If I could personify this book, the first descriptor I'd use to describe it is "kindhearted". Math was described so whimsically that its beauty really resonated in a way that, I'll be honest, I never cared to see before. More than that, the professor's genuine love for mathematics and Root really shined and made me all the more enamored with these characters.

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

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funny informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.25

I enjoyed this collection! I planned to read it for ages, and I’m so happy I came around to it. I thought the essays were insightful and witty, and tell a lot about the social climate Chee lived under as a gay poc.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

This book was accessible yet so nuanced I had to reread certain paragraphs to fully understand the layers Whitehead infused into his writing. The book calls back on past and modern predicaments concerning systemic racism, and in all the ways black people continued to be pervasively oppressed even in the absence of direct violence (to be sure, there was MUCH of that regardless). I hated some characters with everything in me, but loved so many all the same. One twist in the novel has be throw it on my desk and stare blankly at my wall in silent agony — so there’s that.

The Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman, Laura Blackett

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3.75

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

I read it because I saw that Zoe Kravitz was the main character in the Hulu remake and thought she was pretty. I was ALSO looking to read works that were rock and musical based, so this checked all the boxes. It was good! Witty and hilarious in a way that I appreciated (my current tbr borders on becoming "morbidly depressive"). 8/10 - I still liked the Hulu show more.

All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I thought this novel was nothing short of beautiful - it cemented Mieko Kawami's place as one of my favorite authors! The literary topic of the "sad, lonely woman" is one that we're seeing tons of in the mainstream. I appreciated this novel because the pervasive loneliness we see our mc encounter was depicted with nuance. Fuyuko's spiral into desolation and perpetual mundanity was tempered by this reoccurring discussion of light she has with her lover, and her bad days were never depicted as melodramatic nor shallow. This book was subtle, charming, and melancholic. I'm sure I'll reread it in the future and find it just as valuable.

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ahyacinthine's reviews 48 reviews

ahyacinthine's reviews
48 reviews