jameslyons's reviews
80 reviews

The Giddy Death of the Gays & the Strange Demise of Straights by Redfern Jon Barrett

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Sixty Five Hours by N.R. Walker

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko

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emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

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dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Exceptional! Hits on two very important things that writers rarely get right:

1. The fragility and strength that exist together in equal measure in the individual when one truly faces the horrors of animal cruelty in the world. Usually it's portrayed as one or the other. Tokarczuk "gets it", and it's refreshing (and comforting) to read a protagonist who sees it as I do.

2. Accurate astrology! Not only does Tokarczuk weave astrology into the narrator's world view and belief system, but she does so with ACCURATE astrology and delineations that advance and give hints to the plot. Anyone with an intermediate understanding of astrology will surely love this story, if only for that.
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced
  • 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

The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn by Usman T. Malik

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adventurous informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Brilliant! Compelling, colourful, rich in sensory details. The story was fun and rich in myth. The ending felt a little "rushed" but I still loved it! Fun, quick read.
Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

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adventurous challenging emotional funny informative medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Coming Home To Country by Bronwyn Bancroft

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4.0

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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4.0

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

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3.0