and ignore any issues
@@neothepenguin1257 Yeah, of course, but drawing inspiration from the events is different from comparing. Also, if you've read the book, it's literally addressed inside of the text!
My tip for avoiding overbuying books: I think about them as puppies. I want the puppy. I would be so stoked to take the puppy home with me. But with so many puppies already at home, will I be able to give this one the time and attention it deserves?
It *usually* works. And if it doesn't, those are the ones I tend to start the second I get them home.
that's the greatest tip ever omg, thank you
that’s genius
Yes!! This works for books I buy from big bookstores or order online BUT if I find an old buy that most likely I will never see again I just have to buy it.
I think the best thing I got from being obsessed with John Green in 5th grade was Alaska’s idea of collecting book your whole life because they are your life journey and you will always have them now or in 50 years
this is the smartist thing i've ever heard oh my lord
@@melisalovin5052 Definitely not 100% effective. Sometimes I just *need* that puppy lol
This could be the first time when someone said they didn't enjoy the book actually makes me wanna read it. I love how you review books, being specific about what you didn't like, because a descriptive slow book on mourning one's mother by a daughter is totally my kind of genre!
Same! He's so good at describing books he made me want to read both the "good" and the "bad" book😂
It was my favourite book of 2020 - it’s amazing!!!!!
@@floralalune1299 oh that's great, I have also heard positive reviews of it. I am guessing it is a blend of domestic fiction and women's memoir, am I right? Will definitely pick this up soon.
@@pathbetweentrees i don’t think it is really domestic fiction, I struggle to describe it! it is just incredibly intense - I don’t understand personally why people dislike this book but like books such as Luster, My Year of Rest and Relaxation which I personally found so boring and hated the main character! I also love some of the interviews Avni Doshi has done, she’s a fascinating writer. I hope you love it as much as I did 😊
I appreciate how even when you rate a book low, you don't completely bash it. It's refreshing with many booktubers just (figuratively) burning books they didn't like.
ikrrr that's why I absolutely love watching Jack's vids
Yes, I agree! Even for a bad book, the author has spent so many hours, maybe even years of his life that it's worth the respect Jack shows them. :)
In Australia, there was a thing called 'The Stolen Generation' which happened between 1910-1970, similar to the Native American scheme. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were abducted from their families and taking to white foster homes or orphanages. The Rabbit Proof Fence is a brilliant book about the Stolen Generation that I think you would consider it a great read.
The Rabbit Proof Fence is also a brilliant film, we watched it in school twice when learning about aboriginal history.
@@maudhaugland5822 agree Rabbit Proof Fence is also a heart breaker
Oh I remember watching the movie adaptation of Rabbit Proof Fence in school. Just that was powerful. It was part of our English class where we were learning about the cultures and histories of countries who speak English around the world.
The Yield by Tara June Winch is an excellent book that touches on this topic.❤️
I honestly thought he was talking about the stolen generation at first.
As a Canadian trying to reconcile a country that has a world wide reputation of kindness that also has committed - and arguably continues to commit - cultural genocide (because let’s be clear, most children that went into residential schools did not survive) is incredibly difficult. Having a narrative that addresses how people can change in both perspective and action helps give me hope that the work being put in now to right these wrongs will result in a Canada worth being proud of.
These are good points and definitely things we need to think about. It's important to listen to Indigenous leaders-something the government says they do but does not play out like that when you look at the legislation that's been passed even in the last twenty to thirty years. I hope that as we uncover the remains of those who died at the schools, our country continues to think about and listen to the Indigenous communities around us now. We cannot let it fade into yesterday's news as Indigenous people continue to face systemic racism.
World wide reputation of kindness? Not in Latin America. Go and research about what canadians mining companies do to native latin american people TODAY.
I'm from Quebec and I'm really glad people are paying more attention to this. It's something that is barely addressed in the school system and I honestly knew very little about our history of racism against the indigenous and the residential schools until 2 - 3 years ago in cegep and university. It's horrifying what happened to these children.
@@andres.alegre I will do my research, I promise.
