ida03a's reviews
182 reviews

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

3.0

I found the premise of this book quite interesting, and felt like it had a lot of potential, but I after thinking about it, it was quite dissapointing.

It seems to me that the whole point of the book was that Vesta, the main character, has imagined the whole scenario with Magda, and that it was actually her who wrote the note that starts the whole mystery. Idk, to me it kind of feels like a "then she woke up and it was all a dream" solution? I also never really understood why Charlie, her dog, went feral and tried to attack her? And then she just killed her own dog which she loved so dearly??? I mean was the dog even real?

Throughout the whole book you are waiting for something to actually happen, but everything that is happening are just speculations and Vesta losing her mind? I do usually love a book where you are confused and disturbed, but this one just missed the mark ig? I feel like she could have written the exact same book but gone a bit farther? It lacked drama and progression i think. And when vesta is speculating we shouldnt be aware that she is wrong/making up a story, the author should make the reader doubt what is real and what isnt, but I felt like I was reading about an old lady that was speaking nonsense.

Still, I find Moshfegh's writing style brilliant. The themes of loneliness, betreyal and greif really spoke to me, I also loved how much she included human relationship with dog, as I feel that is something that is rarely written about. (Then again I feel like that makes the ending even worse.) I honestly do not know how to reveiw this, as I read it quite quickly and didnt really find it boring, but it also didnt really make sense and the ending was just not it. :( 

Then again after reading "My year of rest and relaxation" last year I was a bit unsure of my opinion, but then again I kept thinking about it. This might be because I could relate to the mc, and i do not know if i can relate to this old and very odd woman.

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad

4.0

I was a bit reluctant to read this book despite my love for Mona Awad's writing because of the title. I thought it would be a series of 13 short stories, but turns out it's just a regular novel. However I don't think it's a very good title. I did enjoy the book though, and I'm seeing a lot of bad reveiws about it, which sort of surpirses me but also doesn't. The main character has been fat/felt fat all her life, and in her adult years she forces herself into strict diet and workout routines to stay thin. She thinks so awfully both about herself and other overweight people in a way that makes her sound like an awful person. I think many people find the book unpleasant because of this, because they find the main character unbearable, but i feel like it is more nuanced than that. I actually find Lizzie/Beth/Elisabeth quite human.

This book wasn't a directly fun read, but I usually don't like books that are "fun" and find books that make you uncomfortable, sad and confused a lot better. I don't reveiw books based on how happy they make me, but on how much I want to turn to the next page and keep reading. I would never say this book was boring. I also must say that the writing style is like Mona Awad's usually is, but a bit toned down with the feverdream vibes in this one. In addition, I actually really liked the end, it was the kind of book ending that actually gives you closure.

All in all, I would probably not go around recommending this book to any and everyone, but I still think it is a good book and very underserving of all the bad reveiws.

Wool by Hugh Howey

3.0

Started listening to this audiobook after watching the series "Silo" that is an adaptation of this book. I saw some plotholes in the series, or things that were simply not explained, and wanted to see if the book gave any insight to this. Though it does explain the things I had issues with regarding the series, it might be a bit dragged out for my taste, it feels a bit repetetive, even though new things happen all the time. I just feel like it lacks some excitement? I think it could have been an easier read if it was split in two, following the lenght of the series,

where season 1 stops after Jules goes out to clean.

I think this would have given a bigger plot twist and shock, as it was a bit brushed over in the book? A lot of the characters felt a bit surface level too. On the other side, I do think this plot has gigantic potential, the whole silo community and mystery is very cool, I just wish it was executed a bit better with more shock factor and less unneccasary information? The book just felt way to long which made every plot twist very mundane. Feel like this was a very negative reveiw, because I did like this book, I was just a bit dissapointed as I saw so much potential in it and really enjoyed the first half. Not sure if I will read the next book or not.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

5.0

This kind of book is not something I usually read, but it completely capsured me and I was hooked from start to end. I found the main character very well developed, and you see her "changing" throughout the book. You also feel her confusion, fear and rage and it brings out very many emotions in you. The plot and world building is also very well thought out and  it all just feels very real, despite the very unrealistic scene. It also makes you think about some moral questions, like consent and what really makes a person human? I was quite disturbed by some of the "sexual" scenes, though they are not graphic in the usual way, it makes you very uncomfortable, without spoiling to much. But i belive that to disturb your reader makes you a good writer, so 5 stars to Dawn. Will probably read the next book in this trilogy very soon, and would recommend to anyone that enjoys sci-fi!

The Houseguest: And Other Stories by Amparo Dávila

4.0

A very strong collection of short stories with great themes. I found all of the stories disturbing but very fun to read, with great plot twists that truly come as a surprise. My only negative is that some of the stories felt a bit short and could have been explored more, while still being a short story.

All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami

3.5

 Not sure what I think about this one. Though there was some interesting points I found some parts very boring and repetitive. I wasnt a fan of the reliance on dialouge, but some parts did compell me. I feel like this book had a lot of potential for me and I can see why people like it. But it just didnt quite do it for me.

Chlorine by Jade Song

4.0

This is a book about the pressure of sports, body image, young love and mermaids. All these themes were very interesting and it was overall a very good. I thought the interactions between Ren and Kathy was especially sweet. I liked the insight in competetive sports, as I have never been serious with sports myself, but it seemed like a very realistic depictions with intrusive coaches, struggeling body image and having your mood rely on your own performance. Overalll, it was a very good book, though the fantasy aspect of it confused me a bit. From the start of the book Ren is convinced she is a mermaid, though through the middle part it is not as much in focus and the story is mostly realistic teenage life. Towards the end it switches again and we get some pretty intense and gory scenes, which made me a little bit too uncomfortable. It seems a bit unclear to me if the author wished to depict a story where a teenage girl gets lost in her delutions, having a psycotic episode where she thinks she is a real mermaid, or if they wanted to write a fantasy novel where mermaids are real, if so, the fantasy elements felt a bit uneven. I also felt that both Ren and Kathy were a bit detached from their own story at times, I would have liked to have seen more emotion when these, quite dramatic things kept happening. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

4.5

I found the plot of this book very interesting, and was very excited to read it, even though it was not fully was I expected I was pleasantly surprised. The books takes a look at modern "cancel culture", being an author and the validation so many of us crave from social media. The plot moved along nicely and the language was nice but simple, which made it a very easy book to read. The only thing I wasn't really a fan of was the whole ghost thing in the end, it felt a bit out of place and rushed, but the conclusion in itself was good. Would recommend, but probably not to someone older, as there is a lot of references to social media that might not make sense to someone that isn't on these platforms.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

3.75

This book is very hard to rate for me, becauseon one side it kept me very entertained, curious and on edge. I though I had solved the mystery several times through the book, but I was wrong, which is something I like. But, at the same time, the main character was quite unlikable and frustrating, and the plot twist felt a little unlikely, even though I didnt hate the twist. Entertaining and fun read but maybe not the most well thought out.

Hearts and Bones: Love Songs for Late Youth by Niamh Mulvey

2.0

I went into this not knowing it was a short story collection, which made me a bit confused. Though the prose was very beautiful, I didnt really enjoy any of the stories.