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circesophelia's reviews
161 reviews
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jenkins Reid finds tales within the wealthy modern day aristocracy of showbiz. While usually, such a narrow view is off-putting, the way in which human experience can be presented through these characters is remarkable. The juxtaposition the book created between the beautiful Malibu life of 25 year old model Nina and the story of her parents, Mick and June, and the story of her siblings is incredible. The way in which you feel through the characters is incredible. While there are more artful books out there, this is emotional and raw and you feel it all.
The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld
challenging
dark
sad
medium-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
2.0
I think this book deserves a 50/50 rating, not because it is a soso book, but because of the polarising emotions I have towards it.
The study of grief is excellent, and the demonstration of a young mind's decay into fear and uncertainty caused by an exposure to death is well done.
The motif of the coat and Jas' baggage was incredibly well done, and I find the ending to be fitting for the story and I see little other conclusion.
That being said, with some books as this, that try and push 'deeper and darker' I find as if they attempt to create the most dark and gruesome stories even when it makes little sense. Obbe's incest, rape and pedophilia is not handled in a way that makes it woven into the narrative. It just creates squirming and horror at what is happening, goes unresolved and doesn't seem to fit with the fallout from Matthies' death to me that well. While I understand the implications of Jas' curiosity, many of the passages involving rape and incest seem jagged and unnecessarily dark just to remain in your head. . While it may be a good book with incredible writing - what I have taken from it is not it's best features, just the shock horror value it attempts to reel you with, and that is a shame to me.
The study of grief is excellent, and the demonstration of a young mind's decay into fear and uncertainty caused by an exposure to death is well done.
The motif of the coat and Jas' baggage was incredibly well done, and I find the ending to be fitting for the story and I see little other conclusion.
That being said, with some books as this, that try and push 'deeper and darker' I find as if they attempt to create the most dark and gruesome stories even when it makes little sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
The Years by Virginia Woolf
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
2.75
Woolf's writing is usually exactly what I desire, yet this, a departure from her usual style post 'the waves' left me rather bitter.
I enjoyed deeply the study into some of the characters, though I found some much more interesting than others, and the picture woven of the lives of the Partigiers was good.
Yet I found this book lacking some of the fire that can be felt within other Woolf novels. Though an exposure of victorianism and its values, it feels painfully middle class and narrow in its scope, choosing to spend it's time on the moderately well off spinster Eleanor, when I would have much rather studied the life of the servant Crosby.
Much of the discourse seems difficult to relate to or empathise with, in particular the anti-semitism that plagues the novel makes it difficult to enjoy. This was written in the 1930s and the cultural context of antisemitism in that time is impossible to ignore.
No matter how lovely the writing the overall effect of the book was one that made me disgusted hollow and bitter.
I enjoyed deeply the study into some of the characters, though I found some much more interesting than others, and the picture woven of the lives of the Partigiers was good.
Yet I found this book lacking some of the fire that can be felt within other Woolf novels. Though an exposure of victorianism and its values, it feels painfully middle class and narrow in its scope, choosing to spend it's time on the moderately well off spinster Eleanor, when I would have much rather studied the life of the servant Crosby.
Much of the discourse seems difficult to relate to or empathise with, in particular the anti-semitism that plagues the novel makes it difficult to enjoy. This was written in the 1930s and the cultural context of antisemitism in that time is impossible to ignore.
No matter how lovely the writing the overall effect of the book was one that made me disgusted hollow and bitter.
Tiny Pieces of Skull by Roz Kaveney
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-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
Some of the best pieces of literature in all of human history have come from a place of desperation and necessity. This is certainly the case here. The story of it's origin, existing in manuscript for 25 years before being published shows the importance and lasting impact of this book. While nothing groundbreaking happens, the focus in minute detail of people so often forgotten in literature creates a stunning view of life for trans people in Chicago at the time. I personally believe the influence of this book, the characterisation in particular, can be viewed within the work of Gaiman, an early supporter of this book. It picked me up and swept me away, often in a way I didn't understand. As the culture moves the way it does, this book must be read.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.5
Found it a really well written character study, in which the characters do in fact feel like normal people. That being said, Marianne's character becoming into masochism because she is a 'shit person' feels misunderstood and unresolved at the end of the text. Her development feels rushed and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth . Overall very surprised as the content isn't what I would usually go for !
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
challenging
dark
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
aspects of this were beyond that of many of the replica dystopias that followed, personally loved this far more than Brave New World and I found the protagonist a better portrayal of unreliable 'narration' than Winston in 1984. Although I loved the 1st person perspective it didn't really go as deep into the regime itself which is a major driver in dystopia for me.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0