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chandranolynne's reviews
381 reviews
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“Our lives here are inexpressibly trivial and momentous at once, it seems he’s about to wake up and say. Both repetitive and unprecedented. We matter greatly and not at all. To reach some pinnacle of human achievement only to discover that your achievements are next to nothing and that to understand this is the greatest achievement of any life, which itself is nothing, and also much more than everything. Some metal separates us from the void; death is so close. Life is everywhere, everywhere.”
I liked this, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it instead of listened to it as an audiobook. It's less story and more poetry, and the narration took something out of it for me. I found it more difficult to follow than I think I would have on paper. I will give Harvey points for her beautifully lyrical writing, which was absolutely stunning. I just wanted it to be a bit more plot-forward and found myself thinking, "What was the point of that?" at the end. Again, I liked it, but I really didn't understand it. I also don't understand why it won the Booker Prize, but I didn't read any of the other nominations so I can't compare.
I liked this, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it instead of listened to it as an audiobook. It's less story and more poetry, and the narration took something out of it for me. I found it more difficult to follow than I think I would have on paper. I will give Harvey points for her beautifully lyrical writing, which was absolutely stunning. I just wanted it to be a bit more plot-forward and found myself thinking, "What was the point of that?" at the end. Again, I liked it, but I really didn't understand it. I also don't understand why it won the Booker Prize, but I didn't read any of the other nominations so I can't compare.
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“A day might be just twenty-four hours but sometimes getting through just one seems as impossible as scaling Everest.”
I went into this one not firmly believing that a sequel was necessary. The first book was beautiful, and while the ending may not have been wrapped up neatly with a bow, the open-endedness suited it. Ultimately, I enjoyed this, but if I'm comparing it to the first one—and of course I am—it just didn’t resonate nearly as much. I didn’t find Adam as compelling a protagonist as Mia. It took me probably half the book to get on his side and stop griping about his brooding. However, once I was able to really root for him, the book took on very much the same vibe as the first one. I absolutely loved the last 100 pages or so, and the ending had me close to tears. All said, I'm happy that I didn’t give up on Adam in the earlier chapters, and I'm pleased that the author decided to give us an ending to Adam and Mia's story.
I went into this one not firmly believing that a sequel was necessary. The first book was beautiful, and while the ending may not have been wrapped up neatly with a bow, the open-endedness suited it. Ultimately, I enjoyed this, but if I'm comparing it to the first one—and of course I am—it just didn’t resonate nearly as much. I didn’t find Adam as compelling a protagonist as Mia. It took me probably half the book to get on his side and stop griping about his brooding. However, once I was able to really root for him, the book took on very much the same vibe as the first one. I absolutely loved the last 100 pages or so, and the ending had me close to tears. All said, I'm happy that I didn’t give up on Adam in the earlier chapters, and I'm pleased that the author decided to give us an ending to Adam and Mia's story.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I’ll be in love with tomorrow.”
What a beautiful little novel. I’ve had this book forever but kept putting it off because I was anticipating it being super heavy. And yeah, it was sad and kind of somber, but it was also filled with fun, laughter, hope, family, love, and finding new beginnings through endings. Just really, really good.
What a beautiful little novel. I’ve had this book forever but kept putting it off because I was anticipating it being super heavy. And yeah, it was sad and kind of somber, but it was also filled with fun, laughter, hope, family, love, and finding new beginnings through endings. Just really, really good.
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“I think people more often kill those they love, than those they hate. Possibly because only the people you love can really make life unendurable to you.”
Agatha Christie strikes again! I've think this is only my second Christie novel that is not a Poirot mystery, and I must say it's a bit of a breath of fresh air. This novel was particular interesting in that, while Christie makes you suspect quite literally every character at some point or another (as per usual), I found myself not really wanting any of them to have done it. Most of the time there are "good guys" and "bad guys" you hope are or are not guilty, but I feel like Christie very carefully crafted each of these characters to give the reader reason to suspect without reason to hate them. I also will say that I did guess the killer at one point but then decided I was definitely completely wrong well before it was finally revealed.