@@andres.alegre i think yes in latin america. I'm Colombian and Canadians still have a very good reputation in the cities because a lot of people don't care or don't know about Canadian companies mining in the amazonas for example, so there's a huge lack of information here too sadly. ):
I'm so happy to subscribe to someone who makes it a point to be well informed when it comes to the books you are reading. However, the trauma you discussed suffered by indigenous peoples was not the source material. It was one of the things that inspired him to write about trauma. It is NOT a fantasy retelling of a terrible thing perpetuated by white people. I think it is important to note that. Inspiration does not equal retelling. There is definitely human-saviorism in the book that can be equated to white saviorism in discussions, but it is just that, a discussion point, not a stark equivalency.
Thank you for this information!
English isn't my first language so it can be hard sometimes for me to express what I think but you did it very well.
They're is a difference between retelling and just hearing about something that make you think more deeply about certain aspects of life and make you want to talk about the things you discovered (or think about).
The subject of the book is very different from the part of history that make him think about writing about trauma and how society push for people to all fit in the same box.
@@kedemo4602 Stated beautifully, and I completely agree.
Agreed
Jack never disappoints. I never knew the *genocide* in Canada is related to the House in the Cerulean sea.
Genocide*
!!!
@@jennam4448 thank you for correcting me
As a Canadian, just thought I’d pop in here to shed a tiny bit more light on our history, and present, with Residential Schools. The last School didn’t actually close until 1996, which is hard to comprehend as someone born in 2002. Residential Schools feel like such an archaic idea, but they were still open just before my lifetime. All this being said, there have been many unmarked graves of children found this past year in relation to Residential Schools, so if this is a part of Canada’s history you’re unfamiliar with, now is a great time to learn and educate to better understand and empathize with the horror and deep sadness Canada’s Indigenous people are constantly dealing with.
Correction: the last school was “a day school” which was on reserve (communities of indigenous folks) so the last school was still teaching European ideas but the children weren’t taken away from their families
currently stuck in a tent during a thunderstorm but that’s okay because I’ve got Jack Edwards
Edit:omgg thank you for the nice comments making sure I was okay!! The storms are due to start again but we’ve packed up and left so I’ll be fine!!
you poor thing... camping kinda sucks sometimes lmao
omg are you okay do you need saving
Good luck I guess 😀
the jack edwards grind doesn’t stop
@Keely Heusinkveld nothing but the truth
I just love Jack’s balanced perspective on Cerulean Sea in this video bc on twitter it’s very either ‘this book is cancelled never touch it’ or people defending the book to the point of completely ignoring indigenous voices
banner #1 is my favourite but i think banner #2 will fit your channel aesthetic more 👁️👄👁️
Agreed
you stole my words
exactly what i thought
exactly what I thought
Exactly😌
Learning that I can scan books to load them on goodreads has honestly been the most important thing I’ve learned during this pandemic (and I’ve been doing a physics major)
Perhaps we have learned that Jack is starting to be a book mum as "live, laugh, love" and that if somebody doesn't like a book that doesn't mean you wouldn't!
The lost generation you talk about that happened in Canada is called the Stolen Generation in Australia. Different country. Same unfortunate story. And I do feel it was more stolen than lost.
I personally thought Circe was brilliant, just as good as the Song of Achilles, but there was a much greater emphasis on the Greek god mythology aspects, there was a lot of interesting little plot notes in relation to different Greek myths other than the central Circe myth which was really good. If you like Greek myth at all you'll probably like circe a lot.
Also I personally I liked the first banner the most, it's very bright and eye catching.
I actually enjoyed Circe more than The Song of Achilles, loved them both though.
@@Ekaekto same! i enjoyed circe even more then song of achilles, i loved it!
Ahh yes my favourite app “goof reads”
I kind of want him to change his channel name to this 😂
I read The House in the Cerulean Sea while writing my thesis on becoming and remaining nonprejudiced because I was too stressed about my thesis and second wave of COVID had hit India, and the book gave me a little joy during really uncertain times. I was also pleasantly suprised that the book dealt with overcoming prejudice. I didn't have the time to research on the source material of the book back then, so thank you for enlightening me on that, I have a more balanced perspective about the book now.
Jack (and me) seeing a good book in a store: "I'm weak my love, and I am wanting"
Me and my 30 unreaded books!
@@capripoa ayo can you share?
your reviews of the books are insanely insightful. i love how you researched the source material for the house in the cerulean sea, i think it’s really important and often overlooked.
