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meliemelo's reviews
2261 reviews
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Unfortunately, I did not love this book, although I did like it. It may be because I am very familiar with the myth (I did appreciate all the research put into it) so it couldn't surprise me. I expected, wanted, to be moved by the story, but ultimately wasn't, and I can't explain it.
With Regrets by Lee Kelly
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was promised "Big Little Lies meets Birdbox" and got exactly what I signed up for - and written slightly better than what I expected to boot!
Yes, the main characters are a mix that you could expect in one of those "mums/wives drama" novels, hitting the right beats of characterisations. But let's be honest: isn't that partially what we came for? Especially the ones we can hate on or at the very least strongly despise, and aren't they ridiculous? Isn't there something cathartic in all of this?
And then you had the supernatural element in it, and you get an expecting mix... that somehow still works.
Parts of the ending are a bit of a letdown (some of the arrangements seem a bit... optimistic and even incongruous), and yes, some of the drama was predictable. But I did have a great time reading this!
Yes, the main characters are a mix that you could expect in one of those "mums/wives drama" novels, hitting the right beats of characterisations. But let's be honest: isn't that partially what we came for? Especially the ones we can hate on or at the very least strongly despise, and aren't they ridiculous? Isn't there something cathartic in all of this?
And then you had the supernatural element in it, and you get an expecting mix... that somehow still works.
Parts of the ending are a bit of a letdown (some of the arrangements seem a bit... optimistic and even incongruous), and yes, some of the drama was predictable. But I did have a great time reading this!
Tu sens bon la terre et le soleil by
medium-paced
0.25
(Je pourrais même ne mettre aucune étoile...)
Comment ce livre s'est-il retrouvé parmi les (relativement peu nombreux) ebooks francophones de la bibliothèque nationale irlandaise ? Mystère. C'est pourtant bien là que je l'ai emprunté, un peu au hasard. Et... dès les premières pages, j'ai voulu abandonner. N'ayant jamais refermé un livre si vite, j'ai essayé, pour me donner bonne conscience, de continuer. En fin de compte, j'aurai survolé plutôt que lu le tout.
Le premier gros, gros problème, c'est l'écriture. L'autrice ferait bien, avant tout, d'apprendre à utiliser la ponctuation correctement, en particulier les virgules. Je n'ai cessé de me demander comment c'était passé à la phase de correction - il semblerait que le livre ait été auto-édité, ce qui répond à ma question (et me chagrine, car loin de moi de vouloir dire du mal de l'auto-édition).
L'histoire est également affligeante, prévisible au possible (ce qui ne serait pas si mal avec une bonne écriture et des personnages intéressants, bref, ne serait-ce qu'une chose pour faire apprécier le livre !). Le seul rebondissement réel est absolument ridicule - un rebondissement juste histoire d'en faire un. Et le ridicule, vu le sujet traité, est la dernière chose que l'on voudrait.
Bref, c'est dommage, d'autant plus que je vais avoir du mal à faire confiance aux ebooks de la bibliothèque après ça !
Comment ce livre s'est-il retrouvé parmi les (relativement peu nombreux) ebooks francophones de la bibliothèque nationale irlandaise ? Mystère. C'est pourtant bien là que je l'ai emprunté, un peu au hasard. Et... dès les premières pages, j'ai voulu abandonner. N'ayant jamais refermé un livre si vite, j'ai essayé, pour me donner bonne conscience, de continuer. En fin de compte, j'aurai survolé plutôt que lu le tout.
Le premier gros, gros problème, c'est l'écriture. L'autrice ferait bien, avant tout, d'apprendre à utiliser la ponctuation correctement, en particulier les virgules. Je n'ai cessé de me demander comment c'était passé à la phase de correction - il semblerait que le livre ait été auto-édité, ce qui répond à ma question (et me chagrine, car loin de moi de vouloir dire du mal de l'auto-édition).
L'histoire est également affligeante, prévisible au possible (ce qui ne serait pas si mal avec une bonne écriture et des personnages intéressants, bref, ne serait-ce qu'une chose pour faire apprécier le livre !). Le seul rebondissement réel est absolument ridicule - un rebondissement juste histoire d'en faire un. Et le ridicule, vu le sujet traité, est la dernière chose que l'on voudrait.
Bref, c'est dommage, d'autant plus que je vais avoir du mal à faire confiance aux ebooks de la bibliothèque après ça !
At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender: Life Lessons from a 50-Year-Old After Two Decades of Self-Discovery by Shou Arai
informative
reflective
slow-paced
2.25
Some interesting points but very disjointed.
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Although I didn't enjoy this as much as I did TJ Klune's later books, you can definitely find traces of the wonderful author he would become.
I really enjoyed the pack relationships and how they were described. Most of all, I loved Ox as a character.
Some things felt repetitive, others predictable. I was a bit wary of the age gap, knowing from professiona experience the difference between 17-18 and 23 (and it didn't help that Joe at 17 was written very similarly to Joe at 10, dialogue-wise), but overall it was relatively well handled. Plus, thankfully, the romance wasn't the only point of the book.
I really enjoyed the pack relationships and how they were described. Most of all, I loved Ox as a character.
Some things felt repetitive, others predictable. I was a bit wary of the age gap, knowing from professiona experience the difference between 17-18 and 23 (and it didn't help that Joe at 17 was written very similarly to Joe at 10, dialogue-wise), but overall it was relatively well handled. Plus, thankfully, the romance wasn't the only point of the book.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.75
I am deeply appreciative of the mission T.J Klune has given himself and of how it transpires in this book. Beyond that, it is a lovely sequel, filled with all the queer and found family goodness that made the first book so great. It leaves room at the end for more (yes please!), yet the series could also remain as is.
My Hero Academia, Vol. 36 by Kōhei Horikoshi
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
One thing I struggle with in this genre are the extra long battles. Here however the switch between battlefields (each with their own issues) as well as the personal stakes help a lot.
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
A bit too jam-packed with monster encounters, but it was nice to see the "other side" and how it works. I also like both new additions to the main characters roster.
One Piece (Omnibus Edition), Vol. 11: Includes Vols. 31, 32 & 33 by Eiichiro Oda
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
I liked the flashback, and the game was actually fun.
The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really loved this! From the complexity of the alien races (without making the mistake of automatically anthropologising what shouldn't be) to the nuances of the human responses. As irritating as I found Dafyd, his way of navigating the situation fascinated me.
I'm really looking forward to the next installment!
I'm really looking forward to the next installment!