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nere's reviews
86 reviews
How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future by Daniel Ziblatt, Steven Levitsky
scope & limitations
author credentials
informative
fast-paced
5.0
28 jan 2025
synopsis
The first one-third of the book essentially takes a comparative history approach, comparing different democracies that have failed across the world and identifying their shared characteristics. From this, developing a framework to identify when democracy is descending into authoritarianism. The next two-thirds of the book goes into how this relates to the United States and, what I would say, are fragile, barely-there guard rails in American society to protect against authoritarian rulers. (God, so much of American government is a bunch of norms in a trench coat.) It’s written incredibly accessibly and I was honestly riveted the whole time. I couldn’t put it down. It lends itself to really understanding all of the ways the foundations of the American government has led us to this moment.
synopsis
The first one-third of the book essentially takes a comparative history approach, comparing different democracies that have failed across the world and identifying their shared characteristics. From this, developing a framework to identify when democracy is descending into authoritarianism. The next two-thirds of the book goes into how this relates to the United States and, what I would say, are fragile, barely-there guard rails in American society to protect against authoritarian rulers. (God, so much of American government is a bunch of norms in a trench coat.) It’s written incredibly accessibly and I was honestly riveted the whole time. I couldn’t put it down. It lends itself to really understanding all of the ways the foundations of the American government has led us to this moment.
scope & limitations
Since it was published in 2018, the authors are writing from the perspective of the midst of Trump's first term. Because of this, they obviously don't have the context of the pandemic (and the massive fail in government response), impeachment, or of the January 6th insurrection. (Frankly, I believe this makes their warnings all the more potent.)
author credentials
Authors are both American political scientists. Both are professors of government at Harvard University. Levitsky is a senior fellow for democracy at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“Building on Linz's work, we have developed a set of four behavioral warning signs that can help us know an authoritarian when we see one. We should worry when a politician 1) rejects, in words or action, the democratic rules of the game, 2) denies the legitimacy of opponents, 3) tolerates or encourages violence, or 4) indicates a willingness to curtail the civil liberties of opponents, including the media. Table 1 shows how to assess politicians in terms of these four factors. A politician who meets even one of these criteria is cause for concern.”
You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian
I think “you should be so lucky” takes a little bit longer to get there. which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. but it does mean that it takes longer to sell me on the romance since I’m not as invested in the characters.eddie , in particular, was a particularly hard sell for me. he’s framed from the jump as a “himbo with a heart of gold” which is generally an easily loveable character for me (see: stranger things steve harrington and 911 evan buckley) but they’re also really easy to get wrong. he, unfortunately, tips a little bit into the wrong column even if only because ik cat sebastian is capable of better.
something that is captured so compellingly in this isgrieving your partner when no one knows you’re grieving your partner . its such a specific type of heartbreaking thats unique to queer experience. theres also something so tender in recognizing that in someone else like george does to mark insofar as kind of tipping a hat to their shared experience as widowers . and the cherry mariscino part when mark suddenly breaks down in the kitchen after not having cried for months . that feels very real
petition for cat sebastian to get better titles though. what the hell is “you should be so lucky” and “we could be so good” i can’t even think of how those phrases even relate to the STORY.
the cat sebastian books that i’ve read so far are always full of so much heart you can almost forgive it for its wrongdoings.
lighthearted
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
11 november 2024
for “we could be so good” I feel like I had a more immediate sense throughout the book of who the characters were. I understood their motivations, their internal conflicts I sympathized with them.
for “we could be so good” I feel like I had a more immediate sense throughout the book of who the characters were. I understood their motivations, their internal conflicts I sympathized with them.
I think “you should be so lucky” takes a little bit longer to get there. which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. but it does mean that it takes longer to sell me on the romance since I’m not as invested in the characters.
something that is captured so compellingly in this is
petition for cat sebastian to get better titles though. what the hell is “you should be so lucky” and “we could be so good” i can’t even think of how those phrases even relate to the STORY.
the cat sebastian books that i’ve read so far are always full of so much heart you can almost forgive it for its wrongdoings.
