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notesofacrocodile's reviews
217 reviews
Funny Boy: A Novel in Six Stories by Shyam Selvadurai
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
the writing style of this book was so absorbing, it felt even lesser than the 320 pages that it amounted to. i really liked the way the coming-of-age tale of the narrator was handled and the nuance that went into the handling of the civil war as a backdrop, at least as much was possible through a child's lens.
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
such a thoughtful, painful little book. it definitely delivered on the premise, going through topics of ordinary unhappinesses such as the difficulties faced by irish immigrant families in england, especially when they're of a working class nature, a teenage pregnancy, alcohol abuse, loneliness, and the neglect of a child, amongst others. not to say they aren't terrible, just that they wouldn't be interesting enough for newspapers and the media, their unhappinesses too routine and frequently seen for it to hold any sustained attention. i really liked this novel and - dare i say - much more than acts of desperation; i do think however, that this is also due to the fact that dysfunctional families are one of those features of a plot/novel that really pull me in. the only thing i could not get on board with was the fact that some of the themes mentioned in the novel were not explored as well as they could have been, a longer length could have definitely helped this story's case for the better.
but i still really liked it, it's an interesting perspective into this subject.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is no secret, Tom, or else there are hundreds of them, and none of them interesting enough for you. The secret is that we’re a family, we’re just an ordinary family, with ordinary unhappiness like yours.
such a thoughtful, painful little book. it definitely delivered on the premise, going through topics of ordinary unhappinesses such as the difficulties faced by irish immigrant families in england, especially when they're of a working class nature, a teenage pregnancy, alcohol abuse, loneliness, and the neglect of a child, amongst others. not to say they aren't terrible, just that they wouldn't be interesting enough for newspapers and the media, their unhappinesses too routine and frequently seen for it to hold any sustained attention. i really liked this novel and - dare i say - much more than acts of desperation; i do think however, that this is also due to the fact that dysfunctional families are one of those features of a plot/novel that really pull me in. the only thing i could not get on board with was the fact that some of the themes mentioned in the novel were not explored as well as they could have been, a longer length could have definitely helped this story's case for the better.
but i still really liked it, it's an interesting perspective into this subject.
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
i really love that jewelle gomez created such a creative and unique take on vampire fiction; if more vampire fiction was inspired from this one i definitely would have delved more into this subgenre. she incorporates black & indigenous people and their struggles into the narrative, exploring racism, misogyny, queerness, & the concept of community, particularly among queer people. i find it so cool that she inverted the popular perception of vampires as being selfish/draining into a state of growth and learning instead. i just want to give gilda and her friends a big, huge hug.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
sally rooney has literally never disappointed me.
i always get taken aback when i find out just how closely and deeply personally she knows her characters in her writing. each character picks at a thought and sits with it and thinks about it and every intricacy of the act of doing so is just expressed in such an impossibly intimate manner. absolutely crazy.
i always get taken aback when i find out just how closely and deeply personally she knows her characters in her writing. each character picks at a thought and sits with it and thinks about it and every intricacy of the act of doing so is just expressed in such an impossibly intimate manner. absolutely crazy.
Ayyankali: A Dalit Leader Of Organic Protest by Meena Kandasamy, M. Nisar
informative
tense
4.5
i honestly thought that this was a biography of ayyankali with a special focus on his mobilisation and resistance efforts, but only the the third and final chapter actually talked about him ! however, to credit the authors they do mention this in the introduction so that is fine + the first two chapters detail the sociopolitical environment which gave rise to dalit resistance movements, which is very important in order to understand the nature of caste brutality within the specific context.
Lakewood by Megan Giddings
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
i really feel like this would translate well into a movie or a tv series.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
i knew that this was a horror novel, but i was not prepared for it to be so achingly sad. there was a lot to think about while reading the haunting of hill house; the resounding lifelong effect of an abusive childhood, the empty loneliness of a young woman unsure of who she is and where she belongs, a house with a history of leading its inhabitants into great misery and misfortune, and so on.
i do think that if anyone goes into this expecting it to be like the netflix show, then they are going to be extremely disappointed because it has nearly nothing in common with the show, with the exception of some names, perhaps. this book is a work of its own, and will be staying on in my mind for a good long while.
i do think that if anyone goes into this expecting it to be like the netflix show, then they are going to be extremely disappointed because it has nearly nothing in common with the show, with the exception of some names, perhaps. this book is a work of its own, and will be staying on in my mind for a good long while.
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
i am so devastated right now. one of my most favourite contemporary novels featuring grief as a major theme, i think. i still feel a bit hazy, to be honest. there is so much to ponder over, so much that still remains concealed under layers of mystery. by the end of this novel though, i was near tears.
this is probably not a book for readers who are searching for something fast-paced. but be assured, i don't think the slow pace is detrimental to the story; it complements it perfectly, there is this sense of slowly settling and absorbing into a quiet, swelling grief. i had a bit of a difficulty settling into the pace at the beginning (the last thing i read was a fast-paced novella) but once i managed to settle in, i just could not tear myself away from it. the prose is also gorgeous, perfect for literary descriptions of the sea. i am looking forward to reading more from julia armfield, for sure.
this is probably not a book for readers who are searching for something fast-paced. but be assured, i don't think the slow pace is detrimental to the story; it complements it perfectly, there is this sense of slowly settling and absorbing into a quiet, swelling grief. i had a bit of a difficulty settling into the pace at the beginning (the last thing i read was a fast-paced novella) but once i managed to settle in, i just could not tear myself away from it. the prose is also gorgeous, perfect for literary descriptions of the sea. i am looking forward to reading more from julia armfield, for sure.