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documentno_is's Reviews (1.29k)
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like a cross between Alien, Naked Lunch, & Girls
Rachel Comey mentioned
It's a novel that knows its existing in a certain time and place within a specific class of nyc that doesn't fully critique that world just sort of acknowledges the many kind of people who exist in it.
A bit disjointed but had a lot of interesting things to say about real vs. portrayed self, social media voyeurism, misogyny, class, manifestation/self help culture, grief, and the many ways in which people can understand and misunderstand each other.
Lost me a bit (thematically) when it flew off the rails and became full scale sci-fi novella but never lost my attention
Rachel Comey mentioned
It's a novel that knows its existing in a certain time and place within a specific class of nyc that doesn't fully critique that world just sort of acknowledges the many kind of people who exist in it.
A bit disjointed but had a lot of interesting things to say about real vs. portrayed self, social media voyeurism, misogyny, class, manifestation/self help culture, grief, and the many ways in which people can understand and misunderstand each other.
Lost me a bit (thematically) when it flew off the rails and became full scale sci-fi novella but never lost my attention
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Man with sister complex literally can’t communicate while girl pines over a mediocre date for a DECADE
Aside from the bonkers premise it was a pretty easy and fun read I guess.
Aside from the bonkers premise it was a pretty easy and fun read I guess.
challenging
informative
fast-paced
Critiques
I think the tone of this pamphlet is rather bitter, and the assumption that nobody would want to make food for the masses by choice equally cynical. As a restaurant worker myself, I loved most moments of being a line cook and would have chosen to continue doing it forever if my labor or time was valued or if it provided any sort of standard of living with labor protections. So I disagree with the stance that restaurants should not exist, and food halls and smaller food service establishments have existed under worker-owned systems historically as well. Some of us love to cook, and just want to be treated fairly while doing so. I do, however, agree that it is impossible to operate a restaurant fairly or ethically in our current system (every tip included restaurant I know of has closed…) Still further I can agree that the idea of “restaurant” as presented in this pamphlet is a harmful and inescapable product of capitalism and exploitation.
Positives
I think this pamphlet does a very thorough and good job at organizing the issues with for profit food production and restaurants. A brief historical account of their inception leads into descriptions of the problems with restaurants as a whole. I think for people who have never worked in restaurants
An aside: Is there literally any aspect of modern labor that wasn’t made worse by the industrial revolution?
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't say this book grabbed my attention from cover to cover but the beginning and end were satisfying- with an extreme lull in the middle. Greek mythos and Homer has been a blindspot for me largely and I think this was a nice introduction. The interpretation of Patrocles as lover was an interesting and gratifying one, and I loved the character of Briseis, I also love how much of Achilles "greatness" could actually be attributed to Patrocles.
This is one of my favorite endings I've ever read- that ultimately Thetis becomes the one to free Patrocles and allow them to be together again. I practically wept at the resolution. Also, I think the lack of POV shift after Patrocles death and the fact that he remains as narrator was an interesting choice and effective in keeping continuity of driving the plot.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The absurdist premise aside, having clearly read this a decade after its inception I'm not sure this book says anything enlightening about the experience of navigating the world with a profound disability. Then furthermore, completely dismisses one of the largest hurdles of access, finances, to play into this "kind millionaire" trope they've decided to concoct.
Still the pacing was quick and some of the character writing was satisfying, not a complete toss out.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the dynamics between the characters. I love how everyone was flawed, although I feel it could have served the story to not let Joe go full sociopathic liar mode. It would have retained some complexity, and fit the dynamics of the other characters. As with other McFarlane stories she’s great at adding interest and driving plot but she has a tendency to leave some storylines uncooked. How did Dev who was largely absent know it was Matt who liked her ?if he was secretly more observant why wasn’t he there for her ?
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, this one was complicated for me. I think given my expectation that this would be one of the worst books I'd ever read in comparison what I actually got was ... okay.
