st0bbit's reviews
101 reviews

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

3.0

there’s several themes discussed in this story that i thought where done particularly well. the american dream (or tara and salim’s version of it), maintaining your sense of identity in a completely different country with widely separate culture, tara’s trauma and how it manifested in her everyday life. tara isn’t one of those lovable main characters — but the way her grief affected her, and her behaviour was understandable to me, although certainly not justified. and while the change did feel very jarring and abrupt, especially in the way she viewed mukta after — i think that’s also a part of grief, and how it seemingly overwhelms and transforms those affected by it. the descriptions of india as well is the sort of representation i wish we could see in more books about developing countries that tend to be looked down upon or even vilified by western media. focusing on the everyday moments and the bustle of life that is so important to those living there. it’s the little things, the good and bad and even the ugly, like the prevalence of masala chai drank, religious rituals, the red light districts, the persistence of caste divide that really reflect the realities of what life in india might look for a variety of different people. so i really liked reading those descriptions, or the busy traffic, the familiar sounds and scents of bustling neighbourhoods, that make india feel like home to so many people. and of course, the use of terms frequently spoken by those living in indians. they all humanised the country the story was set in, to a lovely and familiar degree.

this book also doesn’t feel consistent, in the sense that there were aspects i both liked, and didn’t like as much at other times. the language was fluid and poignant, but also abrupt and repetitive at other points. the distinction between when police was good and when they were corrupt felt unclear and again, inconsistent when it came to the brothels and the organizations. the relationships overall felt unnecessary, but made sense in the wider scheme of the story.

but some elements in the book threw me off as well; the dialogue being one of the first things that stuck out to me. there are some lines that you knowww damn well no one would say in real life. this is especially seen in brian, with his fake-deep lines that ended up coming across as pretentious. about the relationship between him and tara…. no chemistry at all, especially with the whirlwind way it seemed to start. but perhaps that was the author’s intent, and i did enjoy reading about how tara’s trauma and grief manifested through her feelings towards him. speaking of tara…. sometimes the ways she’s written in her pov’s feel like a shell of the way others perceive her. especially from mukta’s pov… i get that she idolised tara, but when she waxes poetic about tara’s stories, and the way she sees the world, or her bravery… it’s not reflected enough in tara’s everyday behaviour, apart from like. one rare moment in the story. so it was hard seeing what ended up drawing mukta and brian to her. if anything, mukta was the one who saw the world differently, uniquely. smaller things, like a lack of punctuation or typo perhaps missed out in the editing process, and italicised words that threw me off because they felt extra.

but overall, it was bittersweet story with closure, and does shine light on issues and backwards traditions that do still exist to this very day in such countries. while there were a number of things i did not particularly enjoy about this story, what was done well were all done really well, and i particularly enjoyed those bits!

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

this book single-handedly dragged me out of my reading rut… where do i even start. a gorgeous tale of whimsical magic and wonder that’s left me with a sense of comfort i haven’t felt in a long time. this book was constantly at the back of my mind when i wasn’t reading it, and it was so nice being able to settle down and fully immerse myself in it, with each part i left off at.

where do i even start! the characters are (generally) so lovable, with changing povs but not too many that it gets confusing and overlaps. they were also slowly introduced, so that i didn’t feel too overwhelmed or mix up people’s identities. i’m normally not a fan of non-linear timelines either, but this one was brilliantly executed — plus it’s only another diverging timeline from the future and they converge in the end, so it wasn’t messy or distracting.

the romance was a special kind of gorgeous. i love this forbidden lovers kind of trope, and it didn’t detract from the overall plot of the story either; it complemented the main storyline and made it stronger. the descriptions of fleeting gazes and uncontrollable lust was so JWBSHSHSHSH be still my heart….

overall, the flowy, descriptive prose really captured the circus in all its allure, in all its mystique. made me yearn to disappear within its folding, looping paths and get lost in that world of secrecy. the passion of those who chased after it, the emotions evoked from the injustice of pawns trapped in a game they never wanted to participate in (or even had a choice). all feels so raw, and vivid

i do have a few small qualms though… that overall did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. for a story that has elements of loss and dealing with grief, it feels very brushed upon? the reactions of characters would feel too casual, some conversations talking about these losses somehow making it all about the main characters again. felt like this didn’t do the deceased characters a service and felt kinda out of touch during those times:/ and at this point, there’s certain elements about characters’ decisions and actions that don’t feel adequately explained or rationalised. and i suppose because of that things felt off balance — especially towards the end as things were unravelling.

but all in all… so many hearts and love for this story. 😢😢😢 take me back

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Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

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dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

3.25

i love the prose! this sort of flowy, descriptive writing is so evocative and effective in imagery. felt like i could really picture everything happening in my mind

the relationship between both sisters is tragic and heart-wrenching, especially with the change in perspectives and insight into each’s psyche, especially during the “before” segments. both of their resentment that’s pitted against each other is so raw, yet real and reflective of sisterhood

it’s just the ending i take issue with….

would have been perfectly fine, even better, with dara and nick just reconciling. this ending still could’ve worked…. but i’m not a fan of how nick’s mental issues were treated. if she were so deep into her dissociation (which, judging how long this went on in the novel, seems very deep), it doesn’t make sense that she would’ve recovered so quickly. i wish more care had been given to her recovery, and i get that most of it happens bts but it feels unfinished, and abrupt as a consequence. perhaps it’s also desire on my part to see them make things right and communicate, because a fight is truly such a tragic medium through which one’s last words can be conveyed. if more time had been spent on nick fully coming to terms with dara’s death, with the fact that they had never resolved everything and had it all broken off there, i would have enjoyed the ending much better.

but overall… am much inclined to check out more of the author’s works!! again, adored the writing style. the pacing was inconsistent in the sense that it was quite slow at the start, but really sped up towards the end. perhaps it’s just the nature of this story though!

