lilyprimeaux's reviews
64 reviews

Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really liked the concept of this novel, although i found the writing a bit lackluster at times (the metaphor of electrons made me cackle). I found it extremely compelling that the author made a point to stick to historic events, it made everything feel so much more real and possible. 

Utopia by Thomas More

challenging hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

Delta of Venus by Anaïs Nin

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I’m sorry, erotica is not my thing, this book just made me cackle

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, and Violence

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

Letting Loose the Hounds by Brady Udall

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

As much as I wanted to love this book I felt like there was something missing, or perhaps some things that should’ve been taken out. For one thing, I found the extensive list of important characters a little bit nauseating, by the end of the book I could hardly remember who anyone was. I will however say that McBride is a wonderful storyteller and I admire his ability to create such beautifully crafted and well-developed characters. 

Love Is a Dog from Hell by Charles Bukowski

funny sad medium-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

This honestly just felt like a poetic manifestation of Bukowski’s later novel, Women, including 
the same old misogynistic plot points and ideas as pretty much every other book he has ever written. I can understand how a writer like bukowski might seem inspirational for the men that long for a time when beating women and drinking beer were considered respectable pass times, but I just don’t understand how any woman could genuinely enjoy his work? Sure it may be “raw” and an “authentic” depiction of one struggling to survive in a big city, but even he understands that he was no where near struggling. It almost feels like a parody to me, a let me just live as if i’m still poor and down on my luck so that i can keep writing the same shit that brought me fame in the first place. I guess you could call the poetry somewhat well written in a demotic sense, but he’s no ginsberg. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment