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dannilmp's reviews
70 reviews
Last Lesson by James Goodhand
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was not what I expected it to be but it turned out to be a relatively quick but great read! Feels like it approached topics of bullying, school troubles, loss and grief and mental illness in a very interesting way, with an emphasis on placing human struggles and decisions at the heart of the story. With an ending that brought about a wide range of emotions and still kept me thinking a long while after finishing the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a book I picked up for the Storygraph reads around the world 2023 challenge, and it was not a disappointing read. A very dark and emotional read, full of a lot of violence, grapic detail and mature themes from the start. I would recommend a thorough checking of trigger warnings beore reading this novel.
We follow a female sorcerer, unusual for the times, as she goes on a journey to discover more about herself in a world who views her as a threat just for the circumstances of her birth. I feel there is a lot to reflect on within this novel about the nature of human beings, the advancements of technology and what we can learn moving forward.
While I thought the overall novel was great, I did get a little bit lost reading the epilogue and trying to figure out what this meant for the ending of the story and how this epilogue fits in. I still haven't come up with a satisfying conclusion days later.
We follow a female sorcerer, unusual for the times, as she goes on a journey to discover more about herself in a world who views her as a threat just for the circumstances of her birth. I feel there is a lot to reflect on within this novel about the nature of human beings, the advancements of technology and what we can learn moving forward.
While I thought the overall novel was great, I did get a little bit lost reading the epilogue and trying to figure out what this meant for the ending of the story and how this epilogue fits in. I still haven't come up with a satisfying conclusion days later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Gleanings by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A collection of short stories that offer insight into the characters we meet and follow along with in the main Arc of A Sycthe triology. I adored all the short stories on offer in this collection, especially the background and information it gave me into the characters thoughts and actions. This book gave me an even greater appreciation for the main series, and I know the next time I re-read the series I will do so with more knowledge in my mind which I suspect may alter my views on certain characters and events.
While I cannot remember the name of the speicifc short story, I have to say the one with the artist competition was my favourite. It is the one that has stuck with me the most because of the beauty in the cruelness.
While I cannot remember the name of the speicifc short story, I have to say the one with the artist competition was my favourite. It is the one that has stuck with me the most because of the beauty in the cruelness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Suicide
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
A book I picked up for Storygraph's read around the world 2023 challenge, featuring an unusual narrator...a humble fig tree. To say this novel is unlike any I've read before is an understatement. Full of historical facts and plant trivia, but there is so much more to learn than just facts. At the heart lies a love story, and not just a romantic one but familial love as well.
I love the way Shafark conveys the story from the tree's point of view, and how the switching between different characters and indeed different time periods is done smootly enough as not to disrupt the flow of the story. The ending was fitting to the story told, and even filled me with hope despite the book's nature.
I love the way Shafark conveys the story from the tree's point of view, and how the switching between different characters and indeed different time periods is done smootly enough as not to disrupt the flow of the story. The ending was fitting to the story told, and even filled me with hope despite the book's nature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Abortion
Minor: Child death and Suicide
Love You to Death by Gina Blaxill
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is a fast paced mystery/thriller type novel that keeps you on your toes trying to guess who the real bad guy here. I was that engaged with the story that I finished the enitre book in one sitting! Perfect for something quick but darker in nature to read.
While a lot of the book did not use excessively descriptive or flowery language to describe our setting, characters and events, the author did manage to truly capture feelings of fear and paranoia throughout the novel. It left me with a sense of unease while reading but a knowing that I had to see this through to the end.
While a lot of the book did not use excessively descriptive or flowery language to describe our setting, characters and events, the author did manage to truly capture feelings of fear and paranoia throughout the novel. It left me with a sense of unease while reading but a knowing that I had to see this through to the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
Not a book I would have normally picked up, but chose for Storygraph's read around the world challenge 2023. A story about a mermaid and her encounter with humans on Black Conch. While there were elements of the story I found difficult to read, such as the mermaid's poetry or the way speech dialogue was written; I found these reflected both the mermaid's lack of understanding of language and the speech helped to immerse me into the setting of the story.
While this was a relatively shorter book compared to those I usually read, I felt the pacing of this book to be quite slow and the pages seemed a lot more than what they were. I found myself only being able to read a chapter at a time before needing to take a break. However, there was a beautiful story to be told throughout these pages and one that certainly got me thinking and reflecting on human behaviour, specifically those negative emotions of jealousy and hatred.
Not a book I would reread but it was certainly worth a read to broaden my horizons to the other types of literature out there.
While this was a relatively shorter book compared to those I usually read, I felt the pacing of this book to be quite slow and the pages seemed a lot more than what they were. I found myself only being able to read a chapter at a time before needing to take a break. However, there was a beautiful story to be told throughout these pages and one that certainly got me thinking and reflecting on human behaviour, specifically those negative emotions of jealousy and hatred.
Not a book I would reread but it was certainly worth a read to broaden my horizons to the other types of literature out there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
An interesting concept for a book to explore both AI and life beyond death and how these could possibly or impossibly interact. A good book to read if you're in the mood for thinking about life in general and what you would do when faced with the situation Nami found herself in at the very beginning of the book.
While this book held promise I feel it didn't quite deliver on the execution side of things. Sometimes Nami's decisions or reasons felt a little flat and two dimmensional, but I appreciate that she stuck to her own set of morals and values throughout the book. The ending caught me off guard with enough plot twists to keep me busy for a week and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.
While this book held promise I feel it didn't quite deliver on the execution side of things. Sometimes Nami's decisions or reasons felt a little flat and two dimmensional, but I appreciate that she stuck to her own set of morals and values throughout the book. The ending caught me off guard with enough plot twists to keep me busy for a week and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Torture
Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book gives a whole new meaning to the term HMRC and quite frankly I prefer it to the original meaning. A book about a group of grown up childhood friends from very different backgrounds who have to come together once again to prevent world destruction.
While HMRC feels like it has the setting for a pretty used story line, the detail and depth Dawson went into to explore topics including racism, transphobia, cultural differences in magic and how society treats individuals all wrapped into a thrilling tale about magic and world crises makes for a really interesting read!
I loved the depth that the characters had, and the way sensitive topics were covered felt like it was covered in a good way. While this meant I did have to frequently take rest breaks in order to absorb all the information and to think through the implications of certain character's actions or consquences. While the book ended on quite the cliffhanger, I'm looking forward to what the sequel has in stall for these women!
While HMRC feels like it has the setting for a pretty used story line, the detail and depth Dawson went into to explore topics including racism, transphobia, cultural differences in magic and how society treats individuals all wrapped into a thrilling tale about magic and world crises makes for a really interesting read!
I loved the depth that the characters had, and the way sensitive topics were covered felt like it was covered in a good way. While this meant I did have to frequently take rest breaks in order to absorb all the information and to think through the implications of certain character's actions or consquences. While the book ended on quite the cliffhanger, I'm looking forward to what the sequel has in stall for these women!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
The Silence Project by Carole Hailey
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Firstly, I listened to the audiobook version of The Silence Project and if you're interested in a what if human world scenario that you can listen to while getting anything else done then this would be perfect for you!
I truly feel the audiobook is truly the best way to experience this novel. Not only does it mean I didn't have to worry about mispronouncing French or Swahili or place names around the world, I also felt it allowed me to have a better experience with reading. Considering this novel is written as a non-fiction biography written in another fictional instance of our planet, as I was listening it felt like Emilia was speaking her thoughts aloud to me while drafting this biography of Rachel Morris. The ending comments about the prospects of what her world could have been without her mother's influence certainly got me thinking about the current state of our own world too. Certainly a book that has left an imprint on me.
The only thing I really disliked about this book was such comments as 'you know what I'm talking about' or 'as you've seen it everywhere' as obviously I did not know what events or things Emilia was referring to! However this style of writing certainly fit the idea of a biography written in Emilia's universe so I was able to get over my annoance and let it slide.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a feminist book set in our own little planet Earth. Certain events in the book leave you pondering the state of Emilia's world while other comments leave you thinking about our own world. I think the experience of this book will be on my mind for a while yet.
I truly feel the audiobook is truly the best way to experience this novel. Not only does it mean I didn't have to worry about mispronouncing French or Swahili or place names around the world, I also felt it allowed me to have a better experience with reading. Considering this novel is written as a non-fiction biography written in another fictional instance of our planet, as I was listening it felt like Emilia was speaking her thoughts aloud to me while drafting this biography of Rachel Morris. The ending comments about the prospects of what her world could have been without her mother's influence certainly got me thinking about the current state of our own world too. Certainly a book that has left an imprint on me.
The only thing I really disliked about this book was such comments as 'you know what I'm talking about' or 'as you've seen it everywhere' as obviously I did not know what events or things Emilia was referring to! However this style of writing certainly fit the idea of a biography written in Emilia's universe so I was able to get over my annoance and let it slide.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a feminist book set in our own little planet Earth. Certain events in the book leave you pondering the state of Emilia's world while other comments leave you thinking about our own world. I think the experience of this book will be on my mind for a while yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death and Violence
Minor: Rape
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
If you fancy a non-horror based dystopian novel then The Handmaid's Tale would be a good choice for you. Full of scenarios that really get you thinking about women's rights and how different things could be. With the current state of our world some of the topics covered in this book might hit a little too close for comfort though.
One thing I can heavily praise about The Handmaid's Tale is the way in which language is used to truly convey Offred's emotions, thought patterns, hopes and despairs. I felt I could really connect to these emotions and could feel how they affected the character. Additionally the fact the book lingered with me if I put it down to give myself time to think and contemplate on what I was reading made the book feel so much more engaging than just reading a story.
Consequently, while Offred felt sometimes as quite a flat character, I understand that this really helped delve into the mindset of these women and the world they are in, it does make some sections feel more like a chore to read when something interesting isn't going on. The fact the content of the novel is so sad and the idea that something like this is not outside the realm of possibility even for our world can make this a depressing read.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a novel to make you think, anyone interested in women's rights (or I suppose the lack of rights and inequality for women) but be prepared to feel some negative emotions during your reading journey.
One thing I can heavily praise about The Handmaid's Tale is the way in which language is used to truly convey Offred's emotions, thought patterns, hopes and despairs. I felt I could really connect to these emotions and could feel how they affected the character. Additionally the fact the book lingered with me if I put it down to give myself time to think and contemplate on what I was reading made the book feel so much more engaging than just reading a story.
Consequently, while Offred felt sometimes as quite a flat character, I understand that this really helped delve into the mindset of these women and the world they are in, it does make some sections feel more like a chore to read when something interesting isn't going on. The fact the content of the novel is so sad and the idea that something like this is not outside the realm of possibility even for our world can make this a depressing read.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a novel to make you think, anyone interested in women's rights (or I suppose the lack of rights and inequality for women) but be prepared to feel some negative emotions during your reading journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death