শুরুটা একটু ধীর গতিতে হওয়ায় বেশ ক'বার বইটি হাতে নিয়ে বেশিদূর এগুতে পারিনি। শেষমেষ যখন পারলাম বেশ সাবলীলভাবেই পড়া এগিয়েছে। সেট-আপটা খারাপ হয়নি। লশুরুটা একটু ধীর গতিতে হওয়ায় বেশ ক'বার বইটি হাতে নিয়ে বেশিদূর এগুতে পারিনি। শেষমেষ যখন পারলাম বেশ সাবলীলভাবেই পড়া এগিয়েছে। সেট-আপটা খারাপ হয়নি। লেখনী বেশ লেগেছে (মাঝে যদিও দু-চারটে শব্দকে অহেতুক ইংরেজিতে লেখা সামান্য চোখে লাগল, যেমন: এন্জয়)।
শেষ অবধিও কোনো কিছু বিশেষ অভিভুত করতে পারে নি। জহির ও শাওনের মধ্যেকার কিছু দৃশ্য অতিমাত্রায় চিজি এবং সেকেলে ছিল।
বই সমাপ্ত হয় cliffhanger-এ। অনেক প্রশ্নেরই উত্তর পাওয়া যায় না। সবচেয়ে মজার যে রহস্যটি থাকে সেটিরও সমাধানের নামগন্ধ নেই। এর সিকুয়েল আসতে চলেছে কিনা জানি না, আসলে পড়ার চেষ্টা থাকবে।...more
I was craving a (philosophical) parallel universe story and it seemed to be a good choice or a worthwhile read in some way or another. And guess what!I was craving a (philosophical) parallel universe story and it seemed to be a good choice or a worthwhile read in some way or another. And guess what! It didn't go well. The book had me feeling so emotionally indifferent to everything I was waiting the whole time for it to be over.
“... knowing your kid doesn’t need you may hurt, but knowing your kid did, and you weren’t there . . . it’s absolutely unbearable.'”
It's well-written and thoughtful in general, but never goes that deep into the themes it works with. There are moments when I related to Hannah, but I couldn't care about the rest of the characters for the life of me. I even struggled to connect with the friendship between Hannah and Gabby.
Overall, the book neither aligned with my interests nor stirred in me any strong emotion, and my reading experience was mostly a long trudge.
⁕ “When you sit there and wish things had happened differently, you can’t just wish away the bad stuff. You have to think about all the good stuff you might lose, too. Better just to stay in the now and focus on what you can do better in the future.”
⁕ “I know there may be universes out there where I made different choices and they led me somewhere else, led me to someone else. And my heart breaks for every single version of me that didn't end up with you.”
I have always avoided audiobooks as I rather take pleasure in looking at words printed on paper. Besides, the way narrators do the dialogues (or the oI have always avoided audiobooks as I rather take pleasure in looking at words printed on paper. Besides, the way narrators do the dialogues (or the overall recitation in case of 1st person pov) often conflicts with how I'd generally visualize the characters in my mind. I just prefer reading every line, every dialogue my own way. Yet, as soon as I came across a sample of this audiobook one fine day, I knew I had to, had to give it a go! Hence, this has become the first book ever that I read in the audio format.
I'll just move on saying that the audio didn't disappoint in the slightest. Megan Hilty's narration was outstanding with superb vocal expressions. I just ADORED it and I so wish she did more audiobooks.
Now, despite the audio having managed to minimize my complaints to some extent, I still feel the need to address them in defense of my rating.
When I picked this book up I already knew that it's not exactly what it's been marketed as, thanks to other Goodreaders' reviews. That it's not a love story in the classic sense of the term, but a story of love nonetheless, with a little bit of magical realism sprinkled over. I didn't think I'd have a problem with that anyway and started with an open mind, expecting nothing at all from the book but a good time.
Incidentally, this is also my first chick-lit ever, and although I found myself frowning at the abundance of food descriptions and mentions of cosmetic and designer wear brands all over the book, I believe that's how it's supposed to be. I loved having an insight into the corporate life of a lawyer like Dannie. I really really rooted for her, and even though I'm not a workaholic in the traditional sense, I could seriously relate to her on multiple occasions.
So. Everything was going fine... up until about 40%. From there it started getting too cliched and boring, and I could totally see how everything was gonna wind up at the end, leaving me with absolutely no incentive to continue. If it weren't for the audio going on regardless I don't think I could even get to the finish.
“The future is the one thing you can count on not abandoning you, kid, he’d said. The future always finds you. Stand still, and it will find you. The way the land just has to run to sea.”
