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krystalgaia's reviews
28 reviews
Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
3.75
I have read the first book in this series, and I must say -- Toshikazu Kawaguchi's writing has improved leagues better! This book is more novel-like than the first book which I appreciate, and made me root for the characters.
The stories in this collection are also more heartbreaking than the first one, even though it didn't make me cry. My favorite though is The Daughter, and I really like fictional stories rooted in real-life disasters.
Overall, I'm giving this book 3.75 stars.
Excited to read more from Kawaguchi!
The stories in this collection are also more heartbreaking than the first one, even though it didn't make me cry. My favorite though is The Daughter, and I really like fictional stories rooted in real-life disasters.
Overall, I'm giving this book 3.75 stars.
Excited to read more from Kawaguchi!
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Strange Weather in Tokyo is a heartwarming novel about love despite a generational gap, loss, and the cycle of love to loss.
I found the writing style to be simple yet sparkling with carefully chosen words. The characters are likeable so much that I wanted to be a part of their circle.
It's an easy read which has a slow build-up, but it's worth every second in the end. Beautifully heartbreaking.
I found the writing style to be simple yet sparkling with carefully chosen words. The characters are likeable so much that I wanted to be a part of their circle.
It's an easy read which has a slow build-up, but it's worth every second in the end. Beautifully heartbreaking.
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.0
Norwegian Wood meets magical realism. The worldbuilding is top-notch (expected nothing less), yet it lacks the character studies that I always enjoy in his novels. Not his best work in my opinion, but not that bad in itself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm at a loss for words. So beautiful and lyrical! The story spans a decade of Patroclus and Achilles' lives and brilliantly encapsulates the sacrifices love requires from you.
A masterpiece! Can't wait for Miller's retelling of Persephone!
A masterpiece! Can't wait for Miller's retelling of Persephone!
The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
First, the blurb doesn’t do this book justice! I know blurbs are usually written by the marketing team, so I’m not going to include the blurb in my review (I never did for other books anyway). Just wanted to point that out because the romance in this novel is just, I dare say, a subplot. The story focuses more on Pablo’s coming-of-age journey and, although Lee is the biggest catalyst in his life, she’s not the only one. I honestly almost did not pick up this book because of the blurb, but I’m so happy I gave this a chance anyway!
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Think Norwegian Wood funnier, way way WAY more lighthearted, and also incredibly quiet. I read this as a character study of Pablo and by extension every person he’s meant to represent. Choi hit the nail in the head in showing us what it means to be lost in your early twenties and that sometimes, even adults don’t know where they’re headed, and that “life isn’t a destination” but an accumulation of regular events that teach us how to live.
The writing style is easily digestible, and its wordiness fits Pablo’s overthinking tendencies. This is also very detailed and Choi has done a great job building the world for non-New Yorker readers.
The plot was a little slow in the beginning because I expected them to meet right away on the first chapter (again, it was marketed as a romance book), but it slowly dawned on me that this is not about Pablo and Lee. It’s about Pablo with Lee. And I loved how everything led to the climax! It’s so believable and Choi’s specificity paid off.
Overall, five stars!
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Think Norwegian Wood funnier, way way WAY more lighthearted, and also incredibly quiet. I read this as a character study of Pablo and by extension every person he’s meant to represent. Choi hit the nail in the head in showing us what it means to be lost in your early twenties and that sometimes, even adults don’t know where they’re headed, and that “life isn’t a destination” but an accumulation of regular events that teach us how to live.
The writing style is easily digestible, and its wordiness fits Pablo’s overthinking tendencies. This is also very detailed and Choi has done a great job building the world for non-New Yorker readers.
The plot was a little slow in the beginning because I expected them to meet right away on the first chapter (again, it was marketed as a romance book), but it slowly dawned on me that this is not about Pablo and Lee. It’s about Pablo with Lee. And I loved how everything led to the climax! It’s so believable and Choi’s specificity paid off.
Overall, five stars!
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This novel is a page-turner! It made me want to sacrifice sleep just to get to the end, but I ironically procrastinated reading the last three chapters because I didn’t want this book to end.
The story is structured brilliantly. I loved how the past and present events are weaved in a way that both progressed and regressed their relationship, like two lines on a graph that slowly intersect and combine into one.
Poppy and Alex (as well as the other characters that come and go in their lives) have goals and desires, and it creates this constant tension that never gets resolved until the climax. Poppy is a very refreshing and funny character whose growth is relatable, and she just speaks to me (pun intended). Alex, on the other hand, is a complicated character who at first seems reliable but is a mess himself. It’s evident that their childhood experiences echoed in the way they made their choices as adults. Truly a great blueprint for creating characters!
The writing style is snappy and simple, but the imagery is still strong. I enjoyed the bickering as much as the introspection and dramatic scenes, and I went back-and-forth between laughing and crying. Every depicted emotion is well-timed and well-placed that it creates this natural flow of ease and tension.
But it wasn’t easy to give five stars. I noticed that there is a constant reminder of the “speaks to me” reference that it sort of annoyed me, but I guess it’s because I read it continuously for three days. And I love Alex’s character, I really do, but then it begs the question, “Why do male love interests have to be this tall and handsome hunk?” I can’t really fault Emily Henry for that; it’s more of an inquiry to the genre itself.
But again, I enjoyed the book, and its strengths overshadowed its flaws that it feels like a mistake to give this anything lower than five stars.
The story is structured brilliantly. I loved how the past and present events are weaved in a way that both progressed and regressed their relationship, like two lines on a graph that slowly intersect and combine into one.
