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gustgustgust's reviews
28 reviews
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Audio Book
I love books about creative practice. I love them. I love seeing what people connect to. I actually kind love the idea of creative practice as spiritual practice.
I love books about creative practice. I love them. I love seeing what people connect to. I actually kind love the idea of creative practice as spiritual practice.
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee
informative
medium-paced
3.25
I thought this was such an interesting book, and I I loved what it stood for, but I couldn’t make myself connect as much as I wanted to.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I'm a sucker. A fool. I heard someone else in a groupchat recommend this book. It was available on my library's app as an e-book so I started reading it three days before it was supposed to be returned.
Is it cliche? Yes. Is it silly? Yes. Is it a little heavy handed? Yes. Did I roll my eyes fondly? Absolutely. Am I now emotionally attached to a frog that communicates through whiteboard? Also yes.
I think it's very good at doing what it does, and what it does is have a good time. Halfway through I had to switch from the e-book (because I had to return it) and managed to snag the audio book from my library. It was even MORE enjoyable listening to the audio book.
Is it Joyce? Not really. Did it spark joy? Resoundingly, yes. And I will be reading the sequel when it comes out.
Is it cliche? Yes. Is it silly? Yes. Is it a little heavy handed? Yes. Did I roll my eyes fondly? Absolutely. Am I now emotionally attached to a frog that communicates through whiteboard? Also yes.
I think it's very good at doing what it does, and what it does is have a good time. Halfway through I had to switch from the e-book (because I had to return it) and managed to snag the audio book from my library. It was even MORE enjoyable listening to the audio book.
Is it Joyce? Not really. Did it spark joy? Resoundingly, yes. And I will be reading the sequel when it comes out.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's not my favourite of Kuang's work, but it feels like it was a necessary book to write. I can't stop thinking about it and it's repercussions, and I feel like we were given a little glimpse behind the curtain of publishing. I'm happy to have finally gotten it from my library (it was on hold for like 35 weeks or something to that degree), I devoured it in a day and sent it back.
The problem is that I found myself wanted each character to just do something different. I know the narrator was flawed and I just wanted to scream at her! But that's not how a book works. If there was a Greek chorus of some kind, this would make a fantastic tragedy.
I didn't have the same reaction that other people I've seen online have had, in either direction, and I am still drawn more to Kuang's fantastical work, but nevertheless it's a solid book and I loved reading it.
The problem is that I found myself wanted each character to just do something different. I know the narrator was flawed and I just wanted to scream at her! But that's not how a book works. If there was a Greek chorus of some kind, this would make a fantastic tragedy.
I didn't have the same reaction that other people I've seen online have had, in either direction, and I am still drawn more to Kuang's fantastical work, but nevertheless it's a solid book and I loved reading it.
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
4.75
It's the end of the duology and it started off really slow, but the incorporation of new characters and stronger tensions rose the stakes a lot. It was a hard read, and there were many moments I had to put the book down, remind myself that it was just a book.
But it felt important to finish it. And I am glad I did.
But it felt important to finish it. And I am glad I did.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
4.25
This book shocked me. It was written in the '90s and yet it felt prophetic. If it was written in this year, people would say it was too on-the-nose.
The story is beautiful. the main character, Lauren Olamina, is such a beautiful, complicated character. The relationships are complicated and dense and tentative. The real shining moment is just the world Bulter weaved. It felt not only like it happened, but that I was watching it happen in front of me. It's not for me to adapt, but it is definitely something that would make an incredible series if given full opportunity to be as dark, grim, and haunting as it needs to be.
The only thing that knocked it down for me was there was a lot of violence, and I understand that the world needed it so it's just a personal taste thing. I don't think anything was don't to scandalize or be outrageous, it was true to the world, I just got pulled out going "oh no, this is too much, too real"
The story is beautiful. the main character, Lauren Olamina, is such a beautiful, complicated character. The relationships are complicated and dense and tentative. The real shining moment is just the world Bulter weaved. It felt not only like it happened, but that I was watching it happen in front of me. It's not for me to adapt, but it is definitely something that would make an incredible series if given full opportunity to be as dark, grim, and haunting as it needs to be.
The only thing that knocked it down for me was there was a lot of violence, and I understand that the world needed it so it's just a personal taste thing. I don't think anything was don't to scandalize or be outrageous, it was true to the world, I just got pulled out going "oh no, this is too much, too real"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It's so nostalgic to be back in Percy's world. I loved the fights, I loved diving back into Percy's brain after so many years apart. I started reading it because I finished the TV show and though I loved the series, the books are just so much fun. A recommend for anyone who loved the series.
Good on Paper by Everly Ashton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
Questionable scenes written as steamy but just left me feeling gross.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0