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emily_britton's reviews
832 reviews
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A nice adventure for reading aloud. The kids really enjoyed it.
The Year 200 by Agustín de Rojas
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Great story, really kept me guessing, but the quizzes were weird and there was definitely a political slant to the author's writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape
Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.25
Very eye-opening, though somewhat repetitive and occasionally hard to understand.
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Cute
Giants in the Earth: A Saga of the Prairie by O.E. Rølvaag
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Poetic writing with a captivating story, this reminded me of the kinds of books I loved as a youth, although it was certainly not a kids' book. It was a sort of Little House on the Prairie for grownups, but just beautifully written.
The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and loved the main character especially. The plot was intriguing, and the writing was just archaic enough that it wasn't annoying to read about another era in such a modern idiom.
This book is certainly not for the squeamish -- lots of reference to prostitution and everything it entails. But we do tend to whitewash history far too readily.
This book is certainly not for the squeamish -- lots of reference to prostitution and everything it entails. But we do tend to whitewash history far too readily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
2666 by Roberto Bolaño
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
I certainly appreciate the genius of this magnum opus, but I certainly didn't enjoy most of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Murder
The Tuscan Year by Elizabeth Romer
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
This was a very strange combination of travelogue and cookbook. I loved the descriptions of food and how it was gathered, prepared, and enjoyed in the context of what life was like in Tuscany for much of the twentieth century, but the "recipes" were often redundant and would be very hard to actually cook from.
Do I want to go to Tuscany now? For sure.
Do I want to go to Tuscany now? For sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Heartbreaking and infuriating. What a terrible period of history and horrifying to read about -- but important as well. Had Gourevitch's writing been anything less than what it was, this would have been unbearable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Violence, and War