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thelibrophile's reviews
1112 reviews
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.75
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Knowing facts about something, some time period is one thing. But reading the stories of people facing those facts, living in that time - that's just something else.
I always say, "history tells facts, while historical fiction tells feeling"
Never been truer.
It's not like I didn't know about emergency, the facts, the cases, the legal and political aspects, the treatment of people. My mother lived through that, she was a kid back then, but she has stories.
However, reading this - I didn't really know anything. Not the sufferings. Not the reality. Not the lives of the common folk.
To be clear, this book offers nothing really about emergency, the what, why or how of it.
It's only a tangential account of life of common people from different fields, who intersect in each other's lives some or other way.
The book does not limit itself to telling the story of one or two or few persons. It contains the life-stories of a Parsi, a Muslim family, Dalits, rich people, a woman trying to be independent, some tailors, a college student, a revolutionary , a businessman, a beggar, a lawyer, a hair-collector, a policeman, a watchman, and so on.
This book crosses so many people, their lives, their past and present, over a span of decades.
This book tells a first-hand fictionalised experience of the cast discrimination with the chamars, the hindu-muslim riots, the sikh riots; and the primary event this story revolves around, the even which finally destroyed the lives of two who overcame every obstacle in their course of life - the emergency.
It made for an interesting writing style.
However, don't hope for a happy ending with this one. It's more of a "and life goes on" thing here.
Oh well, "after all, tomorrow is another day."
I always say, "history tells facts, while historical fiction tells feeling"
Never been truer.
It's not like I didn't know about emergency, the facts, the cases, the legal and political aspects, the treatment of people. My mother lived through that, she was a kid back then, but she has stories.
However, reading this - I didn't really know anything. Not the sufferings. Not the reality. Not the lives of the common folk.
To be clear, this book offers nothing really about emergency, the what, why or how of it.
It's only a tangential account of life of common people from different fields, who intersect in each other's lives some or other way.
The book does not limit itself to telling the story of one or two or few persons. It contains the life-stories of a Parsi, a Muslim family, Dalits, rich people, a woman trying to be independent, some tailors, a college student, a revolutionary , a businessman, a beggar, a lawyer, a hair-collector, a policeman, a watchman, and so on.
This book crosses so many people, their lives, their past and present, over a span of decades.
This book tells a first-hand fictionalised experience of the cast discrimination with the chamars, the hindu-muslim riots, the sikh riots; and the primary event this story revolves around, the even which finally destroyed the lives of two who overcame every obstacle in their course of life - the emergency.
It made for an interesting writing style.
However, don't hope for a happy ending with this one. It's more of a "and life goes on" thing here.
Oh well, "after all, tomorrow is another day."
Riches to Riches: Part One by Ames Mills
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
I seriously would have given it 2🌟, had it gone on the same like first 25%. But it became a bit better.
Still. I have so many complaints from this book.
First of all, what kind of name is riches to riches? Especially without any relation to the story! And
Then, part 1 and 2 for 2 books? Was there a shortage of names or what?
For the most part, it seemed like the book started from the middle. There needed to be a 100 pages of introduction, the background of all the characters etc. in the beginning.
The characters were all talk and big thoughts and no action.
If I had to summarise this book in 1 word (yeah I can do it) - it would be superficial!
The only thing good in this book, I think, was the sex, the group scenes.
Usually with RH books, I can't choose any one favourite MMC because I like them all. My frnd asked me who was my favourite in this one, and I thought and thought, but I could find even one MMC who I liked! They were all fine-ish together. But no one was well-developed individually - no character and no plotline
I started book 2. But 5-10 pages in and it's even worse. So I'm giving up on the series.
Still. I have so many complaints from this book.
First of all, what kind of name is riches to riches? Especially without any relation to the story! And
Then, part 1 and 2 for 2 books? Was there a shortage of names or what?
For the most part, it seemed like the book started from the middle. There needed to be a 100 pages of introduction, the background of all the characters etc. in the beginning.
The characters were all talk and big thoughts and no action.
If I had to summarise this book in 1 word (yeah I can do it) - it would be superficial!
The only thing good in this book, I think, was the sex, the group scenes.
Usually with RH books, I can't choose any one favourite MMC because I like them all. My frnd asked me who was my favourite in this one, and I thought and thought, but I could find even one MMC who I liked! They were all fine-ish together. But no one was well-developed individually - no character and no plotline
I started book 2. But 5-10 pages in and it's even worse. So I'm giving up on the series.
All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
I don't think I've ever liked a series this much from book 1 itself! (Not 800-900 page books that is)
This has been so captivating from its onset. I'm totally invested in the story, the characters, how it's all unravelling from the very beginning. And now it's over, with who knows how long wait for the next one 🥺🥺
So glad that I started the series after 3 books are already out. Or what would I have done.
Wait wait wait.
Now it's just for the next books. When the story has at the least progressed some.
Need more!
This has been so captivating from its onset. I'm totally invested in the story, the characters, how it's all unravelling from the very beginning. And now it's over, with who knows how long wait for the next one 🥺🥺
So glad that I started the series after 3 books are already out. Or what would I have done.
Wait wait wait.
Now it's just for the next books. When the story has at the least progressed some.
Need more!
These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Heart of Frost and Scars by Pam Godwin
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Such a fucked up series. Amazing!!
Like, I can't recommend it to anyone. No sane person would be interested in reading this story, and the others - too many triggers for most of us depraved readers.
Perfect storyline, perfect love stories, perfect buildup for the romance, acceptance by multiple partners, the progress, the characters - all of the characters. And the two psychopath villains! And both of their endings. The deaths of the villains.
And the Epilogue. The final ending. Everything!
Yeah I know I'm mostly only using nouns here, nkt adjectives. Because I don't have proper adjectives here.
I'm just. Wow!
Like, I can't recommend it to anyone. No sane person would be interested in reading this story, and the others - too many triggers for most of us depraved readers.
Perfect storyline, perfect love stories, perfect buildup for the romance, acceptance by multiple partners, the progress, the characters - all of the characters. And the two psychopath villains! And both of their endings. The deaths of the villains.
And the Epilogue. The final ending. Everything!
Yeah I know I'm mostly only using nouns here, nkt adjectives. Because I don't have proper adjectives here.
I'm just. Wow!
Hills of Shivers and Shadows by Pam Godwin
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5