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The Hospital: How I Survived the Secret Child Experiments at Aston Hall by Barbara O'Hare

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dark sad medium-paced

4.0

an absolutely harrowing tale, i haven’t finished any book in just one day for such a long time but that happened with this one

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Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

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dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Know My Name: The Survivor of the Stanford Sexual Assault Case Tells Her Story by Chanel Miller

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

best book i've ever read at this point in time. i laughed, teared up, sobbed, and did it all over again while reading this book – definitely my book i'd recommend everyone to read at least once before they die. chanel's writing is so evocative, absolutely stunning, she's captured the complex subject matters she writes about and has articulated them so clearly. the cruelty of the justice system towards victims of assault, the ramifications that ripple out and beyond, over the years, the absurdity and unfairness of how easily perpetrators can get away with their crimes – i felt it all and more. bought this book after reading her victim impact statement, and i am so so glad i did :' such an important book

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The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

duuuude can't believe i haven't read margaret atwood's works before... i love her writing style (at least in this book). it's got a dreamy, transcendent quality that makes me want to reach out and grab onto it??? i was struck by many of the allusions and parallels drawn because of how vivid they made the portrayals become. the gradual explanation of this dystopian world felt natural; i couldn't help but compare it with 1984's worldbuilding and compare them. 1984 has always felt more in-your-face, but with this book it draws you in slowly while the mystery and confusion clouding the reader unravels. books with commentary that touches on social and political themes are always chilling, because they serve to show us how certain aspects of reality can mirror what we read between the pages. nearly 40 years on, this book still feels as potent and relevant as ever

Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited by Cherian George

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challenging reflective slow-paced

4.5

ok clearly i’m very unqualified to give any review because this is one of my first forays into reading political commentary on singapore. regardless, i’m thoroughly impressed by this — the amount of research and thought put into each essay is clear, and there’s a significant recognition of different perspectives in the topics explored

knocked off half a star simply because certain essays felt more assertive, without adequate portrayal and explanation made to illustrate the point. also, certain events in singapore history were referenced but not explained until later essays, which made it a bit confusing to follow. stuff like a quick footnote, or some context would’ve been helpful

anyway this is definitely a book i’d like to revisit in the next few years, and digest all over again. would recommend it to anyone who’s interested but new-ish when it comes to singapore’s landscape — this is a thought-provoking and refreshing coverage of the country’s political landscape

It Never Rains on National Day by Jeremy Tiang

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mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

To start of, this book is rather easily digestible – the first book i've read in a while that i finished so quickly. i liked the writing style, and the descriptions of seemingly mundane details which actually reveal more about the characters. 'show not tell' was a phrase frequently appearing in my mind as i read this.

a problem i had is that the arranging of stories confused me – perhaps this is the nature of short stories introducing multiple characters that i'm still unused to, but i found myself having to flip towards the front again to remember who certain characters were. considering i read this book in 2 days though, i don't think it's an issue of me simply not remembering who's who. also, some of the characters feel inconsistent, and perhaps this is because they are abruptly arranged throughout the book. i felt the dissonance most with

calvin's character, especially in the last passage

. sometimes i'm unable to differentiate between characters as well, though that may be because the nature of short stories prevents us from getting to know particular characters in depth. additionally, issues described that feel uniquely singaporean were compelling to me, namely the myriad of conflicting emotions often felt towards our national day parades and patriotism.

on the note about arranging though, i particularly enjoyed 'national day', and would say that it's my favourite out of the whole book. the fact that it was placed towards the end made it jarring, in contrast with the portrayed lives of characters who were clearly privileged thus far. it took me by surprise, and left a deeper impact on me for it. it's also the passage that feels the most 'singaporean' to me – of course singaporeans are not a monolith, and everyone has a different expression and experience as one. but for a book which, from the title and synopsis, have such a strong emphasis on our national identity, i was disappointed that some of the characters felt like they could've been from anywhere else, with no ties to singaporean society, and that wouldn't have surprised me. perhaps it's a matter of relatability, but this is something i'm still thinking about. after all, maybe the point is that everyone's circumstances are unique, and i simply missed it. with that being said, there's still something so ...distant about certain characters, it's hard to imagine that these are really people i could potentially meet on the street.

overall, i don't read much singlit but am trying to – this was one of my first forays into it, and i'm glad for that :)

1984 by George Orwell

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dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

dear mutuals, do not be fooled by the supposed few days it looks like i took to finish this... i started it at least one year ago but just never added it here and stopped halfway. alas i do not remember the exact date or even month i started, so oops.

definitely understand why people say it's a book everyone should read at least once in their lifetime, though i think i'll probably re-visit it when i'm older for a deeper understanding. plus it's just kinda long... some passages were a drag to get through, but overall an extremely thought-provoking read still relevant today

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st0bbit's reviews 101 reviews

st0bbit's reviews
101 reviews