bookish_things_london's reviews
152 reviews

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.

I’m not thinking about these characters, or the book in general; I don’t find them  interesting, and the narrator isn’t particularly compelling. This book and style of writing just isn’t for me.

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

4.75

I loved it! Mellors is probably best described, I think, as a more engaging (in my view), and less political version of Sally Rooney. The characters are vibrant and distinctive, yet relatable, and it made me wish I had sisters. I cried, laughed out loud, and got irritated; it was a brilliant read. 
Ratings, like books, are very subjective, however, I’ve slightly marked it down from 5 stars because of some small niggles about the book. Overall, though, this is one of my new favourite books.

The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift

slow-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, the descriptions of nature are wonderful, and there are some poignant observations about life sprinkled throughout. The book is structured in sections rather than chapters, somewhat correlating with the seasons, and there's a fair bit of history in it. If you appreciate lots of detail in your non-fiction reads and you are interested in gardening/nature, history, and religion, this could be a great book for you. It was a bit much at times for me (I don't need the Latin name of every plant referenced, for example) and the structure means that Swift jumps around quite a lot (it makes sense but sometimes hard to keep track). This is a short book but a slow, thoughtful reading experience, rather than a quick read, if you're not already knowledgeable in the topics. Overall, I recommend it.

Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.75

I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy supernatural mystery with an intriguing premise; it was charming, had some depth, while not being too heavy, and there was enough plot to carry it. The characters were great; the main ones were very likeable, and I flew through the story. There was a little social commentary about the class system at the time, but not in a preachy or political way, which I appreciated.
I listened to the audiobook via the Kindle, app and although the voice actress didn't quite get inject enough of the Yorkshire accent (where it's set), she did a decent job, and I heard the emotion in her voice - the chapters narrated by the main lead were ok, but again, I needed to hear the accent, just a little, to feel more immersed in the world.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

dark sad tense slow-paced

3.0

I adore classics, and was really excited to finally read Wuthering Heights, however, I was so disappointed. The writing style was fine - a bit OTT at times, but it reflected some of the literature at the time it was published, so different bother me. It was the poor character development and lack of evidence of Heathcliffe and Cathy's supposed love for each other that baffled me. it was almost non-existent, so when they overreact and declare how in love they are, it's not believable. Most of the characters are vile and abusive, not unlikeable in a good way, so I spent most of the book wondering why on Earth it's so popular. The only character I really like was Cathy V2.0 as she actually had a bit of an arc, and wasn't just awful through and through.

Layla by Colleen Hoover

medium-paced

2.75

It could have been great! This is a novel about a young guy who finally stops dating, and starts to find meaning in his life, when he meets Layla. They very quickly fall in love, but following an incident that means Layla has a long path of recovery, her personality noticeably changes, and there’s something strange going on, beyond the the stress of recovery etc. 
The writing needs polishing; for example, it was a bit repetitive (the guy keeps repeating stuff we already know), and the beginning needed a bit more atmosphere to build up intrigue and make the twist more believable. It’s an interesting and fun plot, but the execution needs work.

Levels of Life by Julian Barnes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.

This is a short book in two halves; the first being a very brief overview of balloon travel, those who tested different versions of them, some who died. One of them, Fred Burnaby, is then featured in a concise memoir of two romantic relationships he had. I found this section interesting enough, and I liked the writing style.
The second halve is what feels like ramblings about grief, that is a bit repetitive, and I felt I was dragging myself through the pages, rather than feeling moved by the themes in any way. 
If you really enjoy reflective writing and don’t mind a short book that is oddly, a bit drawn out, you might want to try it. It’s not for me, though.

The Book of Evidence by John Banville

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the first of Banville’s books I’ve read, and I absolutely adored it. It’s a literary fiction following the events leading up to the murder, but told in first person by Freddie as he gives his testimony. It’s tricky to get first person right, especially a 200 page monologue, but Banville does it exceptionally well. Freddie is an unreliable narrator, very flawed, but charismatic and charming. He explores his motivations and behaviour throughout, in questions and reflections. The very last sentence is perfection.  

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

I grabbed this book from a charity shop, and although I was vaguely aware of the premise, and film adaptation, I had very little knowledge of the book going in. I adored it, though! This is definitely a book for readers who enjoy plenty of character and life stuff, rather than action or major plot points. I felt completely immersed in Henry and Clare's lives, and the sci-fi aspect, while relevant, isn't the main focus, rather a vehicle to explore their relationship - the joy, heartache, family pain, excitement of love etc. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book.

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

This is a brilliantly insightful look at a fascinating, and complex time in British history; religious corruption, political corruption, and a man struggling to live in a world that doesn’t reflect his ideals, while another is so sure of his beliefs only to have them challenged, causing him to question everything. Wonderfully written, the main character is a new favourite of mine - he’s complicated, empathetic, pragmatic, lonely, and flawed. I love this book so much.