From being a non reader to a person who reads 2 books per week 🥰 I have definitely come a long way. Thank you ❤️ Jack for inspiring me. Love from India 🇮🇳✨
I'm so glad you addressed the controversy over House in the Cerulean sea. A lot of people don't know about it, and thank you for talking about it!
“I literally cannot stop myself from buying books” I’ve been in another lockdown for 6 weeks and I’ve bought over 20 books so far, so I understand your problem
I love that you gave a few quotes you enjoyed from the lower rated book!! That might not be for everyone but I appreciated it since I won’t end up reading many of these!
"I am weak" No you're not Jack, you read wattpad fanfics for our entertainment.
This comment though!
I really appreciate you addressing the controversy around The House in the Cerulean Sea!! I haven't seen many people on booktube talk about it, but I do think it's important!
I never felt like Linus was supposed to be the saviour. I always saw Arthur as the saviour and Linus as just the person that learned to put aside black and white rules and fall in love with living life authentically. Obviously, I cannot make the decision of whether the author had the right to tell this story, but I do think he did so in a good way. At no point did I feel like the children should change to fit in, or that Linus was the hero, or that the town was so great for finally accepting them. I understand that for people who might have racist values this story might still read like a white saviour story and that is never a good thing. I don't think it was written to be a white saviour story though.
I loved the story, I loved the kids, and I cried for the thousands of indigenous children that were forced out of their homes. that doesn't mean that I see this book without flaws and I am definitely open to change my mind about it if it will negatively impact the lives of indigenous people whether or not that was the author's attention. but if this was for example written about autistic kids who used to be locked up in asylums etc I would not have taken offence to it I think, I am autistic myself, but maybe I would have, I will never know because I didn't read it with that experience.
I really hope I don't offend anyone, that is certainly not my intention. I know it is not my place to judge if this book is problematic or not, if I did say something offensive then please let me know so I can change it.
I started reading immidiately when Jack mentioned it was fantasy and I'm currently on the 9th chapter. I agree, Linus doesn't seem like a saviour, just a spectator, he isn't the one responsible for these children, Arthur is. Though I am not far in the story, I'm enjoying it. My first book since 6th grade that I got to reading
I just finished reading The House in a Cerulean Sea. I didn’t know about it’s source material before. Thank you for sharing that information in this video!
OMG YOUR COPY OF CIRCE IS LITERALLY STUNNING! also, I've read it and I honestly loved it sooo much. The writing style is incredible and I love how Madeline Miller based the story on a seemingly "unimportant" character. At first I was also really nervous to read it, because I thought I was going to be disappointed because the song of achilles is my fav book ever lol....
But then I read it and I was like...wow, how tf did I survive without reading that?
I love how Jack is so aware of the white privilege in books and in society in general, and also supports feminism and the LGBTQ+ community; we need more men like him. 😭💘
You mean decent people? I agree
@@rowanw1312 Sadly, there's not that many decent people... T.T
there's lots of decent people. But decent people also don't' usually keen to blame themselves in things they're not guilty for and bashing themselves for being "privileged".
Don't you see that it's pure hypocrisy? People love to be trendy and things.
Dunno about you but decent people usually don't put other people in "problematic"-bucket just because they have even a little different opinion.
For me (again, I never had any problem with different people because of their race or sex, feels silly to make disclaimers like this) when a person says things like "white privileged author doesn't have right to write fantasy..." and it's totally OK - it's terrifying how racist it is.
When assuming people's races became cool?
@@yinhannasjournal 1. I'm very sorry about the guy who responded to you. 2. I honestly love how he points out that it's weird, but then DOESN'T try to explain it himself. He's just says "I don't think this guy has the right to talk about this" and then moves on with his life, and specifically finds authors who he believes do have the right to talk about those struggles. Chefs kiss for my man Jack
@@4-1-19 Thank you, and I absolutely agree with you. ♥
Woah! I didn't expect there to be so many unread books but that mini montage just blew my little mind. Now, I'm not embarassed about my unread books lol.
"I'm so convinced I'll love it, that I'm genuinely scared to be disappointed." I relate to that so much.
I recently started a new job, I love it, I'm very lucky but as a bonus I found two new book loving employees and we started our own mini book club.
