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wuthrinheights's reviews
220 reviews
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
I've had my eye on this book for the longest time, and I've been even more curious to read Rilke because of Sam Roth (from Shiver), so I'm finally sitting down to meet him.
Rilke's letters are so.. gentle. It feels like I'm really reading these letters, his voice reading aloud in my head. He is very careful in the way he phrases things, like if he speaks too loud, the magical secrets (of poetry, emotions, life) will be gone. He takes his time to reply to them, and I myself feel so reassured because of it. That everything he says is intentional and sincere.
While it was a lovely read, I feel like this is one of those books where you can't really rush into it. And me, ever so impatient, read it in a hurry in between one of my busiest days, so I couldn't quite enjoy this thoroughly. He had a lot to say and they were thought-provoking, but I wasn't in the right mind to listen. Therefore, I can't rate this any higher. Perhaps if life has slowed down, I'll meet him again, and have a nicer time reading this.
Rilke's letters are so.. gentle. It feels like I'm really reading these letters, his voice reading aloud in my head. He is very careful in the way he phrases things, like if he speaks too loud, the magical secrets (of poetry, emotions, life) will be gone. He takes his time to reply to them, and I myself feel so reassured because of it. That everything he says is intentional and sincere.
While it was a lovely read, I feel like this is one of those books where you can't really rush into it. And me, ever so impatient, read it in a hurry in between one of my busiest days, so I couldn't quite enjoy this thoroughly. He had a lot to say and they were thought-provoking, but I wasn't in the right mind to listen. Therefore, I can't rate this any higher. Perhaps if life has slowed down, I'll meet him again, and have a nicer time reading this.
The Steel Flea by Nikolay Leskov
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
For a short story consisting of emperors and metalsmiths and tiny dancing fleas made out of steel, which sounded so interesting, this did not move me in the slightest. I kept reading, thinking it'll pick up but my God it's one of the blandest books I've ever read in a long while. Even 0.25 was generous for whatever this was.
The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went in blindly and after the disappointing Poe stories, I refused to carry any expectations towards my next Penguin read. The Sandman, however, started out strongly.
It was an epistolary and I was hooked almost instantly. The events described in the letters were dramatic and passionate; it reminded me of Frankenstein or The Phantom of the Opera (my favourites, so this was reeling me in like I was a bird and someone had left a trail of seeds).
I had no idea where the story was going but the more I read on, the faster my eyes leapt over the words. It was amazing. Dark, gory, creepy, spooky, you name it. In the best way, it was psychotic and I was gobbling it up.
The narrator was brilliant to me. It was like the voice was pleading to let you hear the story. Like "I know this will sound crazy but you have to believe me." It was a possession, dreamlike, spectacular. There were so many good lines in this short story, I was thoroughly impressed.
The ending nearly had me gasp out loud and my God, I didn't expect to love it so much but I did. I'm so, so glad this book got chosen for our book club. This will quickly be in one of my favourite new reads this year!
It was an epistolary and I was hooked almost instantly. The events described in the letters were dramatic and passionate; it reminded me of Frankenstein or The Phantom of the Opera (my favourites, so this was reeling me in like I was a bird and someone had left a trail of seeds).
I had no idea where the story was going but the more I read on, the faster my eyes leapt over the words. It was amazing. Dark, gory, creepy, spooky, you name it. In the best way, it was psychotic and I was gobbling it up.
The narrator was brilliant to me. It was like the voice was pleading to let you hear the story. Like "I know this will sound crazy but you have to believe me." It was a possession, dreamlike, spectacular. There were so many good lines in this short story, I was thoroughly impressed.
The ending nearly had me gasp out loud and my God, I didn't expect to love it so much but I did. I'm so, so glad this book got chosen for our book club. This will quickly be in one of my favourite new reads this year!
Daisy Miller by Henry James
On and on, Daisy gallivanted with the pianist until Winterbourne learned a shocking news about the pair, and it turned his life upside down, forever altering his mind.
As my second Henry James book, I'm still on the fence about him. I don't hate his works, but I don't love it either. I like how easy it is to read them, but they don't pull my strings the way some authors do. I am, however, still intrigued to read more of his other works. This was a nice enough book, and I liked his descriptions of the scenery, because I felt like I was really there with them. I finished it with a somewhat satisfied feeling.
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Daisy Miller, to put it shortly, was about a manic pixie dream girl. Winterbourne, on his last day in Switzerland, met Randolph, a chatty nine year old kid, who introduced him to his sister, Daisy. As the little boy became their third wheeler, Winterbourne, fascinated by this beautiful young girl who was hard to crack, took it upon himself to get to know her better.
