mariasrv's reviews
41 reviews

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

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dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

This is great writing. As in, of course, it is deeply disturbing, it is disgusting, it is unpleasant to read, and that's exactly the purpose of this book, I think. I can't say I enjoyed it because, well, see above, but I do think it's worth your time.
Blue Nights by Joan Didion

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book is a sincere, painful, and straighforward examination of death, loss, and ageing.
Scorpionfish by Natalie Bakopoulos

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emotional 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

3.0

This book feels like a story told by an acquaintance who's not a great narrator: you feel like the story itself is intricate, and powerful, and beautiful, and sad in a beautiful way, but it's not told well, and you sorely lack background to feel anything.
Every Other Weekend by Zulema Renee Summerfield

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hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The Clay Girl by Heather Tucker

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I really, really wanted to like this book, but it just lacked self-awareness. The plot was on the nose, the characters were one-dimensional, and the symbolism was extremely overused.
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One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book is thoroughly 2021. A lot of the sentences read like the last sentence of a fanfic. Both of those things are a blessing and a curse.
Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura

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emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

3.5

It's a nice book about family struggles, but the way the story is told is a bit on the nose.
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

This book is a beautiful, complex, multilayered story. I tried reading it a few years ago, and couldn't get into it, tried again and couldn't stop reading. So, if it's not pulling you in, I'd say drop it and try again later. When it pulled me, it pulled me hard. I loved the contrast of personal life vs political reality, and it was really insightful for me as a Russian to compare Soviet history to Chinese communist history.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
After the third mention of a female character's breasts that added nothing to the story. This is just /r/menwritingwomen :(