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hopeloveslit's reviews
311 reviews
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
2.5
I wish I could say I loved The Bluest Eye. I appreciate the subject matter and themes Morrison conveyed. However, the story felt very disjointed. I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped to.
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
4.0
“The only means of ridding man of crime is ridding him of freedom.”
I won’t delve too far into the plot of this book because it’s best jumping in semi-blind. I did so, only knowing it was the inspiration for 1984 by George Orwell.
We takes place in the distant future. We follow D-503 through a series of records that detail life under the control of “the One State,” an authoritarian government. The welfare of One State comes before everything. Including individual freedom, which doesn’t exist here. There is no “I,” there’s only “We.”
I won’t delve too far into the plot of this book because it’s best jumping in semi-blind. I did so, only knowing it was the inspiration for 1984 by George Orwell.
We takes place in the distant future. We follow D-503 through a series of records that detail life under the control of “the One State,” an authoritarian government. The welfare of One State comes before everything. Including individual freedom, which doesn’t exist here. There is no “I,” there’s only “We.”
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
5.0
“You can only be destroyed by believing that you really are what the white world calls a nigger.”
In the Letter to My Nephew on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation (My Dungeon Shook,) Baldwin explains to his nephew how difficult it is to be black in America—also touching on the civil rights movement and race relations during that time. His advice is moving and beautiful although the topic is so heartbreaking.
“Colour is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality. But this is a distinction so extremely hard to make that the West has not been able to make it yet. And at the centre of this dreadful storm, this vast confusion, stand the black people of this nation, who must now share the fate of a nation that has never accepted them, to which they were brought in chains.”
Letter from a Region in My Mind (Down at the Cross) is one of the best essays I’ve ever read. Baldwin flexes the pen, unlike any author I’ve had the privilege of reading. Baldwin examines America’s racism by taking us through his journey with religion, specifically, the Christian church and Islam. I don’t have much to say about this essay. I find myself speechless! What I can say is, this book is a must-read. I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time.
In the Letter to My Nephew on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation (My Dungeon Shook,) Baldwin explains to his nephew how difficult it is to be black in America—also touching on the civil rights movement and race relations during that time. His advice is moving and beautiful although the topic is so heartbreaking.
“Colour is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality. But this is a distinction so extremely hard to make that the West has not been able to make it yet. And at the centre of this dreadful storm, this vast confusion, stand the black people of this nation, who must now share the fate of a nation that has never accepted them, to which they were brought in chains.”
Letter from a Region in My Mind (Down at the Cross) is one of the best essays I’ve ever read. Baldwin flexes the pen, unlike any author I’ve had the privilege of reading. Baldwin examines America’s racism by taking us through his journey with religion, specifically, the Christian church and Islam. I don’t have much to say about this essay. I find myself speechless! What I can say is, this book is a must-read. I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time.
The Hidden by Kiersten Modglin
3.5
Performance: 3.5 stars
Story: 3.75 stars
The Hidden is a fun thriller! I read some reviews that touch on how silly it all was, but I enjoyed this. I found aspects of the story to be enthralling. I’ve listened to other audiobooks by this author; this one is the best story!
Thank you to libro.fm for the ALC!
Story: 3.75 stars
The Hidden is a fun thriller! I read some reviews that touch on how silly it all was, but I enjoyed this. I found aspects of the story to be enthralling. I’ve listened to other audiobooks by this author; this one is the best story!
Thank you to libro.fm for the ALC!
Everybody is A Liar by Liv Constantine
3.5
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 3 stars
Everybody is a Liar is the perfect audiobook. I loved the narration and the effects were over the top!! I would have given the story 4 stars if I didn’t guess the killers 58% into the book. Nonetheless, it was the perfect audiobook to indulge in while doing chores, etc.
Story: 3 stars
Everybody is a Liar is the perfect audiobook. I loved the narration and the effects were over the top!! I would have given the story 4 stars if I didn’t guess the killers 58% into the book. Nonetheless, it was the perfect audiobook to indulge in while doing chores, etc.
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
3.25
The Christmas Guest is a fun Christmas novella set in the English countryside. It is cozy but murderous, and the plot twist is a nice surprise and well done.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
4.0
The Stranger follows Meursault, a man who kills an Arab man in Algiers. The murder takes place shortly after the death of his mother (which was crazy to me, but it’s a window into Meursault’s mind.) I loved most of the themes Camus conveyed. However, my favorite was the meaninglessness of life. Meursault’s character moving toward this conclusion was phenomenal. His psyche was already interesting, noting this was a cherry on top. Overall, I’d recommend this novel if you enjoy philosophical stories.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
3.5
“There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”
Welcome to America. In this society, we outlaw books and use firemen to burn any lingering in homes. Fahrenheit 451 is a frightening image of a future American society that looks exactly like this. The government encourages ignorance and discourages complexity in all forms. I thought I’d like this book much more than I did, but it was enjoyable. This novel is a priority read considering the state of book bans worldwide.
Welcome to America. In this society, we outlaw books and use firemen to burn any lingering in homes. Fahrenheit 451 is a frightening image of a future American society that looks exactly like this. The government encourages ignorance and discourages complexity in all forms. I thought I’d like this book much more than I did, but it was enjoyable. This novel is a priority read considering the state of book bans worldwide.