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scruffie's reviews
111 reviews
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Miscarriage
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Excellent world-building, excellent writing. I see now why it won the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction. I have no words.
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
I will come back to this later.
The Fall by Albert Camus
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Too many stereotypes for my taste and very slow-paced. Got sick of reading the words "the fat one" as well; is that person's size their only trait of interest? Jeez.
The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within by Stephen Fry
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
4.0
Learned a bunch; this was my first poetry "manual" and I found it quite rich in terminology and (classic) poem/poet leads to look into.
Certainly got that Fry is very opinionated concerning poetry, and our views on what constitutes a "good" poem differ quite a lot, but that actually made the experience all the richer for me: it helped me clarify where I personally stand and appreciate the subjectivity on the issue. Either way, to me this book felt like an interesting combination of Fry's own journal and a poetry textbook; his own preferences and opinions show through every page.
Very slow-paced, especially if you want the concepts to sink in and you also scribble alongside reading (which Fry recommends and I partially did). Not in a bad way. I personally let this one stew, reading it over a couple of months, and thinking about parts of it at random moments throughout my days, and it helped the concepts sink in.
Admittedly, I was occasionally put off my what I perceived as Fry's unacknowledged privilege, which took away some of the relatability that I think Fry intended to induce.
Certainly got that Fry is very opinionated concerning poetry, and our views on what constitutes a "good" poem differ quite a lot, but that actually made the experience all the richer for me: it helped me clarify where I personally stand and appreciate the subjectivity on the issue. Either way, to me this book felt like an interesting combination of Fry's own journal and a poetry textbook; his own preferences and opinions show through every page.
Very slow-paced, especially if you want the concepts to sink in and you also scribble alongside reading (which Fry recommends and I partially did). Not in a bad way. I personally let this one stew, reading it over a couple of months, and thinking about parts of it at random moments throughout my days, and it helped the concepts sink in.
Admittedly, I was occasionally put off my what I perceived as Fry's unacknowledged privilege, which took away some of the relatability that I think Fry intended to induce.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Excrement
Q & A by Vikas Swarup
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Felt a little flat and dissociated at times—especially considering how gruesome some situations described are—but I quite enjoyed reading this one. Rather fast-paced and adventurous. Numerous content warnings; no point in enumerating them all but I'd single out a few: police brutality, torture, domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, religious bigotry, arson.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of my favorite adventures of all time; will keep returning to this book every couple of years for comfort :)
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
That was a pretty fast, enjoyable read! Some words were at the far end of my brain (or the internet, I admit), but overall I got to read this book in one go, uninterrupted. A little scary at times, but anything that humans make is; what else is new?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Suicide attempt and Alcohol
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Heavy book. My first Gyasi read and I have to admit that I really liked the writing style: clearly literary, but also direct. I really appreciated the book's nuanced view on depression and addiction, the focus on understanding, not judging.
I also liked the book's perspective on the internal conflicts people who have been brought up in a religious setting face, and in particular how that interacts with the scientific point of view. Coming from a similar place myself I found that part very relatable.
Time to look for Gyasi's other books :)
I also liked the book's perspective on the internal conflicts people who have been brought up in a religious setting face, and in particular how that interacts with the scientific point of view. Coming from a similar place myself I found that part very relatable.
Time to look for Gyasi's other books :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit