demonxore's reviews
107 reviews

The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

Goethe's beautiful, poetic prose and poignant juxtaposition certainly lift this novel above the multitude of milquetoast love triangle narratives. After looking into Goethe's personal history, I discovered that The Sorrows of Young Werther is extremely autobiographical. Knowing this makes the book even more moving. Even though it was published in 1774, the agonies and lack of recourse from unrequited love are just as resonant today. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror by W. Scott Poole

dark informative sad medium-paced

This was well-written and I learned a lot, but unfortunately if you haven't read or watched the books and films (or seen the art) analyzed in this dissertation, you might be at a bit of a loss. I'll revisit this book again after I watch some of the central films I've missed out on over the years.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Super cute and cozy! This is a nice little novella to read as a palate cleanser between heavy books.

Dune by Frank Herbert

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

3.25

I first read this in the summer between 9th and 10th grade and was floored at how comprehensive and rich Herbert's world is. I read it again maybe 5 years later, and now for the third time as an almost-40. Still pretty darn good on the third run, although I'm looking at it with a more cantankerously critical eye than I did in my whimsical youth. There's too much "tell-me-what-you're-going-to-tell-me, tell-me, tell-me-what-you-told-me" handholding going on that I guess I appreciated when I was young. C'est la vie, at least it's still quite entertaining. (And of course the book trounces the movie (any version) any day of the week.)

The Confusions of Young Törless by Robert Musil

challenging dark reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.75

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics By Its Most Brilliant Teacher by Richard P. Feynman

informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.25

I listened to the audiobook Six Easy Pieces recorded by the man himself! Feynman really is a great teacher of even some of the most difficult concepts in physics (not included in this set) and probably deserves his reputation as one of the best lecturers of all time. Unfortunately listening to the audio alone leaves out some of the experience -- the sound of chalk-on-blackboard in the recordings gives me a crazy yearning to be back in the university lecture hall. 

Overall this is a very worthwhile set of lectures for anyone to enjoy!

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

challenging dark tense slow-paced

4.25

This is a quality piece of literature, although it's mighty uncomfortable at times. Maybe that's a required criterion for a good novel.

The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

4.5

This was a sweet little story set in Newarre, Temerant (the village where Kote/Kvothe tends bar in The Kingkiller Chronicles). I really enjoyed it and the final author's note was very humanizing. 

Keep it up, Pat! Of course I'll keep reading anything you publish.