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laedyred's reviews
280 reviews
Almond by Won-pyung Sohn
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-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
2.0
The translator did a great job at capturing the detached narration. This book is...forgettable. The concept was promising, I was hoping for some philosophical discussion on emotion and how we define humanity. Instead I got not much of a plot and not interesting enough characters to keep it going otherwise. The ending is abrupt and left me asking if that was really it. I was disappointed, but I can't say that I actively disliked it. I don't think I would recommend, but maybe it is someone else's taste.
Wilding by Isabella Tree
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I enjoyed this, and it really got me thinking about nature in a different context. For that, I appreciate it. The subject material itself is captivating and lovely to hear about each success. However, I think this book would be better received by someone who is from or lives in the UK. I appreciated that Tree gives context to their actions at Knepp, but some details of the bureaucracy not directly related bogged down the writing a bit. Overall, I would recommend the title.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
reflective
slow-paced
1.0
My rating is purely based off of my own enjoyment, not the objective importance of the text. This was a slog. The first 5 books had a lot of great lines and ideas I took notes of. However, the other 7 books are incredibly repetitive. Essentially derivatives of the Christian doctrine that was based a lot on this text. I ended up skimming the last few books.
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I give this a higher rating because a lot of the ideas, although commonly heard of today, were Frankl's original. I have read many accounts both in personal and educational settings of survivors' experiences. The first half of the book is his time in the camps, which illustrated his feelings but felt disconnected to the second half. I believe he says in the introduction that he will leave connection-making to the reader, but it made it feel disjointed. The second half is his ideas and methods of logotherapy, an invention of his that looks to the future to find meaning. This was...extremely repetitive, sometimes down to the exact same sentence multiple times. I did write down some significant quotes and thoughts, but felt the desire to skip through the last quarter of the book. I think this would have been a better book to read in print rather than an audio book for this reason.
In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Maryanne Vollers, Yeonmi Park
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Many of us are aware of the horrors of North Korea, but this memoir also describes the challenges faced after leaving the country. The horrors escapees endure are hard to read. In my situation, this book did not change my life, but it was educational and inspiring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
The writing and literary devices. The powerful observations and fearlessness to say some hard truths. The subject material is hard to read sometimes, but is never used for shock value. A quick read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I was strangely compelled to finish this book quickly, but I think that is due to some quality of the writing I haven't identified yet. The lack of quotation marks is strange and doesn't lend itself well to being a stylistic choice. Save one, I hated every single character. It seems we're supposed to be sad that Michael is killed or that Cushla is finally free of shit abuse. There's nothing redeemable about the love interest. I didn't leave this book feeling sad, because the "love story" is just two selfish people who are most definitely not in love. What was the author trying to say? What were we supposed to learn? Belfast was violent? Yeah, we know. Cheating is bad? Obviously. I didn't hate the book, but I don't understand how it made it to the shortlist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The prose is extremely dense, but Borges' ideas are wholly original. Often I would question the intention of each story until he beautifully wrapped it up in the last few sections. This is not a casual read, for sure. However, it is enjoyable and a great source of thoughts to ponder.
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Most poems are surface level, unoriginal, 3-5 lines to describe one feeling or thought with no subtlety. However, I do give an extra star for the handful of poems that are sufficiently well crafted and intentional. In these, she makes use of literary devices nicely and does invoke a strong response from the reader. I connected with the subject material and blew through it in one short sitting, so it felt worthwhile albeit not life changing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
dark
mysterious
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
2.0
I found the first half of the book more enjoyable than the second. There is not a strong plot, which would be fine if I felt the characters drove the story or connected with what Jackson was trying to say. Unfortunately, I think this one didn't strike a chord with me. I guessed the plot twist early on. In the afterword, themes of sexual repression and incest are mentioned and compared to Jackson's previous works. I don't see this at all, and was shocked that it was the supposed underlying tone. None of the characters have much depth to begin with. Even though this book didn't catch my eye, I am interested in reading another of Jackson's works to compare.