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kumquatlemon's reviews
24 reviews
Irma Voth by Miriam Toews
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
It didn't feel like it was going anywhere important and felt like a chore to read.
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent
Home by Toni Morrison
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
3.75
Morrison writes characters into existence in a way that makes them feel alive. I feel like I've met Cee before, heard about Frank from friends, and was raised by the women of Lotus. The world they inhabited felt real, like it was a fraction of the story many of us share and come to live, but with experiences so unknowable and specific to the people that tell it.
HOME is written to examine what that word means, who you share it with, and how you come to name it. It is a beautiful book, with beautiful structure, and an even more beautiful message.
HOME is written to examine what that word means, who you share it with, and how you come to name it. It is a beautiful book, with beautiful structure, and an even more beautiful message.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
Depictions of bodily harm typical of war.
Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation by Andrew Marantz
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Nothing I've read in the book was seriously surprising in that I didn't expect it, but to see it all laid out, with descriptions from the perpetrators themselves, really puts into perspective the severity of lack of censure within internet communities.
There were quite a few times where I had to take a break from reading because of the amount of cynicism this caused me to feel about the general state of the world. Though it does call into question the role of techno business capitalists in this spread of viral hate, but reflecting on the past two years since "Antisocial" was published, especially after the events of January 6th, 2021 there doesn't seem to be lasting effects in how the world treats issues of this magnitude, only treating symptoms and not causes.
This is less of a review than a general inquiry, and I'd especially appreciate a discussion on this from other community members who are interested in this topic, but does this phenomena arise the need for policy reform especially as we continue to discuss political and social affairs on social media? This book is a very America-centric viewpoint and fails to account for the different cultures things like Facebook and Twitter affects. There are policy restriction on communication that are already enacted throughout the world that promotes political censorship of minorities under authoritarian rule. How might we account from how social media affects different countries?
Might be be useful to break up these companies to small subcategories? But that might also promote the censorship of citizens in a way that prevents them from enacting meaningful, positive political change. It's a much broader topic than just the removal of Nazi's (which should happen, of course). But if we have to beg these companies to remove these voices of racism and violence, can we really trust them in leading discussions that affect us culturally and politically?
There were quite a few times where I had to take a break from reading because of the amount of cynicism this caused me to feel about the general state of the world. Though it does call into question the role of techno business capitalists in this spread of viral hate, but reflecting on the past two years since "Antisocial" was published, especially after the events of January 6th, 2021 there doesn't seem to be lasting effects in how the world treats issues of this magnitude, only treating symptoms and not causes.
This is less of a review than a general inquiry, and I'd especially appreciate a discussion on this from other community members who are interested in this topic, but does this phenomena arise the need for policy reform especially as we continue to discuss political and social affairs on social media? This book is a very America-centric viewpoint and fails to account for the different cultures things like Facebook and Twitter affects. There are policy restriction on communication that are already enacted throughout the world that promotes political censorship of minorities under authoritarian rule. How might we account from how social media affects different countries?
Might be be useful to break up these companies to small subcategories? But that might also promote the censorship of citizens in a way that prevents them from enacting meaningful, positive political change. It's a much broader topic than just the removal of Nazi's (which should happen, of course). But if we have to beg these companies to remove these voices of racism and violence, can we really trust them in leading discussions that affect us culturally and politically?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
Minor: Body shaming and Gore
Please be wary that these are deep examinations of internet cultures. Marantz provides descriptions of these cultures and their talking points to help educate the viewer though it may be triggering for some.
The gore described is in reference to the attack on antifacist protestors in Charlottesville. There is a brief description of the gore experienced.
Three Flames by Alan Lightman
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The book is written in the different perspectives of the family members, detailing the most influential parts of their lives and how they each were affected by it. Lightman does well in writing poetic prose, abstract emotion written in concrete sentiments.
However, there were times I grew frustrated with the characters' plot points, as it didn't feel like they made many conscious actions and it was mostly just documenting their reactions. Which, I suppose, is the point, but it doesn't allow for any progression of story and more of a recount of anecdotal narratives.
However, there were times I grew frustrated with the characters' plot points, as it didn't feel like they made many conscious actions and it was mostly just documenting their reactions. Which, I suppose, is the point, but it doesn't allow for any progression of story and more of a recount of anecdotal narratives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism