lit_terary's reviews
499 reviews

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

5.0

Epic, just epic. One of my favourite finales ever, and one of the most satisfactory conclusions I've read. I've really got nothing else to say, this is probably my favourite book in the whole saga, far superior. Still gets me, years later, even knowing everything. Can't believe it's over again. Also, Harry finally grew a brain in this one, shocker.

City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab

2.0

This book was so average on so many levels. There was nothing new about the whole concept, and it added nothing to a very surface-level ghost story. The execution was quite mediocre, too, to be quite honest, which is a recurring thing with Victoria and her YA books. Also, the the amount of Harry Potter references was just too much. Too much.

The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

3.0

I reiterate everything that I said about "The Brilliant Friend": a story with many layers, touching upon a variety of topics (mostly class and society of southern Italy in the 60s) dealt masterfully. The characters also went through some interesting developments, especially Lila, as we see the two girls grow up and apart. Only problem is that it's so damn long. The story is too long, it goes on and on, and on, and on, and on. Some parts (especially the once at the seaside) could have benefitted from a considerable cut.

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante

3.0

The story keeps developing in interesting ways, getting richer and richer as we see Lila and Elena grow up and apart. The story is still rather verbose and lengthy, extremely detailed, borderline obsessive, but always manages to bring something new to the table. The characters are infuriatingly frustrating, extremeley unlikable but brilliantly painted, layered, and complicated.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind

2.0

So underwhelming and lacklustre. Even with an original premise and interesting subject, the book isn't gripping enough to keep you engaged all throughout; a bland execution to say the least. The writing wasn't bad, but it got piled under a richness of details that felt unnecessary and obnoxious at times. Also, the main character tragically went unexplored.

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

3.0

A fun book that is a prequel to the mcu' Loki we all know and love. An enjoyable and super fast read, unassuming and unpretentious, and not that surprising. I have to say though, the story was a bit too cookie-cutter and obvious - kind of banale. Loki as a character was especially disappointing. It was pretty clear that the intention of the author was to make him the hero of this story, but in exceedingly doing so she ended up denaturilizing and sugar-coating the character. That also meant villanizing everyone around him, making Odino and Thor two brutes, the former in particular treating him outright unfairly without a proper reason - only to makes us feel sorry and empathize with Loki. I much prefer Loki as an anti-hero, abiguous, naughty and ruthless.
That being said, it’s an intertaining read, that doesn’t try too hard; highly recommended to Loki lovers out there!

The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante

3.0

Finally done with this series, it's been an experience, an exhausting one too. There's so much to unpack, a variety of themes and issues that Ferrante is brilliantly capable of tackling all at the same time. The plot is where she loses me, once again. The story is too long, too dispersive, and after the fourth book it kind of lost its spark for me. Still brilliant, tho.

Fiori sopra l'inferno by Ilaria Tuti

3.0

Pleasantly surpised by this thriller! I liked it very much from beginning to end. The case was gripping and intriguing with an eerie atmosphere framing it; the plot was very nicely paced, too, with no lows. The main characters, Battaglia and Marini, were endearing and their dynamic hilarious. Too bad I had literally predicted everything, hence why not the 4/5.

Ninfa dormiente by Ilaria Tuti

2.0

Not as poignant and well crafted as the first novel. I didn't find the the mystery intriguing nor compelling mostly because the main focus of this book is the inner turmoils and personal stories of the two main characters. I honestly couldn't care less about Marini becoming a father. The mystery definitely felt like background noise, and a confusing one, too.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

2.0

Sorry, I don't really get it. Guess it's not my thing (I even doubt I would've liked it as a child, so it's not a matter of age). I hate nonsense and this is the most nonsensical stuff I've ever read. I can't deny that there's some genius behind it, this must be a bigger metaphor of something, and it got kinda creepy and meta - especially with that cat. But still not for me.