randanopterix's reviews
79 reviews

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

adventurous mysterious reflective 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Slavery

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Colonisation

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail

Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

Idk. What works for the podcast just doesn’t work for this book. Once you remove the “community radio” framing device from WTNV, what you get is a really bizarre reading/listening experience, and not in a good way.

RIP Tarantula, you were the best character

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Lovely and heartbreaking. Touching and brutal. Will make you cry probably.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, War

Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Dune by Frank Herbert

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

This is a book for thinking, to be sure. I’m not sure I enjoyed this book but I definitely respect it. The world building is shockingly intricate, both to its benefit and its detriment. The book drops you in the middle of this world with zero pomp and circumstance, allowing you to puzzle out the workings of its systems and cultures on your own. This could be a good or bad thing depending on how you read.

It’s definitely a themes and concepts kind of book. There are scenes of action but they are spaced by long periods of politics and dialogue that left me struggling to stay motivated. 

Hebert does no work to try and keep you entertained. He seems singularly interested on setting his vision forth exactly how it is, with all intricacies intact. The themes of the book (structures of power are inherently cruel to those without, hard times give rise to religious extremism, the value of life vs the value of societal preservation, etc) are thought provoking and relevant no matter the decade this book is read in and Dune’s influence can be seen everywhere in modern popular media.

Expect a book of frustration that will be entirely worth it. Reads best when paired with an audiobook.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Great book for any age. The kind of thing I wish I had when I was a kid. The art is stunning and the message is kind and meaningful. Literally would recommend to anyone.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

adventurous dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Xenophobia, Vomit

Misery by Stephen King

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

A miserable book, absolutely fantastic. King’s writing gets a little corny here and there, but not enough to put me off how incredibly uncomfortable and surprisingly insightful this book can be.  Fantastic character study of the sardonically determined Paul and the insane but dangerously clever Annie Wilkes. 

Lots of King-typical stomach churning violence partitioned by moments of commentary about media creation and its relationship with the consumer/mega-fan. 

Great book!! Loved it! Terrible! Fantastic! Kind of made me want to throw up! Read it!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Cannibalism, Car accident, Murder

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Lovely book, but incredibly difficult to finish if you can’t tolerate a slow pace. The best way to describe this book is “interesting” but there are very few spots that I would describe as especially heart-pounding or heart-wrenching. It’s like crazy things will happen in the story but it’s viewed through a lens of calculation or meditation. It’s almost more fun to hear a synopsis of this book than to actually experience all 1000 pages just because of all the weird things that happen in it. 
Weird book. Worth reading! But I don’t think I’ll be reading it again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Murder, Pregnancy