wandering_meditations's reviews
84 reviews

The Cossacks by Leo Tolstoy

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Quite a lot packed into such a small novel. The main character, Olenin, is very fleshed out. Tolstoy did a great job in explaining Olenin's thoughts, outlooks, and overall psychology. The story itself is okay. The central theme or 'moral of the story' was a bit hard to reach. A decent read overall.
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I'm not really into the fantasy genre but overall this was a decent read. The story is meh, nothing special. 
The Odyssey by Homer

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
boring. I'll read it another time
A History of the World in 12 Maps by Jerry Brotton

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informative medium-paced

3.0

very detailed. If you're interested in the history of world map-making, this book is for you.
Sadly, there is no mention of 'controversial' ancient maps, such as those depicting lands that don't apparently exist (Atlantis, lands beyond, etc). These maps are real and exist, so I would've expected them to at least be discussed in some way.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

very interesting book with a story that keeps you constantly engaged. There aren't really any 'boring' parts where it feels like a chore to read past.
Family Happiness by Leo Tolstoy

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hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A great short story (less than 100 pages) from Tolstoy. Masha's character throughout the story was really well developed and you can see her going through a transformation, especially for such a short story. 

The idea of happiness is the central theme in this book.
Masha goes from deriving happiness from infatuation, then to deriving happiness from 'greater society' (external validation), then finally she finds true happiness: the love for her children and the father of her children.
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

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informative fast-paced

4.5

Overall a very informative read. Learned a lot from this book. My only small criticism of it would be that many of the examples given are of a historic nature, and often times can't be directly applied to today's time in our own personal lives (for example, the examples related to military strategy, etc), or at least it isn't obvious on how it could be applied. This book definitely requires you to think and reflect about how you as an individual can apply the law to your own personal circumstances.
Fury by Salman Rushdie

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

didn't enjoy the book. Too slow paced for me. The story wasn't that great either.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

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adventurous hopeful inspiring relaxing fast-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

4.0

History's Greatest Lies: The Startling Truths Behind World Events Our History Books Got Wrong by William Weir

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informative

3.0

I ONLY READ CHAPTER 15 (The UNCONQUERABLE Afghanistan). The section about Afghanistan was not bad. Too short, not too in-depth, but I guess that's the point of this book; to present a general overview of various points in human history, not to expound on the details