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dilfpercyshelley's reviews
74 reviews
Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
rewriting modern myths done right!!!
what a wonderful little novella. a near perfect modern interpretation of the best of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. the mix of fantasy and reality was ideal, in my opinion. and the overwhelming fictitious nature of it all was complimented by smith’s fluid writing. it truly was a dream to read: the fast and flowing pace was maintained throughout to produce a wonderful tale of love and loss and uncertainty and queer joy. truly a beautiful interpretation of an already beautiful myth.
what a wonderful little novella. a near perfect modern interpretation of the best of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. the mix of fantasy and reality was ideal, in my opinion. and the overwhelming fictitious nature of it all was complimented by smith’s fluid writing. it truly was a dream to read: the fast and flowing pace was maintained throughout to produce a wonderful tale of love and loss and uncertainty and queer joy. truly a beautiful interpretation of an already beautiful myth.
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
another example of beautiful writing from adichie !!!!! there is something so poetic in her prose that makes me adore her writing. every word feels so intentional, so worthy of note, that i find myself rereading passages to fully consume the text in its entirety.
not only was this text informative for someone like me with limited experience of the cultures described, but with it was an indescribably beautiful insight into lives i would have otherwise never have lead. it’s not the primary purpose of a text like this to inform, but i certainly appreciated this value alongside the stunningly emotional prose. adichie’s writing is truly and completely enrapturing.
not only was this text informative for someone like me with limited experience of the cultures described, but with it was an indescribably beautiful insight into lives i would have otherwise never have lead. it’s not the primary purpose of a text like this to inform, but i certainly appreciated this value alongside the stunningly emotional prose. adichie’s writing is truly and completely enrapturing.
Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
a genuinely interesting insight into depression and anxiety in the modern world. essential reading, in my opinion, for anyone who struggles with this kind of thing. which, as the book concludes, is most people in this god awful capitalist hell scape.
it is written in such way that it is accessible, but still addresses complex, intersectional issues with treating and surveying depression. i especially appreciated the frequent nods to poverty as a limiting factor for successful treatment, as often this is dismissed in books such as this. what a truly wonderful read!
it is written in such way that it is accessible, but still addresses complex, intersectional issues with treating and surveying depression. i especially appreciated the frequent nods to poverty as a limiting factor for successful treatment, as often this is dismissed in books such as this. what a truly wonderful read!
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
(finished in march - review corrupted)
what a beautiful novel. i am so unbelievably glad that i read this, as it is everything i admire in a book. i adore personal tales, where the characters are so well written, so deeply crafted, that i can feel their losses and their joys. Adichie is a beautiful writer, and i will be certainly reading more of her work.
what a beautiful novel. i am so unbelievably glad that i read this, as it is everything i admire in a book. i adore personal tales, where the characters are so well written, so deeply crafted, that i can feel their losses and their joys. Adichie is a beautiful writer, and i will be certainly reading more of her work.
The Odyssey by Homer
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.25
what a beautiful translation. despite the length and the dense tale at hand, Wilson’s Odyssey provided an easy to digest take on an often over complicated translation piece.
translation of such iconic ancient texts is so very rarely accessible to the masses, yet this is so artfully written that truly almost anyone could pick this up and enjoy it: even simply as a beautiful tale of love and loss. despite this easy to digest take, Wilson’s translation never once feels as if it is dismissing the importance of the original text. especially upon consulting the translators notes, the lengths of meticulous dedication to this text are abundantly clear.
i would highly recommend this translation to seasoned classicists and newcomers alike.
translation of such iconic ancient texts is so very rarely accessible to the masses, yet this is so artfully written that truly almost anyone could pick this up and enjoy it: even simply as a beautiful tale of love and loss. despite this easy to digest take, Wilson’s translation never once feels as if it is dismissing the importance of the original text. especially upon consulting the translators notes, the lengths of meticulous dedication to this text are abundantly clear.
i would highly recommend this translation to seasoned classicists and newcomers alike.
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i am not completely certain of my opinion on this novella, but i will give this a go anyway.
woolf provides such a beautifully intricate insight into early 20th century society, so much so that the daily pleasures and woes of these characters become almost comforting in their predictability. i thoroughly enjoyed this premise (i very much like long studies of human nature) however the execution was not entirely to my taste.
the cast of characters, whilst vaguely relatable and loveable in their antics, were all together too large for me to keep up with. with the addition of woolf’s overly-complex sentences, the novel became difficult to grasp. however, i do think the length was perfect. any more would have been too much information on characters that are meant to be rather mysterious. like floating figures in one’s perception of the general public.
all in all, a lovely, short read with lots to digest and apply. however, it can be slightly too jumbled to keep up with at times. such is the nature of stream of consciousness.
woolf provides such a beautifully intricate insight into early 20th century society, so much so that the daily pleasures and woes of these characters become almost comforting in their predictability. i thoroughly enjoyed this premise (i very much like long studies of human nature) however the execution was not entirely to my taste.
the cast of characters, whilst vaguely relatable and loveable in their antics, were all together too large for me to keep up with. with the addition of woolf’s overly-complex sentences, the novel became difficult to grasp. however, i do think the length was perfect. any more would have been too much information on characters that are meant to be rather mysterious. like floating figures in one’s perception of the general public.
all in all, a lovely, short read with lots to digest and apply. however, it can be slightly too jumbled to keep up with at times. such is the nature of stream of consciousness.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
my first DNF.
whilst this book does have its moments of warm familial joy, the novel itself is an absolute bore. so unbelievably dense for an autobiographical-esque piece, that i pity james joyce for his incredibly boring first 36% of his upbringing. i tried very hard to push through for my module’s sake, but i couldn’t bare to read anymore. sorry james!
whilst this book does have its moments of warm familial joy, the novel itself is an absolute bore. so unbelievably dense for an autobiographical-esque piece, that i pity james joyce for his incredibly boring first 36% of his upbringing. i tried very hard to push through for my module’s sake, but i couldn’t bare to read anymore. sorry james!
Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hard agree. lesbianism is as wonderful as biting into the juiciest of peaches. reminds me very much of all the wonderful poetry about sharing orange segments. very erotic. very full of love.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
fast paced and enjoyable read. the illustrations are lovely, and i found the occasionally repetitive structure to be rewarding. in a “oh! i remember that panel!” way.
i think to criticise this for its constant literary references that ‘go over your head’ is unfair. however, the inherent middle class-ness of it all made me feel a lot more resentment for the story than i would’ve done otherwise. i understand that this is simply Bechdel’s reality, so there’s not much to complain about, but the whole “my house is huge and like a museum” thing created a huge disconnect for me from this story.
i think to criticise this for its constant literary references that ‘go over your head’ is unfair. however, the inherent middle class-ness of it all made me feel a lot more resentment for the story than i would’ve done otherwise. i understand that this is simply Bechdel’s reality, so there’s not much to complain about, but the whole “my house is huge and like a museum” thing created a huge disconnect for me from this story.