archercasper's reviews
92 reviews

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

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adventurous emotional medium-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

4.0

It took me a few days to get through this book, but overall I really enjoyed it. The themes it explored (love, gender, etc.) were enjoyable in a simplistic way (aka pretty surface level stuff). I also really liked the characters, though I felt the author moved on from some of them fairly quickly. I LOVED Lady Ayer's character. I'd definitely recommend this read if you like fantasy, pirates, magic, and queer young love. 
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

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

3.0

Not as poetic and heart-wrenching as people told me it was going to be. Still a good book, though (if not a bit plain; there was nothing really unexpected or awe-inspiring about it). The writing style was creative and I liked the critique of various problems within academia, the scientific community, and society as a whole - particularly when it comes to "exceptional" people. I liked seeing how Charlie's personality changed throughout the book as well. I did really dislike Alice's character, though; she rubbed me the wrong way.
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

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

4.0

Vile, disgusting, perverse, and extremely grotesque. Certain passages made me physically recoil. Yet, somehow, I loved the story. It was very well-written and I couldn't stop reading. I loved the third person narration that gave insight into the intricacies of so many different characters. I absolutely hated the main characters, and didn't care about the other ones in the slightest, but that was definitely the point. Going back and forth between so many characters and reading their views and personal opinions on each other didn't leave enough time to start liking any of them anyway, and it was genuinely great and so cool to read. Seeing their varying beliefs and conflicting viewpoints was fascinating and gave the story so much more depth and complexity. The subtle message about how differing perspectives alter perceptions, beliefs, and circumstances was striking. 
Some plot points were really not wrapped up well, though.
What on earth was up with Ina taking the horse's eyes?? That felt like very sloppy writing, it just didn't make sense. It seemed it only happened for the shock value. I would've liked there to be a passage about what happened to Dibra. I also didn't enjoy how Jude faded out of the story and then was randomly brought back to replace Luka. I wish that whole situation could've been explained better (like how they even found his cave, for example).
But on the other hand, there were some plot points that I actually really loved and thought were developed perfectly (
such as Marek's biological father being the bandit he kissed at the beginning
). 
I did not find this book predictable at all, and I loved it. Definitely not for everyone, though. (Don't read it if you have a weak stomach...)
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Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

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dark reflective slow-paced

2.0

This book is very overhyped, in my opinion. If it wasn't for the short sections I probably wouldn't have been able to finish it.
I enjoyed the last couple sections focusing on her life after the hospital (as well as Velocity vs. Viscosity and Mind vs. Brain, I found those very interesting) but the other sections recounting her time in the ward just seemed a bit pointless and wandering to me. In addition to that, certain aspects were just unnecessarily confusing (I would've preferred if it was written more chronologically). 
I couldn't connect to the story because it felt very surface-level, like she was holding back. You would think someone writing about their time in a psychiatric hospital in the '60s would be able to give it more depth and weight. 
I don't think I would've missed out on anything if I'd never read it. 
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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adventurous inspiring fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

A beautifully written message that might not resonate with everyone, but nevertheless contains valuable lessons about listening to your heart, learning from others, and following the path you most desire. 
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Piranesi is a masterpiece. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you reading, wanting to know more. The way it is written, through the POV of the journal entries, really puts you in the shoes of Piranesi and allows you to feel the emotions he is feeling and experience his discoveries in an authentic way. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing at the end.
The way the author explored the changes people go through during life and framed it as different individuals all rolled into one person was magnificent. The final journal entries being from the POV of someone who was neither Matthew nor Piranesi, yet somehow still both of them, really made it easy to sympathize with what the character went through. I enjoyed the author's exploration of a person's evolving sense of self and how their life changes around that.
I will never stop recommending this book.
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Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

3.0

This was a beautifully written, tragic memoir. Although, I feel most of the story was spent providing context and giving background on her childhood rather than Trethewey fully exploring the effects these events had on her and how it shaped who she is now - which is what I was expecting after reading the summary. It kind of felt like she was still trying to figure those things out as she was writing but ended up rushing the end and not fully sharing her thoughts with the reader. Again, beautifully written, but I was expecting a bit more. 
 
The Rainbow by Pearl S. Buck

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emotional inspiring 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

4.0

I loved the complexity of the characters in this story. The character descriptions (aka Henry's impressions/analyses of them) were intriguing and well-written. I wish I could've read this book in an AP Lit classroom and been able to analyze/explore it on that level. 
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The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty

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

3.0

Overall entertaining and easy to follow, but I got kind of frustrated with the story/characters at points. It felt like there were too many plotlines that the author wanted to include so she threw them all in the same book but never fully developed or finished any of them. I think I would've enjoyed this more if I read it when I was younger. It was easy to understand each character's point of view, though, and I did enjoy most of them. I don't regret reading it. 
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

So much better than what Frankenstein has become in modern-day pop-culture. Beautifully written and intriguing, maybe a little boring at times, but the overall story/plot made up for it.