sierrabaldwin85's reviews
26 reviews

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

adventurous mysterious fast-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

4.25

Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami

adventurous lighthearted reflective fast-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? No

4.0

A vibrant world with vibrant characters & an intriguing mystery 

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

adventurous fast-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? Yes

3.75

Great pacing and makes its point. Fun as an audiobook. 

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

Really cute and immersive. The prose is simple and unremarkable, but a good read for getting out of a slump. 

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.0

World by Ana Luisa Amaral

adventurous lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.75

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Normal People by Sally Rooney

reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

While taking the form of an intense, microscopic character study, I still felt like the themes touched on were too broad in scope. The narrative touched on social stratification, abuse, gender roles, and more, yet the broad nature of these topics and the concise nature of the book meant that some themes were neglected. Nevertheless, the ability to interweave a breadth of topics delicately was still impressive despite leaving some to be desired. I found the discussion of Marianne’s relationship to violence particularly astute and unique. The writing style was well suited to approach the topic, and I would have loved to see that expanded upon further.  

Love Poems by Pablo Neruda

emotional fast-paced

4.0

Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

reflective slow-paced

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

5.0