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lunabean's reviews
218 reviews
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
5.0
Wow… when I started this book I did not expect a story like this, did not know what it was going to be about, did not know how intricate and beautiful the story would be. It is exactly that, and more.
Exhilarating, sensual, grand, and amidst violence and the Trojan war, a love story so sweet I actually had to put the book down and squeal one night when I read about Patroclus and Achilles’ first night together
Exhilarating, sensual, grand, and amidst violence and the Trojan war, a love story so sweet I actually had to put the book down and squeal one night when I read about Patroclus and Achilles’ first night together
Circe by Madeline Miller
5.0
A great book but I’m taking a star off because it was so long and getting to the point of a little dreary. It follows Circe’s life as an exiled goddess & witch, from her childhood in her father Helios’ halls, through her maturity and moments with Daedalus and Odysseus, to motherhood as she grows to fiercely protect her son Telegonus. Circe’s grit, development in her self-assurance, and honing of powers in solitude commands respect and awe. The book is magical and mystical and lays everything in great detail, a wonderful read to escape the constraints of our world and imagine another.
The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor
2.0
How does this book have 4 stars?! I’m even tempted to give it just 1 instead of 2. Where do I even start?
The story follows Reverend Jack and her daughter Flo’s first 2 weeks in a small town Chapel Croft. After a huge scandal at their previous town, Jack is temporarily posted as the vicar for Chapel Croft. The book starts off with creepy motifs like Jack and Flo seeing ghosts, headless and armless burning girls, and exorcism kits and dead bloody crows left behind in the chapel. There is also a vague mystery about 2 girls missing since 30 years ago - Merry & Joy - suspected to be runaways.
The story was messy in so many ways!
1. Each chapter focused on one character narrative, unknown pronouns used to establish “mystery”. This was not achieved, instead it was very confusing figuring out who “he” or “she” was in each new chapter.
2. What is the main point of this story? So many plot lines were going on at once, it was hard to follow. For example, Poppy covered in blood at the beginning - what was the purpose of that? How did that help the story at all? The Harpers, the vault covering the truth of the martyrs, Tom and his air gun, the history with Ruby, Saffron Winter, Mike, so many reverends - Bradley, Marsh, Fletcher, Dun-something, the murderous actions of Jacob, SO.. MANY.. PLOT LINES!!!! It was messy, confusing, I don’t even know what story the writer was trying to tell.
3. The prose felt more like a screenplay. Conversation and lines one after another could go on for 2 full pages. Sure it made the story easy and quick to read, but it felt lazy, and it was not as exciting to imagine the story unfolding in my head.
4. (spoiler alert) UM…. JACK IS MERRY? How does that even make any sense… That she didn’t recognise Doreen, that none of the people at Chapel Croft recognised her except Reverend Marsh.
Such a messy book, story and characters and prose all over the place. Again, how does this book have 4 stars?!?!??!????
The story follows Reverend Jack and her daughter Flo’s first 2 weeks in a small town Chapel Croft. After a huge scandal at their previous town, Jack is temporarily posted as the vicar for Chapel Croft. The book starts off with creepy motifs like Jack and Flo seeing ghosts, headless and armless burning girls, and exorcism kits and dead bloody crows left behind in the chapel. There is also a vague mystery about 2 girls missing since 30 years ago - Merry & Joy - suspected to be runaways.
The story was messy in so many ways!
1. Each chapter focused on one character narrative, unknown pronouns used to establish “mystery”. This was not achieved, instead it was very confusing figuring out who “he” or “she” was in each new chapter.
2. What is the main point of this story? So many plot lines were going on at once, it was hard to follow. For example, Poppy covered in blood at the beginning - what was the purpose of that? How did that help the story at all? The Harpers, the vault covering the truth of the martyrs, Tom and his air gun, the history with Ruby, Saffron Winter, Mike, so many reverends - Bradley, Marsh, Fletcher, Dun-something, the murderous actions of Jacob, SO.. MANY.. PLOT LINES!!!! It was messy, confusing, I don’t even know what story the writer was trying to tell.
3. The prose felt more like a screenplay. Conversation and lines one after another could go on for 2 full pages. Sure it made the story easy and quick to read, but it felt lazy, and it was not as exciting to imagine the story unfolding in my head.
4. (spoiler alert) UM…. JACK IS MERRY? How does that even make any sense… That she didn’t recognise Doreen, that none of the people at Chapel Croft recognised her except Reverend Marsh.
Such a messy book, story and characters and prose all over the place. Again, how does this book have 4 stars?!?!??!????
