curlymango's reviews
46 reviews

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

dark funny mysterious

4.5

Loved the dialogue, very vibrant and ridiculous and camp. A lot of the book’s philosophy around morality, corruption, art, etc. has probably gone over my head, but it’s got a lot to think about on top of a compelling plot and collection of characters.

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin

Go to review page

challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Full on sobbed multiple times. Absolutely heartbreaking and so empathetic towards its characters. The (mostly) second-person perspective makes much more sense at the end and is an incredibly unique and moving aspect of the book.

The chapters about So Nyo’s children and husband read as both universal stories that you as a reader can place yourself in and letters from Mom/So Nyo to her family, like the ones she would have Chi Hon transcribe. Curious to know how this was translated from the Korean text.

Made me deeply reexamine pretty much all of my familial relationships, and all the love, regret, and reconciliation wrapped up in those bonds.

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Go to review page

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

2.0

I don’t really get the point of this book, and you can tell it’s trying to make a point. Maybe that the characters’ predicament is a prime environment for airing thoughts that they’re afraid to admit they have? The characters are not engaging, the narration isn’t my style, it felt like there are 50 pages missing from the end of the book. And why did everything have to be likened to genitalia? All this made for an uncomfortable and frustrating listening experience (yeah maybe don’t listen to the audiobook).

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Go to review page

medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

2.75

Didn’t really hit for me. Despite such a unique setting I never felt fully drawn in by the descriptions of the marsh. Kya could have had more emotional complexity to her narrative, especially given her trauma from a childhood of abuse and isolation.

e.g. it felt like at the start of the murder trial it was written so nonchalantly, like the only thing Kya’s upset about is not seeing the seagulls and not the possibility of being executed. That fear comes in at the end of the trial, but still, why were all her closest peeps so chill about her being tried for murder? I get she’s unique but idk she’s not emotionless. Maybe that’s just my reading of it though. Also didn’t like her relationship with Tate. Too much like an observer’s fascination with a wild animal (I know that’s the point to some degree but it’s weird to me, and it all starts when she’s a child)

Content Warnings