samihami's reviews
97 reviews

Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-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? No

4.5

This is such a fun read. 
I love Mr Keating and the boys as characters full of spirit and newly found freedom (in the boys’ case). 
The themes of academic and mind freedom, childhood, the importance of future and what one should prioritise when choosing their life paths, love for poetry and generally written/spoken word, the importance of community and solidarity, and speaking your own mind are all incredibly well portrayed and analysed. 
Though the end does crush my heart, I would not change one but about it. 
This might be the first book I will reread for other than academic reasons. 
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was such a fun read, I devoured it. 
The author emphasises the importance of slowing down, listening to your emotions and letting flow through you, and discovering your true self, which is very much needed in nowadays fast and busy world. 
It was all cozy fun vibes, with great three-dimensional characters and a wonderful storyline. 
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I like this one more than The Flowers of Buffoonery which is focuses on a part of the story. Osamu Dazai depicts the darkness in all of us so well.  It is speculated that this was his suicide note and I see what they mean. There is so much depth and understanding in the author-work relationship. If it weren’t an obvious  fiction, I would’ve thought I was reading his diary. 
Romeo a Julie / Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Shakespeare struck us once again with a timeless piece of art. 
I enjoyed reading this play of his more than I did As You Like It and Hamlet, though thematically, Hamlet was more fun as it more complex than Romeo and Juliet. 
Rome and Juliet is a tragic love story with only some depth of the characters, storyline, and environment in comparison to Hamlet. 
But I enjoyed it nonetheless. 
The Flowers of Buffoonery by Osamu Dazai

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dark funny lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Perfection!
The elements of an unreliable narrator but
it’s actually the author??
 
Osamu Dazai is a genius. 
Thos also reads so well so if you’re looking to get out of a reading slump, grab this one. 
-0.5 because I wasn’t so invested into the chracters’ lore as the author assumed the reader is. 
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-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

This is definitely my favourite of Rooney’s so far. The characters felt real and relatable. 
I’m seeing the author’s liking in email correspondence and like how Rooney uses it, it really breaks up the traditional structure of contemporary prose. 
Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I love love love this story. Tsujimura is such a great storyteller. 
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

Made me fall in love with Neil Gaiman. 
Mao by Delia Davin

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informative fast-paced

4.5

It’s a great summary of Mao’s life, though some parts could’ve been shorter and other longer. 
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0