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peripetia's reviews
501 reviews
The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
I just can't be bothered to finish this. This is such a formulaic and typical historical fiction novel and I find myself extremely bored.
I picked this up mainly because of the setting, as I am Finnish and I have never read a book or seen a movie or anything that is set in Finland but written by an outsider. The writer obviously has Finnish roots but is from the USA. The novel moves around the Finland/Sweden border areas.
And to be honest, I found listening to the audiobook narration difficult. It's ok to not be able to pronounce words that are foreign to you, but I still insist that as an audiobook narrator it's your job to try. This guy obviously had no idea. All he would have needed were a couple pointers and he could have done a good enough job.
I was fine with the pronounciation being what it was but I could not deal with Henrik's nickname being Ricky. That just made me laugh. I have no idea how it was spelled so it could be a pronounciation issue, but I can't figure out what his nickname could have been for this pronounciation to make any sense.
Similarly I had no idea what Laestadius' daughter's name was. According to the reviews, it's Willa. Good to know.
I picked this up mainly because of the setting, as I am Finnish and I have never read a book or seen a movie or anything that is set in Finland but written by an outsider. The writer obviously has Finnish roots but is from the USA. The novel moves around the Finland/Sweden border areas.
And to be honest, I found listening to the audiobook narration difficult. It's ok to not be able to pronounce words that are foreign to you, but I still insist that as an audiobook narrator it's your job to try. This guy obviously had no idea. All he would have needed were a couple pointers and he could have done a good enough job.
I was fine with the pronounciation being what it was but I could not deal with Henrik's nickname being Ricky. That just made me laugh. I have no idea how it was spelled so it could be a pronounciation issue, but I can't figure out what his nickname could have been for this pronounciation to make any sense.
Similarly I had no idea what Laestadius' daughter's name was. According to the reviews, it's Willa. Good to know.
Umami by Laia Jufresa
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
DNF at 30%.
This has been on a my to-read list for a long time and I finally picked it up, fully expecting to be amazed and moved. I wasn't.
The time jumps were confusing and just felt kind of unnecessary. It was hard to tell which timeline we were following because they weren't very different from each other. The characters remained distant, expect for the anthropologist-widower, who explains his situation, thoughts, and feelings thoroughly.
I'm a very plot-driven reader and it takes a lot for a character-driven novel to hold my interest. If there is a plot in this book, I didn't grasp it, and the characters were too flat for me to be interested in.
Also I am once again confused about how people in the Mexican novels I've read make money. It's something that I pay a lot of attention to, unconsciously, and since this seems to be a pattern, I can't stop obsessing over it.
This has been on a my to-read list for a long time and I finally picked it up, fully expecting to be amazed and moved. I wasn't.
The time jumps were confusing and just felt kind of unnecessary. It was hard to tell which timeline we were following because they weren't very different from each other. The characters remained distant, expect for the anthropologist-widower, who explains his situation, thoughts, and feelings thoroughly.
I'm a very plot-driven reader and it takes a lot for a character-driven novel to hold my interest. If there is a plot in this book, I didn't grasp it, and the characters were too flat for me to be interested in.
Also I am once again confused about how people in the Mexican novels I've read make money. It's something that I pay a lot of attention to, unconsciously, and since this seems to be a pattern, I can't stop obsessing over it.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
DNF at 14%.
I've put this book "on a break" for like months now and I find getting back to it a bit of a chore, so I keep putting it off and now I think it's time to give up.
The setting and themes were interesting, but the plot was just incredibly slow and consistent mainly of giving the reader facts about the terrible situation in Sri Lanka at the time. Just didn't work for me as a novel.
I've put this book "on a break" for like months now and I find getting back to it a bit of a chore, so I keep putting it off and now I think it's time to give up.
The setting and themes were interesting, but the plot was just incredibly slow and consistent mainly of giving the reader facts about the terrible situation in Sri Lanka at the time. Just didn't work for me as a novel.
