samihami's Reviews (112)

Kafka delivered us a feast that one shouldn’t resist.  
Only he can write about a philosophical dog that among all else is a dog of science. 
Of course, it wouldn’t be Kafka’s work if a good chunk of pages isn’t dedicated to starvation. That man is obsessed. 
The isolation the dog experience and how he observes the world, it  makes me wonder, if the dog isn’t perhaps Kafka himself. 
I really enjoyed this one. Though it can be difficult to read at times, it is pretty impeccable. 
What amused me, and what shows how masterful Kafka is, is when

the dog calls birds air-dogs. Whenever my dog looks curiously at a different animal, I make the joke that he probably considers it to be a really strange-looking dog.

Orwell does pose some great points but for most of it I was confused. His take on nationalism is intriguing but it’s not always clear to me what he means as ut seems to be contradictory at times   

The discussion of race through humour in the point of view of a child is so unique and Lee masters it. 
I am amazed by the honesty and rawness this work shows. It exposes the darkest parts of American legislation and society that, though heavily based on to the 30s, are still relevant today. 
What I especially enjoyed is how Lee introduces different characters and plot lines throughout the piece and even though we abandon them for dozens of pages, we then come back full circle. Nothing is left astray or unfinished and Lee does this with such care and detail that it never feels forced. 
I’m glad I waited for the right time to read this because I can’t imagine appreciating it as much as I do now. I also just could not put it down for the life of me. In the first 20-30 pages I thought I will never get used to the writing style but it was a smooth read after that.
Everyone must read this work at least once in their life.

You don’t know love until you read White Nights. 
This love story has put me through emotional turmoil and I thank Dostoevsky for it. 
It is deep, immersive, dark, romantic and heartbreaking. 
-
Just wanna point out that there is another short story in this edition called Bobok which I honestly think much about as I was still in daze after reading WN and so the rating is only for WN, Bobok not included. 

The story is, as in first book, immersive and sooo catchy. 
Though I prefer the first volume this one gave me that comfort I sought. 
I thought some of the issues were resolved little too quickly sometimes but I didn’t mind so much. 
It is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. 
Satoshi Yagisawa knows how to story tell with real people and I hope I return to the Morisaki bookshop someday. 

This is such a fun read. 
I love Mr Keating and the boys as characters full of spirit and newly found freedom (in the boys’ case). 
The themes of academic and mind freedom, childhood, the importance of future and what one should prioritise when choosing their life paths, love for poetry and generally written/spoken word, the importance of community and solidarity, and speaking your own mind are all incredibly well portrayed and analysed. 
Though the end does crush my heart, I would not change one but about it. 
This might be the first book I will reread for other than academic reasons. 

This was such a fun read, I devoured it. 
The author emphasises the importance of slowing down, listening to your emotions and letting flow through you, and discovering your true self, which is very much needed in nowadays fast and busy world. 
It was all cozy fun vibes, with great three-dimensional characters and a wonderful storyline. 

I like this one more than The Flowers of Buffoonery which is focuses on a part of the story. Osamu Dazai depicts the darkness in all of us so well.  It is speculated that this was his suicide note and I see what they mean. There is so much depth and understanding in the author-work relationship. If it weren’t an obvious  fiction, I would’ve thought I was reading his diary. 

Shakespeare struck us once again with a timeless piece of art. 
I enjoyed reading this play of his more than I did As You Like It and Hamlet, though thematically, Hamlet was more fun as it more complex than Romeo and Juliet. 
Rome and Juliet is a tragic love story with only some depth of the characters, storyline, and environment in comparison to Hamlet. 
But I enjoyed it nonetheless. 

Perfection!
The elements of an unreliable narrator but

it’s actually the author??

 
Osamu Dazai is a genius. 
Thos also reads so well so if you’re looking to get out of a reading slump, grab this one. 
-0.5 because I wasn’t so invested into the chracters’ lore as the author assumed the reader is.