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lenareadsstuff's Reviews (94)
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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:
No
I can't believe I didn't read this sooner but I'm just glad that I've finally gotten around to it. It's such a gripping story, and its length is for the most part absolutely justified as it (like a good murder mystery novel) takes the time to lay out all the details and facts, drawing an uneasy and sinister picture. The final hunt dragged on for a bit too long, but the rest absolutely rocks.
Devotion is so rare, and we are so grateful to those who show it unasked to those we love.
I specifically adore that at its core, this is a story about the bond between multiple people, their unflinching devotion to each other and the things they would do for each other. In a way it's a pleasant reminder that good things can come out of placing your trust in someone else and doing what's right despite being terrified.
... the world seems full of good men; even if there are monsters in it.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Thoroughly interesting! I deeply appreciate that Aleksic, being chronically online himself, uses his specific standpoint as a content creator to skillfully navigate the social media landscape, dissecting a lot of actually relevant "trending" phrases. Although I wish this had a clearer throughline and made less sweeping generalizations, I'd recommend this book to anyone who's interested in social media and modern language transformation.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can appreciate when an author takes a big swing (especially for their debut novel), but unfortunately, this was kind of a miss. I enjoyed the meta-commentary to a certain degree, after which it just became tedious and redundant. Yes, I see what the author was going for structurally and metaphorically, but I never fully connected with any character and ended up skimming the last "chapter" because I simply couldn't be bothered.
I do think, however, that every whodunnit novel should include a page asking the reader to try and solve the murder mystery themselves after every piece of evidence or clue has been gathered.
I do think, however, that every whodunnit novel should include a page asking the reader to try and solve the murder mystery themselves after every piece of evidence or clue has been gathered.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Still, he would lie down and die for her at any minute, which is the only thing he knows about himself that makes him feel like a worthwhile person.
A fascinating character/ dynamic study from start to finish. Rooney's keen observation and poignant way with words is simply brilliant. Her writing immediately captivated me, as did the themes of masculinity, insecurity, depression, class and status, and personhood, which she so delicately dissected.
I'm still thinking about what to make of the ending because it lacks the satisfying payoff I was craving. However, the end stays true to who the characters are. This isn't a story about
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
Maybe there was no perfect life for her, but somewhere, surely, there was a life worth living.
This book gave me a lot to think about and maybe even a slightly new outlook on life and what's its point. Haig reflects on a lot of interesting perspectives and philosophies, which sometimes borders on preaching but never quite crosses that line. Even though in the beginning I thought it was a depressing story, it turned out to be rather lovely and life-affirming. It also inspired me to perhaps pick up Walden and read more Henry David Thoreau.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just as tender and wonderfully loving as I thought this would be, maybe even more so. Keegan's use of subtext works perfectly here as she paints such a detailed picture with very few words. Even though I'd watched its movie adaptation before reading it, the poignant descriptions of emotions still moved me. Once again, I'm asking myself how Keegan could possibly fit this much meaning into such few pages. Truly incredible.
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
What an absolute delight! Never has a "go fuck yourself" felt so earned!
I'm so happy I picked this up, this was right up my alley: feminism, cynicism, and a heavy dosage of women behaving unethically. Madden does a perfect job guiding the main character through crisis, self-doubt and frustration, all the way toan understanding of imbalanced gender dynamics and self-actualization . Or, simply put, this is the kind of book that will make women break up with their boyfriends and I am here for it!
The only thing that feels a bit out of place is how the Ms Early plot was resolved – but I don't care too much because I also dig the ending.
I'm so happy I picked this up, this was right up my alley: feminism, cynicism, and a heavy dosage of women behaving unethically. Madden does a perfect job guiding the main character through crisis, self-doubt and frustration, all the way to
The only thing that feels a bit out of place is how the Ms Early plot was resolved – but I don't care too much because I also dig the ending.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A wonderful short story about a man reflecting on what went wrong and still missing the point . Keegan writes wonderful prose and manages to pack meaning into every single word. It's such a subtle yet well thought out story that makes for a quick and intruiging read.
(Totally unrelated but reading this while being in Dublin made things kind of exciting because I knew all the placed mentioned, like Rathgar, Stillorgan, Bray or just Wicklow in general, and have been there myself.)
(Totally unrelated but reading this while being in Dublin made things kind of exciting because I knew all the placed mentioned, like Rathgar, Stillorgan, Bray or just Wicklow in general, and have been there myself.)
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
An absolute dream team collab! This isn't my favorite story by any of these authors (not by a long shot) but still, it was very sweet. Even though the romance didn't really work for me (I lowkey think Said and Julian would've made a better couple, just putting that out there), the nonetheless heavy focus on an (estranged) friendship pulled me in. All in all, it's an entertaining read but I also can't help but feel like neither Jaigirdar's nor Àbíké-Íyímídé's skills shone through like they do in their separate works.
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Having watched the movie adaptation before reading this, it's really tough for me to separate this from its adaptation. In a way, I think both mediums complete each other. The book, although wonderfully written, lacks the sense of dread and an unbearable feeling of injustice which the movie perfectly captures. But then again, the book is less about moral pressure and more about a contemplation of morality, which it does rather nicely.
Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?