Luckily for me, it picks up steam near the last 20% ish. By that point, Dannie and Bella's friendship had also grown upon me and I could literally feel a lot of the lines from that portion. It was poignant and almost heartbreaking for me.
What's more, the "bait" from the start of the book didn't reveal itself in the same way that I predicted, which sure was a relief. However, it was still freaking cringy and I badly wished this "bait" never existed in the first place. It was completely unnecessary and did nothing but screw things up. The ending would've been perfect without it!...more
I have mixed feelings about this book, even more so now that the initial excitement has subsided. Because no matActual rating: 2 stars (or maybe 2.5?)
I have mixed feelings about this book, even more so now that the initial excitement has subsided. Because no matter how much of it sucked, I’m still glad, in a way, to have read it.
I thought I was going to love it right up until Nora arrives at the eponymous "Midnight Library" (I read it shortly after it came out, with little info on what I was getting myself into.) From there, the book quickly reveals its true personality and oh boy..
It's a self-help book. That’s exactly what it is. Faux-deep, clichéd life lessons are the only things you'll be served. The book’s core message is: regrets are pointless and every “better” version of your life will come with its own trade-offs, so appreciate what you already have and find meaning and purpose along the way. Fair enough. But the way this message is presented—that shifting your mindset is a one-size-fits-all cure for depression and all other human problems—is reductive and complacent. How many times do we have to deal with this BS again before it stops??!
As you can imagine, fleshing out the protagonist with depth and sensitivity was never part of the plan. Nora isn't so much a protagonist than a mouthpiece for the book’s philosophy. The book tells us about her struggles but never shows them, making her journey to self-acceptance and finding hope feel facile and contrived. Ironically, she did have the makings of a compelling character who I personally found interesting during the earliest chapters and even rooted for sometimes. But she stood no chance against the author's modus operandi.
One final heads-up: if you’re expecting a cozy magical realism or low fantasy with a bookish setting from this..... don’t. The bulk of the narrative is set in the real world, while the Library acts only as a metaphor rather than a fantasy element. But that’s irrelevant, really, considering the type of book this is.
"The Frustration of Not Finding a Library When You Really Need One"
I'll forever hold a grudge against it for all that went to waste. Yet, a part of me can’t really despise this book. Parallel lives, existential what-ifs, the infinite roads not taken: these were exactly the stuff I’d been scavenging for to read about, and after one too many letdowns, this was the only book that managed to scratch that itch. It's also why I didn’t find the parallel lives portions tedious. I was eager to see which version of her life Nora would slip into next and how that would differ from the previous ones. The short chapters were a mercy in this regard. They helped me push through despite everything.
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Post-read: THIS IS THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE BOOK I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR. ...more
বইয়ের বিষয়বস্তুটি ভালো লেগেছিল। নিঃসন্তান বিন্দুর ভাসুরপুত্র অমূল্যকে নিজের সন্তান মনে করা ও বাড়ির সকলের এমনকি ছেলেটির আসল মায়েরও তাতে সরল মনে সম্বইয়ের বিষয়বস্তুটি ভালো লেগেছিল। নিঃসন্তান বিন্দুর ভাসুরপুত্র অমূল্যকে নিজের সন্তান মনে করা ও বাড়ির সকলের এমনকি ছেলেটির আসল মায়েরও তাতে সরল মনে সম্মতি দিয়ে যাওয়া, অমূল্যর প্রতি বিন্দুর মাত্রাতিরিক্ত স্নেহ, উদ্বেগ-উৎকণ্ঠা, ইত্যাদি পড়তে গিয়ে মায়া লেগেছে। কিন্তু সব মিলিয়ে বইটিকে খুব বেশি আহামরি কিছু মনে হয়নি।...more
I used to be obsessed with mummies and ancient Egypt in the past, but somehow never came across this short story. Anyways, the plot had great promise I used to be obsessed with mummies and ancient Egypt in the past, but somehow never came across this short story. Anyways, the plot had great promise and perhaps if the ending wasn't this weak and anticlimactic I'd have some good things to say about it....more
Another story like The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb, where Holmes doesn't have much to do with his brain, but rather listens to the narrativeAnother story like The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb, where Holmes doesn't have much to do with his brain, but rather listens to the narrative of people and puts two and two together. Which is why even the reader can soon figure it all out with a little imagination.
Still a gripping story with a strong female character at its core....more
Originally serialized in Home Brew, an amateur humor magazine published by his friend, Lovecraft was required to end eacOverall, a below average read.
