kathleenwho's reviews
44 reviews

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Babel by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

Rizzio by Denise Mina

dark tense fast-paced

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Unruly: A History of England's Kings and Queens by David Mitchell

funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

A really essential book - relatable, infuriating and hopeful. Lots of case studies and anecdotes make it quite readable but some chapters have a lot of information on different topics in quick succession which make it a bit difficult to digest at times. Overall thoroughly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3 stars because, like any other King novel, I could not put it down. Only 3 because this is maybe my least favourite so far - the build-up was suspenseful and well-written, but very long compared to the climax, which was a bit disappointing and cringey.  

There is a lot of outdated language and ideas with regards to Native American cultures, disability, and chronic and terminal illness - mostly in-character for the time and culture of the story, but still jarring. 

Particularly strong book for King's weird horny comparisons that seem completely inappropriate, e.g.

describing hills in a graveyard while the main character is digging up his son's grave as being "as natural and beautiful as a woman's breasts."

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail

Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford

dark funny reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent