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libbykerns's reviews
306 reviews
Pamela by Samuel Richardson
slow-paced
2.0
this book is significant for the development of the novel… but my main reaction to it is the desire to exhume richardson’s grave and challenge him to a duel
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this was kind of a slog to read but will definitely make for interesting discussion. the question is whether we’ll get to discuss what i want to discuss…
The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises by Sharon Hodde Miller
4.0
this book isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it’s an easy read and affirms much of what i’ve been wrestling with lately. i can see why my mom recommended it and i’m glad to have read it—even if only for her thesis re the relationship between anxiety and control, esp. in a post-COVID world. very insightful!
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
3.0
meh. it wanted to be succession but i didn’t care enough about any of these characters for that to work
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
4.0
i enjoyed this! it was psychologically coherent and a fun, science-y plot
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
The world building was really fun, but the plot... wasn't as intriguing as I'd hoped it would be. I finished it because I had to return it to the library and I thought I might as well.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
written with Steinbeck’s characteristic balance of scarcity and poetry. there were some killer lines in here, but this isn’t his best work
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
an excellent and interesting read about crew, yes, but also and more significantly about the breadth and power of the individual in real community. i thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare by G.K. Chesterton
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
funky, allegory-adjacent, “modernist Romance” in the Dantean sense.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0