Yes, totally agree. One of my favorite series is the adventures of tiger and del and romance is a big part but the way it is written is like a fantasy adventure and I LOVED all seven books
YES! I can't stand stories where the romance is the main source of conflict. However, romance as a sub or sideplot enhances stories to another level for me
I can understand not wanting to read Poppy War. I'm reading the second book right now, and while good the series is very dark. The topics you're concerned about are handled well, it's ultimately an anti-war series that shows the consequences of war on innocent populations realistically, but it can be a lot to handle for some readers. Some of it is quite graphic but with necessity. Still, not for everyone.
While I totally get this, I found My Dark Vanessa way more difficult to read so I don't know why someone would be able to handle that but not The Poppy War.
The real MVPs are the youtubers who wear different clothes while presenting their sponsorships, so that we'll know from the thumbline where the ad is over and click there.
My dark Vanessa, really?? I'm a therapist and I work with a lot of survivors. I love it, it was totally realistic. I read it because of your intense recommendation, thank you.🤗❤🇦🇷
I really like Berserk but it indeed gets very dark and considering Murphy’s limits I don’t think it would be something for her. Especially the eclipse. And I get it with not liking Mat because he can be a childish person who comes over very selfish but honestly that is what I like about him. Density or fate is calling for Mat to fight the forces of darkness and his reaction is just nope, turn 180 degrees and walk away. But when someone is in danger he nags and growls but he will jump into fire for them. Which for me is a interesting version of a protagonist.
I can't believe I experienced the Eclipse 3 times. I watched the 90s anime, then the movies, then read the manga. Each time it got worse. I actually had to take a break in between versions because it was so intense which usually doesn't happen to me.
Totally agree. If I’m reading a book these days and I’m not liking it, I stop 🛑: there’s so much out there, why waste your time and I think 🤔 it’s pretty rare that books I don’t like turn round and surprise me in the end. Just my POV, but I agree. 🙂
I am also extremely sensitive to those 2 things and it gives me anxiety to try new adult fiction books or movies... it's just everywhere and its so hard. I usually always spoil a book plot or movie so I can anticipate what's going to happen.
Agreed. Glad I'm not the only one. I kind of wish I had never read Game of Thrones when there was so many other things I could have been reading. Also never read a book called Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. I did not finish it but wish I'd never started it!
Yes! Peter Pan and Alice in wonderland… two classics that people love that I can’t really get behind. King is just a mixed bag because he has so many books out written in different points in his life.
Alice in Wonderland being written by a man who had a box of nude child photos and about an underaged girl named Alice he wanted to seduce just ruined the book before I ever read it for me.
RIP Berserk author who recently passed away. It's also an on going series ,and right now no one knows if his assistants are going to take it up or if it is just going to stay unfinished.
The "I want to protect you, so I'm going to hurt you" trope is definitely a tightrope thing for sure. It can be done well but it is hard to find an example. And for some people it is just a no-go in general. Fair point.
(I apologize in advance if fifty people have already mentioned this.) The woman who so brilliantly played the leading role in “Misery,” was Kathy Bates and she won an Academy Award for it. That was her break-out role and it firmly moved her into the top tier of actors. So, you are absolutely right! The movie was better than the book because a phenomenal actor breathed life into that role to a genuinely remarkable degree. I’m glad you highlighted that particular adaptation because so few rise to this level.
FWIW, the "camera" in Poppy War is usually not focusing on the rapes or the genocide. It's usually the characters having to deal with the aftermath of it.
For someone who has the same "lines" as Merphy and went into TPW blind, I want to say that it's still very explicit. There character doesn't experience those events herself, but there are detailed descriptions scenarios including brutal sexual assault, child abuse/murder and genocide. I just want everyone who is sensitive to these subject to know before picking it up, because I really struggled. Happy for everyone who enjoyed the book/series though, it is an extraordinary achievement, just not for me :)
The witness account in the first book is one of the most detailed, graphic and gruesome descriptions of child mutilation, infanticide and repeated rape I've ever read in a book. It's the only thing I can recall when I think back to that book, and I would never recommend a book to anyone where that's the only 'memorable' thing that happened. (it also made 0 sense for said witness to be able to tell what she'd been through in such vivid detail only moments after what happened. It was such a random 'insert-rape-of-nanking-cruelties-here' moment and it didn't fit in with the rest of the book at all. I hated it, and the rest of the book was just bland and Rin was stupid as hell.)
@@NovelistAnne ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Certainly you're entitled to your opinion. As far as giving the book an overall bad review, you're in a pretty small minority. Most people think Rebecca Kuang is one of the brightest new authors in the genre. I happen to agree. Maybe you should try something a little more lighthearted, like Dan Brown or maybe even Victoria Hamilton. She's got a great series--the Merry Muffin Mysteries. Enjoy!
@@dumpster_fiyah luckily I've been a frequent reader for a bunch of years now so I'm very aware of my own tastes and don't need your passive aggressive recommendation lol. I just think it's a bit misleading to say this book is mild in the themes Merphy mentioned as problematic to her because they are not mild at all, and just because the main character isn't the one experiencing all the abuse, doesn't mean it isnt graphic. So your comment is misleading and I felt the need to set that straight. Other than that, my opinion about Rin and the rest of the plot are obviously entirely subjective as is a given with books.
@@NovelistAnne Didn't say they were mild. Said they happened "off-camera," and that the characters were usually dealing with the aftermath of those events, not witnessing them. It was a two sentence post.
Unpopular opinion (sorry, Merph): Though the book was well-written, I think the Jurassic Park movie is WAY better than the book, mainly due to the character changes in the film. But I completely agree with you on the Poppy War series. #nope
Same here! I grew up with the movie and just recently read the book, I thought the book did NOT do justice to the female characters. Also, Alan Grant's character arc is better in the movie imo
I agree. I read the book and actually thought it was pretty meh, and mediocre, Ifound many of the characters annoying, especially the little girl, but i really enjoy the movie. Whenever anybody asks me what movies are better than the book the first ones I always think about are Jurassic Park and The Princess Bride.
Given my understanding of her likes from watching her videos, I truly think that Guts would be one of her favourite characters. But I absolutely understand and respect that she'll likely never read Berserk and that the story is not something she'd like to experience.
First time I liked the timing on the add, it was immediately after merphy said "it could be a really controversial one" on the popular character you don't like question. That's my unpopular opinion, I liked the add cut.
Personally, I found My Dark Vanessa to be INFINITELY more difficult to read than all of the violence in the Poppy War. There is definitely child neglect and graphic rape, but I guess it didn't affect me as much because it is in the backdrop of war and violence. The detailed ways in which Vanessa is manipulated made me nearly vomit multiple times. But that may just be me. I am a History teacher so I may be a bit desensitized (in visceral reaction-- I am still incredibly appalled) to war violence. I definitely think it was necessary as she was using real events from Chinese History like the Rape of Nanking for her to incorporate the violence and brutality. Curious why you were able to get through My Dark Vanessa though since it is basically about child abuse and sexual assault, and those are the two things you are sensitive to. Is it because it wasn't aggressive?
Im manly talking about the end of Tangled here but I love it when a character is about to save another characters life but it could have major consequences for them to the point that the other character dosen't want to be saved.
The Poppy War is a heavy book series, so if someone wants to read it, they should look up trigger warnings and decide if they can get into it or not! But I just want to say that the book handles these topics very well in my opinion, and if someone is triggered by the same two things Merphy mentioned: they are not the focus of the book and (again, in my opinion) one could skip a few chapters where they come up, it's not a prominent part of the story.
Golyn Niis is one of the crucial emotional components for Rin's decision in the ending of the first book. But I agree, look up trigger warnings before picking up this (amazing!) series.
@@WhtSnwRvn Yes, it is an important part, but if a friend would ask me if they should pick up the book or not just because of that, I would advise them to skip that part. It is really emotional, true, but if the detailed recount of the events would be triggering, but other than that they would want to read it - I think they would be absolutely fine with only getting the gist of those few chapters. But it is a really specific question, it's a heavy book, that can easily be too much - not just because of the depicted violence and war.
While it might not be a prominent part for the overall story, it is EXTREMELY graphic when it does come up. I think that anyone with sensitivities to those things, you should probably stay away from this one. (Although I do acknowledge that apart from that aspect, it's a pretty good series).
