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hollyway's reviews
524 reviews
Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was really great. Ojeda pushed boundaries with form but always in a way that enriched the story and pulled you deeper into the characters' warped minds. This book felt so frantic and breathless that I ended up reading it super quickly, but I can see myself going back to it someday because the characters and themes were so layered that I think it would be really rewarding to do a close reading. Just a really interesting novel and it's always so exciting to read something that feels totally unique.
The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Interesting but nothing mind-blowing. Slimani does a great job exploring the psyche of a twisted character, however she spread herself too thin across so many characters in so few pages here, meaning none of them felt fully fleshed out. For me, her talent for character work was far more evident in Adèle. I did like this one, it just didn't pull me in the way her other novel did.
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I really had no idea what to expect from The Vampire Lestat, but it turned out to be everything I wanted and more than I'd dared to hope for. The prose wasn't quite as striking as Louis' but that's a high bar, it was still gorgeously atmospheric (apart from the wonderfully silly prologue and some of the epilogue), and of course the voice was simply perfectly Lestat. The story was gripping and immersive, but as always for me it was the characters and their relationships that had me on the edge of my seat. It was such a treat getting to know new characters like Nicki and Gabrielle, as well as diving deeper into ones we already knew from Interview with the Vampire. Gabrielle especially is a new favourite, and Armand is always endlessly fascinating to me. I'm obsessed with the way Anne Rice writes vampire psychology and relationships to be something so genuinely alien and indefinable by human standards.
But of course the real standout is none other than Lestat, who set out to manipulate me with this book and thoroughly succeeded. Every page I turned was another braincell lost until I was well and truly converted into a Lestat girlie. Whoops!
Seriously, though, regardless of how much I trust Lestat's version of events/himself (about as much as I ever trusted Louis') I was simply thrilled to see this side of him. The stubborn boy, the renegade, the idealist, the artist, the fame whore - the hopeless romantic. A deeply flawed individual to say the least and yet I can't help but feel such deep affection for him. I might actually love him as much as I love Louis now, which is saying a lot. I've also been brainwashed into believing they belong together now too, but we won't go down that rabbithole!!!
Queen of the Damned, my life is in your hands.
But of course the real standout is none other than Lestat, who set out to manipulate me with this book and thoroughly succeeded. Every page I turned was another braincell lost until I was well and truly converted into a Lestat girlie. Whoops!
Seriously, though, regardless of how much I trust Lestat's version of events/himself (about as much as I ever trusted Louis') I was simply thrilled to see this side of him. The stubborn boy, the renegade, the idealist, the artist, the fame whore - the hopeless romantic. A deeply flawed individual to say the least and yet I can't help but feel such deep affection for him. I might actually love him as much as I love Louis now, which is saying a lot. I've also been brainwashed into believing they belong together now too, but we won't go down that rabbithole!!!
Queen of the Damned, my life is in your hands.
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
Shuggie Bain really captures the exquisite pain of loving someone who is determined to destroy themselves. Not a new favourite but deserving of its accolades.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
This was a favourite for me as a teen and I was curious to revisit it. Honestly it was very well-written and it's not hard to see why it meant so much to me at the time, but for whatever reason it just doesn't resonate with me today the way it did when I was fifteen.
Jesustown by Paul Daley
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jesustown challenges Australia's neat and tidy story-fied approach to history by contending directly with our messy, ugly, not-so-distant past. First and foremost, it deconstructs the myth of the white saviour. It does all this with a surprising amount of nuance and a strong narrative voice that kept me engaged all the way through, even when the pacing got a little bit wonky. It was an intriguing and of course thought-provoking read, and the most "readable" book I've picked up in quite a while.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
*read for book club*
I literally just made my mind up that Elif Shafak is not really for me, only for this to be our next book club pick lol. And honestly, my experience with this one was consistent with her other works. I can appreciate what she's doing but I just never get fully drawn into the story. Should be a good one for book club discussion, though, so I'm still glad I read it.
I literally just made my mind up that Elif Shafak is not really for me, only for this to be our next book club pick lol. And honestly, my experience with this one was consistent with her other works. I can appreciate what she's doing but I just never get fully drawn into the story. Should be a good one for book club discussion, though, so I'm still glad I read it.
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Intergenerational stories so often fall flat for me, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this. I think Jeffers did such a great job balancing the mythological tone of the past chapters with the more grounded modern day chapters, and she never let the humanity and specificity of her characters get shrouded by the scope of the larger story. I loved the familial relationships in all their complexity, especially between the sisters. With that said, my biggest complaint is that Coco didn't get her moment to shine! I was hoping we'd get something from her perspective.
For me personally, this did lack a certain something that could have made it a new favourite, but it's a beautiful - though painful - novel nonetheless and I would highly recommend for anyone in the mood for a big book and a sweeping epic that still feels grounded and intimate.
For me personally, this did lack a certain something that could have made it a new favourite, but it's a beautiful - though painful - novel nonetheless and I would highly recommend for anyone in the mood for a big book and a sweeping epic that still feels grounded and intimate.
American Ghosts & Old World Wonders by Angela Carter
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
This was more complex than I was expecting and reading it in the burnout blur between Christmas and New Year's was, unfortunately, not the best choice. Most of it went over my head, but I did still like it if that makes any sense lol. I can tell that I would click with Angela Carter's writing at another time when my brain is slightly less fried and I'm looking forward to our next encounter.
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Read the first 3 stories and felt absolutely nothing about any of them. Love a weird book but this is somehow as boring as it is bizarre. Where is the flavour???