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nathanjhunt's reviews
211 reviews
The Apple Tree by Katherine Mansfield
reflective
fast-paced
2.25
This was my 67th book finished in 2025.
This was just a nothing story that didn't really go anywhere. The ending was mildly entertaining on reflection, but I dunno, it's just a bit inoffensive and meh.
This was just a nothing story that didn't really go anywhere. The ending was mildly entertaining on reflection, but I dunno, it's just a bit inoffensive and meh.
The White Dog by Fyodor Sologub
mysterious
fast-paced
2.75
This was my 66th book finished in 2025.
It was my first translated work of fiction. Unfortunately it didn't really do anything for me. It wasn't bad, but it really could have done with being longer and bit more fleshed out.
It was my first translated work of fiction. Unfortunately it didn't really do anything for me. It wasn't bad, but it really could have done with being longer and bit more fleshed out.
Pigs Is Pigs by Ellis Parker Butler
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
This was my 65th book finished in 2025.
It was quite funny, but the bureaucratic framing was a little dull.
It was quite funny, but the bureaucratic framing was a little dull.
August Heat by W.F. Harvey
mysterious
fast-paced
3.75
This was my 64th book finished in 2025.
A surprisingly good little story. I found it charming and spooky in retrospect! I can't rate it any higher because it's just too short to make an even greater impact.
A surprisingly good little story. I found it charming and spooky in retrospect! I can't rate it any higher because it's just too short to make an even greater impact.
Only This by Roald Dahl
challenging
dark
medium-paced
2.0
This was my 63rd book finished in 2025.
I don't find this era of history interesting at all. I found this story very boring.
I don't find this era of history interesting at all. I found this story very boring.
Yesterday Was Beautiful by Roald Dahl
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.75
This was my 62nd book finished in 2025.
So I'm definitely not a fan of war stories. But this one was just so dull, and then it just ended. Absolute meh.
So I'm definitely not a fan of war stories. But this one was just so dull, and then it just ended. Absolute meh.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was my 61st book finished in 2025.
Ehh, I'm so conflicted and find this hard to rate. I really liked the first half: it was so clever and enjoyable. Unfortunately it weakened in the third quarter, and the second half became a slog for me.
The world is so vividly different from our own. There was an uncomfortable and unsettling sexual theme throughout this society, which made a sore but interesting read.
I wasn't expecting the protagonists to change half way through, and I was disappointed to leave behind some interesting characters that we got to know. To put it flatly, I don't like John at all, and I hated that we ended up following his storyline. His backstory with Linda is very intriguing and sad, but I liked him less and less as the story went on.
Hehit Lenina and then proceeded to madly call her a whore over and over . You expect me to like or care about him after that? I don't feel any sympathy for him despite what happens later, because I like her character and not his. So John has mummy issues - understandable - but it became a tiring theme.
I found the final quarter to be sadly very boring between the Savage and the Controller. Far too much monologuing and talk of God. I really struggled and failed to pay attention.
On a final note, the description of ethnicity is unfortunately unavoidably dated. It fits, I suppose, with the theme of castes, but it's a little uncomfortable to have people referred to as a "negro" or an "Indian".
Ehh, I'm so conflicted and find this hard to rate. I really liked the first half: it was so clever and enjoyable. Unfortunately it weakened in the third quarter, and the second half became a slog for me.
The world is so vividly different from our own. There was an uncomfortable and unsettling sexual theme throughout this society, which made a sore but interesting read.
I wasn't expecting the protagonists to change half way through, and I was disappointed to leave behind some interesting characters that we got to know. To put it flatly, I don't like John at all, and I hated that we ended up following his storyline. His backstory with Linda is very intriguing and sad, but I liked him less and less as the story went on.
He
I found the final quarter to be sadly very boring between the Savage and the Controller. Far too much monologuing and talk of God. I really struggled and failed to pay attention.
On a final note, the description of ethnicity is unfortunately unavoidably dated. It fits, I suppose, with the theme of castes, but it's a little uncomfortable to have people referred to as a "negro" or an "Indian".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Xenophobia, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism
The Beastly Best Bits by Terry Deary
informative
fast-paced
2.75
This was my 60th book finished in 2025.
It all felt very self-wanky. As the name suggests, it's all recycled material, and very fleeting.
It all felt very self-wanky. As the name suggests, it's all recycled material, and very fleeting.
The Empire Of The Ants by H.G. Wells
adventurous
fast-paced
2.75
This was my 59th book finished in 2025.
Unfortunately I was just a bit underwhelmed. It was very much "Heart Of Darkness", but with a little less boredom and racism. Funnily enough, I found out after that Wells and Conrad became friends around this time.
Unfortunately I was just a bit underwhelmed. It was very much "Heart Of Darkness", but with a little less boredom and racism. Funnily enough, I found out after that Wells and Conrad became friends around this time.
Rising Sun by Michael Crichton
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.25
This was my 58th book finished in 2025.