Originally serialized in Home Brew, an amateur humor magazine published by his friend, Lovecraft was required to end each episode on a cliffhanger and begin the next with a recap of the previous. He never edited the story for single publication afterwards, which is why it reads almost like a compilation of those serials and the narrative is too frustrating to get invested in. What's more, the dull humor does nothing but subdue whatever excitement the story could possibly generate in the reader....more
I also read the explanatory notes at the back of my copy, which explain the allusions and the religious significance of stuff. Yet, the faces of the cI also read the explanatory notes at the back of my copy, which explain the allusions and the religious significance of stuff. Yet, the faces of the corpses are the only thing in this story I found interesting....more
Overall better than the first volume. 1) A School Story - 4 stars 2) The Rose Garden - 3 stars 3) The Tractate Middoth - 3.75 stars 4) Casting the RuneOverall better than the first volume. 1) A School Story - 4 stars 2) The Rose Garden - 3 stars 3) The Tractate Middoth - 3.75 stars 4) Casting the Runes - 3.5 stars 5) The Stalls of Barchester - 4 stars 6) Martin's Close - 4 stars 7) Mr Humphreys and his Inheritance - 4 stars
I'm probably the only one here who wasn't too impressed by M.R. James's stories. Nothing shocked me, nothing managed to scare me at all. Besides, I waI'm probably the only one here who wasn't too impressed by M.R. James's stories. Nothing shocked me, nothing managed to scare me at all. Besides, I was having trouble understanding the Biblical connections and citations and each time had to go look at the notes at the back of the volume I read the stories from. But I do insist that he's an excellent storyteller, never resorting to flowery descriptions in order to build the atmosphere or to induce fear. He seems to be a man of few words and because of that, we could've gotten along so well!! *sighs* Never mind.
Individual ratings: • Canon Alberic's Scrapbook: 3.5 stars • Lost Hearts: 2 stars • The Mezzotint: 3 stars • The Ash-Tree: 3 stars • Number 13: 3.5 stars • Count Magnus: 2 stars • 'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad': 2.5 stars • The Treasure of Abbot Thomas: 3.75 stars
প্রথম বইয়ের তুলনায় বেশ ভালো। অনেকদিন পর কোনো বই পড়ে এত বেশি হাসলাম। "ডাইনিবুড়ী" অধ্যায়টি একাই ৫ তারা পাবার যোগ্য। বাকি অধ্যায়গুলো, বিশ3.75 stars
প্রথম বইয়ের তুলনায় বেশ ভালো। অনেকদিন পর কোনো বই পড়ে এত বেশি হাসলাম। "ডাইনিবুড়ী" অধ্যায়টি একাই ৫ তারা পাবার যোগ্য। বাকি অধ্যায়গুলো, বিশেষত শেষের দুটো, অতখানি না জমলেও লেখকের ট্রেডমার্ক হাস্যরস, সোশাল কমেন্টারি এবং চরিত্রগুলোর কল্যাণে পড়তে একটুও বিরক্তি বোধ হয়নি।...more
লেখনী এবং গল্প উভয়ই সমান মুগ্ধ করেছে। পেয়েছি উদ্ধৃত করার মতো অসংখ্য বাক্য ও প্যাসেজ। প্রতিটি গল্পই উপভোগ করেছি, এমনকি "মৌলিক" গল্পটিও, তবে সবচেয়ে পলেখনী এবং গল্প উভয়ই সমান মুগ্ধ করেছে। পেয়েছি উদ্ধৃত করার মতো অসংখ্য বাক্য ও প্যাসেজ। প্রতিটি গল্পই উপভোগ করেছি, এমনকি "মৌলিক" গল্পটিও, তবে সবচেয়ে প্রিয় ছিল - * একটি কাঁঠাল পাতা আর মাটির ঢেলার গল্প * অগল্প * ক্যালাইডোস্কোপ * ডোডো পাখির জন্য নষ্টালজিয়া * মিথ্যা তুমি দশ পিঁপড়া * ক্ষত যত ক্ষতি যত * কতিপয় ভাবুক...more
I do realize why so many people loved this book. But in my case it just didn't work the way it's ought to.
This book has many important messages. I loI do realize why so many people loved this book. But in my case it just didn't work the way it's ought to.
This book has many important messages. I love how Eliza's family, esp Sully and Church acted after the big reveal. But what marred my reading experience was the fact that I couldn't connect with the main character at all. Eliza was occasionally relatable for me but not as much I hoped for. It gets so slow and boring from the middle-ish that no way I could've finished it without the audio.
