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notesofacrocodile's Reviews (257)
god, i missed that quality of sally rooney's writing- the way how her writing is just so readable, if you know what i mean. i think normal people is still my favourite work of hers, but this one still gets a 3.75 out of 5 from me. i liked the characters very much, and like i have mentioned, the writing style as well. rooney's writing just clicks with my brain in a very pleasing way. i thought the discussions on polyamory was slightly cursory, although i don't know if it's because i am polyamorous myself and so these thoughts are sentiments that i have thought to myself so many times to the point that it has become somewhat obvious.
frances reminded me in many situations of my own thought patterns and i kept getting caught aback when i thought of how if i had ended up in slightly different circumstances i would've turned out to be even more like her. i know that there are many people who didn't like her character, but because of the similarities i observed between her and myself, i couldn't help but sympathise.
overall i would say that i enjoyed this one very much !
frances reminded me in many situations of my own thought patterns and i kept getting caught aback when i thought of how if i had ended up in slightly different circumstances i would've turned out to be even more like her. i know that there are many people who didn't like her character, but because of the similarities i observed between her and myself, i couldn't help but sympathise.
overall i would say that i enjoyed this one very much !
// "it was culture as class performance, literature fetishised for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys, so that they might afterwards feel superior to the uneducated people whose emotional journeys they liked to read about."
i have never read ling ma before, and safe to say, this was a perfect introduction. a collection of stories that are threaded through with several themes (the immigrant experience, trauma, abuse, complex desires, to name a few), and accentuated by ling ma's captivating prose, it held my attention from the beginning till the very end. would recommend to anyone looking for a collection of absurdist and surrealist short stories that handle complex topics as this seems to be something that this particular author excels at.
an interesting novel that looks into the life of a young black woman who is unsure about the direction of her life, anxious about the precarious nature of her economic resources and most importantly, also shines a spotlight into the racial dynamics that come into play with her white employer and white love interest.
the writing was not overly complex, but it suits a story such as this that seeks to touch upon complex topics and it drives in its points with finesse. the two main white characters and their interactions with the black protagonist was explored with a certain depth and the storyline was immersive enough, although something about how the story wrapped up at the end felt a bit disappointing.
the writing was not overly complex, but it suits a story such as this that seeks to touch upon complex topics and it drives in its points with finesse. the two main white characters and their interactions with the black protagonist was explored with a certain depth and the storyline was immersive enough, although something about how the story wrapped up at the end felt a bit disappointing.
witty, thoughtful and steadily paced, this novel is really a special little thing. as someone who has already watched the first season of the television adaptation, i loved seeing what they chose to take from the book, as well as the extra little details in the book itself that makes it unique and charming (just to give one example, its slightly more detailed emphasis on the humans and their world as well).
i cannot talk about the book without talking about the tv adaptation so: i am also intrigued by some changes that were made while this story was being adapted into the tv show, slight changes but still noticeable that might possibly be an indication of difference in the nature of the relationship between aziraphale and crowley. in the book it is not something that is markedly platonic or romantic, rather something that is complex, as a bond that has been established over millenia would look- and i am a big fan of how it was depicted too. eager to see how their journey continues on in the second season !
i cannot talk about the book without talking about the tv adaptation so: i am also intrigued by some changes that were made while this story was being adapted into the tv show, slight changes but still noticeable that might possibly be an indication of difference in the nature of the relationship between aziraphale and crowley. in the book it is not something that is markedly platonic or romantic, rather something that is complex, as a bond that has been established over millenia would look- and i am a big fan of how it was depicted too. eager to see how their journey continues on in the second season !
an interesting collection of horror stories, although some storylines were more unique and stimulating than the others. the writing style is both captivating and atmospheric, would recommend for readers seeking horror fiction
one of the things that endeared to me the most about this novel was simon and his specific flavour of religiosity. it's rare for me to relate to most religious characters in media, but this was the first time that i have encountered such a character who's religious experience was the closest to mine. i love that he wasn't the stereotypical depiction of the queerphobic and unnecessarily self-righteous religious person. i thought sally rooney's ideas regarding religion in general was pleasant to read, and definitely something that i agreed with on most counts.
beautiful world, where are you is definitely not a book that has any specific plot. for those who have read other works by this author, you'll know what i'm talking about; her writing continues to be about conversations between individuals and the bonds that hold them together, the dynamics that invite affection and despair, as well as the isolation that the characters experience, even when they're surrounded by other people. also, of course, the political beliefs of the characters.
i don't think this novel touched me as much as normal people did, which would have been quite a feat anyway as the latter continues to be my favourite work of hers, and one of my favourite contemporary novels of all time. i thought alice's thread of narration was a bit unnecessary, to be honest. i didn't find her perspective or her dynamic with felix as stimulating to read as that of eileen's perspective and her dynamic with simon and alice. it would've been more fitting, in my opinion, to have treated alice as a side character (like simon or felix), rather than according her the space of one of the main protagonists.
beautiful world, where are you is definitely not a book that has any specific plot. for those who have read other works by this author, you'll know what i'm talking about; her writing continues to be about conversations between individuals and the bonds that hold them together, the dynamics that invite affection and despair, as well as the isolation that the characters experience, even when they're surrounded by other people. also, of course, the political beliefs of the characters.
i don't think this novel touched me as much as normal people did, which would have been quite a feat anyway as the latter continues to be my favourite work of hers, and one of my favourite contemporary novels of all time. i thought alice's thread of narration was a bit unnecessary, to be honest. i didn't find her perspective or her dynamic with felix as stimulating to read as that of eileen's perspective and her dynamic with simon and alice. it would've been more fitting, in my opinion, to have treated alice as a side character (like simon or felix), rather than according her the space of one of the main protagonists.
the writing in this novel was so phenomenal, such gorgeous and alluring prose. I loved the way the author had this seamless manner of leading the reader from ordinary reality to something resembling horrifying fever dreams. this book had an interesting premise, and it certainly delivered on it; the weirdness and the experimental nature of this novel definitely ended up working out in its favour. however, one of the few things that put me off were that the characters sounded younger than they were supposed to at times, reminiscent of the YA genre. i also wish we were given more of an idea regarding why samantha's writing was purportedly so grotesque, perhaps an excerpt or something specific about it would have definitely added on to the experience for me. but overall, i would say that i really liked this book, i can definitely see why it got nominated for the goodreads awards in 2019 for the horror category.