rustedtrains's reviews
75 reviews

The Carrying: Poems by Ada Limón

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

4.5

Gaza Writes Back by Refaat Alareer

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

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dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Like all Steinbeck novels, the technical skill cannot be questioned - it is wonderful in that sense. His descriptive ability is second to none, no one is arguing otherwise - at least not to me. However, given that Steinbeck took the notes for this book from Sanora Babb’s Whose Names Are Unknown, it changes the whole tone for me from that of an earnest attempt at portraying an issue he cares a lot about - which, I am sure, given the foreword that he did, to an extent, care! - to something a little… I don’t know. The fact that he never once mentions her even before he dies is upsetting. He used her lived experience to write this book because he felt the ends justified the means of getting it out there, and sure. To some extent I agree. But didn’t she deserve a chance to do that, too, in her own words first? It just doesn’t feel right, and takes away from the whole experience for me. I plan on reading her book as well, because I’ve heard comparatively The Grapes of Wrath reads rather stale because of the lack of having lived it.

Content Warnings

A Party for Thaera: Palestinian Women Write Life in Prison by Haifa Zangana

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dark emotional informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

War Is a Racket (the Profit That Fuels Warfare): The Anti-War Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier by Smedley D. Butler, Smedley D. Butler

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dark informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

3.25

The Greek Plays: Sixteen Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides by Mary Lefkowitz, James Romm

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of The Windigo Spirit In Horror Literature by Kallie Nicole Hunchman

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informative reflective fast-paced

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Journal of an Ordinary Grief by Mahmoud Darwish

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0