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crybabybea's reviews
251 reviews
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Kafka-esque exploration of autonomy and the violence that people, especially women, face under patriarchal standards and the pressure to conform socially and culturally. Bizarre is a great descriptor for this, it's definitely the weirdest book I've ever read. Definite elements of horror here with lots of gory imagery, especially about animals and meat. The overall tone of the novel is extremely alienated and isolated, as the story revolves around the main character, Yeong-hye, but is never written in her POV. Instead, we see her descent into psychosis through the eyes of three people in her family; her husband, her brother-in-law, and her sister.
This is clearly a novel that was written with the intention to make readers think and reflect, I think it is a testament to Han Kang's skill as a writer that everyone comes away from this experience with different thoughts and analyses.
The writing is super allegorical and it's clear that each event happens for a reason and is designed to make the reader reflect and analyze. I found the writing style to be the main issue that kept me from giving it 5 stars; it jumped around in POV and tense, which, although it was written very well, became hard to follow at times.
I definitely feel like there were bits that went over my head and this is a book that deserves a reread with more concentration and reflection.
This is clearly a novel that was written with the intention to make readers think and reflect, I think it is a testament to Han Kang's skill as a writer that everyone comes away from this experience with different thoughts and analyses.
The writing is super allegorical and it's clear that each event happens for a reason and is designed to make the reader reflect and analyze. I found the writing style to be the main issue that kept me from giving it 5 stars; it jumped around in POV and tense, which, although it was written very well, became hard to follow at times.
I definitely feel like there were bits that went over my head and this is a book that deserves a reread with more concentration and reflection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Incest
Very graphic depictions of animal torture and death. Not quite incest but the main character's brother-in-law has a sexual obsession with her and ends up assaulting her.
There are multiple depictions of abuse against the mentally ill main character, both at home and in a mental facility.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Okay I acknowledge that the whole point of this book was to be cozy, easy to read, and stakes that weren't stressful or world-changing. To me, if a book is going to be cozy in terms of plot, then the intimate relationships and character development need to be excellent. I just didn't feel that here. I liked some of the usage of tropes and how the author took stereotypical characters and flipped them around, but I felt like that was a sort of lazy way to develop the characters. The issues that the main characters struggle with, especially Viv trying to leave behind her life of blood hunting and violence, wasn't explored deeply enough for me. I didn't feel like I was close enough to Viv to understand her internal struggle and she didn't seem to struggle really at all.
On top of that, I felt like the world-building was pretty shallow and I didn't feel incredibly immersed. At first I was impressed because the author explained away modern technology using gnomish engineering which is genius, but everything became explained by gnomish engineering so it didn't have the same impact by the end of the book. I mean like we have magic and arcane powers, I think we could have used more than just gnomish engineering to explain things in a fantasy setting. We also spent the entirety of the book at the coffee shop so the world felt tiny, which I get is for the cozy feeling but I don't feel like it did its job the way it was intended to. It felt like things got explained away too easily and the main conflicts in the story got resolved unrealistically. Maybe that was the author's intention but I didn't like it.
Because of the lack of plot and the less-than-stellar characterization, I felt like this book dragged on despite it being super short and easy to get through. If I were rating it solely on vibes and aesthetic, I would give it 5 stars. It really does feel cozy and warm, and for what it's worth I did enjoy building the coffee shop with Viv and meeting the cast of characters. It didn't hit for me like I hoped which is disappointing but I don't regret reading it.
On top of that, I felt like the world-building was pretty shallow and I didn't feel incredibly immersed. At first I was impressed because the author explained away modern technology using gnomish engineering which is genius, but everything became explained by gnomish engineering so it didn't have the same impact by the end of the book. I mean like we have magic and arcane powers, I think we could have used more than just gnomish engineering to explain things in a fantasy setting. We also spent the entirety of the book at the coffee shop so the world felt tiny, which I get is for the cozy feeling but I don't feel like it did its job the way it was intended to. It felt like things got explained away too easily and the main conflicts in the story got resolved unrealistically. Maybe that was the author's intention but I didn't like it.
Because of the lack of plot and the less-than-stellar characterization, I felt like this book dragged on despite it being super short and easy to get through. If I were rating it solely on vibes and aesthetic, I would give it 5 stars. It really does feel cozy and warm, and for what it's worth I did enjoy building the coffee shop with Viv and meeting the cast of characters. It didn't hit for me like I hoped which is disappointing but I don't regret reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.25
I understand the purpose this book serves and the goal the author had in mind, but personally I came out of this with not much new information. I also just felt kind of off about a white person writing this kind of book, I guess, which may be something I need to investigate? I just didn't like the tone at all, and I felt I got much more useful information from reading Black authors such as Ibram X. Kendi, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Ijeoma Oluo, etc. I'm barely starting to scratch the surface of literature and analyses written by and spoken about by Black activists, scholars, and professionals, and I still felt like this book was too introductory even for me.
