elydy's reviews
74 reviews

The Man Who Forgot His Wife by John O'Farrell

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Eh, this was quite fun. Really felt like he had some yellow flags though, like when they slept together and then he suddenly got pass agg - just not convinced at the strength of the relationship!

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Really really interestingly written, I loved the interweaving narratives and the way she plays with time. Also I really hate Perseus!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

medium-paced

3.5

Really plodded through this one. Was a fun YA concept and I loved the twist halfway through. But didn't grip me massively.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

0.5 off 5 stars just because it took me bloody ages to get through this. But WOW. This book was excellent - I loved the detail of the narration, the complex characters who are roughly sketched out, the absolutely haunting setting. Perfect autumn read.

The Odyssey by Homer

adventurous 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? Yes

3.75

Definitely better than the Iliad - there's more plot and interesting adventures going on! As always it's fascinating to read something so ancient and that's what keeps me going through it. But of course it's relatively slow and Odysseus is not super likeable.

Autumn: An Anthology for the Changing Seasons by Melissa Harrison

reflective slow-paced

4.0

A sentimental annual re-read for me. Mixture of sections which are fine and sections which really wow me. It always gets me in the autumn mood 🍂

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

Just so lovely and charming. There are some particularly beautiful/poignant passages, like when they meet Pan, which really set this apart from other children's literature. Absolutely loved it - perfect audiobook to potter around the house to.

The Message of Hosea by Derek Kidner

informative medium-paced

4.0

Very informative and enlightening commentary.

When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Find myself falling more in love with Ishiguro's narrative style as I read more of his books. Wasn't as keen on the "big reveal" as his usual slow reveal, but this still gripped me a lot, and was an interesting period to read about.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

hopeful fast-paced

4.0

Lovely and meaningful as always :)