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melc's reviews
1200 reviews
Hangman by Maya Binyam
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Really didn't gel with the confusing impersonal convoluted writing style.
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster by Mirinae Lee
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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
Really intelligently written about identity, who we really are and how to keep a sense of self even when trauma and others try to control you. Beautifully nuanced with deftly woven imagery and metaphor, this book does not try too hard in its prose. Instead, it tells the story of humanity beneath the veil of the most controlled totalitarian state of the world. Superbly moving and gripping.
Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
As a genealogy enthusiast I enjoyed this from understanding and admiring the research behind it. The characterisation was well constructed and honest in both the strengths and flaws of the protagonist and other characters. But the narrative tripped through the events too quickly and left me feeling somewhat detached and a little bored.
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Didn't care about the characters and their destructive behaviours. Writing style not compelling enough.
Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Incredibly moving, especially in light of our current newsreels. Honest, raw and beautifully written.
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
dark
hopeful
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
4.5
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.5
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I began this novel with high hopes enjoying the quirky humour and the soul searching of our narrator, Cyrus.
However, the more I read, the more I became bogged down with so much stuff the writer is trying to do. Amongst the philosophical exposition, extracts from our protagonist's book and narratives of his dreams featuring conversations between family members and famous people, the plot starts to get a bit lost amongst the brambles.
I ended up finding the enjoyment of the opening chapters waned as the polyphonic voices felt monotonal and each character seeks the same thing, discovering it in very similar ways. I didn't find enough diversity or hook to the plot arcs of any of the characters.
The writer does express nuance well taking us on a journey away from the black and white views of the narrator at the beginning to an increasingly accurate greyness perspective of humanity which was intelligent and thought provoking. However, the blend of this with a fictional novel was just too clunky and his creativity became a device that did not gel into enjoyable storytelling.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
However, the more I read, the more I became bogged down with so much stuff the writer is trying to do. Amongst the philosophical exposition, extracts from our protagonist's book and narratives of his dreams featuring conversations between family members and famous people, the plot starts to get a bit lost amongst the brambles.
I ended up finding the enjoyment of the opening chapters waned as the polyphonic voices felt monotonal and each character seeks the same thing, discovering it in very similar ways. I didn't find enough diversity or hook to the plot arcs of any of the characters.
The writer does express nuance well taking us on a journey away from the black and white views of the narrator at the beginning to an increasingly accurate greyness perspective of humanity which was intelligent and thought provoking. However, the blend of this with a fictional novel was just too clunky and his creativity became a device that did not gel into enjoyable storytelling.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
Vagabonds: Life on the Streets of Nineteenth-Century London by Oskar Cox Jensen
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.0