The book really is all it's hyped up to be. Magical and irresistible, and it taught me so much about the history of philosophy! The story takes twists and turns that will shock you and, more importantly, make you sit up and THINK.
The sections about philosophy are wonderfully written in a way that makes them accessible and interesting. However (and this is just my opinion), the fact that there is so many of them does not make for easy reading. Sophie's World is pretty much 40% novel, 60% philosophy textbook. That is why finishing the book took me almost three weeks. I am by no means criticizing the pedagogical character of the novel- rather, as I said, this is one of the many things that sets it apart. What I mean is that it is, as I said before, not very easy to plough through.
However, if a whimsical incursion into the world of philosophy, the history of ideas, this book is just for you! Read it. You deserve the magical, enlightening experience that is Sophie's World.

Rowling has not lost an ounce of her storytelling flair. A wonderful attribute of the series is in the realistic way she ages Harry and walks us through every symptom of childhood through adolescence. Ever dark, ever rich, ever surprising and immersive, the Harry Potter series is a modern classic.

Cute children's series just took a seriously dark turn and I am HERE for it.

*inhales* *exhales* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Okay, this book ended my soul. Hah. I have laughed out loud, I have cried, I have stared at the pages in open-mouthed shock - it is now one of my absolute favorite books of all time, and I could write endless paragraphs filled with all the things I LOVED about it!!
*endeavors to calm down since this is meant to be a review, not a rant* Right. If you know me you know that I am obsessed with Les Misérables. Which is why I was both excitedly anticipating this read AND dreading it. Because the premise, "Les mis in space" sounded like a DREAM, but what if it wasn't up to my expectations? What if it was untrue to the spirit of the original book, what if it was poorly written, what if the characters were weird - I nearly drove myself crazy worrying about it! But, as you have probably guessed at this point, those fears were unfounded. Sky Without Stars was all that I could dream of, and more. Here's why!
1. The characters. Ohmygosh, the CHARACTERS. I love them all. They are..perfect. just what I expected, just what I wanted. Marcellus is perfect. Chatine is perfect. Alouette is perfect. *screams and hugs them all* and I can't wait to be introduced to Space!Les Amis. I sense that I will die of incurable fangirling.
Though...if there is something I disliked about Sky Without Stars, it is that Hugo Taureau (Space!Valjean) and Inspecteur Limier (Space!Javert) weren't /nearly/ as developed as I wanted. Hugo was more of a background character, and Limier hardly had any personality at all (I was excited for a cyborg Javert, but what I got instead was a /robot/ Javert). Hopefully these two will be more developed in the sequel!! Now...all I've got to do is wait till next year. *pouts*
2. The worldbuilding is mind-blowing!! I felt thrust straight into the dirty, dangerous "wretched hive of scum and villainy" that is Laterre straight from the FIRST chapter. It's...it's just epic. You learn about Laterre history, slang, customs, day-to-day life, it's such an immersive reading experience that it's pure delight to escape into these pages.
3. The nods and references to the original source material just filled me with joy!! Sky Without Stars stands as a novel in its own right, but it IS also a retelling, and any fans of the original will certainly enjoy the inside jokes and references as much as I did. They even reference the freakin' anime version. And I am HERE for it.
4. The pacing is just right. The action never grinds to a halt, but it doesn't race ahead at breakneck speed, either. It moves along, unfolding naturally, and allowing for plenty of banter and character development along the way. Which brings me to-
5. Have I mentioned that the characters' interactions are just,,, a joy to read? They're so real, and human, I feel like the characters are all my friends now! There were so many instances in which I just had to stop and grin at how believably their thoughts, emotions and dialogues are portrayed. I just...*fumbles for words* aaaaghh.
6. Marcellus' relationship with his grandfather shot me in the face 26 times, thank you very much. That's all I can say without being spoilery.
I can't wait for Between Burning Worlds. Thank you, Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendelle, for one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've had all year! I...uh...*breaks down sobbing and clutches book*

I put off reviewing The Goldfinch for so long after finishing it, because I was so stunned and impressed by it that I doubted I could do it justice with my jumbled, incoherent words. But it's about time I shared my absolute love for this book where everyone can see it - because, all things considered, I truly believe The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt ought to be considered a classic in its own right.
I know lots of people avoid the book because of its fame, the hype surrounding it, the freaking Pulitzer it won. Well, in my humble opinion, it not only lived up to this hype, but far exceeded it, becoming one of my favorite books of all time. I will universally recommend it, and here are the reasons why -
The writing style is so brilliantly evocative - the accuracy, the insight, the attention paid to tiny details - I have no words. The quality of the description alone is enough to make this novel remarkable, one that aspiring authors should read and learn from - but its merits don't end there. The Goldfinch resembles one of the great old classics in its glorious cast of characters, the intelligent philosophical bits, the complex, well-structured plot, the complex and relatable protagonist, the way the story follows his life and character development. I got David Copperfield vibes, because it's every bit as vibrant and complex in its social commentary and illustration of the life of a hurt young man and his yearning for love and happiness.
CONTENT WARNING: sensitive readers may be affected by the heavy swearing, graphic depictions of child abuse, drug addiction, depression, PTSD, and a scene where a character is preparing to commit suicide.
To summarize, in my opinion, The Goldfinch is no less than a modern masterpiece, and if you don't mind the slow pacing, I trust you'll fall in love like I did.
Oh. And the ending. The ENDING. I was sobbing in the wee hours of the morning. Enjoy~!

WILL REVIEW PROPERLY ONCE I AM ABLE TO Articulate™

It was a VERY interesting experience to read such an old horror story. I also felt very bad for poor Aubrey. I hate it when characters in classic stories go slowly mad and their health declines and then they get weaker and weaker and die... :(((