lit_terary's reviews
499 reviews

Language, Thought, and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf by Benjamin Lee Whorf

3.0

Very interesting topics and concepts at its core, but not exactly what I was looking for. I personally wanted to read and learn more about cognitive linguistics, linguistic relativism and thought processes linked to language learning on a theoretical level (and possibly applied to modern languages and cultures); however, the essays focused a lot on some very specific linguistic researches carried by Whorf during his lifetime (he was very much into prehistoric languages, we’re talking Hopi and Maya here). Also, because the essays were selected and put into a collection after he died, they tend to get a little repetitive here and there. Still, pretty brilliant and forward-looking for its time, I would love to see some modern takes on his theories.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

4.0

This is obviously a very controversial book and, imo, most of its bad rep comes mainly from the movie adaptation and what stuck with pop culture. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book itself couldn’t be any further from its sad, twisted legacy. On a very surface level it may appear as a romanticized story, but that’s because it’s the abuser himself telling his version of the events; however, his perspective is so overly romanticized and heavy-handed in his blatant and desperate attempt to defend himself that it all comes across to the reader as nothing more than pathetic, disgusting and vile, leaving no room for any second guessing, ambiguity or any romanticization of the “relationship”. In that sense, this was not at all what I feared it would be (i.e., an apology of p**dophilia). Now, that being said, it is a very disturbing and unsettling book, it’s in no way, at no point, sugarcoated, so I would warn you against that (even though sexual acts are never explicit or sensationalized). Lastly, I seriously question everyone willing to refer to this book as a romance or love story. Bitch, where? lol. To me, it’s an in-depth psychological investigation of a deviated, sick mind and nothing more. There’s no love, no tragedy, just obsession and sickness, and an innocent child whose life was ruined by p**dophile. Periodt.

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger

3.0

You find me at a loss for words. I truly don’t know. Objectively, this was random blabbing and nothing more. However, I didn’t hate it? I don’t know. I’m going to give a 3 because, but take this with a grain of salt.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

3.0

Almost 900 pages after and I’m still unsure of what this book is about. There are many things I loved, namely Clarke’s impeccable and simply beautiful writing style, the whimsical and quite old-school-magical atmosphere, and the academia element. On paper, it was supposed to work fine, however, the plot (or, more in general, the story itself) was not strong nor solid enough to carry the entire book, and that was a huge book, too. The story felt a little scattered, with no clear direction and with one too many digressions. I wish the book had been more focused (and shorter).

Cain by José Saramago

3.0

I don’t really know what I’m supposed to say about a book like that. Saramago sure took an interesting approach in retelling some well-known events from the scripture. The story alternated fun and grotesque moments and more critical reflections. Was is it an essential read? Probably not, but you can tell Saramago had lots of fun with that and, as a consequence, it is a rather pleasurable read, something you’ll probably get done in a couple of hours, and a nice refresher of how ludicrous God is in the scripture. I won’t wake up at night thinking about this book, that’s for sure.

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

4.0

I went into this completely blind, not knowing what it was about, but for some reason, I was expecting a light-hearted, cute, little story. Silly me. It is a novella, but I think it’s a part of a larger cycle following a group of siblings, and in this one, we’re following two: Franny and Zooey Glass. There’s basically no plot and no story, as it unravels the delicate mental state of the siblings, but it sure can pack a punch. If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt while reading J. D. Salinger, is that no other can depict and write about troubled souls the way he can, with a disarming delicacy and tenderness.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

3.0

This book had its up and downs. I liked the idea, the concept and the characters (the most interesting one being the Devil himself - savvy, snarky and mean, I would’ve loved to see more of him). What I really didn’t like was the pacing and rhythm of the story. 90% of it is meant to cement, solidify and remind us of how miserable Addie’s life was, making a LOT of the plot extremely redundant and repetitive so easy and so early on. The story would’ve benefited from a major cut; had this been shorter it would’ve been so much more poignant and effective than this never-ending wallowing. What ultimately saved this for me was the ending. Albeit predictable, it was still rather effective without being too cheesy.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

4.0

Long story short: first time I read it I was 15/16, didn’t like it; 10 years later, loved it. Moral: I don’t know who I am anymore. To put it briefly, I get it now. Holden is the mold, the damn prototype of the rebel without a cause, with a heart of gold and much smarter that he leads on, and guess what? Still the best of his genre, unparalleled. I don’t know if it’s because I’m 10 years older than him, but I found him so endearing, the way a little brother would be. You see this kid, lost, sad and with no direction, and you just want to help and shield him, you know, tell him that everything is going to be ok. I still can’t really vibe with the writing, even though it’s supposed to be like that. Sorry.

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

3.0

On average, “Dune Messiah” is no better no worse than the previous book: on some levels it showed improvement, but in other areas it lacked severely. The story picks up about a decade after the events in “Dune”, as Paul is struggling to keep things under control and conspiracies are rising from outside and within his circles; because of this, the book mainly focuses on politics and intrigue, nothing more - which makes for a pretty stale plot. On the other hand, I liked the writing way better than in “Dune”; it’s still pretty old-school, heavily relying on dialogues as main form of exposition, but at least we get deeper insights on characters and their thoughts. Overall, stil solid.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

4.0

Maybe more of a 3.5

Such a fun book! It went above and beyond my expectations - not that I was expecting anything at all, but still! Such an exhilarating read, through and through, and so engaging, too. Very fast-paced, almost unputdownable. However, as fun as it was, it has its flaws: for one, I wish the necromancy had been explained a bit more; some bits were straight out confusing, and everything concerning magic or skills were mixed-up in a single lump. Also, I love me a good ‘ol magic competition but I needed a little more details on that front too. All in all, super fun but also kinda messy.