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scruffie's reviews
111 reviews
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
White Fang by Jack London
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think I now understand why this books means so much to so many people. It is very hard to read through the unbearable hardship and cruelty it presents, but I am glad that I did so.
I would have given it 5 stars, if I weren't bothered by a few things.
First and foremost, I did not appreciate the racist comparisons between Native Americans and white people. The narrative had no need for them whatsoever in my opinion, and they only revealed London's own prejudice.
Also, the book repeatedly uses some slurs. I know that the times were different when the book was written, but some words were just as offensive then as they are now, and also there were already better words available at the time, so that's no excuse.
Lastly—and this is admittedly more personal than my previous points—it took me quite some pages (and time) to get used to London's use of the word "god", understand they way he perceives it, and stop being annoyed by it. I have no problem with the word in general, but putting the word in the mouth of the victim when talking about their perpetrator didn't feel right. It was around the middle of the book when I started gathering what exactly does the word mean to London.
I would have given it 5 stars, if I weren't bothered by a few things.
First and foremost, I did not appreciate the racist comparisons between Native Americans and white people. The narrative had no need for them whatsoever in my opinion, and they only revealed London's own prejudice.
Also, the book repeatedly uses some slurs. I know that the times were different when the book was written, but some words were just as offensive then as they are now, and also there were already better words available at the time, so that's no excuse.
Lastly—and this is admittedly more personal than my previous points—it took me quite some pages (and time) to get used to London's use of the word "god", understand they way he perceives it, and stop being annoyed by it. I have no problem with the word in general, but putting the word in the mouth of the victim when talking about their perpetrator didn't feel right. It was around the middle of the book when I started gathering what exactly does the word mean to London.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism
Minor: Racism and Sexism
Fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Tales from the Thousand and One Nights by William Harvey, N.J. Dawood
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I don't know what I expected. This is a medieval book, after all, whatever that means.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Slavery
Η φόνισσα by Alexandros Papadiamantis
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A masterpiece indeed. Incredibly dark though, beware.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Car accident, and Murder
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Blood
The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Car accident
Minor: Blood
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
I hate the fact that everything is a dream. That's quite a cheap way to finish a novel . I read all of the first part (Alice in Wonderland) and none of the second part (Through the Looking Glass).