Books really bring people together x
🥰
If I am remembering right, the author of the House in the Cerulean Sea already had the cute characters and the setting sort of figured out but needed an idea for… the antagonistic force for his characters, give them a reason to be together, and grabbed the idea while reading a quick toned-down summary of what happened in Canada with the residential schools. I think it was a mistake to mention the source of his idea, when he clearly didn’t think of it past there and never set out to explore what happened in Canada through his story, he just took the idea and ran lol
banner #1 is AMAZING but i think #2 fits your aesthetic perfectly. and #3 is great too but #2 fits the channel better imo :)
I’m so happy that you decided to discuss the controversy with Cerulean Sea. I completely agree. I think the white savior aspect of it is certainly problematic, but in itself it could also work as an allegory to many disenfranchised minorities. Before I knew of the controversy, i genuinely thought it was about the lgbtqia+ experience, seeing as the author himself is part of the community, so it really resonated with me and moved me in so many moments. The whole equating a minority to monsters didn’t bother me because it’s just about perception of what monsters are. In the story’s universe they are genuinely painted as people with certain abilities or differences, that are only rejected because of what people, in their learned prejudice, believe they are, much like the lgbt+ community or many other minorities.
However, if the story is written by someone who isn’t a prt of the community that the book is based on, someone who doesn’t and cannot fully understand that experience and horrible trauma, then the whole monster allegory begins to rub me the wrong way.
I do think it’s good that it’s shined a light on this part of history, but I’d certainly suggest doing some research afterwards, and learning from this author’s mistakes.
Every single indigenous person I saw talking about this book didn’t give a shit about what the author said or wrote. A few of them have actually criticized the ones that said things like Jack. Most authors are inspired by history they aren’t part of. For example the historical fiction genre would be dead by now if your and Jack’s opinion would be the one of the general public. There are so many stories about the Second World War and the people who had to flee even though they aren’t part of that history. Also how many straight people write queer love stories. Look at the m/m ya romance books. More than 90% of them are written by women, a lot of them aren’t even queer. Also how many white straight romance novels are out there that include the forbidden love trope.
I agree that there are some stories that some people shouldn’t write. For example a few years ago a white American woman wrote a literary fiction novel about a Mexican immigrant woman and most people thought that the book was own voices even though it wasn’t. But you cannot control what people are inspired by and most of the time it’s history or the news. Most authors are inspired by history they aren’t part of but unlike Klune they don’t say it out loud.
You are not the only one who lets stuff rubbing the wrong way for the reason you mentioned, i’ve noticed there is a trend and a bias going around now days.
I remember a while back seeing a book about dictatorship and communism in my country, written by a foreign author. And my first thoughts were ‘ how dares him..who does he think he is to write about the oppression and trauma that we lived in …’. However I understood that it doesn’t matter who the author is . What matters is to take the message across, to let it be heard as far as possible so people can hear it, and in time to understand it.
It annoys me when i see people reducing a book to not much ( even though their initial thought that the read is good ) just because the author is not that or is not the other thing , is not to part of that community.
It’s wrong to think this way, to cancel a voice for this reason. Otherwise there wont be enough voices to sing that song.
So no, dont get sucked into this trend, dont let it rub the wrong way, dont look for reasons to dismiss a good book.
@@localabsurdist6661 ok who are u talking abt? link me. im an indigenous person who feels rubbed wrong, so am i to be discarded just because im in opposition to other native voices?
I haven't personally read him because he's not my genre but try Mark Oshiro. He's LGBTQ+ and has done a lot in raising awareness for minorities as a minority and write stories that are very specific to his trauma and life experiences.
@@4-1-19 i did try to read Anger is a Gift but had to DNF it unfortunately at about 100 pages. The book definitely had its heart in the right place but I just couldn’t get past the poor writing. The story just went in circles and kind of tried to explain every identity as if trying to justify itself including diversity. A much better example imo is Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender or Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian.
This should be a weekly thing. You can do a bookclub. 😁
Hi, Canadian here!
I really enjoy your videos and content, and really appreciate you talking about some of the source material for House in the Cerulean Sea!
