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whippycleric's reviews
244 reviews
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
4.0
I've been meaning to read this book for a while. I'm a fan of Richard Osman's podcast and this book has done phenomenally well. This isn't my go-to genre and I do normally find I end up giving most in this genre a 3 or 3 and a half rating but I'm happy to say this one did live up to its reputation for me.
The characters were great, especially Elizabeth, there's clearly a whole backstory there to be uncovered in future instalments. The other members of the club were all distinct, relatable, and funny. The villains were maybe a little flatter but even then, they were easy to visualise. The plot was good, kept you guessing, and it managed to avoid me having guessed the end while still having it make perfect sense, and not leaving me feeling annoyed as can be the case sometimes.
I still never got fully invested with these characters, and there're a few tropes here and there, so I'll go with 4 stars, as far as this genre goes it's definitely up there for me.
The characters were great, especially Elizabeth, there's clearly a whole backstory there to be uncovered in future instalments. The other members of the club were all distinct, relatable, and funny. The villains were maybe a little flatter but even then, they were easy to visualise. The plot was good, kept you guessing, and it managed to avoid me having guessed the end while still having it make perfect sense, and not leaving me feeling annoyed as can be the case sometimes.
I still never got fully invested with these characters, and there're a few tropes here and there, so I'll go with 4 stars, as far as this genre goes it's definitely up there for me.
History by Miles Jupp
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I got this book, like many people I expect, based on the authors work as a comedian. In addition, it also has a tagline by Richard Osman whom I really enjoy as a personality (though I have yet to read his books) and the other taglines talk about how funny this book is. Given this I started reading it to be a lighthearted contrast to my other books in progress which are dystopian and sad, somehow this comedy book proved to be more depressing than any of the others, 1984 was about as lighthearted as this book. It's arguably a victim of its own author's career and the taglines, if I was expecting a sad depressing slice of life look at a middle-aged man going through a crisis I think I would have enjoyed it, but when you expect something funny and it's the opposite it's hard to appreciate. It's not dark humour either, I love dark humour and laugh at it, this is just straight up sad.
It is a nicely written story though, the plot itself is well structured and the characters feel real, not very nice people for the most part, but real none the less. It lacks a resolution and keeps it quite open ended; I would have rather had a few more chapters to follow what happens next but I get why the story ended where it did and can appreciate it.
I can't really say I’d recommend this book, it's fine, but doesn't excel in any particular area. What I would say though is when picking this up be in the mindset for a reflective, sad read where you will feel frustration and anger more than anything else, if that's what you're after I can see this getting 4 stars, but when it's so mis-advertised it gets dragged down unfortunately.
It is a nicely written story though, the plot itself is well structured and the characters feel real, not very nice people for the most part, but real none the less. It lacks a resolution and keeps it quite open ended; I would have rather had a few more chapters to follow what happens next but I get why the story ended where it did and can appreciate it.
I can't really say I’d recommend this book, it's fine, but doesn't excel in any particular area. What I would say though is when picking this up be in the mindset for a reflective, sad read where you will feel frustration and anger more than anything else, if that's what you're after I can see this getting 4 stars, but when it's so mis-advertised it gets dragged down unfortunately.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is one of the hardest books I've had to rate. On the one hand the writing is beautifully done, immersive, and gives one about the realest sense of characters in any book I've ever read. On the other hand, there's very little substantive plot and it's very difficult to read.
It took me about half the book to get used to the style, the extreme stream of consciousness really takes some getting used to and following what is happening is difficult even when very little is happening. This was my first Virginia Woolf novel and from what I've read since it seems this might be one of the harder ones to begin with so I expect to find the next ones I read to be a bit easier especially having had a bit of time to get used to the style now.
For now I will go with 3.5, even though the writing itself would be a solid 5 I think I need a bit more plot to really get into the book. I imagine this will improve on a re-read after I've read some more of her works so this could easily jump to 4 or 4.5 in the future.
It took me about half the book to get used to the style, the extreme stream of consciousness really takes some getting used to and following what is happening is difficult even when very little is happening. This was my first Virginia Woolf novel and from what I've read since it seems this might be one of the harder ones to begin with so I expect to find the next ones I read to be a bit easier especially having had a bit of time to get used to the style now.
For now I will go with 3.5, even though the writing itself would be a solid 5 I think I need a bit more plot to really get into the book. I imagine this will improve on a re-read after I've read some more of her works so this could easily jump to 4 or 4.5 in the future.
King Mob: The Story of Lord George Gordon and the London Riots of 1780 by Christopher Hibbert
dark
informative
slow-paced
4.0
I became interest in the Gordon Riots after reading Barnaby Rudge and wondering why I had never heard of this major historical event in British history before. I first read a more modern book on the topic (The Gordon Riots: Politics, Culture and Insurrection in Late Eighteenth-Century Britain by Ian Haywood, John Seed | The StoryGraph) which was very insightful and had lots of details from different sources. King mob seems to be the most cited book on the topic though and was written many years earlier so I borrowed it from a friend (friendofgossig) to read as well.
The style of this is very different, it’s clearly more popular history and follows a narrative format, it’s almost more of a biography of Lord George Gordon than the riots themselves for a lot of the book which is very interesting. I think it’s less reliable as a book since the language and writing sometimes follows what people were thinking at the time and sources of very specific details are not made clear, however it does make it a much more entertaining read.
I was ready to give it 3.5 stars half way through since, although interesting, it didn’t tell me anything new that is also well fact checked however the last section covering the legal case of Lord Gordon and his conversion to Judaism so gripping that I have to up it to 4, I couldn’t put it down for the last few chapters. There’s very little written about this event so I can’t say I’ll be reading any more on the topic but if I see something I will be picking it up with continued vigour.
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.0
As a prefix to this review, I haven't read many graphic novels so I tend to rate them against novels. That being said I really enjoyed this, knowing it was highly rated meant I went into it expecting certain things and for the most part it lived up to those expectations.
The artwork was great, but more significantly the diversity of the styles was amazing. I loved how the way characters were drawn varied based on the perspectives / emotions of the scene being portrayed. The scope of the story was well judged to the length of the book and the switching between dreams and reality was beautifully done.
The artwork was great, but more significantly the diversity of the styles was amazing. I loved how the way characters were drawn varied based on the perspectives / emotions of the scene being portrayed. The scope of the story was well judged to the length of the book and the switching between dreams and reality was beautifully done.
What I would have liked maybe more of would have been delving into the lives of some of the secondary characters and a look at the world from their perspectives, though it could potentially break the feeling of the novel. The ending seems to be a bit divisive, but I have to say I loved it. This is a book I think warrants more than one read to fully grasp the whole meaning so next time I have a chance I’ll give it another read.
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
I'll start this by saying I haven't watched My Fair Lady and I picked this up off @friendofgossig 's shelf for a quick read having not read many plays before but enjoyed those which I have so thought it could be a nice quick read.
The characters in this are a lot of fun, there's a great variety with each character bringing something different to the story, Eliza and Higgins have a bit of depth as well which is impressive given the length of the book. There were several laugh out loud points throughout, and I found myself quoting bits of the play afterwards. I always seem to enjoy stories of social mobility set in this era and this was different to a lot of other plots I've seen following that theme.
I can't imagine another ending being much better so I suspect I'll be disappointed with My Fair Lady but I'll decide when I watch it eventually. My edition had a section at the end with a sequel to summarise what happened in the future which tied up the story nicely. I'll try to read more plays in the future I think as so far I've always enjoyed them and I can't get to the theater myself as often as I'd like. If I see anything by Shaw playing though I'll be going out of my way to attend.
The characters in this are a lot of fun, there's a great variety with each character bringing something different to the story, Eliza and Higgins have a bit of depth as well which is impressive given the length of the book. There were several laugh out loud points throughout, and I found myself quoting bits of the play afterwards. I always seem to enjoy stories of social mobility set in this era and this was different to a lot of other plots I've seen following that theme.
I can't imagine another ending being much better so I suspect I'll be disappointed with My Fair Lady but I'll decide when I watch it eventually. My edition had a section at the end with a sequel to summarise what happened in the future which tied up the story nicely. I'll try to read more plays in the future I think as so far I've always enjoyed them and I can't get to the theater myself as often as I'd like. If I see anything by Shaw playing though I'll be going out of my way to attend.
Rebel Blade by Davinia Evans
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
Being the third in the series and having thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 I went into this with great anticipation and hope. Whilst it's still a great read and fully deserves a 4 star rating I did find it to be the weakest of the 3.
The trilogy follows 3 protagonists, the first focused on Siyon, and did a great job at world building and introducing everyone and showing upward social mobility as a key plot point; the second following Anahid, further developing the world, setting up for a trilogy, and the benefits of downwards social mobility; then there's this book where Zagiri takes the focus and concludes the story. Whilst the conclusions for Siyon and Anahid are brilliant I can't say I liked Zagiri's story, and the negatives of the character outweigh their virtues.
Watching a character consistently make bad decisions through good intentions is entertaining, and their treatment as a hero and their internal conflict is also very interesting but it feels it's never really concluded. I would have also liked to have a bit more in depth exploration of the magic still to understand the relationship between Siyon and the dragon.