Poppy and Alex (as well as the other characters that come and go in their lives) have goals and desires, and it creates this constant tension that never gets resolved until the climax. Poppy is a very refreshing and funny character whose growth is relatable, and she just speaks to me (pun intended). Alex, on the other hand, is a complicated character who at first seems reliable but is a mess himself. It’s evident that their childhood experiences echoed in the way they made their choices as adults. Truly a great blueprint for creating characters!
The writing style is snappy and simple, but the imagery is still strong. I enjoyed the bickering as much as the introspection and dramatic scenes, and I went back-and-forth between laughing and crying. Every depicted emotion is well-timed and well-placed that it creates this natural flow of ease and tension.
But it wasn’t easy to give five stars. I noticed that there is a constant reminder of the “speaks to me” reference that it sort of annoyed me, but I guess it’s because I read it continuously for three days. And I love Alex’s character, I really do, but then it begs the question, “Why do male love interests have to be this tall and handsome hunk?” I can’t really fault Emily Henry for that; it’s more of an inquiry to the genre itself.
But again, I enjoyed the book, and its strengths overshadowed its flaws that it feels like a mistake to give this anything lower than five stars.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Very reflective, introspective, and I very much enjoyed it. I have filled this book with a lot of paper flags -- that's my own way of knowing that I enjoyed a book.
I loved the writing style: how, regardless of where Charlie was on the intellectual spectrum, it remained true to itself, always straightforward and undecorated, which provokes thought in a way that words packaged in an excess of metaphors can never do. I also loved how everything looped back to how things were in the beginning — but somehow, simultaneously, worse.
It reminds me of a passage in A Little Life, which goes, "x will always be equal to x, no matter what he does." It's just amazing that these two novels, written more than fifty years apart, were able to reflect on the human experience in almost the same way, as if proving that the only other thing constant in the world aside from change is our humanity.
I couldn't give this a full five stars, because some parts were slow and repetitive that I was tempted to put this down for another book. But after the midpoint mark, things were well-paced again and the tension was handled with great care, but it was also after the midpoint mark that I saw how poorly portrayed Alice and Fay were. It was either a goddess or a manic pixie dream girl. Rose and Norma are debatable, though; their strengths and flaws are beyond the confines of gender.
I would've given this 4.9 stars, so I'll just leave the highest rating I can give on this site.
I loved the writing style: how, regardless of where Charlie was on the intellectual spectrum, it remained true to itself, always straightforward and undecorated, which provokes thought in a way that words packaged in an excess of metaphors can never do. I also loved how everything looped back to how things were in the beginning — but somehow, simultaneously, worse.
It reminds me of a passage in A Little Life, which goes, "x will always be equal to x, no matter what he does." It's just amazing that these two novels, written more than fifty years apart, were able to reflect on the human experience in almost the same way, as if proving that the only other thing constant in the world aside from change is our humanity.
I couldn't give this a full five stars, because some parts were slow and repetitive that I was tempted to put this down for another book. But after the midpoint mark, things were well-paced again and the tension was handled with great care, but it was also after the midpoint mark that I saw how poorly portrayed Alice and Fay were. It was either a goddess or a manic pixie dream girl. Rose and Norma are debatable, though; their strengths and flaws are beyond the confines of gender.
I would've given this 4.9 stars, so I'll just leave the highest rating I can give on this site.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This book took me a long time to finish because, on top of me being busy, Vuong's words seem to be multilayered. I couldn't get past a page without annotating almost every other sentence. I think that's because he's trained in writing poetry, so he took his time in finding the right words and metaphor and imagery to put on paper, and as a reader, it's my job to strip it off until all that's left is its meaning, its core.
I enjoyed the writing style: a mix of essayistic, prosaic, and poetic. Very introspective, which is right up my alley. The way the whole story is a letter and is structured in vignettes made me feel like I was following Vuong's natural stream of consciousness, but I was never lost the way most stream-of-consciousness stories had made me feel.
The only thing that's keeping me from giving this a full five stars is the dialogue. There are parts, especially with Rose's and Lan's dialogue, that seemed more like Vuong's own voice rather than his mother's and grandmother's. This is noticeable on the first part, but as the book progressed, the dialogue became more natural to me.
I enjoyed the writing style: a mix of essayistic, prosaic, and poetic. Very introspective, which is right up my alley. The way the whole story is a letter and is structured in vignettes made me feel like I was following Vuong's natural stream of consciousness, but I was never lost the way most stream-of-consciousness stories had made me feel.
The only thing that's keeping me from giving this a full five stars is the dialogue. There are parts, especially with Rose's and Lan's dialogue, that seemed more like Vuong's own voice rather than his mother's and grandmother's. This is noticeable on the first part, but as the book progressed, the dialogue became more natural to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, Racism, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, War, Drug abuse, and Death
Minor: Self harm
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
This sounds unfair because I’ve only read two pages, but honestly it reads like badly written fanfiction. The way the opening scene was written (not just the writing style, but the characters’ interaction) was enough for me to drop the book.
And please, stop using fanfiction terms to sell a book. Tell me what it’s about. The blurb just gave me quick summaries about the main characters and their situation, but not what the story itself is about. Look at the blurbs of A Little Life, Kafka on the Shore, and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and you’ll get an idea.
And please, stop using fanfiction terms to sell a book. Tell me what it’s about. The blurb just gave me quick summaries about the main characters and their situation, but not what the story itself is about. Look at the blurbs of A Little Life, Kafka on the Shore, and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and you’ll get an idea.