solaria's reviews
56 reviews

All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Victory City by Salman Rushdie

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Strike the Zither by Joan He

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

Outside Looking In by T.C. Boyle

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

dark tense slow-paced

2.5

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.

This book is too unclear and vague for its own good. I shouldn’t be 200 pages in and still have little idea as to what is going on. I can’t build any connections with the characters as they are hardly described or not described in enough depth for me to care or sympathise with them. I’m still not even sure why Jane is throwing her life away like this as we’ve been given no reason for her to do so. 

The themes are not explored in enough depth either for me to at least say that the book has some thematic depth, because so far they’ve been added as throwaway mentions and take the wrong approach. Living off the grid won’t solve climate change and while individual responsibility is still important, climate change related issues can be solved by targeting corporate entities who violate environmental regulations etc. It sends the wrong message.