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helenecats's reviews
218 reviews
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
What was the point of the book? What is the underlying message? The consequences of childhood trauma? The author doesn't tell us.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I know A Little Life is everyone's favourite on here, so I will start this review with a caveat - if you loved it, you might not want to read my review, as you won't enjoy it, and I don't want to spoil something which you hold dear. The following are my very subjective thoughts about this massive book.
I didn't like it and won't be giving it a rating. Amongst what bothered me the most:
- The author shoved in all the triggering content you can possibly think of. I'll post the full list at the bottom. Most of it happens to one character, which makes it first really sad (I cried several times), but then becomes progressively frustrating, grotesque, infuriating.
- Most of the characters are male and are either extremely evil (I'm talking rapists, pedophiles, abusers, narcissists) or extremely kind, patient, beautiful and smart. Female characters have names but we find out almost nothing about them. Weird choice for a female author.
- The plot is so thin and so cyclical and devoid of any links to historical, social, political events.
- Characters all are (or become) rich, and whilst some are described as Black or "undefined" - it has almost no bearing on their life in the grand scheme of things.
- Friendships are unhealthy, illogical, and often lead to enabling extreme behaviours.
- Gay/bi characters are all tortured and all the abusers are male and abuse boys/men. Even the central love story is abusive. Not the queer stories I am personally looking for.
What was the point of the book? What is the underlying message? The consequences of childhood trauma? The author doesn't tell us.
All in all, I found some passages triggering and had violent nightmares about it.
I will not be recommending this book to anyone and will be donating my copy.
I am really grateful to @whatsallyreadnext for organising a massive readalong of this on Instagram, because the questions she asked in the group chat really helped me process my emotions, and I enjoyed picking apart the book alongside other readers.
TL;DR: This book was filled with trauma and I was not here for it.
Full list of content/trigger warnings: Ableism, Lesbomisia, Transmisia, Misgendering, Paedophilia & child sexual abuse, Rape & rape of a child, Child physical & emotional abuse, Child neglect & abandonment, Intimate partner violence & abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal ideation, Graphic attempted suicide, Self-harm, Drug abuse, Graphic death of a child
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Rape, Child death, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder
Maame by Jessica George
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What was the last character you got attached to or wish you could meet in real life? For me, it was Maame, the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, living in London. Jessica George portrayed her with her flaws - naivete; trying to people please; overreliance on Google for the big questions - and qualities: caring, kind, smart, funny, patient.
I think this book managed to do what The Other Black Girl didn't. It is an honest account of a young Black woman navigating white spaces in London, especially the publishing industry.
Reading about her dating life was also heartbreaking and funny at once. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, even though it could have been explored a bit more… But after all, this is Maame's story, which I suspect is autobiographical in some aspects.
This book made me smile, laugh, cry in public, and think. It tackled various themes such as family, friendship, love, discrimination, grief, mental health, and finding your path at work. I think this will firmly be in my top 5 books of 2023. I can't believe this is a debut novel!
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. At time of writing I can see that the average rating of this book on NetGalley is 5 stars. This is rare.
TL; DR: Go read it! Then come back to discuss it with me 😊
I think this book managed to do what The Other Black Girl didn't. It is an honest account of a young Black woman navigating white spaces in London, especially the publishing industry.
Reading about her dating life was also heartbreaking and funny at once. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, even though it could have been explored a bit more… But after all, this is Maame's story, which I suspect is autobiographical in some aspects.
This book made me smile, laugh, cry in public, and think. It tackled various themes such as family, friendship, love, discrimination, grief, mental health, and finding your path at work. I think this will firmly be in my top 5 books of 2023. I can't believe this is a debut novel!
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. At time of writing I can see that the average rating of this book on NetGalley is 5 stars. This is rare.
TL; DR: Go read it! Then come back to discuss it with me 😊
Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I started this in September and stopped about halfway, then only picked it up again in January. I've been putting off this review because I was so disappointed by this collection! I loved Writers and Lovers, so I think my expectations were too high. Yes, I loved the writing style. Did I love any of the characters? No. Did I find the various plots engaging and suspenseful? Also no. Do I remember a specific story which I would recommend? Not really. I struggled to finish and skipped through entire pages of the last 2 stories. I've heard Euphoria is excellent, so I'll try that instead.
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Too slow-paced for me and the female characters were caricatural.
What Women Want: Conversations on Desire, Power, Love and Growth by Maxine Mei-Fung Chung
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
What do you know about psychologists and psychiatrists? I learnt so much by reading What Women Want by Maxine Mei-Fing Chung. This book is a collection of essays about 7 women and their therapy with Maxine - all of them very different. The author has changed various details to preserve the privacy of her clients.
I was absolutely hypnotised by this book, at times angry, other times sad, overall convinced of the need to have open and honest conversations with women around us, of all ages and orientations.
I genuinely don't understand some of the reviews saying that they are none the wiser about what Women Want and that the writing style was confusing. I think this book will be in my 2023 non-fiction favourites. I found it deeply moving, and useful. Whilst I have very limited experienced of therapy myself, I know many people in my family and beyond who benefitted greatly from it.
I also think it is important to have the perspective of a female therapist who is from a mixed background (half white working-class, half-Chinese, born and raised in the UK) as often I picture therapists as older white men.
The stories are all impactful and I will recommend specific ones to my mum and other loved ones.
Thank you so much to @NetGalley @author_maxinemeifungchung @hutchheinemann @penguinrandomhouse for providing me with an ARC for my Kindle in exchange for an honest review.
I was absolutely hypnotised by this book, at times angry, other times sad, overall convinced of the need to have open and honest conversations with women around us, of all ages and orientations.
I genuinely don't understand some of the reviews saying that they are none the wiser about what Women Want and that the writing style was confusing. I think this book will be in my 2023 non-fiction favourites. I found it deeply moving, and useful. Whilst I have very limited experienced of therapy myself, I know many people in my family and beyond who benefitted greatly from it.
I also think it is important to have the perspective of a female therapist who is from a mixed background (half white working-class, half-Chinese, born and raised in the UK) as often I picture therapists as older white men.
The stories are all impactful and I will recommend specific ones to my mum and other loved ones.
Thank you so much to @NetGalley @author_maxinemeifungchung @hutchheinemann @penguinrandomhouse for providing me with an ARC for my Kindle in exchange for an honest review.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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 was a joy to buddy read this in January with about 50 Bookstagrammers! I was so glad I got this book in a Kindle sale. It had been on my wishlist for months, because a) THIS COVER 🤩 and b) the glowing reviews!!
I definitely recommend this to people who were born in the mid to late 80s, like me. You don't need to be a gamer to understand this book, but it will certainly help you love it if you have played video games before.
Did I love all the characters? Definitely not. I actually hated Dov and disliked almost all of the other ones at one point or another. Except Marx. He was great.
I don't want to reveal too much about the plot. All I will say is that I am glad that I read this book, and I've been trying to convince my fiancé to read it ever since. It's also made me nostalgic of a time where I spent hours on the PlayStation: Final Fantasy VII, VII, IX, Rayman, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Gran Turismo, Heart of Darkness, and many more games, helped me connect with my otherwise extremely annoying brother. Now that we are both in our 30s, we love each other very much, but at the time, gaming was one of the things that made us tolerate each other, and it was so fun watching each other play. At the time I didn't know any other girls who enjoying playing video games, and I then moved to PC games such as Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sim City 2000, and then got really addicted to the Sims.
Back to reading - this book made me travel back in time, but also make me cry. Just rereading some of the quotes to select my favourites made me choke up a bit. Do check trigger warnings beforehand. I hope they make a series or movie out of it!
I definitely recommend this to people who were born in the mid to late 80s, like me. You don't need to be a gamer to understand this book, but it will certainly help you love it if you have played video games before.
Did I love all the characters? Definitely not. I actually hated Dov and disliked almost all of the other ones at one point or another. Except Marx. He was great.
I don't want to reveal too much about the plot. All I will say is that I am glad that I read this book, and I've been trying to convince my fiancé to read it ever since. It's also made me nostalgic of a time where I spent hours on the PlayStation: Final Fantasy VII, VII, IX, Rayman, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Gran Turismo, Heart of Darkness, and many more games, helped me connect with my otherwise extremely annoying brother. Now that we are both in our 30s, we love each other very much, but at the time, gaming was one of the things that made us tolerate each other, and it was so fun watching each other play. At the time I didn't know any other girls who enjoying playing video games, and I then moved to PC games such as Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sim City 2000, and then got really addicted to the Sims.
Back to reading - this book made me travel back in time, but also make me cry. Just rereading some of the quotes to select my favourites made me choke up a bit. Do check trigger warnings beforehand. I hope they make a series or movie out of it!
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
What's your take on Taylor Jenkins Reid? She seems to be a beloved author on here. Yet I had never heard of her until I joined Bookstagram. I buddy read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in November, and buddy read Malibu Rising this month.
I'll start with the positive:
- Part I was engrossing and I grew more and more attached to the characters, especially Nina, and her mum June.
- The flashbacks to the Riva's childhood, and their mum's love story with Mick, were excellent.
- It was fun to see some references to characters from Evelyn Hugo
- All the surfing descriptions didn’t put me off, even though I've never surfed (ironic, since I lived in Australia for a year!)
- TJR tackled similar themes in both books such as alcoholism, fame, parenting, misogyny, poverty, family (blood and chosen), as well as queerness, and overall, it is well tackled.
Now for what bothered me (very mild spoilers):
- So.many.characters. in Part II! WHY? I really didn't care about all the various party-goers, the ensuing mayhem, all the drug-taking and making out and smashing everything. I didn't think it worked.
- So.many.descriptions of clothes and faces and bodies. I am reading a book, not watching a fashion show… This was the case with Evelyn Hugo as well.
- Nothing much happened plot-wise. There was no big twist. It was all wrapped up nicely. No epilogue or "10 years later" kind of chapter.
- I appreciate what TJR is doing, in her books, regarding her portrayal of women trying to make it in a man's world. But she tries to include brief references to racism, without outright going into it, so it seems disingenuous. (There is nothing revolutionary in saying that the police is more polite to rich white people - duh) One of the characters definitely would have been singled out by the police due to his skin colour, in the 80s, but in there, the police ignores him!?
