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farbooksventure's reviews
362 reviews
Masalah di Teluk Pollensa by Agatha Christie
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.25
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
WOW. Okay, first thing first...
A personal confession: The Song of Achilles is one of those books that I grow weary of over time, thanks to its immense popularity. I avoid it completely for a while. Eventually read random pages out of curiosity some time later. But, in the end never actually get around to read the whole thing.
Years later I decided to give this book another chance after I watched Ellias' video of it on 2021. I think I get it now... My appreciation of it is quite mild in comparison to another fellow reader, but I understand why so many people feel so strongly about the book. The tragedy of Achilles & Patrolus finally gets to me in the end. Even though I know what's going to happen for the most part, the pain & the emotion is still there.
I blow through the last part of The Song of Achilles because I'm so invested. This is definitely my favorite part out of the entirety of the book because the drama never end & it's painfully satisfying to read.
The writing style is not something that I would necessarily seek on daily basis, but it fits the story it's trying to tell. Miller does a pretty good job at making this epic story accessible, in my opinion. I still struggle because there are so many names, but the author doesn't make it difficult for the reader to be immerse in the story. A compliment is also in order for the audiobook narrator for bringing these characters alive.
Overall, I'm glad I give The Song of Achilles another try. It doesn't really get into my all-time favorite reads, but it's still a fun read in the end.
Ps. This is the closest I would get to read The Illiad in the near future 🙃
A personal confession: The Song of Achilles is one of those books that I grow weary of over time, thanks to its immense popularity. I avoid it completely for a while. Eventually read random pages out of curiosity some time later. But, in the end never actually get around to read the whole thing.
Years later I decided to give this book another chance after I watched Ellias' video of it on 2021. I think I get it now... My appreciation of it is quite mild in comparison to another fellow reader, but I understand why so many people feel so strongly about the book. The tragedy of Achilles & Patrolus finally gets to me in the end. Even though I know what's going to happen for the most part, the pain & the emotion is still there.
I blow through the last part of The Song of Achilles because I'm so invested. This is definitely my favorite part out of the entirety of the book because the drama never end & it's painfully satisfying to read.
The writing style is not something that I would necessarily seek on daily basis, but it fits the story it's trying to tell. Miller does a pretty good job at making this epic story accessible, in my opinion. I still struggle because there are so many names, but the author doesn't make it difficult for the reader to be immerse in the story. A compliment is also in order for the audiobook narrator for bringing these characters alive.
Overall, I'm glad I give The Song of Achilles another try. It doesn't really get into my all-time favorite reads, but it's still a fun read in the end.
Ps. This is the closest I would get to read The Illiad in the near future 🙃
Conflict Is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair by Sarah Schulman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
I simply lost any interest in this book.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
As much as I love Little Fires Everywhere, I truly can't stand the parents character in Everything I Never Told You. The fact that this book is Clara Ng's debut novel is pretty apparent too.
I'm quite sad that I can't finish it, but I can assure you that Ng's writings improve so much in her next works.
I'm quite sad that I can't finish it, but I can assure you that Ng's writings improve so much in her next works.
A History of Tea: The Life and Times of the World's Favorite Beverage by Laura C. Martin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
The book touches on an interesting topic for sure. Sadly, I don't find the writing engaging enough to continue reading it.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Not going to lie, I'm stuck in Chapter XI for quite some time. All these references totally when over my head, even with the help of notes at the end of this particular edition. I'm confused most of the time, but the vibe of the story is immaculate.
I (finally) manage to finish it with the assistance of an audiobook edition & I'm not mad honestly. Despite experiencing some hardship while reading this, I still in the opinion of how great The Picture of Dorian Gray is. That ending? Chef kiss, truly.
I (finally) manage to finish it with the assistance of an audiobook edition & I'm not mad honestly. Despite experiencing some hardship while reading this, I still in the opinion of how great The Picture of Dorian Gray is. That ending? Chef kiss, truly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Don't think this book is for me. Might give it a chance in the future? (Most likely not though).
