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mila_in_the_pages's reviews
315 reviews
Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
0.25
Look—I admit that I came into this with a bias. However, as many who support the ideas in this book like to say, many of us have not read it at all—so I did; finding that I was correct in my assumptions.
I will give a tiny increment of a star purely on the basis of the writing quality, though to be clear, I believe half of this book can be dismantled by sourcing every single study cited (I have already found many incongruences and disingenuous ways the author presented things). It claims to take the stance that trans adults are real; yet literally refers to an adult as “her pronouns are they/them.” It refers to a young transgender girl who committed suicide because her parents forced her into conversion as a he no less than seven times in two sentences. Whether you agree or not, it’s clear Shrier did not put away any biases before beginning this book.
It writes about real people in cruel ways, and compares their bodies—even when they’re satisfied with them—to disgusting things like hamburger meat. She makes things up about the trans YouTubers she writes about; they were very unpleased to find they had been written of and portrayed in such a manner. All of it was clearly biased and clearly mean-spirited. Would not recommend.
I will give a tiny increment of a star purely on the basis of the writing quality, though to be clear, I believe half of this book can be dismantled by sourcing every single study cited (I have already found many incongruences and disingenuous ways the author presented things). It claims to take the stance that trans adults are real; yet literally refers to an adult as “her pronouns are they/them.” It refers to a young transgender girl who committed suicide because her parents forced her into conversion as a he no less than seven times in two sentences. Whether you agree or not, it’s clear Shrier did not put away any biases before beginning this book.
It writes about real people in cruel ways, and compares their bodies—even when they’re satisfied with them—to disgusting things like hamburger meat. She makes things up about the trans YouTubers she writes about; they were very unpleased to find they had been written of and portrayed in such a manner. All of it was clearly biased and clearly mean-spirited. Would not recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Transphobia, and Medical trauma
When Kids Say They're Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents by Lisa Marchiano, Sasha Ayad, Sasha Ayad, Stella O'Malley
sad
slow-paced
0.25
I feel nothing but disappointment reading this. It was all based on self-referential claims that are never really elaborated on. It was based on a very flawed study, outdated today. It refers to trans children in intentionally cruel light; portraying them as selfish for being trans. If you are a parent, I beg of you to look anywhere but here to help your child. This is absolutely a harmful text.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Transphobia
The T in LGBT: Everything You Need to Know About Being Trans by Jamie Raines
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
Very good book; gave me insight into things I wouldn't otherwise have known! A friendly conversational tone maintained throughout made it feel akin to a dialogue with a loved one, which made it all the easier. Best of luck to Raines in his endeavors; I've seen many argue his book is dangerous and terrible, but I think it's a valuable resource (especially for transgender people who may feel alone).
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
A fantastic read; I'd say the last 20 pages are among the finest in literature I've encountered for a time.
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Very good descriptions and imagery, but I thought it was a little lacking in material, maybe.
An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
I didn't finish this book even though the writing was good, and I got through the first section. I just wasn't ready to commit to such a long, technical-ish book. But I do want to pick this up again sometime in the future. :)
MasterMind by Andrew Mayne
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a fun high-stakes thriller. However, the stakes didn't feel all that high, because the book did feel like a disjointed mix of a few different premises. For example, rogue lab chimpanzees on the loose? Exciting! Even more exciting; radioactive lobotomized mutated humans in some disintegrating cabin in the woods by Chornobyl or something. All of these would've made for great plot points. But instead, we get this bloated, convoluted plot.
But what it lacks in real plots and arcs, it makes up for in a fun page-turning time that has you rooting for some characters and getting real worked up with hate for others. Mayne can write motivation. The characters do feel larger-than-life and too good to be true in the way that a lot of modern fictional heroes do, and sometimes the women are written oddly, but it was pretty satisfying to read. Not bad.
But what it lacks in real plots and arcs, it makes up for in a fun page-turning time that has you rooting for some characters and getting real worked up with hate for others. Mayne can write motivation. The characters do feel larger-than-life and too good to be true in the way that a lot of modern fictional heroes do, and sometimes the women are written oddly, but it was pretty satisfying to read. Not bad.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
emotional
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An exceptional work of tragedy. I was bored in the beginning, with the exposition revealing Nick and his intricacies. Then, the drama began with the characters at dinner. From then it was a pretty quick-paced read with slow exposition sprinkled in now and then. I fell in love with Gatsby, Nick, and to some extent Jordan (perhaps even Owl Eyes).
I was astonished that I began to enjoy this book because I usually don't love books from the English 'canon.' I romanticized the lives led here. I appreciated some of the killer lines that Fitzgerald dropped in there. He writes like no other author I've read, in that he describes things with newfound precision and yet makes them easy to understand.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read and might have become one of my all-time favorites. I do recommend this. But be prepared to cry, and hate many a character.
I was astonished that I began to enjoy this book because I usually don't love books from the English 'canon.' I romanticized the lives led here. I appreciated some of the killer lines that Fitzgerald dropped in there. He writes like no other author I've read, in that he describes things with newfound precision and yet makes them easy to understand.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read and might have become one of my all-time favorites. I do recommend this. But be prepared to cry, and hate many a character.
A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A MASTERPIECE.
The Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Sylvia Plath blows me away every time. I see myself in her pages and find reading this almost therapeutic.