Tootfinder

Just finished "Beasts Made of Night" by Tochi Onyebuchi...
Indirect CW for fantasy police state violence.
So I very much enjoyed Onyebuchi's "Riot Baby," and when I grabbed this at the library, I was certain it would be excellent. But having finished it, I'm not sure I like it that much overall?
The first maybe third is excellent, including the world-building, which is fascinating. I feel like Onyebuchi must have played "Shadow of the Colossus" at some point. Onyebuchi certainly does know how to make me care for his characters.
Some spoilers from here on out...
.
.
.
I felt like it stumbles towards the middle, with Bo's reactions neither making sense in the immediate context, nor in retrospect by the end when we've learned more. Things are a bit floaty in the middle with an unclear picture of what exactly is going on politics-wise and what the motivations are. Here I think there were some nuances that didn't make it to the page, or perhaps I'm just a bit thick and not getting stuff I should be? More is of course revealed by the end, but I still wasn't satisfied with the explanations of things. For example, (spoilers) I don't feel I understand clearly what kind of power the army of aki was supposed to represent within the city? Perhaps necessary to wield the threat of offensive inisisia use? In that case, a single scene somewhere of Izu's faction deploying that tactic would have been helpful I think.
Then towards the end, for me things really started to jumble, with unclear motivations, revelations that didn't feel well-paced or -structured, and a finale where both the action & collapsing concerns felt stilted and disjointed. Particularly the mechanics/ethics of the most important death that set the finale in motion bothered me, and the unexplained mechanism by which that led to what came next? I can read a couple of possible interesting morals into the whole denouement, but didn't feel that any of them were sufficiently explored. Especially if we're supposed to see some personal failing in the protagonist's actions, I don't think it's made clear enough what that is, since I feel his reasons to reject each faction are pretty solid, and if we're meant to either pity or abjure his indecision, I don't think the message lands clearly enough.
There *is* a sequel, which honestly I wasn't sure of after the last page, and which I now very interested in. Beasts is Onyebuchi's debut, which maybe makes sense of me feeling that Riot Baby didn't have the same plotting issues. It also maybe means that Onyebuchi couldn't be sure a sequel would make it to publication in terms of setting up the ending.
Overall I really enjoyed at least 80% of this, but was expecting even better (especially politically) given Onyebuchi's other work, and I didn't feel like I found it.
#AmReading

Almost reached the top!
(A wonderfully wild path along the cliff edge and glorious evening light on the way to Teufelstättkopf, with a view of the Wetterstein massif and Zugspitze in the distance...)
#FootpathFriday #LandscapePhotography

Dozens of coal miners and their families are protesting the Trump administration outside the Labor Department building,
arguing it has failed to protect them from black lung disease,
an incurable illness caused by inhaling coal and silica dust.
They have been waiting months for the government to enforce federal limits on silica dust,
a carcinogen that has led to a recent spike in the disease.
But mining industry groups have sued to block the rule,
and the T…

Coal Miners With Black Lung Say They Are ‘Cast Aside to Die’ Under Trump
President Trump has been a cheerleader for coal miners. But these miners say his administration is failing to enforce limits on a lethal workplace hazard.

Wise words on the Hickel-Liegey/Nelson debate.
Neither the either nor the or: for a sideways degrowth | degrowth.info
https://degrowth.info/en/blog/neither-the-either-nor-the-or-for-a-sideways-degrowth

Neither the either nor the or: for a sideways degrowth
Here we are again: a position in the degrowth movement becomes apparent, strong, almost dominant, and the other side responds, feeling misrepresented. And in reacting, it inevitably ends up claiming to be the herald of the “true Degrowth” and rejecting the contribution of the other side.

Moody Urbanity - UP 🔝
情绪化城市 - 上面 🔝
📷 Nikon FE
🎞️ Ilford HP5 Plus 400, expired 1993
#filmphotography #Photography #blackandwhite

1/2 'Glitzer' #FotoVorschlag 'glitter'
I don't have a lot of glitter in my portfolio. But #snowflakes can be like glitter in the counter light!
I took this #photo …

Three drawers is the number of drawers that can be done in a day apparently. Leaving the two hardest ones (too small to operate inside the box and hang the rails I guess?)
Carpenter is very much looking forward to not having to drive to North London every day so don't think we'll get more than just tomorrow out of him.
Drawers work well though, feeling more solid than the flatpack half-cardboard Ikea/Argos stuff I'm more used to.

"The skyscraper, the apotheosis of form following finance and function"
—Jenny Diski, LRB
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v36/n15/jenny-diski/post-its-push-pins-pencils

Jenny Diski · Post-its, push pins, pencils: In the Stationery Cupboard
The secret beating heart of the dream office is the stationery cupboard, the ideal kind, the one that opens to enough...

Following public outcry,
the U.S. Department of Education has restored funding for students who have both hearing and vision loss,
about a month after cutting it.
But rather than sending the money directly to the four programs that are part of a national network helping students who are deaf and blind, a condition known as deafblindness,
the department has instead rerouted the grants to a different organization
The Trump administration targeted the programs in …

Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Get Funding Back Despite Trump’s Anti-DEI Campaign
Following public outcry, the Department of Education has reversed its decision to cut funding for students who have both hearing and vision loss, opting instead to reroute grants to an organization that will provide funding to these students.

Jeremy Corbyn says the UK government is endangering pro-Palestine hunger strikers
Former UK Labour leader Cornyn has issued a statement in solidarity with Amu Gib, who is accused of participating in the Palestine Action break-in of RAF Brize Norton airbase this summer.
The action,
carried out in protest of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the UK government’s participation in it,
led to the proscription of the group under “anti-terrorism” laws.
Dozens of protesters h…

Palestine Action activists on trial in UK over Israeli arms maker protest
The judge urged the jury to do away with personal feelings about the war on Gaza or the legality of the proscription.