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oraclement's Reviews (158)
challenging
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I took my time with this one, it might just be me but as a younger reader and Asian at that, I feel like I'm missing a lot of the nuance and context of the setting: post-war 50s London. It's hard to picture the scenes and interactions, definitely not the book's problem but my own as a reader.
Though, I do feel like somehow for me this felt a bit dragged out longer than it should, or it was rather slow pacing for me. I guess, cozy mysteries thing.
Good one to pick up if you don't find the my problem to be an issue for you. Perhaps, just not the book for me! Might be the book for you.
Got this as eARC from NetGalley, thank you for providing me the book for me to review!
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How do I even rate this?
Well first, I love the writing style: the sentences weave together beautifully to form a narrative. However, my complain goes as everyone else had said of the book.
This book made grieving, traumatic people sound like inconsiderate ass incapable of making wiser decisions as an 'empowerment & recovery' from their trauma. Long, heavy sigh. We grieving people really aren't like that, but, okay.
Veyi is just... unlikeable & hard to empathize with. Don't like how she keeps emphasizing a sense of aliveness everytime she made ruckus & careless decision and how the narratives warp getting up from your trauma & dark hole by being reckless, impulsive, 2010ish YOLO person. Nasir, sure Nasir turns out different than expected but man has all the rights to be angered for being used and lied to. Like why is everyone on this story excusing & enabling Veyi? I'M SORRY IT frustrates me the hell out. God.
Honest though: might rate this as 4 or 3.75 later because I'm fueled by so much rage reading this book that I fly through it, hmm.
Well first, I love the writing style: the sentences weave together beautifully to form a narrative. However, my complain goes as everyone else had said of the book.
This book made grieving, traumatic people sound like inconsiderate ass incapable of making wiser decisions as an 'empowerment & recovery' from their trauma. Long, heavy sigh. We grieving people really aren't like that, but, okay.
Veyi is just... unlikeable & hard to empathize with. Don't like how she keeps emphasizing a sense of aliveness everytime she made ruckus & careless decision and how the narratives warp getting up from your trauma & dark hole by being reckless, impulsive, 2010ish YOLO person. Nasir, sure Nasir turns out different than expected but man has all the rights to be angered for being used and lied to. Like why is everyone on this story excusing & enabling Veyi? I'M SORRY IT frustrates me the hell out. God.
Honest though: might rate this as 4 or 3.75 later because I'm fueled by so much rage reading this book that I fly through it, hmm.
dark
sad
fast-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
Quick, enjoyable short read to bite on. In short pages it managed to pack impact & moving, love how Galatea share her struggles. Men in Greek myth suck indeed. Lovely description of her state of being.
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Poetry is just not for my literal brain but this one strucks differently and is at least, comprehensible for my non-poetic brain.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
I started this book around Christmas and it's just the perfect time (very disagreeable, but oh well). The book's strongest point is on its atmospheric setting: it felt like walking on a damp forest laced with muds and wet soils and you can smell trees and burning fire. Having that atmosphere really made this fun to read & keep me seated. I love Iris, hoped we get to know of her character more than just as Grey's shadow, but it delivers well. And give our man Tyler a standing applause I just love him & root for him, great read overall. Pick this one up if you're into witchy, fall read with lots of gruesome flora!
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-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
Dark academia, appreciation for art and unexpected friendship. For me the book build up slowly, it only picks up the pace and the plot starts to kick around 40-50% mark in. Ah, I don't think much has point that the book can fall into mystery category as well if you would? The character made you root for them to break through their challenge. Go read it! Beautiful prose.
dark
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A book to read for the beautiful writings, the saphhic adoration, its atmospheric setting; never the plot. But what a starter to gothic, supernatural read.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A poetry collection
Is it still poetry
if it's written
just like this
I wonder if it's me
or the book
or that we simply not fit
— it's the book.
but well, she has like, 2 good 'poems' throughout the book. I'll give one star for each then, ig? 😭☝️
Is it still poetry
if it's written
just like this
I wonder if it's me
or the book
or that we simply not fit
— it's the book.
but well, she has like, 2 good 'poems' throughout the book. I'll give one star for each then, ig? 😭☝️
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'd simply say, an interesting read that feels like being caught in someone's fever dream. Very poetic writing and stream of consciousness style. Definitely not recommended for people who want a grounded story, this feels like an air you can't quite grip as it pass through your way.
A book to enjoy and to sit on, sip your coffee or tea on; not a book to understand and figure out.
The book tells about our main character's dive into the opium world of parasocial relationship with her object of obsession, which happens to be the youngest member of Korean boygroup with the name Moon. This feels like reading those dizzying Japan literature, btw.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with the eARC.
A book to enjoy and to sit on, sip your coffee or tea on; not a book to understand and figure out.
The book tells about our main character's dive into the opium world of parasocial relationship with her object of obsession, which happens to be the youngest member of Korean boygroup with the name Moon. This feels like reading those dizzying Japan literature, btw.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with the eARC.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't know what I was expecting going in, but instead of a fully done ghost stories handfed to you, this is overall more of an atmospheric gothic supernatural reads perfect for entering the autumn season. Curl up under your blanket and hear the heavy rain pouring outside with thunders, open this book and read it in peace.
It's not scary at all. Eerie chill perhaps would fit better. The story always cut abruptly in the middle without clear conclusion (something to note if you NEED to understand what's going on in a story, but I personally don't mind it)
but I suppose that's exactly how ghost stories work. You tell a story, and stops in the middle, having no clear answer as to what happens next or if any of it is true. You just drop it and shrugs, letting the listener make what they believe out of it and pour yourself a hot coffee. That's how this book is best read. Felt like someone read you a creepy hanging superstition tales over the fireplace.
It's not scary at all. Eerie chill perhaps would fit better. The story always cut abruptly in the middle without clear conclusion (something to note if you NEED to understand what's going on in a story, but I personally don't mind it)
but I suppose that's exactly how ghost stories work. You tell a story, and stops in the middle, having no clear answer as to what happens next or if any of it is true. You just drop it and shrugs, letting the listener make what they believe out of it and pour yourself a hot coffee. That's how this book is best read. Felt like someone read you a creepy hanging superstition tales over the fireplace.