I really, really, really wanted to love this book. The concept was so promising and there were so many things I could relate to! Even the wri1.5 stars
I really, really, really wanted to love this book. The concept was so promising and there were so many things I could relate to! Even the writing was nearly gut-punching at times. I have a thing for stories with a female science/math nerd protagonist. Bcoz of that or whatever reason, it wasn't hard for me to identify with Aysel (Uh-zell) at all. Now the more I think about it, the more exasperated I feel for not being able to love the book! Maybe a younger me would've bought this crap or if I was remotely shipping the couple I would've enjoyed it a li'll bit more. But apparently, I've become intolerant of many things in the past couple of years. (If I've unknowingly added similar books to my GR tbr, PLEASE do let me know; i don't wanna read shit like this ever again.)
I was loving it up until the 60% (ish) mark, from there it just began to go downhill and there was absolutely no redeeming factor whatsoever to up my rating. Rather a number of things, along with how the story pans out, managed to get right under my skin! So, yes, this is gonna be yet another unpopular opinion slash rant review of mine, you have been warned.
“Sometimes I wonder if my heart is like a black hole — it's so dense that there's no room for light, but that doesn't mean it can't still suck me in.”
— One of my major complaints about the book is sth you've probably guessed/known by now: the two main characters fall in love and then suddenly, are no longer depressed as before and abandon their suicidal plans as a result. This change of direction takes place so abruptly I was left baffled. I kept flipping back the pages to see when and how exactly they fell in love and became so happy and optimistic and free of their guilt at the same time. What's worse, all the dark and heavy issues in the plot were suddenly and very conveniently glossed over due to this. Thus what began with a dark and depressing tone, took the shape of and ended up being a rather hackneyed teen romance. Seems like the one true message the book ever sought to convey is "love cures all"!
News flash, love DOES NOT cure all!
As someone who's been living with depression for more than a decade, I can't feel more hacked off by this misrepresentation. And I don't think I want to vent more on that since a lot has already been said about this idiotic trope and it'd mean I'll get carried away and exceed my word limit.
"Anyone who has actually been that sad can tell you that there's nothing beautiful or literary or mysterious about depression."
— Secondly, I never liked the other mc, Roman; I couldn't root for him in any way. He seems like this jus-another-basketball-jock-turned-guilt-ridden-depressed-teenager who gets away with being a jerk. But let's just assume that he's acting out and forgive him. But I can not, for the life of mine, help thinking about how shallow he appears regarding his guilt/reason to commit suicide. But then again, it was Aysel's perspective I was seeing everybody from. If only I could get inside his head and look at his guilty conscience (if there was any), maybe he wouldn't seem so difficult to relate after all. Writing a dual pov narrative for this story was crucial imo.
"Music, especially classical music, ... has kinetic energy. ...once the notes are in the air, they collide against one another. They spark. They burst. I spend a lot of time wondering what dying feels like. What dying sounds like. If I'll burst like those notes, let out my last cries of pain, and then go silent forever. Or maybe I'll turn into a shadowy static that's barely there, if you just listen hard enough."
— I also hated that Aysel's relationship with her mother and siblings had but little attention in the book. The plot focuses more on her relationship with Roman than with other ppl, which is AWFUL! I'd have loved to get an in-depth look at how her guilt and depression affected not one but all of her relationships, her high-school life and studies/career (since she seems to be a bright and promising student) as well.
***The section below may contain mild spoilers.***
— Now, what annoyed me the most is that Aysel's father's depression and anger issues were never really acknowledged as if it's not something worth acknowledging or caring about. Heck, he doesn't even make an appearance outside of Aysel's flashbacks! Aysel talks about his symptoms in the same casual way she'd talk about someone waking up every day and going to work. He's simply made to look like a bad person which he certainly is not. It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that that level of anger and mood swings is not normal and needs immediate attention, that it's not definitive of a person's character and doesn't necessarily make them the devil incarnate!
I kept thinking perhaps I'd get a clear insight as well as some closure regarding Omer Seran's (the guy's got a name at least) mental state in the last few chapters. I thought Aysel will eventually learn that her father is not someone who "ruined (her) whole life", not someone who kills teenagers out of rage, but an unfortunate prey to his mental problems that nobody paid attention to. I also thought, apart from depression and guilt and suicide, anger/bipolar disorder will also be a prime focus of the plot since the latter is the ultimate MacGuffin of this story. But man, was I wrong. It was too unfair to sidestep this issue.
"What people never understand is that depression isn’t about the outside; it’s about the inside. Something inside me is wrong. Sure, there are things in my life that make me feel alone, but nothing makes me feel more isolated and terrified than my own voice in my head."
