monnica's reviews
678 reviews

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous hopeful relaxing fast-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

4.0

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

História de uma Família Decente by Rosa Ventrella

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emotional tense fast-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

3.5

Picked this up for the Elena Ferrante comparison. Definitely has the same vibe and style, but didn't have the same impact on me. Still a good read if you like Ferrante and stories about family that span across several years. 
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Having read this after Normal People I can see how Rooney has developed her style from one novel to the other. The characters are deeply flawed and it's not very clear if by the end they have changed in any way, but there's a lot of reflecting and self-doubting along the way. 
For me this lacks the beautiful prose and connection of Normal People, but it's nonetheless a very compelling read and character study. I love the dynamics between the four main characters. 

Can't wait to read Beautiful World in the next few days.