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kazuchuu's reviews
176 reviews
The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
“Floating along the surface, despaired, drowned, dead.
This is the home of the ghosts we keep.”
It’s difficult to attach a rating to this book, largely because of how personal and raw it is. I’d encourage everyone to read it, regardless of the number of stars given, because this is a story about grief. It’s ugly, it’s messy, it’s disorientating—because that’s just how grief is.
Deaver says that Liam is “a pain in the ass”, and I found myself agreeing. They tend to lash out a lot, sometimes verbally-cornering characters to get what they want, but just because it’s true doesn’t mean it’s unrealistic, and I think that’s what Deaver meant. No one is at their best when grieving; it can bring out the worst in people. In can bring out the worst in others around them too (Joel…Vanessa…what the fuck?), and that’s precisely why I think it’s an important book.
This is grief, unfiltered, and told in the words of a struggling 16-year-old who only wants things to go back to normal. It’s a lot for a kid. It’s a lot for Marcus as well, especially as the readers grow to realize the true magnitude of what he’s lost. I found myself sometimes wishing we had a few chapters in his POV, but told through Liam’s eyes, Marcus’ grief is no less impactful. It’s heart-wrenching to read about.
All in all, this is a book that will devastate you, really. Also, please be mindful of the trigger warnings if you decide to pick it up.
This is the home of the ghosts we keep.”
It’s difficult to attach a rating to this book, largely because of how personal and raw it is. I’d encourage everyone to read it, regardless of the number of stars given, because this is a story about grief. It’s ugly, it’s messy, it’s disorientating—because that’s just how grief is.
Deaver says that Liam is “a pain in the ass”, and I found myself agreeing. They tend to lash out a lot, sometimes verbally-cornering characters to get what they want, but just because it’s true doesn’t mean it’s unrealistic, and I think that’s what Deaver meant. No one is at their best when grieving; it can bring out the worst in people. In can bring out the worst in others around them too (Joel…Vanessa…what the fuck?), and that’s precisely why I think it’s an important book.
This is grief, unfiltered, and told in the words of a struggling 16-year-old who only wants things to go back to normal. It’s a lot for a kid. It’s a lot for Marcus as well, especially as the readers grow to realize the true magnitude of what he’s lost. I found myself sometimes wishing we had a few chapters in his POV, but told through Liam’s eyes, Marcus’ grief is no less impactful. It’s heart-wrenching to read about.
All in all, this is a book that will devastate you, really. Also, please be mindful of the trigger warnings if you decide to pick it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
“Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always.”
I don’t even have the words. This book is absolutely ground-breaking; powerful and devastating beyond measure. Any time I put it down, I instantly had to pick it up again. Khaled Hosseini’s writing is something else.
I don’t even have the words. This book is absolutely ground-breaking; powerful and devastating beyond measure. Any time I put it down, I instantly had to pick it up again. Khaled Hosseini’s writing is something else.
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
emotional
sad
fast-paced
4.0
“What I did not know was that I had hit upon a truth of womanhood: however blameless a life we led, the passions and the greed of men could bring us to ruin, and there was nothing we could do.”
There is something about this book that had me breezing through its pages; I simply could not put it down. I have always loved Greek myth retellings, and this one, too, drew me in (and refused to let go until I had finished it.) I loved the writing in particular. It was emotive and expressive, so much so that Ariadne’s grief, rage, and happiness were almost palpable.
This is her story, but it is also the story of her sister, Phaedra. I personally enjoyed the differing POVs, and the stark contrast they revealed between the two sisters. Cautious, sensitive Ariadne, and bold, unwavering Phaedra. Two girls, raised under the same roof, and yet so different—the trajectory of their lives, even more so. I especially enjoyed the contrast between their experiences with motherhood and how it changed them forever. It was heartbreaking, but it was a great read.
Still, the pacing of this story surprised me a bit. The more famous myth of Theseus and the Minotaur is over within, like, ten chapters (of forty!), so I grew a little worried about what the rest of the book would cover. Sure enough, after being abandoned on Naxos and meeting Dionysus, the story of Ariadne slows drastically. I think it would have been better if the author had stretched out the major events a bit more, given each of them more time to develop. Or, alternatively, she could have expanded more on other events that took place during Ariadne’s adjustment in Naxos. It would have made for a better balance in the story.
But I think my biggest wish for this novel isfor the ending to have been different. This is a story filled with suffering, with strife. Ariadne hardly knows a moment of peace before the next disaster strikes. Even with this, there are versions of her myth where she lives and is granted immortality. So why did she have to be killed in this retelling? What’s the message in that? That women are doomed, no matter what? That rightful defiance can yield nothing but tragedy? The ending seemed to undermine the overall message of the book, especially one that promotes itself as a feminist retelling. There is simply no joy in watching a character die after they’d endured so much in their life. Ariadne deserved to live, especially since, in some myths, she does. The ending felt a bit sudden, too, like the author had a limited number of words left to tie up loose ends.
