bright1226's reviews
28 reviews

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is now my second reading of The Song of Achilles, and it is just as beautiful the second time around. The story development does seem to get stuck in places for a bit too long before moving on, but after reading the original Greek tragedies, that sort of story-work isn't unknown to the genre so I give it a pass. I love this modernized retelling so much, I think it breaks down aspects of ancient Greek life and culture so well without the use of overly flowery language to get the points across. It feels like a Marvel movie in a way because we know this is about the war over Helena that happens within the Iliad, but seeing it play out from Patroclus and Achilles perspective, when you see characters like Odysseus and Paris and Chiron pop up it's almost like a movie cameo by way of excitement. 

The way Miller has written Achilles and Patroclus' love for one another is so beautiful and exciting to read about, in the way they watch each others breaths and know the tones of each others voices so naturally, it really adds to the weight of the story as a whole. The ending bit *SPOILER* of mixing their ashes together so they can rest forever with each other is something I have honestly thought about once a week since I read this book for the first time 4 years ago. I also love how we get the "spirit" perspective of the story from Patroclus as an onlooker after he passed. His lines about trying to scream out certain things to Achilles or other people in the story is so heart wrenching, but a really cool visual at the same time. 

I can't recommend this book enough, I truly love so many things about it, mostly that it's a more accessible way to be involved with Greek mythology and get introduced to the stories and characters. But I can understand that those with no interest in Greek mythology or prior knowledge of it, could find this book harder to get through because of the pacing. 

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I had a really fun time with the start of this series. I had heard from others online that this was a difficult read and harder to get through than her other books, and just having finished up both of her previous series I have to say it was pretty on track with the others. Although the length of this first book is bigger than the first of her other series the story still flowed and I think she incorporated world building in a way that felt natural to the storyline and kept things interesting and mysterious the whole way through. 

As a SJM lover I can admit her storylines do become repetitive if you've read all of her books, but it has become fun for me to guess where things are going based on what I know about her style and other characters. Something else I do love about having read each of her series out now is seeing her progression in world building and character development. You can see where she draws inspiration from past works and fleshes it out more making it more rounded and complete. 

The introduction of modern technology in this series was jarring as it's far different from her others worlds, but it soon became more normal as the story progressed. I'm really excited to see where this world goes, but because I'm almost caught up I'm nervous to have to wait a hot minute for books after #3 to come out. 

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

As a Psych student on their way to grad school I'd heard about this book in classes every couple of semesters and knew I'd have to read it at some point. Of course the stories of the individual patients helped in making the book easy to read as well as Sacks' descriptions of them that make you connect and want to hear more from each one. The stories vary in their endings of either diagnosed or still up to mystery, as well as some patients going on to live happy fulfilling lives, while others are met with a far different fate that can leave you feeling terrible in turning the page and leaving them behind. 

Of course many of the terms used to describe the individuals written about in the book are a bit outdated, but it can be assumed that the writer meant these terms in a 'scientific' diagnoses way rather than the social implications the words have had. Sacks is extremely well-read and shows this by referencing to other doctors, medical journals at the time, newspaper articles, and other well-renowned philosophers ideas on the neurological systems he's concerned with throughout the book. It is a super interesting read to see where we were and where we have come in terms of understanding mental illness and all that surrounds it, as well as being pleasantly surprised at the things we may now view as 'newer' or more prevalent illnesses, being just as present around 60 years ago. 

All in all I think this is a must read for those studying psychology and I think it was amazingly interesting. Not just to hear about the different patients he's encountered throughout his career, but to hear how he handles and works through figuring out how to help these patients too. 

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I remember loving both the book and movie when I was younger but I couldn't recall much of the plot or much else about it besides the warm feeling I had from it in my childhood. I was gifted a copy for my birthday so being able to read it again was so exciting. It is such a lovely children's story, I definitely think it has more mature themes, but in that way it reads as a 'family friendly' kind of story - where both older readers can understand the darker tones and aspects while younger readers are left with the magic and mystery in the rest of the story. 
It was a fairly quick read and even if the character arcs and changes come quickly, I think it only adds to the childlike wonder and magic the books holds. It was such a warm lovely read at times and to hear how the children talk about each other and nature was so beautiful and sweet. (of course the book also has some not-so-amazing statements about the people of India - correlating with the time the book is set - still had to breeze past 'em when they came up) My favorite parts were just the children being together and forming friendships. It was sweet to hear them talk about the ways in which they've changed for good because of each other and the magic of the garden, Dickon being portrayed as some god-like figure in their minds was adorable. 

