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baielleebooks's reviews
60 reviews
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography by Audre Lorde
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
So applaudable. The granular detail in which she recounts rich stories, the love she expresses and the pulsing sensuality used in her remembrance of lovers. Amazing book, and invigorates her political writing with a holistic lifeblood.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
challenging
inspiring
tense
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? It's complicated
3.25
This was read very sporadically by me, but the gravity of the book's themes and ideas still grounded me. What I liked most was the vivid description, and how nature really enriched the metaphors and synonyms of the novel.
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Montag's awakening to consciousness by Clarisse's child curiousity was a great impetus for the plot. Beatty was also a great antagonist, that scene with him facing off against Montag was a particular strength.
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Would like to return for a fuller understanding and when I'm not swimming in the sea of assignments!
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Montag's awakening to consciousness by Clarisse's child curiousity was a great impetus for the plot. Beatty was also a great antagonist, that scene with him facing off against Montag was a particular strength.
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Would like to return for a fuller understanding and when I'm not swimming in the sea of assignments!
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Wonderfully written, deeply moving and has candour that poignantly attends to some of the most difficult aspects of the human experience.
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Michelle Zauner is a truly multidimensional artist and writer, and Crying in H Mart really gets you in the soul. The rich, aromatic descriptions of food and nostalgia as well as the devil in the details in her observations really make the book come alive. Most importantly, the deep love for her mother comes through in spades.
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Michelle Zauner is a truly multidimensional artist and writer, and Crying in H Mart really gets you in the soul. The rich, aromatic descriptions of food and nostalgia as well as the devil in the details in her observations really make the book come alive. Most importantly, the deep love for her mother comes through in spades.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Second Place poses the human relationship to freedom in a powerful way. The personal binds and limitations the main character acknowledges and enacts upon herself spurred my imagination, and more fully formed my understanding of what it means to be a person.
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The narrative exploring the false idolatry of the artist, and the desperate desire to see yourself wholly through the eyes of another were also extremely interesting to attend to with Cusk's writing.
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The main character truly was a bundle of neuroses, and at times I found this very stylistically crafted and at others, I felt a real streak of self-indulgence. Was this as Cusk intended I wonder?
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What I'd maybe critique the book on is some of the observations of the main characters' relationships being overly deterministic? I particularly felt that in the main character's relationship with her daughter Justine, as if there was something significant missing inbetween their timeline together. I'd extend that to a desire for the pacing of the book to be slowed a wee bit, as some of the themes and events in the book didn't feel as if they had sufficient time to penetrate.
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The blurb really drew me in initially, and I come out the other side of the novel with a quiet set of reflections and respect for Rachel Cusk's unique and sparing form of writing.
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The narrative exploring the false idolatry of the artist, and the desperate desire to see yourself wholly through the eyes of another were also extremely interesting to attend to with Cusk's writing.
-
The main character truly was a bundle of neuroses, and at times I found this very stylistically crafted and at others, I felt a real streak of self-indulgence. Was this as Cusk intended I wonder?
-
What I'd maybe critique the book on is some of the observations of the main characters' relationships being overly deterministic? I particularly felt that in the main character's relationship with her daughter Justine, as if there was something significant missing inbetween their timeline together. I'd extend that to a desire for the pacing of the book to be slowed a wee bit, as some of the themes and events in the book didn't feel as if they had sufficient time to penetrate.
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The blurb really drew me in initially, and I come out the other side of the novel with a quiet set of reflections and respect for Rachel Cusk's unique and sparing form of writing.
Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? No
4.75
Such a high quality book. Phenomenal prose, lovable characters, and laugh-out-loud humour. A touching ode to male friendship and vitality.
May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes
dark
emotional
reflective
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
3.25
I read this in fits and spurts, and my thoughts about May We Be Forgiven etch themselves onto a mental scattergram.
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What I deeply appreciate is the level of granular detail in which the book unpacks the complexity of human emotion. The writing structure of short and long vinyettes are stylistically clever and enriched my own exploration into the main character, Harry, and his psyche. I also think it is one of the most eloquent texts that works to deconstruct the falsehoods and contentions within the American Dream ideology.
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At the same time, did I occasionally drift in and out while reading? Yes. Did I think that race was sometimes depicted and represented in a patchy way? Yes. Were there occasions where I yearned for the narrative to recalibrate and pick up again from a character like George or Nate? Yes.
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Nevertheless, this book sparked my imagination and a number of the lines in the book are really beautiful. Can without question see why this won the Women's Prize for Fiction when it was released in 2013. Would be interested to look into more of A.M. Homes' work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pedophilia
Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Ben Miller, Huw Lemmey
informative
medium-paced
4.75
Adored the book's position and perspective. The life stories laid out are punchy, observant and lay bare the important political lessons for future movements striving for queer liberation.
Tanqueray by Stephanie Johnson, Brandon Stanton
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Stephanie Johnson's storytelling is second to none, and makes you feel like you are at the centre of the earth. She has such an interesting life story, has fabulous pacing and makes you feel as if she herself is recounting her life to you in person.
Always loves Humans of New York, and this has deepened my connection. Brandon Stanton, love you baby!
Always loves Humans of New York, and this has deepened my connection. Brandon Stanton, love you baby!
I Don't Take Requests: The wild, heart-breaking and life-affirming memoir of a cultural phenomenon by Tony Marnach, Michael Hennegan
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
Ah, Fat Tony! King of memes, and has always made me witch cackle on Instagram since I first started following him.
What's striking about his book is the total sincerity. There's such warmth in his authorial voice, with lashings of humour for good measure.
There are infinite pearls of wisdom to be found in the tales of debauchery and heartache that he shares, and his passion and charisma definitely made this a story that needed to be told.
What's striking about his book is the total sincerity. There's such warmth in his authorial voice, with lashings of humour for good measure.
There are infinite pearls of wisdom to be found in the tales of debauchery and heartache that he shares, and his passion and charisma definitely made this a story that needed to be told.
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
4.0
This book nourished me for the whole of July as I wrote my dissertation, and it was a warm world to enter into after a long day.
The protagonists are lovable, inviting and their relationship was a joy to read about. Themes of neurodivergence, the emotional labour of caregiving and family politics were additionally explored with nuance. The sex scenes were also written fabulously!
I want to make the time to read the rest of The Kiss Quotidient.
The protagonists are lovable, inviting and their relationship was a joy to read about. Themes of neurodivergence, the emotional labour of caregiving and family politics were additionally explored with nuance. The sex scenes were also written fabulously!
I want to make the time to read the rest of The Kiss Quotidient.