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dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this sharply intimate and brooding examination of leah and miri’s relationship tinged with science fiction-y horror. imo, the point of the story was never about explaining the *mystery* behind the centre or leah’s expedition, and I’m glad my expectations were set right. the ambiguity of leah’s incident and miri’s confusion and hopelessness over their relationship was incredibly well done and kept me hooked the entire time. and though the ending is a little predictable julia armfield’s writing is so strong and emotionally resonant I can’t fault her execution. this is 110% a worthy read for literary and/or weird sci-fi fans!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Blood, Grief
Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
‘See, there’s three lights now where there was only two before.’
I look out across the sea. There, the two lights are blinking as before, but with another, steady light, shining in between.
‘Can you see it?’ he says.
‘I can,’ I say.
‘It’s there.’
And that is when he puts his arms around me and gathers me into them as though I were his own.
I look out across the sea. There, the two lights are blinking as before, but with another, steady light, shining in between.
‘Can you see it?’ he says.
‘I can,’ I say.
‘It’s there.’
And that is when he puts his arms around me and gathers me into them as though I were his own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Grief
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
“the unhappiness” anthology is a finely translated and cohesive collection of kafka’s works that I really liked, some more than others, and others I simply will 100% forget because of how fleeting they were. it was a great introduction to kafka that I would personally pick up and reread one day 🙂↕️
favorites: a short fable, the truth about sancho panza, the bridge, in the penal colony, a report for an academy, homecoming
favorites: a short fable, the truth about sancho panza, the bridge, in the penal colony, a report for an academy, homecoming
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, Abandonment
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was an intriguing and weird story about modern workplace culture that I enjoyed more than hiroko oyamada’s other novella ‘the hole’. I half agree with comparisons made to ‘severance’ based on this story’s premise—dehumanization of employees, marked separation between departments, and the obscurity of the factory’s purpose. but for a story this short, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment to expect everything about the factory to be explained.
oyamada was obviously more interested in voicing the detached weariness of 3 different characters who either tolerate, neglect, or begrudgingly advance their career in unfulfilling corporate jobs. the multi-perspective framing was interesting enough to keep me reading. the themes aren’t groundbreaking, but the translation is quite good and its thematic messages don’t beat you over the head about it. and even though there’s no clear ending (just a lingering sense of apathy) I still enjoyed the strangeness of the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Yes
loved this! in just 3 novellas, george r. r. martin expands on the world of westeros and blends plenty of action, adventure, court intrigue, and humor. of the 3 storylines my favorite was the mystery knight. I also strongly rec reading the anthology edition if you can to also gaze upon gary gianni’s amazing illustrations. dunk and egg’s friendship is so wholesome and fun I would happily read a dozen more stories about their adventures. it’s impossible not to root for underdogs like them and the other smallfolk who try to make it above their stations in life. can’t wait to see them brought to life on HBO’s hedge knight series 🥰
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Vomit
Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
susanna clarke gets high marks for her lovely writing, atmosphere, and creating an *extremely* likeable protagonist. sadly the other was not that compelling of a villain to me, and raphael feels shoehorned in the last two parts of the book. I felt I had to power through the last half of the book that relied heavily on what felt like multiple exposition dumps too, and I’m not sure why… I didn’t dislike the mystery, but I wasn’t gripped by it like so many others clearly were. something about how the mystery finally resolved felt incidental to piranesi’s situation, and the overall effect was just okay to me. I’ll still be seated for studio laika’s animated feature adaptation of this though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Death, Kidnapping
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
if you’ve felt anything at all for these characters suzanne collins has given so much life to and grew up reading about them and/or watching the film adaptations repeatedly you 110% need to mentally buckle up for this one. you will NOT come out unscathed from the cruelties committed here 💔
the way snow and the capitol ideologically chews up haymitch and spits him out before, during, and after the quarter quell is a lot worse than I anticipated and is extremely effective. the tragedy of haymitch as a tribute informing his older, defeatist self as a mentor is already so heavily inferred from the core trilogy, it feels intense to see it written out bluntly in this. I honestly don’t know if I could handle reading another tribute “memoir”, because I’m sure I’ll feel plenty devastated when the SOTR film finally comes out. thank you to suzanne collins for making me cry again, but I hope she isn’t compelled to write more prequels ever 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Mental illness, Vomit
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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:
Yes
after reading grace of kings, my only thought left was that in a past life ken liu must have been an actual wizard. only 1 book into the dandelion dynasty quartet and I’m obsessed and impressed!
my only nitpick is that this sometimes felt too much like reading a dense, historical account of an era in the fictional islands of dara. but even if you’re not a plot-focused reader, it’s pretty impossible not to appreciate liu’s skill in masterfully blending sweeping military fantasy, philosophy, and adventure. in the same breath he never misses a chance to flex his silkpunk novelties, court intrigue tactics, and action.
there’s plenty of unique characters in its huge ensemble to despise or adore, but the dynamic between kuni garu and mata zyndu was the beating heart of the drama and a real pleasure for me to get invested in. will definitely be back for more in the wall of storms once I regain my reading stamina 😅
there’s plenty of unique characters in its huge ensemble to despise or adore, but the dynamic between kuni garu and mata zyndu was the beating heart of the drama and a real pleasure for me to get invested in. will definitely be back for more in the wall of storms once I regain my reading stamina 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Religious bigotry, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
If Palestinians are to be truly seen, it will be through stories woven by their own hands—not by their plunderers, not even by their comrades.
an important memoir/essay/reflection by the brilliant ta-nehisi coates. essential reading for every human being with a conscience who believes in freedom and fair representation for all oppressed victims in the wake of an ongoing genocide in occupied palestine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Slavery, Violence, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, War
Minor: Death