I also have learned pretty much all of this information from watching content creators like Portia Burch (@portia.noir) and The White Woman Whisperer. I tend to agree with Portia's view of white fragility in that it centers whiteness and shifts the power of the dynamic away from Black people, indigenous people, and people of color who are harmed by racism. White fragility is racism, period, and it should be called out for the harm it does as racism, not infantilized or renamed to be disguised as something different.
Even putting aside that I disagree with the usage of the term "white fragility", I get that the target audience is white progressives that tend to believe they are not racist (while holding conscious or subconscious racist beliefs). I get that this book is meant to open a conversation about how we as white people respond to situations where our prejudices are challenged. But I don't think this book particularly excels at discussing the topic or giving a useful framework to approach these issues moving forward. There were some good tidbits, especially about doing the inner work to investigate the impact you have daily despite the fact that you may have good intentions, but overall I don't feel like I gained anything significant from this.
I also have learned pretty much all of this information from watching content creators like Portia Burch (@portia.noir) and The White Woman Whisperer. I tend to agree with Portia's view of white fragility in that it centers whiteness and shifts the power of the dynamic away from Black people, indigenous people, and people of color who are harmed by racism. White fragility is racism, period, and it should be called out for the harm it does as racism, not infantilized or renamed to be disguised as something different.
Even putting aside that I disagree with the usage of the term "white fragility", I get that the target audience is white progressives that tend to believe they are not racist (while holding conscious or subconscious racist beliefs). I get that this book is meant to open a conversation about how we as white people respond to situations where our prejudices are challenged. But I don't think this book particularly excels at discussing the topic or giving a useful framework to approach these issues moving forward. There were some good tidbits, especially about doing the inner work to investigate the impact you have daily despite the fact that you may have good intentions, but overall I don't feel like I gained anything significant from this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Accessible, honest, and important. This is a great book to keep around to constantly check yourself and remind yourself about the importance of racial justice work and intersectionality. Definitely caused me to reflect a lot about my own intentions and taught me how to think about ways to be better in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Classism
Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS by Myeongseok Kang, BTS
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Hmmm... mixed feelings on this.
I was a bit afraid because I thought it would be pretty shallow and sanitized, which is typically the norm for anything involving K-Pop and the idols' squeaky clean images. I do think there were bits that were sanitized. As an example of what I mean, the author talks a bit about Big Hit Entertainment's beginnings and explains that BTS' sister group, GLAM, disbanded simply because they couldn't maintain enough fanbase. Which like... kinda true, but they also had one of the biggest scandals in the K-Pop industry ever lol.
They didn't shy away from talking about issues that BTS had as a group especially as they gained popularity, but it still felt quite surface-level to me. I would have liked it to be a bit more honest about the grueling process of training and practicing; although they were straight-up about how many hours and how much hard work they put in, it was written almost like something to admire and something heartfelt and inspiring, but it's one of the parts of the idol industry that I find the most off-putting.
Although I really liked seeing the inner thoughts of the members, I didn't feel like their emotions went super in-depth. Like at one point V talks about how he spent basically 24 hours straight working because he was filming his drama as well as performing on tour at the same time, and the members talked about how they would have to sleep for 10 minutes at a time during filming and practicing, but the way it was written sort of felt like we as the reader were supposed to be in awe. Don't get me wrong, it is impressive and gave me a whole new admiration for BTS as a whole but... it felt a bit off to me.
I had to wonder how much of the members' personal anecdotes had to go through an approval process or something. This might be because of my own biases and beliefs but those issues did make the memoir feel a bit less "real" to me personally. For being the only K-Pop memoir in existence, I have to give it some recognition, and I guess it's good in that sense. But comparing it to other memoirs I've read, I just don't think it has the emotional impact I look for from a memoir.
I will say, you will 100% love this if you are an ARMY. There are so many tidbits and quotes that are super fun to know as a fan. I consider myself a casual fan, having grown up during their debut and following them here and there throughout the years, but never really considering myself a huge fan, and I still found it quite fun. Also, if you are a 2nd/3rd gen K-Pop fan, I think you will really like this simply because it's nostalgic, and there are some fun facts about how the idol industry changed during this time. Like, Suga talks about how he wanted to work with Big Hit because he liked T-ARA's "Like the First Time" which was just a blast from the past(I'm so old kill me).
