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sophronisba's reviews
2480 reviews
Isola by Allegra Goodman
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The beginning is a bit of a slow burn but this book turned out to be thrilling -- by turns gripping, haunting, and devastating.
Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 by David Cannadine
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
It's not the book, it's me. I cannot handle a history this dense when I am in the middle of this big of a product launch at work.
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
challenging
funny
reflective
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
3.75
I haven't read this since high school and I had forgotten how much I enjoy Becky Sharp. The first third of this book is certainly stronger than the final two-thirds but I didn't regret the time I spent in this world. (Also recommend the 2018 mini-series with Claudia Jessie and Olivia Cooke if you like that sort of thing.)
The Woman Who Knew Everyone: The Power of Perle Mesta, Washington's Most Famous Hostess by Meryl Gordon
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Reminisicent of the Pemela Harriman bio Kingmaker, but told with less verve (and let's be honest, Mesta was simply not as consequential as Harriman seems to have been).
Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves by Adam Hochschild
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Approachable, comprehensive history of British abolitionism, with a focus on its influence on future social movements.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Thought I would love this but didn't. Tons of characters to keep up with and the ending did not work for me -- the resolution was anti-climactic and to my mind not particularly plausible.
Health and Safety: A Breakdown by Emily Witt
challenging
dark
medium-paced
3.25
I am not really the target audience for this memoir, because I cannot relate to the whole dance/drugs scene at all -- it doesn't appeal to me and doesn't particularly interest me. The last third of the book -- in which the guy who seemed like bad news all along turns out to be, indeed, extremely bad news -- was more gripping and made me look at the previous chapters in a different light, but wasn't entirely enough to save the reading experience.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This one just didn't work for me. I found the plot too farfetched and none of the characters ever came to life. If I'm going for a beach read I'd much rather pick up something by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story by Pagan Kennedy
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
The account of Marty Goddard's invention of the rape kit -- the misnamed "'Vitullo kit" -- was riveting. I'm not sure that Kennedy's attempt to connect it to her own past entirely worked but for the most part I could not put this book down.
Maria Fitzherbert: The Secret Wife of George IV by James Munson
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A balanced portrait of George IV's first wife (who was more unauthorized than secret, given her frequent appearances in popular caricatures and scandal sheets). Munson is sympathetic to his subject but also aware of her flaws.