Scan barcode
zsabella's reviews
127 reviews
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck
this is an impressive horror novella with a great sense of magical realism and existential terror that earns every bit of its ~100 page count. steven peck’s interpretation of jorge luis borges’ the ‘library of babel’ is unlike any version of “Hell” I’ve ever read or seen and left my head spinning. it proposes that Hell is one of infinite sameness in a seemingly infinite space, and that thought alone has ever so slightly pushed me towards dabbling in Zoroastrianism.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness
Soul Music by Terry Pratchett
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Fatphobia
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, and War
Minor: Rape, Medical content, and Abandonment
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
Khosrow and Shirin by Nezami Ganjavi
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this is for the yearners who’d like to read about one of the most famous couples in persian literature. I didn’t expect to like shirin and khosrow’s story so much (crude/deceitful prince + self-assured princess), but dick davis’ translation was a smooth intro to a tricky medieval romance.
I loved the imagery and there are many natural motifs (sun/moon, fruits, flowers, jewels) I’ve rarely liked in romantic poems that are done well here. I thought the prose was lovely and sensual and worked well as courtship between khosrow and shirin, but a modern reader today might side-eye at the racially tinged metaphors (though there aren’t many). this is also how I found out I don’t mind ABAB poems 😅 even if the rhymes look simple on page, there’s PLENTY turns of phrase that can be enjoyed on their own.
some favorite passages:
“Two hunters met together in one place
Hunting each other, and now face to face…
Two archers slim as cypress trees, whose darts
Were aimed by love at one another's hearts.”
“When you embrace, another spring appears
With violet petals you adorn her ears
And whisper secrets there, as heart to heart
You list your sorrows when you were apart…”
First Khosrow asked, "What country gave you birth?"
Farhad said, "Love, the noblest place on earth.”
“By God who made the body and the soul
Combine in us to form a single whole,
My hope is that your face’s comely light
Will turn to dawn the darkness of my night.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, and War
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0