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elle_reads's Reviews (446)
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BOOK and VIDEOGAME REVIEW
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[The Last Wish]
The Witcher franchise began as a short short published by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski in 1986. The book is a collection of short stories following witcher Geralt of Rivia in his dealing with various niche monsters, sorceresses, and general mayhem. I wasn’t expecting a collection of short stories, so it was a little difficult for me to get into at first. Once I realized how they were originally published, my mindset changed. I love the nuanced world Sapkowski built and his step-by-step fight descriptions. I wish readers had more insight into the character’s minds. ⚡️3/5
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[Witcher 3: Wild Hunt]
Witcher shines in the side quests. They’re so detailed (yay! homage to the short stories everywhere!) and listening to the NPCs is actually worth it! They give you little insights into the true story behind your Witcher contract. I loved the choices developers allow players. Do you want to be strictly against all monsters? Or only threatening, non-sentient ones? Do you want to ally with bandits or spies? Your choice. ⚡️5/5
BOOK and VIDEOGAME REVIEW
//
[The Last Wish]
The Witcher franchise began as a short short published by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski in 1986. The book is a collection of short stories following witcher Geralt of Rivia in his dealing with various niche monsters, sorceresses, and general mayhem. I wasn’t expecting a collection of short stories, so it was a little difficult for me to get into at first. Once I realized how they were originally published, my mindset changed. I love the nuanced world Sapkowski built and his step-by-step fight descriptions. I wish readers had more insight into the character’s minds. ⚡️3/5
//
[Witcher 3: Wild Hunt]
Witcher shines in the side quests. They’re so detailed (yay! homage to the short stories everywhere!) and listening to the NPCs is actually worth it! They give you little insights into the true story behind your Witcher contract. I loved the choices developers allow players. Do you want to be strictly against all monsters? Or only threatening, non-sentient ones? Do you want to ally with bandits or spies? Your choice. ⚡️5/5
Instagram @elle_reads
MINI BOOK REVIEW
[Paradise of the Blind]
A Vietnamese girl comes of age in 1980 amidst Communist forces and traditional villages. I loved the contrast between her aunt, mother, and uncle. Each member of the family held distinct motivations and interacted/depicted the government according to their beliefs. Hang must find her way between these pressures. Paradise of the Blind is written as a series of reflections on a train ride that build up to a familial meeting. While I enjoyed the anticipation this strategy gave, the realities of life seemed blurred. I wanted more gritty detail in her reflections. I also wanted more everyday humor and opportunities to get to know Hang in her own right. ⚡️4/5
MINI BOOK REVIEW
[Paradise of the Blind]
A Vietnamese girl comes of age in 1980 amidst Communist forces and traditional villages. I loved the contrast between her aunt, mother, and uncle. Each member of the family held distinct motivations and interacted/depicted the government according to their beliefs. Hang must find her way between these pressures. Paradise of the Blind is written as a series of reflections on a train ride that build up to a familial meeting. While I enjoyed the anticipation this strategy gave, the realities of life seemed blurred. I wanted more gritty detail in her reflections. I also wanted more everyday humor and opportunities to get to know Hang in her own right. ⚡️4/5
Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The Priory of the Orange Tree] Court intrigue, dragons, a divided world that needs saving.
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WHAT I LIKED
Samantha Shannon found the perfect line between young adult and adult high fantasy. The characters are 20-30s with adult problems. People actually die! Despite the brick of a book this is, it’s a quick read. Shannon keeps all the magical world building without weighing down the reader to a snail’s pace (looking at you, The Wheel of Time).
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I loved Shannon’s new world of balance. I like magic with rules. Shannon developed the rules at a natural pace.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
In attempt to keep this spoiler-free, I will only say I loved one romance relationship and was skeptical of the other. It felt forced.
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There were little moments throughout the book that needed clarifications - just small bits of pronouns instead of naming the entity discussed. I googled a few, and found myself not alone with Shannon helpfully explaining who does what.
