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foolishpsychopomp's reviews
19 reviews
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler
Did not finish book. Stopped at 48%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 48%.
I think the concept has potential but it was just incredibly boring and repetitive with really awkward writing.
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
This is an incredibly generous 2 stars that I would not really recommend to anyone. The main character is unlikable in a really boring way, the little we hear of the films is incredibly lackluster for what they are supposed to be, and it really tries to pull off an ending that it does not have the skill for.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I think if you aren't interested in any kind of art history or any of the artists she features in this book then it's probably best to give this book a pass.
I am, however, a person who enjoys those things as well as reflecting on the concept of loneliness, especially when you are in a situation where you are surrounded by other people, so overall I liked what this book set out to do. Olivia Laing touches on various different ways loneliness can manifest and how it isolates people but because it is so wide spread it sometimes feels like only an introduction that doesn't get fully explored. So I feel like how much you may get out of parts of this book may vary depending on what previously interacted with on the subject of loneliness. Like the chapter that spoke about the internet and social media didn't really do much for me as I have heard a lot on that particular subject and it feels as though this book only ever scratches the surface of that conversation because it is also talking about so many other things. That being said even if that is the case with some parts of the book there is still a lot there that was new and engaging for me.
Outside of understanding more about people I may only really know about in passing, I did like the focus of different artists throughout the book because it does create this connecting thread on how loneliness isn't as isolating as it makes you think it is. Though I do wish the book would provide photos of at least some of the works Laing talks about in this book. Especially since it focuses so heavily on visual art sometimes the explanations of what something looks like just isn't as effective as actually seeing the work itself. And it's not as if the book is all text because there's a photo at the end of each chapter, just not one that she ever talks about in the text.
My one major disappointment with this book is that I feel like I don't really have an understanding of Laing's thoughts and opinions on loneliness. Yes she talks about her experience living alone in New York but they are really only anecdotal and I wanted to hear her own musings rather then just reciting research. That's not to say it isn't there at all, just that it feels like it makes up such a small percentage of the book. Also because the book is largely the reciting of research I found that it sometimes lead chapters or parts of chapters to drag on. So the book, while having good intentions, occasionally gets a bit lost in the weeds.
I am, however, a person who enjoys those things as well as reflecting on the concept of loneliness, especially when you are in a situation where you are surrounded by other people, so overall I liked what this book set out to do. Olivia Laing touches on various different ways loneliness can manifest and how it isolates people but because it is so wide spread it sometimes feels like only an introduction that doesn't get fully explored. So I feel like how much you may get out of parts of this book may vary depending on what previously interacted with on the subject of loneliness. Like the chapter that spoke about the internet and social media didn't really do much for me as I have heard a lot on that particular subject and it feels as though this book only ever scratches the surface of that conversation because it is also talking about so many other things. That being said even if that is the case with some parts of the book there is still a lot there that was new and engaging for me.
Outside of understanding more about people I may only really know about in passing, I did like the focus of different artists throughout the book because it does create this connecting thread on how loneliness isn't as isolating as it makes you think it is. Though I do wish the book would provide photos of at least some of the works Laing talks about in this book. Especially since it focuses so heavily on visual art sometimes the explanations of what something looks like just isn't as effective as actually seeing the work itself. And it's not as if the book is all text because there's a photo at the end of each chapter, just not one that she ever talks about in the text.
My one major disappointment with this book is that I feel like I don't really have an understanding of Laing's thoughts and opinions on loneliness. Yes she talks about her experience living alone in New York but they are really only anecdotal and I wanted to hear her own musings rather then just reciting research. That's not to say it isn't there at all, just that it feels like it makes up such a small percentage of the book. Also because the book is largely the reciting of research I found that it sometimes lead chapters or parts of chapters to drag on. So the book, while having good intentions, occasionally gets a bit lost in the weeds.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
I really liked the concept and there were a fair amount of specific moments I enjoyed but I struggled to get through this book. Whenever I put it down I was never really excited about getting back to it and when I was reading it, I read a lot slower than I usually would for a book like this. While I don’t dislike the writing style I think that it is so upfront about the themes and ideas it wants to talk about that it comes at the cost of the plot and characters. It feels like it is a book that is more focus on talking about those themes and ideas rather than being a story, despite the fact she is clearly still trying to tell said story. This is also more an early part of the book issue but having to be introduced to each character/borough (which I did like reading about) basically one right after the other became structurally very repetitive. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get on with this book the way I hoped I would because so much about it is exactly what I want and like from a story like this. I don’t know maybe one day I’ll give this book a second go but right now I just have to cut my losses.
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Assassin's Creed: Underworld by Andrew Holmes, Oliver Bowden
adventurous
medium-paced
2.75
Underworld should of just been a prequel story or more of a retelling of the game, because in attempting to do both the book suffers for it.
The 2/3 of this book that make up the prequel sections had potential but I ultimately found really boring. I liked getting more of Jayadeep and seeing how he gets to become the character from Syndicate. I even quite liked the character work that was done for him. I also thought that that plot was kind of interesting but more so the idea of it then it's actual execution. Other than that I really couldn't get into it. Personally I hated all of Abberline's pov chapters, I felt like they were really unimportant and just rehashing information we already had. I don't mind him being a part of the story but I don't think it was necessary to give him his own chapters. And I know the whole game is about them but I do wish we got to see a little more of the Frye twins during this section of the book.
As for the last handful of the book that actually covers the game, it felt incredibly underdeveloped. I don't know if it was because of the inclusion of the prequel story, because it's only telling Evie's part of the story, or maybe there just wasn't the time to flesh it out more but it was really disappointing. It would of been a great opportunity to flesh out the Frye twins in a way similar to what Jayadeep got in the earlier parts of the book. Instead it cuts over basically everything except anything about the piece of eden and Jacob hardly matters. Compared to the other novelizations of this series, Underworld just feels kind of lazy. The retelling's only saving grace was it's a lot less boring than the prequel sections.
The 2/3 of this book that make up the prequel sections had potential but I ultimately found really boring. I liked getting more of Jayadeep and seeing how he gets to become the character from Syndicate. I even quite liked the character work that was done for him. I also thought that that plot was kind of interesting but more so the idea of it then it's actual execution. Other than that I really couldn't get into it. Personally I hated all of Abberline's pov chapters, I felt like they were really unimportant and just rehashing information we already had. I don't mind him being a part of the story but I don't think it was necessary to give him his own chapters. And I know the whole game is about them but I do wish we got to see a little more of the Frye twins during this section of the book.
As for the last handful of the book that actually covers the game, it felt incredibly underdeveloped. I don't know if it was because of the inclusion of the prequel story, because it's only telling Evie's part of the story, or maybe there just wasn't the time to flesh it out more but it was really disappointing. It would of been a great opportunity to flesh out the Frye twins in a way similar to what Jayadeep got in the earlier parts of the book. Instead it cuts over basically everything except anything about the piece of eden and Jacob hardly matters. Compared to the other novelizations of this series, Underworld just feels kind of lazy. The retelling's only saving grace was it's a lot less boring than the prequel sections.