I think your description is a tiny bit off though, in that indigenous children weren't just put into foster care-- they were forced into a resident school where they were forced to learn how to assimilate into European culture, often ended up murdered or never heard from again, and some sold into slavery.
Again, super super appreciative that you've even scratched the surface of this topic and are sharing it with your audience, I just wanted to elaborate for those that care to know a little more!
I honestly loved all of the banners, but especially 2, it really fits your channel I think. Also thank you for the entertainment during this boring summer x
I loved cerulean sea because I genuinely did not realize what the source material was. I think a lot of people who love the book do not know what it was based on. I knew a lot of elemants felt very real especially the parts about the schools but I didnt know exactly what it was based on
OMG, He's back!! Watched your Wattpad Video, and I literally had to pause the video, to laugh, so that I don't miss what you both are saying next... Can't wait to watch this one!
I just finished reading 'CIRCE' last night. I'm shocked you haven't read it yet. Millers' writing has been improved so much in this one. The flow of the story was so rhythmic and absolutely beautiful. I personally liked 'CIRCE' more than 'The Song of Achilles'
same! circe is so so goodd i love that book
is my bookshelf slowly turning into Jack's bookshelf? yes absolutely cuz his taste is just ✨chefs kiss✨
holy shit i had no idea that the house on the cerulean sea was based on the sixties scoop???? that is so wild. i completely agree with you about facilitating conversation but at the same time, a lot of people who were kidnapped by the canadian government aren’t even elderly yet. i would be interested to know how they feel about the book…
i bought 28 books so far this year. i only read 3 💀
MOOD
mood
it’s really interesting that you make the comparison between cerulean sea and refugees/immigrant populations. the fact that this book is fantasy lends itself well to be viewed in the context of any marginalized group I think. I never thought about it in the refugee/immigrant context. when I was reading it, I immediately saw it in the context of the disabled community, the history of institutionalism, etc., especially the fear and misunderstanding that historically surround those with mental, intellectual or physical disabilities. I guess it depends what is more salient to you as a person, but I find it cool that one story can be viewed through different lenses.
I didn’t know about the Canadian controversy when reading it; my initial thoughts were that it was a charming book that a lot of people who feel marginalized could relate to, and for those who don’t identify with marginalized identities, an encouragement not necessarily to “save”, but simply be curious, kind and respectful about identities that we will never be able to understand because we aren’t living it
Saw The House in the Cerulean Sea in the cover and had to watch the video. It might be my favourite book I read this year. I feel like children would become more efficient and confident if we teach them the way Arthur was teaching and training them, I wish our schooling system could adopt that. Also, that poem about paper is my absolute favourite.
I did my research on house on the cerulean sea, cause it was on my TBR when all broke loose... I was certain I wasn’t going to pick it up now. It was also very complicated to find more information him addressing the situation and also the way the subject was treated in the book (because I didn’t read it) and now, thanks to you, I will definitely pick it up to understand what exactly is wrong... sometimes we can learn from books that make mistakes too, so thank you jack, I think that will be very informative 😊
The house in the cerulean sea is one my favourite books, I didn’t find out about the controversy surrounding it until after I’d read it and at the time I read the forced assimilation as a queer allegory, throughout history we’ve been forced to assimilate so I read it as more of a story about the experiences of queer people taken to a fantasy setting with the schools and orphanages being an allegory for conversion camps and the many other institutions that were created to either ‘fix’ queer folks or just punish us for existing. I definitely see where the backlash is coming from though and agree that it opens up really interesting conversations about representation
Honestly I don’t know why he didn’t just use that as his inspiration. He’s actually a part of the lgbtqia+ community.
@@ashtaylor4107 You don't (necessarily) pick what inspires you. If he was reading stories about children being separated from their families, any one of them could have given him the spark of inspiration that ended up evolving into this story.
I don't know what the author has actually said, since this is the first time I was made aware of the inspiration and the controversy over the book. Just, as an artist and writer myself, what inspires you isn't necessarily in your hands.
I can name inspirations behind my art and stories. Sometimes I need to stop and think before I can find what could have inspired them and sometimes I remember having an actual moment of inspiration from something I saw or read. We say inspiration here, but we don't necessarily know if it was the first spark that started the idea or if it was something that was referenced and researched.
Well, seeing as its a book that got published, I'm sure he actually did research it. But he might have also researched other similar incidences like what the original commenter here said.
