sophronisba's reviews
2467 reviews

Innocence by Penelope Fitzgerald

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funny reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

Never quite warmed up to this as I wanted to. I was going through a reading slump at the time, I might give it another go later.
George II: King and Elector by Andrew C. Thompson

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informative slow-paced

3.5

What messed-up family lives these Hanovers had. Seriously giving Charles and Di a run for their money.
A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime by Casey Sherman

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sad tense medium-paced

3.0

What a sad little mess this was. (Did Lana Turner kill her boyfriend? Probably. Did she ruin her daughter's life? DEFINITELY.)
Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

There are moments of genuine insight and moments where you really begin to weary of Swisher tell you how impressive she is. She does have her blind spots -- Elon Musk leaps to mind -- but still worth a read if you're interested in tech. 
The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

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challenging tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I regret that this book didn't work for me because I really wanted it to. I think Zaher tries to stuff too much into a very slim book, and ricochets between Birkin bags and classrooms and obsessive cleaning in a way that just feels disorienting.
Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

 Utterly brilliant work of narrative history that will both appall you and make you want to visit Cuba as soon as humanly possible. 
Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars by Francesca Wade

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

I liked this even though it wasn't quite the slam dunk I expected it to be. Somewhere around the Jane Harrison/Eileen Power chapters the themes began to feel a bit repetitive, and since I was already pretty familiar with Virginia Woolf (this being the third book dealing with her life that I've read this summer) I didn't learn much there either. But still, Wade does a great job evoking the gestalt of the time and made me fervently wish to be then for a week or so, just to hang out with all of these women.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

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

4.25

I basically liked this, although it does suffer a bit from the same tendency as Turton's The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which is to say, it's kind of a lot. Bonus points for a great title.
Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo

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adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

I remember reading about the Crafts when I was in elementary or middle school and I'd always been curious about their story so the first half of this book was a real treat and I was genuinely riveted by the story of their escape. Once they were finally safe, however, I found that the book dragged just a bit. But it's very much worth your time, both for the epic tale of their journey to freedom and for the horrifyingly cold-blooded approach that so many people took to the Fugitive Slave Act.
Four Squares by Bobby Finger

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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

4.5

There are things here I could quibble with -- an email that is nearly as long and implausible as Darcy's letter in Pride & Prejudice, a surprise encounter with the past that's a bitt too coincidental -- but never mind all that. I really loved this book and the characters in it.