cultbyproxy's reviews
111 reviews

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

“Build a beautiful cathedral for me.”

It is not every day that I pick up a book of this volume, but the title immediately caught my eye. Though deathly slow, akin to the ennui of a long dreadful winter, I found it rather fascinating. 

The trials and tribulations of a monastery prior, an outlawed woman and a widowed carpenter do not sound like the makings of an interesting plot, but set in the 1100s, we see the church and its pillars rise, fall, and rise again within these pages. 

I must say, after the first 800 pages I began skimming, simply skipping to the dialogue to try bulldoze through what remained but as I reached the sixth, and final, part of the book I became immediately invested again. For all its vulgarity, and violence, and frustration, it is a well written book and I cannot take that away from Follett. I feel rather optimistic with the idea of finishing the trilogy (something I would’ve done regardless, out of pure spite) however I pray that it does not become more graphic. Going into a book starting in 1123 I knew what to expect, historically, however I can’t help but be left with a bad taste in my mouth from all the brutality forced upon the main female character, and the almost lack of regard for her suffering. Though resilient, powerful and graceful to the end, as happy as i was to see Lady Aliena get her justice, I’m of the option that she should’ve never had to seek it to begin with. 
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Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.0

“Seventy-eight percent probability of latent bisexual tendencies”

I read this book in just over 4 straight (hehe) hours and absolutely did not regret a single minute. From the second we were introduced to Alex and Henry and thrown into their world of politics, diplomacy and rivalry, there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be a fun ride. 

The pacing of the book felt rather rushed to me, with no room for actual tension to build and the characters establishing a friendship/relationship rather quickly (so much for slow-burn enemies to lovers); however outside of that, and the very graphic sexual content — am I turning into a prude? what happened to my wattpad era self? — there was so much to love about this book. The camaraderie between the White House Trio — Alex, Nora and June — brought the perfect amount of comedic relief that had me outwardly laughing, and enough deep meaningful conversations to have me crying, and internally screaming at the characters to get their shit together and release themselves from the shackles of familial obligation! 

“That kind of love is rare, even if it was a complete disaster.” He sucks his teeth, considering. “Sometimes you just jump and hope it’s not a cliff.”

The conversations around sexuality and self exploration between all the characters in the midst of a fiery presidential election campaign allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of them, but also ourselves as a society (particularly those had between Alex and Nora, his father Oscar, and his mentor Rafael Luna). The comparisons between American and British culture, politics and history brought about many laughs and the integration of literature and historical love letters via email exchanges between Alex and Henry left my heart souring. Overall, I am glad the movie adaptation trailer convinced me to immediately start reading. 

I have closed this book with one simple takeaway. A concept that has changed history, changed lives and keeps me hopeful for all of us little queer hopefuls…
“Love is indomitable.”
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

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

4.0

“It’s just the kind of story that catches fire.”

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is nothing like I had imagined and everything I could have hoped for. 

As a long-time fan of the original trilogy, I was apprehensive about reading this prequel. Partly because of my past disappointments with expansion of series, as well as the possibility of bursting that bubble of nostalgia. Collins easily came in with an absolute gem which is sure to be another amazing book-to-film adaptation. 

“The origins of Coriolanus Snow and his star-crossed romance with District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird” would be a rather reductive summary of a story which completely dissects the fabric of The Hunger Games, and the masterful future President Snow’s adolescent contributions to its future success. We see him attempting to maintain public appearances in the midst of post-war financial stresses, a young boy thrust into the harsh realities of politics. What ensues is nothing short of invasive and all-encompassing. Both Snow, and the reader, completely wrapped up in a story and game that seemingly has no end. The end of the game is not the end of the story, as Snow learns all too well how survival is not a singular annual event but an ongoing daily struggle. A struggle upon which the Games are founded, as “Without the control to enforce the [societal] contract, chaos reigned.” This story only helps to further understand the parallels in the lives of Coriolanus Snow and Katniss Everdeen. Snow’s hatred for Katniss, mockingjays and rebellion: all reminiscent of his tumultuous childhood which he only barely overcame, through the sacrifice of his humanity, his family and his love. The strategic use of music/lyrics and the imagery it holds is an invisible string that ties everything together, the origin of The Hanging Tree  a beautiful parting gift and devastating revelation that will live on in THG history. 