Nevertheless, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this story; I kept coming back to it until it was over. You can even see how the author references the ancient oral tradition with her writing style. For lovers of Circe, this can be another great read, especially for Greek mythology enthusiasts.
There is something about this book that had me breezing through its pages; I simply could not put it down. I have always loved Greek myth retellings, and this one, too, drew me in (and refused to let go until I had finished it.) I loved the writing in particular. It was emotive and expressive, so much so that Ariadne’s grief, rage, and happiness were almost palpable.
This is her story, but it is also the story of her sister, Phaedra. I personally enjoyed the differing POVs, and the stark contrast they revealed between the two sisters. Cautious, sensitive Ariadne, and bold, unwavering Phaedra. Two girls, raised under the same roof, and yet so different—the trajectory of their lives, even more so. I especially enjoyed the contrast between their experiences with motherhood and how it changed them forever. It was heartbreaking, but it was a great read.
Still, the pacing of this story surprised me a bit. The more famous myth of Theseus and the Minotaur is over within, like, ten chapters (of forty!), so I grew a little worried about what the rest of the book would cover. Sure enough, after being abandoned on Naxos and meeting Dionysus, the story of Ariadne slows drastically. I think it would have been better if the author had stretched out the major events a bit more, given each of them more time to develop. Or, alternatively, she could have expanded more on other events that took place during Ariadne’s adjustment in Naxos. It would have made for a better balance in the story.
But I think my biggest wish for this novel is
Nevertheless, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this story; I kept coming back to it until it was over. You can even see how the author references the ancient oral tradition with her writing style. For lovers of Circe, this can be another great read, especially for Greek mythology enthusiasts.
Crush by Richard Siken
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
“Here is the repeated image of the lover destroyed.”
This was absolutely beautiful, heart-wrenching, bloody. I’ve seen lines of Siken’s poetry before, scattered here and there, but this is my first time reading his poems in full. I didn’t always understand them, but I was always compelled to keep going. The descriptions are so vivid and sharp; it’s like the poem plays right in front of you. Each word evokes a deep and raw feeling. This really was a pleasure to read. I don’t always pick up poetry collections, and when I do I find that I don’t particularly enjoy them, but I’m definitely glad I picked up this one.
And because there are many beautiful lines, here are some of my favorites:
“A man takes his sadness and throws it away / but then he’s still left with his hands.”
“You're in a car with a beautiful boy, and he won't tell you that he loves you, but he loves you.”
“We have not touched the stars, nor are we forgiven.”
This was absolutely beautiful, heart-wrenching, bloody. I’ve seen lines of Siken’s poetry before, scattered here and there, but this is my first time reading his poems in full. I didn’t always understand them, but I was always compelled to keep going. The descriptions are so vivid and sharp; it’s like the poem plays right in front of you. Each word evokes a deep and raw feeling. This really was a pleasure to read. I don’t always pick up poetry collections, and when I do I find that I don’t particularly enjoy them, but I’m definitely glad I picked up this one.
And because there are many beautiful lines, here are some of my favorites:
“A man takes his sadness and throws it away / but then he’s still left with his hands.”
“You're in a car with a beautiful boy, and he won't tell you that he loves you, but he loves you.”
“We have not touched the stars, nor are we forgiven.”
Manga Classics Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
3.5/5
I've always loved reading manga. It's a thing I get teased about in school (all in good humour, of course), but I truly love the style and the art and those hilarious reactions of some characters. (If you've ever read a manga, you know what I'm talking about-those angry white eyes and that popping vein is one of my favourites.)
I have not read Les Mis. I tried to, but the writing style was just too difficult, and I remember I'd been crammed with work by then, so I'd just left it. I could read it if I wanted to, but I always get discouraged when I look at the 1200-something pages. I have watched a bit of the musical though, as well as the movie, so I'd known about half the plot when I'd started reading this.
While I have never finished the musical, I can tell that that the author and all the people involved did their best to get the facts as accurate and correct as possible. The first half of the plot, the one I did know, was presented like how I remember it, so the accuracy of this adaptation isn't an issue at all.
In fact, I think this is a good read for those who don't want to get through a thick book, or watch the musical/the movie. It's fast, and gets the most important parts of the story, while maintaining the poignancy of it all. Some scenes were really heart-breaking for me.
Whether you would like it or not, however, depends on you. A lot of people aren't used to the manga style, so they may not find this enjoyable. Others may not want to read a dark, touching tale in such a format. However, there are some issues that I came across, which kind of spoiled the experience for me.