Sensuroitu - Raamatun muutosten vaiettu historia by Paavo Huotari, Ville Mäkipelto, Ville Mäkipelto
4.0
Tämä on todella helposti lähestyttävä, helppolukuinen, viihdyttävä ja kompakti tietokirja.
Totuutena ei näitäkään juttuja voi ottaa eikä se varmasti ole kirjoittajien tarkoituskaan, koska kirjan pääteesi on tulkinnanvaraisuus ja se, ettei oikeastaan mikään ole varmaa. Tässä siis on ihan selkeä argumentti, jota puolustellaan, mutta tämä on minusta aika päivänselvää ja normaalia.
En ole itse oikeastaan hirveän kiinnostunut kristinuskosta, mutta uskonnollisten tekstien tulkinta on mielenkiintoista. Oma taustani on islamin tutkimuksen puolella, joten perusasetelma on itselleni hyvin tuttu.
Tämä oli vaan hyvin yksinkertaisesti todella mielenkiintoinen ja kiva lukukokemus.
Totuutena ei näitäkään juttuja voi ottaa eikä se varmasti ole kirjoittajien tarkoituskaan, koska kirjan pääteesi on tulkinnanvaraisuus ja se, ettei oikeastaan mikään ole varmaa. Tässä siis on ihan selkeä argumentti, jota puolustellaan, mutta tämä on minusta aika päivänselvää ja normaalia.
En ole itse oikeastaan hirveän kiinnostunut kristinuskosta, mutta uskonnollisten tekstien tulkinta on mielenkiintoista. Oma taustani on islamin tutkimuksen puolella, joten perusasetelma on itselleni hyvin tuttu.
Tämä oli vaan hyvin yksinkertaisesti todella mielenkiintoinen ja kiva lukukokemus.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
There are a couple reasons why I'm dnf'ing this at like 5%.
First, I just don't think this book is for me. I don't relate. I am not interested enough.
Second, I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the use of "we" and "our society" and other words like that. What do you mean? You obviously do not mean the population of the world but you also do not specify if you're referring to the USA or Western countries (it's obvious that these are the primary target groups). Also, it just feels to me like the "we" and "society" are often the author's Twitter/X echo chamber. This is a general complaint of mine but it did annoy me with this book as well.
Third, I found her use of "science" insufferable. Granted, listening to the audiobook I had no idea if she used any references, but the pseudoscience she parades stands on very skinny legs. I absolutely loathe people using evopsych armchair bullshit theorizing to argue that your specific cultural practice is somehow an evolutionary survival mechanism. The rest of the science thus far has been concepts of popular psychology. I just can't deal with this.
Fourth, the title sounds interesting but the book seems to be more a memoir than research-based non-fiction literature.
Montell is an extremely popular writer and I can see why. Just... not for me.
First, I just don't think this book is for me. I don't relate. I am not interested enough.
Second, I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the use of "we" and "our society" and other words like that. What do you mean? You obviously do not mean the population of the world but you also do not specify if you're referring to the USA or Western countries (it's obvious that these are the primary target groups). Also, it just feels to me like the "we" and "society" are often the author's Twitter/X echo chamber. This is a general complaint of mine but it did annoy me with this book as well.
Third, I found her use of "science" insufferable. Granted, listening to the audiobook I had no idea if she used any references, but the pseudoscience she parades stands on very skinny legs. I absolutely loathe people using evopsych armchair bullshit theorizing to argue that your specific cultural practice is somehow an evolutionary survival mechanism. The rest of the science thus far has been concepts of popular psychology. I just can't deal with this.
Fourth, the title sounds interesting but the book seems to be more a memoir than research-based non-fiction literature.
Montell is an extremely popular writer and I can see why. Just... not for me.
Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi
3.0
I just could not bring myself to care about this book. This can be because the audiobook narrator's delivery was so flat that it made the protagonist like she has no personality or emotions. I often got quite distracted because I was so bored and I probably missed some important stuff, but again, could not bring myself to care.
I also have a problem with the class/privilege theme but that's a whole other thing that I'm not going to get into.
