Might seem like a children story but it's so well done with so many magical and fantastic elements that go so well with the fairytale-type of 3.75/5 ⭐
Might seem like a children story but it's so well done with so many magical and fantastic elements that go so well with the fairytale-type of story. Dare I say it was even a little bit dark? Yes. And I enjoyed it!...more
If you have absolutely no expectations or if you're too hyped up or anything in-between, don't worry, this book will probably turn out way more4.5/5 ⭐
If you have absolutely no expectations or if you're too hyped up or anything in-between, don't worry, this book will probably turn out way more interesting than anything you mightve pictured in your head.
I am a big fan of books about books and libraries and bookshops and secret shelves and stories and words and everything of the sort (being a nerdy bookworm makes you like that, yes, beware!). And this story built on the love for books, stories and writers binds the past and the present. And it's so much more complex than just the plot.
Each of the characters comes with a story. It looks like each of these characters and their backstories are arteries attached to the big beating heart - the plot. The plot pumps the arteries with fresh blood and they bring back raw material for the heart to keep pumping.
I was surprised by the lengths this story goes to. It's full of force, but also of emotion. Of love and loss. Of tragedy. Of little smiles that appear at the corner of one character's mouth when they think no one sees them. And most importantly, it is full of magic. And this magic is done in such a way that the life is intertwining with it....more
Short, quick, full of emotion and bittersweet stories, a unique concept and approach to the last few moments a person has after they die. I enj4.5/5 ⭐
Short, quick, full of emotion and bittersweet stories, a unique concept and approach to the last few moments a person has after they die. I enjoyed this so much and I think it deserves a try!...more
A close-to-reality magical realism mixed with a family mystery, thrown all together in a pot and seasoned with beautiful emotions of familiari4.35/5 ⭐
A close-to-reality magical realism mixed with a family mystery, thrown all together in a pot and seasoned with beautiful emotions of familiarity, friendship, kinship, and the actually-very-snarky-but-definitely-too-intelligent remarks of a remarkable octopus, Marcellus. Yes, you've heard me, this book has a snarky octopus as a narrative voice, go read it!...more
I was immensely intrigued by the beautiful cover of this book and the interesting title, the blurb didn't sound that bad either, and the ratin2.45/5 ⭐
I was immensely intrigued by the beautiful cover of this book and the interesting title, the blurb didn't sound that bad either, and the rating was good so I said...why not? I am not entirely sure what has just happened. Maybe it was my own fault, but I couldn't really feel this book the way it was supposed to be felt :(
This book offered a variety of interesting stages of feelings, but all happening somehow simultaneously. I was bored as heck, confused as heck and also unsettled as heck all at the same time. This is indeed dark in an unsettling manner. Other than that, I can't really say I am a fan of it, sorry. The plot was inconsistent and it felt too full of details that could've easily been left aside. Also, the characters aren't really pleasant either.
What I truly appreciated was the unique plot mixture between The Master and Margarita and Harry Potter. I've never encountered something like that before, and it impressed me. Great idea, fabulous inspiration, but a bit of an unpolished execution overall....more
Personally, I'm not that big on time travel subjects because they kind of make my tired little4.45/5 ⭐
This is a must for the time travel trope lovers.
Personally, I'm not that big on time travel subjects because they kind of make my tired little brain hurt and this story was no exception, but as a complete picture, I can definitely say that The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart is a really good mixture of science, drama, emotion and aesthetics.
If you loved The Midnight Library and also you loved Daisy Jones and the Six, this is your perfect next read because it's a very interesting mixture of the both of them. So try it, you might like it!...more
IT FINALLY HAPPENED: I cried because of a book. Which I haven't done in a veeeeery long while, so long I thought I became immune to tear-jerkers.4/5 ⭐
IT FINALLY HAPPENED: I cried because of a book. Which I haven't done in a veeeeery long while, so long I thought I became immune to tear-jerkers.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a beautiful and aesthetic book starting from the melodicity of the title to the visual impact of that stunning cover to the love stories happening inside the book. Yes, stories. Plural. Because there isn't only a boy and a girl falling in love. But I will get to that later.
