thomasdm15's reviews
83 reviews

Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.

This is just not it.

Feels super fan-fictiony, badly written, the "modern" elements feel really forced and out of place even though the writer tells us that it's going to have a more modern touch, I did not retain a single information from the 3 stories I read before calling it quits.

It is partly my fault because I was going in expecting something else entirely (more information, less "slay") but this was not it for me.

Too bad.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Everything dystopia oughts to be. An evident masterpiece. 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

For such a long book that had so much potential, I am disappointed at how little things were developed in it. It started to get really interesting by the end and that's where I realized "oh so the interesting stuff will be in the 2nd book" which makes this one fall a bit flat for me.

Still a very good read that got me eager to keep on reading it nonetheless and a very solid book in a genre that already has some masterpieces to its name.

Bitna, sous le ciel de Séoul by J.M.G. Le Clézio

fast-paced

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

2.0

Tout n'est pas à jeter mais l'une des principales qualités de ce livre est qu'il est court, ça en dit long.

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

challenging sad medium-paced

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

4.5

An absolutely incredible book that I regret reading during a big book slump of mine because I would've enjoyed it 10000x more if I read it faster.

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Gay alcoholics being miserable in miserable city

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A masterpiece, a beautiful love letter to relationships, love, life and games.

Une histoire de genres – Guide pour comprendre et défendre les transidentités by Lexie

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Greek Lessons by Han Kang

fast-paced

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

Very hard to rate a book where you felt like you didn't understand anything at all, it was very confusing and I still don't know if it's because I'm too dumb or if the writing is "too confusing" which hinders the reading experience...