Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Matrix by Lauren Groff

5 reviews

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Review:
Admittedly, it took me nearly 200 pages to really start to get used to Matrix by Lauren Groff and its poetic, fluid, somewhat stream-of-consciousness writing style as well as its unique storyline that often produces more questions than answers. Even then, it was not until the end of the story that I fully appreciated the book for what it is. At the heart of the story is the character of Marie, an admirable but flawed nun whose ambition leads her to transform a starving, poor abbey into a magnificent, self-sustaining wealthy fortress. Marie’s character arc is wonderfully executed, and I appreciated the large cast of supporting characters as well.
 
My favorite part of Matrix, however, is its thematic exploration of religion, feminism, ambition, power, sapphic love, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. This is the sort of book that I could read many times over and glean new meaning each time; it is the type of book that begs to be analyzed in a literature class. Groff trusts in the intelligence of her readers and never oversimplifies or hits the reader over the head in order to make her point.
 
 
 
The Run-Down: 
You will probably like Matrix if:
·      You go into the book with an open mind
·      You are someone who is interested in themes of religion and queerness
·      You enjoy poetic writing styles
 
You might not like Matrix if:
·      You dislike flowery writing and fluid plot structure
·      You prefer exciting plots and clear explanations for events
 
A Similar Book: 
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladsone. Similarities between these books include:
·      Beautiful, lyrical, intelligent prose
·      Friend/enemy relationship between two strong women from different worlds
·      Themes of feminism, queerness and humanity’s relation to the natural world

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babblingbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Never would have expected a story about nuns in the 12th century to be my thing, but I loved it.

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latisha's review

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5.0


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c8lin's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75


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lizzie_r's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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