emmaj_xo's reviews
91 reviews

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

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emotional slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

“when I feel it my duty to speak an unpalatable truth… I will speak it” oh Anne you’re an absolute star!

To think this novel was suppressed for so long and by her own sister nonetheless. Anne was as fearless as her protagonist in writing and publishing this harrowing yet honest tale of spousal abuse, and a woman’s liberation from it.

Helen is a remarkable character. She’s both self-sacrificing for those she loves and utterly savage to those she loathes (and who deserve it.) I’d say we all need a Helen in our lives but she’s too good for us.

Gilbert, the narrator who frames the novel however, is a pathetic weasel of a man who doesn’t deserve to so much as walk in her shadow.  
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I read the pop up minalima edition which is just stunning. The book itself is cute and imaginative and an important artefact of American cultural history. Bain’s writing style though may be off putting to certain readers. He doesn’t mail that universal tone other children’s authors have mastered.
The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan

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emotional 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

3.0

I enjoyed this, and it’s beautifully written. It’s partially let down though by underdeveloped characterisation, particularly the main love interest. She doesn’t seem to exist other than as Mara’s lover which made it difficult to invest too much in them as a pair. Even the island which feels sometimes like a character in itself needs more time to reveal its magic to us. 
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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Gorgeous, rich, and moving. Susanna Clarke gripped me with this tale of twisted academia. It feels weightier than it’s few pages would suggest and span in directions I couldn’t have predicated. Piranesi is a wonderful and charming first person narrator.
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

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emotional reflective medium-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? No

4.5

My first Winterson after being told for so long how much I needed to read her. A gorgeously illustrative and intricate tapestry of a narrative. Not quite sure why some reviewers found the story hard to follow. I understand why this is considered a modern classic.
Love Letters: Vita and Virginia by Virginia Woolf, Vita Sackville-West

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

A wonderfully curated collection of these gorgeous, heart-wrenching letters.
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Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

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lighthearted slow-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

2.5

I enjoyed this initially but soon realised nothing was happening and it became a slow, dull read. A rare case of enjoying the film (however loosely adapted) far more than the book.
The Dark Crystal Bestiary: The Definitive Guide to the Creatures of Thra (the Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the Dark Crystal Book, Fantasy Art by Adam Cesare

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informative fast-paced

4.5

Beautifully illustrated throughout, I loved reading about the different strange creatures of Thra. Only downside for me was the font. I know it’s a stylistic choice, but the cursive font can be hard of tired eyes and I would have preferred a simpler typeset.
The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies by Robert Kirk

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informative mysterious slow-paced

3.0

Great introduction by Andrew Lang helps in the understanding of the text. Fascinating how Kirk attempts to fit fairy belief in line with his Christian faith. Interesting discussion of the second sight and where it may come from, however I was expecting much more interesting accounts of the sightings that what is presented here.
Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen by Greg Jenner

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
I very rarely DNF a book, especially not so early on! But it became clear very early on that I am not the target reader. I find the conversational style rather grating and somewhat condescending, and I can’t bear historians sharing personal opinions. I don’t want to you to tell me that someone was a “plonker”, give me the facts and I’ll come to that conclusion myself. The thematic approach also means there’s a lot of jumping around across different figures and historical eras, when I was perhaps expecting a chronological history. I think I would have preferred a few detailed case studies to what is essential a brief history of numerous historical celebrities.