ellasophiac's reviews
36 reviews

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

cried finishing this - it inspired me to re download storygraph. three places at once and longing for it all despite the pain and sadness that connected all three. 

Good Pop, Bad Pop by Jarvis Cocker

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.0

I love tat and I love Jarvis Cocker. a less than satisfying read as an archivist but a satisfying read as a hoarder. xx 

Water Shall Refuse Them by Lucie McKnight Hardy

1.0

a blurb can be so deceiving. maybe i didn’t read it properly, but this was not the book for me. also lots of animal cruelty towards birds which my recent RSPB membership would be ashamed of! naff book, another bad library find 

A Cup of Rage by Raduan Nassar

challenging slow-paced

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

2.0

if i wanted to be inside of a man’s mind whilst he goes ape shit at his lover i’d re-download tinder and go on dates on drugs x not for me x 

A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories by Leonard Cohen

dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.5

maybe it’s because i’m trying to remember quotes more from books and maybe it’s because it’s a library book and the threat of highlighter is all too much; but i’ve written down so many paragraphs and lines from these short stories on my phone. characters are the damaged men confused with their lovers so x take that as you will to how i’m feelin x 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

can’t call myself a kate bush fan without reading this. hated the start and it’s fumbling but really enjoyed the hatred and darkness between cathy 0.1 and heathcliff! not read a book pre 1900 for a while so i’m being kind with my rating xxx

Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

stole this off em because the cover looked cool but that was about it, okay was the only word to describe the book. wanted there to be more of a suspension in the interweaving stories. okay concept but wanted it to go further. i think i’m just a greedy cow! 

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

the first half of the book was really enjoyable to read and i felt as though i couldn’t put it down. the second half wasn’t what i was expecting and felt like a complete left turn to where i thought it was going. i guess no two tits are the same. xxx 

Record of a Night Too Brief by Hiromi Kawakami

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

there are three stories and i had three preconceptions. i didn’t think i’d like the first one, but ended up really enjoying it. i thought i’d enjoy the second one and ended up really disliking it. and i felt nothing about the third to which i…. feel nothing about the third. funny how ur mind is changed! xxx 

Little Gods by Meng Jin

emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

this was fantastic, i didn’t know what to expect as i usually don’t with historical fiction.  i think often writers can insert themselves into events and the event  either isn’t explored fully or the character says something a bit cliche. this didn’t and was a beautiful read, the event seemed to haunt in the background and was hardly mentioned other than the very beginning and the very end, the rest was a discovery to piece together the lives of those around the main character. wish it hasn’t been a library book as thee were some quotes i loved