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emmacb's reviews
176 reviews
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Last of the Jane Austens I read and sadly I think my least favourite... Couldn't really warm to any of the characters and moved a bit too slowly for me!
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This book was more or less exactly what I expected, which is fine because that's what I wanted. Pretty predictable for the most part story-wise but again, that's fine! The ending was slightly painfully sugary in an 'I wish the world worked like this' kind of way, but again, it's that kind of book!
I did really like the way characters' relationships were built. Too often romantic stories just have people thrown together and instantly in love but this let things build a little more authentically which I liked.
I did really like the way characters' relationships were built. Too often romantic stories just have people thrown together and instantly in love but this let things build a little more authentically which I liked.
The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I read this book very quickly while sitting on a 24 hour coach ride, and then in a German swimming pool's nude sauna area... The art of travel indeed!!
I took this book away with me with the full intention of leaving it somewhere along my trip. Problem is I enjoyed it too much so it's ended up coming home with me! My favourite takeaway from this book was the section on 'word painting' and reflecting on *why* you find a landscape pretty or interesting which I really liked as a concept and have been trying to put into practice in my own enjoyment of the world around me :)
I took this book away with me with the full intention of leaving it somewhere along my trip. Problem is I enjoyed it too much so it's ended up coming home with me! My favourite takeaway from this book was the section on 'word painting' and reflecting on *why* you find a landscape pretty or interesting which I really liked as a concept and have been trying to put into practice in my own enjoyment of the world around me :)
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Predictable, but that's kind of what I read this type of book for!
Loved the sweetness of the main characters, and how their reactions to events in the story really seemed honest and human rather than plot-manufactured. Only character that felt a little one sided was Gerty but she managed a little development I think!
Made me smile a lot, and laugh a few times too. Overall a great easy read.
Loved the sweetness of the main characters, and how their reactions to events in the story really seemed honest and human rather than plot-manufactured. Only character that felt a little one sided was Gerty but she managed a little development I think!
Made me smile a lot, and laugh a few times too. Overall a great easy read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
This book was on its way to a lower rating to be honest. It's not that it isn't beautifully written, so much as that it feels like the description/writing style is more the point than the story at times. I liked the flashback/forward style of the chapters but also found it frustrating... I don't know, maybe at first this book was at the wrong time/mood for me?
However. I don't think it's a real spoiler to say that this book contains a death . It's literally in the blurb. The second part of the book where Agnes and her family were dealing with the death hit me a lot harder, possibly because I've had some of that of my own to deal with recently. I'd have liked to read more of the conversation between Agnes and her husband (also a bit funny how much the book skirted round the fact that he's literally SHAKESPEARE) after she saw the play. Her thoughts were explained, and her perspective if his thoughts and she is the main narrator I guess, but that's got to have been an interesting conversation, and it felt like a shame to miss it!
However. I don't think it's a real spoiler to say that this book contains
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Domestic abuse and Infidelity
Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold, David Roberts
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Reading this book in 2022 as someone who mostly follows climbing news, this is pretty out of date - released pre-'Free Solo!' still an interesting read though, almost especially because of the new knowledge I can add on top of it about Alex Honnold's later achievements in life and climbing.
The Red-Haired Woman by Orhan Pamuk
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Good enough to keep me reading, but not good enough to make me want to keep reading!
Read in fits and bursts, I would read nothing for months and then 50 pages at once. To be fair to the author, I could 100% tell there was subtext I was missing. The Oedipus/ Sohrab stuff was interesting how it wove into the story. Honestly, a book I think would be better to study than read!
Read in fits and bursts, I would read nothing for months and then 50 pages at once. To be fair to the author, I could 100% tell there was subtext I was missing. The Oedipus/ Sohrab stuff was interesting how it wove into the story. Honestly, a book I think would be better to study than read!
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
adventurous
challenging
slow-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? No
4.5
This book needed to be 2 books.
The build up was slow, and I loved it, but because of that I kind of felt like the ending was a little rushed. It built to such a crescendo that was then over so quickly!
I loved the characters, I felt like there were so many who were given so much depth, so I really came to care for them. With that though, there were some slightly disappointing fakeouts/red herrings which, while I appreciate the echoing of expectations not always bring met in real life, are less fun in a book where you have to read quite so many pages!
For a book that doesn't currently claim to be planning a sequel, I would also say there are plenty of loose ends to wrap!
Overall though, a great read. I ploughed through it alarmingly quickly while COVID quarantining, and will definitely be getting my hands on the prequel at some point :)
The build up was slow, and I loved it, but because of that I kind of felt like the ending was a little rushed. It built to such a crescendo that was then over so quickly!
I loved the characters, I felt like there were so many who were given so much depth, so I really came to care for them. With that though, there were some slightly disappointing fakeouts/red herrings which, while I appreciate the echoing of expectations not always bring met in real life, are less fun in a book where you have to read quite so many pages!
For a book that doesn't currently claim to be planning a sequel, I would also say there are plenty of loose ends to wrap!
Overall though, a great read. I ploughed through it alarmingly quickly while COVID quarantining, and will definitely be getting my hands on the prequel at some point :)
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I didn't initially take to this book. The premise is fun but a little predictable. However, once I reminded myself I was reading this book *for* fun, it's easy to go with the flow and really enjoy it.
One of the things I really enjoyed about it is the exploration of how different people like different things - I'm not a big city person, so reading the perspective of someone who is talking about why they love it so much helped me understand the draws in more than just an objective way.
I also liked the romance in a slightly cynical/escapist kind of way that has me wondering where my own romcom moment might come from!
One of the things I really enjoyed about it is the exploration of how different people like different things - I'm not a big city person, so reading the perspective of someone who is talking about why they love it so much helped me understand the draws in more than just an objective way.
I also liked the romance in a slightly cynical/escapist kind of way that has me wondering where my own romcom moment might come from!
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Having tried to read another book by this author and sort of lost interest halfway through, I didn't have high hopes but wanted to give a celebrated writer another shot! I enjoyed this book, but would have liked to learn more about some of the events in the story.
I know the focus is on the characters recollection of past events, but I still would have liked to know more about what happened with her and her husband in Japan, then in America and how that affected her daughter, rather than leaving it completely unresolved for the reader
I know the focus is on the characters recollection of past events, but I still would have liked to know more about
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Sexism, and Suicide
Minor: Murder
Brief mention of infanticide