It’s a fine line to walk, because if you have these themes in your book it is impossible for them to NOT effect your characters, if not the plot directly. So while it can be very distasteful to highlight them at all, it can be even worse to say they happen and then not point out their impact. Hard line to walk.
I really hate the miscommunication trope, especially how the majority of authors use it to create cheap drama that affects their entire plot. Don't get me wrong I love me some drama, but not for drama for the dumbest reasons possible like person a thinks person b called them a dumbass when really person b was talking about person c but now person a and b stop being friends for like two hundred pages of a three hundred page book.
I have those same sensitivities and the few recommendations Ive read from you haven't had them and so now I feel even more safe continuing to read books you recommend thank you so much for being vulnerable about that Merphy!
If you like Kathy Bates in Misery definitely watch Delores Claiborne. Kathy Bates was great as a crazy fan in Misery but i think shes even better as a tough as nails protective mother in Delores Claiborne. Just a note, the movie involves an abusive husband and father and there's one scene that alludes to sexual assault but it's not graphic.
If everyone's recommending manga I want to recommend my favorite EVER. It's name is Chihayafuru, is a josei (its target audience is adult women) about a Japanese card game called Karuta that's actually a real life sport about poems, the romance is not the center plot but it's subtle and intricate. It's the most beautiful manga ever, the game is super interesting, the protagonist is a highschooler who is obsessed in becoming the best Karuta player in the world, she's passionate and an air head, her best friend is one of the best and more complicated side character ever (well One Piece actually takes the crown in amazing side characters but it's a different vibe) and theres a love triangle that even if I hate with all my soul love triangles this is the only I can pass because adds up to much to the actual game and their separate goals and dreams. So yeah you should give it a try 😍. Edit: I hate that love triangle in The Stormlight Archives too, I think is more of a popular opinion maybe.
I love Chihayafuru!!! I haven't read it, only seen the anime adaptation. I've watched it twice because I love it so much and I hope they will make another season.
One thing I really appreciate about your reviewing style is you are very clear in stating your opinion is your opinion and not the definitive standard. You are also among the best in providing rationale for your opinion.
If you ever in the mood for historical fiction anyway, check out War and Peace. It's like an epic fantasy without magic (think Powder Mage fallout from the point of view of Kez (Russia)), and it's really slow and politics-oriented, which you should enjoy, and it's far more character driven than plot driven. And it's written by a grandson of one of the main characters, so the history part is quite correct
Just started this video, and you go straight into Murakami! 😬 “The Wind Up Bird Chronicles” is one of my favorite books I have ever read, so it is somewhat painful to hear someone disliking h8m as an author. 😔
Here’s me wondering why people would skip spoilers... then remembering that the only reason I don’t is because my memory is so bad I won’t remember them anyway
I completely agree with your Jade City/ Jade war opinion, they seem kinda overhyped in general and presented by fans as something they are not. Even the blurbs on the book cover are guilty of this
Hi Merphy. Historical fiction reader here with a number of recommendations if you're interesed: If you're looking to try more historical fiction, I'd really recommend Dorothy Dunnett's works (Lymond Chronicles, House of Niccolo, and King Hereafter). They are fantastic novels with wonderful prose. The first book in the Lymond Chronicles in particular has moments and plotlines reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo (only set in Scotland), which I know you like. For Lymond Chronicles, the story is set in 16th century Scotland, where the outcast son of a Scottish nobleman family abruptly returns home with mysterious intentions while England attempts to annex Scotland. There is also Hilary Mantel's Cromwell Trilogy which, while a slow burn with some prose that is difficult to get used to, has an intriguing plot with a fantastic lead character. It's set in the Tudor era and follows Henry VIIIs chief minister as he rises to (and later falls from) power. An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears does some fascinating things with narrative, character and perspective, but has some disturbing scenes and subject matter (especially regarding the female lead) which may turn you off it. I'd still cautiously recommend it if you think you can handle that. Set in the Restoration period, the novel follows the testimonies of four men at a trial regarding a young woman who has allegedly murdered her benefactor. Aside from that, both Ken Follett and Bernard Cornwells historical novels tend to range from decent to fantastic and are worth checking out. I'm happy to recommend more if you're interested or want something more specific. I find that, when it's done right, Historical Fiction can be as engaging as fantasy. I hope this helps you find something you like.
Well, I think I'll check some of these recommendations out - reading through Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series right now and would love to read more historical fiction and all you've mentioned here certainly sounds interesting.
Wholly concur with the Pears, Mantell and Follet recommendations! Particularly instance of the finger post works on a lot of levels: really gripping whodunnit, and exploration of the nature of truth, testimony and how history is made. Which leads me to ask (historical fiction aside) have you read Arcadia by Ian pears? I found that an incredibly interesting really ambitious book and have heard no one talk about it!? It kind of felt like his dark materials crossed with cloud atlas to me which IMO is high praise, this also leads me to one of my other favourite historical fictions: Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet-also highly recccomend!
@@andrewrose3841 Thank you for the recommendations. I had Arcadia out of my library a while ago but it was due back and put under reservation before I could really get into it (I'll try it again soon). I hadn't heard about Thousand Autumns but it sounds really interesting. Going onto my TBR list now. Check out Dunnett if you haven't already (her writing style is a bit dense but her stories are great). I'm happy to trade other recommendations (historical fiction or any other genre or format) anytime.
I literally just picked up The Way of Kings from the library today, what the heck. Oh! And since you're getting into manga, I recommend "The Girl from the Other Side". It's just really cute and pretty and intriguing.
On the final question, which adaptation do you prefer to the book, I would say Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'Hoole. I dont dislike the book series, I loved it as a kid, and the film adaptation I think made a good choice in adapting the very small books (the first three) into a film. It improved what was there and handled the themes really well. Along with the animation being absolutely stunning, I wish they had gone further into the series.
SAME! Didn't like the endless troop movements either. Two thirds of the trilogy should have been cut and it would have been a better story. IMO Elend should have been killed off at the end of book one. But there was too much ugly prose in there which served no purpose. It should have been one massive book or three short ones. Bits of it is good. It would make a cool computer game. I would watch the TV show or movie just to see if they fixed the pacing problems and made it better. Elend needs to be less bland so it makes more sense why Vin would choose him.
on the poppy war trilogy, i'm also really sensitive to those topics you mentioned and I found that the author handled them really well. They do come up a couple of times, and it's definitely a brutal read, but no worse than the Broken Earth trilogy
I like abusive relationship trope but I want them to be recognise as what it is and there should not be a redemption for that and the journey of the love interest to get rid of that relationship and his or her emotional journey along with it
Adaptations I liked better than the book: Mansfield Park (yes!), Stardust (yes!), all of The Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone (introducing themes of prejudice, multiple POV, and 6oC made the series FAR better), and my most controversial opinion- Sense and Sensibility (1995). Adaptations I liked as much as the book: The Princess Bride & Emma (2020)
I'm soooo glad someone finally expressed my exact feelings for the greenbone saga. I mean I enjoyed it but based on the hype I thought I would like it a lot more
King is kind of a person of many seasons, his books do not exactly lend well to you when you're in a dark place or if you're in a bad spot in life, but when you're reading it and it really hits, it hits great. So I highly recommend reading Stephen King when you have that mood but not when you don't because it affects how you perceive the writing. But I definitely will say his Bachman books like Roadwork are some of the worst I've ever read yet I'm a big fan of King.
Peter Pan is…pretty good to me. I read it and enjoyed it and then I was like “why does Merphy LOVE this though?” But it’s okay, I wasn’t mad that I read it lol I agree about the Stormlight spoilers. It was annoying because…it was totally dropped. Sanderson is bad with certain situations if you know what I mean. (I’m trying not to spoil things here lol)
I am fine with bloody violence etc. but The Poppy War was definitely difficult at times with the frequent descriptions of violence towards children. As a mum, I find it really triggering and had to take a couple of time outs, which I've never had to do before. The book was addictive but I would always warn people about the violence towards children. I'm glad you knew of it before thinking of starting it.
Okay, I just commented above saying that there wasn't really child abuse in Poppy War. What are you thinking of? I hesitate to assume I am so numb to depictions of child abuse that it didn't even register to me...but the only thing I can think of is when Rin is with her foster parents, and that is like two scenes of them yelling, and then they're gone for the rest of the book. What am I forgetting?