The writing & narration style sound so smug and pretentious for some reason, I'm not a big fan of that.
The writing & narration style sound so smug and pretentious for some reason, I'm not a big fan of that.
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas: A Story by Ursula K. Le Guin
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
At first, I'm horrified. Sadness comes after. But then, I realize that this is just the reality that we already live in. We simply fool ourselves into not thinking about it too much.
No wonder this particular work leave a deep impression on so many people.
No wonder this particular work leave a deep impression on so many people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Saksi Bisu by Agatha Christie
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Dari 4 buku Agatha Christie yang aku baca sejauh ini di tahun 2021, sepertinya Saksi Bisu adalah favoritku.
Buku ini menjadi bacaan favorit karena gaya kasus/alur penyelidikannya agak beda dari yang lain. Tidak hanya Poirot, kita juga akan bertemu Hastings. Alur bukunya juga cepat. Aku awalnya skeptis karena konflik dalam cerita muncul karena huru-hara harta warisan. Ternyata konfliknya tidak serumit yang aku bayangkan untuk diikuti. Twist di akhir buku juga tidak terduga.
Kalau tidak ada casual racism & stereotyping, aku boleh jadi akan memberi Saksi Bisu rating lebih tinggi.
Buku ini menjadi bacaan favorit karena gaya kasus/alur penyelidikannya agak beda dari yang lain. Tidak hanya Poirot, kita juga akan bertemu Hastings. Alur bukunya juga cepat. Aku awalnya skeptis karena konflik dalam cerita muncul karena huru-hara harta warisan. Ternyata konfliknya tidak serumit yang aku bayangkan untuk diikuti. Twist di akhir buku juga tidak terduga.
Kalau tidak ada casual racism & stereotyping, aku boleh jadi akan memberi Saksi Bisu rating lebih tinggi.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia
Minor: Death
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
First things first, what's with 17'th-18'th century Europe & their poison obsession?💀
The Lost Apothecary is a story told from the perspective of three women. One woman from the present day & another two from the past. Set mainly in England, it follows the story of a mysterious apothecary that dispense poison to its patrons. These patrons (usually) are distressed women who want to get away from their good-for-nothing husband.
From a present-day point of view (POV), we will see Caroline, one of our protagonist, investigates various interesting findings on old apothecary murder cases while also dealing with her marriage problems. On the other hand, we will also read about what exactly is going down at that distant past from POV of Nella & Eliza.
Overall, it's an okay read. I honestly expect myself to like The Lost Apothecary more (sadly, I don't). The only POV that I care about in this story is from Caroline in the present day. I just couldn't care less about the other two. They are frustrating at best & annoying at worst as far as protagonist go.
I also found the historical POV getting repetitive & boring quite fast. Even though the pace/intrigue starts to pick up on the last third of the book, that "twist" at the ending ruins the whole thing for me. What a shame.
The Lost Apothecary is a story told from the perspective of three women. One woman from the present day & another two from the past. Set mainly in England, it follows the story of a mysterious apothecary that dispense poison to its patrons. These patrons (usually) are distressed women who want to get away from their good-for-nothing husband.
From a present-day point of view (POV), we will see Caroline, one of our protagonist, investigates various interesting findings on old apothecary murder cases while also dealing with her marriage problems. On the other hand, we will also read about what exactly is going down at that distant past from POV of Nella & Eliza.
Overall, it's an okay read. I honestly expect myself to like The Lost Apothecary more (sadly, I don't). The only POV that I care about in this story is from Caroline in the present day. I just couldn't care less about the other two. They are frustrating at best & annoying at worst as far as protagonist go.
I also found the historical POV getting repetitive & boring quite fast. Even though the pace/intrigue starts to pick up on the last third of the book, that "twist" at the ending ruins the whole thing for me. What a shame.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Murder
Minor: Miscarriage