nanabobana's reviews
41 reviews

Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies by Hayley Nolan

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emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Emma by Jane Austen

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

4.0

Reading the book this time, I see it as a caution against acting outside one’s scoop or circle. If Emma had befriended Jane, not Harriett, she would have been acting more appropriately. Though, I’m not sure how intended or well this moral is conveyed. It’s clear that the narrator and Emma are very different people, the narrator often pokes fun at her. Yet, there re moments when the pov shifts to Knightly, the proposal, as if the narrator is not privy to Emma’s true inner workings. Practically, I think this is Austen having a bit of a block. It does give some interesting food for thought. 

Knightly was correct, Emma built herself a feedback loop that sang only her praises. Her ability to accept that she acted poorly or was in the wrong is what I think saves her character from being irredeemable. The ending is a pretty wrapped package, but unique in how Knightly, so often a mentor to Emma, accommodates to her needs rather than asking her to bend to custom. 


Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

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adventurous informative tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Lore Olympus: Volume Four by Rachel Smythe

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emotional funny hopeful fast-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 Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious 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

3.0

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Lore Olympus: Volume Three by Rachel Smythe

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe

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emotional funny fast-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

3.75

Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe

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

3.5

1984 by George Orwell

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Loved it when I read it in hs, but now I view the treatment of women differently. It is a satire so I know the objectification of the female characters is commentary on communism, but like come on dude. The rape fantasies are a bit much.