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sarahxify's reviews
691 reviews
Autocracy Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World by Anne Applebaum
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Unlike their twentieth-century predecessors, today’s autocrats cannot impose censorship easily or effectively. Instead, they have focused on winning audiences, building support for their messages by channeling resentment, hatred, and the desire for superiority.
Private Rites by Julia Armfield
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Although the premise of this was interesting, in execution it was just too slow to hold my interest.
This is about three sisters, Irene, Isla, and Agnes, whose father has just died. They are all estranged from him and have a very tense and distant relationship with each other. Their complicated family background has bled into each of their lives, and they all have similar struggles with openness and being emotionally available.
Although the premise was interesting, this moves at a glacial pace, and relies heavily on the sisters' poor communication. The father is dead from the beginning, so in the first half of the book there is virtually no plot progress made, apart from the same point about the fractured and strained the dynamic between the sisters being made again and again. I got tired of waiting for something else to happen, so put it down.
This is about three sisters, Irene, Isla, and Agnes, whose father has just died. They are all estranged from him and have a very tense and distant relationship with each other. Their complicated family background has bled into each of their lives, and they all have similar struggles with openness and being emotionally available.
Although the premise was interesting, this moves at a glacial pace, and relies heavily on the sisters' poor communication. The father is dead from the beginning, so in the first half of the book there is virtually no plot progress made, apart from the same point about the fractured and strained the dynamic between the sisters being made again and again. I got tired of waiting for something else to happen, so put it down.
Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
I enjoyed this at first but it really stagnated. The writing and characters were so boring.
It’s largely about Nell, an artist living in an Irish island who is commissioned by this group of solitary nuns. There is definitely more that meets the eye , and Nell also has some extra stuff going on with some local men. But all in all just fkn boring
It’s largely about Nell, an artist living in an Irish island who is commissioned by this group of solitary nuns. There is definitely more that meets the eye , and Nell also has some extra stuff going on with some local men. But all in all just fkn boring
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
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
2.0
A good story, but I found this to be quite drawn out and boring for what was actually in it.
Woo Woo by Ella Baxter
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
North Woods by Daniel Mason
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a really compelling and cleverly done short story collection. Most of the stories are intertwined, with one major story running through the book, about Lionel, Charles, and Sophie, three professional dancers at the same studio. Charles and Sophie are in an open relationship, and Lionel and Charles have started sleeping together.
Their story is interrupted by other stories, each of which is deeply tragic. You get dropped into different people's lives who are struggling immensely, and then move back to Lionel's story.
The standout elements of this book are the writing and characterisation. I would really a full novel about any of these characters. They are well-formed and deeply drawn, and have extremely complex and detailed relationships with everyone else in their story. The way this is written really pulls you into each story as well - it's almost a bit jarring to go to the next.
There are elements of Real Life in this, particularly the dynamics between Lionel and Charles reminded me of Wallace and (? Miller?). But truly excellent - makes me want to read another Brandon Taylor ASAP.
Their story is interrupted by other stories, each of which is deeply tragic. You get dropped into different people's lives who are struggling immensely, and then move back to Lionel's story.
The standout elements of this book are the writing and characterisation. I would really a full novel about any of these characters. They are well-formed and deeply drawn, and have extremely complex and detailed relationships with everyone else in their story. The way this is written really pulls you into each story as well - it's almost a bit jarring to go to the next.
There are elements of Real Life in this, particularly the dynamics between Lionel and Charles reminded me of Wallace and (? Miller?). But truly excellent - makes me want to read another Brandon Taylor ASAP.
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Murgia takes the reader through many aspects of artifical intelligence, always focusing on the human and equality side of things. Experiences of different individuals across a really wide range of counrties are discussed in a very nuanced and sensitive manner, balancing some of the benefits of AI (such as aiding diagnostic decisions in areas with very minimal medical personnel available), to some of the darker sides. Murgia described how humans in developing countries work incredibly hard to train AI algorithms and considers important aspects of exploitation and inequality, as well as discussing the issue of biased algorithms, focussing on case studies where AI has been used to identify 'likely' criminals.
This is well-written and quite accessible, keeping away from in-depth technical discussion of AI. Its focus on the human element keeps it engaging and informative - highly recommend.
This is well-written and quite accessible, keeping away from in-depth technical discussion of AI. Its focus on the human element keeps it engaging and informative - highly recommend.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Interesting story but it was quite boringly told imo