They went on a midnight escapade and her slippery and unpredictable ways intrigued him further. She wasn't dignified, she wasn't shy, she didn't seem to care who she ran into it, she did what she wanted and she laughed all the time. Against Winterbourne's aunt's approval, he fell for her hook, line, and sinker.
Months later they met again in Rome, where apparently Daisy was the talk of the town--for being a major flirt. With her strange, out-of-focus mother constantly in bed, Daisy went out every night with different men. After awhile, she became acquainted with an Italian pianist, which Winterbourne thought was not good enough for her.
They went on a midnight escapade and her slippery and unpredictable ways intrigued him further. She wasn't dignified, she wasn't shy, she didn't seem to care who she ran into it, she did what she wanted and she laughed all the time. Against Winterbourne's aunt's approval, he fell for her hook, line, and sinker.
Months later they met again in Rome, where apparently Daisy was the talk of the town--for being a major flirt. With her strange, out-of-focus mother constantly in bed, Daisy went out every night with different men. After awhile, she became acquainted with an Italian pianist, which Winterbourne thought was not good enough for her.
"You're a very nice girl; but I wish you would flirt with me, and me only," said Winterbourne.
On and on, Daisy gallivanted with the pianist until Winterbourne learned a shocking news about the pair, and it turned his life upside down, forever altering his mind.
As my second Henry James book, I'm still on the fence about him. I don't hate his works, but I don't love it either. I like how easy it is to read them, but they don't pull my strings the way some authors do. I am, however, still intrigued to read more of his other works. This was a nice enough book, and I liked his descriptions of the scenery, because I felt like I was really there with them. I finished it with a somewhat satisfied feeling.
A Modern Detective by Edgar Allan Poe
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1 star)
I've always liked Poe's stories generally. So I was excited when this book was chosen for our little book club. But upon the first page, I was stumped. It was a smorgasbord of words. For a few minutes, I felt like I was wading through a thesaurus. Why did Poe write like that? I'm not a huge fan of mystery books, and this one didn't help at all. I felt like he was trying too hard to sound smart. I liked the murder scene descriptions; it was gory. But whatever happened after, I felt like it was too redundant. The ending caught me by surprise, I didn't see it coming. But alas, I was not impressed with this story at all.
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt (1.75 stars)
This story started out better than the previous one. His soliloquy wasn't too long and it got to the story quicker. I was more interested in this one, and the description of Marie's death intrigued me better. I was hoping there would be an actual murder this time, and not like the other story.
The murder mystery was tantalising. It was like watching a ball of string being unraveled slowly. Through deductions and newspaper columns, you keep hitting wall after wall, where the mystery was folding and unfolding.
But alack, Poe disappointed me again. By the last section I was befuddled with all the repetitive cross section of the analyses. And the ending was so violently abrupt, I thought I was missing pages. It was going so well and then it was getting worse and worse.
I know he's dead but I hope Poe will never write murder mysteries anymore. This was torturous for me.
I've always liked Poe's stories generally. So I was excited when this book was chosen for our little book club. But upon the first page, I was stumped. It was a smorgasbord of words. For a few minutes, I felt like I was wading through a thesaurus. Why did Poe write like that? I'm not a huge fan of mystery books, and this one didn't help at all. I felt like he was trying too hard to sound smart. I liked the murder scene descriptions; it was gory. But whatever happened after, I felt like it was too redundant. The ending caught me by surprise, I didn't see it coming. But alas, I was not impressed with this story at all.
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt (1.75 stars)
This story started out better than the previous one. His soliloquy wasn't too long and it got to the story quicker. I was more interested in this one, and the description of Marie's death intrigued me better. I was hoping there would be an actual murder this time, and not like the other story.
The murder mystery was tantalising. It was like watching a ball of string being unraveled slowly. Through deductions and newspaper columns, you keep hitting wall after wall, where the mystery was folding and unfolding.
But alack, Poe disappointed me again. By the last section I was befuddled with all the repetitive cross section of the analyses. And the ending was so violently abrupt, I thought I was missing pages. It was going so well and then it was getting worse and worse.
I know he's dead but I hope Poe will never write murder mysteries anymore. This was torturous for me.
The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
It was a lovely play (at first) but because of our clashing schedules, it took us longer to get through it. And it's funny because the play started out very interesting but every time I put it down, I immediately forget what it was about.
I liked the hints of Greek mythology in this, and the characters felt alive to me. I was sad most of them died in the earlier acts though. I wish they had more scenes.
I loved the female characters, Paulina and Hermione. They were so lovely and strong, I sat up straight every time they were around, especially Paulina whose feisty character will literally grab you in every scene she was. She was spectacular. She really carried the whole play on her back like Atlas.