“Maybe Mark is wrong. Maybe this swing will slip away from Eddie, or maybe it will settle into something just above marginal, something good enough but never great. He knows better than to count on good things lasting. But when he watches Eddie—when he sees that stern set of his jaw, and when Eddie flashes a grin toward the bleachers—Mark thinks he’s seeing something that’s for keeps.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Grief
Penance by Eliza Clark
dark
3.25
16 august 2024
this is obviously meant to be in reaction to the state of true crime today. and as someone who vehemently avoids true crime I’m obviously not the target audience.
this is obviously meant to be in reaction to the state of true crime today. and as someone who vehemently avoids true crime I’m obviously not the target audience.
I’m probably being a bit harsher with my rating because I loved Boy Parts by eliza clark.
it still stuck with me though. and these characters worm their way into the recesses of my mind as her characters wont to do
“‘No, no, no.’
‘No’ was her first word. Joni became infamous among her extended family for bluntly refusing cuddles and kisses; for her honest appraisal of meals, and dresses, and other people’s children. Did you like your tea at Nana’s? No. Did you like your Uncle Gavin’s present? No. Do you want to meet the new baby? No.
Mand encouraged it. She hated sickly sweet little girls; she hated watching mothers henpeck their daughters into submission.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
21 july 2024
for the first half, maggie o’farrell’s writing was so engrossing. it reminded me a bit of holly black’s writing. I can’t stop reading but I don’t entirely understand why. their words have a forward momentum.
in the second half though, it unfortunately fell off for me. I went into this entirely blind and devoid of expectation. and though usually this works in a books favor, for the marriage portrait, I increasingly felt I didn’t know where the story was going, and worse, I didn’t entirely care.
for the first half, maggie o’farrell’s writing was so engrossing. it reminded me a bit of holly black’s writing. I can’t stop reading but I don’t entirely understand why. their words have a forward momentum.
in the second half though, it unfortunately fell off for me. I went into this entirely blind and devoid of expectation. and though usually this works in a books favor, for the marriage portrait, I increasingly felt I didn’t know where the story was going, and worse, I didn’t entirely care.
“Look at this sun,” he exclaims. “Shining down on the land. Does it not beg us to be out in it?”
He strides towards the door, his shirt inflating with air, then quickly doubles back, as if he has forgotten something, pacing across the floor to her again. He bends at the waist and, sliding a hand around her neck, stoops and presses his lips to hers—a brief, emphatic pressure. It reminds her of her father, bringing his seal down on top of a document, marking it as his.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
31 may 2024
delightful and devastating
delightful and devastating
ROS: Fearful lest we come too late!
Small pause.
GUIL: Too late for what?
ROS: How do I know? We haven't got there yet.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
GOSH IDK ILL FINISH IT ONE DAY
Batman: Hush 20th Anniversary Edition by Jim Lee, Jeph Loeb
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
not feeling it
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
17 may 2024
I feel like I’ve been trying to crack the code of romance books so long since I ever started reading. I went a period thinking maybe the genre wasn’t for me until I became an experienced enough reader to realize I just hadn’t found the right book yet. in this case, I hadn’t found Cat Sebastian yet. this is the closest thing I’ve ever come to feeling GIDDY while reading romance. kicking my feet and twirling my hair. Sebastian has a deep understanding of the machinations of lust, desire, and build-up few romance authors could only dream of. any romance I usually manage to sit through, keeps me engaged in SPITE of the writing—but this kept me engaged, in large part, because of it. I was interested in the two leads as characters, I was invested in their individual developments outside of the romance. the romance just happened to be a delightful, giggling, and kicking-your-feet worthy cherry on top.
“Maybe the trick is to put fear in its place so it doesn’t take over. […] He can believe that the future they have is worth more than his fear.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
internalized homophobia
Othello by William Shakespeare
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
8 july 2024
working my way through shakespeare’s bibliography and this is among the first I’ve encountered I genuinely dislike. othello’s just.. bad huh! this deserves to fade into obscurity given there are MUCH better plays in his oeuvre. I’m shocked this is held in such high regard as it is
working my way through shakespeare’s bibliography and this is among the first I’ve encountered I genuinely dislike. othello’s just.. bad huh! this deserves to fade into obscurity given there are MUCH better plays in his oeuvre. I’m shocked this is held in such high regard as it is