@@readbykyle3082 There are 2 things that immediately jump to mind: Scene near the beginning of a rich person deliberately driving over a child they accidentally knocked down so they wouldn't have to pay medical bills - particularly upsetting because I have read that this happens in some countries irl. Then there's the whole chapter of Golyn Niis with the descriptions of war atrocities. The protagonist also muses sometimes about the abusive parenting of her adoptive parents and she has to repress thoughts of guilt about abandoning her adoptive brother. Golyn Niis is where I had to take a long time out and stare at the ceiling. Before becoming a parent it was easier to "get over" upsetting stories about kids and maybe that's similar to why those parts didn't stick in your mind, but now it's deeply upsetting for me, even in a story, so I can't mentally skim past those things.
@@Frogface91 yeah, I admittedly forgot about the driving over a child scene. I found that uncomfortable, but it wasnt dwelt on. I could see it being upsetting, though. The Golyn Niis thing is chapter 21 though, and that is based on the Rape of Nanking and I don't think "child abuse" covers it. That chapter is absolutely horrifying and I had to take the night off after reading it. But of all the reasons I would flag that as a hard chapter to read, I wouldn't flag it extra because of "child abuse". But hey, I totally get how heartwrenchingly awful that chapter is. I still think about it often, unfortunately.
@@readbykyle3082 in my original comment I referred to it as "violence against children" rather than "child abuse". The descriptions of war atrocities involved people of all ages, including some specific descriptions of what happened to babies. I think the believability is part of the reason why all the instances of child mistreatment hit harder in this book than it may have in others. I didn't know what real-life events Kwang was drawing from, but her words struck the chord of truth.
Yea, I noticed that Sanderson did that in not just one but two books and honestly it felt clunky af to me. Like I have seen authors drop relationships but it is usually done with a lot more finesse.
I personally love berserk to bits but I would heavily urge you not to read it because there are quite a lot of those things you don't like I do recommend you to read Vinland saga which has similar themes but with a lot less of the things you don't like Keep up the good work
Firecrackers to be sure, but the mix of these two characters with their respective PTSD would quickly become a destructive wildfire. Adolin is the better match for Shallan. He is grounded in ways that will help her in the long run. That said, I'm not sure that she should have married quite yet with her mental state. It would have been better to see how things played out before doing so.
A Monster Calls is an excellent movie adaptation. I think the visual does bring a lot to story personally and there is a scene at the end that I do love, so I hesitantly say I do prefer the movie for those reasons. But if you love the book it is worth a watch. I am honestly surprised I don't hear more people talking about it.
Berserk is also my answer for a popular series I will probably never read. Not because of the content or subject matter, just because I know it's never going to end.
Kafka on the Shore: I both loved and hated it at the same time. It's the case with most of the Murakami's books I've read so far: I get really annoyed about some things, and I hate the way he does certain things (like female characters), but I can't put down the damn book, it's almost like morbid curiosity. And they always stay in my mind for a long time afterwards, which means that at least they stood out from other books I might have read.
I too for a long time thought the ending to Stormlight love triangle was clunky, but then in the greater context of RoW it hit me; this was a very healthy way to end a pining-style romance for Kal. Instead of: lurking, stalking and other nasty things that come from toxic sides of this. I was glad that he made a mature decision and was glad she did also. Great video ❤
I've finished Book 7 of WoT and Mat has finally grown on me (as he's finally grown up a bit and wow does he not have a fun time in that book). What I don't understand is the love for Perrin? He's fine, don't get me wrong, but so far he's just been a bit bland and sometimes annoyingly self-righteous. Can someone explain why everyone loves him? I may have just missed something
I think people love him because he is a big guy but it is kind and does not want to hurt people. But do not worry about not loving him, you are not alone on that one.
Perrin was the character i was most interested when starting the series, and it mostly had to do with his powers and simple personality.But yeah his plotline goes into the background after shadowrising and meanders a lot. Still I really like his plot as it feels the most grounded and visceral of the group, he is fighting a personal battle and wears it on his sleeve. Mat's plotline has been very up and down for me, i really liked him in dragon reborn and fires of heaven. It was the best in knife of dreams, which i just finished. Also throughout the 'slog' i really enjoyed perrin's plot even though there is a lot of meandering. personally for me it was elayne's arc that made it hard to get through it.
@@akhilvejendla9586 I shared the same fealing as you, he started as my favorite, but it went down really fast. And for the slug i do think it is a 50/50 between Perrin and Elayne.
I just finish book5 and I am one of those who love Perin more than Mat. I just relate to Perin so much cause I think he has some distance to his emotions like when he got some tragic news in shadow rising his reaction was very likely to me on some level plus he is so Kind and always try to do right Unlike Rand who always go for greater good but Perin is someone who does what he thinks is right on individual level. PS: my fav is nyneave though but on Mat and Perin I like him more without his love interest
My boi Bon-chan didn't deserve this treatment. Yes he did that with Nami's body when he met the SH crew. The fanservice happens so often with Nami and Robin, and in manga in general, especially since shonen ("young man/people") series are meant for teenagers. I was a teen when i first read the Alabasta saga, and for me from my male teen perspective, I liked how he met the crew. The man's hilarious, and his interactions with the crew was amazing. I think he solidified what it meant to be a true friend for me at the time. But just keep going I guess. He's honestly my favorite character from Alabasta, and one of the greatest allies of Luffy and the SHs, alongside Ivankov, Jimbei, Boa and Kuma.
Glad that you mentioned Kafka On the Shore. I hated it. And I found but one single (!) review in German newspapers that said this novel is basically fraud and Murakami - in this case - an imposter. And I agree. My hypothesis: When you are such an acclaimed author and basically everything you publish is praised - how could you even know that something you wrote is rubbish? Most people will gobble it up anyway. And that becomes a circle argument because when so many people like it then it can't be all bad by definition. And that's what happens when artists reach a critical mass of too-big-to-fail. I really strongly felt Murakami took a pile of fragments, story drafts and half assed concepts out of his drawer, shuffled the pages, stapled them together and called it a day. While a lot of the concepts could have been... something. If nourished and edited and cared for. And courated into a colletion of short stories. They could even magically overlap, alright. But no, content had to be shreddered and poured into something imitating a novel. Including that fever dream of a covert Whisky advertisment. (Nope, fever dream is not positive in this case) ...and then everybody who wanted to love it simply for the name on the cover ran with it and over-interpreted the hell out of it and nobody could really claim "nonsense!" because that's magical realism for you, and hey, what do you know, right. Right!? Thank you for the opportunity to vent. I feel better now. Have a great day!
My unpopular movie that's better than the book opinon: Lotr. I looooove the story so much but I'm just not a big fan of Tolkien's writing style so while they're not perfect I actually prefer the film trilogy to the books.
Unpopular opinion: I think it suits Shallan better to stay single. She has too many problems to form an intimate relationship with another person imo But then she kind of has to be with Adolin because of the circumstance... so, anyway
I honestly was quite surprised that you didn't like Kafka on the shore as I loved this book so much but I totally respect your opinion, Murakami has a certain way of writing and it's not for everyone. Overall I quite like your videos and opinions about books and congrats, you just got a new subscriber.
Not sure if it's an unpopular opinion, but "for your own good" is usually a strong pass for me. If someone says that, they likely know how badly the person in question will react, and I feel the radiant pain/rage/sorrow. This is low-key why I don't like love triangles.
Your rating of SK books, sounded a lot like that one Daniel Sloss joke about his mum loving them all the same, i just smiled wider with each book you ranked. (That does not say anything on the books/my opinions on King's work, since i have this this where fear/being scared (jump or otherwise) is/reacts in physical pain. So i- yeah.)
SPOILERS FOR STORMILGHT Shallan and Kaladin had more chemistry in that one scene in the chasms than her and Adolin through the whole book. But I'm glad they didn't end up together because I feel like Kaladin deserves better
Well, I don't care for either pairing and actively hated the love triangle (it's probably the only thing that truly made me mad in Words of Radiance), but regardless of chemistry or not, I think Kaladin and Shallan would be terrible for each other. Shallan had a lot of stuff to work through with herself and pairing that with Kaladin dealing with his depression seems like a recipe for disaster. So it's not really that I think Kaladin deserves better (which, honestly, I do, but so does Adolin tbh), but more so that I think Shallan and Kaladin wouldn't have been good to each other. At least Adolin can actually be there for Shallan (although I still dislike that relationship and feel bad that Adolin is much more emotionally available to support her and be there for her than the other way around).
@@archlectoryarvi2873 Hahah, it wasn't meant to sound that way. I like Shallan a lot, but I hated the love triangle and I also don't like her relationship with Adolin. I'm glad Sanderson didn't give Kaladin a love interest so far, seeing as he was dealing with so much and it's something he needed to work on on his own. I think the same regarding Shallan, so I'd rather she was still single, although I do understand Sando needed her to have a more meaningful connection to the rest of the cast. It's just my opinion, but I also don't tend to like the way Sando writes romance, as I'm picky with romance in Fantasy, so really, what do I know? :P
@@popuri48 Understandable, not a fan of Sanderson's romance plots either but the only one I've "actively hated" as you put it, is whatever the hell went down between Zane, Vin and Elend in Mistborn era 1. Total waste of an interesting character like Zane. Stormlight's love triangle is a masterpiece compared to that.
I feel like I don't really have unpopular opinions, I seem to agree with basically everyone else. But I love to see other people having them, it's so entertaining
So sad having to skip all the Cosmere spoilers... I want to be part of the club!! Reading The Final Empire right now though, so eventually I'll get there.
I didn't enjoy Red Rising either I have to be honest- I read a chapter and ended up dnfing it before gifting it to a friend- I'm not sure whether it was the writing style or just that I didn't gel with it but yeah not my cup of tea. How can anyone dislike Peter Pan- it's one of my favourite classics!. I can't stomach rape scenes in books either or in movies I won't be able to read The Poppy War at all. I just find it a bit too confronting and horrible for lack of a better term. This was an enjoyable tag Merphy- great critiquing!.
Have you read Stephen King's Tommyknockers? I love it all (except maybe the ending that it's just meh) and it's way more scyfy than most of its books. Pet cementary and Misery are probably his best works. Cujo is really good too, but it can be a bit boring at the beginning I respect that Berserk is too dark for you. It's really not for everyone, even if it is a masterpiece YOU LIKE MORE MISERY'S MOVIE THAN BOOK? that's an interesting one, but yeah the main actress is amazing
Fully agree with Sanderson and love triangles. Don't get me wrong, I love all of his books, he is my favorite author at the moment, but he is just terrible in writing relationships (Shalan - Adolin) and love triangles especially.
I'm so tired of love triangles, especially when it's obvious who the protagonist will end up with OR when the 2nd lead was actually way better than the obvious romance lead 🥲🥲🥲
I enjoyed Peter Pan too. Maybe not to your extent, but I'm proud to have it part of my classics collection. If you want a good Manga series, look to Azumanga Daioh. It is a slice of life 4 book series about a group of high school girls. It's hilarious.
Merphy, this video is an example of why you are my favorite BookTuber. I haven't enjoyed Stephen King in a while. His best book IMHO is On Writing. I enjoyed his older stuff when I strictly just read for pleasure, no critical thinking involved. College made me a lot harder on plot, character, theme, etc. Lol. Berserk was waaaayyyyy too dark for me too. I felt it was hurting my soul to continue. Adaptations better than the book: The Wizard of Oz.
Oh my god thank you! I hated Kafka on the shore as well! The one book I hated more than Kafka was Norwegian wood. (like why is Murakami's writing loved so much!!) I didn't get any good vibes from the protagonist. Felt like these were trying way too hard to be profound but ended up being just all over the place.
The very first thing that came to mind with the first question was The Poetry of Oscar Wilde. I loved The Picture of Dorian of Gray, it was beautifully written and so poetic. So forgive me for thinking his poetry would be the same. It felt like the pages were yelling at me about greek mythology. It was unpleasant and it kicked me out of the poetry mood for around a year.
I sort of wanna fight you on the Mansfield Park thing just because I feel like the movie really changes too much of Fanny’s personality…but I also understand where you’re coming from. I do like that movie outside of it being an adaptation. I just want another Mansfield Park series/movie honestly. Feels like it has been a struggle adapting it completely well.
I could see the book's spine on the screen, so I thought of this here unpopular opinion. A lot of people really do not like The Magicians (and many prefer the TV show), but the series is genuinely one of my favorites. The show is fine too, I guess. But man. When I realized how much some people hate that book it broke my heart a lil bit.
Random question, but I wonder if there's a book Merphy likes that has a red and black cover. Seems like a trend that books featuring that color combo aren't well-liked by her.
Unpopular book opinion: I don't like the book The Shinning. I felt that it has some fantastic parts, the beginning chapter or 2 is the best introduction I have seen from king, but it falls apart as the story continues. I feel the worst part is the chapters dedicated to detailing how great a family man jack is. Many times it slices through the tension but at it's worse comes off as Jack apologetics.
One Piece is a really unique series! But since you want to read more in the future, I would recommend Solanin (more on the serious side) and Pluto (a reimagine of part of the Astro boy manga)
Spoiler warning! I'm so glad that you didn't like the love triangle in stormlight too! I hate love triangles. Always. I was so relieved when it did not go anywhere.
@@cassecorrea Very true. Half of them are dystopian, but are commonly classified as fantasy or science fiction because they take place in a more futuristic setting or have elements of fantasy. A friend recommended I read Hunger Games because I love fantasy, but it has little to none fantasy in it. The same with Divergent and Maze Runner. I think part of the issue here is that Dystopian is considered more of a sub-genre rather than it's own category. When I talk to people who read less, most of them don't even know what dystopian is.
So I skipped because I am reading Oathbringer but I am also not there for the love triangle. I love Adolin and Shallan and I love to see a romance where they interact. So often female protagonists get with someone super intense and serious and it was awesome to show the light and sweet side of getting to know someone. I just…I don’t know what will happen but I hope there’s no cheating with Kal because I really would like S+A to be together.
Some of the book titles I imagine Patricia McWriter has published: "Sea Sponges: The Silent Killer" "A Tale of Two Merphys" "Gee, Your Book Smells Terrific!"
Unpopular opinion : Romance is good when It's not the main focus of the story
Not always, but yes its nearly always better if you have another plot going on.
Sometimes, but I agree an general
Yes, totally agree. One of my favorite series is the adventures of tiger and del and romance is a big part but the way it is written is like a fantasy adventure and I LOVED all seven books
I....completely agree with this opinion
YES! I can't stand stories where the romance is the main source of conflict.
However, romance as a sub or sideplot enhances stories to another level for me
I also absolutely despise the “I want to protect you so I’ll hurt you” trope. It is so frustrating and cheap.
Yes!!!
"There's a thing he uses in the book that I really really didn't like".... was it the word UNDULATING?
Probably…
I like to imagine that Merphy just magically changed her attire when she did the skillshare sponsor.
It’s something she learned from skillshare
It's actually her twin sister, Patrica McWriterly
It was such a clean cut in. Well done editor, well done.
@@buttbutt3000 The editor is just Corey tied to a chair. She slides a tray of food under the door twice a day.
I can understand not wanting to read Poppy War. I'm reading the second book right now, and while good the series is very dark. The topics you're concerned about are handled well, it's ultimately an anti-war series that shows the consequences of war on innocent populations realistically, but it can be a lot to handle for some readers. Some of it is quite graphic but with necessity. Still, not for everyone.
While I totally get this, I found My Dark Vanessa way more difficult to read so I don't know why someone would be able to handle that but not The Poppy War.
Merphy promoting Skillshare: "That wasn't me. That was Patricia."
Having an unpopular opinion allows you to explain your stance to a wider variety of people and that can be really interesting
The real MVPs are the youtubers who wear different clothes while presenting their sponsorships, so that we'll know from the thumbline where the ad is over and click there.
My dark Vanessa, really?? I'm a therapist and I work with a lot of survivors. I love it, it was totally realistic. I read it because of your intense recommendation, thank you.🤗❤🇦🇷
Can I just say that I love how much of a great critic you are?! I love your unpopular opinions.
I really like Berserk but it indeed gets very dark and considering Murphy’s limits I don’t think it would be something for her. Especially the eclipse.
And I get it with not liking Mat because he can be a childish person who comes over very selfish but honestly that is what I like about him. Density or fate is calling for Mat to fight the forces of darkness and his reaction is just nope, turn 180 degrees and walk away. But when someone is in danger he nags and growls but he will jump into fire for them. Which for me is a interesting version of a protagonist.
The Eclipse changes you.
No one is the same after reading it.
I can't believe I experienced the Eclipse 3 times. I watched the 90s anime, then the movies, then read the manga. Each time it got worse. I actually had to take a break in between versions because it was so intense which usually doesn't happen to me.
Totally agree. If I’m reading a book these days and I’m not liking it, I stop 🛑: there’s so much out there, why waste your time and I think 🤔 it’s pretty rare that books I don’t like turn round and surprise me in the end. Just my POV, but I agree. 🙂
I am also extremely sensitive to those 2 things and it gives me anxiety to try new adult fiction books or movies... it's just everywhere and its so hard. I usually always spoil a book plot or movie so I can anticipate what's going to happen.
You can use storygraph to check for warning triggers you can also use booktriggerwarnings.com. hope it helps
Agreed. Glad I'm not the only one. I kind of wish I had never read Game of Thrones when there was so many other things I could have been reading. Also never read a book called Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. I did not finish it but wish I'd never started it!
Merphy I'd love to see a video with the list of Manga that you're interested in reading!! 😁
Yes! Peter Pan and Alice in wonderland… two classics that people love that I can’t really get behind.
King is just a mixed bag because he has so many books out written in different points in his life.
Alice in Wonderland being written by a man who had a box of nude child photos and about an underaged girl named Alice he wanted to seduce just ruined the book before I ever read it for me.
RIP Berserk author who recently passed away. It's also an on going series ,and right now no one knows if his assistants are going to take it up or if it is just going to stay unfinished.
The "I want to protect you, so I'm going to hurt you" trope is definitely a tightrope thing for sure. It can be done well but it is hard to find an example. And for some people it is just a no-go in general.
Fair point.
(I apologize in advance if fifty people have already mentioned this.) The woman who so brilliantly played the leading role in “Misery,” was Kathy Bates and she won an Academy Award for it. That was her break-out role and it firmly moved her into the top tier of actors. So, you are absolutely right! The movie was better than the book because a phenomenal actor breathed life into that role to a genuinely remarkable degree. I’m glad you highlighted that particular adaptation because so few rise to this level.
COMPLETELY agree on Red Rising, especially the "thing he uses a lot" part...totally unnecessary
FWIW, the "camera" in Poppy War is usually not focusing on the rapes or the genocide. It's usually the characters having to deal with the aftermath of it.
For someone who has the same "lines" as Merphy and went into TPW blind, I want to say that it's still very explicit. There character doesn't experience those events herself, but there are detailed descriptions scenarios including brutal sexual assault, child abuse/murder and genocide. I just want everyone who is sensitive to these subject to know before picking it up, because I really struggled. Happy for everyone who enjoyed the book/series though, it is an extraordinary achievement, just not for me :)
The witness account in the first book is one of the most detailed, graphic and gruesome descriptions of child mutilation, infanticide and repeated rape I've ever read in a book. It's the only thing I can recall when I think back to that book, and I would never recommend a book to anyone where that's the only 'memorable' thing that happened. (it also made 0 sense for said witness to be able to tell what she'd been through in such vivid detail only moments after what happened. It was such a random 'insert-rape-of-nanking-cruelties-here' moment and it didn't fit in with the rest of the book at all. I hated it, and the rest of the book was just bland and Rin was stupid as hell.)
@@NovelistAnne ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Certainly you're entitled to your opinion. As far as giving the book an overall bad review, you're in a pretty small minority. Most people think Rebecca Kuang is one of the brightest new authors in the genre. I happen to agree. Maybe you should try something a little more lighthearted, like Dan Brown or maybe even Victoria Hamilton. She's got a great series--the Merry Muffin Mysteries. Enjoy!
@@dumpster_fiyah luckily I've been a frequent reader for a bunch of years now so I'm very aware of my own tastes and don't need your passive aggressive recommendation lol. I just think it's a bit misleading to say this book is mild in the themes Merphy mentioned as problematic to her because they are not mild at all, and just because the main character isn't the one experiencing all the abuse, doesn't mean it isnt graphic. So your comment is misleading and I felt the need to set that straight. Other than that, my opinion about Rin and the rest of the plot are obviously entirely subjective as is a given with books.
@@NovelistAnne Didn't say they were mild. Said they happened "off-camera," and that the characters were usually dealing with the aftermath of those events, not witnessing them. It was a two sentence post.
Unpopular opinion (sorry, Merph): Though the book was well-written, I think the Jurassic Park movie is WAY better than the book, mainly due to the character changes in the film.
But I completely agree with you on the Poppy War series. #nope
Same here! I grew up with the movie and just recently read the book, I thought the book did NOT do justice to the female characters. Also, Alan Grant's character arc is better in the movie imo
I agree. I read the book and actually thought it was pretty meh, and mediocre, Ifound many of the characters annoying, especially the little girl, but i really enjoy the movie. Whenever anybody asks me what movies are better than the book the first ones I always think about are Jurassic Park and The Princess Bride.
to be honest i expected that Merphy will not love berserk
Ikr? Shame.
Given my understanding of her likes from watching her videos, I truly think that Guts would be one of her favourite characters. But I absolutely understand and respect that she'll likely never read Berserk and that the story is not something she'd like to experience.
First time I liked the timing on the add, it was immediately after merphy said "it could be a really controversial one" on the popular character you don't like question. That's my unpopular opinion, I liked the add cut.
Personally, I found My Dark Vanessa to be INFINITELY more difficult to read than all of the violence in the Poppy War. There is definitely child neglect and graphic rape, but I guess it didn't affect me as much because it is in the backdrop of war and violence. The detailed ways in which Vanessa is manipulated made me nearly vomit multiple times. But that may just be me. I am a History teacher so I may be a bit desensitized (in visceral reaction-- I am still incredibly appalled) to war violence. I definitely think it was necessary as she was using real events from Chinese History like the Rape of Nanking for her to incorporate the violence and brutality. Curious why you were able to get through My Dark Vanessa though since it is basically about child abuse and sexual assault, and those are the two things you are sensitive to. Is it because it wasn't aggressive?
I didn't expect Patricia to break my heart by being on some worst books lists, but here we are.
i'm really glad you posted cause i just finished the mistborn trilogy and am currently going through post-book depression
The post-book depression can be rough. Hang in there! Or just start something new.
Ahaa hey I finished book 2 today. Jumping in book 3. I already feel like imma need a moment after 🤣
Im manly talking about the end of Tangled here but I love it when a character is about to save another characters life but it could have major consequences for them to the point that the other character dosen't want to be saved.
The Poppy War is a heavy book series, so if someone wants to read it, they should look up trigger warnings and decide if they can get into it or not! But I just want to say that the book handles these topics very well in my opinion, and if someone is triggered by the same two things Merphy mentioned: they are not the focus of the book and (again, in my opinion) one could skip a few chapters where they come up, it's not a prominent part of the story.
Golyn Niis is one of the crucial emotional components for Rin's decision in the ending of the first book. But I agree, look up trigger warnings before picking up this (amazing!) series.
@@WhtSnwRvn Yes, it is an important part, but if a friend would ask me if they should pick up the book or not just because of that, I would advise them to skip that part. It is really emotional, true, but if the detailed recount of the events would be triggering, but other than that they would want to read it - I think they would be absolutely fine with only getting the gist of those few chapters. But it is a really specific question, it's a heavy book, that can easily be too much - not just because of the depicted violence and war.
While it might not be a prominent part for the overall story, it is EXTREMELY graphic when it does come up.
I think that anyone with sensitivities to those things, you should probably stay away from this one.
(Although I do acknowledge that apart from that aspect, it's a pretty good series).
It’s a fine line to walk, because if you have these themes in your book it is impossible for them to NOT effect your characters, if not the plot directly. So while it can be very distasteful to highlight them at all, it can be even worse to say they happen and then not point out their impact. Hard line to walk.
I really hate the miscommunication trope, especially how the majority of authors use it to create cheap drama that affects their entire plot. Don't get me wrong I love me some drama, but not for drama for the dumbest reasons possible like person a thinks person b called them a dumbass when really person b was talking about person c but now person a and b stop being friends for like two hundred pages of a three hundred page book.
I have those same sensitivities and the few recommendations Ive read from you haven't had them and so now I feel even more safe continuing to read books you recommend thank you so much for being vulnerable about that Merphy!
Mat was a much deeper character for me on my WoT re-read than my first read. That’s true for a lot of the characters actually.
6:17 ahh the relief at being caught up with most of Sanderson’s books
If you like Kathy Bates in Misery definitely watch Delores Claiborne. Kathy Bates was great as a crazy fan in Misery but i think shes even better as a tough as nails protective mother in Delores Claiborne.
Just a note, the movie involves an abusive husband and father and there's one scene that alludes to sexual assault but it's not graphic.
If everyone's recommending manga I want to recommend my favorite EVER. It's name is Chihayafuru, is a josei (its target audience is adult women) about a Japanese card game called Karuta that's actually a real life sport about poems, the romance is not the center plot but it's subtle and intricate. It's the most beautiful manga ever, the game is super interesting, the protagonist is a highschooler who is obsessed in becoming the best Karuta player in the world, she's passionate and an air head, her best friend is one of the best and more complicated side character ever (well One Piece actually takes the crown in amazing side characters but it's a different vibe) and theres a love triangle that even if I hate with all my soul love triangles this is the only I can pass because adds up to much to the actual game and their separate goals and dreams. So yeah you should give it a try 😍.
Edit: I hate that love triangle in The Stormlight Archives too, I think is more of a popular opinion maybe.
I love Chihayafuru!!! I haven't read it, only seen the anime adaptation. I've watched it twice because I love it so much and I hope they will make another season.
@@myradimm4112 I'm dying for another season! Let's hope they make it
One thing I really appreciate about your reviewing style is you are very clear in stating your opinion is your opinion and not the definitive standard. You are also among the best in providing rationale for your opinion.
If you ever in the mood for historical fiction anyway, check out War and Peace. It's like an epic fantasy without magic (think Powder Mage fallout from the point of view of Kez (Russia)), and it's really slow and politics-oriented, which you should enjoy, and it's far more character driven than plot driven. And it's written by a grandson of one of the main characters, so the history part is quite correct
Just started this video, and you go straight into Murakami! 😬
“The Wind Up Bird Chronicles” is one of my favorite books I have ever read, so it is somewhat painful to hear someone disliking h8m as an author. 😔
Here’s me wondering why people would skip spoilers... then remembering that the only reason I don’t is because my memory is so bad I won’t remember them anyway
This is so me…
Unpopular opinion: I actually love Patricia McWriterly's books
I completely agree with your Jade City/ Jade war opinion, they seem kinda overhyped in general and presented by fans as something they are not. Even the blurbs on the book cover are guilty of this
Hi Merphy. Historical fiction reader here with a number of recommendations if you're interesed:
If you're looking to try more historical fiction, I'd really recommend Dorothy Dunnett's works (Lymond Chronicles, House of Niccolo, and King Hereafter). They are fantastic novels with wonderful prose. The first book in the Lymond Chronicles in particular has moments and plotlines reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo (only set in Scotland), which I know you like. For Lymond Chronicles, the story is set in 16th century Scotland, where the outcast son of a Scottish nobleman family abruptly returns home with mysterious intentions while England attempts to annex Scotland.
There is also Hilary Mantel's Cromwell Trilogy which, while a slow burn with some prose that is difficult to get used to, has an intriguing plot with a fantastic lead character. It's set in the Tudor era and follows Henry VIIIs chief minister as he rises to (and later falls from) power.
An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears does some fascinating things with narrative, character and perspective, but has some disturbing scenes and subject matter (especially regarding the female lead) which may turn you off it. I'd still cautiously recommend it if you think you can handle that. Set in the Restoration period, the novel follows the testimonies of four men at a trial regarding a young woman who has allegedly murdered her benefactor.
Aside from that, both Ken Follett and Bernard Cornwells historical novels tend to range from decent to fantastic and are worth checking out. I'm happy to recommend more if you're interested or want something more specific. I find that, when it's done right, Historical Fiction can be as engaging as fantasy. I hope this helps you find something you like.
Well, I think I'll check some of these recommendations out - reading through Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series right now and would love to read more historical fiction and all you've mentioned here certainly sounds interesting.
@@Ink129Glad to hear it. I hope you find something you like.
Wholly concur with the Pears, Mantell and Follet recommendations! Particularly instance of the finger post works on a lot of levels: really gripping whodunnit, and exploration of the nature of truth, testimony and how history is made. Which leads me to ask (historical fiction aside) have you read Arcadia by Ian pears? I found that an incredibly interesting really ambitious book and have heard no one talk about it!? It kind of felt like his dark materials crossed with cloud atlas to me which IMO is high praise, this also leads me to one of my other favourite historical fictions: Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet-also highly recccomend!
@@andrewrose3841 Thank you for the recommendations. I had Arcadia out of my library a while ago but it was due back and put under reservation before I could really get into it (I'll try it again soon). I hadn't heard about Thousand Autumns but it sounds really interesting. Going onto my TBR list now. Check out Dunnett if you haven't already (her writing style is a bit dense but her stories are great). I'm happy to trade other recommendations (historical fiction or any other genre or format) anytime.
Lymond sounds like an interesting and very talented character, I’ll definitley have to give Game of Kings ago! Cheers
I literally just picked up The Way of Kings from the library today, what the heck.
Oh! And since you're getting into manga, I recommend "The Girl from the Other Side". It's just really cute and pretty and intriguing.
About movie adaptaion... The last adaptation of Rebecca is pretty okay. The Frenchman's Creek is very charming too.
On the final question, which adaptation do you prefer to the book, I would say Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'Hoole. I dont dislike the book series, I loved it as a kid, and the film adaptation I think made a good choice in adapting the very small books (the first three) into a film. It improved what was there and handled the themes really well. Along with the animation being absolutely stunning, I wish they had gone further into the series.
I didn’t really enjoy mistborn as much as I thought I would. I enjoyed the plot and action but really didn’t like the parties and romance.
SAME! Didn't like the endless troop movements either. Two thirds of the trilogy should have been cut and it would have been a better story. IMO Elend should have been killed off at the end of book one. But there was too much ugly prose in there which served no purpose. It should have been one massive book or three short ones. Bits of it is good. It would make a cool computer game. I would watch the TV show or movie just to see if they fixed the pacing problems and made it better. Elend needs to be less bland so it makes more sense why Vin would choose him.
on the poppy war trilogy, i'm also really sensitive to those topics you mentioned and I found that the author handled them really well. They do come up a couple of times, and it's definitely a brutal read, but no worse than the Broken Earth trilogy
I like abusive relationship trope but I want them to be recognise as what it is and there should not be a redemption for that and the journey of the love interest to get rid of that relationship and his or her emotional journey along with it
Adaptations I liked better than the book: Mansfield Park (yes!), Stardust (yes!), all of The Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone (introducing themes of prejudice, multiple POV, and 6oC made the series FAR better), and my most controversial opinion- Sense and Sensibility (1995).
Adaptations I liked as much as the book: The Princess Bride & Emma (2020)
100% agreed with you on Mat and Wayne. Had to pause the video and comment immediately
I'm soooo glad someone finally expressed my exact feelings for the greenbone saga. I mean I enjoyed it but based on the hype I thought I would like it a lot more
King is kind of a person of many seasons, his books do not exactly lend well to you when you're in a dark place or if you're in a bad spot in life, but when you're reading it and it really hits, it hits great. So I highly recommend reading Stephen King when you have that mood but not when you don't because it affects how you perceive the writing. But I definitely will say his Bachman books like Roadwork are some of the worst I've ever read yet I'm a big fan of King.
The ad read 😆😆😆😆 definitely the best one yet.
Peter Pan is…pretty good to me. I read it and enjoyed it and then I was like “why does Merphy LOVE this though?”
But it’s okay, I wasn’t mad that I read it lol
I agree about the Stormlight spoilers. It was annoying because…it was totally dropped. Sanderson is bad with certain situations if you know what I mean. (I’m trying not to spoil things here lol)
I am fine with bloody violence etc. but The Poppy War was definitely difficult at times with the frequent descriptions of violence towards children. As a mum, I find it really triggering and had to take a couple of time outs, which I've never had to do before. The book was addictive but I would always warn people about the violence towards children. I'm glad you knew of it before thinking of starting it.
