karolyne's reviews
80 reviews

Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.5

mary oliver’s writing is whimsical at the most natural sense. 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

4.25

The Waves by Virginia Woolf

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

5.0

i was going to write down a quote from neville and then add  “neville… you get me you really do” but then i couldn’t choose between 5 different quotes so i guess that’s all 

Slaughterhouse by Yves Olade

4.25

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

emotional sad

3.75

my feelings about this novel are very similar to the bell jar in the sense that they could have gone deeper into the character's spectrum, but then i ask myself, can you go deeper when the point is the exact numbness and morbidity the character feels? everyone already knows how didion's writing is compelling, but one thing that really stood out to me was how creative she was when telling pivotal parts of the narrative. 

Bloodsport by Yves Olade

dark

4.25

my first time reading yves olade; there is something so fresh and exquisite about his poetry. i’m sure i will be reading more of his work, as well as returning to this collection very very often 

p.s. as a lesbian who used to go to church this goes so harddddd omg he gets me he really gets me 

Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age by Farah Nayeri

reflective slow-paced

4.0

with old works of art we see the theme of “power” constantly being talked about (i can think of the statues of hatshepsut, the ‘ahu ‘ula, the head of the roman patrician, and so many more…), but the same doesn’t happen with contemporary pieces, and i liked to see it being discussed in this book. 

as someone not familiar with museums and their intricate systems, it was very interesting to explore more of how decisions are made, 

the author’s writing is very good and i like how she tries to explain all of the perspectives and includes interviews with the artists. the text flows, is interesting, and cohesive as a whole. a great read for people who are not too familiar with art history 

Passing by Nella Larsen

emotional reflective sad

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

4.25

Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

4.5

 who can a monster blame for being red?

a good prose is the one that every single word is carefully chosen, leading the reader to wonder how so few words can convey so much meaning. that’s exactly what anne carson does in the autobiography of red. the juxtaposition of whimsical elements and the contemporary setting of the story make it to be so intriguing and fascinating . and geryon is one of those characters you want to protect with all of the strength you have — seeing him grow and learning about himself and accepting who he is was so rewarding… 

that’s the second work by anne carson i’ve read, and i’ve come to the conclusion that she is indeed one of the most creative and talented writers we have today.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

dark mysterious tense

it was interesting to see it from a perspective that is not carmilla’s, it makes her character more intriguing, but it also makes her whole character to be flat and unreachable. i wish there was some sort of document she wrote explaining her story (perhaps loose pages of a diary) that they find on their investigation — or maybe more scenes of them together so we can see how their relationship seemed to be so loving and maybe even with a hint that carmilla was actually liking her. reading the story did not bring me as much empathy for the narrator as i thought it would, 2 or 3 pages of a her explaining how her health deteriorates or an descriptions of the mix of feelings she feels after carmilla leaves would be enough. it’s a book with potential and an interesting story, but it seems off and dragged for most of it.