sareidle's reviews
137 reviews

Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley

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informative relaxing medium-paced

4.0

I love Lucy Worsley's voice and sense of humor, which gave this biography personality and shape. I enjoyed learning how Christie's personal life was mirrored in her writings.
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Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

I appreciate Natalie Haynes's well-researched and unique approach to retelling myths through multiple characters' perspectives. However, it was difficult to build momentum while reading as the narrator changed from chapter to chapter. I also had difficulty placing the importance of Andromeda in the story of Perseus and Medusa until late in the book. I gained a fondness for Medusa and her sisters and sympathy for all women in Greek myth who have been silenced, mistreated, and abused. Haynes is an excellent classicist, but I prefer her nonfiction writing to her fiction.
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A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

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dark hopeful reflective 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

A Christmas Carol is a classic for good reason! I really enjoyed hearing the original story after viewing many adaptations throughout my life. Dickens's descriptions of the chains that Marley wears in the afterlife and how the only people emotionally reacting to Scrooge's death were relieved that they had more time to pay back their debt were affecting and made me reflect on the kind of life I've led. 
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Book Lovers by Emily Henry

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funny hopeful relaxing 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

3.5

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

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challenging hopeful informative slow-paced

4.25

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CatStronauts: Mission Moon by Drew Brockington

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes

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funny informative medium-paced

4.5

Haynes' voice shines through and strikes a balance between academic and entertaining. I learned a lot about the variance in Greek myths and how minor translation choices can make a huge difference in the audience's understanding of characters and motivation.
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The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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

5.0

Tartt's writing is evocative without being overly descriptive - she is efficient in word choice that paints a clear picture of the characters and atmosphere of the story. While the page count is longer than most books I read, they seemed to fly by and I wondered what would happen to Richard and the Classics Department next. 
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Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara

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dark informative sad slow-paced

3.75

An extremely important book that highlights the human cost of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The author did a pretty good job focusing on the Congolese and their experiences as artisanal miners. It was devastatingly sad to learn of the generational suffering in the country. My only critique is that the author needed to provide a better call to action towards the conclusion. Yes, it is important for the Congolese to tell their own stories, but what can the international community do to make that possible and improve their conditions in the meantime?
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Chocolate Wars: From Cadbury to Kraft: 200 years of Sweet Success and Bitter Rivalry by Deborah Cadbury, Deborah Cadbury

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funny informative slow-paced

3.0