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donie's reviews
18 reviews
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
...they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together...
Alright enough if you're simply curious about American classic literary works and wanna know about what makes this story so popular. Personally, I barely liked any of the characters and am not too keen on the writing style, though.
Alright enough if you're simply curious about American classic literary works and wanna know about what makes this story so popular. Personally, I barely liked any of the characters and am not too keen on the writing style, though.
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Personally torn about how many stars I should give bc I admit that books like this aren't really my thing so I feel like many of my unsatisfactions stem from the fact that I'm simply not a middle-grade fantasy person (I was intrigued when I found out the character was a Chinese muslim so I gave it a try).
The book shows a lot of interesting glimpses into Chinese history and legends. It also conveys that, contrary to popular belief or lack of understanding, Chinese people are very diverse. As a muslim, I didn't think that the writing on Zach's muslim identity was the best representation but I won't say too much on it bc it wasn't the main point of the story and I give kudos to the author for trying.
The book shows a lot of interesting glimpses into Chinese history and legends. It also conveys that, contrary to popular belief or lack of understanding, Chinese people are very diverse. As a muslim, I didn't think that the writing on Zach's muslim identity was the best representation but I won't say too much on it bc it wasn't the main point of the story and I give kudos to the author for trying.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
the concept of the world-building is interesting but i'm simply not a fan of the writing or most of the characters... i did like nico and think that callum is entertaining tho
Pandora's Box by Shelley Marshall, Osamu Dazai
This has a more hopeful and optimistic tone compared to The Setting Sun and No Longer Human. The unreliability of the narrator aside, it's too bad that I can't help but feel there are some stuffs in this novel that were not translated very well from its original language and makes it hard to comprehend. I still enjoyed it a lot though, and somehow the more I think about this book, the more I come to like it.
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Despair is impossible in humans. They often are deceived by hope, but are also deceived by the notion of despair.
This has a more hopeful and optimistic tone compared to The Setting Sun and No Longer Human. The unreliability of the narrator aside, it's too bad that I can't help but feel there are some stuffs in this novel that were not translated very well from its original language and makes it hard to comprehend. I still enjoyed it a lot though, and somehow the more I think about this book, the more I come to like it.
The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai
The Setting Sun tells about the social change that occurred in Japan after the second world war, especially about the death of the Japanese aristocracy. This is the second book of Dazai I've read and I'm still unmoved in my opinion that I'm not very fond of his characters. I'm saying it without any malice though because I don't think his characters were designed to be likable (and the forms of depravedness they took strike me as humane). The writing in this novel is beautiful, but it may also be credited to Donald Keene's incredible translation.
A pleasant read, overall; would recommend to people who are a fan of slow-paced modern-day classics. I'm giving it 3.5★ because although it wasn't a bad read, it didn't give me any major impressions and I wasn't a fan of the pacing in certain part/s. I think I enjoyed No Longer Human more than this because to me it dealt with the internal conflicts and struggles of its character/s better, but that is more of a personal preference (and I understand that this book is supposedly among the more "objective" works of Dazai).
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Victims. Victims of a transnational period of morality. That is what we both are.
The Setting Sun tells about the social change that occurred in Japan after the second world war, especially about the death of the Japanese aristocracy. This is the second book of Dazai I've read and I'm still unmoved in my opinion that I'm not very fond of his characters. I'm saying it without any malice though because I don't think his characters were designed to be likable (and the forms of depravedness they took strike me as humane). The writing in this novel is beautiful, but it may also be credited to Donald Keene's incredible translation.
A pleasant read, overall; would recommend to people who are a fan of slow-paced modern-day classics. I'm giving it 3.5★ because although it wasn't a bad read, it didn't give me any major impressions and I wasn't a fan of the pacing in certain part/s. I think I enjoyed No Longer Human more than this because to me it dealt with the internal conflicts and struggles of its character/s better, but that is more of a personal preference (and I understand that this book is supposedly among the more "objective" works of Dazai).
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
dark
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
didn't like the main character but oh boy did this book made me cry and touched the certain corners of my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault