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itshaldun's reviews
29 reviews
Rouge by Mona Awad
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
I read 10 pages, fell asleep, and never picked it up again.
I’d say maybe some other time, but I must not tell lies.
I’d say maybe some other time, but I must not tell lies.
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
funny
medium-paced
2.25
It’a a book for sure…One of the books of all time, in fact.
I guess because my expectations of it was so low that I did not expect a coherent story from it, but it’s more enjoyable than I thought. Better than watching a wall dry.
Can I blame capitalism for the existence of this book, and the donut one as well? That was rhetorical. Yes, yes I can. Fuck capitalism.
I guess because my expectations of it was so low that I did not expect a coherent story from it, but it’s more enjoyable than I thought. Better than watching a wall dry.
Can I blame capitalism for the existence of this book, and the donut one as well? That was rhetorical. Yes, yes I can. Fuck capitalism.
Her Donut Shifters: A Short Quirky Reverse Harem Romantic Comedy by Mia Harlan
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I feel like, at some point in the past, I took a wrong turn in life, and never quite recovered from it.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
adventurous
fast-paced
3.0
When I’m “Game of Thrones Season 8” in rushing the story competition and my opponent is “The Empress of Salt and Fortune”…
Seriously, where are you rushing like this? There is so much lore, so many names, places and events crammed into this 120 page book that it feels like it could be 300 pages easily. As it stands, it reads more like a movie script version of the 300 page book it was based on.
It’s not like these 120 pages are used efficiently either. We still have the “main character whose entire purpose is to listen to someone elses story” problem which doesn’t connect to any plot-point at all.
There are moments in the book where I want to feel sad for a character death/disappearance, but I can’t because they’ve been introduced literally 10 pages ago and have like 3 conversations with the main characters. How can I feel anything when I didn’t even memorized their name?
Such a shame too because the material is actually really intriguing and characters are enjoyable too. They all just need more time to develop, which leaves a special kind of bad taste in your mouth.
Still better story than Game of Thrones Season 8 though.
Seriously, where are you rushing like this? There is so much lore, so many names, places and events crammed into this 120 page book that it feels like it could be 300 pages easily. As it stands, it reads more like a movie script version of the 300 page book it was based on.
It’s not like these 120 pages are used efficiently either. We still have the “main character whose entire purpose is to listen to someone elses story” problem which doesn’t connect to any plot-point at all.
There are moments in the book where I want to feel sad for a character death/disappearance, but I can’t because they’ve been introduced literally 10 pages ago and have like 3 conversations with the main characters. How can I feel anything when I didn’t even memorized their name?
Such a shame too because the material is actually really intriguing and characters are enjoyable too. They all just need more time to develop, which leaves a special kind of bad taste in your mouth.
Still better story than Game of Thrones Season 8 though.
Death with Interruptions by José Saramago
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This felt like two very different stories smashed together. The first half contains a very interesting scenario where in one specific country deaths ceases to happen, and the ensuring chaos and responses from the government and the like. The second half of the book is a romance story which isn’t even that bad, but the tonal whiplash is astounding.
My only other criticism is that the author rambles about some insignificant things quite a lot.
My only other criticism is that the author rambles about some insignificant things quite a lot.
Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? by Mark Fisher
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
One of the most complete and succinct breakdowns of late stage capitalism I’ve ever read. It mainly focuses on areas of capitalization of mental health and bureaucracy, drawing comparisons to various similarities to early visionaries such as The Trial by Kafka.
It is a very short but informative book that makes lays all illusions of PR bare for us to see.
It is a very short but informative book that makes lays all illusions of PR bare for us to see.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
It’s a book that takes place in Belgium Congo, so it’s not really a happy book. It is very important for its time, refuting many of the myths of colonialism such as the “white man’s burden”, and shows the horrors of it for everyone to see. It also inspired one of my favorite movies, Apocalypse Now, so it’s an influential book.
However, the book is incredibly dense and boring, not much happens in it, and the character that is talked about the most (Kurtz) is not even in it for all that much. And while very fair for its time, the book is still very racist for modern standards so readers beware.
You should probably just listen to an audiobook of it, or watch Apocalypse Now for a similar oppressive tone.
However, the book is incredibly dense and boring, not much happens in it, and the character that is talked about the most (Kurtz) is not even in it for all that much. And while very fair for its time, the book is still very racist for modern standards so readers beware.
You should probably just listen to an audiobook of it, or watch Apocalypse Now for a similar oppressive tone.
No Longer Human by Junji Ito
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s the manga from ya boi, what do you expect?
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I first read this book in 2017. I remember it being excessively depressing, oddly terrifying and exceptionally unique (It was, after all, the first Japanese classic I ever read).
