srm's reviews
1027 reviews

Waiting to Be Arrested at Night by Tahir Hamut Izgil

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.5

The writing is clear and compelling, while the story is heartbreaking and painful. So worth reading. 

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A Very Private School by Charles Spencer

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A moving memoir with additional indictment of the world of boarding schools. Excellently written, painful, and engaging. 

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A Gentleman from Japan: The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth’s Court by Thomas Lockley

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adventurous informative medium-paced

4.0

The story of Christopher, the first person from Japan to go to the Americas or England, is a fascinating and previously completely unknown corner of history for me. And as a reader of sea stories, this was definitely compelling and particularly brutal.

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The Last Viking: The True Story of King Harald Hardrada by Don Hollway

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adventurous informative medium-paced

4.25

Enjoyable and readable account of a genuinely fascinating figure. I especially enjoyed learning more about Harald's time in Constantinople. 
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay

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adventurous emotional reflective 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

4.25

Another beautiful and fascinating fantasy Renaissance book from Kay. After DNFing A Brightness Long Ago, I think I'm definitely going to have to give it another try after enjoying this and All the Seas of the World so much.

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Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera by

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informative slow-paced

4.25

There's a lot of this I already knew, but it was still incredibly enjoyable, and would be a great choice for someone really just beginning. 
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima

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

4.5

A disturbing, fascinating, and brilliantly written account of an ill young acolyte at Japan's most famous temple in the years following WWII.

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All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay

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adventurous emotional reflective 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

5.0

Lovely with compelling characters and story. It's my favorite Kay yet.

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The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

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adventurous dark informative medium-paced

3.0

Perhaps my expectations were too high. Maybe I've read too many other books about shipwrecks and men stranded at the ends of the earth and naval mutinies, but the simple fact is, I've read better. 

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Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe by Judith Herrin

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
We only listened to this much out of inertia. There's some interesting stuff in here, but everything is treated as equally important and interesting when it's clearly not, and it became monotonous after 11 and a 1/2 hours. We didn't have 7 and a half more hours in us.