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

informative lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

I was really excited to read this one and start getting into Hemingway... gosh what a boring start. I really wanted to love it, but the setting descriptions didn't do anything for me and the bullfighting didn't come early enough in the story to keep me genuinely interested. I do wish I knew more about the Lost Generation before going in - I feel it could have helped in some way to better understand the deeper aspects of the story. 
There's really nothing more to say than there are a TON of descriptions with small amounts of plot development throughout until the book finally finishes in a 'just as it started out' kind of way. 

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I went into this book completely blind and I fell in love with it very quickly. Of course the first small chunk is a bit confusing at first and it took a second to get settled in the writing and world presented. But I could read this 100 more times. 

I’m not the biggest fan of time travel or sci-fi but the blend of poetry, light, darkness, and heart in this book was beautiful to read. “Open me carefully” a collection of Emily Dickinson poems and letters to Susan is one of my favorites of all time, and this felt very reminiscent of their language for one another and I enjoyed viewing Red and Blue as them throughout for my own enjoyment. 

I would recommend trying this book out even if it’s seemingly difficult because the end result is so warm and lovely. It’s not very often you get a sapphic book without immense fetishizing of the characters AND a happy ending to tie it up. 

Actually cannot wait to read again! 

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I didn't think such a prolific character in literature would end up being one I hate so much. Griffin was so rude and full of himself, which the fact that it was revealed later on added to the understanding of the character a bit, but it was hard to find him interesting. How grossly prideful he was in his own genius made it difficult to feel any sort of sympathy or care for him, you root for the town he terrorizes in their efforts to catch and get rid of him more so than for his safety. 

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

There were many aspects of this shorter story that I really loved. Wells has a great ability to make things feel so ominous and mysterious, you never know what may be actually happening on top of the narrator taking his time in telling the story and leaving way for all sorts of cliff-hangers and things to be revealed later on. This is for sure a must-read for anyone who loves science fictions or eerie feeling stories. It has an interesting view on the outcome of humanity as well that serves for some introspection to the goodness we can see within it still today, and almost feel sad for the fictional turn we may take in the future. 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I really wanted to love this book, which isn't to say I didn't 'like' it. But for how much I saw everyone talk about it it was hard to stay invested until a certain point where it turned into, "well now i just have to finish the thing". It's difficult to read from the perspective of very pretentious characters, in a pretentious setting, written by someone who seems fairly pretentious themselves. (The incessant use of slurs both racial and homophobic were of barely any use to the plot and felt wedged in for the sake of saying them - and very weird to have such an odd viewpoint of women written by a woman... like I get male protagonists don't have to always be 'awesome'... but there were more than a couple rape references in relation to finding women attractive and similar to J.K Rowling... not one likeable female character. -- I personally liked Camilla and Judy but the lens they are written in wants us to find them either annoying or for how beautiful they are at a current point in time.)

 I wish there were more actual Greek mythology tie-ins for how much it was discussed, although only at a surface level with random lines in Greek that don't do much to add to the story or overall understanding of the characters. It felt like it wanted to be deep and intellectual, but the topics covered were Greek 101 nods and blatantly pretentious ways to convey the characters are rich with nothing else to do but barely become intellectuals. 

This just felt like someone's baseline understanding of a mythological study with random fun facts thrown in but no real meaning or reasoning for it at times. Also... the fact these are supposed to be such cool people and you know everyone else at this school finds them insufferable is hilarious. You'd think for how rich, smart, and 'cool' these characters are explained to be they'd do more interesting stuff - but it's honestly more realistic they're just boring and vapid.

I feel like this book will definitely be considered a classic and become a 'must read' for English courses, but beyond that it really fell flat. I wish the mysterious nature of the murders felt more...mysterious and less laid out. All I really am left with is a fondness for the 'vibes' this book elicits, but not much more. There was so much potential and it was a bit disappointing. 

1984 by George Orwell

challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75