Right now, I want to focus on the plotline, setting, time, and main characters. In this story, we find ourselves in a real place, Homs, Syria. This city has been shattered by the Civil War that started in Syria as a revolution in 2011. And that is also the time when the action of the book happens - at the dawn of said revolution. That's when Salama, an eighteen-year-old pharmacy student finds herself in the position of a war nurse, trying to help the victims of terrorism still have a chance to live in sordid times and hazards.
The story is brute, cruel and extremely sad, from the very first pages you can see that the atmosphere is going to be charged and heavy. And this is because the author intentionally placed everything in such a vulnerable part of the Syrian modern history. The main purpose of this book is to raise awareness. Awareness of a reality that happens at the same time as our reality but it's completely different, like a world apart.
At the same time, the author tries to destroy the stereotypes that seem to constantly be associated with the Muslim culture: her heroines are free and brave and unafraid to express themselves and dream big while also, yes, they wear hijabs. Because guess what? Wearing a hijab doesn't stop them from being free to express themselves.
[image]
And also, another beautiful thing that the author created: Kenan and his martyr spirit, his loving heart and lucid mind. The way Kenan loves his family is pure and beautiful and he chooses to turn his back on the toxic masculinity that can so easily be avoided but so many choose not to do it. Kenan is an example of a humanitarian heart.
Now let me explain the thing with the love stories:
1) Girl meets boy or boy meets girl, either way, they both meet and fall in love, slowly. The love story between Salama and Kenan seems star-crossed but destined to happen. Even though the circumstances look fatidical, you know they are soulmates through and through and following their sweet and slow falling for each other you will end up rooting for them with everything you have.
2) The family bond between the characters is so strong that it looks like a love story. And it is one! All the characters in this book love their given and chosen families fearlessly and this is a powerful aspect of this book.
3) There is a real love story between the characters (the people) and the ancient land of Syria. And I would like to state that, out of all this story, the conclusion goes like this: you may take the Syrians out of Syria, but you will never take Syria out of the Syrians' hearts.
This book is soul-crashing and heart-shattering and it's so beautiful in its unique sadness that will grip you and make you live with the characters, taking breaths with them and rooting for their happiness while suffering their drama with each of your heartbeats.
Maybe to some, this book seems childish at first, but to me, it is not. It is powerful and sensible and it also brings together the beauty of Jane Austen romances with an Arab twist and the little magical realism you will probably find in Bulgakov's Master and Margarita when your subconsciousness is so powerful that it materialises into your own reality....more
I'm in a time of my life right now when I'm sad enough to read sad books without ruining my mood. So I'm going to take advantage of the sad gi3.45/5 ⭐
I'm in a time of my life right now when I'm sad enough to read sad books without ruining my mood. So I'm going to take advantage of the sad girl hours and read as many sad books as I can.
[image]
Even though I said I'm sad (don't even ask, I think is the proverbial mental illness that's putting me in a bad mood), I had to freak out over the cover because it's so beautiful and I actually love how it manages to capture the essence of the story.
I think the concept of the book was really good. In itself, it was beautiful, an artistic and aesthetic picture painted right before us, with beautiful decorative elements that would grab you by the shoulders and drag you right into the atmospheric world of the story.
It also had that specific YA romance vibe laced with the typical style of Asian contemporary magical realism writing. It reminded me so much of another exceptional novel, The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X.R. Pan. Unfortunately, compared to it, this one lacked chiselling.
As I said before, the concept was so beautiful and its skeleton-idea was actually meant to be extremely emotional and charged with many overwhelming feelings. There was beauty in the scenes, there was a before and an after kind of time lap. There was our main girl, Julie, dealing with the grief of losing someone that was meant to be part of her future. Then there was Julie falling in love with the one that was meant to be part of her future, Sam.
I think the idea behind the magical realism situation, in this case, was a question Dustin Thao tried to answer: if we were to be given the chance to say goodbye to someone we loved one more time, would we make the call?
Yes, I know, the concept is extremely beautiful, I know!!! Sadly, to me, it felt like it lacked that certain spark. It felt unfinished and undefined and this is frustrating because I wanted to love this so much. I wanted to be taken on a whole emotional journey. I wanted to cry my eyes out.
In the end, I did not cry. I was frustrated, yes. And I was left with a bittersweet taste. But I did not cry....more
I'm sorry, I simply cannot finish this, DNF-ed it at 39% and I will explain why.
I actually think the narrative is very well done and I can see 1.5/5 ⭐
I'm sorry, I simply cannot finish this, DNF-ed it at 39% and I will explain why.
I actually think the narrative is very well done and I can see that Sayaka Murata is a very good writer, those things I really appreciated about her in the almost 100 pages I've read from this book, my first book of hers. And those aspects are enough for me to keep trying to read other books of hers. But for this one, I'm sorry but it is a hard no.
Even though I understand this is fiction and the themes presented in this book are definitely taboos, they're the kind of taboos I can't read about. This is a personal thing of mine, no need to generalise, but there are some tropes I simply cannot get past and here I found in 100 pages quite a few of them.
Trigger warnings? Emotional and physical abuse of a minor, manipulation of a minor, rape of a minor, incest and sex between minors
If these are your TW then for your emotional safety and in order to not have to buy bleach to rub your brain with it, do not read this book. But if you don't mind it that much, go ahead. As I said, I do believe that Sayaka Murata is a really good writer, in fact. Just the themes she writes about can be a bit...much.
Other than that, the story is eerie, with that Japanese vibe you'll find in all of the Japanese books, with elements that will give you shivers down your spine....more
Begin of the review confession: I've wanted to read this book from the moment it was published but somehow there was something at th4.5/5 ⭐
TW: suicide
Begin of the review confession: I've wanted to read this book from the moment it was published but somehow there was something at the back of my head telling me to call the reading off each time. For absolutely no reason. Now, the same voice was telling me to read this like "Hey girl, you know what? Now we're in the mood for this". So of course I had to start it ASAP. And (get this) I was even excited for it. Truth be told, I didn't even know exactly what's it about. I don't really read the blurbs anymore.
I knew this was going to be a good read from the first few pages. It's rare for books to give me this feeling from the beginning, it hasn't happened to me in ages, but The Midnight Library managed to bring back that feeling. Two chapters in and I was already convinced I'll like it. And judging by this rating, I actually did.
I liked this story because I could see myself in it. I don't often relate to characters or to stories but when I do, something shifts in me. It's so weird to think that we love reading about lives similar to ours, even though most of the time they aren't the happiest or the most pleasant.
I identified with Nora Seed because I'm an overthinker and a failed overachiever. And that's simply the truth. If you asked me 10 years ago where would I have seen myself in 10 years I wouldn't have had an answer. If you ask me now where would I see myself in 10 years, I won't have an answer. I guess some things never change. But I always end up in situations I wouldn't have ever thought I would live through. They're not extreme, they're just the opposite of what I might've thought possible they would be. I'm just like Nora.
My life and Nora Seed's life are pretty similar and that's probably because, like her, I'm also a burned-out wunderkind. Yeah, I was a pleasure to have in class and all that blah-blah. I could have also been a lead singer in a band or in a choir or a famous writer or a veterinarian or a University professor or an Olympic swimmer (yeah, I've been selected for the swimming junior team too as a child but chose not to go, that's why I tell you I relate so much to this character!!). I chose none of these things and Nora chose none of hers.
She has had enough of her silly little life. But when she decides to take it away and has numerous opportunities to try and see all of the other lives she could've had, she realises that maybe it's not worth looking for past opportunities to come back but maybe look for future ones.
This made me realise a lot of things about myself and my own experiences and even though all the possible, mathematical and logical endings to this whole story were cliches, I'm glad it was the right kind of cliche chosen at the end.
This book made me ask myself if I really wanted any of those lives. It made me ask myself if I should look for possible ones. Why have regrets when I can look for opportunities?
The Midnight Library is the best self-help book disguised as fiction, with fantastic and science-fictional elements, mathematical, logical thinking, analysing and a bit of sad madness mixed together.
[image]
Would I want any of the lives I never took the opportunities for? Thinking of it now, I don't think so because, from this perspective, I have so many other opportunities to come that may or may not change my life. Who knows? Maybe I should cling to the new ones that come every second than to those who passed already....more
Loading...
