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kamrynharned's reviews
194 reviews
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My thoughts about this book are extremely conflicting. On the one hand, the book was extremely well written, well researched, and well executed. It accomplished exactly what it was trying to - a tragic and touching multigenerational saga, full of unexpected twists, political upheaval, spanning multiple cultures and jumping back and forth in time. Not to mention how well-done the medical side of things was (albeit very gruesome) - not surprising for a doctor, but appreciated nonetheless. I learned so much, which is something I value, but none of this unfortunately can change the fact that I didn’t really enjoy myself. Again, the first person perspective from Marion was well-written, but I just couldn’t connect with him as a character beyond just feeling bad for him constantly. He wasn’t unlikeable, but he wasn’t like-able either. The book was extremely long - some of the character’s backstories dragged on much longer than they needed to, and as soon as something did pique my interest, it felt like the author would jump into another backstory that lost me again. That all being said, the last quarter of the book was incredible - fast-paced, exciting, and had me hooked while still being lyrically and significantly written. I tabbed several beautiful quotes, and am looking forward to discussing the book with my mom and grandma, but if it weren’t for the book club, I don’t know if I would have gotten through it.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I just want to start off by saying that this book did more right than it did wrong, but unfortunately, what it did wrong happened to be the writing style, and it was hard to ignore. It was glaringly informal, from the sentence structure to the punctuation ( I don’t think I have ever read a book that had a sentence ending in ?! ), and came off as very cheesy, despite the impressive plot and research that went into the story. If it weren’t for how interesting the book was right off the bat, I don’t think I would have continued reading. I was drawn to the concept initially, and the science was purely impressive. I know nothing about physics or astronomy, and despite the in-depth scientific explanations, I was never lost. That alone takes skill, and the pacing of the story was also skillful. I truly raced through this book and for that alone, I think it deserves a high rating from me.
A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Couldn’t keep track of the characters through the audiobook because they all had French names
Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art by Madeleine L'Engle
medium-paced
5.0
So much to reflect on in this book. This book makes me so thankful for art - the way it allows us to see our Creator and co-create with him. Her perspective on good art is so refreshing - it is something created out of a dying to self, from a place in the artist that they aren’t even aware of, in order to attempt to create cosmos out of chaos. The artist is aching for truth, yearning for the beauty in the ashes, and that is why it stands the test of time and culture. I loved how she characterized Christian art: the Christian artist cares what the children see. We are all children, and children should not be sheltered from the pain and suffering of this world, but they should be taught to see it through the lens of the Incarnation - everything that is is broken, everything that will be is perfect. Her chapters were far from organized. It was very stream of consciousness - one paragraph touching on a different thought than the next. The book as a whole was very cohesive however, and the farther you read, the more every chapter tied together. She used repetition beautifully. Full of antidotes about her own experience as an artist and full of examples of great artists of the past - applicable for those who would consider themselves artists by profession, for those who would consider themselves artists by hobby, and for those who wouldn’t consider themselves artists in any capacity but who love Jesus and want to seek truth and love in Him.
But only if I die first, only if I am willing to die. I am mortal, flawed, trapped in my own skin, my own barely used brain, I do not understand this death, but I am learning to trust it.
Only through this death can come the glory of resurrection; only through this death can come birth.
And I cannot do it myself. It is not easy to think of any kind of death as a gift, but it is prefigured for us in the mighty acts of Creation and Incarnation; in Crucifixion and Resurrection.
You are my helper and redeemer; make no long tarrying, my God.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I don’t think I quite understand the Ann Patchett charm in the same way the rest of the world seems to, but this was a lovely book! It was the first book that I’ve picked up set in COVID times, and I thought it was done very tastefully. It was sweet reading about an all-girl family during lockdown - several parts of the dynamic were relatable. I’m glad I was already familiar with the play Our Town, or else much of the story could have been lost. The pace was well-set, I thought she did the timeline jumps really well, and chronologically I never lost track of the story. The overall theme of the beauty found in simplicity and the ultimate satisfaction and reward of long-lasting love was lovely. Mellow but feel-good, with some interesting twists and turns along the way!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
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
5.0
I haven’t read a book that made me FEEL like this since Phantom of the Opera, and that was my favorite book of last year. This was a re-read for me, and other than the fact that Death was the narrator, I remembered nothing about this book. I feel ready to read it again immediately. This book wasn’t long by any means, but it felt long because of how thorough and arching it was. It was full of the mundane moments and the significant ones, spared no detail when it came to character progression, and moved at the perfect pace. I fell in love with all of the characters in a way only an extremely beautiful book can captivate me. And if I read a book with a better closing paragraph this year, I will be amazed.
"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race – that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant… a last note from your narrator: I am haunted by humans.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
I wanted this book to be a 5 star read, and while all the ingredients were there, it just didn’t add up. Definitely an impressive debut novel, and while I didn’t notice any major plot holes, I didn’t fall in love with the story or the characters. The character progression was solid, the setting was unique and well-rounded, and the plot was well-paced. I loved Marcellus’s chapters and wish more was told through his POV. It’s hard for me to pin point where this fell short, but I’m still glad I read it!
Missing May (Scholastic Gold) by Cynthia Rylant
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
Cynthia Rylant feels like a hidden gem. This book won a Newberry medal and I now know why, and I never would have discovered it if it weren’t for the children’s picture book on Ecclesiastes I picked up from the library. I’m sure a middle grade student could pick up this book and get through it, especially if they are battling grief and loss in their own lives. The writing was simple and approachable, but the depth of the dialogue on grief was so significant and beautiful that it left me, a 25 year old adult, emotional and so thankful for life. It reminds me of the Little Prince or A Wrinkle in Time in the sense that you either need to be young enough to just enjoy the the plot and not think too hard about the symbolism, or you have to be an adult to dully understand and appreciate all that is being done. At least when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have appreciated this story, like I know I didn’t appreciate The Little Prince.