Scan barcode
watermelleon's reviews
248 reviews
- 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
2.5
I initially was enjoying the world building and the dark academia setting, however the rest did not live up to expectations. The mystery fell quite flat and was overstretched, I didn't feel very attached to the characters and at times found them somewhat frustrating! The plot felt a bit scattered and too fast at times. Whatever was going on with the narrator had potential, but became unclear in the least smart way and unreliable became unlikeable very quickly. Lots of potential and very little payoff. Ultimately I was left reading through the rest very quickly to hope that any interesting twists or answers were picked up, which is probably a bad sign that your mystery isn't very good.
Lesson learned: a good mystery is about the journey as much as the payoff.
Probably a 2 but the beginning DID give me some inspiration in writing my own book, but it's the first dark academia thing I've really read and there is probably definitely a better version out there. So I don't think I can fully credit it for that.
4.0
An excellent memoir, with a surprising amount of nuance. I was somewhat cautious it would be told in a more spiteful way (which would be completely valid!), but it was fascinating to hear about the queerer aspects of the quran and the endless struggle of religion vs culture, and amrou's relationship with and journey within Islam. I have had so many conversations with Muslim people about this exact topic, and it was wonderful to have such a detailed account.
I felt a lot of interpretations closely mirror actions of other religious family groups which receive far less stigma in britain, which amrou was able to address delicately with a lot of thought. This was very intelligently written!
It has been a great experience reflecting on my own queerness and whiteness, and the in depth experience of queer Muslims which I so often look for but rarely find!
Definitely recommend this, marked as a 4 as the writing style at times felt perhaps a little too overwhelmed with metaphors and overblown artistic style that wasn't quite to my personal liking (but seems very in line with the writers character!)
Also absolutely loved the absolutely bizzare likening of Allah to some sort of sadistic DM at the beginning, and how religious trauma can be processed through the queer and kink scene.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation
5.0
A fantastic memoir that left me double checking it wasn't ghostwritten - Mara has such a tallent for storytelling! So many things resonated with me on a deep level, and I feel like I learned so much more than just some gossip from her childhood acting days. Some parts were extremely intelligent and funny, others so dark and sad that I was in tears and had to put the book down because it was so intense.
All in all, a very honest and refreshing memoir and I loved it!
- 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
Enemies to lovers
Stunning drawings
An incredible unfolding mystery
Intense moments that made me struggle to sleep
Dark difficult grit about human nature
A bit of philosophy for good measure
And the power of friendship
This upset me in the best way. I couldn't put it down and I'm craving the next season!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
- 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
The art is just incredible! Some great philosophical moments and great character development and relationship building at the heart. Impossible to put down, can't wait to see where this continues!
4.0
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I had no book and I must read
Feel pretty sick now ngl
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Torture, Xenophobia, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
5.0
Warning: this is not an easy read. There were times I had to pause, and take a breath, or contemplate what was being said. It is very triggering for many reasons, quite graphic in detail, and for this reason I imagine is very difficult for a lot of readers.
One thing I did not expect from this read was how nuanced it would be written. This is not a sob story where someone is feeling forced to sell their journey as trauma porn for others to feel something over. This is a delicate, intelligent, and well thought out commentary on the society we live in, toxic masculinity, the fickle nature of sexuality, the social and physical effects of childhood trauma, the attraction of dangerous volunteers to risky roles, the court system, the police, feminism, and generational trauma (to name just a few!)
At one point, Alan touched upon a particularly sore spot for me that I was not expecting to appear at all. But his conversational voice and facts presented reminded me the reader that survivors of trauma exist everywhere in so many forms and we all have learned lessons that have value when we are ready to reach out and discuss it with others.
I'm so glad to have picked the audio book version, which added another level of expertly guided feelings by Alan. He is a fantastic voice, and had me crying on many many bus journeys and walks.
An incredible last line that will stick with me for a long time as well. I wish for many of my friends and family members to read this.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If you have read it, read this:
Vague enough spoilers await..
Disclaimer, it's my 4th (. 5?) book by David Mitchell. As a stand alone with no prior knowledge, it is a 5 star read.
If you've read any other David Mitchell novel, it becomes even more special.
This book is a beautifully skilled craftwork jigsaw puzzle, with pieces that snap into place perfectly despite at first being unpredictable. You can start in the centre or form the edges, or from a corner outwards. It does not matter which order you fill them to get the satisfying conclusion that appears.
An odessey through the 60s, this book is your own personal tour through time, it's glitter and it's failures. It's real, but understands naivety, inspiration, hope and other complicated human feelings.
This novel hinges on the story of human potential, who we are and who we will become (or who we could be, given the chance). We follow the band reach stardom and everything in between in the peak of their youth, but we also see revisited characters in their younger selves, and the legacy of others long gone, their periods of potential and hope. This 'glory days' epic reminds you there will be an eventual end to these experiences, but they will never leave who you have become in the way they have changed you.
Bone clocks spoiler -
Thoughts and questions that made me existential while reading this book:
A young Crispin Hershey points a finger gun at Dean. And then the writer erases him.
Is the love between luisa and elf really forever? An older elf writes on amongst the stark cliffs of sheep's head.
Speaking of Holly Sykes, it's peculiar that she's a gravesend girl too.
Bolivar is a scary and familiar sight. But what does he want? Is it a call forwards into something new, or someone we have seen before? Who had to die at that point in time to be there?
"I hope somebody made a quality bootleg of this"
How popular were utopia avenue then to be forgotten now? Is it a universe teetering on the edge of ours, or a perfect copy? Is another point being made about what happens to David Mitchell's world when it comes to the end of the timeline?
"it makes you wonder if you've actually been living not in the real world but only a description of it" -
It is only a script after all.
Speaking of the end of the world, only some unknown coincidence in hawaii saved utopia avenue's last record. And a man with impossible technology that almost disappeared from the world in only 50 years.
I wonder if/when the horologists will show us any possibility of moving through time in order to preserve it, and I wonder if any meddling has taken place so far.
Griff Griffin. I guess it wasn't his time to be a Protagonist yet. I wonder about Steve also. An important part of the band, written as "an important piece of the puzzle", or a "heartbeat", you're convinced he's important but you're left wondering how. He never thinks out loud to us. It's curious. Or maybe he's just dyslexic and can't write a chapter.
Why does the cloud atlas sextet sound so familiar to Jasper?
I wonder what sixsmith was doing at this point in time.
"How come the rich own the world when they're so bloody useless?" - dean's transition through social class and what remains. The poetry of ordering a boring sandwich as room service. Class was a point of contention initially for dean/griff and elf, seeing their relationships change was a voyage.
Other things about elf and griff that can be thought and not written. If David Mitchell is Elf, I'm Levon.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and War