shreyas1599's reviews
269 reviews

If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon

adventurous sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I did not enjoy the writing in the first sections of the book where Tracy underwent all the trauma. Felt like it could’ve been written much better. The writing of the romantic encounters was lacklustre and the supposed “villain” in the story was given all the ugly traits and generic stereotypes of what a villain looks and acts like. I did enjoy reading the thieving escapades. 

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

The Reversal by Michael Connelly

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly

adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven by Ruben Reyes Jr.

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

slow-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? No

2.75

This was very weird. After reading about the author’s predispositions to eugenics and of the superiority of the “white race” the intent of the book becomes quite clear. There is a desire of the author to create a “master race” and weed of the “undesirables” which for the time of the writing though being a popular viewpoint completely contradicts the points of view of feminism elaborated throughout. The author (true to her character) makes sure to point out that all the women in Herland are white skinned and with blue eyes, which was very disappointing to her over arching depiction of Herland as being a sort ff utopia where such distinctions are not made. The repeated use of “savages” throughout this text to characterise anyone that isn’t “white” was getting tiring towards the end. There was a lot that could’ve been talked about the “utopia” but it only had to be long drawn tirades about “love”,  “sex” and how the woman in the utopia must submit to the men. The theme was honestly getting a little tiring by the end of it. I’ll grant that my entire view of the novel was influenced by the authors personal opinions on eugenics and race but I think it’s only fair to read the novel through that lens as it was the same lens used by the author to pen this. It’s a shame though. It could’ve been much more illuminating and interesting that it is.

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0