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solitaryandunsustained's reviews
162 reviews
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Incredibly beautiful writing that covers a lot of heavy topics like love, war, and familial bonds and trauma. Felt like talking to someone pour out their life story.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
V.E. Schwab's writing style is extremely beautiful. They also captured feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, and future uncertainty really well, as well as the experience of being in an abusive relationship formed from dependency. I also quite enjoyed the ambiance of addie' s wanderings through life, and was blessed to be able to listen to this book while wandering around a museum, gardens, and coffee shops (highly recommend). It is definitely a dark and somewhat slow book, but very interesting to read and makes you consider some of us take for granted when we long for freedom to explore the world but are unable to form meaningful connections and relationships. Very good, highly recommend
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
3.75
Featured fascinating symbolism surrounding feminism and the institutional structures that sustain the patterns of abuse and mistreatment towards women and female mental and physical health. A fascinating read that is still highly relevant as we look at recent laws passed in Texas over the 6 weeks abortion laws as institutions dictate the outcomes for female bodies and mental health, further affecting upcoming generations and children likely to be born out of trauma and neglected by foster and adoptive systems.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.0
I seriously did not expect the ending for this one, and it turns out pretty twisted. Had a dream before reading it that was oddly relevant to the plot and resolution in a strange symbolic way. But regardless, it was a nice dark academic thriller that was quick but intriguing. Some of the motives felt a little unbelievable or unrealistic, but overall it was an interesting read.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I'm actually speechless after reading this book. I'd never read anything by h.g. wells before, but his writing style is so intentional and every sentence feels riddled with symbolism and meaning. Additionally, this book really reminded me of the concepts and visual imagery from Greta Van Fleet's album The Battle at Gardens Gate. The Book and the album really feel like they enhance each experience and may be deeply connected. If I could rate this book more than 5 stars I would
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
3.0
Started this book thinking Gregor's transformation was a good analogy for a person's mental health deterioration, but the ending sort of threw me off and now I don't know what to think lol
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't enjoy the writing style. Patchett writes very straight and to the point without artistic flare, but at the same time she gives too many details that feel insignificant. This book would have been better if about 150 pages were cut. The plot surrounding the main family and the Dutch house was intriguing, but the execution just felt bland and tired. Maybe someone that connected to the main themes more than me would be able to overlook these things, but it just felt drawn out.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
The writing style was beautiful. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the book as a whole in the midst of some of the densest war scenes, but the final scene had me pretty close to tears.