First rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club I don't need to write a review about this book I can't write a review about this book I can'tFirst rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club I don't need to write a review about this book I can't write a review about this book I can't talk about fight club Second rule is you don't talk about fight club I am torn if I liked this more than the movie, which is one of my favorite movies of all time You don't talk about fight club My name is Tyler Durden We don't talk about fight club....more
I've read Mandel's 2 other novels, and I absolutely loved Station Eleven. I even added it to my favorites shelf here. The Glass Hotel was also a reallI've read Mandel's 2 other novels, and I absolutely loved Station Eleven. I even added it to my favorites shelf here. The Glass Hotel was also a really good and short read. Sea of Tranquility has interconnected plots, and even referencing a heavy reference to The Glass hotel. Unfortunately the reference to The Glass Hotel was probably my favorite part of the novel. The writing is melodic and beautiful, however the shallowness of the plot was my biggest problem with it. It feels like a very soft core Sci-Fi novel that was written in order for majority of the population to enjoy, which in this case actually worked. I'm no physicist or hardcore Sci-Fi reader, but I still found the plot really dumbed down. Also the novel is a bit too short. Some plot points felt rushed and some parts felt a bit too convenient. I do see why the novel has had such positive remarks from majority of the readers, and it will probably stay that way and continue future readers. 2.5/5 at most for me. Mandel will still stay as an "instant read" author for me as long as she releases a novel, but this novel was just luck luster in my opinion and experience...more
Delivered exactly what it promised, a Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich. I initially was supposed to read Solzhenitsyn's other tome of a novel calledDelivered exactly what it promised, a Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich. I initially was supposed to read Solzhenitsyn's other tome of a novel called Gulag Archipelago, but multiple reviews online even videos on youtube kept suggesting to at least give this a try first as it's a "fiction" but really non-fiction account of what happened (for a day at least) in a life of a prisoner in the Gulag. Really good book, there's not much to unravel and analyze. It's what it is on face value, the life of a prisoner back then. Short but delivered what it was supposed to. I will be reading more about the Gulag in the next few months ...more
Been hearing about Islington for years now, I even bought the Licanus trilogy years ago however haven't had the time to read them. I've seen mixed comBeen hearing about Islington for years now, I even bought the Licanus trilogy years ago however haven't had the time to read them. I've seen mixed comments about that trilogy however The Will of the Many has received a tremendous amount of praise even amongst some of the reviewers I personally follow and value their opinion on the said genre.
I was on a really bad reading slump while reading Gardens of the Moon and Blood Meridian at the same time so I decided to take a break. Having owned this novel already due to the blurb and the nice cover (and reviews), I decided to pick this one up. I don't want to ramble on and write a really long review so I'll keep it short
This novel, as a High Fantasy novel, was not amazing or did not live up to expectations. The plot itself was good, characters arguably developed but also all over the place. I even have tabs on my copy where I question most of Vis' decisions way past the middle of the book. It's like he regressed, considering his decisions in the first half of the novel made more sense than some of the ones in the latter. Considering also that this is the first novel in what I'm assuming is a trilogy, I don't really agree with some of the reviews saying that nothing happened in the majority of the novel being a problem. It's a high Fantasy novel, you can't just have a war in the middle of the first novel. Hot take but most of the reviews complaining about that are readers of young adult Fantasy wherein I guess they're not accustomed to a bit more complex world building? Like I said, it's a hot take and personally my opinion
My biggest problem with this novel is the writing. It's marketed as a High Fantasy novel however for the most part I find myself annoyed at how it reads like a Young Adult novel. Like an in between of Young Adult Fantasy and Adult Fantasy. It's just word choice and sentence construction that made me almost rate this 2-3 stars. It was very inconsistent considering some paragraphs would read as a typical High Fantasy novel but like I said for the most part it's really unpolished writing masked as a complex High Fantasy novel. Forgivable considering I rated this 3.5 (rounded up) and I will be picking up the second novel once it comes out next year. I do hope that the writing improves. This is a promising new trilogy. I will add his first trilogy to my must read/s of 2024...more
I was a bit hesitant reading this considering I've been seeing this on booktube and booktok even months after the initial hype. Sadly most of my experI was a bit hesitant reading this considering I've been seeing this on booktube and booktok even months after the initial hype. Sadly most of my experience with (non-Fantasy) books especially on tiktok aren't the most pleasant. A bit different for booktube but that's more on because I only really watch certain people. This novel managed to exceed my expectations. Honestly towards the end at like 90% I was so close to giving this a 5-star rating. Really entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat plot, likeable characters, and overall it was just written well. What made me bump the rating down was that I guessed one of the stuff in the end. It was just too.. obvious, but also, I guess overall if you really analyze the novel as a whole it was still well done.
