literarydesire's reviews
16 reviews

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

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emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

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adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

As always, Kafka is a very talented writer that manages to create stories that are both rich and up for a myriad of different interpretations. Reading this, it spoke to me both about how easily an entire system can fall apart if it only depends on a single individual, how we treat those who are ill and therefore need care, how uncertain the human condition really is and how easily it can be stripped from us and, finally, how tragedy and success is all about perspective.
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater & Other Writings by Thomas De Quincey, Grevel Lindop

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informative reflective sad medium-paced

2.5

Loved the writing style and the subject matter was very interesting and getting an insiders perspective on the use of opium in 19th century England was great, but god does it drag on and on. Never have I read a book that had me thinking “Ffs just start doing drugs already?!” for almost 200 pages. Could have done without the racist rants towards the end as well.
Good Grief by Brianna Pastor

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

3.0

At times slightly banal, but when she hits, oh boy does she hit.
String Follow by Simon Jacobs

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Where to start?
This is one of those books where you’ll remember when and where you read it after you’re done. I have read a lot of different books of different genres and which toy with different concepts, but nothing comes close to this. It is completely unique.
At first I was completely bewildered by the narration style but as I got further through the book and I started to understand the deeper layers of the narration and the characters, the harder it started hitting me and the culmination of the narrative managed to seem simultaneously surprising and inevitable. A book I would recommend from a very exciting contemporary author.