Okay, I just commented above saying that there wasn't really child abuse in Poppy War. What are you thinking of? I hesitate to assume I am so numb to depictions of child abuse that it didn't even register to me...but the only thing I can think of is when Rin is with her foster parents, and that is like two scenes of them yelling, and then they're gone for the rest of the book. What am I forgetting?
@@readbykyle3082 There are 2 things that immediately jump to mind: Scene near the beginning of a rich person deliberately driving over a child they accidentally knocked down so they wouldn't have to pay medical bills - particularly upsetting because I have read that this happens in some countries irl. Then there's the whole chapter of Golyn Niis with the descriptions of war atrocities. The protagonist also muses sometimes about the abusive parenting of her adoptive parents and she has to repress thoughts of guilt about abandoning her adoptive brother. Golyn Niis is where I had to take a long time out and stare at the ceiling. Before becoming a parent it was easier to "get over" upsetting stories about kids and maybe that's similar to why those parts didn't stick in your mind, but now it's deeply upsetting for me, even in a story, so I can't mentally skim past those things.
@@Frogface91 yeah, I admittedly forgot about the driving over a child scene. I found that uncomfortable, but it wasnt dwelt on. I could see it being upsetting, though. The Golyn Niis thing is chapter 21 though, and that is based on the Rape of Nanking and I don't think "child abuse" covers it. That chapter is absolutely horrifying and I had to take the night off after reading it. But of all the reasons I would flag that as a hard chapter to read, I wouldn't flag it extra because of "child abuse".
But hey, I totally get how heartwrenchingly awful that chapter is. I still think about it often, unfortunately.
@@readbykyle3082 in my original comment I referred to it as "violence against children" rather than "child abuse". The descriptions of war atrocities involved people of all ages, including some specific descriptions of what happened to babies. I think the believability is part of the reason why all the instances of child mistreatment hit harder in this book than it may have in others. I didn't know what real-life events Kwang was drawing from, but her words struck the chord of truth.
Yea, I noticed that Sanderson did that in not just one but two books and honestly it felt clunky af to me. Like I have seen authors drop relationships but it is usually done with a lot more finesse.
I personally love berserk to bits but I would heavily urge you not to read it because there are quite a lot of those things you don't like
I do recommend you to read Vinland saga which has similar themes but with a lot less of the things you don't like
Keep up the good work
I always felt that Shallan’s chemistry was better with Kaladin…
Firecrackers to be sure, but the mix of these two characters with their respective PTSD would quickly become a destructive wildfire. Adolin is the better match for Shallan. He is grounded in ways that will help her in the long run.
That said, I'm not sure that she should have married quite yet with her mental state. It would have been better to see how things played out before doing so.
@@Leonnie13 I guess I just like firecracker chemistry 😂
Kind of, but how can you not route for Adolin? He's like the best person ever.
@@jacobmoeller5345 I have nothing against Adolin… But Kaladin is my fav!
@@LEOrgill Mine too. I'm hoping/trusting that there is a better match waiting for him in one of these books.
A Monster Calls is an excellent movie adaptation. I think the visual does bring a lot to story personally and there is a scene at the end that I do love, so I hesitantly say I do prefer the movie for those reasons. But if you love the book it is worth a watch. I am honestly surprised I don't hear more people talking about it.
Berserk is also my answer for a popular series I will probably never read. Not because of the content or subject matter, just because I know it's never going to end.
Oooh. . . Never thought I'd hear you say something that I couldn't at least understand, even if I didn't agree. . . But Matrim?! Whoa. :P
Kafka on the Shore: I both loved and hated it at the same time. It's the case with most of the Murakami's books I've read so far: I get really annoyed about some things, and I hate the way he does certain things (like female characters), but I can't put down the damn book, it's almost like morbid curiosity. And they always stay in my mind for a long time afterwards, which means that at least they stood out from other books I might have read.
I too for a long time thought the ending to Stormlight love triangle was clunky, but then in the greater context of RoW it hit me; this was a very healthy way to end a pining-style romance for Kal. Instead of: lurking, stalking and other nasty things that come from toxic sides of this. I was glad that he made a mature decision and was glad she did also.
Great video ❤
I've finished Book 7 of WoT and Mat has finally grown on me (as he's finally grown up a bit and wow does he not have a fun time in that book). What I don't understand is the love for Perrin? He's fine, don't get me wrong, but so far he's just been a bit bland and sometimes annoyingly self-righteous. Can someone explain why everyone loves him? I may have just missed something
I think people love him because he is a big guy but it is kind and does not want to hurt people. But do not worry about not loving him, you are not alone on that one.
Perrin was the character i was most interested when starting the series, and it mostly had to do with his powers and simple personality.But yeah his plotline goes into the background after shadowrising and meanders a lot. Still I really like his plot as it feels the most grounded and visceral of the group, he is fighting a personal battle and wears it on his sleeve.
Mat's plotline has been very up and down for me, i really liked him in dragon reborn and fires of heaven. It was the best in knife of dreams, which i just finished.
Also throughout the 'slog' i really enjoyed perrin's plot even though there is a lot of meandering. personally for me it was elayne's arc that made it hard to get through it.
@@akhilvejendla9586 I shared the same fealing as you, he started as my favorite, but it went down really fast. And for the slug i do think it is a 50/50 between Perrin and Elayne.
I just finish book5 and I am one of those who love Perin more than Mat. I just relate to Perin so much cause I think he has some distance to his emotions like when he got some tragic news in shadow rising his reaction was very likely to me on some level plus he is so Kind and always try to do right Unlike Rand who always go for greater good but Perin is someone who does what he thinks is right on individual level.
PS: my fav is nyneave though but on Mat and Perin I like him more without his love interest
Keep reading.
My boi Bon-chan didn't deserve this treatment. Yes he did that with Nami's body when he met the SH crew. The fanservice happens so often with Nami and Robin, and in manga in general, especially since shonen ("young man/people") series are meant for teenagers. I was a teen when i first read the Alabasta saga, and for me from my male teen perspective, I liked how he met the crew. The man's hilarious, and his interactions with the crew was amazing. I think he solidified what it meant to be a true friend for me at the time. But just keep going I guess. He's honestly my favorite character from Alabasta, and one of the greatest allies of Luffy and the SHs, alongside Ivankov, Jimbei, Boa and Kuma.
Glad that you mentioned Kafka On the Shore. I hated it. And I found but one single (!) review in German newspapers that said this novel is basically fraud and Murakami - in this case - an imposter. And I agree.
My hypothesis: When you are such an acclaimed author and basically everything you publish is praised - how could you even know that something you wrote is rubbish? Most people will gobble it up anyway. And that becomes a circle argument because when so many people like it then it can't be all bad by definition. And that's what happens when artists reach a critical mass of too-big-to-fail.
I really strongly felt Murakami took a pile of fragments, story drafts and half assed concepts out of his drawer, shuffled the pages, stapled them together and called it a day.
While a lot of the concepts could have been... something. If nourished and edited and cared for. And courated into a colletion of short stories. They could even magically overlap, alright.
But no, content had to be shreddered and poured into something imitating a novel. Including that fever dream of a covert Whisky advertisment. (Nope, fever dream is not positive in this case)
...and then everybody who wanted to love it simply for the name on the cover ran with it and over-interpreted the hell out of it and nobody could really claim "nonsense!" because that's magical realism for you, and hey, what do you know, right. Right!?
Thank you for the opportunity to vent. I feel better now.
Have a great day!
My unpopular movie that's better than the book opinon: Lotr. I looooove the story so much but I'm just not a big fan of Tolkien's writing style so while they're not perfect I actually prefer the film trilogy to the books.
Unpopular opinion: I think it suits Shallan better to stay single. She has too many problems to form an intimate relationship with another person imo
But then she kind of has to be with Adolin because of the circumstance... so, anyway
I honestly was quite surprised that you didn't like Kafka on the shore as I loved this book so much but I totally respect your opinion, Murakami has a certain way of writing and it's not for everyone. Overall I quite like your videos and opinions about books and congrats, you just got a new subscriber.
Not sure if it's an unpopular opinion, but "for your own good" is usually a strong pass for me. If someone says that, they likely know how badly the person in question will react, and I feel the radiant pain/rage/sorrow. This is low-key why I don't like love triangles.
Your rating of SK books, sounded a lot like that one Daniel Sloss joke about his mum loving them all the same, i just smiled wider with each book you ranked.
(That does not say anything on the books/my opinions on King's work, since i have this this where fear/being scared (jump or otherwise) is/reacts in physical pain. So i-
yeah.)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on some of your favorite things and dislikes.
SPOILERS FOR STORMILGHT
Shallan and Kaladin had more chemistry in that one scene in the chasms than her and Adolin through the whole book. But I'm glad they didn't end up together because I feel like Kaladin deserves better
yes! Their dynamic in that chasm scene was so good. We never got anything like it afterwards.
Well, I don't care for either pairing and actively hated the love triangle (it's probably the only thing that truly made me mad in Words of Radiance), but regardless of chemistry or not, I think Kaladin and Shallan would be terrible for each other. Shallan had a lot of stuff to work through with herself and pairing that with Kaladin dealing with his depression seems like a recipe for disaster. So it's not really that I think Kaladin deserves better (which, honestly, I do, but so does Adolin tbh), but more so that I think Shallan and Kaladin wouldn't have been good to each other. At least Adolin can actually be there for Shallan (although I still dislike that relationship and feel bad that Adolin is much more emotionally available to support her and be there for her than the other way around).
Oof! the shade....😬
@@archlectoryarvi2873 Hahah, it wasn't meant to sound that way. I like Shallan a lot, but I hated the love triangle and I also don't like her relationship with Adolin. I'm glad Sanderson didn't give Kaladin a love interest so far, seeing as he was dealing with so much and it's something he needed to work on on his own. I think the same regarding Shallan, so I'd rather she was still single, although I do understand Sando needed her to have a more meaningful connection to the rest of the cast. It's just my opinion, but I also don't tend to like the way Sando writes romance, as I'm picky with romance in Fantasy, so really, what do I know? :P
@@popuri48 Understandable, not a fan of Sanderson's romance plots either but the only one I've "actively hated" as you put it, is whatever the hell went down between Zane, Vin and Elend in Mistborn era 1. Total waste of an interesting character like Zane. Stormlight's love triangle is a masterpiece compared to that.
I feel like I don't really have unpopular opinions, I seem to agree with basically everyone else. But I love to see other people having them, it's so entertaining
That could be an unpopular opinion :D
So sad having to skip all the Cosmere spoilers... I want to be part of the club!! Reading The Final Empire right now though, so eventually I'll get there.
I didn't enjoy Red Rising either I have to be honest- I read a chapter and ended up dnfing it before gifting it to a friend- I'm not sure whether it was the writing style or just that I didn't gel with it but yeah not my cup of tea.
How can anyone dislike Peter Pan- it's one of my favourite classics!.
I can't stomach rape scenes in books either or in movies I won't be able to read The Poppy War at all. I just find it a bit too confronting and horrible for lack of a better term.
This was an enjoyable tag Merphy- great critiquing!.
Have you read Stephen King's Tommyknockers? I love it all (except maybe the ending that it's just meh) and it's way more scyfy than most of its books. Pet cementary and Misery are probably his best works. Cujo is really good too, but it can be a bit boring at the beginning
I respect that Berserk is too dark for you. It's really not for everyone, even if it is a masterpiece
YOU LIKE MORE MISERY'S MOVIE THAN BOOK? that's an interesting one, but yeah the main actress is amazing
Haven't read a ton of King but I loved It and the Stand.
Fully agree with Sanderson and love triangles. Don't get me wrong, I love all of his books, he is my favorite author at the moment, but he is just terrible in writing relationships (Shalan - Adolin) and love triangles especially.
I'm so tired of love triangles, especially when it's obvious who the protagonist will end up with OR when the 2nd lead was actually way better than the obvious romance lead 🥲🥲🥲
I enjoyed Peter Pan too. Maybe not to your extent, but I'm proud to have it part of my classics collection.
If you want a good Manga series, look to Azumanga Daioh. It is a slice of life 4 book series about a group of high school girls. It's hilarious.
Merphy, this video is an example of why you are my favorite BookTuber.
I haven't enjoyed Stephen King in a while. His best book IMHO is On Writing. I enjoyed his older stuff when I strictly just read for pleasure, no critical thinking involved. College made me a lot harder on plot, character, theme, etc.
Lol. Berserk was waaaayyyyy too dark for me too. I felt it was hurting my soul to continue.
Adaptations better than the book: The Wizard of Oz.
You should try the newer Stephen king books. They are a bit different from his earlier work. For example "Revival".
With you on Haruki Murakami. One of the worst authors I've ever read.
Also with you on My Dark Vanessa. Rough read, but wonderful as well.
Oh my god thank you! I hated Kafka on the shore as well! The one book I hated more than Kafka was Norwegian wood. (like why is Murakami's writing loved so much!!) I didn't get any good vibes from the protagonist. Felt like these were trying way too hard to be profound but ended up being just all over the place.
Wow that's a pretty good like-to-dislike ratio. You did well Merphy!
love seeing merphy acting in the ads
well, to play the devil's advocate, 'unpopular' is an improper adjective for the noun 'opinions'.
The very first thing that came to mind with the first question was The Poetry of Oscar Wilde. I loved The Picture of Dorian of Gray, it was beautifully written and so poetic. So forgive me for thinking his poetry would be the same. It felt like the pages were yelling at me about greek mythology. It was unpleasant and it kicked me out of the poetry mood for around a year.
I sort of wanna fight you on the Mansfield Park thing just because I feel like the movie really changes too much of Fanny’s personality…but I also understand where you’re coming from. I do like that movie outside of it being an adaptation. I just want another Mansfield Park series/movie honestly. Feels like it has been a struggle adapting it completely well.
I could see the book's spine on the screen, so I thought of this here unpopular opinion. A lot of people really do not like The Magicians (and many prefer the TV show), but the series is genuinely one of my favorites. The show is fine too, I guess. But man. When I realized how much some people hate that book it broke my heart a lil bit.
I too didn''t like the love triangle in Stormlight at all.
Dalinar and Navani is the more engaging romance and the best one in the series.
I totally agree with your opinions on King.
Have you started “Fruits Basket” yet? Great series
Random question, but I wonder if there's a book Merphy likes that has a red and black cover. Seems like a trend that books featuring that color combo aren't well-liked by her.
She loves Into the Drowning Deep
Unpopular book opinion: I don't like the book The Shinning. I felt that it has some fantastic parts, the beginning chapter or 2 is the best introduction I have seen from king, but it falls apart as the story continues.
I feel the worst part is the chapters dedicated to detailing how great a family man jack is. Many times it slices through the tension but at it's worse comes off as Jack apologetics.
One Piece is a really unique series! But since you want to read more in the future, I would recommend Solanin (more on the serious side) and Pluto (a reimagine of part of the Astro boy manga)
Spoiler warning! I'm so glad that you didn't like the love triangle in stormlight too! I hate love triangles. Always. I was so relieved when it did not go anywhere.
Unpopular opinion: I love fantasy, but I hated Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone, Divergent, Red Queen, and Maze Runner.
I think three of those aren’t fantasy
@@cassecorrea Very true. Half of them are dystopian, but are commonly classified as fantasy or science fiction because they take place in a more futuristic setting or have elements of fantasy. A friend recommended I read Hunger Games because I love fantasy, but it has little to none fantasy in it. The same with Divergent and Maze Runner. I think part of the issue here is that Dystopian is considered more of a sub-genre rather than it's own category. When I talk to people who read less, most of them don't even know what dystopian is.
Having never seen “Misery” I totally agree that the woman who plays the lady did a great job
So I skipped because I am reading Oathbringer but I am also not there for the love triangle. I love Adolin and Shallan and I love to see a romance where they interact. So often female protagonists get with someone super intense and serious and it was awesome to show the light and sweet side of getting to know someone. I just…I don’t know what will happen but I hope there’s no cheating with Kal because I really would like S+A to be together.
Some of the book titles I imagine Patricia McWriter has published:
"Sea Sponges: The Silent Killer"
"A Tale of Two Merphys"
"Gee, Your Book Smells Terrific!"