goemonxiii's reviews
10 reviews

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved The Pearl. The writing style was new and engaging, I liked the recurring musical motif throughout, I liked the discussion of greed and anti-Native sentiment, I liked seeing into another culture, I liked the main character and his family, I just really liked The Pearl. Going in you kind of know you're going to get an "all that glitters is not gold" message, but the plot isn't predictable despite its universal theme. I wouldn't really call it a "plot twist," but there is a point where Steinbeck dared to go at the end of the book that, for me, makes it all worth reading. The physical environment descriptions were beautiful, the main characters were easy to root for, and the story is meaningful and unique. I'd highly recommend The Pearl, it's a quick read but it's thoroughly enjoyable and has substance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism

really sad ending, child death

, discusses poverty, the life-changing effect of money on a poor family, the greed of individuals and a desperate community, poverty as a result of colonization and racism, and the joy of starting a family

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I love John Steinbeck, but this is one of his weaker works in my opinion. It was an interesting and new perspective on Californian history, and it did bring up three essential points of discussion (those being how disabled people have been treated historically, and how Black and poor people have been discriminated against in early Californian history), but it's far from my favorite novel or even Steinbeck novel. It's a quick read, and I do like Steinbeck's perspective on many topics, but aside from Lenny and the discussion on anti-Black, anti-poor, and anti-disabled sentiments within society, I didn't really care for the other characters or environment. Also I feel it beats you over the head with its foreshadowing so heavily to the point where the "twist" becomes obvious. I wouldn't say that you should skip this title as, once again, it is a really quick read (I finished it in about 2 hours), but please don't characterize Steinbeck on the basis of this book (characterize him by the opinions in this book, not the writing style).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Slavery, and Alcohol

a few deaths, sad ending, recurring animal deaths

, important discussions regarding racism, ableism, and classism, new perspective on early California history

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

3.5

I don't normally read books like Song of Achilles, but it was thoroughly enjoyable for what it was. I liked viewing Greek Mythology through the lens of Patroclus, Patroclus and Achilles' relationship was interesting to read about, and I like how this book is introducing a new generation to Greek Mythology. Is this book a must read? No. Is it good? For what it is, yes. The only thing I didn't like was the "passive voice" in later chapters when major things are happening (hopefully you'll understand what I mean if/when you read it). But, for young adult fiction, the plot wasn't stupid, there weren't any glaring problems in terms of themes or messaging, and it was well-written in terms of word choices and how the story was presented.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Classism

lots of death, sad ending

, toxic parents, deals with the conflict of destiny versus identity, children being sent to war, deals with the consequences of war, passing mention of infanticide

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Metamorphosis may not be for everybody in the sense that it's slow, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and needed to hear its message at the time. The best way I can describe the "point" of this book is that you can't wait around for people to save you regardless of your relationship with them, and in order to get better you have to take matters into your own hands and save yourself. I read this as a teenager while I was struggling with personal and family problems, and as difficult and hard as the message was, I needed to hear it. I was like Gregor Samsa in the sense that I was struggling yet wasn't getting the help I needed from my family, and it was this book that taught me that I had to be the one to take the initiative and help myself instead of waiting around for someone else to save me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

death, toxic family, not a happy ending (but a necessary one)

, allegory for mental illness/disability

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I know this book is controversial, but it's amazing nonetheless. Please read the content warnings before picking up this book as it does contain lots of racism, statutory, involuntary hospitalization, and internalized racism, among other difficult topics. Also the protagonist is really unlikable, though I believe the narrator makes up for this with how the book makes you want to root for him. Nonetheless, this book still manages to be great. It's a great look into mental asylums and the hidden abuse within them, and the plot is shocking with its twists and turns. It felt a bit longer to read, and it had its slower parts, but this is a book I would recommend to most people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and War

death, abuse from medical authorities, abuse of the mentally disabled and ill, lots of slurs and racism against Black people, bragging about statutory rape, unethical medical procedures

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is possibly the best book I've ever read. Something I do feel the need to say is that if you have a difficult relationship with your stepparent(s), this may be a difficult read for you. Although it was difficult for me personally to read, it was essential in overcoming my problems. I don't want to get too much into the "me" aspect of this play, but as hard as it was on me, I loved it and felt it was written specifically for me. Hamlet is a very enjoyable protagonist and this play is amazing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and War

many people die, this is a seriously hard read if you have a difficult relationship with a stepparent

The Iliad by Homer

adventurous slow-paced

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

4.75

I know it's slow, and I know it's a war epic, but it's great nonetheless. There's a reason why we read The Iliad despite it being thousands of years old, and it's because it's a good book. Homer is very talented when it comes to the words he chooses to use, the characters are memorable and interesting, and Achilles in particular shines throughout. If you liked The Song of Achilles, please follow it up with The Iliad. If you like Achillean romance or stories, please read this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

a lot of main characters die, sometimes the injuries can be graphic, not really a spoiler but King Agamemnon steals Achilles' girlfriend in the beginning and is annoying to deal with throughout the poem

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

While I can appreciate The Bell Jar for what it is and what it's done for the field of literature, feminism, and mental health... it's not for me (which is fine). I'm not particularly enthusiastic about this book, there were parts that were difficult to get through, and I doubt I'll read it again. It's not terrible, and there were in fact parts that I liked, and I do like being able to say that I've read The Bell Jar, but other than that there's not much here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Death of parent

several graphic suicide attempts, severe mental illness, depression, medical complication involving birth control

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Surprisingly clever for its seemingly narrow premise. The plot goes far beyond its premise of a man with no arms, legs, ears, nose, eyes, or mouth and excels at its purpose of being an anti-war novel. It's perfectly timeless and especially important to read considering the current political tensions in the United States and abroad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

not a happy ending, feels graphic and suffocating at times

The Giver by Lois Lowry

challenging dark hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

The Giver is surprisingly good for a book most people read in middle school and immediately forgot. I'd highly recommend rereading it as an adult, or reading it for the first time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Suicide and Grief

Minor: War

infanticide, euthanasia