issyd23's reviews
130 reviews

Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Insane last chapter: Gray deconstructs & satirises not just the novel but class, love & objectivity in storytelling/history. Keen to see how the film compares! 3šŸ§  

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Good Material by Dolly Alderton

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Really Good, Actually is the better breakup book. Wish we got more of Jenā€™s perspective Andy was intolerable and not as funny as Maggie from Really Good 3šŸŽ­

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I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Fuck me Rachel Bloom! I want to be exactly where she is 4šŸŽ¤

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Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A gut wrenching but important read: although we know the story & where itā€˜s headed it doesnā€™t make it any easier 3šŸ‘©ā€āš–ļø

Wished this story was set in Australia like the original play - annoys me that Aussie material is always adapted for US/UK audiences. Susie Miller literally practiced law in Sydney!

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American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

Worth the effort! 4šŸ¤  

ā€œModern Prometheans have raided Mount Olympus again & have brought back for man the very thunderbolts of Zeus.ā€ Scientific Monthly

Imagine having one of the greatest minds of the 20th century & the first 4 chapters of your biography is about how much of a loser you were at school/uni, how little you had sex & how you had 0 friends & low key tried to kill yourself & your professor.

Thankfully Oppieā€™s neuroses ā€˜subsided during middle ageā€™ & he went on to have many affairs, friends & lead the Manhattan project & other groundbreaking discoveries. 

Jokes aside this biography is incredible: the best Iā€™ve read & well worth the slog if youā€™re a fan of the film! 

It was so great reading the backstories of Jean Tatlock, Kitty, Isi Rabi & other fascinating people (I now finally understand what happened with Haakon Chevalier).

My eBook was so filled with highlights it started lagging. 

Bird & Sherwinā€™s attention to detail & research is considerable. Take a bow! 

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Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Carrie Fisher is a riot! Reads like stand up comedy/1 woman show - wish I saw this performed live & wish Paul Simon would write a song about me 5šŸ„ƒ

ā€œBut the main thing Iā€™ve learned, I learned all by myself, no help needed. I learned not to get my tongue pierced. Because if youā€™re getting it pierced for the reason why I think youā€™re getting it pierced and youā€™re not good at that thing to begin with, no little piece of jewelry is going to save the day.ā€

God sheā€™s brilliant - thereā€™s way too many funny lines to include! Canā€™t wait to read her other books šŸ˜†

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Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll by Priscilla Presley

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Dying to see the Coppola biopic! The story of her relationship with Elvis is that of a dark fairytale. I am now repulsed by him. Also Elvis high key stole music from black artists 4šŸ‘§šŸ»

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Heartburn by Nora Ephron

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dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Nora Ephron is a genius! Although Iā€™m probably too gentile to fully appreciate her wit 5šŸ„—

Not only was she married to Carl Bernstein (1/2 of Woodward/Bernstein who broke THE Watergate scandal) but she figured out the identity of Deep Throat and would casually name drop ā€˜Mark Feltā€™ at dinner parties. A true legend gone way too soon!!

ā€˜I want him backā€™
ā€˜What do you want him back for? You just said he was a schmuckā€™
ā€˜I want him back so I can yell at him and tell him his a schmuck, anyway heā€™s my schmuck and I want him to stop seeing her and I want him to say that he never really loved her and he must have been crazy and I want him to die and her to die toā€™
ā€˜I thought you said you want him backā€™
ā€˜I do but I want him back deadā€™

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Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar

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dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense 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

4.0

You know you love me xoxo 4šŸ’‹ such a nostalgic throwback! Makes me want to rewatch/finally finish the series.

Some noticeable difference from the show/things I found funny:
  • all the characters smoke
  • Dan is even more of a softboi!! 
  • Vanessa is white, bald, has a heavy Brooklyn accent in the audiobook & is such a pick me girl itā€™s iconic šŸ‘©šŸ»ā€šŸ¦²
  • Everyone sees chuck for the literal sex pest he is and he has 0 friends 

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No Silly Questions: The Daily Aus explains how the world works (and why you should care) by Zara Seidler, Sam Koslowski

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hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

Super general: great for those new to the country & its history + political & news landscape. Love TBA but this felt like middle school revision for me 3šŸ“°