The baseline vibe you get while reading is that the children as separated because they're different, and these particular children are separated because they're _extremely_ different. There's hints of societies that have been totally destroyed, but there's so little worldbuilding that its hard to tell.
I know there's actual context, but in the end its themes talk about something general enough that you can attribute this to _a lot_ of humanity's history and actions over the years.
I know context is important, but as the reader the book is out of the author's hands and we can attribute whatever context we get out of it as we read.
Sorry for the novel of a response. I hope you have a good day!
As a black-American, I personally saw heavy segregation themes in it. The themes of oppression are so common in the world it is easy to find it in other times in history
A very good indigenous made podcast, "Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo," is a brilliant narrative of the 60s scoop and the generational trauma and fallout from that.
Jack Edward’s is my comfort character
House on the Cerulean sea and it's one of my favs and I share your opinion on it 100%, loved how you explained and addressed everything so delicately
Considering the blood-soaked and very recent history of residential schools in Canada (last one closing in 1998) where the bodies of now thousands of children have been found and survivors have stories of child abuse and rape about puts it in an even worse light. It was not something to sanitize and put into a book
I love how well spoken you are ugh
That quote about grieving for someone who is gone yet is still too soon to burn the body, struck home. My dad has Alzheimer's. We grieved the loss of the adult, but embraced the new person who was more child-like. Then we grieved the loss of that child as an even younger child took his place. And with each step, we grieved what was lost and embraced and loved what emerged and what was left. He's now non-communicative, can't walk, and may or may not recognize us when we visit (with covid, we couldn't visit for 9 months so lost a good portion of what little time was left--but, it was worth it because that care home was one of the few in our province that didn't have any covid at all). But, sometimes he will still look at us, respond with a nod or a laugh, before disappearing again. There's so little of who he was left yet we will still grieve when even that disappears.
Oh 🥺 I'm so sorry you're going through such a difficult thing 😔
I like the way you're taking it one step at a time. Sending you good vibes and strength when it's most needed 💕
@@melanieheath9829 Thank you! That is so kind of you.
i've actually read all of the books on my personal shelf, but my parents have hundreds of books around the house that i could do this for. however, i am in the process of reading 3 books so maybe i should take a step back and finish those before i start on more lol
Appreciate you bringing up the issues of Klune's book and how intricate it is and the white savior part of it def doesn't sit well after more reflection. Like banner #1! This motivated me to try to some challenges to get through my unread books which are getting close to 200 and is just aghh!
Jack’s videos are always so inventive. I’d love to see a part 2 with the second worst and second best.
I LOVED Circe, the writing was so lyrically beautiful and it was amazing seeing how Circe develops as a character. One of my favourite reads this year!
Can’t believe you are the first booktuber I’ve heard discuss the indigenous schools of Canada and their relation to the Cerulean Sea
I had no idea the author was pulling from that reference and it really puts a deeper meaning into the story.
In a way it makes me like the book more because when I read it I thought it just felt like a childish middle grade but now that I’ve made that connection, the themes hold a bit more weight and depth.
actually the third banner really fits the aesthetic if quite simple :-]
as a person who can't describe a book without spoiling it, i deeply appreciate the way Jack describes books.
as someone who bought 6 books yesterday despite having MANY unread books already, i felt this in my soul 😩
I like the first banner best because your name is prominent and the tagline smartly featured, but also because it has a reference to the world in it and I feel it's very you. Also also, the cheery colours in it remind me of your stationery line - I know it's not the same palette at all, but the very fact of being bright and colourful and joyful. The other two banners are more academia, and I feel like you evolved from just that. Idk imho lol
Jack, you've inspired me SO MUCH to get reading again. I absolutely ADORE your book 'reviews' aka analyses😂 Love, love, love!
This is such a great idea and I am defiantly doing it.
I have lots of feelings about burnt sugar, I think you’re right in that maybe a lived experience would definitely make some people understand it more and enjoy it more but for me I think the complexity of that relationship, the fact that no one was the good guy and no one was the victim, and the writing, I think it was a stellar book for that. I love when authors let the reader decide who to root for because then you have to reflect on your decisions that led you to root for that unlikeable character.
Great video.
