kathryn_a_million's reviews
18 reviews

John by Annie Baker

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Loved the setting, use of clock, music, humor. Awesome to imagine it on the stage. The characters were hard to like, and that just makes it a lil tough to connect with. 

Joan of Arkansas by Emma Wippermann

dark funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

Awesome play, so cool how it’s broken up, really not how I thought a play could be structured. 

Bad Mormon by Heather Gay

informative lighthearted slow-paced

2.25

Woof! It’s a tough experience liking someone less and less over the course of an 8 hour audiobook. She beat the marriage/big ship metaphor into the dead sea. 

The Flick by Annie Baker

dark funny lighthearted reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

oh my god so amazing what the hell

Down the Drain by Julia Fox

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

Audiobook alert…listened to this on a road trip after reading Heather Gays memoir and boy was it a stark contrast in possible lives you can lead. There’s so much darknesss, abuse, torment, drug use, scary manipulative sexual experience. Idk how she moves through the world trusting people anymore. It’s really well written for someone who went to school like 5% of the time after she turns 9. The girl has some angels looking out for her for sureeee. 

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

adventurous funny inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

I loved reading this top to bottom. Finished the book on the front of a boat going top speed with tears flying off my face. I will miss the characters like they are my own neighbors. So long Sportcoat, so long Sausage, so long Sister Gee, so long Deems! 

“May god hold you in the palm of his hand.”

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Very graphic for the first 1/3, upsetting in a way that should unsettle the soul. Important and beautifully written, wish it were longer I wanted more. 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

challenging dark reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.25

Well didn’t really expect to love this book but walked away so impressed with Barbara for having written about a persons whole life in such fullness. Something she said in the last couple of chapters about trying to locate the first seeds of where everything starts to go wrong, or go right, felt really victorious. Sometimes she says goofy stuff a teen boy wouldn’t say, esp when she describes sex 😵‍💫but love her for trying. I’ll go visit devils bathtub next summer after the buzz dies down a bit. 

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.25

All the ones about religion really hit for me. The others I could take or leave. 

Nevada by Imogen Binnie

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

Hmmmmm ok..It was good? It ended right when I thought it was just getting started.