- Some of the side characters read like one-dimensional clichés, and I really didn't care what might happen to them.
- I saw the "twist" about Kit coming from a mile off.
What did you think of this one, if you've read it? It's really tough to rate this one - the first half would probably be 4 stars, but the second half, 2.5, 3 at a push? It did seem more realistic and less centered on one character than Evelyn Hugo, but I don't think I'll read any other TJR books. Especially not the one about Carrie Soto (who was extremely annoying in this book!)
I'll start with the positive:
- Part I was engrossing and I grew more and more attached to the characters, especially Nina, and her mum June.
- The flashbacks to the Riva's childhood, and their mum's love story with Mick, were excellent.
- It was fun to see some references to characters from Evelyn Hugo
- All the surfing descriptions didn’t put me off, even though I've never surfed (ironic, since I lived in Australia for a year!)
- TJR tackled similar themes in both books such as alcoholism, fame, parenting, misogyny, poverty, family (blood and chosen), as well as queerness, and overall, it is well tackled.
Now for what bothered me (very mild spoilers):
- So.many.characters. in Part II! WHY? I really didn't care about all the various party-goers, the ensuing mayhem, all the drug-taking and making out and smashing everything. I didn't think it worked.
- So.many.descriptions of clothes and faces and bodies. I am reading a book, not watching a fashion show… This was the case with Evelyn Hugo as well.
- Nothing much happened plot-wise. There was no big twist. It was all wrapped up nicely. No epilogue or "10 years later" kind of chapter.
- I appreciate what TJR is doing, in her books, regarding her portrayal of women trying to make it in a man's world. But she tries to include brief references to racism, without outright going into it, so it seems disingenuous. (There is nothing revolutionary in saying that the police is more polite to rich white people - duh) One of the characters definitely would have been singled out by the police due to his skin colour, in the 80s, but in there, the police ignores him!?
- Some of the side characters read like one-dimensional clichés, and I really didn't care what might happen to them.
- I saw the "twist" about Kit coming from a mile off.
What did you think of this one, if you've read it? It's really tough to rate this one - the first half would probably be 4 stars, but the second half, 2.5, 3 at a push? It did seem more realistic and less centered on one character than Evelyn Hugo, but I don't think I'll read any other TJR books. Especially not the one about Carrie Soto (who was extremely annoying in this book!)
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw was my first read of 2023, and a very satisfying one. It is written in a engaging way. The author is a criminal psychologist, and a bisexual woman.
I am bisexual myself. Since I am now engaged to a man, most people assume that I am straight, and I am sure that they would assume that I was gay if I was in a long-term relationship with a woman. That, my friends, is bi erasure, and the reason why so many people think being bisexual is just a phase, a trend, a call for attention, or simply not a thing.
I am out to most of my loved ones as well as some colleagues, but not to my students. As a matter of fact, most bisexual people are "in the closet", as there is still rejection of this sexual orientation, from both heterosexual and queer circles.
I highly recommend reading this short book, regardless of your sexual orientation. The author backs up her points with statistics, studies, and concrete examples, within short chapters. I have pages and pages of highlights - some posted here.
I would have given it 5 stars, but the last chapter about non-monogamy and threesomes was a bit too "niche" and playing into stereotypes at times.
But a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me - this one will definitely be amongst my all-time non-fiction favourites, and I will be buying it for some family members!!
I am bisexual myself. Since I am now engaged to a man, most people assume that I am straight, and I am sure that they would assume that I was gay if I was in a long-term relationship with a woman. That, my friends, is bi erasure, and the reason why so many people think being bisexual is just a phase, a trend, a call for attention, or simply not a thing.
I am out to most of my loved ones as well as some colleagues, but not to my students. As a matter of fact, most bisexual people are "in the closet", as there is still rejection of this sexual orientation, from both heterosexual and queer circles.
I highly recommend reading this short book, regardless of your sexual orientation. The author backs up her points with statistics, studies, and concrete examples, within short chapters. I have pages and pages of highlights - some posted here.
I would have given it 5 stars, but the last chapter about non-monogamy and threesomes was a bit too "niche" and playing into stereotypes at times.
But a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me - this one will definitely be amongst my all-time non-fiction favourites, and I will be buying it for some family members!!
Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed An American Marriage back in my pre-Bookstagram days. I gave it 4 stars at the time but didn't review it. Well, I finally got around to reading her other novel: Silver Sparrow. And I think I may have enjoyed it even more!
There is something deeply fascinating to me when it comes to family relationships, especially if they're presented through several points of view. If you have not read this one, but you liked The Vanishing Half, I'd recommend it.
In short, the book is split pretty much 50/50 between the two main female characters, though their childhood and teenage years. Dana and Chaurisse are half-sisters, but only one knows that…
Some reviews mentioned that they disliked all the characters. I mean, really? There was so much to like about the girls, as well as their mums. The male characters were more ambivalent, but still.
There are definitely a few questions left unanswered, but life is often like that…
Go for it!
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
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