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meowreads's reviews
79 reviews
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
Human Acts by Han Kang
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"No worry, no suffering. It all disappears. Forget about the shadow. This is the End of the World. This is where the world ends. Nowhere further to go."
The last Murakami novel I read was 1Q84 (this was in 2021) and two years later, I'm still hung up on its fictionalized normative bourgeoisie world (or worlds, should I say?) and was expecting nothing less from Hard-Boiled.
Two narratives were presented to us: on one hand we have your typical Murakami Japanese salaryman who was caught smack in the middle of an info-war and on the other hand, a man who was suddenly thrown into a utopia with nothing to do but exist.
The novel tries to blend the politics of dystopia and sci-fi and fantasy, and for me, Murakami wasn't that successful in doing so. First of all, the book had moments where it was too dense for no reason. I LOVE dense novels (which is why 1Q84 is my number one Murakami) but Hard-Boiled was dense just to be dense.
I didn't have the best reading experience with it - it wasn't like your other Murakami where once you step into his world on the very first page, you can't stop turning one page right after the other. I was more interested in the philosophical aspects of the novel than the plot and that is why I still recommend this book.
For me it's as if life was being told through the lens of the subconscious and we have these philosophical tidbits of existence that I wish Murakami spent more time on.
Hard-boiled was still a nice read for me although not as good as the other Murakamis that I have read.
The last Murakami novel I read was 1Q84 (this was in 2021) and two years later, I'm still hung up on its fictionalized normative bourgeoisie world (or worlds, should I say?) and was expecting nothing less from Hard-Boiled.
Two narratives were presented to us: on one hand we have your typical Murakami Japanese salaryman who was caught smack in the middle of an info-war and on the other hand, a man who was suddenly thrown into a utopia with nothing to do but exist.
The novel tries to blend the politics of dystopia and sci-fi and fantasy, and for me, Murakami wasn't that successful in doing so. First of all, the book had moments where it was too dense for no reason. I LOVE dense novels (which is why 1Q84 is my number one Murakami) but Hard-Boiled was dense just to be dense.
I didn't have the best reading experience with it - it wasn't like your other Murakami where once you step into his world on the very first page, you can't stop turning one page right after the other. I was more interested in the philosophical aspects of the novel than the plot and that is why I still recommend this book.
For me it's as if life was being told through the lens of the subconscious and we have these philosophical tidbits of existence that I wish Murakami spent more time on.
Hard-boiled was still a nice read for me although not as good as the other Murakamis that I have read.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This book is something else and has it all🍊
"“I do not sleep because I am not only afraid of the monsters at my door, but also of the monsters my own mind can conjure. The ones that live within.”
Magnificent dragons that speak, strong-willed female characters who are all so inspiring, exciting and thrilling adventures in a world where east and west must join forces to battle the ultimate enemy: the Nameless One.
I believe this is more of a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. Every character is real - they are plagued with self-doubts and insecurities and internal conflicts which we can all relate to. And as they each struggle with their own individual goals, a common enemy awaits.
I also love how Samantha Shannon spent her time in building the world - the thickness of the book looks intimidating but it's only 800 pages long and definitely worth your time if you love slow-paced narratives.
I don't want to spoil the book so you have to read it for yourself, ha!
"“Some truths are safest buried. Some castles best kept in the sky. There's promise in tales that are yet to be spoken.”
Bonus points:
Queer fantasy (the love story is *chef's kiss*)
Amazing magic system
Character-driven (I am a character-driven story type of girl)
"“I do not sleep because I am not only afraid of the monsters at my door, but also of the monsters my own mind can conjure. The ones that live within.”
Magnificent dragons that speak, strong-willed female characters who are all so inspiring, exciting and thrilling adventures in a world where east and west must join forces to battle the ultimate enemy: the Nameless One.
I believe this is more of a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. Every character is real - they are plagued with self-doubts and insecurities and internal conflicts which we can all relate to. And as they each struggle with their own individual goals, a common enemy awaits.
I also love how Samantha Shannon spent her time in building the world - the thickness of the book looks intimidating but it's only 800 pages long and definitely worth your time if you love slow-paced narratives.
I don't want to spoil the book so you have to read it for yourself, ha!
"“Some truths are safest buried. Some castles best kept in the sky. There's promise in tales that are yet to be spoken.”
Bonus points:
Queer fantasy (the love story is *chef's kiss*)
Amazing magic system
Character-driven (I am a character-driven story type of girl)
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
In an unnamed island, things constantly disappear: roses, hats, perfume, birds, and the list goes on. Its inhabitants wake up and upon realizing that something had gone missing will go about their day destroying what their memories have already lost. An authoritarian body ensures that these objects are forgotten forever - the Memory Police. They govern andw atch over the island but their motivations remain unclear.
In this novel we follow a woman as she grapple with the island's disappearances. Through her novel within the novel, we get to understand the importance of memory and its link to our sense of being and as well as to our collective understanding of the past.
The Memory Police was such a fever dream and its dream-like state is what prompts you to suspend your disbelief and let go of the whys - to just proceed with it like what you do with dreams. (yes i used the word dream too many times there 😂) Reading it felt like there was this dense fog that gets thicker and thicker as you move forward, making you stop and think about the things that you might've unknowingly lost along the way.
Ogawa gave me the imperative call to think about what I might be losing each day: something that myself might be shedding without taking notice: be it personal or something that has generational consequences.
Favorite character: the old man!!!!
In this novel we follow a woman as she grapple with the island's disappearances. Through her novel within the novel, we get to understand the importance of memory and its link to our sense of being and as well as to our collective understanding of the past.
The Memory Police was such a fever dream and its dream-like state is what prompts you to suspend your disbelief and let go of the whys - to just proceed with it like what you do with dreams. (yes i used the word dream too many times there 😂) Reading it felt like there was this dense fog that gets thicker and thicker as you move forward, making you stop and think about the things that you might've unknowingly lost along the way.
Ogawa gave me the imperative call to think about what I might be losing each day: something that myself might be shedding without taking notice: be it personal or something that has generational consequences.
Favorite character: the old man!!!!
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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
In MYORAR, our narrator decides to sleep for a year in hopes of waking up transformed. She has a negligent doctor, poor connections with people, and an unhealthy relationship with herself. What I relate to the most is this inextinguishable feeling of sadness and desperation for a rebirth that is present throughout the novel. Apart from it reminding me of how lucky I am to be alive with supportive family and friends, and a responsible doctor; the book didn't leave me gasping for wonder like what I expected it to be. I loved the sardonic dialogue, I loved Reva; but there was something lacking. Its depiction of mental health was great though - the laziness, the toxic spending habits, these were all just too real and I found myself laughing at these parts.
On the surface, this book is about a privileged pretty girl sleeping her way through life but on a deeper level I think it is about a girl just wanting to process her grief and trauma which has created this withdrawn, petty, and selfish person. For her, drastic measures are the solution to her problems.
On the surface, this book is about a privileged pretty girl sleeping her way through life but on a deeper level I think it is about a girl just wanting to process her grief and trauma which has created this withdrawn, petty, and selfish person. For her, drastic measures are the solution to her problems.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5