Unfortunately it got more dull the more I read on, though. Especially after the time jump. The seasons changed from winter to spring, my favourite characters weren't there, Act 4 Scene 4 was ridiculously long I was yawning everywhere, the comedy relief wasn't even remotely funny, and even the romantic scenes weren't appealing to me. I was itching to get it over with.
The final scene was a doozy. My copy had a summary at the start of every scene and I try not to read it until after I'm done with each scene but my nosy eyes flicked to it and my mind quickly processed it, leaving me angrily trying to fight my thoughts cause no.. there's just no way that's how the final scene will play out, right? Right? Unfortunately it did and I came to the last page completely disappointed.
The Winter's Tale was sadly a staggering bust. It had so much potential in the first half but it left a bitter taste in my mouth by the second half. Glad that's over and done with.
I liked the hints of Greek mythology in this, and the characters felt alive to me. I was sad most of them died in the earlier acts though. I wish they had more scenes.
I loved the female characters, Paulina and Hermione. They were so lovely and strong, I sat up straight every time they were around, especially Paulina whose feisty character will literally grab you in every scene she was. She was spectacular. She really carried the whole play on her back like Atlas.
Unfortunately it got more dull the more I read on, though. Especially after the time jump. The seasons changed from winter to spring, my favourite characters weren't there, Act 4 Scene 4 was ridiculously long I was yawning everywhere, the comedy relief wasn't even remotely funny, and even the romantic scenes weren't appealing to me. I was itching to get it over with.
The final scene was a doozy. My copy had a summary at the start of every scene and I try not to read it until after I'm done with each scene but my nosy eyes flicked to it and my mind quickly processed it, leaving me angrily trying to fight my thoughts cause no.. there's just no way that's how the final scene will play out, right? Right? Unfortunately it did and I came to the last page completely disappointed.
The Winter's Tale was sadly a staggering bust. It had so much potential in the first half but it left a bitter taste in my mouth by the second half. Glad that's over and done with.
The Theban Plays by Sophocles
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
2.75
KING OEDIPUS (4.5 stars)
A classic, a classic. A horrific tale of mortals trying to outwit the Sun god's prophecy and failing miserably. How sad it is to wrestle Fate and losing every time. I loved the Chorus's hands of intervention in between the dialogues. It felt refreshing.
OEDIPUS AT COLONIUS (2 stars)
Well, I've never had much love for sequels. They can never live up to the originals. Oedipus at Colonius, many decades since his exile, tells the ongoing tale of his cursed life. Blind, homeless, thrown out and sold by his sons. There was a cameo of Theseus, who, despite being a king, was funnily(to me) at Oedipus's beck and call. Oedipus's character changed drastically over the years. Where once he was proud and confident, and now he is a shell of a man, afraid of touching anyone in fear that they too will bear his curse (reminding me heavily of King Midas). The story wasn't as thrilling but I'm glad I got to read it.
ANTIGONE (1.5 stars)
Goodness, it's worse than the sequel. I keep hearing how good Antigone is, so I was excited to read it but it did not interest me at all. When I got to the last page, I let out a sigh. Did I read it wrongly, was my brain too fried at 3am, or was it just overhyped and I had my expectations too high? Antigone, with her strong will, went against the law and paid the price for it. People died, I did not care. I was thoroughly bored with it. Am I too harsh for saying maybe Sophocles was a one hit wonder?
A classic, a classic. A horrific tale of mortals trying to outwit the Sun god's prophecy and failing miserably. How sad it is to wrestle Fate and losing every time. I loved the Chorus's hands of intervention in between the dialogues. It felt refreshing.
OEDIPUS AT COLONIUS (2 stars)
Well, I've never had much love for sequels. They can never live up to the originals. Oedipus at Colonius, many decades since his exile, tells the ongoing tale of his cursed life. Blind, homeless, thrown out and sold by his sons. There was a cameo of Theseus, who, despite being a king, was funnily(to me) at Oedipus's beck and call. Oedipus's character changed drastically over the years. Where once he was proud and confident, and now he is a shell of a man, afraid of touching anyone in fear that they too will bear his curse (reminding me heavily of King Midas). The story wasn't as thrilling but I'm glad I got to read it.
ANTIGONE (1.5 stars)
Goodness, it's worse than the sequel. I keep hearing how good Antigone is, so I was excited to read it but it did not interest me at all. When I got to the last page, I let out a sigh. Did I read it wrongly, was my brain too fried at 3am, or was it just overhyped and I had my expectations too high? Antigone, with her strong will, went against the law and paid the price for it. People died, I did not care. I was thoroughly bored with it. Am I too harsh for saying maybe Sophocles was a one hit wonder?
