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cassbarker's Reviews (71)
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
wow, okay, where to begin?
i will be the first to admit that i struggled to get into this book initially - the first 100-200 pages felt largely purposeless, and i was looking for a clear plot to grip onto, that i know the book had to have had due to praise from others on the plot line. but oh my god, when this book is good, its fucking good.
the characters are complex in a way that feels so real and humane, and the development of charles and his addiction and slow fall to insanity was masterfully constructed and came across so perfectly. this for me is the brilliance within donna tartt, her ability to perfectly crete characters like no one else.
i think because the book was written in the 90s, the air of pseudo intellectualism seemed more captaviating and apparent…. and legit?? in comparison to contemporary campus novels, the deeper story and ideas felt more grounded and genuine, and i feel that the era it was written and the pacing is generally the reason behind this.
julian, to me, was a very puzzling character. he felt so minor - i didn’t really find myself being able to develop a connection or deep affection to him in the way that the classics group did. we were consistently told about this love all 5 of them had felt towards him as the professor, but apart from henry, and potentially francis, i couldn’t really understand how richard (and even the twins?!) had come to develop such strong emotions towards him. i wish we had gotten to see the establishment of that connection more; it felt very…. i don’t even know, but i really wanted more purpose behind richard’s kinship for julian he intensely detailed in the closing chapters of the novel.
donna tart is a brilliant writer, i have zero doubt in my mind about that. i can very clearly see why it’s so loved, because it truly feels so human, really fucking liked this, would have been higher if it was a bit shorter, i really felt there was a lot of aspects that didn’t necessarily need to be included and made the novel even longer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Sexual violence
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
i genuinely think this might be one of the saddest book i've ever read. and didion isn't even an innately sad writer, her essay collections are exquisitely thought provoking, yeah, but nothing at all like this memoir which i found to be inherently very emotional in its topic. this destroyed me to say the least. i just finished it and i think i just need to sit and stare at a wall.
the way didion recounts everything into the pages makes it feel like a direct excerpt from her brain. her exploration of grief is self-intuitive, genuine and utterly perfect through the non-linear feel that truly represents grief in the rawest way. the way she is able to pull apart grief as concept and dishointedly piece it back together is so moving and emotional and oh my god.
the only thing that made it lose a fraction off of 5 stars for me was down to my personal preference to in the drive behind a book, i get the most pleasure out of reading a character exploration that is dependent on the hinges of a plot. obviously as a memoir, it approaches this differently to a novel, but i lost a bit of drive in the middle as she strayed away from details. that being said this is an objectively perfect memoir. joan didion is a god amongst men in her prose.
literally everyone has to read something by this woman because oh my god you are missing out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i mean silvera didn't lie, they did die at the end.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i truly understand the praise this novel gets. it is gorgeous, everything about rooney’s prose is great. the portrayal of connell and marianne and the subtleties in every interaction is so well done, it’s really beautiful in the way it depicts love. HOWEVER. the time jumping and the nature of the story felt sluggish and disconnected, and was not for me, however i know people that love it so it’s really a personal thing at the end of the day :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Rape
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
self-intuitive and reflective, this novel truly is a masterpiece, and so fucking clever. the apathy that the narrator carrie’s with him gives such an innately interesting air to the entire course of the novel - it is really one of those books that you sit and stare at the wall after you’ve read. there’s so much to be analysed and drawn from on the portrayal of existentialism through the lense of an absurdist writer, especially due to the perspective that the story is told! the pacing is great; the way it utilised this tension through it was so clever, camus is a master of his craft. my only quarm is in the moments that couldn’t quite find that balance between absurdist thought and the course of the plot, as some moments lacked the deeper element whilst others had too much, to the point where the book felt stuck in its place and didn’t progress.
the style of writing is so intriguing to me. it feels so modern, yet the book itself was written 80 years ago, so i’m not sure if that is the result of translation or the genuine style that camus inbeds, as this is his first work i’ve read, however i will have a look at the original french version for insight :)
i also think that this is one of my favourite closing lines of a book, i audibly gasped as the phrase ended, so mind blowingly smart and reflective. i also relate to it in a really weird way that is super seperate from the philosophical purpose and prose, as an autistic person. there are moments where i really relate to mersault, the almost separated feeling from your surroundings really resonated with me weirdly.
def recommend, think it would have been a great text to fully analyse!
the style of writing is so intriguing to me. it feels so modern, yet the book itself was written 80 years ago, so i’m not sure if that is the result of translation or the genuine style that camus inbeds, as this is his first work i’ve read, however i will have a look at the original french version for insight :)
i also think that this is one of my favourite closing lines of a book, i audibly gasped as the phrase ended, so mind blowingly smart and reflective. i also relate to it in a really weird way that is super seperate from the philosophical purpose and prose, as an autistic person. there are moments where i really relate to mersault, the almost separated feeling from your surroundings really resonated with me weirdly.
def recommend, think it would have been a great text to fully analyse!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
wasn’t really for me, however i do understand why it is so loved. i struggled with the first passage, however the second part was phenomenal and kept me hooked. it seemed to loose momentum as it progressed into the final part. i was left wanting answers, and tbh a bit confused, i wish that a few questions were tied up properly. overall an okay read, the writing style was really good!!
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
solid quick read that you can easily gobble up in an hour, i really like the way her writing flows together stylistically, however it lacked a bit of that show don’t tell feel that is required for character based novels. really beautifully done in other aspects though in its simplicity, can’t wait to see what else she writes
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes