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wuthrinheights's reviews
195 reviews
Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
When you think about it, a compilation of an author's quotes is like reading their tweets in one book.
There were quite a few favourites in here. I laughed with him, I nodded in agreement, I tutted at his silly wit, and I marvelled at his profound words.
It's always a joy to read Wilde, and this one did not disappoint.
There were quite a few favourites in here. I laughed with him, I nodded in agreement, I tutted at his silly wit, and I marvelled at his profound words.
It's always a joy to read Wilde, and this one did not disappoint.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Alright, I had to give this another try. For so long, it was the lowest rated Shakespeare play. I picked it up as a buddy read with a huge fan so this turned out so much better than when I first read it on my own (shoutout to Winter who was incredibly fun and knowledgeable about the play, that I ended up learning so many new things and picking up things I never noticed)!!
I liked how the supernatural elements influenced the play; like Macky (I refuse to say his name) started speaking in rhymes after receiving the curse/prophecy, or his wife sleepwalking, or the ghosts haunting him, driving him mad. It made it so much more interesting.
I don't really have a favourite character, but Macduff's son and young Siward's scenes--although brief--were really funny and I wish they were around more often.
This play also had many, many great lines which increased the rating. But overall I think it was my buddy who made the play a lot more enjoyable. I lost sleep just to stay up to read with her cause she was so excited about it. I'm really glad we did this!! I now have to throw some salt to get rid of any excess bad juju.
I liked how the supernatural elements influenced the play; like Macky (I refuse to say his name) started speaking in rhymes after receiving the curse/prophecy, or his wife sleepwalking, or the ghosts haunting him, driving him mad. It made it so much more interesting.
I don't really have a favourite character, but Macduff's son and young Siward's scenes--although brief--were really funny and I wish they were around more often.
This play also had many, many great lines which increased the rating. But overall I think it was my buddy who made the play a lot more enjoyable. I lost sleep just to stay up to read with her cause she was so excited about it. I'm really glad we did this!! I now have to throw some salt to get rid of any excess bad juju.
Água Viva by Clarice Lispector
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
It's only been a month since I finished this, yes. But I just had this gaping wound inside me that I needed Lispector's balming words to heal me. I picked it up a couple of days ago, freshly wounded, and now I'm done, feeling well rested; rejuvenated.
Someone once said Lispector wrote intuitively. It's true. Her words were intuitive, prophetic, alive and wriggling. Some may get it, some won't. Even those who got it the first time, there's no guarantee that you'll get it the second time.
It felt a little blasphemous to lower my rating this time around compared to my first time reading it but I do think the first one punched me even harder. I just needed to hear her, read her, to remind me of some things. And as always, it was a job well done. I'm afraid I may make this a habit of rereading her works for as long as I need her.
Someone once said Lispector wrote intuitively. It's true. Her words were intuitive, prophetic, alive and wriggling. Some may get it, some won't. Even those who got it the first time, there's no guarantee that you'll get it the second time.
It felt a little blasphemous to lower my rating this time around compared to my first time reading it but I do think the first one punched me even harder. I just needed to hear her, read her, to remind me of some things. And as always, it was a job well done. I'm afraid I may make this a habit of rereading her works for as long as I need her.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This play was immediately loved from the start! Every time I picked this up (as a buddy read, which made it more fun of course), I had such a great time. It had great lines and relatable characters, and I also despised some of the characters so much--which was why this play was so lovely to read. It sparked up some serious emotions!
Perhaps the story hit a bit too close to home, which made me feel all riled up but it was also why I enjoyed it so much. That for a play written ages ago, it is still so relatable even to this day. Human emotions are eternal.
I was angry with Proteus, I was crying for Julia, I was supportive of Silvia, I laughed at the two fools, I was disappointed with Valentine. Everyone had their own roles and I was very invested through it all.
This play would've been five stars if only the ending wasn't so terribly undercooked. The conclusion was (pardon my French) half-assed; there was no justice for the betrayals, the women were silenced, and there were plot holes I felt like it was hastily covered with twigs and leaves and left alone. I understand it was one of his first plays so it couldn't have been perfect but alright. I'm glad I read it though.
Perhaps the story hit a bit too close to home, which made me feel all riled up but it was also why I enjoyed it so much. That for a play written ages ago, it is still so relatable even to this day. Human emotions are eternal.
I was angry with Proteus, I was crying for Julia, I was supportive of Silvia, I laughed at the two fools, I was disappointed with Valentine. Everyone had their own roles and I was very invested through it all.
This play would've been five stars if only the ending wasn't so terribly undercooked. The conclusion was (pardon my French) half-assed; there was no justice for the betrayals, the women were silenced, and there were plot holes I felt like it was hastily covered with twigs and leaves and left alone. I understand it was one of his first plays so it couldn't have been perfect but alright. I'm glad I read it though.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I rated this 5 stars when I first read it. Rereading it now, I'm only focused on the love part so whenever there were scenes without the Raoul/Christine/Erik trio, I wasn't completely invested. Yes, if I cared more about the other details, this book would've still been 5 stars. But alas.
I still love this book very much, it's still one of my Top 5 Classics. The eerie atmosphere, the music, the constant fear and dread, the intense feelings explored in terms of romantic love and insecurities. I loved every part of the dramatic scenes so much, I could drink it all in happily.
There were also a lot of funny scenes to me that sometimes I'd just howl with laughter. I know I shouldn't laugh but the characters were just so miserable, I couldn't help it. Also reading this with a buddy who's a huge fan made it a much better experience.
The Phantom of the Opera was one of those books where it gets better the more you read on. The world building, getting to know the characters and their complex backgrounds and characteristics. I was sad it ended but also partly relieved because it was so, so intense. Such a fun read though. I'm really happy I got to reread it.
I still love this book very much, it's still one of my Top 5 Classics. The eerie atmosphere, the music, the constant fear and dread, the intense feelings explored in terms of romantic love and insecurities. I loved every part of the dramatic scenes so much, I could drink it all in happily.
There were also a lot of funny scenes to me that sometimes I'd just howl with laughter. I know I shouldn't laugh but the characters were just so miserable, I couldn't help it. Also reading this with a buddy who's a huge fan made it a much better experience.
The Phantom of the Opera was one of those books where it gets better the more you read on. The world building, getting to know the characters and their complex backgrounds and characteristics. I was sad it ended but also partly relieved because it was so, so intense. Such a fun read though. I'm really happy I got to reread it.
A Breath of Life by Clarice Lispector
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"A Breath of Life" was one of those books where I groaned upon reading the first paragraph because I knew it was going to be really good, it would hurt me. I was taking note after note of my favourite--or most impactful--lines and I felt so out of breath. How do I even describe what this book was? It was raw, it was confessional, it was Clarice splitting herself into two just to bare the universe inside her spirit.
Maybe it was the timing because I was going through something internally but every time I picked it up, it made me feel so emotional. There was something so spiritual about my quality time with Clarice and I don't know how to explain it. But I feel so seen, and yet I'm learning more things. Things I've never really thought of before. Magic, yes, it was certainly magical. I feel like a Lispector literature worshipper.
I've grown so fond of Angela. I feel so connected to her, as if she were a younger me. It must've been so painful for Clarice to birth her, to see her walk and grow and to meet her end, like watching your own child. Their relationship resembles a mother-daughter duo. The mother tutting at her naivety, then worrying at how similar they're becoming.
A wonderful, incredible book. For an incomplete novel, I believe it is never-ending. And not because it was incomplete, but because if you read it from the start, it picks up like a continuous cycle. An ouroboros.
Maybe it was the timing because I was going through something internally but every time I picked it up, it made me feel so emotional. There was something so spiritual about my quality time with Clarice and I don't know how to explain it. But I feel so seen, and yet I'm learning more things. Things I've never really thought of before. Magic, yes, it was certainly magical. I feel like a Lispector literature worshipper.
I've grown so fond of Angela. I feel so connected to her, as if she were a younger me. It must've been so painful for Clarice to birth her, to see her walk and grow and to meet her end, like watching your own child. Their relationship resembles a mother-daughter duo. The mother tutting at her naivety, then worrying at how similar they're becoming.
A wonderful, incredible book. For an incomplete novel, I believe it is never-ending. And not because it was incomplete, but because if you read it from the start, it picks up like a continuous cycle. An ouroboros.
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.0
1. The Yellow Wallpaper
I've been wanting to read this for a long time and I'm finally (gratefully) picking it up. Right from the first page, it has captured my attention, like a hook sinking into a fish's mouth.
It has this dark, suffocating ambience that I feel like I'm covered with a dark shawl and I'm hearing her through her scribbled entries. Entries written in haste and secrecy. About her life, her marriage, her John.
John. An immediate red flag. I detested him from the first time she mentioned him. John, so loved by people, so highly sought after, so educated and successful. Evil in the shape of a man. I wasn't looking forward to this. And I was scared for her.
The story took a slightly different turn, and I didn't even notice it ended. I thought the next story was actually another chapter. Imagine my surprise when the characters had different names and setting.
But reading up on it, it made more sense. I liked this a lot, I can see myself reading it again someday. 4.25 stars!
2. The Rocking Chair
First of all, I'm honestly very, very interested in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's writings. It has just the right balance of great story telling and making full use of that eerie, gothic feel. I had a feeling I'd enjoy her but I didn't have too much hope after reading some authors/works I thought I'd be a fan of.
Secondly, this story was intense. I had a headache but I couldn't put it down. For a short story, it was incredibly well penned. I wasn't bored, I had no time to be bored.
You get to meet the characters, immediately caught a glimpse of a waif, the easy relationship between the two characters were established and then cracks started to form, the suspicion and resentment grew, the girl kept slipping through their fingers until their clenched fists were up to each other's necks. And then there's that stomach-dropping end and you just have to live as if it were a normal day but no, you just finished an incredible short story. What a killer author. 5 stars!
3. Old Water
This was probably my least favourite one out of the three but it was still very, very good especially towards the last few pages. Once again we are treading on a slippery slope of territorial men with women they're pursuing. It was terrifying and suffocating. I feared for the girl's life and I couldn't imagine how it would end. 4 stars!
Gilman had such an impressive streak of short stories. I couldn't get enough of it. The themes were recurring but the stories were so different from one another, I could never really tell what to expect (or rather, I didn't want to expect--which proves to be a better reading experience). Safe to say she's quickly being added to my list of favourite authors.
I've been wanting to read this for a long time and I'm finally (gratefully) picking it up. Right from the first page, it has captured my attention, like a hook sinking into a fish's mouth.
It has this dark, suffocating ambience that I feel like I'm covered with a dark shawl and I'm hearing her through her scribbled entries. Entries written in haste and secrecy. About her life, her marriage, her John.
John. An immediate red flag. I detested him from the first time she mentioned him. John, so loved by people, so highly sought after, so educated and successful. Evil in the shape of a man. I wasn't looking forward to this. And I was scared for her.
The story took a slightly different turn, and I didn't even notice it ended. I thought the next story was actually another chapter. Imagine my surprise when the characters had different names and setting.
But reading up on it, it made more sense. I liked this a lot, I can see myself reading it again someday. 4.25 stars!
2. The Rocking Chair
First of all, I'm honestly very, very interested in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's writings. It has just the right balance of great story telling and making full use of that eerie, gothic feel. I had a feeling I'd enjoy her but I didn't have too much hope after reading some authors/works I thought I'd be a fan of.
Secondly, this story was intense. I had a headache but I couldn't put it down. For a short story, it was incredibly well penned. I wasn't bored, I had no time to be bored.
You get to meet the characters, immediately caught a glimpse of a waif, the easy relationship between the two characters were established and then cracks started to form, the suspicion and resentment grew, the girl kept slipping through their fingers until their clenched fists were up to each other's necks. And then there's that stomach-dropping end and you just have to live as if it were a normal day but no, you just finished an incredible short story. What a killer author. 5 stars!
3. Old Water
This was probably my least favourite one out of the three but it was still very, very good especially towards the last few pages. Once again we are treading on a slippery slope of territorial men with women they're pursuing. It was terrifying and suffocating. I feared for the girl's life and I couldn't imagine how it would end. 4 stars!
Gilman had such an impressive streak of short stories. I couldn't get enough of it. The themes were recurring but the stories were so different from one another, I could never really tell what to expect (or rather, I didn't want to expect--which proves to be a better reading experience). Safe to say she's quickly being added to my list of favourite authors.
As You Like it by William Shakespeare
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
4.25
I don't see enough people talking about this play, and they should! It was thoroughly splendid and entertaining. It reminded me of Twelfth Night, which is my second favourite Shakespeare play.
I loved Orlando and Rosalind individually but it was great that they got paired up; they were the strongest characters in the play. Such a power couple. I didn't expect it but funnily Shakespeare made me raise my standards in a partner.
Touchstone was the most catty Shakespeare fool. Some of his lines baffled me. I truly didn't expect to read such things. But him being a hater was funny to me.
I would've rated it higher if some parts weren't a tad uninteresting, though. Some scenes felt like a filler episode to me. But I do have the urge to reread it again someday. I think I may have missed or misunderstood some parts.
All in all, this was a great play and I am so happy I enjoyed my first read of the year!
I loved Orlando and Rosalind individually but it was great that they got paired up; they were the strongest characters in the play. Such a power couple. I didn't expect it but funnily Shakespeare made me raise my standards in a partner.
Touchstone was the most catty Shakespeare fool. Some of his lines baffled me. I truly didn't expect to read such things. But him being a hater was funny to me.
I would've rated it higher if some parts weren't a tad uninteresting, though. Some scenes felt like a filler episode to me. But I do have the urge to reread it again someday. I think I may have missed or misunderstood some parts.
All in all, this was a great play and I am so happy I enjoyed my first read of the year!
The Trial by Franz Kafka
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The Trial was certainly... a trial. As a buddy read, we kept encountering ill luck while reading it. Either one of us would fall sick, or her ebook reader crashed, or my lungs suffered. I don't know what Kafka did while writing this but it felt very cursed.
