happea's reviews
13 reviews

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

reflective sad medium-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? Yes

3.0

White Nights by Fyodor Dostovesky captures two lonesome individuals who seek comfort through each other's company. The nameless narrator and protagonist of the story, secludes himself from reality in the disillusionments of his dreams. Whereas Nastenka, confined to her grandmother's authority, waits tirelessly for the day her long-awaited love will return. Both seek solace in one another, only to

develop into a relationship of unrequited love on the narrator's part.

Dostovesky convey's a rejection of idealization for the rational fulfillment that reality offers, such as that in human connection.

The protagonist is engrossed in his fantasies, living a life of solitude to barricade himself from those that have panged him. However, Nastenka offers him a jovial return, granting him his happiest and most fulfilling moments in the short period of their acquaintanceship. She is not part of his ideals, flawed and emotionally unaware of her affect on him, yet it is her that draws him out of his emotional isolation and her that rouses him to ponder his own future.

Lots of beautiful language used in the story, the personification of Petersburg houses and Spring, but the dialogue was difficult to decipher who was speaking at times. The theme of loneliness captured my attention, but

the shift to romance made it seem that romantic love was the epitome to happiness and the moral of the story. There are many forms of love and I wished that the story would have taken a different approach in highlighting how to overcome loneliness and the importance of relationships in general (familial, friendship, etc).

  Overall, ⭐️ 3/5

Dostoevsky's Bobok - Did not finish story. Stopped at 14%.

I couldn't see the story going anywhere and there was too much casual banter to interpret what was happening and who was speaking. 

Animal Farm by George Orwell

dark reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

George Orwell's Animal Farm is a politically significant satirical allegory criticizing communism and the Russian Revolution through figures analogous to anthropomorphic animals. Ignorance, compliancy, and pessimism are faults that marshal the

totalitarian propaganda and circuit of tyranny to Napoleon's autocracy.

As the plot progresses, the scapegoating and exploitation under the bureaucracy of Animal Farm becomes infuriatingly ludicrous and eye-opening to civilian circumstances, resulting in a horrifically bona fide perspective on the political ideology. Overall, the book provides straightforward innovative allusions that are devastatingly accurate to the manipulation and downfall of idyllic objectives in an oppressed population. 

How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy

inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.25

How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy captures the essence of greed and temptation as the protagonist, Pakhom, strives for more land in an effort to achieve happiness and security.  He covets all that others have, unable to be satiated with what he owns. There's a religious facet to Tolstoy's writing as

Pakhom is enticed by the Devil after him and his wife proclaim that they fear no one and bow to no authority as long as land is abundant, suggesting they are not religious. The first mention of God comes only as Pakhom nears his death, perhaps Tolstoy's method of promoting faith in a man who claims to have none.

The ending was a stark reminder of the things we truly own. Overall, the read was enjoyable like a children’s allegory, at times repetitive and predictable, but the emphasis of avarice did give a true perspective on society. ⭐️ 3.25/5

Tolstoy's What Men Live By gave a generous viewpoint of what dwells in man, or what should dwell in man, but the overly religious focus and simpleness that

love is the answer

provided a self-righteous undertone that wasn't to my taste.  ⭐️ 2.75/5 (not included in final rating)

Why I Am so Clever by Friedrich Nietzsche
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.

Not a great first time philosophy read. Call me ignorant, but just a few pages in and there were too many paradoxes that were too confounded to interpret. I'd say the saying that less is more is extremely necessary in this case. 

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

For a work published in the late 1500's, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a timeless play that captivates themes relatable to contemporary youth. The collectivist expectation versus individual desire to seek out one's own future is expressed through a familial feud and the star-crossed romance that challenges it. There's a sense of escapism as two young lovers immediately fall for one another outside the oppressive confines of their parents view, but the foreshadowing of their inevitable demise only ascertains how omnipotent violence and societal pressures truly are in this world. 

My favourite thematic contrast was between free will and fate as Shakespeare utilizes exasperated, and at times, humorously exaggerated circumstances to lead Romeo and Juliet to their foreseen end.  Yet, the characters will to fall in love is a testament to how unpredictable human emotion is. Even though its been parodied numerous times, reading the actual play made me feel hope and despair during the lamentable ending of such a young vibrant couple. 

Language and humour were definitely obstacles in this reading. Outside of the sexist punny humour, the iambic pentameter of Shakespeare's writing was a pleasant reading exercise (though sometimes tedious). All in all, I'd definitely be interested in watching a stage production of this!

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

2.25

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a quaint café novel that examines the essence of human relationships under the scope of time travel. It captures a mood of spiritual tranquility combined with supernatural elements, all in a cohesive storyline of characters who independently reconcile with the drawbacks of life.

This was one of the first trendy books I'd taken a chance at reading because I was attracted to the melancholic ambiance. If I'm being forthright about it, I found the experience bland. Translational inconsistencies could be a factor, but overall I found the structure of each chapter repetitive. The descriptions of minute behaviours consisted of language that felt monotonous and rudimentary. Moreover, any storyline predicament would be followed with a trifling explanation that just seemed like an idle fix on the author's part.

I enjoyed the rules that were implemented (the first time they were brought up) because it confined the motive of time travel to humanity rather than personal exploitation. Many points were left unanswered in the end such as

why Kazu had the ability to interact with the ghost or how the power was passed down to Miki (Kei's daughter).

