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stefo's reviews
58 reviews
Animal Farm by George Orwell
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Въпреки, че взех книгата напълно насериозно, по едно време започнах да си представям животните като герои от "Фермата на Отис" и "Гарфилд и Приятели", тук се получи много странен дисонанс, където Наполеон (от тази книга), който както знаем е репрезентация на Сталин (историческата личнос) се превърна в една амалгама от анимационни типажи и образи от детски книжки. Иначе книгата си е добра, като за първи Джор Джор Уел съм доволен. 7/10
100% Match by Patrick C. Harrison III
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
By far the worst novella I’ve ever read. The story is incredibly unoriginal, and the predictable ending comes abruptly with no further exploration of the vaguest themes of alienation and desire (or whatever the fuck the themes here were supposed to be besides plain shock value).
Comparing "100% Match" to another "depraved" and gross book - Mathew Stokoe’s "Cows" - this is absolutely childish and stupid. At least Cows tried to do something with its themes and attempted to make us feel some kind of sympathy for the main character. Here, the only sympathy we can spare is for the protagonist’s hopeless romanticism. There are no redeeming qualities, no explanation for why he ended up like this, and no apparent desire from the author to create an interesting character.
My overall feelings about this read are as such: there is no substance to be found here; nothing interesting or original is written; the shocking content isn’t anything you haven’t read before (and isn’t even all that extreme, as some reviewers suggest).
The only positive aspect of this book is that it's very short, but don't let your morbid curiosity make you read this snooze-fest, spare your time and read something that's actually good.
1/10
Comparing "100% Match" to another "depraved" and gross book - Mathew Stokoe’s "Cows" - this is absolutely childish and stupid. At least Cows tried to do something with its themes and attempted to make us feel some kind of sympathy for the main character. Here, the only sympathy we can spare is for the protagonist’s hopeless romanticism. There are no redeeming qualities, no explanation for why he ended up like this, and no apparent desire from the author to create an interesting character.
My overall feelings about this read are as such: there is no substance to be found here; nothing interesting or original is written; the shocking content isn’t anything you haven’t read before (and isn’t even all that extreme, as some reviewers suggest).
The only positive aspect of this book is that it's very short, but don't let your morbid curiosity make you read this snooze-fest, spare your time and read something that's actually good.
1/10
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
1.0
Banal Notes-App reflections, not-so-complimented by uninspired, coworker-level illustrations.
I’m not necessarily against the themes Rupi explores - even if the Pop Feminism aura radiates from this relic of a past not particularly missed - and I think the popularity of this book has probably had a somewhat positive effect on destigmatizing some concepts (though I’m not entirely convinced).
As art however, this collection is laughably bad.
I’m not necessarily against the themes Rupi explores - even if the Pop Feminism aura radiates from this relic of a past not particularly missed - and I think the popularity of this book has probably had a somewhat positive effect on destigmatizing some concepts (though I’m not entirely convinced).
As art however, this collection is laughably bad.
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
A story weighed down by its incredibly annoying main character (who unfortunately resembles any other "nice guys finish last" dude) and tedious prose, I did not care for these people and I don't think this story "perfectly encapsulates" love in contemporary times as some people have stated. For contemporary reflections and representations - read contemporary books, stop fetishizing classics and their tropes. 5/10.
The Diary of a Madman, the Government Inspector, and Selected Stories by Nikolai Gogol
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Here’s some scattered thoughts about each piece featured in this anthology:
- Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt – A story about a neurodivirgent man and his controlling aunt, nothing much of interest here except the dream sequence at the end and the cheeky closing sentence.
- How Ivan Ivanovic Quarrelled With Ivan Nikiforovich – Or, the state is scared to get involved in some gay drama.
- Nevsky Prospect – Two tales vaguely connected to a location in St. Petersburg, I probably missed a lot of the satire here because of that, the stories themselves felt very real however, like some gossip you’d hear in the city center, so that was nice. Other than that I’m just okay with this one, nothing really stuck out as fascinating.
- The Nose - By far the most proto-absurdist almost surrealist tale I've read by Gogol, segmented in 4 parts that ultimately end with a reflection on fiction (it's "importance" and sharing a frustration with dogmas and principles) by the author himself. Great short story.
