estellegodard's reviews
234 reviews

The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde

challenging reflective slow-paced

2.0

I wanted to enjoy this more than I did but I unfortunately wasn’t touched by it. I find that perhaps some of my thoughts regarding breast reconstruction do not align with the author’s so a lot of that discourse was lost on me because I wasn’t as angry as she was. I did appreciate how vulnerable this account is, but it was repetitive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

slow-paced

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

3.75

once I found my groove, I was very interested and invested in the story. I thought there was good tension and it did not take the path I expected at all. however, I find that the pacing can sometimes be irregular and it’s a really slow beginning. I enjoyed the mysterious ending a lot. 

What My Mother and I Don't Talk About: Fifteen Writers Break the Silence by Michele Filgate

reflective fast-paced

4.25

the vast majority of these essays were really thoughtful and did not shy away from the uncomfortable truth. I really enjoyed how each experience was unique and represented different facets of motherhood. 

In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet

slow-paced

2.0

I was disappointed to find out the title of this book is quite misleading. the topic of witches is a loose framework around which the author discusses feminism and women’s rights. the moments that were of interest were few and far apart. I wanted a book that dealt with the topic of witches through a feminist lens, with more historical references; I did not receive this. 

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.75

I loved loved loved this book! it was a poignant and devastating depiction of war while also being a beautiful story of love and friendship. I really enjoyed the different forms through which the story was told. I found that there was so much humanity behind each of the characters and even though we didn’t spend long with many of them, I was still touched by the way the author wrote about them and their deaths. the parts I enjoyed less were in the prisoner camp, though I was still invested and appreciated the arrival of new characters. all in all, this is a book that is both beautifully written and incredibly bingeable.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

the writing style in this book was far too lyrical and poetic for my taste. I found the metaphorical language unrealistic and cringey and it consistently took me out of the story. thus, reading it wasn’t very enjoyable and I was disappointed. the story overall was quite good, though I felt like I never got to know the characters very well due to how repetitive it was. I also found that I lacked the emotional connection with the peripheral characters, so the deaths never felt very impactful. I think this book would have benefited from being shorter and more concise. I thought the last 50 pages were very strong and there were certain standout passages throughout. I also really enjoyed the perspective of the river in the early parts of the book as well as the inclusions of drawings. I thought these were unique additions that broke up the monotonous pace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.25

I was so disappointed with this book. it was repetitive in almost every aspect (even the dialogue often felt like I’d read it before!). I found the characters cheesy and formulaic; everything they said that was meant to be “deep” came off as generic and provided very little meaningful insight into the themes of the novel. I also found wallace’s character development extremely unrealistic: his change is too sudden and lacks nuance. finally, the ending was cheap and completely undermines the through-line that was being preached throughout the book of death being irreversible and that we must make peace with this. all in all, I was expecting a lot more from this cozy fantasy, especially since I had enjoyed the authors previous book. I only add on a quarter star because by the halfway point it became more bingeable, which enriched the reading experience a little. 

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

informative fast-paced

5.0

I thought this was excellent. incredibly insightful and presents very well researched points about the current poverty crisis in america. I also thought his call to action was very well done and persuasive. 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

hopeful sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I cried & I hardly ever cry when I read! I was so touched by this story, I think because it felt so realistic. I found the banter a little cringey at times, especially the moments when they pretend to still be together. but overall everything else was enjoyable and I thought the personification of harriet’s happy places was a nice addition to the book. I thought the found family elements were also really sweet & the author did a great job of painting the picture of maine; everything was very vivid in this book. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney

fast-paced

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

3.0

I found this book pretty enjoyable to read but I did not find the character study to be earth shattering at all. a lot of these sentiments were familiar to me already and it thematically didn’t feel like anything ground breaking; very overhyped book.
the very last chapter of the book was the most clear-cut depiction of the protagonists’s relationship and the way each views love. but all in all, I never felt convinced of their affection for eachother nor of the complexities and obstacles they faced. the entire time it feels like we are circling around the main point this novel is trying to make, yet we never truly achieve it. 
lastly, it also felt like many characters were meant to be unlikable but we were never given a proper motive , like alan for example. many of the peripheral characters were one-dimensional even though they play a pretty big role in each of the protagonists’s developmental arc. 
overall, I would say this is a very middle of the road book that doesn’t provide much human relatability at all, despite that seemingly being the point. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Mental illness