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adelphiereads's reviews
151 reviews
Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Before reading this novella, I read first Robert Louis Jackson's introduction and from there it was quite obvious that a lot of men had studied this work and tried to explain it thoroughly, even using Dostoevsky's words post-publication of this story. But this is what I love about classics, you can take the intended meaning of the author and the interpretation of scholars throughout the years, along with your own thoughts and interpretation of it.
The Underground Man concept that was discussed in the introduction was really on point. The duality discussed was also perfectly reflected on the story. But I saw something else in it. I saw a lonely man. A man who wanted to be seen by the world but has been isolated for so long that it burns him in anguish if it happened even for a brief second.
On another note, I admire and believe Dostoevsky's philosophy of man and his free will that was explained in the first part of the novella. This is because I have seen it play out a lot of times in the past and even nowadays. People doing something vile out of the blue after being so headstrong on their path of good.
The underground behavior is a really interesting concept. I think it's arguably true. I wouldn't go into details about the things discussed here. You have to see for yourself.
This is a very immersive novella that makes you question yourself and the people around you for a couple of times. It also evokes feelings of sympathy, anger, disgust, contempt and sadness. And one of the best part is that it has really good dark humor.
This is a perfect example of what Dostoevsky had said: "Tragedy and satire are two sisters who go hand in hand, and the name of both of them, taken together, is truth."
The Underground Man concept that was discussed in the introduction was really on point. The duality discussed was also perfectly reflected on the story. But I saw something else in it. I saw a lonely man. A man who wanted to be seen by the world but has been isolated for so long that it burns him in anguish if it happened even for a brief second.
On another note, I admire and believe Dostoevsky's philosophy of man and his free will that was explained in the first part of the novella. This is because I have seen it play out a lot of times in the past and even nowadays. People doing something vile out of the blue after being so headstrong on their path of good.
The underground behavior is a really interesting concept. I think it's arguably true. I wouldn't go into details about the things discussed here. You have to see for yourself.
This is a very immersive novella that makes you question yourself and the people around you for a couple of times. It also evokes feelings of sympathy, anger, disgust, contempt and sadness. And one of the best part is that it has really good dark humor.
This is a perfect example of what Dostoevsky had said: "Tragedy and satire are two sisters who go hand in hand, and the name of both of them, taken together, is truth."
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is such a beautiful children's classics. I regret not reading this when I was a child myself because I would've loved it a hundred times more. But as an adult (just turned 20 and it still feels weird to say it) I still enjoyed reading it. I loved how the book painted a vivid picture of how it was always about the journey, never the destination. And that sometimes what you're looking for is not found at the end of the rainbow, instead it is gained through experiences and chance encounters.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The last book in the Six of Crows duology is truly the best way to end the story of the Crows.
Compared to the first book, the focus of this one is to show the humane side of the characters. The book focused on stripping down layers upon layers of masks and mischiefs the six of crows have shrouded themselves with to survive the Barrel. Kaz's monstrous or demjin persona was taken down to show what he truly is, a boy who channeled his childhood trauma to violence, deceit and vengeance and yet still kept his innocence and compassion in his heart. Simply put, a perfect morally grey character.
As always, Bardugo was able to balance the plot and the characters' development in her work. She was able to integrate the lives of those in the Barrel and the politics of Ketterdam, Ravka, Fjerda and other nations. Honestly, while I was reading this book I felt like I was being overwhelmed by their circumstances too. It was so frustrating that I just want to jump in the story and strangle every single selfish conniving adults who kept giving Kaz and his crew a hard time.
To sum it all up, this fantasy duology is a masterpiece. I highly recommend it if you want to get lost in the pages of a book and escape your reality (I did that a lot while I was reading this one).
Compared to the first book, the focus of this one is to show the humane side of the characters. The book focused on stripping down layers upon layers of masks and mischiefs the six of crows have shrouded themselves with to survive the Barrel. Kaz's monstrous or demjin persona was taken down to show what he truly is, a boy who channeled his childhood trauma to violence, deceit and vengeance and yet still kept his innocence and compassion in his heart. Simply put, a perfect morally grey character.
As always, Bardugo was able to balance the plot and the characters' development in her work. She was able to integrate the lives of those in the Barrel and the politics of Ketterdam, Ravka, Fjerda and other nations. Honestly, while I was reading this book I felt like I was being overwhelmed by their circumstances too. It was so frustrating that I just want to jump in the story and strangle every single selfish conniving adults who kept giving Kaz and his crew a hard time.
To sum it all up, this fantasy duology is a masterpiece. I highly recommend it if you want to get lost in the pages of a book and escape your reality (I did that a lot while I was reading this one).
The Late Mattia Pascal by Luigi Pirandello
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
All of life is mere foolishness, and so you tell me what's the point of never having been foolish: it means in fact you've never lived.
One way or another we have all thought of just getting up from our daily routine, from our mundane circumstances and leave. Leave everything behind and start a new identity, a new life. To us it seemed like the dream. The freedom we all sought for. The freedom we desire for everytime our struggles get to a certain point. For the longest time this has been my dream, to just get up and leave my current life, to start a new one on a different city with a different identity. It was my ultimate dream. To me it's equivalent to happiness, to freedom, to contentment, to everything I have ever hoped for. But this book has proven otherwise. This book has made me see things in a clearer light.
