emilyceratops's reviews
200 reviews

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

Very sad, made me cry a few times. Pace meanders a bit around the middle but it picks up.  Some parts did shock me and I shared the feeling of horror with Salama as she experiences various revelations. Equally, I experienced the same physical sensations that come with hope in the way that Salama did.

Mr. Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo

emotional funny reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Made me think about how lucky and privileged I am to be able to publicly show affection to the one I love. I really enjoyed this story and the development of the characters. 

Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder

medium-paced

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

2.0

Unsatisfying ending, interesting narrative leaps that made me feel like I'd misread large chunks of the book. 

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

slow-paced

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

3.0

Sweet slice of life. Feels like it's trying too hard to say something profound. 

In Search of Silence by Poorna Bell

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

Quite meandering in some places but you might argue that that was the point. 

Poignant otherwise. 

This felt like a book written for the author rather than the audience.

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous slow-paced

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

4.0

What does legacy mean, what is the cost of survival, how to keep your species alive. I enjoyed all these themes. Felt like quite a long book and it accurately captured the relentless enormity of time. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Generally predictable but still some fun twists and turns. I found Violet and Xaden's relationship to be less compelling than described in the first book.

A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang

emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

Very accurately captures the haunting chasm between the sense of ambition for a better future, both from the child's perspective and as a parent wanting better for the child, and the sense of guilt of achieving the better future as the child. Devastating to know that both parent and child feel that they were the sole party who had wronged the other but were unable to communicate that. 

The characters go through the gaokao, which is an exam that my parents told me about extensively when I was growing up. My grandma loved to tell the story of how my father was too terrified to go to the centre to look at the board where all their scores were put up, a story that I resonated with as I went through my own high school studies. I hadn't realised this was a feeling that others felt as well.

Some characters also go through the intense jealousy of seeing someone achieve things they are unable to, and some characters go through the guilt of achieving and seeing their loved ones fall short of their shared goal. It's tricky. 

The last chapter

from the father's perspective totally broke me.

Made me cry on the train, and made me glad that I'll soon get to see my own parents soon. 

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

challenging mysterious 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? No

2.0

It's not that nothing happens in the book, it's just that the things that do happen seem almost inconsequential even though they're significant. I was bored a lot when reading this book and could only stomach a chapter at a time. 

At times, much more gross than I expected.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

Very enjoyable read! Predictable tropes though.