lynnenad's reviews
156 reviews

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I found the slow, obsessive nature of this book unpleasantly oppressive. I wanted to slap all of the characters in an attempt to make them get on with it. The sex scenes seemed to last forever. The ending was unbelievable IMO. All of the themes had all been done a million times before. Perhaps I have just grown out of romances. 

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

emotional reflective medium-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

3.0

A novel outlook which is refreshing in a YA book but a bit too cheesy towards the end for me. 

New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson

hopeful informative inspiring 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? No

3.75

This book investigates how New York might look in the ongoing grip of climate change and sea level rise. The science in this book is fairly low key and very  accessible. The characters are diverse and interesting. The main focus of the book however is an economic revolution and there were a few areas where I didn’t really understand the economics. It is overall an hopeful book, showing that people are still people and many people have their eye on the common good. I enjoyed reading this book and found it engaging. 

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

hopeful relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

A charming book but a bit pointless?

Dancers on the Sea by Gabrielle Samson

emotional informative medium-paced

3.0

I learned a lot about East Timor. I grew to love the people on the island. The grammatical mistakes drove me a bit crazy. 

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

dark emotional medium-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

5.0

Extraordinary book. My favourite listen this year. A deserved winner of last year’s Booker. A salutary tale for all of us. 

Light by M. John Harrison

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I found this book very difficult to understand for the first 100 pages. Undefined neologisms were the main difficulty. It took a while to catch on that there were three different stories as well. I was also quite repulsed by the emphasis on mindless and sometimes violent sex. Having said all that, the book was exciting and the Universe the author built was unique and intriguing. I especially enjoyed how the three stories became inextricably interwoven in the final chapters. 

The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Bog standard murder mystery. Competent but nothing to rave about. 

Three Dollars by Elliot Perlman

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The overarching theme of this book is money. The 90s saw mass redundancies replaced by contracting and user pays became king. Many people suffered greatly, both financially and mentally from job insecurity. This book tells the story of this time through the eyes of one likeable, kind well meaning man and his family. Engaging and illuminating. 

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

Loved the book. Found the end frustrating. The authors descriptions and language use were divine. His characterisations were complex and believable. I found the whole story incredibly sad, because I was so invested in the characters and I wanted them to make better choices and have better things happen to them.