bella_mckinnon's reviews
53 reviews

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.

Hemingway’s style of writing I feel is best consumed in small parts, like his short stories. A book any longer of his become monotonous and mediocre, so much so that I have no care for how the story turns out and that I don’t finish it. But, the appeal is definitely there. I did enjoy the dialogues at the beginning about the war and just as he was getting into hospital. Enjoyed the imagery of war-time Italy.

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

dark funny informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Excellent short story and social commentary on the unjust treatment of both women and mentally ill people in earlier eras of medicine and society. Gilman's snide comments and snarky remarks about the blatant sexist aspects of society and marriage were also greatly enjoyable. Great read.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

adventurous challenging hopeful informative reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

Excellent cautionary tale of what a world without literature post the literate era would look like. Great read for people intrigued by dystopias particularly centred on the suppression of knowledge (like Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’). The writing was at times bland I thought, which is understandably th point given they have a limited vocabulary, but I still didn’t feel it enhanced the reading experience for me. Some excellent lines though and philosophical discourses, especially from Faber. Great book.

Sylvia Plath: A Biography by Connie Ann Kirk

challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

Absolutely gut-wrenching, but very telling and informative piece on Plath. The amount of research and respect in honouring her character and her experiences was duly noted and appreciated with every page. I could not put this down. So many parallels with myself and Plath though. I’m convinced she was bipolar and had quiet bpd. Absolutely terrible. Beautiful account of her life.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness

Minor: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Self harm, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Chronic illness, and Abandonment

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

It was pretty underwhelming I thought. The style of writing and dialogue didn't do it for me, save for Steinbeck's visual imagery of the environment. I could clearly picture the an arid, Western landscape of Depression-era California which I enjoyed. I understand why it's a popular read and a modern classic, but the overall style, themes, characters and plot did not interest me. The simple-mindedness of some characters led to pretty superficial and understandably primitive views of other characters, particularly women like Curly's wife, who isn't even given a name and is always referred to as Curly's wife, as well as black people as seen in Crooks. The constant and flippant use of the n-word in reference to Crooks was also a turn-off, but again, I understand why it was used; it reflected white American views of black people at the time. So, I can see how it resonated with Americans in the 1930s, but it wasn't for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Rape and Sexism

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

adventurous challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

really enjoyed the read; very reflective, contemplative and intriguing. really felt good to explore a character trying to find enlightenment and who struggled to do so along the way – someone who was ultimately human and privy to faulty and misguidance along the way. 

Sylvia Plath: Poetry and Existence by David Holbrook
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

I thought his analysis was really great and insightful until he started going all Freudian on Plath. Really weakened his arguments for me, and just felt to me like a massive disrespect to the mind and works of her.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

Second book of Woolf’s I’ve started (other was Room of One’s Own) and honestly was so bored and could not connect with anyone. It’s just her writing style. Oh well.

The Stranger by Albert Camus

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The serious indifference of this man to life and everything that happens to him was fascinating to read. I really wondered if I was subconsciously an absurdist because I just go with whatever happens and have no strong opinions about life. But anyway, fascinating read. His line towards the end about indifference gently washing over him and being like a brother made so much sense to me. And even an earlier line where he felt like crying because he could feel that everyone hated him. God these hit different. Great story and representation of Camus’ absurdist views.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Animal cruelty

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Was initially very dismissive and judgemental because Holden comes off as this angsty and cynical kid which I found annoying, but upon further reading I came to really appreciate his character.

Particularly his honesty, that his goodness does kind of shine underneath and in a subtle way, like how he hated how people yelled “Digression” at the kids who were really nervous or really excited about their oral exam topics, or how he’d rub off all the “Fuck you” lines that were written on walls because some kids might see them and be confronted by it or ruminate about it. He’s not a terrible person, to me. He’s a depressed teenager and as is common with depressed teens, particularly depressed teen boys, it’s manifesting as angst and cynicism.

But, I really came to appreciate Holden’s character. I realised that how he is reminded me of how I was between the ages of 14 and 16. Edgy, angsty, cynical but very depressed. I kind of ‘got it’ after a while and enjoyed reading more.

I had to look past my initial prejudices of him being whiny though. Once done, it was a great book to me. 5/5 would read again and again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Cursing

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual harassment and War