hessensitive's reviews
71 reviews

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Even when he does end up totally alienated & estranged from society, the narrator realises he is no happier than before. A really bleak & depressing story.

Second Place by Rachel Cusk

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It doesn't matter where you go & what you do, you can't escape your own guilt. That's my takeaway from this book.

The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis

funny reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Surprisingly an enjoyable read. The humour went a long way & I don't think this book is wanting to be taken seriously; they're rich college students who take drugs excessively & have heaps of sex & that's about it because what else is there to do when you're rich with nothing but spare time?

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.25

I enjoyed this book, though struggled to connect with the narrator. Still, an enjoyable read.

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

An enjoyable read though the ending fell a little flat for me. Has the same apathetic, 'numbness as a feeling' vibe that Less Than Zero had which I surprisingly enjoy.

Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler

dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

A critical, feminist take on long term relationships with a cast of mostly charming, humorous & very human characters. I surprisingly really enjoyed it. 

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I could not be anymore uninterested in this book, in the story, the characters & what the book has to say. I simply was not the target audience & had to skim the last 150 pages of the book, just enough so that I loosely understood the story line unfolding. In saying that, this book is well loved so maybe I'm just missing something, but all in all, definitely not for me. 

Severance by Ling Ma

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5