I also wish that we'd been able to witness

a character breaking the rules and turning into a ghost for climatic effect.

Overall, like a cup of coffee, the innovative idea roused my interest on the many possible ways it could be approached. By the end, the structure and writing style left me weary and bitter of continuing the series. 

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

The modern beauty encased in the trauma of grief, war, and self-destruction is captured in a heart wrenchingly alluring way in Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong. As someone who doesn't read much poetry, I found Vuong's poems to remarkably convey his experiences as a son, brother, and partner while also organically referencing contemporary materials from his life.

Definitely not a simple read, requiring re-reads and a lot of thorough analysis, which sometimes left me a bit drained and confused. I honestly fell into a bit of a depressive state during my time reading this, the anguish of losing a parent (not to mention a single mother) was the most distressful, especially when factoring in the element of time. *Would not recommend if you're currently struggling with mental health.

Favorite Poems

• Dear Peter
• Old Glory
• The Last Dinosaur
• Dear T
• Not Even
• Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker 
• Ars Poetica as the Maker
• The Punctum

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

adventurous emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

Pi, an infinite mathematical constant with relation to a circle is simplified by a single letter of the Greek alphabet, π. It is also the nickname of the protagonist in Yann Martel's Life of Pi, a boy entranced by spiritual knowledge. As he matures in the safe haven of his family's zoo, he becomes enthralled in the practices of three different religions whilst his household starts the process of immigrating from India to Canada. We witness how Pi gets entangled in a shipwreck through this diaspora, becoming the sole human survivor aboard a lifeboat of animals as they float through the Pacific Ocean.

There's a lot of beautiful symbolism and even moments of revulsion in Pi's castaway journey that provides a sense of enlightenment. A young man dropped into the harsh ocean of reality where his own morality is challenged, the book perfectly captures the spiritual essence of his experiences along with the battle between faith and reality. The tiger, Richard Parker,

plays a significant role in capturing Pi's character in a meaningful and creative way. His intended name, Thirsty, can be seen as Pi's own thirst for spiritual knowledge while Richard Parker, referring to bravery and park keeper is also his position in overcoming fear and taming a feral animal.

 

A few chapters particularly focused on Pi’s survival tactics seemed redundant over the course of the novel. However, I still feel strongly of it being a significant piece of literature because just like the constant, π, it was able to hold an endless value of interpretation with cyclical connections from beginning to end while also being simplified into the life of Pi. 

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel

informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

3.5

Just like the "forbidden fruit" that rouses temptation and sin in Adam and Eve, the ivory depiction (by Georg Petel) of this creation myth entices the mind of Stéphane Breitwieser, the art thief. The serpent in his brain envelops him, putting him at the mercy of immorality and thus begins his billion dollar art heist.

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel poses the question: Is Breitwieser a conniving art connoisseur? Or just a narcissistic kleptomaniac too far gone? These questions present themselves as Finkel gives an in-depth timeline of Breitwieser's crimes over the course of a 6-year period. My conclusion:

a chronic kleptomaniac who's surrounded by amiable enablers.

The end is the sad reality that some face with the battles of untreated addiction, although Breitwieser himself doesn't engage in drug-use and only minor alcohol consumption.

He repeatedly returns to plundering art, even in times of hope and perseverance. It's painful to see his own morals collapse through the progress of time as he shifts from admiring art into illicit business.

Breitwieser's pride is his demise. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Clearly.

As Breitwieser's mother, Stengal, discards of the attic loot in a fit of rage, we see how civilians interpret specific pieces after they've been discovered on the roadside. In the two main cases we see how these high-priced works are merely seen as cheap recyclable pieces of junk.

At one point

Stengal lights a heap of delicate artworks ablaze, charring and disintegrating them into ash instanteously.

Finkel brings light to the question of what aesthetic really means. Who decides what is valuable or not? Is this an independent or collective decision?

The relationship between Breitwieser and his partner Anne-Catherine is a significant factor in my rating because their romance feels anecdotal at best. Was she or was she not an accomplice? Considerable evidence says 'yes,' but we only determine this on the basis of Breitwieser's accounts. There's too much leeway to understand whether she was tormented or not. The timing and personal interests behind her testimony muddy my interpretation along with my opinion on whether or not she should've been indicted for the same crimes as Breitwieser. 

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.5

For being over a century-old play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde presents itself as a timeless comedy that has elements of dramatic irony and satire. The title presents a play on words as it highlights the significance of having the quality of being earnest when dealing with others (i.e. familial and romantic relationships) and the importance of being named Earnest.

As someone who loves comedy, this play was entertaining (probably more so if I saw a performance of it). Not an "LOL," but more of a soft "haha" type. The romance was a bit rushed (what can you expect from a 67-page read), but the major plot-twist was truly unexpected as

all of Jack's lies pertaining to him having a brother and being named Earnest became truths.

In addition, I realize this was more accepted during the time, but it's hard to nonchalantly accept that

Jack and Gwendolyn are now first cousins set to marry one another.

My main criticism would be the way the women (Gwendolyn and Cecily) were portrayed in the story. I won't comment on the lack of independence they have in terms of their own life decisions (oh wait, I just did) only because it's such a common occurrence from the past (and even the present). I didn't enjoy how the pair's first encounter was portrayed, seeing it as a mockery to female friendships as if they have the ability to ignorantly  love and hate one another within seconds of meeting.

But maybe i'm being too earnest, I mean it is considered A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.