mr_cain's reviews
110 reviews

The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

The narrative device is interesting, but the characters are bland. I definitely would not have finished it if it was any longer because no part of the characters or narrative was compelling enough. 

Also, the translation is atrocious unless Luiselli wrote it in such stilted prose. I couldn't get a Spanish-language copy and I wonder if that would have made it more enjoyable. The best part was the story of how this novel came to be, it's very charming.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, and Kidnapping

Minor: Emotional abuse and Infidelity

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca

challenging dark medium-paced

2.0

gross and boring

Committed: On Meaning and Madwomen by Suzanne Scanlon
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.

Unfortunately boring and not compelling prose.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

5.0

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

oh my god

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

Prophet Of Rage: A Life Of Louis Farrakhan And His Nation by Arthur J. Magida, Julian Bond
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.

Ran out of time + effort.

You Just Need to Lose Weight: And 19 Other Myths about Fat People by Aubrey Gordon

5.0

Thoughtful and well-written. Definitely an entry-level text, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

The Farrakhan Factor by Amy Alexander

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

You can learn a lot about someone from how they're viewed. Some of the essays drag, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Homophobia

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
Did not finish book.

Boring

Fannie Barrier Williams: Crossing the Borders of Region and Race by Wanda A. Hendricks
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

Unreadable quantity of detail + digressions.