I can't go into further details about this. You should just see for yourself.
Also, I love the inner monologue and introspection of the main character. He's not a very loveable character but he's somehow relatable and like I said, offers self-reflection that made me look at myself too.
The writing is engaging, even humorous, and inspiring too.
This is definitely worth reading.
One way or another we have all thought of just getting up from our daily routine, from our mundane circumstances and leave. Leave everything behind and start a new identity, a new life. To us it seemed like the dream. The freedom we all sought for. The freedom we desire for everytime our struggles get to a certain point. For the longest time this has been my dream, to just get up and leave my current life, to start a new one on a different city with a different identity. It was my ultimate dream. To me it's equivalent to happiness, to freedom, to contentment, to everything I have ever hoped for. But this book has proven otherwise. This book has made me see things in a clearer light.
I can't go into further details about this. You should just see for yourself.
Also, I love the inner monologue and introspection of the main character. He's not a very loveable character but he's somehow relatable and like I said, offers self-reflection that made me look at myself too.
The writing is engaging, even humorous, and inspiring too.
This is definitely worth reading.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The plot of this book was a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, and fantasy with a sprinkle of romance. And I loved each representation of these genre. The characters aren't only relatable to a certain extent (since not everyone is a criminal nor possess Grisha abilities) but they are loveable as well. There are some characters in the beginning that might compel you to feel indifference or frustration at them but I promise that by the end of this book you will love the six crows crew.
The ending of this book is the perfect cliffhanger to engage a reader to immediately get the sequel.
The romance is swoon-worthy. The social relevance of the plot was also on point (but could still use some improvements). But the fantasy and mystery part of the plot are both truly majestically perfect.
The ending of this book is the perfect cliffhanger to engage a reader to immediately get the sequel.
The romance is swoon-worthy. The social relevance of the plot was also on point (but could still use some improvements). But the fantasy and mystery part of the plot are both truly majestically perfect.
The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What this book had is exactly what I have been missing from Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. This is the third novel I've read about war this year and this, by far, my favorite. The amount of annotations I had for this book was similar to whenever I am studying a reading text for school.
The book was a bit slow-paced at first and then gets a bit fast towards the end but despite this, it was still able to convey socially-relevant and impactful messages that both had implications on the past and present of human race. It's a story that passed through generations. It's a story about how the choices of our ancestors heavily influence who we are today and who we can be in the future. It's a story about the wars that had happened over the years, how in these wars no one really won because thousands of people died, suffered or was misplaced from their homes. It's a story about colonialism, imperialism and the people's fight for freedom and also about the magnitude of their fight's impact on the situation. It's a story about politics. What it really is. What it really means to others.
What I love most about this book is that every character is a representation of a fraction of the society at that specific time period. Every single character development makes me reflect on myself, on the society I live in and on the people from my country.
I would like to commend the author for writing such a magnificent novel. His writing style is so moving that my issue about the irregular pacing was quickly thrown off board. It was all worth it. This book was worth the long-read. Definitely check it out.
The book was a bit slow-paced at first and then gets a bit fast towards the end but despite this, it was still able to convey socially-relevant and impactful messages that both had implications on the past and present of human race. It's a story that passed through generations. It's a story about how the choices of our ancestors heavily influence who we are today and who we can be in the future. It's a story about the wars that had happened over the years, how in these wars no one really won because thousands of people died, suffered or was misplaced from their homes. It's a story about colonialism, imperialism and the people's fight for freedom and also about the magnitude of their fight's impact on the situation. It's a story about politics. What it really is. What it really means to others.
What I love most about this book is that every character is a representation of a fraction of the society at that specific time period. Every single character development makes me reflect on myself, on the society I live in and on the people from my country.
I would like to commend the author for writing such a magnificent novel. His writing style is so moving that my issue about the irregular pacing was quickly thrown off board. It was all worth it. This book was worth the long-read. Definitely check it out.
Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Heaven Official's Blessing Volume 2 is focused on the character of Xie Lian. His past. His motivation. His trauma. His wounds. His coping mechanism. His truest self, when no one is looking (well at least a part of it was revealed).
Aside from this book being filled with adventures, mystery, magic, spiritual elements, social relevance, and romance, it also managed to be a very character driven book without neglecting the plot. I'd like to give praise to the writer for being able to do this.
It would be hard to explain the entire plot of Heaven Official's Blessing, you only have to see for yourself to know why everyone who has read it had fallen in love with it. So, grab a copy and read with all your heart!
Aside from this book being filled with adventures, mystery, magic, spiritual elements, social relevance, and romance, it also managed to be a very character driven book without neglecting the plot. I'd like to give praise to the writer for being able to do this.
It would be hard to explain the entire plot of Heaven Official's Blessing, you only have to see for yourself to know why everyone who has read it had fallen in love with it. So, grab a copy and read with all your heart!
Kill Me If You Can by Marshall Karp, James Patterson
4.0
This book left me speechless. It was truly amazing and have one of the greatest plot twist I've encountered from all the books I've read.