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The Priory of the Orange Tree (by Samatha Shannon) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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BOOK REVIEW
[The Priory of the Orange Tree] Court intrigue, dragons, a divided world that needs saving.
//
WHAT I LIKED
Samantha Shannon found the perfect line between young adult and adult high fantasy. The characters are 20-30s with adult problems. People actually die! Despite the brick of a book this is, it’s a quick read. Shannon keeps all the magical world building without weighing down the reader to a snail’s pace (looking at you, The Wheel of Time).
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I loved Shannon’s new world of balance. I like magic with rules. Shannon developed the rules at a natural pace.
//
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
In attempt to keep this spoiler-free, I will only say I loved one romance relationship and was skeptical of the other. It felt forced.
//
There were little moments throughout the book that needed clarifications - just small bits of pronouns instead of naming the entity discussed. I googled a few, and found myself not alone with Shannon helpfully explaining who does what.
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The Priory of the Orange Tree (by Samatha Shannon) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The Silent Patient] Alicia Berensons hasn’t spoken for years - ever since the moment she killed her husband.
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WHAT I LIKED
I started reading The Silent Patient with my morning coffee. I planned to finish my coffee and then go for a run. I didn’t run until 1pm. I had to finish this book first. Alex Michaelides so purposefully draws you in it is UNFAIR. I highlighted so many purposeful “oh, but that will be revealed later” moments in the first 10 pages. Well, I needed those reveals.
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There’s a great twist. I can’t say anything more than that. It’s in my top 5 thriller twists ever.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There was a whole host of side characters to help and hinder Theo Faber, Alicia’s psychotherapist, on his quests. Sometimes the information the side characters revealed was a bit too convenient. I really enjoyed this as a once-over thriller, but I doubt I’d read again like my other thriller favorites.
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The Silent Patient (by Alex Michaelides) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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Recommended if you liked: Alias Grace, The Woman in the Window
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BOOK REVIEW
[The Silent Patient] Alicia Berensons hasn’t spoken for years - ever since the moment she killed her husband.
//
WHAT I LIKED
I started reading The Silent Patient with my morning coffee. I planned to finish my coffee and then go for a run. I didn’t run until 1pm. I had to finish this book first. Alex Michaelides so purposefully draws you in it is UNFAIR. I highlighted so many purposeful “oh, but that will be revealed later” moments in the first 10 pages. Well, I needed those reveals.
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There’s a great twist. I can’t say anything more than that. It’s in my top 5 thriller twists ever.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There was a whole host of side characters to help and hinder Theo Faber, Alicia’s psychotherapist, on his quests. Sometimes the information the side characters revealed was a bit too convenient. I really enjoyed this as a once-over thriller, but I doubt I’d read again like my other thriller favorites.
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The Silent Patient (by Alex Michaelides) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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Recommended if you liked: Alias Grace, The Woman in the Window
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The Princess Diarist] Carrie Fisher shares pieces from her journals during the first Star Wars filming.
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WHAT I LIKED
I devoted yesterday’s post to quotes from The Princess Diarist. Young Carrie Fisher’s personality shines through each line. Her life questions are earnest. Things I’ve thought about, but never had the courage to put on paper. It’s impossible to NOT self-identify with Fisher. This is more than a journal of her affair with Harrison Ford. It is droplets of Fisher finding herself through her first foray away from family.
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The Princess Diarist is my introduction to Carrie Fisher’s writing. I was expecting the humor; she didn’t let me down. I was happily surprised by her poetry! Her lines quickly became my favorite part of the book. I hurried through the prose to get to her poetry.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The prose can get a little long-winded, but her sudden metaphors broke me from almost skimming pieces of the book. I wish there was more description of her adventures filming Star Wars. I loved the realistic little bits about her hair and physical expectations. The dark cloud (which I knew would be there) was her infatuation with Harrison Ford. I would have been fine with this if there was a better balance, but I just didn’t care that much about the affair. That said, this book has wetted by appetite for more of her writing!
