leduyhxxng's reviews
39 reviews

Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A really exciting MLM series. The dynamic way it was drawn and panelled—was exquisite! I wanted to say that gays deserve more heartstoppers like this one, but we definitely need more diverse types of representation.
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-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

2.0

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World tells the story of Ari and Dante after the confession of their love, but if it is the way it is then I don't want to hear it. There is a huge problem with how the sequel was told. And I can safely say that a lot of the plot points and characters could have been trimmed. Many characters were introduced to the follow-up novel, some of whom were Ari's friends and teachers at school, but none was ever brought to justice. They entered the story with ample promises to contribute to Ari's growth and sense of self-acceptance in their own unique ways, but they were never allowed to do that. They (e.g. Danny, Mrs Ardovino, Julio, Elena, Hector) were very different people and would have added very nicely to the plot, but they remain as token friends who serve either to prove Ari's social life or as a one-off life lesson on how human beings lead different lives, which struck a really odd taste in my mouth. I feel like they were brought in on a whim and the author just didn't know how to deal with these characters, so he never mentioned them again, and it makes me a little mad. Besides, on the note of storytelling, this was not it. The plot built erratically, and the reason for this was never really convincing because I notice each time that it didn't add much to the characters at all. And therefore the novel felt rushed even though it was much, much longer than the prequel. Also, the use of detail, such as Cassandra and Dante being valedictorian, felt icky. It's nice, I guess, but, as a reader, who never actually saw the implication of schoolwork in the story, I just... I know how I felt when I read that. I just don't like how I felt when I read that. Why would that be important? Anyway, that's it for the rant.

P.S.: Ari's father acted out of character. I simply do not believe that an adult, who'd spent his entire life avoiding show of feelings and affection with his family, could decide to stop on a random day and talk about his feelings with such eloquence as depicted. It's wishful thinking, and it weirded me out on certain parts.

P.P.S.: They all cried too damn much. I swear I'd make a fortune if I had a dollar for every time I saw the tears-running-down-their-face phrasing. It's really out of character because they'd essentially spent their entire life not showing how they feel to other people. I get that people change, but this punk-ass level of change just isn't realistic and takes you away from the story.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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

4.0

The ending of Book 1 is kind of abrupt. I'll reserve my thoughts for when I finished the second. But overall, it is a good novel. I like that the characters are very well-depicted.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is not an easy read for all through the book was heavy prose laced with comprehensive references to philosophy, psychoanalysis, Yasujirō Ozu's The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice, and Leo Tolstoy's fictive works. For me, even with an audiobook, the reading experience, still, was quite painful because the plot only picks up halfway through, the first one hundred and fifty pages spent laboriously on the two main characters Renée and Paloma, fleshing each of them out as thinking individuals. More excitingly, in the other half, readers get to see them, both of whom initially are very reclusive, in action and in growing relation to other people. We see them learn to recognise and welcome love to the point that they themselves begin, but only begin, to give love—and the possibility of such a gesture, the promise of it, is beyond beautiful. However, Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog is very much an acquired taste, at least for my own preference; I dislike convoluted discourse, a feature from which this book did not shy away, the dreaded act of meandering even embraced into signature. It is furiously hard to love this book, but I find that in the end the effort is worth it.
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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

The writings and narrative voice in <i>Piranesi</i> put you in a particular state of mind, one that feels religious and melancholic. Yet it does not overdo anything to the effect. If I could smash a book, this is it. Everything about this piece of literature is perfect—I rest my case.
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Loveless by Alice Oseman

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hmm... I did not dislike this book. Loveless should've been a relatively quick read thanks to its straightforward writing and plot throughout. Yet said modesty quickly palled, eating away at the suspense that could potentially bind the story together in a much, much more efficient manner—one capable of keeping readers on their toes. Part 3/5 into the story, the lack of anticipation became so acute it sent me into a mild book slum. But criticisms aside, it would be remiss of me not to mention Alice Oseman's (who is aroace themself) uncompromising representation of asexuals, aromantics, and one of both, which is especially refreshing in the face of asexual and/or aromantic people being sidelined and invalidated in our society of today. Besides, considering Loveless's classification of YA as well as its simple approach to writing and storytelling, it may actually help more young people recognise asexuality and aromanticism as valid constituents to the sexuality spectrum as we know.
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Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

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hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I need to address that Sally Rooney's writing is not my cup of tea. Beautiful World, Where Are You often feels dull and at certain points, even tiresome for the impersonal narrative voice, not to mention many abrupt viewpoint shifts in a single paragraph, all of which almost made me give up the book. Compared to her previous novel Normal People, there is a strong stepping-up in terms of the attention to detail by the author. And while this level of specificity helps identify the characters in the grand scheme of the story, bringing to life their personality, it has become excruciatingly tedious due to the sterile voice throughout. On the point of storytelling, however, the new novel is clearly a step-down. Up until chapter 28/30, even though the pacing is slow, it is at least consistent
as opposed to the eighteen-month time skip in chapters 29 and 30. Set in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the two final chapters present the characters in a blithely optimistic light as to their current state of mind and life—which, considering the general vibe and atmosphere brought on in previous chapters, is not as justified as it should be. And for myself, in particular, the cheery take on the book's ending has somewhat killed its poetic element, a feature that Normal People was able to highlight with its open-ended resolution
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Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams

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adventurous dark emotional funny sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Feels like Douglas Adams was having an existential crisis with this book. It was an okay read. However, to consider it in terms of the previous books, there are more shortcomings. Characters are a lot less interesting for instance, especially the telling of Tricia's story, which feels quite half-done. Yet to be really honest, it's the ending that turned me away from the book. I think it is gratuitously dark compared to the existential absurdity and playfulness that beautifully mark the four previous books. It was nice when it lasted, but I'll pretend the series ended with So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish. I'll reread the series soon—it was one hell of a ride! 
My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

My body is a valiant effort towards loving by Emily Ratajkowski—loving her body, and by such means opening more constructive dialogues with her self.

In the twelve very personal essays, we can begin to see Emily's stories and the power dynamics that shape modelling. Yet her writing feels rather erratic, sparse in some places and rushed in others, failing at times to connect the thematic thread that Emily herself set out. This is most unfortunate because there are unquestioningly a lot of details and images—beautifully brought out in the essay collection—that feel particularly powerful in the context of her story, but were never adequately explored.

I admire Emily's effort to love through the writing of My Body. My two favourite essays are 'Pamela' and 'Releases'. They were brilliantly written (especially 'Releases,' the final essay of the book), and feel vulnerable and honest. Other essays either feel like the honesty is somehow choking her, the writing indelicate and forced thus choking us as readers, or throwing suppressed anger at other people (which makes it quite awkward to read). But the vulnerability makes you stay, and love Emily Ratajkowski even more for taking the step.

I was fairly let down by both the writing and storytelling of the book. Then again, I greatly admire the effort to find love.
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So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Simply exquisite. This fourth book is particularly savvy. Not sure if I would start the fifth one though (I heard it's quite depressing, and at the moment I'm not sure I'm ready for that).