clicc_clacc_jac's reviews
60 reviews

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

You should read this book, especially if you’ve consumed media about this case in other ways.

The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal

lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Blatant racism and anti-semitism disrupts an otherwise compelling and thoughtful queer story. Although its depiction of gay men is bleak and not necessarily bright, it isn’t wrong in many cases. The book is introspective in a way but can’t escape the authors poor use of female characters and his clearly outdated but nonetheless harmful racist/anti-semitic ideology.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Antisemitism

The very end of the book is a graphic rape scene. This is a huge giveaway and knowing it is going to happen will impact the whole book, but sometimes it is good to know

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

funny mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

I really enjoyed Murakami’s writing in Wind-up Bird Chronicles…so I was excited to try another book of his in particular one I have heard praised. This isn’t a bad book and his usual writing tricks are in full force. The book is fun to read….the content though? Not as fun. The story is a bit too convoluted (even for Murakami’s standards) and some of the content is incredibly distressing. In the end I am happy I read the book and I wouldn’t tell folks not to read it, just check trigger/content warnings and don’t enter with expectations for clarity. Then again, is that ever an expectation when reading Murakami?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Moderate: Sexual assault

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

I wasn’t able to put it down, the book moves fast and is packed with unsettling and dark imagery. Is it an enjoyable read? No….is it hard to put down? Yes.
Read triggers

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Suicide, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse

What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract for a Better Society by Minouche Shafik

challenging hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World by Max Fisher

challenging informative slow-paced

4.5

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Violence

The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook

challenging inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0