melloftheball's reviews
832 reviews

The Signal by Eric Buchman, Sarah Shachat, Gabriel Urbina

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

The story itself was good, but the best part was definitely the narration.
This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

i said once that i believe that twenty, thirty, forty years from now, when we’re talking about the greatest writers of this generation, Mateo Askaripour will be at the top of that list. i still believe that’s true. his sophomore novel, This Great Hemisphere, only confirmed it.

This Great Hemisphere isn’t anything like Black Buck, Mateo’s debut, but it is just as compelling and just as beautifully written. Mateo does something with words that i have dreamt of doing. it feels impossible to describe, how Mateo’s words seep into your veins.

this book is a gorgeous look at a future that is eerily similar to our present. This Great Hemisphere is about what it means to be different and how that interacts with power and ambition. it challenges the reader to think about how they see other people and, more importantly, how they see themselves. it is about how we treat people of different races, body types, religions, abilities, and yet it is also not about those things at all. at its core, it is about Sweetmint, a young woman finding her own power when the world around her is doing everything it can to tamp her down.

this, like Black Buck, will go on my list of must-reads.
Eve's Hollywood by Eve Babitz

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funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

Eve Babitz is such an interesting writer. I'm excited to dive into more of her work.
The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

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funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

I identified so strongly with Lucas. What an excellent short story!!