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The Princess Diarist (by Carrie Fisher) ⚡️⚡️⚡️✨3.5/5
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BOOK REVIEW
[The Princess Diarist] Carrie Fisher shares pieces from her journals during the first Star Wars filming.
//
WHAT I LIKED
I devoted yesterday’s post to quotes from The Princess Diarist. Young Carrie Fisher’s personality shines through each line. Her life questions are earnest. Things I’ve thought about, but never had the courage to put on paper. It’s impossible to NOT self-identify with Fisher. This is more than a journal of her affair with Harrison Ford. It is droplets of Fisher finding herself through her first foray away from family.
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The Princess Diarist is my introduction to Carrie Fisher’s writing. I was expecting the humor; she didn’t let me down. I was happily surprised by her poetry! Her lines quickly became my favorite part of the book. I hurried through the prose to get to her poetry.
//
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The prose can get a little long-winded, but her sudden metaphors broke me from almost skimming pieces of the book. I wish there was more description of her adventures filming Star Wars. I loved the realistic little bits about her hair and physical expectations. The dark cloud (which I knew would be there) was her infatuation with Harrison Ford. I would have been fine with this if there was a better balance, but I just didn’t care that much about the affair. That said, this book has wetted by appetite for more of her writing!
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The Princess Diarist (by Carrie Fisher) ⚡️⚡️⚡️✨3.5/5
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The English Patient] An patient, nurse, sapper, and thief stay in a bombed Italian villa during WW2.
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WHAT I LIKED
The English Patient is a slow read, long pause, and haunting reflection. I can’t stop thinking about it. I had to let my thoughts simmer for a week before piecing my thoughts together.
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I loved Michael Ondaatje’s comparisons of human events to the natural world. “Seas move away, why not lovers?” (p253). Much of the book is set in Egypt. Ondaatje brought the desert alive. The desert answers to no nation. It doesn’t care what power, money, or war shapes the world. It just is. It is unmoving.
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At the end of my read, my favorite character was Kip and my least favorite was Hana. Then I was lucky enough to discuss the book with @chrissy.reads.lit . Chrissy completely changed the way I understood Hana! Only great, multi-faceted characters can do that.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There were a few moments when Kip’s skin was described as a sea/river/*insert body of water* of brown. It didn’t bother me just for the content, but more that these phrases were repeated too often to really give new meaning.
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The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️5/5
BOOK REVIEW
[The English Patient] An patient, nurse, sapper, and thief stay in a bombed Italian villa during WW2.
//
WHAT I LIKED
The English Patient is a slow read, long pause, and haunting reflection. I can’t stop thinking about it. I had to let my thoughts simmer for a week before piecing my thoughts together.
//
I loved Michael Ondaatje’s comparisons of human events to the natural world. “Seas move away, why not lovers?” (p253). Much of the book is set in Egypt. Ondaatje brought the desert alive. The desert answers to no nation. It doesn’t care what power, money, or war shapes the world. It just is. It is unmoving.
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At the end of my read, my favorite character was Kip and my least favorite was Hana. Then I was lucky enough to discuss the book with @chrissy.reads.lit . Chrissy completely changed the way I understood Hana! Only great, multi-faceted characters can do that.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There were a few moments when Kip’s skin was described as a sea/river/*insert body of water* of brown. It didn’t bother me just for the content, but more that these phrases were repeated too often to really give new meaning.
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The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️5/5
Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK SERIES REVIEW
[To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series] High Schooler Lara Jean begins dating.
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WHAT I LIKED
Her sister, Margot, says it best: Lara Jean is partially in love with every person she meets. Being in love with love is part of her charm. She’s simply a sweetheart who bakes cookies when she feels down, worries about her sisters 24 hours a day, and loves to style her hair in intricate braids. You immediately empathize with her confidence and insecurities.
