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drwozniak's reviews
514 reviews
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
2.0
Is it good poetry? No. But as a self help book it’s much better than most anything else you can buy. I’m just reading because I was gifted it years ago.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
3.0
I really enjoyed this. It was an easy read and actually got a few emotional reactions from me which is rare.
My only real “complaints” are that the characters are not fully flushed. There’s not a whole lot of gray areas as far as characters go, people are either good or bad. Secondly there could have been a little more time to really convince me of the bond between Laila and Mariam. But if you don’t have issues suspending belief then it won’t matter.
The book really wins for me because it makes me want to learn more about the history of Afghanistan and read more from authors from there. I think that’s the real aim of this book and I think the author succeeds there. I’m not sure I would read more from this author but it was a good jumping off point.
My only real “complaints” are that the characters are not fully flushed. There’s not a whole lot of gray areas as far as characters go, people are either good or bad. Secondly there could have been a little more time to really convince me of the bond between Laila and Mariam. But if you don’t have issues suspending belief then it won’t matter.
The book really wins for me because it makes me want to learn more about the history of Afghanistan and read more from authors from there. I think that’s the real aim of this book and I think the author succeeds there. I’m not sure I would read more from this author but it was a good jumping off point.
Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I love this book so much. Even better to read it as an adult.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
slow-paced
2.0
Girl, get to the point!
Also, what a cop out. This represents 10% of the atrocities white people did (and continue to do) in the Congo. And somehow the victim is still white people. Bad and wimpy.
Also, what a cop out. This represents 10% of the atrocities white people did (and continue to do) in the Congo. And somehow the victim is still white people. Bad and wimpy.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
2.0
…all of you are lying and Toni Morrison must have not been talking about this book when she praised Achebe.
Simplistic writing. Uninteresting story. If Achebe thought Heart of Darkness was racist then why did he write the prequel to it.
Just utterly confused as to how this book is so revered. A story about two idiotic belief systems and you don’t root for either one because in practice they are the same. Maybe that’s the point.
Simplistic writing. Uninteresting story. If Achebe thought Heart of Darkness was racist then why did he write the prequel to it.
Just utterly confused as to how this book is so revered. A story about two idiotic belief systems and you don’t root for either one because in practice they are the same. Maybe that’s the point.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This slaps. Funny and thought provoking. The narrator for the audiobook is phenomenal. Just incredible work all around.
The Bone People by Keri Hulme
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0
It’s unlike any book I have ever read. I grew fatigued in the last hundred pages but my star rating is more a reflection of me than the book. It’s difficult in that it references a culture I don’t know anything about and it doesn’t hand hold you threw it. I also had a difficult time with the child abuse that was used as a stand in for colonialism.
I think this is a book that would benefit from a reread after doing more background research, and probably would be a good book to discuss with others willing to take the trek.
Some positive points for me was how atmospheric it was, and how distinct the three main characters were. The narrative perspective shifts a lot and without telling you but the characters are written so well that you know who’s head you are in.
If you’re up for a challenge and want a book that can’t be easily classified and will make you out your research cap on, this might be a winner.
I think this is a book that would benefit from a reread after doing more background research, and probably would be a good book to discuss with others willing to take the trek.
Some positive points for me was how atmospheric it was, and how distinct the three main characters were. The narrative perspective shifts a lot and without telling you but the characters are written so well that you know who’s head you are in.
If you’re up for a challenge and want a book that can’t be easily classified and will make you out your research cap on, this might be a winner.
The Trees by Percival Everett
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Everett is god