Member Reviews
A great addition to any bookshelf.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was absolutely gorgeous, I loved the illustrations and everything in here made me feel so seen and inspired!
Definitely a fun book. I feel like I already lived the goblin life, but this made me feel more understood and gave me some good goblin tips 🙏🏻
unfortunately i did not have enough time to read this book in its entirety but it seemed like a good read.
I requested this book at a particularly goblin-y moment. I was feeling pretty down on myself for lacking energy and gumption. But there are some seasons of life that just have to be that way, and this book was a lovely reminder!
Cute but ultimately not super substantive -- pitched off an internet trend that felt a bit cheap from the start, I was bummed at how much this felt like filler for the pretty outside.
Goblin Mode; How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck by McKayla Coyle was not for me, personally. I am still thankful that I got to read this!
While this book didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, it was an enjoyable read. Reminders of self-acceptance are always a good thing and the book is more than worth the cost. It works better in print than it does.on Kindle, though. I'd definitely recommend purchasing it. in print.
Thanks to Netgalley and Quirk books for the ARC of this sweet self-help book!
This was the coziest self-help I’ve ever read, and I definitely tend towards the more gentle side of self-help. With a focus on how to take care of yourself gently while fitting in with goblin vibes, this was easy to read and start implementing.
Hi, it's me. I'm the goblin, it's me.
That was in my head through the whole book, sorry, haha. I am definitely the correct audience for this book! If maybe a bit older (I'm a millenial and the book is geared for a bit younger audience). Thank you NetGalley for ARC, I enjoyed it a lot.
Being a goblin is about embracing your messy side, and loving what you love even when it doesn't look like expensive, neutral, minimalism. I've always found minimalism difficult to apply as someone scared to throw things away. What was lovely about this book was how inclusive this mindset is. The book really addresses a lot of beautiful homemaking ideas that can be attained by people who struggle financially, who have disabilities, or mental health needs, or in any way "different". The author's thoughtfulness about inclusivity was so apparent.
Overall, it gave me good, warm feelings to read this book. I love bugs, reptiles, vintage, trinkets, and it felt like a warm hug to people like me. It made me appreciate my messy little home and yard.
My criticism was just that some of the specific chapters were a bit all over the place (I suppose not an ungoblin writing structure). The chapters very lightly touched on things like herbalism, animals, pets. green spaces, crafts, meditation, community, and skincare, but never went deep into any one topic. I didn't mind this reading, but at times it felt a bit like a last minute book report.
Aside from that. I overall adored the style/vibe/lifestyle being written about so overtly. It put to words a kind of coziness I've felt my whole life but didn't have a label for.
"Goblin Mode" by McKayla Coyle is a delightful surprise I never knew I needed in my reading collection. As someone who's never quite found that perfect "aesthetic" to connect with, Goblincore has now won me over entirely. This book is a treasure trove of charming insights on embracing life's imperfections and wholeheartedly embracing our quirks, without a care for being labeled as 'weird.'
It's such a gem that I'm planning to purchase a physical copy despite receiving an eARC. McKayla Coyle has truly worked their magic with this book, and I'm grateful for their exceptional storytelling. The quote, "Embracing your inner goblin means embracing the things that we’re taught to ignore about human nature: the good, the weird, and the sticky. It’s about getting back in touch with our inner child and giving that child the steering wheel," encapsulates the book's heartwarming message beautifully. Highly recommended for those seeking a journey of self-discovery and embracing the enchanting 'goblin' within us all.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC, I cannot wait to get my physical copy!
I love the concept of this self-care book, portraying us as goblins.
Turns out we will need to be a bit more Goblin in order to keep our mental health in one piece. I shall be buying this for several friends.
Thanks #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication.
Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I loved this sweet little goblin book
This was such a fun read! The book layout was gorgeous, the tips and projects all sounded fun and it really got me into the spirit of living the goblin life. I really just want to go out and be my best little goblin self now. I found the writing to be engaging and accessible and filled with acceptance. I felt like I was welcomed into a little family by the author. I need to go find some shiny rocks outside now.
Loved this! So many helpful tips and tricks to live my best goblin life.
Thanks to NetGalley / Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a very sweet little anticapitalist lifestyle book that's informed by disability justice and other social justice ethics. It's a lovely celebration of not just being who you are, but not knowing who you are quite yet, and experiencing joy stumbling around looking for your true self. The activities and recipes are easy to follow and the combination of self-reflection, skills-building, and permission to be soft and loving with yourself is all beautifully done. I really appreciated the moments where the author demonstrated awareness of history and context around troubled ideas like "communing with nature"- making note of disparate access to green spaces, the history of racial violence that keeps some areas greener than others, and the colonial violence of the idea of an untamed nature uninhabited by humans as either possible or desirable.
The only critique I have is it would have benefitted from slightly more research at the outset, when establishing the goblin archetype. It doesn't have to be a thesis on the ethnic or cultural history of goblins nor does it need to break new ground in folklore studies or anything like that, but the section is really weak given the idea of the goblin is the center of the text. This would also help the extremely important, but again contextually weak, section on antisemitism. Where in the world do goblin myths come from? How and why have they been taken up in the ways they have? What ethnic, cultural, and religious histories do goblins intersect with? Why are goblins an antisemitic trope? Again, these questions are extraordinarily dense and I don't expect the author to do her own independent research with primary source materials or anything, just to have read a few major texts on the myths and be able to offer a paragraph or two about the cultural history of the goblin and why it's important rather then/in addition to a filler paragraph on the Green Goblin from Marvel.
A very fun, easy read about living your best life and embracing all of the things that make you goblinesque.
I really loved this book. I thought it would be a book about interior design (which I love and my library stocks with gusto). However, while this book does include interior design, it includes so much more— such as finding your personal style, foraging, DIY projects, and caring for scaly friends. As for interior design, I found this book to be excellent. It offered an accessible and welcoming approach for those in various climate and income zones. The tips offered were often approached with kindness towards the reader and provoked thought on designing your space (and style and other things) for you. This is a largely text-based novel (aside from some small, charming sketches), and I think this would do well for young adult and new adult collections. I will personally be gifting this to some young adults who are graduating and going out on their own. Additionally, this would be a great book for those with makerspaces, community gardens, or those who use weeded books for craft nights (perhaps turning discarded books into paper seedling pots). Fits in well for those who enjoy fantasy and those who celebrate each attribute that makes ourselves and those around us unique! 10/10, would recommend to so so so many people!
Thank you to the author, Quirk Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had never heard of goblincore, but was intrigued enough to request it. I would certainly identify with some of what the author describes as the tenets of goblincore, e.g. being attuned to nature, foraging, coziness rather than consumerism. However, in my opinion the author perpetuates as many stereotypes and prejudices as she claims to skewer in mainstream culture. For example, a big focus in the book is capitalism, and how goblins are anti-capitalists - but I think she means materialism/consumerism. There is a definite political ideology behind the writing, which got on my nerves after a bit, and the substance of the book was very thin. An insta account (can't get much more capitalistic than that...) does not always translate to a good book.
Like most books from this publisher, this is a fun unique book that really pulled me in. This is a fun read with sections that you can pop in and out of with whimsical and quirky ideas.
I think this is a great gift or coffee table book or even for a book club group to give a shot and see what parts of goblin mode they identify with