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
5.0
A story set in the 1930s, following a group of women in Baileyville who have just started to run a mobile library, bringing books to people up in the mountains. As they ride their mules daily up rocky slopes and creeks, we see how the women fight against society’s assertions of what a woman should and should not do, bringing books and knowledge to people and children. They form strong bonds and friendships while each of them struggle with different yet systemic challenges pervasive for women in society. The themes of marriage, duty, education, reputation, friendship, and womanhood… all tied together in a story that is heartwarming, magical, and funny! I loved each and every character (except the villain Mr Van Cleve), and I think Moyes did a wonderful job breathing life and dimension into them. The story flowed easily, and the ending felt whole and complete. This book is a like a warm quilt on a rainy day.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
3.0
This book fell below my expectations :( I’d heard about it a lot before I started reading it and so was expecting a gripping, thrilling story with a lot of mystery, surprises, elusive clues. Instead, it was like a mellow, flat, didn’t-quite-scratch-the-itch version of a murder mystery. Perhaps it is because of the tone - I sense that the writer wanted to give the murder story a quirky, light-hearted voice… To establish humour..? I didn’t find it funny though.
The story follows 4 elderly in a retirement village who meet up every Thursday to solve murders! Contrary to the title, Thursdays aren’t mentioned that often in the book, and the club doesn’t stick to murder-solving on Thursdays. And instead of solving case after case of individual murders, the book presents multiple murders concurrently, and suggests that they may be related (but they also may not be). I found this to be very confusing. I struggled to remember names, roles each character played in each different murder, and failed to see how each murder was a necessary plot point for the novel as a whole.
I thought the personalities (or lack thereof) of the characters took a lot of thrill out of the mystery. Apart from Joyce writing in first person in some chapters, the lack of insight into what the other characters were thinking contributed to them seeming one-dimensional. Perhaps a different first person narrative for each chapter could’ve been adopted. Additionally, because all the characters seemed so aloof, there seemed to be no consequence of any sort that might happen- so there would be no catharsis for anyone. Not for the characters, not for the readers.
I will be reading Osman’s second book after this. I hope it will be better!
The story follows 4 elderly in a retirement village who meet up every Thursday to solve murders! Contrary to the title, Thursdays aren’t mentioned that often in the book, and the club doesn’t stick to murder-solving on Thursdays. And instead of solving case after case of individual murders, the book presents multiple murders concurrently, and suggests that they may be related (but they also may not be). I found this to be very confusing. I struggled to remember names, roles each character played in each different murder, and failed to see how each murder was a necessary plot point for the novel as a whole.
I thought the personalities (or lack thereof) of the characters took a lot of thrill out of the mystery. Apart from Joyce writing in first person in some chapters, the lack of insight into what the other characters were thinking contributed to them seeming one-dimensional. Perhaps a different first person narrative for each chapter could’ve been adopted. Additionally, because all the characters seemed so aloof, there seemed to be no consequence of any sort that might happen- so there would be no catharsis for anyone. Not for the characters, not for the readers.
I will be reading Osman’s second book after this. I hope it will be better!
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
4.0
3/5! I’d say it was better than his first book! I went in with different expectations, no longer seeking the thrill of a murder mystery but the cleverness of the premise, story, dialogue. It’s a fresh take on murder mysteries for me, with more emphasis on humour than on creating suspense. The clues left by Douglas was fun to solve, and I didn’t expect the ending. An engaging, lighthearted read
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
4.0
Ahhhhh. Completely not what I’d expected before I started. Apart from the prologue, the story actually doesn’t focus on the theme of magical realism as much as the synopsis would suggest. It tells of the lives of 4 siblings after, in the prologue, they visit a woman who told them the dates they would die. The story would’ve been pretty unremarkable if not for the way Benjamin’s lyrical, perceptive prose made up for it.
Instead of the focus being on a series of events (although there is, still, a series of events), the book is more literary fiction, divided into 4 parts, one for each sibling, focusing on each sibling’s growth, emotionality, characteristics, aspirations, leading to their deaths. Each sibling navigates their mortality differently - for eg one living life fearlessly, partaking in high-risk situations, one in defiance by committing her life’s work to longevity studies in science.
The book is fiercely human, and familial, characters real and relatable. My only complaint is how Daniel’s death felt rushed and forced, and honestly I don’t really understand him.
Instead of the focus being on a series of events (although there is, still, a series of events), the book is more literary fiction, divided into 4 parts, one for each sibling, focusing on each sibling’s growth, emotionality, characteristics, aspirations, leading to their deaths. Each sibling navigates their mortality differently - for eg one living life fearlessly, partaking in high-risk situations, one in defiance by committing her life’s work to longevity studies in science.
The book is fiercely human, and familial, characters real and relatable. My only complaint is how Daniel’s death felt rushed and forced, and honestly I don’t really understand him.