farbooksventure's reviews
362 reviews

Tentang Cinta dan Demit-Demit Lainnya by Gabriel García Márquez
Did not finish book. Stopped at 37%.

Hal utama yang membuatku berhenti membaca buku ini kemungkinan besar berkaitan dengan terjemahan.

Buku ini bukan merupakan terjemahan langsung dari bahasa Spanyol. Menurut halaman depan buku:
"Diterjemahkan dari bahasa Spanyol: Edith Grossman
DIterjemahkan dari  bahasa Ingris: Eka Kurniawan"

Tidak hanya itu saja, kalau mengacu pada riwayat bacaku terdahulu, ini bukan kali pertama aku merasa tidak cocok dengan karya terjemahan Eka Kurniawan. Beberapa tahun yang lalu aku juga merasakan hal yang sama ketika membaca Cannery Row karangan John Steinbeck.

Sesuatu tentang gaya terjemahan ini membuatku merasa tidak bisa terhubung dengan ceritanya.

Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu by Junji Ito

funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.25

Komiknya kurang panjang 😂😂

Kontras antara gaya penggambaran komik yang horor & visceral dengan kisah kehidupan sehari-hari yang terbilang banal benar-benar meningkatkan kelucuan komik ini.

Aku mulai mencoba karya-karya Junji Ito pada tahun 2025 setelah mendengar banyak pujian untuk komikus satu ini selama beberapa tahun terakhir. Komik ringan tentang hewan peliharaan terasa seperti permulaan yang tepat untuk pembaca sepertiku yang bukan penggemar berat body horror. Setidaknya untuk membiasakan diri dengan art style Junji Ito yang begitu khas ini.

Aku mulai mengerti bagaimana komik-komik horornya bisa meninggalkan kesan mendalam dalam benak para pembaca.

Relung Rasa Raisa by Lea Agustina Citra
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.

The way the story were being narrated & the dialogue between characters feel way too juvenile for my taste.

We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter by Celeste Headlee
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.

Something about the tone of the writing in this one doesn't sit right with me.

I'm not interested to saw to it until the end.

The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Really enjoy Milan's writing style & the way the infamous 3'rd act conflict is handled in this story. It balanced the conflicts & the feel good aspects quite well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Death of parent

In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing by Elena Ferrante
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.

I don't understand enough to compel me to finish the book. It's simply not for me.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I read Red, White, & Royal Blue again in the aftermath of Prime's film adaptation release. The film is cute & fun for sure, but all it does is making me appreciate how layered the story in the original book is.

I can't believe the way it still managed to be a delighful escapism the second time around. All of these characters are endearingly flawed, I root for them until the very end.

The only draw back for me might be the excessive amount pop culture references. I don't mind the nod towards Stars Wars or The Hunger Games, honestly. The frequent mention of a particular magical fantasy series however? Doesn't age well. I could do without that, but oh well.

If a book managed to make me sit through the topic of international relations and American politics, they do something great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Outing

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Stalking, Sexual harassment

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

I'm always aware of long-distance running/marathons as a concept for the longest time. Being a person who's not really interested in sports, I couldn't tell you much about it. In What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, I learn quite a bit about it from someone who has been dedicating hours of their life to this & finding fulfillment in doing it. More than that, it provides a glimpse into Haruki Murakami's outlook on life, personal philosophy, and also his relationship with sport in general.

Murakami elaborates on why running suits him. Down to the discipline needed for them. He even connected the process of running marathons with his profession as an author. How endurance is essential for both of them. After reading, I could see why writing & running is perfect for Murakami as a person.

BUT, this book is not all glory and achievement. In fact, what sticks with me the most is the opposite. Murakami's reflection about getting old and learning to accept that his body couldn't handle as much grueling sports work as it used to be, is very memorable. Reading about his experience at a triathlon event at the end of the book is particularly bittersweet. On another side, Ray Porter does a great job conveying the tone that Murakami is going for in this audiobook. I couldn't stop listening.

If you're having a hard time getting into Haruki Murakami's fictional works, give this nonfiction a try. It works for me, at least. I've already reached the point of giving up finding a suitable Murakami novel for me. I think I will reconsider after reading this short & insightful memoir of his. 

The Door by Magda Szabó

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Good storytelling, good translation, and good audio narration too. What else could I ask for?

In The Door, we follow the complicated relationship between two flawed women (an author & her older housekeeper). Both are too stubborn for their own good. We read the way they love/hate each other & the push/pull that comes with it. It's not the quickest or easiest book to read (thanks to its characters), but it definitely feels so rewarding (haunting even?) in the end. If you love slow-paced character study featuring unlikeable women as the character, give this book a try. 

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

It's a meandering story, alright…

I'm happy to report that I actually enjoy American Gods more than I expect myself to. This can be credited to the fact that Neil Gaiman's writings are always a delight to read & I'm invested in Shadow Moon as the main character.

I still agree with my earlier assessment that a >500 pages book is way too much commitment for me. The fact that Shadow gives off himbo energy does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of incentivizing me to finish the book. If I find him annoying, I don't think I will finish American Gods at all. The many times various characters refer to him as a "big guy" who's often time too naive for his own good... Endless.

"A voice from behind him, in the shadows, said, very quietly, 'You have never disappointed me.'
Shadow did not turn. 'That's weird,' he said. 'I disappointed myself all the way. Every time.' - from page 575.

Not gonna lie I am this close (🤏) to giving up in the middle point. But the plot finally picks up at the last part of the story & I really enjoy all the revelations or twists that come with it. When Shadow's backstory came to light & a big plot twist happened, I found myself satisfied as a reader. The appearance of Gods from the Ancient Egyptian pantheon is another highlight for me.

Alas, it turns out I'm reading something exciting!