With years of experience though, comes new, deeper perspectives. My second reading of the book had me showing deeper empathy for the main character and discovering a profane hope within the ending pages of the book. But how, you ask, could you feel empathy for an unreliable, womanizing, alcoholic, good-for-nothing lunatic? How is there any hope in this story at all?
Yozo is a deeply troubled man who cannot relate to other people, is constantly afraid of their judgement and expectations, therefore always wearing a mask, clowning to avoid being taken seriously and to be seen for who he truly is. He is one of the only instances of a character who is truly mentally-ill to a point of being dysfunctional. Yet his struggles with feeling like a failure, worrying about shame, and fearing other people’s judgements are deeply relatable to me.
Where is hope in this? Back in 2017 I would say the author “gets me”. It was a niche book, I found a single copy in a library in Istanbul. There weren’t many translations and they weren’t that good. I thought that this was a niche book that wouldn’t get popular because it is excessively depressing and deals with serious (like asylum levels of serious) mental health problems. However, seeing this book getting more and more popular, to a point where many of my non-reader friends have also heard or even read this book somehow, beings me an understanding. Maybe the author didn’t get me, but he got something that was far more universal, something that was an essential part of being human. Maybe Yozo wasn’t alone in his condition, and I am not as well.
As the book ends and Yozo gives up even trying to “be human”, he makes one last remark.
Everything passes.
Hearing these words come from someone who lived hell through his live to a point of looking decades older, this felt powerful. Even all of those, the rapes, the alcoholism, the poverty and constant fear and shame. They all pass. Maybe the first time I read it I haven’t lived life long enough to feel the weight of my past, or maybe it was just a shit translation. But the immense release of weight from my back as I read those lines was real nonetheless.
Summary: It’s a deeply insightful and depressing novel that is written in a simple but captivating prose that reflects the live of the author and ponders the many troubles of human condition. It is a book that takes something out of you but gives a meaningful understanding back and it’d be a crime for me to give it anything less than a perfect score.
Also go read the manga adaptation by Junji Ito or I’ll depict you as the Soyjack and me as the Chad in a meme and post it on group chat tschüüüüüss
With years of experience though, comes new, deeper perspectives. My second reading of the book had me showing deeper empathy for the main character and discovering a profane hope within the ending pages of the book. But how, you ask, could you feel empathy for an unreliable, womanizing, alcoholic, good-for-nothing lunatic? How is there any hope in this story at all?
Yozo is a deeply troubled man who cannot relate to other people, is constantly afraid of their judgement and expectations, therefore always wearing a mask, clowning to avoid being taken seriously and to be seen for who he truly is. He is one of the only instances of a character who is truly mentally-ill to a point of being dysfunctional. Yet his struggles with feeling like a failure, worrying about shame, and fearing other people’s judgements are deeply relatable to me.
Where is hope in this? Back in 2017 I would say the author “gets me”. It was a niche book, I found a single copy in a library in Istanbul. There weren’t many translations and they weren’t that good. I thought that this was a niche book that wouldn’t get popular because it is excessively depressing and deals with serious (like asylum levels of serious) mental health problems. However, seeing this book getting more and more popular, to a point where many of my non-reader friends have also heard or even read this book somehow, beings me an understanding. Maybe the author didn’t get me, but he got something that was far more universal, something that was an essential part of being human. Maybe Yozo wasn’t alone in his condition, and I am not as well.
As the book ends and Yozo gives up even trying to “be human”, he makes one last remark.
Everything passes.
Hearing these words come from someone who lived hell through his live to a point of looking decades older, this felt powerful. Even all of those, the rapes, the alcoholism, the poverty and constant fear and shame. They all pass. Maybe the first time I read it I haven’t lived life long enough to feel the weight of my past, or maybe it was just a shit translation. But the immense release of weight from my back as I read those lines was real nonetheless.
Summary: It’s a deeply insightful and depressing novel that is written in a simple but captivating prose that reflects the live of the author and ponders the many troubles of human condition. It is a book that takes something out of you but gives a meaningful understanding back and it’d be a crime for me to give it anything less than a perfect score.
Also go read the manga adaptation by Junji Ito or I’ll depict you as the Soyjack and me as the Chad in a meme and post it on group chat tschüüüüüss
The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Keep in mind that I only read the first half of the book which contains the loosely tied short-stories based around a book of a play called “The King in Yellow”, so vile and profane that it renders those who read it for too long completely mad. The stories are very ominous, contain the earliest elements of eldritch horror ever written. The Book has a big part in why the color yellow might be associated with madness (see True Detective Season 1, Elden Ring)
The tone of the latter half of the book is a lot more lighthearted and contains love stories so I didn’t read it, because I’m incapable of feeling love and there is only darkness in my heart.
The tone of the latter half of the book is a lot more lighthearted and contains love stories so I didn’t read it, because I’m incapable of feeling love and there is only darkness in my heart.