The trilogy follows 3 protagonists, the first focused on Siyon, and did a great job at world building and introducing everyone and showing upward social mobility as a key plot point; the second following Anahid, further developing the world, setting up for a trilogy, and the benefits of downwards social mobility; then there's this book where Zagiri takes the focus and concludes the story. Whilst the conclusions for Siyon and Anahid are brilliant I can't say I liked Zagiri's story, and the negatives of the character outweigh their virtues.
Watching a character consistently make bad decisions through good intentions is entertaining, and their treatment as a hero and their internal conflict is also very interesting but it feels it's never really concluded. I would have also liked to have a bit more in depth exploration of the magic still to understand the relationship between Siyon and the dragon.
Anahid’s continuation and her relationship with Laxmi was wonderful, I loved every chapter from her perspective and the plot was always exciting in those sections. The chapters from Siyons perspective gave a feeling of reflection and depth which was missing from the first two books and also brilliant. The downside for me were Zagiri’s sections though which made up the main focus of the book. It’s a nice ending to the trilogy and a good read, but I was hoping for a little more.
Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I didn't know much going into this book beyond when it was published and that it was about medieval knights. I was surprised how easy a read it was and can see how it's stood the test of time, despite being slightly dated the style of writing is simple yet descriptive.
Whilst some characters have layers some are a bit flat, the plot itself has a nice level of complexity being simple enough to follow easily without being predictable and boring. The cameos of other famous literary figures were a pleasant surprise as well.
I'm not sure why the book is called Ivanhoe given he spends the vast majority of the book recovering from an injury and arguably is the person being saved a lot more than the hero doing the saving... The biggest characters in this, who aren't villainous, would be the lower-class characters, who are brilliantly entertaining.
Since I will visit friends who live near his estate many times in the future, I think I'll read a book of his each time I go to work my way through his collective works.
Whilst some characters have layers some are a bit flat, the plot itself has a nice level of complexity being simple enough to follow easily without being predictable and boring. The cameos of other famous literary figures were a pleasant surprise as well.
I'm not sure why the book is called Ivanhoe given he spends the vast majority of the book recovering from an injury and arguably is the person being saved a lot more than the hero doing the saving... The biggest characters in this, who aren't villainous, would be the lower-class characters, who are brilliantly entertaining.
Since I will visit friends who live near his estate many times in the future, I think I'll read a book of his each time I go to work my way through his collective works.
Shadow Baron by Davinia Evans
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Having really loved the first in the series I was excited to continue with the second in the series, but somewhat apprehensive knowing that it could spoil the enjoyment of the first if it were a lot worse as can be the case with the second books sometimes. I am happy to find that, even though it did not reach the heights of the first, it was a strong entry and great fun to read.
With 3 distinct plot lines it had a nice variety of characters each with their own distinct feel. Whilst Siyon coming to grips with his new role in higher society was the main thrust of the book, and was enjoyable, it was much more fun to see the social mobility in reverse with Anahid exploring the world of the flower district furthering what was started in the first book.
While the first could have managed as a standalone book this is much clearer in its aim to both be a great story and set up the next book. The writing is still great and the world well imagined, I would have liked to have a little more explanation of the magic side of the world continuing with what was started in the first but finding out more about the mundane criminal side of the world was also interesting.
I'll be reading the third soon enough and if it's as good as this I’ll be happy and if it's as good as the first I'll be ecstatic.
With 3 distinct plot lines it had a nice variety of characters each with their own distinct feel. Whilst Siyon coming to grips with his new role in higher society was the main thrust of the book, and was enjoyable, it was much more fun to see the social mobility in reverse with Anahid exploring the world of the flower district furthering what was started in the first book.
While the first could have managed as a standalone book this is much clearer in its aim to both be a great story and set up the next book. The writing is still great and the world well imagined, I would have liked to have a little more explanation of the magic side of the world continuing with what was started in the first but finding out more about the mundane criminal side of the world was also interesting.
I'll be reading the third soon enough and if it's as good as this I’ll be happy and if it's as good as the first I'll be ecstatic.
Born to be Riled by Jeremy Clarkson
funny
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I've read a few of clarksons books now, and this one is probably about average though gets quite repetitive after a while. Given it's a collection of articles from his early career unsurprisingly some comments are not really acceptable today, and some were arguably not very acceptable at the time but you have to expect it from Clarkson.
Like other books similar to this I wish there was some commentary added to the articles or collections of them to justify the book rather than just a dump of articles, but they are entertaining at parts. Clarkson is a surprisingly good writer so it's quite a pleasant read
Like other books similar to this I wish there was some commentary added to the articles or collections of them to justify the book rather than just a dump of articles, but they are entertaining at parts. Clarkson is a surprisingly good writer so it's quite a pleasant read