I also will admit that I came away from this admiring BTS a lot more for their contributions to K-Pop and I definitely can see how they influenced the current generation of idols and are still influencing the industry today. I especially liked to see the members' mindsets which helped to humanize them a lot despite my critiques of it being a bit shallow. I really came away feeling like I understood them and how their constant hard work and desire to be better as people affected their ability to be so successful. Especially RM, I was just consistently impressed with how he expressed himself, his ideals, and his mindset.
To me, it's good but not the best, and a lot of my enjoyment I think was influenced by nostalgia and the fact that it's like the only book about K-Pop in existence. I'm also aware of the societal/legal/cultural differences between America and Korea which would explain the difference which is why I say I have mixed feelings. I just can't rate it any higher, sorry!
I was a bit afraid because I thought it would be pretty shallow and sanitized, which is typically the norm for anything involving K-Pop and the idols' squeaky clean images. I do think there were bits that were sanitized. As an example of what I mean, the author talks a bit about Big Hit Entertainment's beginnings and explains that BTS' sister group, GLAM, disbanded simply because they couldn't maintain enough fanbase. Which like... kinda true, but they also had one of the biggest scandals in the K-Pop industry ever lol.
They didn't shy away from talking about issues that BTS had as a group especially as they gained popularity, but it still felt quite surface-level to me. I would have liked it to be a bit more honest about the grueling process of training and practicing; although they were straight-up about how many hours and how much hard work they put in, it was written almost like something to admire and something heartfelt and inspiring, but it's one of the parts of the idol industry that I find the most off-putting.
Although I really liked seeing the inner thoughts of the members, I didn't feel like their emotions went super in-depth. Like at one point V talks about how he spent basically 24 hours straight working because he was filming his drama as well as performing on tour at the same time, and the members talked about how they would have to sleep for 10 minutes at a time during filming and practicing, but the way it was written sort of felt like we as the reader were supposed to be in awe. Don't get me wrong, it is impressive and gave me a whole new admiration for BTS as a whole but... it felt a bit off to me.
I had to wonder how much of the members' personal anecdotes had to go through an approval process or something. This might be because of my own biases and beliefs but those issues did make the memoir feel a bit less "real" to me personally. For being the only K-Pop memoir in existence, I have to give it some recognition, and I guess it's good in that sense. But comparing it to other memoirs I've read, I just don't think it has the emotional impact I look for from a memoir.
I will say, you will 100% love this if you are an ARMY. There are so many tidbits and quotes that are super fun to know as a fan. I consider myself a casual fan, having grown up during their debut and following them here and there throughout the years, but never really considering myself a huge fan, and I still found it quite fun. Also, if you are a 2nd/3rd gen K-Pop fan, I think you will really like this simply because it's nostalgic, and there are some fun facts about how the idol industry changed during this time. Like, Suga talks about how he wanted to work with Big Hit because he liked T-ARA's "Like the First Time" which was just a blast from the past
I also will admit that I came away from this admiring BTS a lot more for their contributions to K-Pop and I definitely can see how they influenced the current generation of idols and are still influencing the industry today. I especially liked to see the members' mindsets which helped to humanize them a lot despite my critiques of it being a bit shallow. I really came away feeling like I understood them and how their constant hard work and desire to be better as people affected their ability to be so successful. Especially RM, I was just consistently impressed with how he expressed himself, his ideals, and his mindset.
To me, it's good but not the best, and a lot of my enjoyment I think was influenced by nostalgia and the fact that it's like the only book about K-Pop in existence. I'm also aware of the societal/legal/cultural differences between America and Korea which would explain the difference which is why I say I have mixed feelings. I just can't rate it any higher, sorry!
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
I was consistently amazed at the year this book was published. The themes are still so relevant and a lot of what Zora Neale Hurston writes could still be considered progressive even now. I don't have a lot to add to the conversation that hasn't already been said. It's a classic, so you have to cross the initial barrier of understanding the writing style and dialect of the characters, but the themes are incredibly human, emotional, and timely, so it makes it a lot easier to get into.
The audiobook for this is extremely well done. If you start reading this physically and have trouble getting into it, definitely give the audio a shot.
The audiobook for this is extremely well done. If you start reading this physically and have trouble getting into it, definitely give the audio a shot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Fun and informative, Emily Lynn Paulson has a comedic style that made this an enjoyable read. This definitely leans more on the memoir side rather than an all-encompassing deep dive into MLMs and their connection to white supremacy, which isn't necessarily bad but might influence others' decision to pick this book up or not.
