carolynbruce's reviews
22 reviews

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

Interesting premise, with enough scientific details to make me appreciate the author’s commitment to research. I thought the sirens and their lore were fascinating, but I wanted to know more. But it was also cheesy with dreadful dialogue, the kind that no human being would say out loud. The character quotes for each section were cringeworthy. The ending also was extremely rushed, and didn’t feel very satisfying. I didn’t like the characters very much, and that was good I suppose, since we don’t learn the fate of most of them.

Content Warnings

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

2.5

Marcellus is the best, most likable character by far, and the one I developed the most care towards, but we hardly get any time with him. Tova and Cam’s connection felt a little contrived, especially since everything gets wrapped up with a neat little bow, but maybe that’s because I really disliked Cameron. I think he was supposed to be endearing—the thirty year old screw-up, a blue collar secret genius with a heart of gold—but I found him annoying and immature. I can’t tell if the book wanted to tell a mystery, but if it did, the mystery falls somewhat flat.

Content Warnings

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

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emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

It took a while for me to get really interested, but once the first match begins, I was drawn into the story. I liked the narration style, constantly shifting to focus on different characters. One particular moment in the first act—a tasteless joke made in a locker room—told me everything I needed to know about the big reveal (the incident) halfway through the story, and tipped me off on the rest of the book. While the story was compelling, I was constantly taken out of it by the dialogue. So many lines were too…scripted. They didn’t speak like real people, too polished and sage and poetic. That style works beautifully for in Backman’s prose describing the town, but it felt unrealistic and stilted in the dialogue. The ending also felt a little too corny—not everyone has a happy ending, but they all have grand, symbolic moments or conversations that wrap up their story in a kind of clumsy bow. The flowery writing style didn’t help matters here.

Content Warnings