sierrabaldwin85's reviews
29 reviews

reflective fast-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

4.0

While taking the form of an intense, microscopic character study, I still felt like the themes touched on were too broad in scope. The narrative touched on social stratification, abuse, gender roles, and more, yet the broad nature of these topics and the concise nature of the book meant that some themes were neglected. Nevertheless, the ability to interweave a breadth of topics delicately was still impressive despite leaving some to be desired. I found the discussion of Marianne’s relationship to violence particularly astute and unique. The writing style was well suited to approach the topic, and I would have loved to see that expanded upon further.

Love Poems by Pablo Neruda

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emotional fast-paced

4.0

Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

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reflective slow-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

5.0

Dracula by Bram Stoker

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mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A masterful work with hauntingly beautiful prose. The protagonist is painfully unlikeable, yet reeks of our common humanity, poignantly reminding us that the contempt we hold for him is rooted in the fears we struggle to confront in our own lives.

There There by Tommy Orange

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emotional reflective slow-paced