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amshu's reviews
264 reviews
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
definitely reads like a dark fairytale with a very consistent air of suspension wherein this book doesn't feel rooted to any specific place, time, or reality the way fairytales often are.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.25
the experience of reading this book is difficult to distil into a few words, it was so immaculately written, so oppressively tight and pulled together. each page so vivid i could almost picture myself right there, each character so close that i could practically hear them. adichie's debut truly was a treasure to read, especially at a time when reading was starting to lose its appeal to me.
A Girl's Story by Annie Ernaux
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
a girlhood so far removed from my own yet so familiar, it is brilliant the way ernaux manages to make the girl of '58 so real and so alive
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
the more i think of this novel, the more i am in awe of its understated brilliance
No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies: A Lyric Essay by Julian Aguon
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
so incredibly powerful and moving. i can not remember the last time I read a book that so wholly consumed me, making all other books pale in comparison.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
personally, i really flew through this book. so much of it feeds into this inability to turn our heads away from a car crash and overall, it'd be hard to admit that the book wasn't masterfully done. particularly, just the way she seamlessly weaves in elements of june's microaggressions or vitriol is just brilliant.
however, i can see the other side of the perspective with people saying it leans too heavy into the self-insert/meta elements to the point of exhaustion (though one could argue that's the point) and alternatively, it could be argued that the book offers little critical insight into the machinations of the publishing industry beyond twitter drama. again, one could point out that the book is meant to be simple enough so as to prompt discourse among the audience but yet, something falls flat
however, i can see the other side of the perspective with people saying it leans too heavy into the self-insert/meta elements to the point of exhaustion (though one could argue that's the point) and alternatively, it could be argued that the book offers little critical insight into the machinations of the publishing industry beyond twitter drama. again, one could point out that the book is meant to be simple enough so as to prompt discourse among the audience but yet, something falls flat
The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
The Girls Are All So Nice Here by L.E. Flynn
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25