lana88's Reviews (34)

Meat Market

Juno Dawson

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Wonderland

Juno Dawson

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I though the ending was very dark and perhaps too unrealistic but other than that the plot was fast faced and engaging</ spoiler>

Content Warnings

The Invisible Man

H.G. Wells

2.5

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Good short sci-fi thriller.

Purple Hibiscus

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

The Unheard

Nicci French

2.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Found the MC to be annoying and irrational, the book was unnecessarily long and the ending was unexciting. Too many coincidences/ tiny details that ‘fall into place’ in an unsatisfying way.

Content Warnings

A Handful of Dust

Evelyn Waugh

3.5

dark funny slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Paradise Block

Alice Ash

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

A very thought provoking look into human emotion and perception - this book balances a very fine line between ordinary and extraordinary, grotesque and mundane. A deeply interesting read that is hard to summarise.

Content Warnings

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

Gail Honeyman

3.0

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

At times I found this book to be quite unsettling - the claims that it is 'funny' are perhaps true, but it is a humour that feels mocking to the main character and the way she processes things. The ending, however, was a lovely and uplifting message about friendship and recovery and it was nice to slowly see Eleanor's mental transformation. Second half of the book considerably better and more thought provoking for me, but not something that shall stick with me. Overall glad to be finished with the book.

Content Warnings