Ugh, this was a really bad book. Where do I begin? Firstly, this is simply an incredibly boring book with a dull plot. I can't pretend that I find business interesting, despite Crichton's usual clever and engaging writing style. He really dropped the ball here. I vaguely liked some elements in this book, but hardly anything.
The whole message from the book is pure boredom. Blah blah blah, Japan is doing better than America. Bloody get over it, rahhh. Boohoo, poor America.
The annoying thing about this book is that nothing really happened in it. The protagonists do things to no avail, just for things to right themselves in the end.Oh no, the man we thought killed her, died, but actually didn't die... Luckily he turned up in your apartment to tell you he didn't die, and move the plot along! Ultimately, if they hadn't done anything, everyone would likely be in the same situation.
No character in this book is likeable. They are all awful and insufferable. Peter is so slow at times and doesn't understand things when the reader has already worked it out. It's very frustrating! He's also incredibly sexist, but more on that later. Connor keeps "suspecting" things, but not bringing them up until it's later explained through narration. Why not? It's all tell and no show. His whole Japanese zen vibe became so annoying very quickly. Everyone is just an arsehole in this story.
The narrator and seemingly every character talks about Japanese people as if they're a different species! The pages leak xenophobia - borderline racism - and that makes it so hard to get through. Oh, but Crichton says the Japanese are the most racist people on the planet, so that makes it okay(?). Every single character is a xenophobe - even the Japanese-American hates Japanese people. Ugh. You know Michael, there are quicker and easier ways than writing a 400 page book, to say "I hate Japanese people".
There were also completely unnecessary uses of racial slurs. Connor just randomly drops the N-bomb in the last few pages of the book. He's not even talking about black people, I just don't understand. It really took me out of it. Why???
So the next elephant in the room is the way all characters refer to women. The only thing mentioned about them is how they look and how attractive they are, and that they have such good bodies. I hate the way Peter constantly comments on women's appearances - fuck offffff!
The book is also painfully sexist and misogynistic. Women are written in a strictly demonised way. If you read between the lines, thedeceased woman likes sex with multiple men, and kinky sex, so she was troubled and deserved to die . There is never an ounce of sympathy, and so much victim blaming. Having this as the backbone of the plot is horrible and icky. She was potentially raped , and they can't tell for sure, but still refer to them as "lovers". But then it's never brought up again. Plus, the way Peter just sits in the lab and watches it over and over, getting turned on by it is so disgusting.
It had such an unsatisfying conclusion - essentially the two useless detectives killed everyone involved through their complete incompetence and heavy-handedness. Like, everyone is dead now, I don't care who did it. You're a corrupt cop anyway, so why do you even care about this and finding out the truth? And in the end it was all because of some business deal? Or something? Who knows?! IDGAF!
Jesus, I used to like Crichton, but this was truly terrible. Ultimately, I've rated it higher than a 1 because the simplistic language saved it, versus flowery confusing language. But it's rated lower than I would have rated it because of it's problematic themes and uncomfortable racism
Ugh, this was a really bad book. Where do I begin? Firstly, this is simply an incredibly boring book with a dull plot. I can't pretend that I find business interesting, despite Crichton's usual clever and engaging writing style. He really dropped the ball here. I vaguely liked some elements in this book, but hardly anything.
The whole message from the book is pure boredom. Blah blah blah, Japan is doing better than America. Bloody get over it, rahhh. Boohoo, poor America.
The annoying thing about this book is that nothing really happened in it. The protagonists do things to no avail, just for things to right themselves in the end.
No character in this book is likeable. They are all awful and insufferable. Peter is so slow at times and doesn't understand things when the reader has already worked it out. It's very frustrating! He's also incredibly sexist, but more on that later. Connor keeps "suspecting" things, but not bringing them up until it's later explained through narration. Why not? It's all tell and no show. His whole Japanese zen vibe became so annoying very quickly. Everyone is just an arsehole in this story.
The narrator and seemingly every character talks about Japanese people as if they're a different species! The pages leak xenophobia - borderline racism - and that makes it so hard to get through. Oh, but Crichton says the Japanese are the most racist people on the planet, so that makes it okay(?). Every single character is a xenophobe - even the Japanese-American hates Japanese people. Ugh. You know Michael, there are quicker and easier ways than writing a 400 page book, to say "I hate Japanese people".
There were also completely unnecessary uses of racial slurs. Connor just randomly drops the N-bomb in the last few pages of the book. He's not even talking about black people, I just don't understand. It really took me out of it. Why???
So the next elephant in the room is the way all characters refer to women. The only thing mentioned about them is how they look and how attractive they are, and that they have such good bodies. I hate the way Peter constantly comments on women's appearances - fuck offffff!
The book is also painfully sexist and misogynistic. Women are written in a strictly demonised way. If you read between the lines, the
It had such an unsatisfying conclusion - essentially the two useless detectives
Jesus, I used to like Crichton, but this was truly terrible. Ultimately, I've rated it higher than a 1 because the simplistic language saved it, versus flowery confusing language. But it's rated lower than I would have rated it because of it's problematic themes and uncomfortable racism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Xenophobia, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse