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lindsaylhunter's reviews
165 reviews
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A very poignant book that delves into themes of identity, loss and defiance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Deeply tragic and emotive novel about the lengths a man will go to to be someone he's not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Murder
Moderate: Death and Misogyny
The Herd by Emily Edwards
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I wouldn't say it challenged my stance on the main subject matter as the author seems to have intended, but each twist felt like a knife in the gut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
On a real memoir kick at the minute - this one was a solid read that pulls you through a wide range of emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death
Milkman by Anna Burns
I genuinely cannot believe I managed to finish this book. Equal parts captivating and utterly confusing, I've never felt such relief to close a book for the final time whilst equally wishing it not to end.
I completely understand why this wouldn't be for everyone (the prose is absolutely killer throughout), but I think in a market over-saturated with accounts of how society was during the Troubles, this book breathes new life into such a turbulent time.
challenging
dark
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
4.0
One moment this favourite sibling, the second eldest boy, the sixteen-year-old and the most calm and beloved of that family, was making his way over the street towards his nervous, panicked brother, to discourse with him, once again to try to soothe him in his wild nuclear distraction. Next, this teenager was on the ground with his head completely gone. Not ever, not even after the commotion died down, did anybody find it.
I genuinely cannot believe I managed to finish this book. Equal parts captivating and utterly confusing, I've never felt such relief to close a book for the final time whilst equally wishing it not to end.
I completely understand why this wouldn't be for everyone (the prose is absolutely killer throughout), but I think in a market over-saturated with accounts of how society was during the Troubles, this book breathes new life into such a turbulent time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking and Murder
Moderate: Animal death
Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such an uncomfortable, challenging read. This is a book that needs to be read a second time to really appreciate it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Painful to rate this book as I have - Alderton's Everything I Know About Love was so, so wonderful. Though I think I was hooked on how she read that one as an audiobook.
The problem I had with this book only really came to me in the last 40 pages: I like Jen, I dislike Andy. That short amount of pages was enough for me to completely agree with Jen on everything and maybe that's the whole point, but that doesn't excuse the fact that we have to spend the first 300 pages with a whiny man baby who cant see the wood for the trees. Also, the millennial humour becomes grating after the first 50 pages.
Overall, this book by Alderton was middle-of-the-road for me. But I still have high hopes for the next book of hers I read.
The problem I had with this book only really came to me in the last 40 pages: I like Jen, I dislike Andy. That short amount of pages was enough for me to completely agree with Jen on everything and maybe that's the whole point, but that doesn't excuse the fact that we have to spend the first 300 pages with a whiny man baby who cant see the wood for the trees. Also, the millennial humour becomes grating after the first 50 pages.
Overall, this book by Alderton was middle-of-the-road for me. But I still have high hopes for the next book of hers I read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Stay True by Hua Hsu
A slightly long-winded, personal depiction of what happens when guilt begins to outweigh grief. Beautifully written, though the author is (as he would admit himself) pretty insufferable at times.
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
We learn as children that friendship is casual and transient. As a structure, it's rife with imbalance, invisible tiers, pettiness, and insecurity, stretches when we simply disappear. For some, friendship needs to be steady and rhythmic. For others, it's the sporadic intimacy of effortlessly resuming conversations or inside jokes left dormant for years.
But before all that: a moment that brings you together.
A slightly long-winded, personal depiction of what happens when guilt begins to outweigh grief. Beautifully written, though the author is (as he would admit himself) pretty insufferable at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Murder
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The kind of stories that hit hard as long as you're willing to do some digging afterwards so you're able to understand everything the author was getting at.
Without limiting themselves to the theme of sexuality, these stories centre on topics like trauma, sexual assault, loneliness, body image, family and more.
Without limiting themselves to the theme of sexuality, these stories centre on topics like trauma, sexual assault, loneliness, body image, family and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Rape
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It kept me reading but it kind of felt like something you'd write as part of a creative writing assignment. And the twist... not sure it hits as hard as it thinks it does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Infidelity and Stalking
Minor: Drug abuse