- The Overcoat – I remember that we were actually taught this story in school back in the day and I honestly think It was way too early for anyone to understand the satire of socioeconomic status and the subtle absurd humor in it. Good, concise story.
- Diary of a Madman - An impressively “lol random” story that actually manages to be decently funny, unlike a lot of humorous writings of the according age, fun diary-entry-rule-breaking structure due to the main character that is quite ahead of its time and a somewhat terrifying conclusion. Very good short story.
- The Carriage - Unfortunately I didn't find this one interesting at all, there's barely a story here and it ends rather abruptly. Significantly less funny (if funny at all) than the other pieces and in general I'm really confused why this short story is even included in this anthology.
- The Government Inspector – An alright play that could have benefited from fewer acts and more cacophony (since it includes so many characters). Although it was a bit predictable and kind of overstayed its welcome it still surprised me with its metanarrative final act (with the whole spiel of the happenings being written about).
Overall I’m pleasantly surprised by this anthology, having a good amount of works without it being too scattered and I genuinely enjoyed Gogol’s proto-modernist antics a lot. Ultimately I’m glad I finally found a Russian classic writer that I like.
- Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt – A story about a neurodivirgent man and his controlling aunt, nothing much of interest here except the dream sequence at the end and the cheeky closing sentence.
- How Ivan Ivanovic Quarrelled With Ivan Nikiforovich – Or, the state is scared to get involved in some gay drama.
- Nevsky Prospect – Two tales vaguely connected to a location in St. Petersburg, I probably missed a lot of the satire here because of that, the stories themselves felt very real however, like some gossip you’d hear in the city center, so that was nice. Other than that I’m just okay with this one, nothing really stuck out as fascinating.
- The Nose - By far the most proto-absurdist almost surrealist tale I've read by Gogol, segmented in 4 parts that ultimately end with a reflection on fiction (it's "importance" and sharing a frustration with dogmas and principles) by the author himself. Great short story.
- The Overcoat – I remember that we were actually taught this story in school back in the day and I honestly think It was way too early for anyone to understand the satire of socioeconomic status and the subtle absurd humor in it. Good, concise story.
- Diary of a Madman - An impressively “lol random” story that actually manages to be decently funny, unlike a lot of humorous writings of the according age, fun diary-entry-rule-breaking structure due to the main character that is quite ahead of its time and a somewhat terrifying conclusion. Very good short story.
- The Carriage - Unfortunately I didn't find this one interesting at all, there's barely a story here and it ends rather abruptly. Significantly less funny (if funny at all) than the other pieces and in general I'm really confused why this short story is even included in this anthology.
- The Government Inspector – An alright play that could have benefited from fewer acts and more cacophony (since it includes so many characters). Although it was a bit predictable and kind of overstayed its welcome it still surprised me with its metanarrative final act (with the whole spiel of the happenings being written about).
Overall I’m pleasantly surprised by this anthology, having a good amount of works without it being too scattered and I genuinely enjoyed Gogol’s proto-modernist antics a lot. Ultimately I’m glad I finally found a Russian classic writer that I like.
The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
*Writes an allegorical story about how "man can be destroyed but not defeated"*
*Blows his brains out with a shotgun 9 years later*
What did he mean by this???
*Blows his brains out with a shotgun 9 years later*
What did he mean by this???
Caligula by David Greig, Albert Camus
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I read this play mainly for three reasons: In numerous interviews Yorgos Lanthimos names this little book as his main inspiration for "Kinds of Kindness"; I had seen this play before in lists of "Disturbing" lists and the likes; I enjoy Camus' writing.
It ended up being about what I had expected it to be, a concise story about a maniacal ruler who lives beyond moral, ethical and/or logical principles. Its also quite funny at times, but not too much, which might have been one of my issues. My main issue is that its surprisingly tame-ish, nothing really shocked me and it isn't as exaggerated as I wanted it to be, which isn't the play's fault of course, I just couldn't fully enjoy myself with the premise at hand after having read so many examples of the "Theatre of the Absurd". Still, a decent quick read so I'm inclined to give it a 7/10.
