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being_stupid's reviews
117 reviews
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Really hesitated between 4.5 ⭐ and 5 ⭐ but I'm gonna stick with 5 because the flaws of the book, plot wise and low-key on other points, make sense WITHIN the book.
The main character is honestly really interesting and I liked how her relationship with her husband is described.
Since I have to study a bit the book I'll get back on it later
The main character is honestly really interesting and I liked how her relationship with her husband is described.
Since I have to study a bit the book I'll get back on it later
Sign Here by Claudia Lux
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Self harm, Blood, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Translation State by Ann Leckie
adventurous
funny
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? No
3.75
Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
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
THANK YOU to that one person on TikTok who said that this book was 'YellowFace' by R.F. Kuang but done better.
It really is.
Was literally GAGGED by this book. But more specifically about the comparison with YellowFace. I do think it is better in the sense that it is less academic and the MC is less caricatural. Not that R.F. Kuang's MC was a caricature. But Ingrid Yang's character feels more like a complex human being that what I remember of YellowFace's MC (I forgot her name).
This book has such crazy scenes but we all know here that they are more than likely.
Moreover, these scenes actually bring something to the table for Ingrid's character development while, for what I can remember of Yellowface, the crazy scenes did not always.
Anyways, not gonna do a paper about it, I really like Ingrid Yang which is something considering I hated her in the beginning.
Almost forgot, Yellowface is more about the concept of yellowface that about the characters while Disorientation is about the character but talking about yellowface. Both books discuss similar points but since Disorientation is character development focus it feels much easier to read. At least from what I can remember of my reading of YellowFace which was about 18 months ago.
It really is.
Was literally GAGGED by this book. But more specifically about the comparison with YellowFace. I do think it is better in the sense that it is less academic and the MC is less caricatural. Not that R.F. Kuang's MC was a caricature. But Ingrid Yang's character feels more like a complex human being that what I remember of YellowFace's MC (I forgot her name).
This book has such crazy scenes but we all know here that they are more than likely.
Moreover, these scenes actually bring something to the table for Ingrid's character development while, for what I can remember of Yellowface, the crazy scenes did not always.
Anyways, not gonna do a paper about it, I really like Ingrid Yang which is something considering I hated her in the beginning.
Almost forgot, Yellowface is more about the concept of yellowface that about the characters while Disorientation is about the character but talking about yellowface. Both books discuss similar points but since Disorientation is character development focus it feels much easier to read. At least from what I can remember of my reading of YellowFace which was about 18 months ago.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
fast-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? No
2.0
It's so mediocre it's aweful. We have five key issues:
1. The lowkey transphobia
2. A communal "we" when each species talks about their species that for Humans since it's really developed ignores a little something called "class struggle". And it would be alright even fine, IF it was not implied or even said out loud thatan extremely rich man on Mars got rich by selling weapons to both side of a civil war. Then rich means also poor people which means class struggle. There's no we, okay.
3. The species Aelons, it s a whole issue that contradicts the author. The author, in the book, states that beauty is because of culture and yet we have Aelons that are universally beautiful and it's not expended on. That fact, which is anecdotal no spoiler, implies a superiority at least in aesthetic in their genes. Ew.
4. Similarly, this books is filled with implied eugenics. Not downright some genes are better but almost. Please for fuck sake can we not. I know Americans where the big guys about eugenics in 1930s and even imported it in Japan. But PLEASE. No thank you. I could talk more about it but I won't.
5. The MOST IMPORTANT POINT, the found family is shit.
I could have ignored most of the other points to some extent, if at least it was good. It wasn't.
Omg none of the relationships feel real.
Every issues is resolved in like 4 pages max, which erases every stake that this book could've had.
Said issues are resolved with what? A monologue from one character. It's only tell no show.
The timejumps doesn't allow us to see how their relationships evolve. The key points are, as said before turned irrelevant.
And even worst, the main reveal of Rosemary's past is made forgettable. How did I forget that the big revealed that we all waited for? It was made useless because resolved in 3 pages by a monologue of one of the character. And YES she talked about it after (literally 2 pages after) with another character and again resolved in 3 pages. There is no stake.
All tell no show. It doesn't feel real
1. The lowkey transphobia
2. A communal "we" when each species talks about their species that for Humans since it's really developed ignores a little something called "class struggle". And it would be alright even fine, IF it was not implied or even said out loud that
3. The species Aelons, it s a whole issue that contradicts the author. The author, in the book, states that beauty is because of culture and yet we have Aelons that are universally beautiful and it's not expended on. That fact, which is anecdotal no spoiler, implies a superiority at least in aesthetic in their genes. Ew.
4. Similarly, this books is filled with implied eugenics. Not downright some genes are better but almost. Please for fuck sake can we not. I know Americans where the big guys about eugenics in 1930s and even imported it in Japan. But PLEASE. No thank you. I could talk more about it but I won't.
5. The MOST IMPORTANT POINT, the found family is shit.
I could have ignored most of the other points to some extent, if at least it was good. It wasn't.
Omg none of the relationships feel real.
Every issues is resolved in like 4 pages max, which erases every stake that this book could've had.
Said issues are resolved with what? A monologue from one character. It's only tell no show.
The timejumps doesn't allow us to see how their relationships evolve. The key points are, as said before turned irrelevant.
And even worst, the main reveal of Rosemary's past is made forgettable. How did I forget that the big revealed that we all waited for? It was made useless because resolved in 3 pages by a monologue of one of the character. And YES she talked about it after (literally 2 pages after) with another character and again resolved in 3 pages. There is no stake.
All tell no show. It doesn't feel real
Small Island by Andrea Levy
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
She Wasn't a Guy, Tome 01 by Sumiko Arai
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0