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katreads2022's reviews
50 reviews
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
challenging
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A thoughtful, reflective story which delves, quite unexpectedly, into the necessary moral quandaries of the 21st century.
First I would like to point out that this book turned out completely differently than what I thought I had gathered from the blurb or promotional material. I found it initially strange that such a book about independent school musings would be classified as science fiction by my library. As the scene of the novel became more peeled back and raw, that categorization began to make more sense. Which brings me to a note for prospective readers: yes, the first 100 pages or so might be a little dull and mundane, but they are definitely worth trudging through. I would even wager a reread would be beneficial to uncovering the finer details crept underneath the pages of the long exposition.
The latter half of the book unwinds with a remarkably slow pace yet continues to engage with revealing scenes and interactions with characters. Although I’m unsure of my exact assessment of the ending being wrapped up so quickly and cleanly as it did, I appreciate how all questions about this dystopian society were adequately addressed.
This is an excellent, genre-bending book. Its engrossing engrossing atmosphere and subtle prose make it all the better.
First I would like to point out that this book turned out completely differently than what I thought I had gathered from the blurb or promotional material. I found it initially strange that such a book about independent school musings would be classified as science fiction by my library. As the scene of the novel became more peeled back and raw, that categorization began to make more sense. Which brings me to a note for prospective readers: yes, the first 100 pages or so might be a little dull and mundane, but they are definitely worth trudging through. I would even wager a reread would be beneficial to uncovering the finer details crept underneath the pages of the long exposition.
The latter half of the book unwinds with a remarkably slow pace yet continues to engage with revealing scenes and interactions with characters.
This is an excellent, genre-bending book. Its engrossing engrossing atmosphere and subtle prose make it all the better.
Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds by Huma Abedin
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
It’s a very long memoir. I believe Abedin really wrote and structured it well. It’s not my place to judge her decisions and narrative but I will say I do feel bad for her: she did not deserve the drama she lived through. Her life definitely resembles a Greek tragedy, one in which a number of coincidences coil into disaster—she was not responsible for much of the hardship she received yet had to grapple with their catastrophic aftermath. I would recommend this book to individuals interested in reading about the inner-workings of Washington and the 2016 election.
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Abortion
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
I am unpleasantly not surprised to see this pretentious book top the list of best books of 2021. I was intrigued by the unique setting of the book in the Hague and was promised some sort of diplomatic and/or linguistic quandary. Instead this book primarily focuses on an overdone romance plot with a exceptionally boring love interest. The tragedy of all this is that this book had the makings of an excellent novel that could explore the inner-workings of a global justice system or the complex role of being an interpreter. Such potential washed away in favour of a bland love dynamic—although I would be hesitant to assign the relationship as being emotional of any kind.
Even if one is not particularly looking for the intrigue I was expecting from this book, it is not rewarding in the slightest. The characters are not fleshed out whatsoever. Whenever the narrator starts to talk about something interesting she immediately switches to talking about Adriaan, quite possibly the most uninteresting character I have read. There’s no plot to this story; no payoff. Minor choices like omitting quotation marks hinder the flow of writing—but I will withhold from it factoring until my rating because of the controversy of that literary choice. I truly have few words to describe this book because of the mere fact it was stuffed with fluff and minimal substance. The remaining stars are left to mark the above-average prose.
Even if one is not particularly looking for the intrigue I was expecting from this book, it is not rewarding in the slightest. The characters are not fleshed out whatsoever. Whenever the narrator starts to talk about something interesting she immediately switches to talking about Adriaan, quite possibly the most uninteresting character I have read. There’s no plot to this story; no payoff. Minor choices like omitting quotation marks hinder the flow of writing—but I will withhold from it factoring until my rating because of the controversy of that literary choice. I truly have few words to describe this book because of the mere fact it was stuffed with fluff and minimal substance. The remaining stars are left to mark the above-average prose.
Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
This book is, like, so weirdly funny. Literally couldn’t put it down. But you know, sometimes the references are a bit cringe and unrelated to the topic of the book. So like—yeah, pretty good all-in-all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment
Your Heart Is the Size of Your Fist: A Doctor Reflects on Ten Years at a Refugee Clinic by Martina Scholtens
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Astonishing must-read. This book is profoundly heartbreaking but very much necessary. The writing is beyond words; I have never read a book of medical non-fiction with prose so beautiful. I greatly admire Dr. Schlotens’ reflections and resolve described in this memoir.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Violence, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
The Cine Star Salon by Leah Ranada
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
Charming and warm, “The Cine Star Salon” is perfect for those who love reading character and setting-driven novels.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A compassionate three stars. The writing is okay, speckled with an excessive amount of “growls” and “purrs” and other strangely anthropomorphic characterizations. The world building is not stellar; we are introduced to a world of humans and faeries, the humans living north and faeries south, who are sworn not to interact with each other as a result of a centuries-old treaty. Not much else is given to populate the world. Despite this book’s name, there is not royal intrigue or exploration of the different courts. It focuses on the fairly bland main character Feyre, who finds herself beholden to her faerie overlords. Stockholm Syndrome or not, she falls in love with the beast- sorry, Tamlin- and vows to balance his well-being with that of her family back home. In an exceptionally slow paced first half their relationship is sort of (?) fleshed out. The ending half is much faster-paced, conservatively filled with the beasts and royals and such that one might expect from a fantasy novel. Without expanding further, I found the ending to be lacklustre. Overall, this book was just okay. However, I admit it might land better for more fantasy-heavy readers.
The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill
The protagonist in this is absolutely creepy and disgusting. Definitely a villain POV. The contemporary- sorry CONTEMPORARY- pop culture references will not age well. This book is firmly placed in 2019 and is already showing its age in a post-Trump era. A period piece, if you will.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship