kajasversion's reviews
154 reviews

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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

3.75

I see what people mean now when they say Austen wrote with humour and criticised the English social scene of her time. I think it is especially evident in the Character of Mrs Bennet, and there were multiple instances where i genuinely laughed out loud. I like the way its written and the slowburn of the love story definitely paid off. 
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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Genuinely one of the best books i’ve ever read. It reminds me of A Little Life in some aspects, but a watered down version with a different point to the story. I think it’s written so accessibly and geniously that i couldn’t put it down. The characters’ stories are so interwoven and complex, and they feel so real. The things that happen to them could happen to any real person, which is why i was sucked into the world created. Even though i know almost nothing about videogames i was still enjoying it and i thought the Pioneers chapter was genious, considering i’ve never come across a book with such a POV. 
The humanity in all the characters is precisely what makes the story so sad, since it doesn’t go or end how you would want it to - because unpredictable things happen all the time and no life is perfect. 
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Bluets by Maggie Nelson

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Insightful thoughts. 
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It was okay, I wasn’t thoroughly impressed but it was interesting to read something different I wouldn’t read it again tho. 
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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I loved the writting style and the characters mind captivated me completely. The main focus of the book is how Piranesi perceives the world, and his experiences through his eyes, which is a type of book I love. I found the psychological part of his character study at the end very interesting, but the ending ultimately left me feeling a bit disappointed. Though it is true to the character, I couldn’t help but hope for something to be different. 
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The Promise by Damon Galgut

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

4.75

Truly a masterfully written story, the narrative transitioned from one character to another seamlessly and it was amazing to witness. The characters are all flawed, the burden of family and societal values destroying their relationships. 
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Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

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

4.0

A very interesting character exploration, I really liked the story and the way the characters were written. I am a bit confused about the ending, but I would read it again. 
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Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

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adventurous hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

It was a fun read, clearly YA but it didn’t feel like the book had any stakes. The characters weren’t developed enough for me to be able to say i felt the urgency or the sadness they were feeling. I liked the premise of teenage reapers, but it was ultimately irrelevant considering the story didn’t focus on it at all, only on the love story. Even the ending was a bit ridiculous, and I’m disappointed the story ended so predictably. Overall it was okay, but I wouldn’t read it again. 
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A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

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emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This is almost as bad as A Little Life. I was abused, I have not cried this hard in months. 
The book is very evidently YA, especially from the way it is written, and from the unrealistic portrayal of the relationship, but I loved it nonetheless. The pain this book caused me will require therapy. 
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Perzepolis: zgodba o vrnitvi by Marjane Satrapi

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challenging dark inspiring sad fast-paced

4.5

I have the same praise for the sequel as I did for the first novel. I would just add that I love the way the narrative voice and the topics dealt with mature with the character. 
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