It ended up being about what I had expected it to be, a concise story about a maniacal ruler who lives beyond moral, ethical and/or logical principles. Its also quite funny at times, but not too much, which might have been one of my issues. My main issue is that its surprisingly tame-ish, nothing really shocked me and it isn't as exaggerated as I wanted it to be, which isn't the play's fault of course, I just couldn't fully enjoy myself with the premise at hand after having read so many examples of the "Theatre of the Absurd". Still, a decent quick read so I'm inclined to give it a 7/10.
Running Wild by J.G. Ballard
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is my first Ballard book and I got just what I expected, a dark, crime-ridden mystery (although the plot quickly stopped being a mystery to me) as a metaphor for societal anxieties. Quite decent, but not too memorable and at times a bit too exaggerated. I'll be checking his other books out for sure.
Knight's Gambit by William Faulkner
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Започнах тази книга миналата година, декември месец, завършвам я сега. Това на първо място не е много добър признак. Изненадващо си спомням, че първата историйка ми хареса, не ужасно много, но ми хареса. След това обаче изгубих всякакво желание да я продължа, не съм сигурен защо, може би защото в сравнение втората исторя беше покъртително скучна или просто не ми е било до четене тогава. Каквато и да е причината, факт е, че зарязах тази книга 7 месеца, след което продължих. Ако си позволявах да оставям книги, които са ми безинтересни, щях да го направя, но прецених, че тази не е толкова дълга, пък и я четох на български: "Колко пък трудно да е да я довърша?". Доста тръдно.
Последната история в този сборник (Knight's Gambit) реших да я прочета на английски, защото усещах, че изпускам нещо и не се изненадах когато осъзнах, че прозата е изключително тегава за четене на оригиналния си език, преводачът се е справил много добре с превода на някои сегменти но целият стил на Фокнър е загубен: досадните му безкрайни повторения не изпъкваха; комплексният му речник се губеше в превода; езиковите изкривявания на героите изобщо не се забелязваха и т.н.
Всичко това разбира се нямаше да ми направи впечатление ако бях прочел цялата книга на английски, но най-вероятно дори нямаше да я довърша, защото не мога да подчертая достатъчно колко трудно бе за четене в оригинал.
Като цяло, тематиката на разказите ми беше безинтересна, самите истории твърде много се повтаряха и героите бяха неприятни без това да добавя много към атмосферата. Слабо уиски, разреждаха го с вода и захар.
Нямам търпение да почна да чета нещо по-интересно.
Последната история в този сборник (Knight's Gambit) реших да я прочета на английски, защото усещах, че изпускам нещо и не се изненадах когато осъзнах, че прозата е изключително тегава за четене на оригиналния си език, преводачът се е справил много добре с превода на някои сегменти но целият стил на Фокнър е загубен: досадните му безкрайни повторения не изпъкваха; комплексният му речник се губеше в превода; езиковите изкривявания на героите изобщо не се забелязваха и т.н.
Всичко това разбира се нямаше да ми направи впечатление ако бях прочел цялата книга на английски, но най-вероятно дори нямаше да я довърша, защото не мога да подчертая достатъчно колко трудно бе за четене в оригинал.
Като цяло, тематиката на разказите ми беше безинтересна, самите истории твърде много се повтаряха и героите бяха неприятни без това да добавя много към атмосферата. Слабо уиски, разреждаха го с вода и захар.
Нямам търпение да почна да чета нещо по-интересно.
Ice by Anna Kavan
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I found about this novel and Anna Kavan thanks to Squid's song "Peel St.", upon discovering the book I read a tiny bit about Kavan and was left with a peculiar impression, I somehow knew this novel would be a fever dream and it indeed is. In fact I'd say this is one of the more manic novels I've read in a while, which I say in a positive light, there's so much going on all the time, the constant shifts in narration style and unreliable nature of the protagonist can even come off as a bit much at first but once one gets used to being lost this story flows like a harsh but alluring stream. But yes, this is a very dense book and I don't want to piece everything together in this review, what I can say however is I loved all the fictionalized autobiographical elements of Kavan's life in the story and the multitudes of post-war social commentary through means of allegory, symbolism and many more. Overall I'm shook, frozen and left with the need to indulge more in this author and her deranged writings. 9/10!