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16nnovs's reviews
42 reviews
The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
simone de beauvoir is widely celebrated for her contributions to feminist literature and works revolving about womanhood. in "the woman destroyed," readers follow three novellas centered on middle-aged women facing various personal crises and psychological struggles.
while beauvoir's prose is undeniably beautiful, i found myself completely disconnected from the narrators throughout these stories. the work follows a woman dealing with her kid's life choices and her own relevance, another stuck in bitter loneliness, and finally monique, whose whole world falls apart when she finds out her husband's cheating. the characters' intense dependency on others and their overwhelming misery, while probably true to their situation, made this such a heavy and frustrating read.
as someone reading this today, i couldn't really get into this european feminist perspective. sure, the themes of aging, dependency, and betrayal are still things women deal with, but seeing these women's lives just made me think "this is exactly what i don't want to become" rather than giving me any real insights about womanhood. the second story was such a drag to get through, and even monique's part, which everyone seems to love, just didn't hit me the way i thought it would.
i can see why beauvoir's writing is considered great, and i get that this was probably groundbreaking when it came out, but this collection just didn't do anything for me. watching these women suffer through everything with barely any way out just left me wanting something more. im glad so many people found something in this, unfortunately there was not much in it for me.
while beauvoir's prose is undeniably beautiful, i found myself completely disconnected from the narrators throughout these stories. the work follows a woman dealing with her kid's life choices and her own relevance, another stuck in bitter loneliness, and finally monique, whose whole world falls apart when she finds out her husband's cheating. the characters' intense dependency on others and their overwhelming misery, while probably true to their situation, made this such a heavy and frustrating read.
as someone reading this today, i couldn't really get into this european feminist perspective. sure, the themes of aging, dependency, and betrayal are still things women deal with, but seeing these women's lives just made me think "this is exactly what i don't want to become" rather than giving me any real insights about womanhood. the second story was such a drag to get through, and even monique's part, which everyone seems to love, just didn't hit me the way i thought it would.
i can see why beauvoir's writing is considered great, and i get that this was probably groundbreaking when it came out, but this collection just didn't do anything for me. watching these women suffer through everything with barely any way out just left me wanting something more. im glad so many people found something in this, unfortunately there was not much in it for me.
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
lovely and reflective. cold enough for snow is a short yet deeply layered novella that explores human emotions, relationships, and the essence of loneliness. nothing about this felt simple to me, and i truly believe there is something for everyone in it. for such a short read, it took me an embarrassingly long time to finish—not because it was difficult, but because i couldn't help but pause, again and again, to sit with my thoughts.
reading this made me feel lighter. it made me want to hug my mom and my sisters. it made me feel like i was a step closer to understanding the things in me i can't quite grasp yet. reading this felt like home. most importantly, it made me feel seen.
an immigrant mother and her daughter, their surface-level conversations and interactions slowly unravel to reveal who they are when they are alone and when they come together. it is through the mundane that we truly come to see them. i love how certain pauses in their dialogue and interactions give way to reflective moments from the narrator, allowing the reader to form their own impression of their relationship.
in addition, the descriptions of the senses and the allusions to the weather made this reading experience even more enchanting. my most contemplative moments always seem to come right before a shift in the weather. the moments before snowfall or a thunderstorm feel like the entire world is holding its breath. this book captures that feeling perfectly. an enchanting read.
reading this made me feel lighter. it made me want to hug my mom and my sisters. it made me feel like i was a step closer to understanding the things in me i can't quite grasp yet. reading this felt like home. most importantly, it made me feel seen.
an immigrant mother and her daughter, their surface-level conversations and interactions slowly unravel to reveal who they are when they are alone and when they come together. it is through the mundane that we truly come to see them. i love how certain pauses in their dialogue and interactions give way to reflective moments from the narrator, allowing the reader to form their own impression of their relationship.
in addition, the descriptions of the senses and the allusions to the weather made this reading experience even more enchanting. my most contemplative moments always seem to come right before a shift in the weather. the moments before snowfall or a thunderstorm feel like the entire world is holding its breath. this book captures that feeling perfectly. an enchanting read.
