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margozaldivar's reviews
31 reviews
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Abandonment, Transphobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Infidelity
Moderate: Abandonment
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, War, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Sexism
Bunny by Mona Awad
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction
Normal People by Sally Rooney
I felt nothing short of love and empathy for both Marianne and Connell. The back and forth perspective was a visceral implication on how humans will never get to truly know each other. Because of the slightly confusing writing style, reading the book takes effort, but I was so invested in the plot that I didn't really mind. I found myself caring for the characters, connecting with them. I loved how raw Marianne and Connel’s relationship was– from the miscommunication to the way they understood each other. There are so many layers to digest and to say that I adore the book is an understatement. Upon reading Sally Rooney's other novels, Conversations With Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You after the gem that is Normal People, I noticed that her writing is also so distinctly herself. She writes about the human experience so well.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
Sally Rooney’s second novel, Normal People, is the notion of love under capitalism in the guise of a book. It follows Marianne and Connell– people from two entirely different worlds. Marianne comes from a wealthy family and Connell knows the currency of intelligence. Marianne is distant from their peers, while Connell is well-liked. When they both attend college, the roles are reversed, thus the start of scenes revolving around class differences, reforming politics, and inequalities. The book coats these topics using prose on love and friendship. Rooney describes Marianne and Connell as "two people who, over the course of several years, apparently could not leave one another alone."
I felt nothing short of love and empathy for both Marianne and Connell. The back and forth perspective was a visceral implication on how humans will never get to truly know each other. Because of the slightly confusing writing style, reading the book takes effort, but I was so invested in the plot that I didn't really mind. I found myself caring for the characters, connecting with them. I loved how raw Marianne and Connel’s relationship was– from the miscommunication to the way they understood each other. There are so many layers to digest and to say that I adore the book is an understatement. Upon reading Sally Rooney's other novels, Conversations With Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You after the gem that is Normal People, I noticed that her writing is also so distinctly herself. She writes about the human experience so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Body shaming
Just Kids by Patti Smith
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Suicide
Moderate: Fatphobia and Mental illness
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Cultural appropriation, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence