nixiethepixie's reviews
267 reviews

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

challenging dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

Listened as an audiobook. A curious book that truly sits in its own world and storytelling. With the premise we’re set up with, the story has the grounds to sprawl and unfurl in any which direction and way, and we will go along with it. The reflections and commentary throughout are sharp, yet shared in a deeply mellow and passive way. A true observer of the world, the past, present and potential futures. The world sits in a mystery, with no promise or desire to answer any of our questions. It just is in this fascinating way. I love the reflections on bodies, time and memory - and what any of that even means without a past and future to come.

A Girl's Story by Annie Ernaux

challenging reflective slow-paced

4.25

Truly a fascinating read that makes me eager to read more of Annie Ernaux’s work. Read this one slowly, you have to. I found myself particularly fascinated by the nature of memory and the task of reflecting upon your life and your selves throughout time and in writing/art. It’s raw, honest and in its own way complex, for each moment is passing, and our relationship to moments and memories morph and blur until they lose form all together. We flit through time, and there’s a rawness and liveness to Ernaux’s writing. A sense of danger and uncertainty with each word that makes it to the page. I enjoyed the journey through past and present, and the way those things constantly exist all at once, constantly zooming in and out of moments. Beautiful!!!

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

Listened as an audiobook read by the author. Happy to have finally made my way through this collection, as I’ve hoped to for a while. Tolentino is a clear, sharp and playful voice who has lived through periods of transition and change in the face of the internet. Always come back to the internet, gender, feminism and institutional and societal structures - we are reminded of the way systems intertwine and structures are built to progress and protect themselves, and the continual presence of an unseen audience. Tolentino continually comes back to women throughout history to now, and how to exist within this present day - reminding us that liberation is often mistaken as evil as it occurs.

But the Girl by Jessica Zhan Mei Yu

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

Listened as an audiobook.  This is a generous, introspective and tender story, beautifully shared from the perspective of a 23 year old second-generation Malaysian-Australian gal trying to figure things out. Both enriched and burdened by her family history and obligation, giftedness, wits and ambition, we follow Girl as she undertakes an artist residency in Europe. Touching on artistic process, while reflecting upon the burdens of being an Asian body and woman in this world - this book is relatable and moving in ways I didn’t expect. At times I felt caught off-guard by its honesty. Perhaps some of its politics felt a little heavy-handed, but equally it’s joyous to witness certain reflections shared in literature, particularly from an Australian perspective. A beautiful book, and while not life changing, it’s one I feel grateful to have encountered.  

Penance by Eliza Clark

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Listened as an audiobook, although I would be curious to see this one on the page. A formally curious book - many layers of story, fabrications and layers to reporting and retelling true crime. 

Clark deep dives into the twisted teenage psyche against the back drop of a small town and the shadowy side of the internet, and communities that form online. Told in the form of a research book, we encounter different perspectives of a crime, in an attempt to understand the who, what, how and why of the crime. A critique into the true crime genre and obsession, the story itself doesn’t have a huge emotional hook (perhaps that’s the point), but proudly reminds us of how the internet and online communities can lead to radicalisation, especially when it comes to young women. That’s where Clark’s incisive voice shines, introducing us into the psyche of a mind we may not fully understand, and yet have empathy for. Also the quiet questions of what justice and retribution means for young people is interesting to ponder too.

Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein

adventurous challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.5

Listened as an audiobook read by the author (thanks Spotify!). A brilliantly researched, incisive and surprisingly entertaining book. Klein’s keen eye for research and making sense of the world is exciting to be part of, as she delves into the depths of the mirror world, shadow world and how these various realities come to be. Notably, humans are creatures of narrative, and it’s wild to begin to delve into the worlds that exist right beside us. The exploration of doppelgängers in literature was great, and I enjoyed the autoficition vibe Klein shared her stories, questions and facts with. 

One Day We're All Going to Die by Elise Esther Hearst

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

Listened as an audiobook read by the author. A bildungsroman of a late 20 somethings girl in Melbourne - figuring it out, messy, making some questionable choices. In many ways our protagonist can be hard to relate too, due to a combination her character development (or lack there of), but also the inherent wealth, circumstance and relationships from she comes from. Her parents have bought her a house, and she gets transferred money each week, and it’s just a given. There could have been space to explore intergenerational wealth and trauma slightly more. The strength of the book for me is in Naomi and Cookie’s relationship - reflecting on grandparent relationships and the matriarch. Otherwise Naomi isn’t the most captivating narrator - things kind of just happen to her, but she isn’t addictively observant about it, in ways that perhaps I have come to crave.

Losing Face by George Haddad

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.5

Listened as an audiobook. A generous, reflective and tender book from the heart of Western Sydney. Really well-written and lived in characters, setting and feelings throughout. There’s always such joy in reading of a place you have encountered yourself. Insights and reflections from the lives of Joey and Elaine, we are witness to the lives of people just living their everyday, surviving. The first and second generation immigrant experience are tenderly intertwined throughout the book as we move through guilt and shame, the feeling needing to leave, the police and justice system, rape culture, toxic masculinity, gambling and what you owe your family. The voices and characters are strong, and the malaise and hope for a better future feels present.

Ride the Cyclone by Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond

funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

A mysterious, allusive and curious read. My first Ozeki novel which I read bits and pieces of over two years! This book can feel quite dense in its intellect and logic, but equally poetic and trusting of you as a reader, a witness. It’s filled with generous and insightful reflections into time, memory, history, and possibility. My faves. Ozeki guides us along this curious metaphysical journey through the lens of Zen Buddhism, quantum mechanics and real global life events - it’s a fascinating meld of what’s real and what’s imagined, what has happened and what has been dreamed. Is the character of Ruth, Ruth the author, or Ruth imagined. Who knows! It’s curious and quietly disorientating, but the stories and characters keep us curious to find out just a bit more, even if you fear your intrusive eye will interrupt and change the very story itself. And also the richness of sitting between cultures and generations felt really poignant. Lots to continue ponder, as time and possibility loops in and upon itself, at least for the time being. In this time. In this now.