I don't know if I should read where the crawdads sing because delia owens stepson and husband are said to have killed poachers in Zambia and the whole story around it is so weird
15:40 - Just a heads up in regards to the controversy, just this year hundreds of these "fostered" children were dug up from under the "homes" where they were taken to. That isn't even accounting for the thousands who haven't been found yet.
The mother and daughter book reminded of a Korean Novel titled “Please Look After Mom” and that made me cry so much. Hope you’d read it! Would love to hear your thoughts
THANK YOU for the nuanced conversation around The House in the Cerulean Sea and how things are not either good OR controversial, but usually so much more complicated than that!!
“I literally can’t stop myself from buying books.”
* SUBSCRIBES *
New here and I’m glad your channel was on my recommended. ✨
I love how you always discuss books and give serious critique, your videos are so helpful, I love your channel
miss carley AND mister jack saving my thursday??? it’s more likely than you think!
I love that my favorite booktubers are you and with Cindy and you buy so many books and she buys like no books😂😂love you both❤️❤️
I just did this with my bought but not read books and my highest was Where the crawdads sing (4.43) and my lowest with The girls in the garden (3.59)
The combination of both you and Daniel Greene are the reason I have bought so many books recently and have gone through the effort to make a beautiful bookshelf.
I have to say that I really like your analysis of books. I write books where if you say, "Yeah, that was hot," I consider it a complete success. haha
I LOVE banner #1 it fits your personality and vibe, banner #2 best fits your channel aesthetic though
House on the Cerulean Sea felt like Walter Mitty became a social worker for hilarious, dangerous, magical children. Loved it, cried at it, quite possibly my favourite read of my adult life.
He's not COMPARING them to monsters, it's just the INSPIRATION for the book
Finally someone who had the exact same thoughts about the house in the cerulean sea. A very cozy and fluffy and feel good read but it didn't live up to the sky high expectations (set by other booktubers) for me because it was just so predictable. Not just the ending, but also most of the journey of getting there. I also gave it 4 stars for those reasons and I did read about the discussion/controversy after I finished it and I think one should keep those points in mind when it comes to this book
I think I enjoyed it sm bc I read it right after it came out so the hype wasn't there yet and I didn't rlly have any expectations
Okay I cannot tell you how much I love seeing your videos. I have been following and sharing this channel for months now, when I realised I have never ever commented on any of the videos. So here is just a shoutout to the amazing work that you're doing !!!
that's the problem with allegorical discrimination, authors usually differentiate between one group and another by giving them super powers or other abilities that would make them "dangerous" while in real life discrimination happens on aspects that are harmless, like skin color or nationality. it's not a a good representation :/
anyways, banner two is my pick
Yeah, the x-men problem
I never even thought about this but wow such a good point
I'd love it if you did a Shuggie Bain reading vlog, really curious whether you'd like it - I just finished it yesterday and while my heart is broken I absolutely adored it!
I have two of the same unread books as you (thursday murder club and where the crawdads sing). I'm currently having the same book-buying problem, I should probably read the ones I own before buying more right now
Firstly you have a marvelous taste (for me, a non expert) and secondly a gigantic i love you for just buying and having on your to read list circe and the circle, two of my favourite books that i really love and made me so happy and excited to see :)
Oh my gosh I always get so excited for your videos, every video is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING
All the love from South Africa ❤❤❤
Yikes. I bought my mum burnt sugar for her birthday a while ago. Oh well.
I an currently reading house in the cerulean sea... and I'm taking my time with it, its sooo cosy and beautiful that I dont want the book to end!!
You should look into the hundred if not more graves recently discovered in Canada - and the Catholic church’s response. It’s pretty disgusting and abhorrent.
I love how positively you talk about every book it’s rlly motivating
The last RUclips’s resident Liberian that was behind a bunch of books hanging on a sign was the one I thought fitted you
I really loved burnt sugar and read it all in one day I couldn't put it down! I was surprised that it had the lowest rating but on reflection I can see how it might not have been to everyone's liking! Loved this video :)
It's the application of critical thinking when reviewing a controversial book for me. 5 stars for you, Jack.
For the banner - I really love number one!! I think it reflects how bright and fun your channel is
i love being the first to hear jack say i have a problem, same jack, same