siddhi's reviews
102 reviews

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.25

It was really good! Just found the last part to be a bit annoying. Seemed like Rin oscillated pretty wildly between two extremes, I couldn’t really follow her train of thought. Because of that it was hard to identify what her convictions were and even more difficult to like her as a protagonist (although that may be the point).

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

such a sweet and heartwarming book

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

a very easy read. not only in terms of not being able to put it down, but also unfortunately in terms of it spoon feeding the reader exactly what to think, precisely what to feel.

I really enjoyed the process of reading this book. It was gripping, addicting even and I couldn’t look away from the mess. But upon finishing, I felt almost disappointed. Apart from a few morally grey moments, the book was very clear in delineating the good from the bad. Kuang’s own voice blatantly bleeds from the narrative, leaving little room for outside interpretation. and don’t get me wrong, in some books, good and bad are clear cut and that’s great. I guess I was just expecting more of a challenge. 

would I recommend? sure. it’s fun! but don’t expect it to spark much ethical discourse. kuang has already spoken for it.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.5

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

4.0

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

it’s fine

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

saw a review that said “my brain small but my heart big”

that’s how I feel about this book. it will confuse you in 100 different timelines and each time you think you have a grasp on what is going on, everything will shift. i think this book literally BEGS to be reread.

but the love story is somewhat beautiful (admittedly a bit psycho)

it reminds me of the dynamic between joker and batman. joker is obsessed with batman because batman gives him a purpose, something to fight for. so he will never kill batman even when the opportunity arises, because killing batman would be like killing a part of himself.

two enemy agents corresponding illicitly. what could go wrong? i did enjoy how interconnected their lives become. it’s like the delusional, obsessive manifestation of “he is half of my soul as the poets say.” which is pragmatically unsustainable and crazy, but deep down (like really deep down), wouldn’t it be nice to have someone you’re so entwined with?

this quote from the book sums up the sentiment:
“I love you. I love you. I love you. I'll write it in waves. In skies. In my heart. You'll never see, but you will know. I'll be all the poets, I'll kill them all and take each one's place in turn, and every time love's written in all the strands it will be to you.”

the concept of time travel is handled with elegance and the ending was quite satisfying (though it did feel like there was a lot of burden on the reader to understand what was going on). overall, i don’t know. much to think about. it’s only 200 pages so can’t hurt to give it a go.

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense 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

5.0

I have never read a book like Babel. Utterly comprehensive, it covers imperialism, racism, sexism,  class inequality, all with so much nuance, and STILL has the time to create an immersive and complex magic system. The book follows Robin, a student at the Oxford Babel translation institute, who specializes in Chinese translation. As he progresses in his education, he learns more about his place in English society and how his role as a translator has indispensable local and international influence. 

I absolutely loved the discussion surrounding the act of translation; how the author's original message is undoubtedly distorted when coerced into a different language. How the translator's own biases insert themselves into the narrative. And yet, however imperfect, that translation is a necessary step to understanding humanity across cultures and linguistic boundaries. It has forever changed how I will approach translated literature.

As the story develops, Robin finds himself entangled within a corrupt system with a malicious political agenda. He struggles to reconcile his privileged life as an Oxford student with his responsibility to protect those in his home country. This motif of individualism vs. collectivism continues throughout the book as the characters debate whether preserving their personal good fortune justifies submission to a corrupt institution. It really aligned with my own experience of Eastern vs Western culture and the differing priorities.

This book is titled "Babel: or the Necessity of Violence" and this latter statement is explored in great detail. So many perspectives are shown: those who do not endorse violence of any kind, those who understand the power of violent acts in propelling a cause, and those who would use any means necessary to achieve their goals. Kuang doesn't directly tell the reader which mindset is correct, rather she shows us each philosophy in action, its consequences, and allows us to draw our own conclusions. My ethical perspective was challenged time and time again. 

This entire review doesn't even scratch the surface of what Kuang covers in this novel. It is an absolute must-read. I would venture far enough to say it could be a modern classic.

A Fig For All The Devils by C.S. Fritz
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.

I’ll finish it later

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

slow-paced

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

2.5

just so boring and none of the characters were likeable