The Harvard Classics, Volume 2: The Apology, Phaedo and Crito of Plato, the Golden sayings of Epictetus, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Charles W. Eliot, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Hastings Crossley, Plato, George Long, Benjamin Jowett
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
this harvard classics edition brings together the apology, the golden sayings, and the meditations in one collection, which made for an interesting read. it wasn’t my first time reading these works, but it was my first time going through them all in one place, and i liked seeing how they connected. the apology will always be a favorite of mine, epictetus’ sayings were solid, and marcus aurelius was... okay. overall, a decent collection. also, i thrifted a ridiculously beautiful edition for just a few dollars, so that’s a win.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
medium-paced
1.0
i’m no stranger to the bell jar. i first read it in my sophomore year of high school, then saw the recent hype and reread it a couple more times, and i'm just trying to figure out what the hell the hype is about. did we read the same book? because this was insane.
before i rip into it, i can see why this is considered a classic. it’s beautifully written, and some could say sylvia was ahead of her time. there are a lot of memorable quotes, and yes, the fig tree passage is nice (i guess). but i find it despicable how so many people dub this as feminist literature—how they claim all modern women can relate to and benefit from it.
what women are you talking about?? because i am black, and i’m sure many other WOC wouldn’t appreciate this book being pushed as some savior of modern womanhood. fuck sylvia, fuck esther, and FUCK that fig tree. this was not written for women of color—she wrote this for the women who looked like her. look at these quotes and tell me she was thinking of us when she wrote this:
“a big, smudgy-eyed Chinese woman staring idiotically into my face.”
“the face in the mirror looks like a sick Indian.”
“dusky as a bleached-blonde negress.”
“they're squat…they're ugly as Aztecs.”
i'm not even going to provide context for these, just sit there and take it in.
the amount of racism and other -isms littered throughout this book is insane, and so many people try to excuse it by saying, oh, it was written in the 1960s. the 1960s?? you mean during the civil rights movement?? did your brain slip from your thick skull down to your ass? i didn’t know being mentally ill was an excuse for being a disgusting racist—i guess i’ve been living my life all wrong. stop trying to impress the dead. if she was conscious and intelligent enough to write this shitshow—along with loads of other work—then she was intelligent enough to know right from wrong. she simply didn’t care.
in all seriousness, this was a huge disappointment, and i can’t help but feel a pang of hurt. how can this be so widely enjoyed? i’m genuinely confused, and if this question applies to you, i’d love to hear your answer. how could i possibly relate to the themes of womanhood, identity, and mental health when she would most likely refer to me as a “negress” if i appeared in front of her? such an incredible letdown.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i am at a loss for words, full review to come
―
first read of 2025! i just know this review won't do how i really feel justice but reading song of solomon was an experience i never want to forget. the masterful way morrison wove stories within stories is a testament to how incredible of a writer she is. i am so so taken with this read.
song of solomon is often considered a coming-of-age novel, but i feel it goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of the genre. macon “milkman” dead embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery that shifts the course of the novel in profound ways.
the atmosphere and imagery felt almost suffocating—in the best way. morrison’s words carry serious weight, and this burden is one i gladly welcomed. with each chapter, each paragraph, i learned something new and was changed. the prose, the parallels, the allegories, the symbolism—nothing short of brilliant. i had so much fun annotating and dissecting this book.
i thoroughly enjoyed this read, and i’m so glad i started my year with it.
―
first read of 2025! i just know this review won't do how i really feel justice but reading song of solomon was an experience i never want to forget. the masterful way morrison wove stories within stories is a testament to how incredible of a writer she is. i am so so taken with this read.
song of solomon is often considered a coming-of-age novel, but i feel it goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of the genre. macon “milkman” dead embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery that shifts the course of the novel in profound ways.
the atmosphere and imagery felt almost suffocating—in the best way. morrison’s words carry serious weight, and this burden is one i gladly welcomed. with each chapter, each paragraph, i learned something new and was changed. the prose, the parallels, the allegories, the symbolism—nothing short of brilliant. i had so much fun annotating and dissecting this book.
i thoroughly enjoyed this read, and i’m so glad i started my year with it.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
5.0
let me tell you something, i dont think any other book will ever get such visceral reactions from me like this one will. something about catching fire just rocks me to my core. im doing a reread on this book (as well as the entire series) and my reactions to certain parts of this book is as if its my first time reading. i love it so much and i feel so hard for the characters T__T my all time favorite series everrrr !!!thank you suzanne collins for your service and ily
Balada Burung Penyanyi dan Ular by Suzanne Collins
4.0
as much as I enjoyed it, this was not as page turning as the other hunger game books! i still loved it though and i was really starting to fall for coryo
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
3.0
expected more of a fantasy feel but i still enjoyed it ! i sympathized with nora a lot and it was nice to see her truly happy
Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin
4.0
although it reads like a history textbook i enjoyed it very much! if you love the asoiaf universe then i think this book is for you, when i get deep into a book series (especially the universe grrm created) i wanna know everything! im very curious as to what the reigns before asoiaf were like and this satisfied alot of my curiosity:) super nerdy read, i loved it