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mariella123's reviews
27 reviews
Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna
emotional
funny
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
What a beautiful book!
Being Irish descent, queer, from London, a bitter corbyn-era mid twenties gal & having recently moved out of London I felt like I probably was a good target audience 😅😅 but fr it was really nice to see a book with cultural references that were entirely relatable
A wonderful explortion on desire Vs instinct particularly through the lens of queerness & normativity. the balance of what you should do to be "cool", what you should do to meet life's "milestones" and what you actually want (as difficult as that may be to decipher given all the internal and external expectations) and how impossible it is to make all those things work at once
I loved the complicated friendship of Maggie & Phil . Rosaline's character was heartbreaking - take up space!!!!! How she was more like Phil than he really knows. I could go on and on but 5⭐
Being Irish descent, queer, from London, a bitter corbyn-era mid twenties gal & having recently moved out of London I felt like I probably was a good target audience 😅😅 but fr it was really nice to see a book with cultural references that were entirely relatable
A wonderful explortion on desire Vs instinct particularly through the lens of queerness & normativity. the balance of what you should do to be "cool", what you should do to meet life's "milestones" and what you actually want (as difficult as that may be to decipher given all the internal and external expectations) and how impossible it is to make all those things work at once
I loved the complicated friendship of Maggie & Phil . Rosaline's character was heartbreaking - take up space!!!!! How she was more like Phil than he really knows. I could go on and on but 5⭐
Rosewater by Liv Little
emotional
funny
reflective
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
What an amaaaazing book. I listened to the audio book and it was narrated so well, at times it felt like a voice note from a friend. It's cliché but i very quickly felt like I knew all of the characters personally.
It covered some really important current topics like the housing crisis and how it can complicate relationships, had intergenerational queer friendship 🙌& messy queer friendships with blurred lines.
And it was refreshing to read a book with a protagonist who was so unapologically lesbian
It covered some really important current topics like the housing crisis and how it can complicate relationships, had intergenerational queer friendship 🙌& messy queer friendships with blurred lines.
And it was refreshing to read a book with a protagonist who was so unapologically lesbian
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
- 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
This book for me, was about people trying so hard to live. Someone with immense trauma breaking down their boundaries in the hopes he/ it will be worth it. And the people around him overlooking how damaged he is in an attempt to take him as he was without his demons.
Following the characters through the span of their lifetime meant I grew really attached.
It is definitely a book you can't just pick up and read at any time, I've never read such graphic depictions of abuse and self harm. By the end I wanted it to end. in other art forms I've seen the themes this book lays bare, alluded to. But in a way I think it's important that this book is so graphic because it gives space to what is often glanced over, and that can only form shame. It's not for everyone, take the trigger warnings very seriously.
Some may shout at some of the characters asking why they didn't do more but for me, what makes this book so human is trying to understand why they took the approaches that they did.
Following the characters through the span of their lifetime meant I grew really attached.
It is definitely a book you can't just pick up and read at any time, I've never read such graphic depictions of abuse and self harm. By the end I wanted it to end. in other art forms I've seen the themes this book lays bare, alluded to. But in a way I think it's important that this book is so graphic because it gives space to what is often glanced over, and that can only form shame. It's not for everyone, take the trigger warnings very seriously.
Some may shout at some of the characters asking why they didn't do more but for me, what makes this book so human is trying to understand why they took the approaches that they did.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth
emotional
funny
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
4.75
Af first I thought this was going to be a cute, slightly cheesy novel but I was SO wrong. It's such a lovely, funny and layered story.
I wanted a tiny bit more of the Maebh and Aideen romance because I grew to love them as a pairing then I think this would be 5* for me.
Actually laughed out loud at points, the potrayal of having an alcoholic parent was so sad but so well done. Also loved that the book wasn't about coming out. Loved the protagonist.
I wanted a tiny bit more of the Maebh and Aideen romance because I grew to love them as a pairing then I think this would be 5* for me.
Actually laughed out loud at points, the potrayal of having an alcoholic parent was so sad but so well done. Also loved that the book wasn't about coming out. Loved the protagonist.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
Completely and utterly obsessed. This book spoke to me on so many levels and made me reflect on friendship, communication, ageing, my generation's strengths and weakness, etc. I found this book profoundly philisophical and keep realising connections and potential meanings days after reading it.
I loved nearly all of the characters who felt so real and so so so human. The writing was well-paced and despite never thinking of myself as someone who is into games I loved how Zevin makes us realise that gaming is diverse and adults love to play.
I loved nearly all of the characters who felt so real and so so so human. The writing was well-paced and despite never thinking of myself as someone who is into games I loved how Zevin makes us realise that gaming is diverse and adults love to play.
'It was a kind of immaturity to call yourself old before you were'.
'This life is filled will inescaptable moral compromise. We should do what we can to avoid the easy ones'.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Sexual assault
Minor: Injury/Injury detail