Agatha Christie strikes again! I've think this is only my second Christie novel that is not a Poirot mystery, and I must say it's a bit of a breath of fresh air. This novel was particular interesting in that, while Christie makes you suspect quite literally every character at some point or another (as per usual), I found myself not really wanting any of them to have done it. Most of the time there are "good guys" and "bad guys" you hope are or are not guilty, but I feel like Christie very carefully crafted each of these characters to give the reader reason to suspect without reason to hate them. I also will say that I did guess the killer at one point but then decided I was definitely completely wrong well before it was finally revealed.
The New Girl by Jesse Q. Sutanto
dark
reflective
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
2.0
"No matter how many times I try telling myself that I belong here, that they sought me out for track... I can't shake this feeling deep in my core that I'm all wrong for this place. That no matter how fast my legs are, they can never outrun my background."
Don't let the fact that I read this book in one day trick you into thinking it's good. I mean, it wasn't particularly bad, but it could have been so much better. There was a lot of potential, but ultimately, it wasn't able to strike a good balance between keeping the story interesting and making the social commentary it cared so much about. It reminded me of When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole. The author wanted to make a statement about racism through a particular lens while intertwining an exciting thriller, but the two concepts just didn't mesh well in the execution.
As a caveat, I will add, this is a YA book, and I'm a firm believer that much YA can be read by older audiences, this one might be better through the eyes of a teenager.
Don't let the fact that I read this book in one day trick you into thinking it's good. I mean, it wasn't particularly bad, but it could have been so much better. There was a lot of potential, but ultimately, it wasn't able to strike a good balance between keeping the story interesting and making the social commentary it cared so much about. It reminded me of When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole. The author wanted to make a statement about racism through a particular lens while intertwining an exciting thriller, but the two concepts just didn't mesh well in the execution.
As a caveat, I will add, this is a YA book, and I'm a firm believer that much YA can be read by older audiences, this one might be better through the eyes of a teenager.
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
"Desire didn’t require trying of any kind. Desire wasn’t wrested out of someone."
This was a seasonably-suited novel. I've had it for some time, and I'm really pleased I waited until now to read it. Just perfect. As an historical-fiction novel, this was wonderful. The slow, measured writing really complimented the gothic vibes and Victorian setting, and the captivating heroines were outdone only by the despicably sleezy villains. I also found it incredibly well researched and feel like the author did a great job staying true to the era in which she chose to set her story. As a mystery, it was little too tell-don't-show for me. I'm not one who figures out turns and twists easily, and I pretty much knew what was going on the entire time (though I did like the extra twist at the end, which I did not see coming). Still, a beautiful novel, which I strongly suggest reading in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot apple cider.
This was a seasonably-suited novel. I've had it for some time, and I'm really pleased I waited until now to read it. Just perfect. As an historical-fiction novel, this was wonderful. The slow, measured writing really complimented the gothic vibes and Victorian setting, and the captivating heroines were outdone only by the despicably sleezy villains. I also found it incredibly well researched and feel like the author did a great job staying true to the era in which she chose to set her story. As a mystery, it was little too tell-don't-show for me. I'm not one who figures out turns and twists easily, and I pretty much knew what was going on the entire time (though I did like the extra twist at the end, which I did not see coming). Still, a beautiful novel, which I strongly suggest reading in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot apple cider.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”
“You can't fix someone who is determined to stay broken.”
This book was everything I hoped it would be—smart, sweet, and funny, with some truly lovely characters. I fell in love with Tova just like I did with Britt-Marie. Shelby Van Pelt skillfully maintains a beautiful slow-burn vibe while keeping the story engaging. There's plenty of insightful and entertaining commentary on human behavior woven into the narrative, which is enhanced by richly developed characters who feel real and relatable, flaws and all. Highly recommend!
