hileahrious's reviews
239 reviews

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

adventurous dark informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

An incredible work both journalistically and literarily. It is structured so well that it reads like a novel, and the amount of work and research that goes into that is remarkable. Unfortunately for the “characters,” it is indeed non-fiction. I knew very little about the Troubles (let alone the Belfast Project), and this book really gives you a well-rounded history of all the complexities, rooted in the injustice of occupation, while also honoring the individual stories and tragedies with meticulous detail and empathy. A highly recommended read for history’s sake, as well as for giving perspective on the evils of occupation and the trauma that ensues from violence and hatred. 

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Not to be a basic b but this is a masterpiece. Of hilarity and literary fun, while at the same time devastating familial (but national) tragedy. Crazy how we’ve been losing our minds for centuries, justice systems still don’t work the world over, and the idea of simultaneously approaching the two abysses has and probably will never change or become less confusing. 

Diario de un Cronista Apestado by Eduardo Juárez Valero

challenging dark funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Hay que leer este libro. Hay que saber e interiorizar las consecuencias del Covid-19. Lo hemos olvidado demasiado rápido… pero a parte de eso, este libro está exquisitamente escrito, completo con un humor negro, como es habitual en Juárez. 

Nadine by Susana Aikin

emotional reflective fast-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

4.5

Me ha gustado mucho… se lee muy rápido y la historia fluye bien. Siento que he conectado con las emociones del libro y sus personajes aunque no sea un libro con un mensaje extremadamente profundo. 

Astray by Emma Donoghue

adventurous fast-paced

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

2.75

I really like the idea of this book (short stories written out of bits of historical fact the author researched, mixed with her own imagination). However, I found it boring and ended up only reading the little factual snippets about the stories she includes at the end of each.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

A story of the search for meaning. And that, I find, is what makes it feel so relatable, even though the protagonist’s life experiences are nothing like mine. The quest for purpose, especially with the dis/comfort of evangelical religion mixed in, keeps you hooked on what will happen next. But not in a suspenseful way…. simply, as a reader you also become eager to discover if there is refuge for the main character Gifty, because maybe, just maybe, that means you yourself will one day find it as well.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Death

My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story by Ramzy Baroud

informative inspiring sad fast-paced

4.0

A thorough account of the history of Palestine’s struggle, told through the lens of a family that suffered at the hands of the zionist project across generations. The atrocities depicted are precisely the ones we are seeing today. The story is the same, only now it is intensified and more genocidal than ever. Palestinians have been crying out for decades, but the imperialist powers that be decided it would be better for their pockets to silence them, violently and slowly, offering false hope and false peace, only to kill them over and over again.

Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire by Jehad Abusalim, Jennifer Bing, Mike Merryman-Lotze

informative fast-paced

5.0

An important read to get to know some powerful voices from Gaza. A very harrowing read however, as we witness a new genocide against Gazans, and because some of the contributors of this book have since been killed by Israel’s bombs. This books shows how Gazans just want to live, peacefully and justly. Toward the end of the book there is a scenario projection, including a one-state solution where Palestinians and Israelis and others live alongside each other in one, secular, democratic state, all with equal rights and no religion or ethnicity put above the other. That was a hopeful way to end the book, but the reality of the situation now is so devastating it’s hard to even fathom. 

We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is the most important book I have ever read and will probably ever read. It has influenced me more than I thought a thing could. Read it now and act accordingly. 

Greek Lessons by Han Kang

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

As expected from Kang, a weird book with a very unique protagonist in a strange moment in her life. I found it beautifully full circle, but it takes a bit of focus to catch some of the beauty and cleverness in her style. I finished the book and immediately started reading it again because I knew I would discover new connections the second time through.