#Unbreakable by Mira Grant

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: Unbreakable by Mira Grant

Author: Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire)Publisher: Subterranean PressReleased: March 31, 2023Received: Own Book Summary: Unbreakable Starlight was one of many groups of girl warriors tasked with defending the planet. Unfortunately, their name was not quite accurate, as most of the group fell – alongside every other warrior. Only two survived the massacre. Piper and Yuina. Now the government has…

[offonaherosjourney]

Unbreakable by Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) is a book about magical protectors and cosmic horrors.

If you like the magical girl genre you will love this book.

If you liked Madoka you will love this book. But also, if you didn't, you will love this book.

If you want a more nuanced and dark take on the magical girl genre (while still keeping the sparks and rainbows) that doesn't introduce mature and gritty themes just for the sake of subverting expectations, because it was written by someone that understands how to embrace and successfully marry the magical girl genre and the cosmic horror genre, while at the same time packaging it all with a realistic portrayal of how our world would react to/deal with magical protectors, you will love this book. And if you have already read this book please come talk to me about it.

[ramavoite]

We made a vow, unshakable: In starlight, we're unbreakable. We’ll protect the world with all we are, And when we fall, we’ll fall like stars.

- Mira Grant, Unbreakable

[freckles-and-books]

Read this one yesterday, and I loved it.

[cav-core]

Watchmen and Mira Grant's Unbreakable are also very similar takes on different aspects of the superhero genre, in this essay I will

[palominodragon]

I read Unbreakable by Mira Grant (@seananmcguire) and was fascinated by the little magical girl mascot creatures. So morally conflicted! I would read a story from their perspective, see how they interact with each other when the humans aren't around. Maybe see a new one being taught the ropes.

I doodled some from the book and then designed some of my own.

[magicaldogtoto]

On the final 1/3 of Unbreakable. Spoilers below the Read More.

The post I saw recommending this book said you’d like it whether or not you enjoyed Madoka Magica. Personally, I re-watched Madoka recently and found myself still moved by the series (and I have now begrudgingly accepted Rebellion, for better or worse).

That out of the way, I think I might like the twist in Unbreakable regarding the monsters from the Outside a bit more than the one regarding the Witches. For one thing, it frees the magical girls of Unbreakable’s world from the dread of someday becoming the things they hunt (not that this is an angst-free world; Piper and Yuina have certainly been through hell). Secondly, the idea that the Heralds recruiting magical protectors are just the larval stage of the monsters the girls fought makes a lot of sense to me. It was established that both the Heralds and the monsters came from beyond the universe; it also makes sense for the two non-human creatures to be connected.

It also sort of ties into the adults versus kids angle the story has been running with. There’s a lot about how adults are trying to control the kids who had become protectors, and Piper and Yuina revel against that. It’s similar to how the Heralds have been trying to rebel against the adult counterparts. The fact that the Heralds only want their parents dead so they can proceed to eat worlds on their own is also an interesting bit of trying to conquer a system instead of outright fix the problems in it.

I’m excited to see how it ends.

[kipperlillycopperkettle]

finished unbreakable by mira grant and it's truly everything i wanted it to be. if you liked madoka magica or enjoy any media about chosen ones who have to grow up because shit gets bad, i cannot recommend it enough

[dei2dei]

Go read Unbreakable by Mira Grant. Seriously.

Middle-aged magical girl.

She's been defending the Earth since the early 90s and she's very tired.

[fionnemrys]

stuff about me :)

thank you @inkedroplets for tagging me <3

[TAG SOMEONE YOU WANT TO KNOW AND/OR SOME OF YOUR BESTIES]

favorite color: it depends on my mood, but usually green or purple.

last song: Almost certainly something by the Indigo Girls. I listen to them the way a lot of you listen to Taylor Swift. Obsessively and on heavy rotation. So, I’ll just pick one from the last album I had queued up: True Romantic. I love these lyrics, “Baby if you took all the good stuff / And put it all together / And you took all the bad stuff / And you threw it all away / Would I still be the girl that suits your fancy / Would I still be the boy / Who rocks your world”

last movie: Practical Magic

currently watching: Leverage, Loki, Derry Girls, and just finished rewatching Hawkeye. The Haunting of Bly Manor may be next. Recommendations welcome.

other stuff i watched this year: The Continental, Warrior Nun, The Old Guard, Ahsoka, Nimona, Heartstopper, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, almost all of Katie’s filmography, probably a bunch of other stuff I’ve forgotten about.