I had heard criticisms and mutterings of this book for "glorifying abuse" or picturing unhealthy relationships and like... yeah? After reading it was definitely a realistic depiction of the complexities of the good and evil in people and I appreciate the careful lens with which it treated both abusers and those who suffer from it.
So in the end:
Pros:
- great plot structure, never felt too bored or disinterested except maybe the letters, i really blew through this one
- complex depictions of the cyclical nature of abuse
- Atlas
Cons:
- terrible line level craft, felt like reading a hallmark movie
- ellen degeneres
- kind of a repeat of the first one, but the dialogue was cringe and forced
-idk her not even considering not keeping the baby... was a watchword for me
- shitty half-baked liberal politicscan you believe i had sex with... a HOMELESS guy? wtf? I know there was this entire subplot of humanizing him a victim of his circumstances and the narrator is clearly this privileged woman but the wording was so naive and frustrating.
So in the end:
Pros:
- great plot structure, never felt too bored or disinterested except maybe the letters, i really blew through this one
- complex depictions of the cyclical nature of abuse
- Atlas
Cons:
- terrible line level craft, felt like reading a hallmark movie
- ellen degeneres
- kind of a repeat of the first one, but the dialogue was cringe and forced
-
- shitty half-baked liberal politics
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Divine Rivals is an interesting and gripping fantasy romance novel that provides enchanting entertainment but maybe not so much underneath the surface. I enjoyed the romance aspect between Iris and Roman, especially appreciating the alternating POV and their journalism as an avenue for tension and character development. If this was a surface level romance, I may have even rated it higher.
The largest fantasy undertones within this are surrounding a mythical war between gods that seems to be a vague analog of Hades and Persephone, that vaguely wants to make some commentary on the role of women in this society but falls a little short of this endeavor (why do these shortcomings between the gods play out or pertain to the people in Oath and beyond?) We are almost explicitly told we should support Enya over Hades, but that supporters of Dacre are "zealots, religious extremists" without showing how this extremism or faith plays out?
Then largely, I do think I like what Ross has to say about effect, complicity, and the nature of religious conflict but I wished she's done more work showing me these things in how they play out in this society and these characters instead of stating them so outright.I think even taking out the aspect where Roman retells the myths to her within the letters, and letting the audience discover see HOW the worshippers of these religions practice, believe, and show their reverence although I understand there are only so many words available within the novel. I appreciated the aspect where Ross showed that the residents of Oath don't believe the war will come for them and so it is not something that must worry them- they are told instead to dabble in distraction and I appreciated this metaphor for liberal society.
I think this novel was largely approaching good- with a few glaring flaws I had trouble getting over, but am still excited to see what Ross puts out in the future.
The largest fantasy undertones within this are surrounding a mythical war between gods that seems to be a vague analog of Hades and Persephone, that vaguely wants to make some commentary on the role of women in this society but falls a little short of this endeavor (why do these shortcomings between the gods play out or pertain to the people in Oath and beyond?) We are almost explicitly told we should support Enya over Hades, but that supporters of Dacre are "zealots, religious extremists" without showing how this extremism or faith plays out?
Then largely, I do think I like what Ross has to say about effect, complicity, and the nature of religious conflict but I wished she's done more work showing me these things in how they play out in this society and these characters instead of stating them so outright.
I think this novel was largely approaching good- with a few glaring flaws I had trouble getting over, but am still excited to see what Ross puts out in the future.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fun, unassuming "fiction" piece on the origins of deuxmoi. Interesting in concept, repetitive in execution; like the narrator mentions in the novel the most interesting part of deuxmoi is its content that the arbiter reposts: hence, said arbiter is not a particularly interesting character to follow. I have only a passing interest in celebrity gossip, and am most interested in deuxmoi's ability to expose the celebrities who abuse their social capital to terrorize the working class. The part where I disagree is the ability that there is some possibility of acting as a celebrity "ethically" or with responsibility. They can only be more or less shitty. Still, the democratization of information on our modern royals/high society is a start.