mira_fitz's reviews
33 reviews

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

dark emotional 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

Gothic and romantic, and a very pointed discussion about mental illness and the quiet suffering of (married) women, I'm left feeling a little cheated having read Ethan Frome in lieu of this short story. Although the book is centered around the suffocation of a woman who suffers from postpartum depression (and then eventually, some form of psychosis), it feels oddly free to be able to read a woman's forbidden journal entries as she slowly devolves into a feral, dissociative being. The narrator's desperation, exhaustion, and obsession with the yellow wallpaper are captivating and palpable, while her frantic voice ebbs and flows as time goes on between her entries. There are very few pieces of fiction that give such a clear and honest depiction of depression and forced isolation, which was a common treatment for mental illness at the time of writing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who want a well-done internal monologue from an unreliable narrator who we as readers spectate on her slow descent into madness. 5/5 Stars.

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The Sound of Murder by Rex Stout

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funny mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

This book is a very messy peek into the life of upper-class New Yorkers and their melodrama.It's literally a fast-paced narrative, within the timeline of the story, but because of how dense and dated the writing style is it feels very slow. There is a lot of filler and a lot of fluff to fill out the book that has no real bearing other than to contribute to the general ambiance, which I don't mind so much but I do understand why the majority of people would. The ending is satisfying enough and not completely predictable, but I'm sure it was very clever for its time. The final few chapters of the book are the best part, mostly it's because you've given the clear intentions of everyone rather than having to guess based on vague physical descriptions and implications in their old-timey statements. A dense read from another era that loops around to being charming and new in the end, ironically. 2.5/5

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These Deathless Bones by Cassandra Khaw

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Well-paced and well sections off between monologed flash-backs and current events in the story unfolding. It's very short and a quick read, but I thought that the ending was a bit lack luster and feels like a short stop in the tale. I'm usually not very into medieval fantasy either bit this was more pleasant than most that try to be dark and world build without explicitly listing things. 3.25/5

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