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lakeofstars's reviews
56 reviews
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
i feel like i need to lie face down in a pool of water and never resurface
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason by Michel Foucault
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
not my favorite of his works, but still valuable and interesting
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
i always come back to you and i am always angry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Violence
Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
unfortunately this was (very clearly) written by a straight white man. the best aspects are Really Fucking Good!! it's just there's also the... SA as a plot device... real world racial slurs in Deeply Otherworldly scifi setting... rather one-dimensional female characters....
i also felt like the ending fizzled despite the great build-up.
i mean, i liked it enough to read it again. and recommend it. i do recommend this book. just with a GIANT warning label.
i also felt like the ending fizzled despite the great build-up.
i mean, i liked it enough to read it again. and recommend it. i do recommend this book. just with a GIANT warning label.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Cannibalism
Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
perhaps it's because i'm not a romantic (and also not the intended teenage audience lol) but i truly felt like the non-platonic interactions were the weakest part of the book. did not feel much chemistry nor find the trope-laden progression believable. which sucks because i do really want to care for each individual character but the sheer Presence of romance that i was so duly uninterested in was really putting me off.
but believe me when i say i drank up (hehe) what we were given about the world and enjoyed arthie as a protagonist. this book had a fun plot outline with relevant themes, and i LOVE a good arthurian undertone. it really is a shame that the contrived romantic tension was so egregious. i had other (pretty major, hence the 2⭐️ rating) issues with the painful pacing, characterization choices, stakes (hehe), lack of expansion on most ideas introduced, and certain plot points but none had my eye twitching the way it did every time a m/f duo that didn't explicitly view each other as siblings interacted. the tropeification of writing is killing us all.
but believe me when i say i drank up (hehe) what we were given about the world and enjoyed arthie as a protagonist. this book had a fun plot outline with relevant themes, and i LOVE a good arthurian undertone. it really is a shame that the contrived romantic tension was so egregious. i had other (pretty major, hence the 2⭐️ rating) issues with the painful pacing, characterization choices, stakes (hehe), lack of expansion on most ideas introduced, and certain plot points but none had my eye twitching the way it did every time a m/f duo that didn't explicitly view each other as siblings interacted. the tropeification of writing is killing us all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Colonisation
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
this was delightful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexism, and Medical content
Moderate: Death
Minor: Vomit
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
i need to discuss this right now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racial slurs and Antisemitism
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Vomit