To start with, the art of Cosette as a child, compared to the art of Cosette as an adult, are both very similar. In fact, I think there's hardly a difference, besides the height; she still looks a lot like a twelve-year-old. This becomes even more off-putting when she starts to fall in love.
Not to mention, the story is very fast-paced. We jump from oppressed-and-abused-Cosette to happy-and-in-love-Cosette real fast. And then comes the fight for freedom, and Jean moving away and coming back-and while I loved the illustrations of the scenes and the portrayal of every character's joy/pain/disappointment, I do wish another hundred or so pages were added to give the reader some time to process what was happening. Of course, it's impossible to include every thing from a 1200-page classic into a manga-kinda like how it is when making a movie based on a book-but more development would have been welcome, as well as more background info on some secondary characters.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy this adaptation; the artwork is really beautiful, and it's really faithful to the original plot. Looking forward to reading more of these!
(Thanks to Netgalley and UDON Entertainment for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
4.0
"Though the people have abandoned us, we will not abandon the people!"
3.5/5
I've always loved reading manga. It's a thing I get teased about in school (all in good humour, of course), but I truly love the style and the art and those hilarious reactions of some characters. (If you've ever read a manga, you know what I'm talking about-those angry white eyes and that popping vein is one of my favourites.)
I have not read Les Mis. I tried to, but the writing style was just too difficult, and I remember I'd been crammed with work by then, so I'd just left it. I could read it if I wanted to, but I always get discouraged when I look at the 1200-something pages. I have watched a bit of the musical though, as well as the movie, so I'd known about half the plot when I'd started reading this.
While I have never finished the musical, I can tell that that the author and all the people involved did their best to get the facts as accurate and correct as possible. The first half of the plot, the one I did know, was presented like how I remember it, so the accuracy of this adaptation isn't an issue at all.
In fact, I think this is a good read for those who don't want to get through a thick book, or watch the musical/the movie. It's fast, and gets the most important parts of the story, while maintaining the poignancy of it all. Some scenes were really heart-breaking for me.
Whether you would like it or not, however, depends on you. A lot of people aren't used to the manga style, so they may not find this enjoyable. Others may not want to read a dark, touching tale in such a format. However, there are some issues that I came across, which kind of spoiled the experience for me.
To start with, the art of Cosette as a child, compared to the art of Cosette as an adult, are both very similar. In fact, I think there's hardly a difference, besides the height; she still looks a lot like a twelve-year-old. This becomes even more off-putting when she starts to fall in love.
Not to mention, the story is very fast-paced. We jump from oppressed-and-abused-Cosette to happy-and-in-love-Cosette real fast. And then comes the fight for freedom, and Jean moving away and coming back-and while I loved the illustrations of the scenes and the portrayal of every character's joy/pain/disappointment, I do wish another hundred or so pages were added to give the reader some time to process what was happening. Of course, it's impossible to include every thing from a 1200-page classic into a manga-kinda like how it is when making a movie based on a book-but more development would have been welcome, as well as more background info on some secondary characters.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy this adaptation; the artwork is really beautiful, and it's really faithful to the original plot. Looking forward to reading more of these!
(Thanks to Netgalley and UDON Entertainment for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward
4.0
It's been a while since I've read this, but I finished the sequel this summer and wanted to review the books!
For a novel dealing with things like magic and potions, I was afraid it'd be cheesy and boring to read, but I ended up really liking it! There are a few cliches, such as the common 'mediocre-girl-with-big-dreams-likes-rival-rich-boy', but I do like how this fantasy world isn't as confusing as others. There aren't any big and difficult terms, or names that are weird.
Concerning the writing style, I felt that Alward's was a different and pleasant one to read-perfect for a fantasy novel; not to mention, the events didn't go too fast, but didn't stretch too long at the same time. You have the opportunity to watch everything unfold before you. Sam is definitely a character worth taking the journey with, because her flaws and insecurities are expressed in a relatable way, and when she starts to overcome them, you find yourself cheering her on.
I owe my friend for recommending this book to me! 😄
For a novel dealing with things like magic and potions, I was afraid it'd be cheesy and boring to read, but I ended up really liking it! There are a few cliches, such as the common 'mediocre-girl-with-big-dreams-likes-rival-rich-boy', but I do like how this fantasy world isn't as confusing as others. There aren't any big and difficult terms, or names that are weird.
Concerning the writing style, I felt that Alward's was a different and pleasant one to read-perfect for a fantasy novel; not to mention, the events didn't go too fast, but didn't stretch too long at the same time. You have the opportunity to watch everything unfold before you. Sam is definitely a character worth taking the journey with, because her flaws and insecurities are expressed in a relatable way, and when she starts to overcome them, you find yourself cheering her on.
I owe my friend for recommending this book to me! 😄