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cooper_michael's reviews
531 reviews
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
And Then, You Act: Making Art in an Unpredictable World by Anne Bogart
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Walden & Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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
A phenomenal follow up to an already flawless book, Octavia E Butler delivers a timely book… over 20 years ago. This was a scary read for me. It touches on the dangers of a self righteous leader who wants to “make America great again” through toxic and cruel Christian ideals. It establishes Christian America and all its toxicity in a way that really resonates with my own feelings and thus instilled more fear in my for my future. The anxiety I felt while reading this was astronomical, not going to lie. BUT it was an incredibly important book. I got so wrapped up in it and simply cannot express the importance of this piece of literature. Butler was a force to be reckoned with and it’s a true crime that I didn’t study her in school. This series changed me as a person and this book especially will live with me forever. It was an inspiring call for action that never should need to be called for.
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Virginia Woolf is a masterful author who flawlessly delivers a character study set over the course of a day. I was enamored by the way she jumped from character to character so easily. Mrs. Dalloway challenges us to see beyond our ordinary days and reflect on our relationships to love, religion, and our environment. Her stunning prose moves the story along and sets you right in the heart of it. The vivid imagery and the way the characters interacted with and often without dialogue was funny, tragic, and beautiful all at the same time. Falling in love with this book is a reminder of how precious our simple lives are.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It cannot and should not be denied that Donna Tartt is a literary force to be reckoned with. The way she constructs plot and crafts characters is beyond inspiring and drew me into the world she created with The Goldfinch. At times a slow burn character study and a fast paced crime novel, The Goldfinch took me through a life. A tragic, heartbreaking, poignant life. I couldn’t pit this book down. Tartt’s expert writing style sang off the page transporting me instantly into the setting. Her approach to dialogue felt natural and almost as if I was listening to it next door. It was flawless. The story, a feat of artistic genius, drags us around the country and yet, at times, slows to a point of mild annoyance, only to pick up right away. This book is so close to perfect and I’m astounded by its lasting affect on me.