— Lastly, the ending. I don't wanna get started on how Original™️ it was. So briefly, it was a cheap and rushed and predictable ending. And about the message: if the book just wanted to spread the "love cures all" message I must say it succeeded; if not, well......more
1974. Castle Rock, Maine. Twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson runs up the "suicide stairs" every afternoon, in an attempt to get fit and toss out that stu1974. Castle Rock, Maine. Twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson runs up the "suicide stairs" every afternoon, in an attempt to get fit and toss out that stupid nickname before middle school starts. On top of the stairs one day, Richard Farris, a mysterious yet affable man wearing a black hat, hands over the eponymous Button Box to her. It's a mahogany antiquity having eight convex buttons with different colors, and two levers on two of its sides. Gwendy is destined to have and defend it. But the Button Box is full of secrets. Farris is close-mouthed about that, though, and requires the little girl to keep the Box hidden and be wise about using it. With that, he leaves and Gwendy's life would never be the same again. Each day is a struggle to protect the Box from falling into wrong hands. Not to mention the temptation of exploring the buttons, esp the black one, that Gwendy can hardly resist! The young girl eventually comes of age discovering and coming to terms with the Box's influence on her physique, her family, friendships, etc over the course of time - in other words, its absolute control over her life.
This is a pretty fascinating premise. I loved the allusions and the parallels that this novella tried to draw with the real world. At first, I thought this was merely an allegory that explores how one can handle the responsibility associated with power until the time comes to pass it on to someone younger. But halfway toward the end, I understood it's also a dark metaphor for growing up. It's hard to explain that without giving away any spoilers so that is that.
This book is co-written by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. I haven't read anything by Chizmar yet but I really liked this work. It gripped me from the start and the narrative is fast-paced. Events occur in the blink of an eye and the chapters are very short, enough to have me turning page after page. However, I felt that the ending was rather flat - it just didn't work well for me.
"Secrets are a problem, maybe the biggest problem of all. They weigh on the mind and take up space in the world."
On the whole though, I quite enjoyed this book regardless of everything. I had a great time even though it hasn't been much of a satisfying read. So, 4 solid stars from me....more
“Because it was a very special thing - to have your own cat in your own home... Feeling the weight of a cat's paws pressing into your shoulder
“Because it was a very special thing - to have your own cat in your own home... Feeling the weight of a cat's paws pressing into your shoulders in the middle of the night - not much beats that.”
OMG I'M SOOOOO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK!!!
Before going into it, I had no idea what this book was actually about, except that it deals with a human-feline friendship, and is told from the POV of a cat, and also has a movie adaptation which I can't miss. And that was reason enough for me to pick it up! What I didn't know was that this cat book is also a poignant coming-of-age story, an absolute favorite thing of mine!
“Humans who think we don’t understand them are the stupid ones.”
[image] One fine day, Satoru Miyawaki finds a white feral cat snoozing on the hood of his silver van. Since he's a "cat fanatic", he instantly develops a soft spot for him. Soon after a fateful incident, the cat ends up living in his apartment for good and all. Satoru naively names his feline friend after the Chinese character for seven, pronounced "nana", which his tail bears a resemblance to.
"So Satoru moved with me to a new place in the same town. Going to all that trouble to move just for the sake of one cat - well, maybe I shouldn't say this, being a cat myself, but that was one fired-up cat lover."
Fast forward to five years. Satoru has decided that he can't keep Nana with him any longer - for reasons he's reluctant to speak of. So, in search of a new home for him, Satoru contacts some of his cat-loving friends. With a list of candidates, he takes his cat and sets out for their places in his silver van. Nana, however, is quite determined to foil Satoru's attempts to leave him in the care of someone else.
I enjoyed the narrative of this book a lot. The feline perspective is excellently done. Each of the chapters introduces new characters and comprises flashbacks into Satoru's past where he had spent a part of his childhood or teenhood with those characters. Their friendship, weaknesses, insecurities, personal growth, love, loss, and failures are explored with tenderness.
"'What if he bites me?' The impertinence! You have the nerve to speak to me like that? A gentleman who, in spite of you suddenly touching his tail, refrained from swatting you? And you aimed for my tail more than just a couple of times! What you said just now, now that deserves a bite."
Nana is a sweetheart. He's my favorite (duh). His conceitful way of talking and occasional stubbornness was rather amusing and adorable. And I can't get enough of his comments on human beings as well as his own kind! Just wait for him to swear and then apologize - it's UNBELIEVABLY cute!! ...more
Maliha Tabassum (back from hiatus)
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