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rhiannonmcgovern's reviews
150 reviews
The Girls by Emma Cline
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
for someone who goes to university to talk about literature and creative writing all day, this book has me at a loss for words.
emma cline is undoubtedly one of the best writers of her generation. her writing is so haunting and mesmerising, i couldn’t put this book down. not a single word was wasted in this, she scratches a little itch in my brain and satisfies all of my musings so perfectly.
evie was the perfect protagonist; so nuanced and developed and complex. i’m trying to put my thoughts about this into words but it was honestly so beautiful and the way i feel about it transcends any meaningful articulation.
emma cline is undoubtedly one of the best writers of her generation. her writing is so haunting and mesmerising, i couldn’t put this book down. not a single word was wasted in this, she scratches a little itch in my brain and satisfies all of my musings so perfectly.
evie was the perfect protagonist; so nuanced and developed and complex. i’m trying to put my thoughts about this into words but it was honestly so beautiful and the way i feel about it transcends any meaningful articulation.
Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
i loved it but also kind of hated it too but also thought it was genius? i don’t really know how to feel but moshfegh’s writing is so electric and i would read anything she writes because she is one of the most original writers of our time. this was so confusing but that was kind of the whole point and i genuinely felt that i was going fucking crazy along with vesta. unreliable narrator supremacy!
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i loved this book so much, from start to finish. this was so easy to get into and so difficult to put down.
eleanor is one of the most vibrant, well-developed characters i have ever encountered in fiction. i fell in love with her instantly, and rooted for her the whole time. this novel was actually a lot darker than i initially thought, but i really loved the conversations around grief, loneliness and meaningful connections.
as a scottish person myself, i thought honeyman did a great job at portraying the cultural experiences here in a subtle and accurate way.
the only thing i wish this book did was to acknowledge that eleanor is neurodivergent, which is something i find extremely obvious and heavily explored. labelling this identity of her’s would’ve been helpful in de-stigmatising and understanding disability better, so i feel it was a lost opportunity. nonetheless, this book was fantastic and, despite the heavy topics discussed, thus left me feeling hopeful and speaks greatly about the power of kindness.
eleanor is one of the most vibrant, well-developed characters i have ever encountered in fiction. i fell in love with her instantly, and rooted for her the whole time. this novel was actually a lot darker than i initially thought, but i really loved the conversations around grief, loneliness and meaningful connections.
as a scottish person myself, i thought honeyman did a great job at portraying the cultural experiences here in a subtle and accurate way.
the only thing i wish this book did was to acknowledge that eleanor is neurodivergent, which is something i find extremely obvious and heavily explored. labelling this identity of her’s would’ve been helpful in de-stigmatising and understanding disability better, so i feel it was a lost opportunity. nonetheless, this book was fantastic and, despite the heavy topics discussed, thus left me feeling hopeful and speaks greatly about the power of kindness.