nicolleschumacher's reviews
163 reviews

Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this! I found the ending a little unsatisfying but I was enthralled all the way through.
I read another review where they said they didn’t like the domesticity of Tom in this one but I found it really interesting and refreshing. The way Highsmith writes her characters is so nuanced and particular, each one has a real feeling of life to them. I really liked Heloise and found their relationship really fascinating, and I think the obvious queer subtext in the first one is a little subdued in this one but still comes through. 

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis by Katharine K. Wilkinson, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

3.0

Global Warming and the Sweetness of Life: A Tar Sands Tale by Am Johal, Matt Hern

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

Creaturely Love: How Desire Makes Us More and Less Than Human by Dominic Pettman

challenging reflective slow-paced

2.75

Rehearsals for Living by Robyn Maynard, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed it and was entertained the whole way through. Tom’s psyche was interesting to delve into and all the characters were written well.

However, I feel that he got off too easy on pretty much everything 

The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I found his thoughts incredibly fascinating but at times became frustrated with his repetition of these same ideas over and over. At times I completely disagreed with him but also related to the essence of his message at a deeper level. Truly an enigma 

The True Life by Alain Badiou

hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

dark funny reflective fast-paced

4.0

One of the best satires ever, still tragically relevant 

Paradise Lost by John Milton

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

It is extremely impressive technically speaking but I do think it was actually held back at times because it adheres so strictly to the metre. In its goal to “justify the ways of God to men” it fails on me, as I cannot justify any act of God by any logic presented to me. The story I loved,  and there are many memorable and important lines - Satan was of course the most interesting character. Adam and Eve are both held back by their staunch gender roles (I know this is silly to say) they were most interesting when they reached beyond what was expected of them and questioned God and their own reason for life (which of course they were punished for).