shows i dropped this year: I don’t think I’ve dropped anything, but I sure have added a lot of new ones.

currently reading: An Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire, Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, Dracula (I don’t need to name the author, right?) Also on deck, Faery Tale by Signe Pike and Unbreakable by Mira Grant. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy and I am always up for trading book recs.

currently listening to: Indigo Girls, Squeeze, and the soundtrack for Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog.

currently working on: Nothing of mine right now, although a few ideas are percolating. Currently doing a bit of beta reading.

current obsession/s: Supercorp still has me in its grip. I never expected to fall so hard for a fandom, but here I am. Also still loving the Wylde Flowers video game. Forever devouring anything that Seanan McGuire and Catherynne Valente write.

tagging: @badcures @jedifighterpilot2727 @vox-ex @jadedloverart

[swordofsun]

Wanted to do something for the new year, so I guess I'll do a 2023 book wrap up. In chronological order from the beginning of 2023 to the end.

Putting in a read more because this is 90 books and that's too much to not hide it.

Rereads marked with a *

The Iron Dirge by Sam Sykes - Grave of Empires #2.5

Three Axes to Fall by Sam Sykes - Grave of Empries #3

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty

The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin - Great Cities #2

Unbreakable by Mira Grant

Apocalypse Scenario #683: The Box by Mira Grant

Juice Like Wounds by Seanan McGuire - Wayward Children #4.5

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire - Wayward Children #8

The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron - The Legend of Eli Monpress #1*

The Spirit Rebellion by Rachel Aaron - The Legend of Eli Monpress #2*

The Spirit Eater by Rachel Aaron - The Legend of Eli Monpress #3*

The Spirit War by Rachel Aaron - The Legend of Eli Monpress #4*

Spirit's End by Rachel Aaron - The Legend of Eli Monpress #5*

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold - Vorkosigan Saga #1 (Publication Order)

The Coup of Tea by Casey Blair - The Tea Princess Chronicles #1

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

Lyconthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal

The Jewel and Her Lapidary by Fran Wilde - Gemworld #1

Sandry's Book by Tamara Pierce - Circle of Magic #1*

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds

By A Silver Thread by Rachel Aaron - DFZ Changeling #1

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older - Mossa and Pleiti #1

The Twice-Drowned Saint by C.S.E. Cooney

Tris's Book by Tamara Pierce - Circle of Magic #2*

The Bones Swans of Amandale by C.S.E. Cooney (Novella)

Even Though I Knew The End by C.L. Polk

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard - Unseen World #1

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

The Ghost Network by Catie Disabato

The Keeper's Six by Kate Elliot

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

Servant Mage by Kate Elliot

The Warden by Daniel M Ford - The Warden #1

Daja's Book by Tamara Pierce - Circle of Magic #3*

Jackdraw by K.J. Charles - A Charm of Magpies World #1

The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung - Amra Thetys #1

Bluebird by Ciel Pierlot

Lexicon by Max Barry

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

The Thief Who Spat in Luck's Good Eye by Michael McClung - Amara Thetys #2

Briar's Book by Tamara Pierce - Circle of Magic #4*

The Thief Who Knocked on Sorrow's Gate by Michael McClung - Amara Thetys #3

Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang - The Lamplight Murder Mysteries #1

Ebony Gate - by Julie Vee and Ken Bebelle - The Phoenix Hoard #1

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #2*

Rogue Protocols by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #3*

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #4*

Zen Bow, Zen Arrow: The Life and Teachings of Awa Kenzo, the Archery Master from "Zen in the Art of Archery" by John Stevens

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diareis #6*

Apparently I've hit the character limit without a paragraph break. So, we'll be starting over from 1, but it will really be #54.

Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #4.5

Compulsory: A Murderbot Story by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #0.5*

Magic Steps by Tamara Pierce - The Circle Opens #1*

Murder on the Lamplight Express by Morgan Stang - The Lamplight Murder Mysteries #2

Bone Swans by C.S.E. Cooney (short story collection)

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - Themis Files #1

Mammoth at the Gates by Nghi Vo - The Singing Hills Cycle #4

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M Valente

Triggernometry by Stark Holborn - Triggernometry #1

Street Magic by Tamara Pierce - The Circle Opens #2*

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett - The Foundryside Trilogy #1

Advanced Triggernometry by Stark Holborn - Triggernometry #2

Inda by Sherwood Smith - Inda #1

Thief Liar Lady by D.L. Soria

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne - Tomes and Tea #1

Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan

Dracula by Bram Stoker - via Re: Dracula

Beholder by Ryan La Sala

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather

System Collapse by Martha Wells - The Murderbot Diaries #7

Cold Fire by Tamara Piece - The Circle Opens #3*

Dream of the Falling Axe by Sam Sykes - Grave of Empires #3.5

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

The Salvation Gambit by Emily Skrutskie

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Hikaru No Go Vol 1 Decent of the Go Master by Yumi Hotta - Hikaru No Go #1

These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs - The Kingdom Trilogy #1

Shatterglass by Tamara Pierce - The Circle Opens #4*

Paladin's Faith by T Kingfisher - The Saint of Steel #4

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon - The Downworld Sequence #1

On The Fox Roads by Nghi Vo

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrom by John Scalzi - Lock In #0.5

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

Okay, and according to Storygraph:

My longest book was Three Axes to Fall at 806 pages

My most read authors were: Tamara Pierce, Martha Wells, and Rachel Aaron. Which is due to re-reads. I re-read 16 books this year.

My average rating was 4.14 out of 5.

I read the most in June.

I read 41 new-to-me authors.

52 of the books I read were part of series.

So, I guess, feel free to ask me any questions.

Happy New Year!

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Unbreakable ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Wow. Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire knows how to craft a tale! Unbreakable is one of those books that will obstinately suck you in. Given how the story starts, it's hard not to feel that pull. It's hard to look away once the depth of what happened is clear. There's this compulsion to find out what happens next, not to mention a need to understand why it happened in the first place.

Unbreakable has solid Sailor Moon vibes, though there are a few darker twists. Think teenage superheroes, but there are heavy consequences – most of which have already struck. It's an interesting foundation for the rest of the story.

This novella does have multiple POVs, though I would argue that Piper is the primary perspective. Yuina also gets a chance to show readers her story, which is greatly appreciated. So this is a must-read if you enjoy that format.

Honestly, I just wish there was more of this. I know it isn't needed; the ending told me all I needed to hear. But I really enjoyed the world, the magical setup, and the characters. Thus, I want more.

Highlights: Magical Girl Syndrome Urban Fantasy Sailor Moon Vibes (With a dark twist)

[offonaherosjourney]

Shoutout to books that strike such a primordial chord in your soul that the first thing you do after finishing them is read them again

[bookgeekdom]

Top books of 2022

10) The Library of the Unwritten - A.J. Hackwith

9) Reclaim the Stars - Zoraida Cordova

8) Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie

7) Unbreakable - Mira Grant

6) Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa - Julian Randall

5) A Prayer for the Crown Shy - Becky Chambers

4) The Bone Orchard - Sara A. Mueller

3) Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree

2) The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna

1) When Women Were Dragons - Kelly Barnhill

[dvandom]

This one is tricky for me. While I'd seen clips of Sailor Moon, I don't think I've ever actually watched a complete episode (it came out when I had no cable and had to be willing to put up with really bad reception on the cartoon-carrying channels I did get, and I was never curious enough about it to bother).

I might have seen some of the U.S. bastardization of CCSakura, but again only bits while channel surfing or clips used for AMVs and the like.

Revolutionary Girl Utena is probably the first magical girl or magical girl adjacent series I sat down and watched on purpose, back around 2001. I only saw the first dozen or so episodes, never got around to finishing it (turned into a car? really?).

The first time I sat down and deliberately watched anything on this list was the first eight episodes of Glitter Force, which was technically Precure. Also apparently it was the "Power Rangers RPM" of Precure. being more about running gags and poking fun at its previous seasons. A while later I watched the original Madoka series. (While I've read several books and comics in Madoka's "Magical Girls as cosmic horror" vein*, I haven't watched any of the other Dark Magical Girl anime.

(* Princess Holy Aura by Ryk Spoor and Unbreakable by Mira Grant, for instance)

Also yes, people that have seen Madoka Magica have only seen that, so they started to watch MORE magical girls because of it.

That's why I added it.

Reblog for a bigger sample size!

[cav-core]

Unbreakable - Mira Grant

(Childhood is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies - Edna St. Vincent Millay)

(Anecdote of the Pig - Tory Adkisson)

(Churching - Kristin Chang)