Once again I am irked by the format of his novels, in which he seemed allergic to using paragraphs. Pages were filled with huge blocks of words with no spacings, which made it quite confusing to move through this story that is already confusing plot-wise.
Josef K was an unlikeable character (and not in a good way. Trust me. I often love books with terrible characters). He was (pardon my French) an ass. He was a menace to every woman he encountered (and boy, there were quite a few), to the men in the trial, to his maid and neighbours, and to his uncle. I could not pity this man at all and I wouldn't mind arresting him myself. He was a Scrooge in a Kafka way.
The book felt like if someone were to play with the volume dial. One second it's loud, and another it's quiet. My interest in the story went up and down. Some were interesting, some were so boring it was like reading white noise. We do not speak of Chapter 7. Whatever that was.
However I do applaud Kafka in his ability to write such a grimy book. I felt so suffocated and dirty, like I'm stuck beneath a centipede's belly. Stomach-dropping, headache-inducing, dread-filling book; that's what The Trial was for me.
Once again I am irked by the format of his novels, in which he seemed allergic to using paragraphs. Pages were filled with huge blocks of words with no spacings, which made it quite confusing to move through this story that is already confusing plot-wise.
Josef K was an unlikeable character (and not in a good way. Trust me. I often love books with terrible characters). He was (pardon my French) an ass. He was a menace to every woman he encountered (and boy, there were quite a few), to the men in the trial, to his maid and neighbours, and to his uncle. I could not pity this man at all and I wouldn't mind arresting him myself. He was a Scrooge in a Kafka way.
The book felt like if someone were to play with the volume dial. One second it's loud, and another it's quiet. My interest in the story went up and down. Some were interesting, some were so boring it was like reading white noise. We do not speak of Chapter 7. Whatever that was.
However I do applaud Kafka in his ability to write such a grimy book. I felt so suffocated and dirty, like I'm stuck beneath a centipede's belly. Stomach-dropping, headache-inducing, dread-filling book; that's what The Trial was for me.
The Passion According to G. H. by Clarice Lispector
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After Água Viva and handwriting every favourite quote from it, I felt like I had an overdose of Lispector. I couldn't get into this one as quickly as I did with the previous book, because I was still reeling from it. And much like her other books, I never really looked up the synopsis so I didn't know what The Passion was about.
This novel started out like the narrator's soliloquy. It was slow and at times, felt like it wasn't going anywhere. But I stayed on and hoped for the best. At first I wasn't quite sold on it and thought maybe I should hit pause but it was constantly calling me so eventually I picked it up again.
Then the novel really started. You get to know the characters. G.H., her life, her penthouse, her maid. And the picture gets clearer as the story goes on. I actually think this book was like a retelling of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka but from a different point of view; of Gregor's sister or one of his parents. It was quickly piquing my interest.
Once again Lispector had a unique way of writing. With every last line of a chapter, said line will be repeated into the next chapter to start over. It was almost like crocheting. Making another chain stitch to repeat a double crochet, yarn over, front loop.. She was literally stitching together a story and I don't think I've ever encountered that while reading. So fascinating.
It was a lot to take in. It was a sea of thoughts. It was philosophical. It was theological. It was a horror story. It was mind and gut churning. It was very Lispectorian.
I was not prepared at all for the final reveal. I had theories but also knew deep down that it wouldn't go that way. No, it went completely the other way. I didn't expect it at all. I exclaimed loudly, which surprised my sister who was next to me. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Like I get it, but I also didn't. I need to sit with it for now.
This novel started out like the narrator's soliloquy. It was slow and at times, felt like it wasn't going anywhere. But I stayed on and hoped for the best. At first I wasn't quite sold on it and thought maybe I should hit pause but it was constantly calling me so eventually I picked it up again.
Then the novel really started. You get to know the characters. G.H., her life, her penthouse, her maid. And the picture gets clearer as the story goes on. I actually think this book was like a retelling of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka but from a different point of view; of Gregor's sister or one of his parents. It was quickly piquing my interest.
Once again Lispector had a unique way of writing. With every last line of a chapter, said line will be repeated into the next chapter to start over. It was almost like crocheting. Making another chain stitch to repeat a double crochet, yarn over, front loop.. She was literally stitching together a story and I don't think I've ever encountered that while reading. So fascinating.
It was a lot to take in. It was a sea of thoughts. It was philosophical. It was theological. It was a horror story. It was mind and gut churning. It was very Lispectorian.
I was not prepared at all for the final reveal. I had theories but also knew deep down that it wouldn't go that way. No, it went completely the other way. I didn't expect it at all. I exclaimed loudly, which surprised my sister who was next to me. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Like I get it, but I also didn't. I need to sit with it for now.