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violentdelights's reviews
56 reviews
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
2.5
Started off fairly strong and I had fun with the SNL rip off and the emailing but really hit a dipping point when it came to the Covid stuff. I don’t want to read about the pandemic, least of all a pandemic romance! It made everything feel rushed and insular and unfun.
From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy by Scott Meslow
lighthearted
relaxing
5.0
A love letter to my favourite genre, and gave me a whole new list of movies to watch and rewatch so I can best appreciate the stories told. There’s a kindness often missing from discussions around romcoms in this book, while also posing a critical eye to the whiteness and heteronormativity that has historically plagued the genre. Will definitely be rereading as I make my way through all the movies discussed!
Y/N by Esther Yi
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.
I just don’t think this book was for me. It felt like something I wasn’t able to fully grasp when what I wanted was a grounded story about fan fiction and celebrity worship. The satirical elements kept it from being grounded but didn’t work for me as satire and instead felt unnecessary grotesque, such as the scene where the one of the characters eats another’s dead skin off their fingernails.
There were certain scenes and all that I thought brought interesting points to life, as well, such as the scene where the narrator gets mad at her then-boyfriend for insinuating that her relationship with Moon (the idol) isn’t real and she states that Moon works harder on their relationship than he does, saying he goes to physical therapy so that he can keep dancing. But as far as I got, those scenes were few and far between and everything else was something I was unable to parse through.
There were certain scenes and all that I thought brought interesting points to life, as well, such as the scene where the narrator gets mad at her then-boyfriend for insinuating that her relationship with Moon (the idol) isn’t real and she states that Moon works harder on their relationship than he does, saying he goes to physical therapy so that he can keep dancing. But as far as I got, those scenes were few and far between and everything else was something I was unable to parse through.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Overall, a fine book that wasn’t too memorable either way. I think where it really succeeded was atmosphere - if nothing else, this book added Maine and Vermont to my to-visit list. It picked up a little with the last quarter, but I wish it happened sooner and that the non-romantic conflict was touched on with more depth. I’m talking of course about the conflict between the friends, but also about seeing more interactions with Harriet and her parents/sister.
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Some quick thoughts:
- Seems like a book for people that really wanted a college friend group
- Becomes much more likeable (to ME) if I don’t picture most the characters as rich and white. To me, Harriet is middle class Irish-Indian and Sabrina and Parth are a Latine couple. I tried to picture Wyn as Viet, but he was too good old-fashioned white boy.
- In continuation of above: While Cleo was dark-skinned, I don’t think she was explicitly stated to be Black, and without other characters of colour it felt a little token-y.
- Some parts felt too…written. There were parts of dialogue that Wyn in particular would say that I just couldn’t picture a real person saying
VERY unrealistic ending. How is she supposed to pay off those loans?
Overall, a fine book that wasn’t too memorable either way. I think where it really succeeded was atmosphere - if nothing else, this book added Maine and Vermont to my to-visit list. It picked up a little with the last quarter, but I wish it happened sooner and that the non-romantic conflict was touched on with more depth. I’m talking of course about the conflict between the friends, but also about seeing more interactions with Harriet and her parents/sister.
Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
No matter how many times I read this book, I feel it’s beauty overcome me. A classic story of two people growing together and apart, of learning to better themselves and thusly learning to love each other. About a boy so stupid (at times) and a girl so headstrong it could be nothing but love. My favourite romance by a long shot.
Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Favourite: Peking Duck (I could pull apart this story for days)
Best Written: G
Best Setting: Los Angeles
Funniest: Yeti Lovemaking
Wish I Knew What Just Happened: Returning
DNFed: Tomorrow (body horror)
Overall: A beautifully written collection of surreal stories that tell honest truths about the loneliness that entails immigrant children and mothers, lost loves, outgrown friendships, and yetis.
Best Written: G
Best Setting: Los Angeles
Funniest: Yeti Lovemaking
Wish I Knew What Just Happened: Returning
DNFed: Tomorrow (body horror)
Overall: A beautifully written collection of surreal stories that tell honest truths about the loneliness that entails immigrant children and mothers, lost loves, outgrown friendships, and yetis.