farbooksventure's reviews
359 reviews

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

challenging reflective fast-paced

3.25

Written in the time of Trump's rise to the presidency, this graphic memoir is a heartbreaking read. I would recommend this to someone interested in giving memoir a try but don't really have the time. Good Talk is not a time-consuming read. You can read it in one sitting even! 

Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A

2.75

I think I go about it the wrong way.

Instead of tackling the book slowly, I force myself to read this as fast as I can. It didn't end well. By the last tales, I’m positively skimming because I’m so bored to tears by it. If you do not pace the book correctly, these tales become quite repetitive and dull. So, don’t do what I did. Savor these stories if you’re interested in reading the collection.

I mean, it’s a collection of old fairy tales that come with various messages about the morality of the era it was written. There’s only so much of it that you can take in one sitting as a reader from the 21’st century. I am also surprised by how gruesome and brutal the majority of these stories can be. Especially considering the fact that these are stories for children. I guess when you are a child, the gravity of violence just goes over your head. It’s not a concept your head is ready to wrap around yet. European fairy tales are built differently indeed. This particular edition has so many great illustrations though, so that's definitely a plus.

In the end, this is not the most pleasant reading experience for me. At least I can honestly say that I already read some OG Grimm’s fairy tales now?

Pesta Halloween by Agatha Christie

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

Di antara 10 buku Agatha Christie yang aku baca tahun ini, Pesta Halloween memang merupakan salah satu judul yang berkesan. Alurnya cepat. Banyak petunjuk menarik muncul ke permukaan cerita tanpa membuat pusing pembaca. Berbagai karakter yang diperkenalkan juga memorable dan asyik untuk diteliti. Pembaca rutin Christie juga akan senang ketika mendapati nama lama seperti Ariadne Oliver, Inspektur Spence, dan Mrs. McGinty muncul kembali.

Harus aku akui, pendapat positif terhadap buku Pesta Halloween ini bisa jadi juga muncul karena aku kebetulan berhasil menebak si pelaku. Sebagai pembaca misteri yang tidak terlalu cermat, aku jarang sekali bisa menebak pelaku dalam cerita. Jadi, sangat mungkin keberhasilan ini membuat aku sangat bias untuk menyukai bukunya.

Sayang sekali, aku tidak bisa memberi Pesta Halloween rating lebih tinggi karena internalized misogyny dan kemunculan komentar-komentar yang patut dipertanyakan masih cukup kentara (disappointed but not surprise honestly).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Child death

Moderate: Misogyny

West Wind: Poems and Prose Poems by Mary Oliver

reflective relaxing slow-paced

3.5

Being a newbie in poetry, I do not understand as much as I would love to. Still, reading this for a prompt in The StoryGraph's Genre Challenge 2021 is a fun step in broadening my reading horizon. I might not understand every single poem, but I managed to find quite a few favorite verses from this collection like;

From Am I Not Among the Early Riser: 

Do I not see how the trees tremble, as though 
sheets of water flowed over them 
though it is only wind, that common thing, 
free to everyone, and everything?

From Spring:

and I thought 
how I meant to live a quiet life 
how I meant to live a life of mildness and meditation 
tapping the careful words against each other

The various verses on how nice it would be to be able to step back & enjoy the idleness of life really spoke to me (and I assume to so many people too). The theme of most poems never strays from nature. When we read the title, it was what we expected, wasn't it? But, other themes like words, language, the poet's writing process, and death also pop up. I love how these themes are eventually tied in to the topic of nature in the end.

In conclusion, the peaceful vibe is there & I am really into it. I can’t wait to dive deeper into Mary Oliver's other works & poetry as a whole.  

Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood by Katya, Trixie Mattel

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

I come to know (and appreciate) Trixie & Katya through Netflix I Like to Watch videos on Youtube. One thing that jumps out immediately to me while reading is how they write the way they talk. It's a choice with a huge possibility for a miss, but I think it works really well for them.

As far as self-help books go, this one is a fun & fabulous read. Trixie & Katya aren't taking themselves too seriously & are still able to drop some nuggets of wisdom in their writing. I must admit that I am familiar with some tips already, so they are nothing new. But they are great tips to spread around nonetheless.

My favorite parts are sections in the style of an interview where both would have a conversation about a particular topic. The one on Personal Style really makes me consider being more intentional & thoughtful about my wardrobe choice. Just want to give it a try & see if it make my days a little bit better.

The various photographs scattered throughout the book are a delight to the eyes too. Here are two quotes that I really like:

From Katya: "I don’t know if I’ll ever come to terms with the harsh reality that my body is less a wonder and more a wasteland, but now I have a fun new way to see it for myself" on Personal Hygiene.

From Trixie: "Truthfully, meeting people is quite easy. The challenge is being lucky enough to meet someone you’d actually like to meet with twice." on Meeting People.

All in all, give it a try, Folks. If you can't get enough of their writing (like me), Trixie & Katya are also on Substack writing weekly under the newsletter named Gooped. 

Ponti by Sharlene Teo

emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.75

It's been weeks (months even), but I'm still not sure what to make of this book. There are definitely parts that I wish the author would explore in depth but sadly not.

Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters by Violet Jessop

informative slow-paced

3.5

Not only leads an eventful life, Violet Jessop is also a good storyteller. I'm glad Watcher's Puppet History leads me to her memoir. Reading about Jessop's experience & struggle from her early years is a rewarding experience for me personally.

While I appreciate how this book is equipped with annotation & further notes. I rather read what Violet got to say instead of reading the personal opinion provided by the editor. Yes, I'm thankful for the additional contexts those explanations offered, but most of them seem needlessly long-winded. 

Other than that, this one is a fun read. 

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

If you're looking for a story that sweep you out of your feet (telenovela-style), this book might be the perfect one for you. I'm having a really good time because I truly read this for the vibe & it's not dissapoint!

I must say though, I find the ending to be quite anticlimatic. It's not as satisfying as I hope it would, but I'm having a great experience reading The Beautiful Ones nonetheless.

Parker Pyne Menyelidiki by Agatha Christie

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

3.0

Dibandingkan dengan cerpen Parker Payne di kumcer Problem at Pollensa Bay, aku lebih menyukai cerpen dalam buku Parker Payne Investigates ini. Selain tidak terkesan buru-buru, cerpen yang ada berhasil menggambarkan modus operandi Payne dengan gamblang. Selain itu, cerpen dalam buku 264 halaman ini juga berhasil menunjukkan apa yang membedakan Parker Payne dengan karakter rekaan Agatha Christie lain.

Aku tidak memberi rating lebih tinggi karena beberapa -isme (dalam hal ini rasisme & orientalisme) sangat jelas dalam cerpen-cerpennya & it's not really pleasant to read.

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I have been reading some great memoirs this year & A Mind Spread Out on the Ground is definitely one of them.

It's very well-written and takes a direct look at the long & devastating effects of colonialism in multiple generations of Indigenous people in North America. The emphasis on mental health issues makes some essays quite difficult to read because it's so heartbreaking, but I'm glad this topic is being brought up at all.  I also want to give kudos to the audiobook narrator because the narration truly enriched my reading experience.

This memoir is not an easy read in the end, but it's truly an important one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Colonisation