I also have a problem with the class/privilege theme but that's a whole other thing that I'm not going to get into.
Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel
4.0
This was a very good read. It's been a while already since I finished it, but I've kept thinking about what I want to say about it. Surprisingly, not much.
First, I often found the main character/narrator insufferable with her horoscopes and travelling to Asia to be enlightened, but I would like to assume this was intentional. The fact that she doesn't want children was relatable, but she was obnoxious about it.
Second, the actual topic and theme of the book was explored well, thoroughly, and from multiple points of view. This is the main reason why this book is 4 stars for me.
It did slip to being a bit preachy sometimes and I found the superficial acknowledgment of privilege to be just annoying. Still, great book.
First, I often found the main character/narrator insufferable with her horoscopes and travelling to Asia to be enlightened, but I would like to assume this was intentional. The fact that she doesn't want children was relatable, but she was obnoxious about it.
Second, the actual topic and theme of the book was explored well, thoroughly, and from multiple points of view. This is the main reason why this book is 4 stars for me.
It did slip to being a bit preachy sometimes and I found the superficial acknowledgment of privilege to be just annoying. Still, great book.
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
1.0
This book is absolute nonsense garbage and should never have been written. The author/motivational speaker does not have enough substance for his point to fill an entire book. His basic underlying message is fine if not completely obvious, but his arguments, especially his "scientific" explanations, are so fucking stupid.
In fact, the reason why I speed-read this book is because it was so funny. The funniness was not intentional though.
This book is the worst kind of 2009 hype capitalism. Companies are not trying to make money but whatever means necessary, no sir, they are on a valiant and noble MISSION - or at least they should be. The author constantly connects Apple, Harley-Davidson, and Dr. Martin Luther King to illustrate his point. His hard-on for Apple is probably the clearest message this book has, in addition to the WHY instead of the WHAT and the HOW, words that are spelled with capital letters just to maximize the insufferability of the book, I assume.
This book is pointless, stupid, and ridiculous. That's the review in a nutshell. Avoid by all means necessary unless you want a good laugh and can stand second-hand embarrassment well.
In fact, the reason why I speed-read this book is because it was so funny. The funniness was not intentional though.
This book is the worst kind of 2009 hype capitalism. Companies are not trying to make money but whatever means necessary, no sir, they are on a valiant and noble MISSION - or at least they should be. The author constantly connects Apple, Harley-Davidson, and Dr. Martin Luther King to illustrate his point. His hard-on for Apple is probably the clearest message this book has, in addition to the WHY instead of the WHAT and the HOW, words that are spelled with capital letters just to maximize the insufferability of the book, I assume.
This book is pointless, stupid, and ridiculous. That's the review in a nutshell. Avoid by all means necessary unless you want a good laugh and can stand second-hand embarrassment well.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
I think I'm over the 50% mark already but this book just doesn't hold my interest. It's not what I was expecting - partly due to my own misunderstandings - and I just don't want to read any more Holocaust/Second World War enterntainment. The writing is mediocre and it's just the heavy subject matter that makes it seem good, since it inevitably makes you feel something.
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I really enjoyed this book. It's unique, it's interesting, I liked how it was written, and although some say in their reviews that the plot is weak, I liked it. I didn't have a problem with it, but I get the critique.
Good urban fantasy is hard to come by, and it's a genre that I like in general. The South African setting was a nice change of scenery as well.
The book also discusses different difficult themes from class to drug addiction. Definitely would recommend.
P.S. started th book as audio and I did not like the narrator. Or, to be fair, I don't think he voice suited the character, so I switched to physical. This was a good idea because I would have missed a lot of the language.
Good urban fantasy is hard to come by, and it's a genre that I like in general. The South African setting was a nice change of scenery as well.
The book also discusses different difficult themes from class to drug addiction. Definitely would recommend.
P.S. started th book as audio and I did not like the narrator. Or, to be fair, I don't think he voice suited the character, so I switched to physical. This was a good idea because I would have missed a lot of the language.