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Lara Jean jumps through many coming of age hoops throughout the series. I appreciated how Han showed readers showed how Lara Jean's relationships had changed even before the series began. The events in her childhood/middle school years have a huge impact on her difficulties. Through these events, Jenny Han unveils the double standards for teenage boys and girls.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
While I’m happy I read the series to understand what everyone is talking about, it just wasn’t for me. It was flat can of Fanta. There’s taste and a little fizz, but its not my favorite. I WOULD, however, definitely recommend it to most of my high school students. It teaches valuable lessons about feminine empowerment and just not caring how others see you. I wish there was more details about her mother, general family dynamic, and her experiences as an Asian American. Han does discuss these topics, but I wanted it to go deeper.
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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series (by Jenny Han) ⚡️⚡️⚡️3/5
Recommend to HS student? 5/5
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BOOK SERIES REVIEW
[To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series] High Schooler Lara Jean begins dating.
//
WHAT I LIKED
Her sister, Margot, says it best: Lara Jean is partially in love with every person she meets. Being in love with love is part of her charm. She’s simply a sweetheart who bakes cookies when she feels down, worries about her sisters 24 hours a day, and loves to style her hair in intricate braids. You immediately empathize with her confidence and insecurities.
//
Lara Jean jumps through many coming of age hoops throughout the series. I appreciated how Han showed readers showed how Lara Jean's relationships had changed even before the series began. The events in her childhood/middle school years have a huge impact on her difficulties. Through these events, Jenny Han unveils the double standards for teenage boys and girls.
//
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
While I’m happy I read the series to understand what everyone is talking about, it just wasn’t for me. It was flat can of Fanta. There’s taste and a little fizz, but its not my favorite. I WOULD, however, definitely recommend it to most of my high school students. It teaches valuable lessons about feminine empowerment and just not caring how others see you. I wish there was more details about her mother, general family dynamic, and her experiences as an Asian American. Han does discuss these topics, but I wanted it to go deeper.
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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series (by Jenny Han) ⚡️⚡️⚡️3/5
Recommend to HS student? 5/5
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The Nickel Boys] Young boys try to survive an abusive juvie school.
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WHAT I LIKED
Colson Whitehead does an amazing job integrating the historical events / thinking into his character’s mentality. Elwood’s fascination to MLK Jr and his grandmother’s conflicting relation to the movement humanized their difficulties and brought a complexity to each introduced character. It unveiled a discussion of morality even before the dreaded doors of Nickel are opened.
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Inside Nickel, Whitehead artfully minded the difficult events he described without lessening the punch. Even though this is a work of historical fiction, I didn’t see him sensationalize the terrible events these students experienced.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I felt held at an arm’s length for a majority of the book. It was hazy. I wanted more grit in the everyday actions of the students. I learned of the different boys jobs, but there was little detail of them truly living it. I learned of the buggy bedding, but I after the first mention the constant itching wasn’t mentioned. It took away from the reality of the situation.
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The Nickel Boys (by Colson Whitehead) ⚡️⚡️⚡️3/5
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BOOK REVIEW
[The Nickel Boys] Young boys try to survive an abusive juvie school.
//
WHAT I LIKED
Colson Whitehead does an amazing job integrating the historical events / thinking into his character’s mentality. Elwood’s fascination to MLK Jr and his grandmother’s conflicting relation to the movement humanized their difficulties and brought a complexity to each introduced character. It unveiled a discussion of morality even before the dreaded doors of Nickel are opened.
//
Inside Nickel, Whitehead artfully minded the difficult events he described without lessening the punch. Even though this is a work of historical fiction, I didn’t see him sensationalize the terrible events these students experienced.
//
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I felt held at an arm’s length for a majority of the book. It was hazy. I wanted more grit in the everyday actions of the students. I learned of the different boys jobs, but there was little detail of them truly living it. I learned of the buggy bedding, but I after the first mention the constant itching wasn’t mentioned. It took away from the reality of the situation.
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The Nickel Boys (by Colson Whitehead) ⚡️⚡️⚡️3/5
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[The Namesake] A first generation American Indian comes of age.