As a memoir, it's okay, and I felt the author was heartfelt, looking back on her journey within her MLM with equal parts appreciation and disdain. She didn't hold back from acknowledging her own issues and the things she regrets about her time, but she doesn't write off her experience as a total loss either, which made for a well-rounded memoir experience. As an analysis of MLMs, I was a bit disappointed and didn't feel like it went super deep or that it was particularly well-researched.
The parts about white supremacy felt a bit wish-washy to me, and sometimes I felt like they were thrown in as addendums rather than being something the author actively researched and intended to write about. But I do think this book is a great exploration of capitalism, how it isolates people and preys on their fears and dreams, and how it turns peoples' lives into a cult-like experience of victim-turned-perpetrator crabs in buckets.
It was interesting to talk about an MLM from an insider perspective, a perspective that I think is definitely lacking when it comes to the conversation about MLMs and their toxic practices. Overall felt like this was a genuine book with an entertaining enough voice, despite its flaws.
As a memoir, it's okay, and I felt the author was heartfelt, looking back on her journey within her MLM with equal parts appreciation and disdain. She didn't hold back from acknowledging her own issues and the things she regrets about her time, but she doesn't write off her experience as a total loss either, which made for a well-rounded memoir experience. As an analysis of MLMs, I was a bit disappointed and didn't feel like it went super deep or that it was particularly well-researched.
The parts about white supremacy felt a bit wish-washy to me, and sometimes I felt like they were thrown in as addendums rather than being something the author actively researched and intended to write about. But I do think this book is a great exploration of capitalism, how it isolates people and preys on their fears and dreams, and how it turns peoples' lives into a cult-like experience of victim-turned-perpetrator crabs in buckets.
It was interesting to talk about an MLM from an insider perspective, a perspective that I think is definitely lacking when it comes to the conversation about MLMs and their toxic practices. Overall felt like this was a genuine book with an entertaining enough voice, despite its flaws.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Suicide attempt
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.
I can't keep trying to force this book. I'm not sure if it's because this is my first high-level sci-fi/space opera or what, but I was super lost and nothing made sense to me. I couldn't even get into the political intrigue because I was so lost on the different characters, factions, terms, "magic" (?) system... I was genuinely so lost and not enjoying any bit of it so I'm just giving up.
Pageboy by Elliot Page
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
This was a really uniquely written memoir told from quite a unique perspective as Elliot Page is currently one of the only openly out trans celebrities in popular culture. I was a bit scared to read this because I had heard it was poorly put together with a non-linear timeline that didn't really land; but I'm happy to say I'm pleasantly surprised and I actually thought the non-linear style worked really well for the point Elliot was trying to make! Queerness is messy and there are so many factors that impact how somebody discovers or pushes away their own queerness, and I think Elliot's writing really sold that feeling well. I also think he is just a great writer in general. You can tell he put a lot of time and heart into making sure the stories he told felt immersive and detailed in just the right way. I think the non-liner timeline helped me as a reader focus on the emotions that Elliot experienced rather than the nitty gritty details of when and where things happened and why. There were also some moments of poetic prose that I think were done quite well also.
I will say this felt a bit unedited, especially near the end. Page repeats himself pretty often (one of the most memorable being his constantly feeling like he needs to "shit blood") which isn't too terrible but was something I noticed. I didn't factor this into my review, but the audiobook also felt a bit lesser quality; there were multiple times that lines were repeated because takes weren't edited properly, and there were random drops in audio quality that weren't awful but definitely noticeable.
This is overall an inspiring, heartfelt story but there is a healthy mix of heartbreak as well. I was especially moved by the way Elliot told his experience with homophobia, internal and external, and how that kept him from finding his identity for so long. I also found the perspective of trying to navigate queerness while also trying to navigate celebrity culture and his career as an actor super intriguing.
I think if you go into this knowing it's not going to be a typical memoir with a clear, linear timeline, you will enjoy it, and especially if you are already a fan of Elliot.
I will say this felt a bit unedited, especially near the end. Page repeats himself pretty often (one of the most memorable being his constantly feeling like he needs to "shit blood") which isn't too terrible but was something I noticed. I didn't factor this into my review, but the audiobook also felt a bit lesser quality; there were multiple times that lines were repeated because takes weren't edited properly, and there were random drops in audio quality that weren't awful but definitely noticeable.
This is overall an inspiring, heartfelt story but there is a healthy mix of heartbreak as well. I was especially moved by the way Elliot told his experience with homophobia, internal and external, and how that kept him from finding his identity for so long. I also found the perspective of trying to navigate queerness while also trying to navigate celebrity culture and his career as an actor super intriguing.
I think if you go into this knowing it's not going to be a typical memoir with a clear, linear timeline, you will enjoy it, and especially if you are already a fan of Elliot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Dysphoria