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I've heard of the title before, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to get it. I didn't really know what to expect but boy, am I happy I got it. (My copy was a used one, and the previous owner wrote great notes in the first 60ish pages. I was sad when they stopped writing, because they were so helpful.)
It was surprisingly a fun read. The modern translation by Coghill was really easy to digest, and it was just fun, silly story after another. Medieval knights fighting each other over love, splashes of Greek mythology, the use of astrology, stories done in rhymes.
And it genuinely made me smile whenever Chaucer would pause telling his stories to focus on describing some things like the details of a temple. Or when there are breaks between the tales where the characters in the tavern would discuss the stories, or pick who gets to tell a story. It was such a fascinating read.
There were a LOT of stories in here, and my rating isn't that high because for a lot of them, I wasn't really that interested in the plot. But often, they would have great lines in between so I enjoyed the book in general. The Clerk's Tale, The Manciple's Tale, The Summoner's Prologue, and The Knight's Tale were my favourite though.
I think if I were to pick this up again, I'm going to need to annotate and analyse them a lot. A lot flew over my head and if I had more time, I would try to dissect each story to immerse myself better. But this first time was pretty fun so I'm not complaining! It was great to be introduced to Chaucer.
It was surprisingly a fun read. The modern translation by Coghill was really easy to digest, and it was just fun, silly story after another. Medieval knights fighting each other over love, splashes of Greek mythology, the use of astrology, stories done in rhymes.
And it genuinely made me smile whenever Chaucer would pause telling his stories to focus on describing some things like the details of a temple. Or when there are breaks between the tales where the characters in the tavern would discuss the stories, or pick who gets to tell a story. It was such a fascinating read.
There were a LOT of stories in here, and my rating isn't that high because for a lot of them, I wasn't really that interested in the plot. But often, they would have great lines in between so I enjoyed the book in general. The Clerk's Tale, The Manciple's Tale, The Summoner's Prologue, and The Knight's Tale were my favourite though.
I think if I were to pick this up again, I'm going to need to annotate and analyse them a lot. A lot flew over my head and if I had more time, I would try to dissect each story to immerse myself better. But this first time was pretty fun so I'm not complaining! It was great to be introduced to Chaucer.
The New Evil by R.L. Stine
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
This book had all the great elements I love from Fear Street. The dark, creepy atmosphere, the mix of supernatural and murders, the shocking twists at the end of each chapter. It was nice. But at first, I also couldn't truly get into it for some reason. I just wanted to get it over with. Or so I thought.
I liked how I was constantly guessing. Who was the evil one? Was it the avoidant boyfriend, the jealous new cheerleaders, Corky herself, or all of them together? I kept pointing my finger at different people.
My initial boredom died down because things got deliciously more interesting in the last part, and I was genuinely intrigued. I was speed reading through it, and I was starting to get creeped out. Some of my suspicions were right, and then it got better as her paranoia deepened. It was like she was descending into madness.
I'm feeling 50/50 about the final ending but I guess it was okay. It went better than I expected. Overall, I just love Fear Street.
I liked how I was constantly guessing. Who was the evil one? Was it the avoidant boyfriend, the jealous new cheerleaders, Corky herself, or all of them together? I kept pointing my finger at different people.
My initial boredom died down because things got deliciously more interesting in the last part, and I was genuinely intrigued. I was speed reading through it, and I was starting to get creeped out. Some of my suspicions were right, and then it got better as her paranoia deepened. It was like she was descending into madness.
I'm feeling 50/50 about the final ending but I guess it was okay. It went better than I expected. Overall, I just love Fear Street.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Rereading it for... oh who's counting? I still feel excited when I pick this book up. I still look forward earnestly to my (many) favourite scenes. I still tremble (either with excitement or intense emotions) when I come across her beautiful writings. Every time I read this, I find new things to love, to discover, to be in awe of. I can't get over how stunningly beautiful this novel is.
Emily was so incredible at writing, it was like she was painting a picture but with words. Whenever I read something I like, I often find myself smiling. I love her brilliant brain. There were so many little strokes of details that if you aren't careful, you'll miss how it ties together to form the story. I understand this isn't a book for everyone but to me, it's pretty special. It speaks to me, like a haunting, tragic lullaby. I know I just finished it, but I'm excited for the next time I'll be running through the moors.
Emily was so incredible at writing, it was like she was painting a picture but with words. Whenever I read something I like, I often find myself smiling. I love her brilliant brain. There were so many little strokes of details that if you aren't careful, you'll miss how it ties together to form the story. I understand this isn't a book for everyone but to me, it's pretty special. It speaks to me, like a haunting, tragic lullaby. I know I just finished it, but I'm excited for the next time I'll be running through the moors.