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WHAT I LIKED
Lahiri gives just the right amount of information. Her narration is incredibly smooth and melancholy with a hint of hopeful. I’ve previously read her story collection, Interpreter of Maladies. I was curious if she could sustain her perfect balance of story in a longer work. In the afterword, I realized this novel predates her short story collection. I enjoyed reflecting on her writing development.
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The Namesake is primarily an exploration of the experience of an immigrant family, but the themes are universal. This story isn't for escapism. You will find yourself somewhere in its pages. As a book lover, I loved the literary references with Gogol. I will be reading a new translation of Gogol's work sometime soon!
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The Namesake was like a wave. It slowly lifted me up, held me hostage through the entire story, and then drifted away when I closed the cover. I felt a lot, but I didn't come away with any epiphanies. My favorite chapters weren't about the main character. My favorites were the starting chapters about his mother before he is born.
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The Namesake (by Jhumpa Lahiri) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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BOOK REVIEW
[The Namesake] A first generation American Indian comes of age.
//
WHAT I LIKED
Lahiri gives just the right amount of information. Her narration is incredibly smooth and melancholy with a hint of hopeful. I’ve previously read her story collection, Interpreter of Maladies. I was curious if she could sustain her perfect balance of story in a longer work. In the afterword, I realized this novel predates her short story collection. I enjoyed reflecting on her writing development.
//
The Namesake is primarily an exploration of the experience of an immigrant family, but the themes are universal. This story isn't for escapism. You will find yourself somewhere in its pages. As a book lover, I loved the literary references with Gogol. I will be reading a new translation of Gogol's work sometime soon!
//
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The Namesake was like a wave. It slowly lifted me up, held me hostage through the entire story, and then drifted away when I closed the cover. I felt a lot, but I didn't come away with any epiphanies. My favorite chapters weren't about the main character. My favorites were the starting chapters about his mother before he is born.
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The Namesake (by Jhumpa Lahiri) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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Instagram @elle_reads
BOOK REVIEW
[Bunny] Follow a misfit through an experimental writing program.
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WHAT I LIKED
Bunny is a huge burrito of meta, satire, and magical realism. It is experimental satire of experimental/magical realism writing. It is weird. So weird. I loved it. It was different from everything I’ve read before. Mona Awad doesn’t care if you’re frustrating with every single character. I loved her play with voice as the main character stepped through many transformations. The symbolism was gruesome and hilarious with one fell of an ax.
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It’s a conversation starter! Case in point: the many accounts asking me what I thought when I posted reading updates on my story.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The ending was drawn out. I wanted the last 30% to be half that. It took the umph away from the beginning's plain weirdness and shock.
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I was also diappointed with the main character’s passiveness throughout the entire book. She only makes one choice for herself, and even that choice isn't completely her own. The author addresses it in the meta narration, but it seemed like bandaid on a plot hole that could have turned into a shinning moment of a character finding her own voice!
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Bunny (by Mona Awad) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️✨4.5/5
BOOK REVIEW
[Bunny] Follow a misfit through an experimental writing program.
//
WHAT I LIKED
Bunny is a huge burrito of meta, satire, and magical realism. It is experimental satire of experimental/magical realism writing. It is weird. So weird. I loved it. It was different from everything I’ve read before. Mona Awad doesn’t care if you’re frustrating with every single character. I loved her play with voice as the main character stepped through many transformations. The symbolism was gruesome and hilarious with one fell of an ax.
//
It’s a conversation starter! Case in point: the many accounts asking me what I thought when I posted reading updates on my story.
//
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The ending was drawn out. I wanted the last 30% to be half that. It took the umph away from the beginning's plain weirdness and shock.
//
I was also diappointed with the main character’s passiveness throughout the entire book. She only makes one choice for herself, and even that choice isn't completely her own. The author addresses it in the meta narration, but it seemed like bandaid on a plot hole that could have turned into a shinning moment of a character finding her own voice!
//
Bunny (by Mona Awad) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️✨4.5/5