hollyway's reviews
524 reviews

Love That Story by Jonathan Van Ness

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funny hopeful informative reflective

4.0

A very quick and easy read, and enjoyable. I just vibe with Jonathan's voice and humour and these essays had a similar energy to his podcast.
Growing Up Disabled in Australia by Carly Findlay

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informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

I didn't personally learn a tonne from this but would make a good entry point for those beginning their education on disability, especially the social vs medical model as well as empathising with individual stories. Ironically my fatigue/brain fog is so bad today that's all I can think to say and no idea if it even makes sense but oh well 🙃
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

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emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

*read for book club*

A moving meditation on climate (and other) grief that straddles the line between hope and despair. Beautifully written and wonderfully layered.
The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante

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emotional reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Elena Greco is one of the greatest narrators of all time. Through her we experience the flow of the years, the environments in which she lives and of course the impeccably detailed, unforgettable characters who populate her life. But she is no passive wallflower, no mere observer. She lives, she feels, she acts. She is admirable yet contemptible, perceptive yet naive. While she is captivated by Lila - and certainly succeeds in justifying and transferring that captivation to the reader - I was constantly struck by the astounding complexity of Elena. Flawed and contradictory, but always with an internal logic, a consistency even to the contradictions so that I always understood her even when I hated her decisions or recoiled from her uglier thoughts (perhaps because some of that brutally honest self-reflection hit too close to home at times). Lila on the other hand is essentially the opposite, a true enigma who cannot be seen clearly even in the rare moments when she seems intent on making herself understood. This is just one aspect of the yin and yang of Lila and Lenu; the heart of what makes this series so compelling and what will - I'm sure - make future rereads so rewarding. These books and characters have a special place in my heart. I'm looking forward to rereading them someday, and in the meantime I will of course be reading everything else Elena Ferrante has ever written.
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante

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emotional reflective slow-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? Yes

5.0

Grace & Marigold by Mira Robertson

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funny reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Fun characters, witty dialogue and an interesting time capsule for this particular subculture which I previously knew nothing about.
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

It's  been like 2 years since I read My Brilliant Friend and yet the second I started reading this Elena Ferrante once again had me by the THROAT. These books are so incredibly immersive and special. Onto the next!!!!!
The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.0

My enjoyment of this book would have been exponentially greater if not for the TINY font in my edition straining my eyes to death but anyway... I did still enjoy this. Not as much as her other books but that's to be expected for me since this one hops around viewpoints a lot whereas the others are first person. 
Goodwood by Holly Throsby

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mysterious 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? No

3.0

Holly Throsby has a great knack for crafting quirky, memorable characters but I feel the plotting definitely could have been tighter.
Growing Up in Country Australia by Rick Morton

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reflective slow-paced

3.0

A book I would describe as ~mildly interesting~