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artmuseam's reviews
206 reviews
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this was my first book that i read by ishiguro and i had some slightly high expectations, but in the end i felt disappointed at how slow the entire book was and how the plot unfolded. i wasn’t a huge fan of the writing either because there was this constant build up that would essentially lead to nothing, making me frustrated for the lack of impact. i thought the concept was pretty interesting, considering how it has ties to our reality and holds themes that were portrayed well. i would only recommend this to those who enjoy slowburn, as this wasn’t my own cup of tea. 3/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Forced institutionalization, and Death
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
to be honest, i had high expectations with this book. i did not enjoy the first half only because it felt very dense and heavy with nothing but exposition? but the second half started kicking up with a lot more action, which i really liked. i also loved the academia that rf kuang puts so much detail into and the footnotes were interesting additions to see as well. i don’t think this book met my standards from what i’d been expecting, but i still managed to enjoy some of it. 3/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, and Death
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
brilliant ending to a brilliant series. i’m actually freaking out from how amazing this last book was and the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. first off, i was actually really happy to see this story being told in so many perspectives and i loved how schwab brings up an adventurous and harrowing experience in a beautifully written way. following kell and lila through this finale was way too much fun and im truly sad that this series has now come to an end :( i will miss this so much!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Steelstriker by Marie Lu
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
wiping some tears as i write this review. what an incredible, tense journey that went from sheer devastation and loss to newfound hope. this was the perfect conclusion to the skyhunter duo series and i enjoyed every single moment of this! lu perfectly captured the experience of being torn between protecting your friends vs your family and beautifully displayed what it means to fight for freedom that we take so much for granted. i’ve always been such a big fan of lu’s works and they never fail to leave me breathless, inspired, and wanting more in the end. definitely recommend <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, and Murder
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
a very real, emotional, and gut wrenching read. i wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when i first started this book but i was blown away by the vivid and stressful atmosphere of an apocalypse unfolding within the story. it was really interesting to see this story play out in years that are not far from today’s time, and also instilled some real fear in me considering that the pandemic was a couple years back. overall it was a great read, but i would not recommend to those who enjoy light-hearted, adventurous books. this one was genuinely difficult to stomach
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape
Moderate: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
currently struggling to find the right words to describe this breathtaking, action-packed story. i’ve always been a fan of marie lu’s works and how they keep you reading until you’ve reached the end of the novel. i was introduced to a world that made me fall in love with all the characters and the ways they worked together to fight against monsters that i pitied rather than hated. this book kept me at the edge of my seat until the very end and i can’t wait to start the next one! 10/10 recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Grief, War, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Death, Classism, and Cursing
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
an amazing collection of chiang’s astounding work. each story was very thought provoking and left me speechless by the end.
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
genuinely cannot express how much i love schwab’s work :,) the second book was so beautifully written and had me at the edge of my chair, especially with that ending!! seeing kell and lila’s adventures again was exciting enough to leave me unable to put this book down for days. so so ready to read the final book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
beautiful and breathtaking. i wasn’t expecting this novel to give me so much hope and fear at the same time. the challenging themes of racism and identity were so well done and left me speechless by the end. i enjoyed this book so so much <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Racism
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
AHHH BOOK TWO!! i loved this sequel so much and could not put it down. following jacks and evangeline on another adventure was so fun and romantic, especially with all the frustrating tension between the two. i cant wait for book three to come out this year!!