sareidle's Reviews (180)

Spare

4.25

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Before reading the book proper, I had heard some excerpts of the audiobook and I think that the portions that got attention prove Harry's point about the tabloids and public scrutiny. He talks a lot about the heir/spare dynamic and how he was set up to be the clown of the family. Even when he tried to do something of substance, his past mistakes would be brought up to discredit him and make him a joke. So part of revealing the embarrassing, fascinating stories is to signal to the British press that they cannot blackmail him since he divulged them on his terms.

Content Warnings

I'm Glad My Mom Died

Jennette McCurdy

4.75

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

Content Warnings

A Thousand Ships

Natalie Haynes

3.75

adventurous challenging sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It took a little while to get into the structure of the book - the chapters switch between different women affected by the Trojan War - but it built momentum by the halfway point. There are moments of humor to lighten the tragedies described.

Content Warnings

Wilder Girls

Rory Power

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

The London Séance Society

Sarah Penner

4.25

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was recommended to me by a friend and I had a fun time reading it! The dual perspective creates tension as the characters get closer to uncovering the conspiracy at the heart of the book.

Content Warnings

Waiting for Godot

Samuel Beckett

1.5

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I'll preface my review by saying that it was one of the required readings for an English literature class the spring semester of my senior year. Initially, I was pleasantly surprised to be assigned a short two act play rather than a tome, but that changed once I got to act two.

I came to class irritated that I had essentially read act one twice, which felt like a waste of time. Now that I'm older, I understand that the play is about the liminal space that Didi and Gogo find themselves in and how many possibilities they can explore about what could happen when Godot finally arrives. Thus, Godot's arrival would eliminate all but one of these possibilities and would naturally be disappointing.

I suppose I'm glad that I read it since Godot is referenced occasionally in other media, but the experience of reading the play was so frustrating that an honest rating from me has to be low.