dimlight's reviews
10 reviews

The Art Of Living: The Classical Manual On Virtue, Happiness And Effectiveness by Epictetus

reflective

3.75

Epictetus' teachings packed in an easily understandable form, divided into page-sized lessons, helping you live a mindful life day-by-day. 

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

A touching narrative on evil social discrimination and the practice of untouchability. From the viewpoint of the protagonist, who belongs to the untouchables, one understands the ground reality of the conditions in which the socially oppressed live. The entire story is based on a single day of the protagonist but is enough to make us really feel for the suffering, pain, abuse, inhumanity and despair experienced by them. 

We Are All Stardust: Scientists Who Shaped Our World Talk about Their Work, Their Lives, and What They Still Want to Know by Stefan Klein

informative inspiring reflective

4.0

A very interesting read about different fields of science from the scientists & researchers themselves in the form of interviews. Each interview introduces a new area of knowledge to the reader; the conversations and the stories are bound to fascinate. 

A Mathematician's Apology by G.H. Hardy

informative reflective

3.75

A mathematician's perspective on mathematics to the non-mathematicians. Hardy, in simple language, discusses what mathematics is about, its value, and tries to justify his position as a mathematician. 

Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The story deals with a girl who tries to commit suicide but fails in her attempt and is brought to a mental institution where she is told that she has only a week left to live. We see the protagonist have a change of perspective as she spends her time there and meets other people. With that, she inspires others to reform their life.

If one day I could get out of here, I would allow myself to be mad, because everyone is, indeed, the maddest are the ones who don't know they're mad, but keep repeating what others tell them to. 

I feel like making the mistakes I always wanted to make, but never had the courage to, facing up to the feelings of panic that might well come back, but whose presence will merely weary me, since I know I'm not going to die or faint because of them. I can make new friends and teach them how to be mad too in order to be wise. I'll tell them not to follow the manual of good behaviour but to discover their own lives, desires, adventures and to LIVE.

  

The book allows us to explore some of the most important questions concerning life and death through the characters. The author makes us question the mundaneness of life and offers varied perspectives with the story. 

Why Do You Wear a Cheap Watch? by Hans Fallada

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

emotional reflective relaxing

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

4.0

Lovely, relaxing read. A small fictional story of a person's search for meaning, for truth, to understand reality, and his experiences, encounters and findings. It stirs one's thoughts and ideas, and forces one to reflect.

The Ghost Tree by Brandon Faircloth

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The story was very engaging, and I enjoyed reading it. I liked how the story of each character, narrated from their individual perspectives, brought out the complete story.

I wish the author had provided more info. on the role of the tree in the story, why it mattered so much, how it worked in mysterious ways; the story would've been longer and more interesting.

Superb writing. 

The Story of Her Holding an Orange by Milos Bogetic

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

The story had a good start and kept me reading, but it got more and more confusing later. Many questions were left unanswered, I wish the ending was better.

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The play is based on two main characters: a couple of an 8 year-long marriage and how after an event, one of them has a breakdown and has a complete change in perspective towards the other. It shows the realities faced by women in the 19th century and even now in some places. This book contains a strong message; it forced me to reflect on my own ideas. I loved it.