zatannacomic's reviews
109 reviews

Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman by Stefan Zweig

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

I enjoy Zweigs writing style a lot. There were multiple lines I had to highlight, because they were so meaningful or made such a clever comparisons to art or nature. 

The two books I’ve read by him both have dealt with obsession, and I liked how both have ended so differently. The plot of this story focuses on 24 hours, a woman’s single day spent with a stranger. Her story is full of emotions, passion and confusion. 

This read a bit slower than Chess and I was not as hooked on this story. However I did enjoy it a lot and Zweig is for sure one of the authors I want to read more from. 

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

 This has to be one of my favourite books I’ve ever read. I’m obsessed with everything phantom of the opera related, so I just had to read the original story and what a story it was. It’s just so good. After finally getting my physical copy I read 200 pages in 2 days, because I could not put down the book. I love it when stories are tragic, sad and a bit dramatic. 

Somewhere in me it was not hard to pity and sympathize with the phantom, but other adaptations of Erik got that feeling more out of me (mainly the musical and the 1990 TV-special Erik were easier to sympathize with). This book does make him more of a bad person, especially when you read more about his past in the epilogue. Still I liked reading about Erik a lot. 

Thie plot is fantastic. The writing style is unique as it’s written like a historian recounting the events. There are some beautiful lines in there. There is a great set of characters. I mainly liked how Raoul was allowed to feel and how Christine was portrayed as a kind, but also smart person. 

It’s absurd that this book isn’t seen as a bigger classic, because it deserves it. It’s such a fantastic book I can’t wait to reread it and annotate it in depth. 

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.25

A collections of letters that showed me the passion in poetry and how it's an art to appreciate and inspire. There are beautiful lines and sentiments incorporated in this writing. It's a short read and I am glad that I have read it. 

Bluets by Maggie Nelson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.

Not for me, couldn't keep my interest

The Phantom of the Opera by Cavan Scott

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

I love anything that has to do with the Phantom of the Opera and I had a fantastic time reading this. 

My only critique would be that that certain scenes get cut off really quickly and I feel like it assumes you know what happens. I think the “Prima Donna” scene is the easiest example. 

Still the art fit perfectly and I liked how close the dialogue stayed to the musical. 

Het wordt spectaculair. Beloofd. by Zita Theunynck

emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Wanneer ik de helft van een boek om middernacht in een keer uitlees, dan verdient een boek vijf sterren voor mij. Ik was helemaal meegenomen in de emotie van het verhaal. Ik hou van de focus op het alledaagse en hoe kwetsbaar liefde kan zijn. Toch vond ik de personages soms wat eendimensioneel. Het concept met de brieven vond ik zeer origineel.  

De plot-twist op het einde was onverwacht en in de eerste instantie was ik er geen grote fan van, maar toen kwam er meer context door het perspectief van Anna en toen werd alles gewoon heel triest.  Verder deed dit boek mij aan Norwegian Wood van Murakami denken. 

The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World by Antony Loewenstein

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I’m speechless after finishing this book. I’ve learned a lot of new, upsetting information. Through this book I just kept on wondering how this could keep happening. Just read this, it’s so important to learn.

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

dark fast-paced

4.0

This is the first piece of Edgar Allan Poe I've ever read/listened to for myself (so not a class) and I really enjoyed it. I liked the emotion portrayed throughout the poem. Certainly something everyone should check out.

Fresh Dirt From the Grave by Giovanna Rivero

dark slow-paced

2.25

I enjoyed the first two stories, however the other stories didn't really appeal to me. They didn't really go anywhere, which was disappointing. The author likes to use language, that sees beauty in the ugly and isn't afraid describe something gross. The stories are trying to make you feel icky, but in the end I was mostly disinterested.

It might be a small thing, but I also really liked that multiple stories share themes of death and dirt. Which tied really well to the title and I have to appreciate that. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pregnancy

Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is very heavy. It’s a book that switches from the present to the past and goes on a trip down memory lane. It’s emotional, painful but honest. It’s a book about wanting closure and asking for forgiveness, while also questioning life and god/religion. 

The writing meanders through Peri’s life as a student and as an adult, but it took a while to really get into the story. I didn’t love how certain plot points were brought up sporadically and were never really explored in depth or were mentioned too late in the book to really make an impact. 

I liked this book, but it’s not on the same level as other books by Elif Shafak. Still I’d recommend this to friends. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide attempt