I do have to say though this novel was really hard to put down. I wouldve finished this 2 days earlier if not for other circumstances. No regrets reading this and giving it out a try. I should read more contemporaries or even other genres outside my comfort zone from time to time...more
I think i've always had a bit of a problem when it comes to japenese literature. Not manga/anime, I love those. Books that are translated from japanesI think i've always had a bit of a problem when it comes to japenese literature. Not manga/anime, I love those. Books that are translated from japanese fiction though, I never seemed to enjoy them. Ive read a Murakami book that I pretty much disliked so much that I never read another book of his. What's the main problem with Japanese-literature? I think it feels... too real. Like i'm reading non-fiction, which I enjoy, but that's if I have the mindset and intention of reading a non-fiction novel. Was this novel bad? I don't think so. It was short, straight to the point. Portrayed a realistic life of a man who fell into addiction and ended up spiraling into a mess. Like I said, it feels like i'm reading a memoir. In which actually the introduction and the blurb at the back says that most of what happened in the novel actually happed with Dazai. Still a good quick read. I also just finished all 5 seasons of Bungo Stray Dogs a month ago and didn't even realize that this is the Dazai that the character is based off from. How accurate it seems...more
I am completely lost for words. Emotions are all over the place. The beauty of the writing. The theme of the book. The characters. The ending. The fucI am completely lost for words. Emotions are all over the place. The beauty of the writing. The theme of the book. The characters. The ending. The fucking ending. I think I have found my new favorite book of all time. I don't think ive read anything as complex and exquisite as this novel. I'm still in a state of... paralysis. I don't know what to feel. I will surely reread this again sometime in the future. Now I have to read all of McCarthy's novels....more
I started reading this novel around Oct 10. I read it a few chapters at a time, reached around page 60 and kept putting it off, was engrossed in an anI started reading this novel around Oct 10. I read it a few chapters at a time, reached around page 60 and kept putting it off, was engrossed in an anime and started reading Malazan. I had this sudden sense of urge to finish the book considering how short it was and read pretty good and was interesting to begin with. I ended up reading the remaining 180 pages in 2 hours or so, in one sitting. Which I never do. I don't have the attention span to read 50 pages in one sitting, so that says a lot
This novel is very... thought provoking. It was pretty short but managed to get its message out there. So much more things to think about and absorb in the next few days for me. 4.25/5 stars. Great read...more
I usually start off "proper" reviews with a quote or two that I really liked but having just quickly checked my book tabs, there were too many sentencI usually start off "proper" reviews with a quote or two that I really liked but having just quickly checked my book tabs, there were too many sentences and paragraphs that I took note of to really choose which ones I want to highlight. Some are even spoilers, so I decided not to
I think most if not all my reviews and succeeding reviews of any classic literature that I enjoyed would contain something to the extent of, why did it take me x amount of years to finally pick this one up. I have been interested in Russian literature and history lately and Dosteovsky has been all over my feed. I have no regrets starting off with Crime and Punishment, as opposed to hundreds of advice online saying that one should start with Brothers Karamazov or Notes From Underground
It was such a journey going through the psyche of Raskolnikov. The plot itself isn't as complex as one would assume, but it's the philosophical implication that Dostoevsky portrayed that really made this novel what it is. With the thousands of reviews out there already not just on goodreads, I don't really think I need to say much to recommend this novel. Will I read it again in the future? Absolutely. I have already planned out reading a different translation of this. The P&V version that I have was really accessible and didn't feel as daunting as I thought this novel would be. In all honesty I really need to digest and contemplate a lot of things about this novel. I can truly agree with the statement that once you've read Dosteovsky, there's no going back. I will be reading more of his works in 2024 and the years to come...more