“You can't fix someone who is determined to stay broken.”
This book was everything I hoped it would be—smart, sweet, and funny, with some truly lovely characters. I fell in love with Tova just like I did with Britt-Marie. Shelby Van Pelt skillfully maintains a beautiful slow-burn vibe while keeping the story engaging. There's plenty of insightful and entertaining commentary on human behavior woven into the narrative, which is enhanced by richly developed characters who feel real and relatable, flaws and all. Highly recommend!
The Kidney Hypothetical: Or How to Ruin Your Life in Seven Days: Or How to Ruin Your Life in Seven Days by Lisa Yee
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.0
"It was supposed to be the best week of my life, but then everything went terribly wrong. Actually, things had gone terribly wrong long before that, but no one had bothered to notice."
This was an easy, low-stakes, YA read that I read in a day. It's certainly nothing earth shattering, but it kept my interest and didn't try to do too much. I will say, I'm personally kind of over the straight-laced-boy-meets-manic-mysterious-girl-and-second-guesses-everything-about-himself trope, but other than that the story was pretty cute, and it had a good balance of humorous and heartfelt moments.
This was an easy, low-stakes, YA read that I read in a day. It's certainly nothing earth shattering, but it kept my interest and didn't try to do too much. I will say, I'm personally kind of over the straight-laced-boy-meets-manic-mysterious-girl-and-second-guesses-everything-about-himself trope, but other than that the story was pretty cute, and it had a good balance of humorous and heartfelt moments.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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? No
3.0
“If you stumble about believability, what are you living for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe?”
This is a difficult for review for me to write. If I were an academic and reviewing with that mindset, it would likely get five stars. If I were reviewing it solely based on enjoyment, it would only get one. So, I'll compromise and go with three. It is beautifully written and contains so many wonderful quotes, but I was just... bored. It's a dense, slow burn that definitely deserves its accreditation, and I fully appreciate the hype behind it. I, unfortunately, wasn't entertained by it and found myself wishing it were a bit shorter and more to the point.
This is a difficult for review for me to write. If I were an academic and reviewing with that mindset, it would likely get five stars. If I were reviewing it solely based on enjoyment, it would only get one. So, I'll compromise and go with three. It is beautifully written and contains so many wonderful quotes, but I was just... bored. It's a dense, slow burn that definitely deserves its accreditation, and I fully appreciate the hype behind it. I, unfortunately, wasn't entertained by it and found myself wishing it were a bit shorter and more to the point.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“See, as much as you want to hold on to the bitter sore memory that someone has left this world, you are still in it. And the very act of living is a tide: at first it seems to make no difference at all, and then one day you look down and see how much pain has eroded.”
I watched this movie when it came out a hundred years ago and recall loving it and also sobbing like a baby. I fully expected to love the book the same and also sob like a baby. It exceeded expectations. Obviously, having seen the movie already, I had a base understanding of what was going to happen, but that did not dampen my enjoyment of the novel at all, and in face, I found that I preferred the book version of the things the movie changed significantly more! That said, and while trying to avoid spoilers, if you've watched the movie and have been wondering if you should also read the book, go read the book. Now.
Seriously, this was so good. It's my first Jodi Picoult (I know, I know), but there will definitely be more to follow!
I watched this movie when it came out a hundred years ago and recall loving it and also sobbing like a baby. I fully expected to love the book the same and also sob like a baby. It exceeded expectations. Obviously, having seen the movie already, I had a base understanding of what was going to happen, but that did not dampen my enjoyment of the novel at all, and in face, I found that I preferred the book version of the things the movie changed significantly more! That said, and while trying to avoid spoilers, if you've watched the movie and have been wondering if you should also read the book, go read the book. Now.
Seriously, this was so good. It's my first Jodi Picoult (I know, I know), but there will definitely be more to follow!