miajakobsen's Reviews (152)

I completely understand why this is a classic play. I definitely need to see a proper staging of it (it is a play after all) to gather my final thoughts on it, but I thought it was extremely enthralling and well-written!

Eh, this book was okay but not as compelling as TJR's other books. I left kind of disappointed.

This novel was criticized during its time because it challenged Victorian-era morals. The themes of alcoholism, gender conventions, abuse, and marriage make Tenant one of the first modern feminist novels. The history and themes behind the novel are very interesting, and I'm so glad that one of my professors mentioned it, because I immediately put it on my TBR list after. Well, I ended up really loving this book: Brontë’s writing is beautiful - and quite humorous - and the story is extremely compelling.

I first tried reading this book a few years ago but I kept getting distracted. This summer, I finally put time aside and read it! It’s a typical English classic - homoerotic relationships plus an examination of Catholicism and class in the 1920s. It’s quite an interesting well-written book, but the plot isn’t executed as well as I hoped. Charles Ryder’s fascination with Sebastian Flyte is reminiscent of Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby, but while Sebastian is just as charming and compelling as Gatsby, Charles is more of a bore than his counterpart. A good read overall, but I left wanting more from it.

Andrew has once again written a heartwarming and genuine book. His writing is infectious with joy and care. His personality shines through his written voice but not in an obnoxious way like other celebrity memoirs. One of the book's essays, "What Words Can I Give You That Will Comfort Me?,” will always stay with me as it deeply resonated with me when it was first published in the New York Times in 2021.

My first Joan Didion book! I am certain that this isn’t her best work, but there were a few standout pieces particularly near the end that make it clear why she remains popular. Regardless, her prose is beautiful and I’m excited to read more work by her.

This book is definitely strongest in the middle half, but I quite enjoyed it - especially Batuman’s prose. Batuman accurately captures what going into adulthood is like and how despite how hard we might try or hope, language and love can fail us. I've linked a video review that sums up my thoughts well. I also thought there were a lot of queer undertones in Selin (a wonderfully complex main character), especially with all the talk of Sonya being an unlucky name and her worrying about not finding love... 🏳️‍🌈❓

Okay it turns out I don't really enjoy writing styles like this, but there were still some powerful and relatable moments.