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menage_a_livre's reviews
58 reviews
Eat a Peach by Gabe Ulla, David Chang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
I was into the premise of the book for a little but then it kept becoming the same thing over and over again. The writing style was insufferable and felt incredibly self-important and insincere, while also remaining self-deprecating. I decided to move on rather than keep trying to slog through. This book could have been 200 pages instead of 300+.
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
I love retellings. Circe is one of my favourites and I’m very excited to read Medea by Rosie Hewlett. So I was excited when someone recommended Clytemnestra. Boy howdy was I wrong in being excited.
People ~elsewhere~ have said that calling the prose wooden is an insult to trees and I agree heartily with this statement. It feels clunky and unpolished. There are also three historical inaccuracies in the first few chapters which was such a weird thing to come across. For example, Casati has Clytemnestra quote a Biblical proverb and she calls Spartiates a group of women warriors (which is wrong). I thought I could trudge along and the book would get better but then Theseus abducted and raped Helen, Clytemnestra’s younger sister. There are so many references to sexual assault and this book is supposed to be “empowering” and about vengeance but Jesus Christ the constant mention of SA is so incredibly exhausting. I know that Helen does get abducted and assaulted in the original myths, but this is supposed to be a *retelling*. Anyways 0/10 just go read literally anything else. I’m going to read about mermaids or something.
Also whoever recommended this to me: you and I officially have beef and I’m going to fistfight you in the Denny’s parking lot.
People ~elsewhere~ have said that calling the prose wooden is an insult to trees and I agree heartily with this statement. It feels clunky and unpolished. There are also three historical inaccuracies in the first few chapters which was such a weird thing to come across. For example, Casati has Clytemnestra quote a Biblical proverb and she calls Spartiates a group of women warriors (which is wrong). I thought I could trudge along and the book would get better but then Theseus abducted and raped Helen, Clytemnestra’s younger sister. There are so many references to sexual assault and this book is supposed to be “empowering” and about vengeance but Jesus Christ the constant mention of SA is so incredibly exhausting. I know that Helen does get abducted and assaulted in the original myths, but this is supposed to be a *retelling*. Anyways 0/10 just go read literally anything else. I’m going to read about mermaids or something.
Also whoever recommended this to me: you and I officially have beef and I’m going to fistfight you in the Denny’s parking lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and War
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.5
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Homophobia
Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
DNF'd at about 40%. I wanted to like this book because I love the history surrounding Violet Jessop and the Titanic, but I didn't expect the book to be dual POV with Violet and also not focusing primarily on the Titanic. While Daphne's storyline is very intriguing, I think it would've been better suited towards its own book with her as a main character. Daphne as a character is honestly really just piggy-backing off of the intrigue built by Violet Jessop and the Titanic.
And Don't Look Back by Rebecca Barrow
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5