mauricekofi's reviews
73 reviews

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This tale evokes an incredible grief and sadness for days gone by and lives lost, and as Morrison states in her foreword, does not shy away from the material reality of the American Black pre-Civil Rights era. At the same time, the point of this story is not it's sociopolitical reality, but rather the life and death of the friendship between two black girls become women by the end of this book. This heartbreaking tale will allow you to ponder about the change anyone has seen and is seeing in life. This is a book to simply sit and read, a tale that requires only your attention to enjoy and feel for Sula and Nel.

Content Warnings

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer

Go to review page

challenging inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

The exploration of an imperfect utopia and what that would potentially look like in the far future relative to our current moment is perfectly encapsulated in this novel. Mycroft proves to be the unreliably reliable narrator of this novel, and while at the beginning he promises to give you time enough to hate him, you will find that he manages to be the most trustworthy person to account this tale to us.

Mind his distractions, and you will find yourself immersed in a world that seems impossible yet wholly within reach with the necessary motivations from the human race. How and why war happens, what is good and bad about organized religion, and what it means to be human are just a few of the questions posed and challenged by Palmer through this story, and may potentially have you rethinking about how our world functions in its current, conflict-ridden age.

Content Warnings

The City Born Great by N.K. Jemisin

Go to review page

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious fast-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

4.75

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A sanitized remembrance of the aristocracy romanticized by the vision of the bourgeoisie. Towles tells the tale of a clever and charismatic "Former Person" living through the early history of Soviet Russia. With his nostalgic retelling or pre-Revolution Russia that would warm the heart of the optimistic neoliberal, and a sardonic tone to describe the old Soviet Union that would draw a chuckle from the mild conservative, Towles crafts a subtle yet clear piece of pro-American, anti-Soviet propaganda.

Now, does my political criticism of the story detract from the warmth and lightness that dances across the pages. Of course not (okay, only a little bit, note the .5 reduction in the rating).

But that only serves to show how rapt one can be of this story as Osip was of American cinema, for all the flaws and critiques one can make of good art.

For while one can argue for days what political stance this novel takes, if one at all (though that should be clear to any reader by the end of the story, if not right from the beginning), the story of the Count, this gentleman from Moscow, is a heartwarming story that reminds one to be thankful for their circumstances, to love the ones near and dear to them, and to imagine themselves more clever than they really are through the antics of Rostov and his friends.

No matter ones political leanings (unless you are staunchly communist, then I'm sorry, this book really isn't going to warm your heart one bit), A Gentleman in Moscow will grant you a soft yet vibrant journey through the mundane life of Alexander Rostov in seemingly endless Metropol.

Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 1 by Naoya Matsumoto

Go to review page

adventurous funny hopeful informative mysterious fast-paced