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sandaru's reviews
187 reviews
Men Without Women: Stories by Haruki Murakami
However, one recurring concern I have is the consistent portrayal of women in each story. They are often depicted as cheaters or somehow responsible for the male characters' situations, even when the male character is the one at fault. This portrayal left me feeling somewhat biased and lacking the balance that is typically present in depictions of both men and women.
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In this latest short story collection by Murakami, I am once again certain, after this being the 3rd short story collection I have read, Murakami is good at novels but he lacks from a short story perspective. His weird and overly sexualised writings get more highlighted in the short story pace, while this is more spread out in the novels. His writing remains as exquisite and eloquent as ever, delving into the lives of men facing a certain emptiness caused by the absence of women.
However, one recurring concern I have is the consistent portrayal of women in each story. They are often depicted as cheaters or somehow responsible for the male characters' situations, even when the male character is the one at fault. This portrayal left me feeling somewhat biased and lacking the balance that is typically present in depictions of both men and women.
Like how Yin and Yang are not all black and white. It's black with a little white in it and white with a little black in it.
The Midnight Man by Caroline Mitchell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Broke the chain of connection to the story after a long hiatus from reading this. Wasn't that impressionable either.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Had to be the best books I have read so far this year. It's ba story and conversation fragments of four very unlikely friends.
A boy who is going home
A mole who likes cakes
A horse who is wise
A fox who is loyal
They are not perfect individually. They have their own weaknesses, fears, confusions and insecurities about life but together the conversations they have, the way of looking at things are perfect. Reminds me of one of the quotes in this book "The greatest illusion of life is that it should be perfect"
Such a cute book, anyone can devour it in less than half an hour but it will make you think about a lot of things: to be kind to yourself, the importance of friends and loved ones or "when you haven't succeeded yet, eat cakes"
A boy who is going home
A mole who likes cakes
A horse who is wise
A fox who is loyal
They are not perfect individually. They have their own weaknesses, fears, confusions and insecurities about life but together the conversations they have, the way of looking at things are perfect. Reminds me of one of the quotes in this book "The greatest illusion of life is that it should be perfect"
Such a cute book, anyone can devour it in less than half an hour but it will make you think about a lot of things: to be kind to yourself, the importance of friends and loved ones or "when you haven't succeeded yet, eat cakes"
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I remember when I saw this book in a 2nd hand book shop I was shocked and happy because I added this book to my TBR just a few weeks before I saw it. Reading this was like reading a self-help book but in a better format. In the format of a conversation that actually happened between an old professor and an ex-student during the professor's last few months. There were parts that I was not able to fathom simply because I am far from being the human this professor advises the author to be. But there were beautiful parts and great lessons for any kind of human being. Instead of teaching "how-to methods" this book converses about these two characters' lives and stories and their conversations.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I always wanted to read Atwood's books ever since I watched her writing course. Such a creative storyteller. And before reading any of her other works, I wanted to start with the infamous "The Handmaid's Tale". Did not disappoint me. If you liked 1984 by Orwell, this will be interesting as well.
The character arches and the story (how she kept it very real in terms of the ending, the slow pace the story went by) everything for us to understand this one character and what is on her head in a dystopian society where the women is considered either a baby making machine, a supportive wife, and kitchen workers and even prostitutes. It's only an exaggerated version of some real women in the world, who are already going through similar situations.
It's not a story about how the heroine breaks the wheel and stands down her foot but more like a realistic version of how things were always meant to be. For that I loved it.
The character arches and the story (how she kept it very real in terms of the ending, the slow pace the story went by) everything for us to understand this one character and what is on her head in a dystopian society where the women is considered either a baby making machine, a supportive wife, and kitchen workers and even prostitutes. It's only an exaggerated version of some real women in the world, who are already going through similar situations.
It's not a story about how the heroine breaks the wheel and stands down her foot but more like a realistic version of how things were always meant to be. For that I loved it.
A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
This book was just so-so I took a long break from it and now I am too bored to continue.
Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
It's not as good as the reviews states. I kind of can guess the rest of the story but even if I am wrong about it, I wish not to continue it's really boring.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, J.K. Rowling
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Magically written. It is written as an extension for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The royalties are donated on Rowling's charities: Lumos and Comic Relief.
It's full of the magical creatures I have once read in Harry Potter series or seen on Fantastic Beasts movies. This is why I love Rowling's books. They are so magical and so minute to detail that feels real. This is one of the books in the Hogwarts first year's syllabus and now we get to read about them like a real book. It was so pure and funny at time. How wittily Rowling writes (as Newt) that some creatures who had already received Muggle press like the unicorns or some creatures like the Dodo bird whom the Muggle believed to be extinct, but in truth, they are Diricawls: a bird that could vanish in a puff of feathers.
It's full of the magical creatures I have once read in Harry Potter series or seen on Fantastic Beasts movies. This is why I love Rowling's books. They are so magical and so minute to detail that feels real. This is one of the books in the Hogwarts first year's syllabus and now we get to read about them like a real book. It was so pure and funny at time. How wittily Rowling writes (as Newt) that some creatures who had already received Muggle press like the unicorns or some creatures like the Dodo bird whom the Muggle believed to be extinct, but in truth, they are Diricawls: a bird that could vanish in a puff of feathers.
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I had to read this book as slowly as possible to take everything in. I love Murakami's writing. it's full of depth and perplexed ideas, sometimes you need to put the book down more than for hot minute to reflect on what you just read. If you are a person who cannot accept Marakami's inane writing style, this won't be the book for you but on the other hand, if you read it with an open mind it would be a one of a kind experience. After "After Dark" this has to be my favourite Murakami novel.
When he writes in double chapter format you know the two stories going on are connected. It's his signature style. At first there will be small facts that you see how they are connected. Gradually the stories become parallel and uniformed and it gives you the full picture of that one story you have been reading so far.
The ending though, I wouldn't know what I expected it to be but I felt it could have been a bit different. Or may be not!
When he writes in double chapter format you know the two stories going on are connected. It's his signature style. At first there will be small facts that you see how they are connected. Gradually the stories become parallel and uniformed and it gives you the full picture of that one story you have been reading so far.
The ending though, I wouldn't know what I expected it to be but I felt it could have been a bit different. Or may be not!
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Such a sad story. I always have a soft spot to old people and reading about them in books makes me wanna bawl my eyes out. The story is beautifully written on Santiago the old man's expenditure in the sea. His perseverance, suffering as a fisherman, the physical and mental bearings he had to go through only to understand all he could do was hope. Even to the end his character never showed the sense of giving up. He would erratically talk to himself in the sea and to the fish he caught. It was all sad but even if he is just a fictional character I had felt a sense of respect towards him. Hemingway's writing and character building is so beautiful.