It is of no surprise how congruent to modern societies Panem is, and in the end I am left with the burning question: “If the people who were supposed to protect you played so fast and loose with your life… then how did you survive?”
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The Body Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson

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

0.0

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

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dark mysterious medium-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

2.0

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange

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

4.0

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

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dark emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

“It is our lot in this life, Mariam. Woman like us. We endure”… “How quietly we endure all that falls upon us”

A Thousand Splendid Suns told a story of tragedy, suffering and sacrifice; a story about the strength of women, how endurance is a necessary tool for survival, not a choice-trait one simply picks. There were many times were I had to put this book down, to sit with the weight of its story and feel the heaviness of its pain. This is not simply a tale of Mariam and Laila, but of many women and girls just like them, and how our society fails them. How, even in victory, they are still left with much to endure, much to suffer, much to sacrifice. 

There is a beautiful quote from which I believe the name of this novel stems: 

“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,
Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”

And I believe this story was the door at which we were welcomed in as guests and allowed to feel the full force of those thousand suns, shining in unison. Each representing the untold stories of women worldwide. And as we part with this tale, collect our coats at the door, and bid a final farewell to Mariam and Laila, we depart as guests with the lasting impression that “[They’re] like those walls up there. Battered, and nothing pretty to look at, but still standing.”

- -

I base my star rating off of how I feel, what number speaks to me when I think about the book and usually this can be quite uncertain. But one thing that is never fleeting or faltering is the way a five star book makes me feel and Khaled Hosseini has managed to write a story which will remain with me forever. 
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

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dark emotional sad fast-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

3.0

“Something still exists as long as there’s someone around to remember it.”

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a beaten down 17-year-old and the 19 minutes which change the reality of his entire community as he went through his highschool, shooting fellow classmates. 

An aspect of Picoult’s writing that is ever present is her multiple narration, which we see through the process of the school shooting, investigation, and trial. Whilst this is usually done in a more cohesive manner in her later books, this made the reading of Nineteen Minutes quite chaotic, with no definitive switch in narration. This was made more confusing in the never-ending list of characters who were introduced, only to never resurface. As much as this was a negative, it did help in outlining just how broad of a scope the impact of school shootings have on the students, the parents, the community and the country at large; how no one is untouched and the grief divides but also unites people eternally. Picoult’s nonlinear timeline also makes an appearance, as we jump between a pre-shooting and post-shooting society, putting the pieces of the story together leading up to the shooting, as well as the trial (like solving a mystery, or trying fixing something broken?). 

There is mass criticism into Picoult’s writing style, as having the shooter’s perspective and reading his thought process and justifications can come off as sympathetic or defensive of his position and actions. I believe, however, that this was simply a way of portraying the sea of nuance that divides such a polarising issue. That in the aftermath of tragedy, there are those who will look at impact and those who will look at reasoning, and both can bring closure. 

As much as I blitzed through these pages and got completely engrossed in the story, I do find that other Picoult novels were more impactful for me. This could, however, be due to the lack of personal experience I have with the subject matter growing up in a country that does not experience mass shootings, much less school shootings. 

I did find a lot of relatability in the issues of conformity and the pressure to maintain appearances in positions of authority. The removal of the masks we all wear and how beneath them we are all simply people trying to do our best. And how to continue loving someone who has caused harm to so many. I think it is a story about kindness, to other and ourselves. And how the smallest acts usually have an everlasting effect. 
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Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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

4.0

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I fell in love with hope by Lancali

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dark emotional sad 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

3.0

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