atlas_shruggs's reviews
239 reviews

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Beautifully written, an absolutely haunting experience as you follow the narrator's descent into madness. I felt a certain connection to the character as well, I remember I used to follow patterns like these in wooden walls and in curtains, so I could really picture her lying in bed, tracing the pattern with her eyes. It reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's writing, though that might just be because it follows a woman's descent into madness. 

Daisy Miller by Henry James

reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

 I really liked the writing style in this story, as well as the characterization. Winterbourne is a pretty flat character, at least I felt like he was, and felt like he was mostly written as a window into the story for the reader. Daisy however was very interesting, she truly just followed her heart and did whatever she wanted and whatever she enjoyed, which unfortunately didn't end well for her. It felt like a cautionary tale, but honestly I would rather live like Daisy than any of the other characters. Oh except Randolph, my man is amazing. 

The Frogs by Aristophanes

funny lighthearted 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? Yes

3.0

I admit I had high hopes for this after reading Lysistrata. It started out alright, the jokes were funny and I was interested enough in the plot. But you know, after about twenty dick and fart jokes, they get kind of dull. I think Aristophanes would disagree, but it was just a bit much. It would've been much better had the play been much shorter, but it just kept dragging on and on and I was just done at the end.

The Clouds by Aristophanes

funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Damn Aeschylus really likes his dick jokes huh? The writing is fun and the characters are absolutely infuriating. I wanted to smack Strepsiades multiple times throughout the play, I really related to Socrates when he was trying to teach him. He was stubborn and dumb and ugh. I know Aeschylus was trying to ridicule the Socratic thinkers but honestly they sounded pretty fun. I liked the clouds as well, they're pretty.

The Two Offers by Frances E.W. Harper

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

A very touching read about how neglect can really break a person. I found the writing to be very beautiful if a bit dense at times, but very moving nonetheless. Seeing the development of Laura was so sad but felt so real at the same time, even today.

The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides by Aeschylus

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 I listened to an audio production of this play and by the gods it was beautiful. The writing is gorgeous, you can really feel the drama and the rage coursing through the story. I also loved how grey the morals were, neither Orestes nor Clytemnestra were in the wrong yet neither was in the right either. I am Agamemnon hater #1 though so I might be biased but I was really happy when Clytemnestra killed him, he deserved it. Iphigenia deserved better man, and if he hadn't sacrificed her in cold blood then none of this would've happened, just saying.
I am sad how little Elektra features in the story, with how famous the character is I thought she would have more of an effect but she was mostly just there to motivate Orestes. This play also really harps on the fact that everyone blames Helen for the Trojan war, which is absolutely terrible Helen did no wrong it was all Paris. Overall I did really like this, one of the better Greek plays I have read. 

The Persians by Aeschylus

informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 Ahh yes, gotta love some ancient Greek propaganda. I may not know much about the Persian war but I'm assuming they were not this bad at it. The painted Xerxes as this idiotic whimp you got his entire army killed and I just have a hard time believing that.
The writing wasn't my favourite either, and considering how much I liked Prometheus Bound I do definitely buy into the theory that Aeschylus did not write that play. 

Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 This was beautifully written, a true Greek tragedy showing just how cruel the gods are. All Prometheus did was help humankind and in turn he was punished again and again. Io's story being told as well further shows how terrible Zeus in particular is, and how kind Prometheus tries to be. Honestly he deserved better. 

The Brothers by Louisa May Alcott

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

 Alcott's abolitionist views really shine through in this story, though it's very sad to see that they way she views black people in this story was very progressive, the fact that she brags about not seeing the black man as an animal is a little weird from a modern standpoint.
Again the writing was good, it was a very classic revenge story. The ending really irritated me though, I wish Robert had killed his brother and not someone else. 

Scarlet Stockings by Louisa May Alcott

informative lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was cute. I liked it. Alcott's writing is very beautiful, I can see why people like Little Women. The war is very romanticized which I assume is due to some propaganda, perhaps Alcott was trying to soothe the minds of women whose husbands had gone to war.
Overall I found the relationship between Lennox and Belle was cute, they challenged each other.