sahanac's reviews
257 reviews

The Unfortunates by JK Chukwu

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this book needs the medium of print rather than any other to achieve it's goals, but it does so fairly comprehensively. it made for an excellent point of discussion for book club, and had so many levels, layers, and themes to unravel, including being a person of color at a predominantly white institution, racism within the healthcare system, mental health, the pressures and failings of university life, and the potential for community within. i had a hard time with some of the acronyms that were in the book and got lost sometimes because of the formatting, but overall it made for a very compelling read. 
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

apocalyptic end of the world!
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i love eustace and jill
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

one of my faves, expanding the world of narnia beyond the borders of the land and into the sea
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

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challenging emotional sad tense slow-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

3.75

more than ever i had some trouble following some of the internal vs external thoughts in peter's pov, so sally rooney's signature style didn't pull me in as much for almost half the book. that being SAID. the sibling relationship at the heart of the book made me wildly emotional and every moment of tension between the brother broke my heart in a way that was not quite a personal reality but intimately familiar. and the storyline with peter, naomi, and sylvia was beautiful in it's complication. rooney writes characters with real human flaws so accurately. best characters in the book are margaret and alexei and they stole the show for me throughout. incredible puppy and incredible arts centre lady. literally could not name a flaw in either of them. the complicated relationship the brothers had with their parents, too, as they were grown ups is such a prescient inclusion too, the evolving parent-child relationships, when the child is an adult too. tough. this is not my favorite of rooney's works, but wow. a great read. 
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

classic return to narnia tho emo about susan forever
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

i cannot by rights give this a 5 because of the rampant racist orientalism in this book (brown people = savages, every single stereotype about middle eastern people twisted to be as bad as possible except one who is Not Like Other Girls). however. this has always been my favorite Narnia book for the way that it gives us a glimpse into the lands surrounding Narnia, and takes us away from the Pevensies as main characters but still keeps us grounded within their reign. anyway. i loved this book as a kid. some parts are hard to swallow now but shasta and aravis are some of my favorite ever narnia characters. 
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

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adventurous inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

classic. 
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

for lovers of emily wilde's adventures, and in a world that could be almost neighboring hers, sorcery and small magics has a charm to it that feels warm and whimsical and charmingly magical. i really enjoyed leo and grimm, even with how archetypical they were in their respective roles. this book did not do anything game changing with cozy fantasy or add anything truly remarkable to the genre, but it didnt need to — it was a story about two boys who got lost in the woods together and managed to find their way out and that's satisfying. i cant wait for the second book!
My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor

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challenging dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.25

this was a hard book to *listen* to, and i'm not sure i'd recommend it, despite the fact that the audiobook is fully produced, it was hard to get people's names and place them within the story. i listened to the penultimate chapter and was confused as to who's voice was speaking, which is not necessarily what you want. HOWEVER. despite not knowing anything about almost anyone, i still enjoyed the plot points and wanted to finish the story. i'm typically a very character driven person (and anti-WW2 books), so to want the rest of the plot means this book deserves all the stars it gets from me!