m4rtt4's reviews
129 reviews
Lyhyet vastaukset suuriin kysymyksiin, by Stephen Hawking
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
So smart, brilliant, how does one come up with answers like these? Awakening questions is important, and I'm glad he did more of that than giving actual answers — one should challenge their thinking from time to time. It requires great intelligence to be able to describe such complex concepts with simple words, yet still so much stuff about physics flew over my head that I just can't give this a higher rating it probably deserves.
Also I can't believe that despite being so smart he repeatedly ignored the role of Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of DNA's double helix??!!?
Also I can't believe that despite being so smart he repeatedly ignored the role of Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of DNA's double helix??!!?
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness, Death, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
Valkoinen kirja, by Han Kang
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Beautiful.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Death of parent
Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon, by Jane Austen
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.5
Lady Susan was really great, I wish it had been longer. The Watsons wasn't quite memorable, but Sanditon had a really nice atmosphere. And the typical witty characters of Austen's were present in each of them <3
Jumalainen näytelmä, by Gustave Doré, Dante Alighieri, Eino Leino
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
a whole extra star because of Gustave Doré's mind-blowing illustrations.
The Hell was my favourite part, after that I lost my ability to concentrate.
The Hell was my favourite part, after that I lost my ability to concentrate.
Hakaristirouvat, by James Wyllie
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Medical content, Suicide, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, War, Antisemitism, Death, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, Racism, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Sexism, Slavery, Mental illness, Addiction, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, and Murder
Rouva Katariina Boije ja hänen tyttärensä, by Fredrika Runeberg
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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
3.75
Niin surullista, että Fredrika on sukupuolensa takia jäänyt miehensä varjoon, vaikka tämä romaani on paljon parempi kuin yksikään J. L.:n kynästä lähtenyt teksti. Odotukseni olivat aika matalat, joten ne ylittyivät reilusti — tässä oli oikeasti paljon toimintaa, yllättäviä juonenkäänteitä, tunteikasta luonnekuvausta sekä tärkeää keskustelua arvoista. Itse Katariina Boijea en voinut sietää, mutta hyvin kirjoitettu oli hänkin.
pet peeveni suomennoksen suhteen oli jatkuva "enään"-sanan käyttö..
Spoiler
Sesilian sulhanen Kaarle oli vähintään yhtä sietämätön, rouva Boijen kanssa he kultalusikka suussaan syntyneinä vaikuttivat ylhäisyydessään käyttäytävän jatkuvasti kuin samaiset kultalusikat olisivat perseissään. (anteeksi mielikuvasta, mutta aaarghhh miten ylimielisiä henkilöitä). Tarinan ainoa epärealistinen piirre oli Sesilian kuolema — tosiaan oli herkkähermoinen tyttö, jos hän kuoli hämähäkin säikähtämiseen??? Olisin halunnut nähdä hänen kasvavan yli läpi tarinan kestäneestä hämähäkkipelostaan, mutta sen sijaan alun hämähäkit vain kierosti ennakoivat hänen kuolemaansa.pet peeveni suomennoksen suhteen oli jatkuva "enään"-sanan käyttö..
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Sexism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
The Cousins, by Karen M. McManus
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.25
soooo now I've read every single book written by Karen M. McManus, and unfortunately in this case the last one was also the least. She's always been one of my favourite (YA) mystery authors, and even though this one was an okay read, it didn't live up to the standards her other works have set up. This one was just boring and hard to get into, too many names and too little action.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Murder, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Terminal illness, Gun violence, Car accident, Infidelity, Addiction, Injury/injury detail, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Dementia, and Death of parent
Time Is a Mother, by Ocean Vuong
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Beautiful.
Nothing negative to say, but obviously not every poem can hit the same. My favourite ones were Dear Peter, The Punctum and Not Even — a million stars for those.
Nothing negative to say, but obviously not every poem can hit the same. My favourite ones were Dear Peter, The Punctum and Not Even — a million stars for those.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Racism, Death, Death of parent, and Cancer
Minor: Violence, Medical content, and War
Yhden yön pysäkki, by Rosa Liksom
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Taattua Liksomia sekä teemoiltaan että aiheiltaan, jo esikoisteoksesta sen voi tunnistaa (vaikka kehittymistäkin huomaa myöhemmissä teoksissa). Synkkiä aiheita, hyvää huumoria, persoonallisia persoonia (?? :D), kapinointia ja alistumista, suhde- ja päihdeongelmia sekä käsinkosketeltavia tunnelmia. Ajallinen miljöö välittyy ihanasti, toki miinuksena ajalleen valitettavan tyypillinen vähemmistöjen diskurssi. Maaseudun aiheet olivat jo aika identtisiä Liksomin myöhempiin teoksiin verrattuna, ja siksi kaupunkimiljööseen sijoittuvat novellit olivat mielenkiintoisempia, uusi näkökulma. Hyvää kieltä, TOSI HYVÄÄ KIELTÄ, miten voikin niin vähillä sanoilla kertoa niin paljon. Niin paljon jää sanomatta, muttei huomaamatta.
erityiskiitokset lukija Anna Saksmanille, niin ihana ääni <3
erityiskiitokset lukija Anna Saksmanille, niin ihana ääni <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death, Pregnancy, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Racial slurs
Five Survive, by Holly Jackson
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
WHAT A PAGE-TURNER !!! (stayed up till 4am binge-reading this). So tense, this actually made me anxious and scared to go to sleep?? Who knows if there's someone out there hunting me with a sniper as well. I was so invested in this story, yet I must deduce one star because the plot and setting felt quite unrealistic.
Spoiler
there could've been so many other choices than mafia?? overall the setting was just.. something that could only ever happen in fiction (lol). AND DAMN DID I HATE OLIVER, I can't believe I still despise him the most even after learning about all that horrible stuff. He just made me so angry I actually would've hit him. Also I really hope Red says NO to Arthur's final request — the romance/crushing stuff was cute in the beginning but now with all the knowledge, Arthur is a fucking awful person as well AND DOESN'T DESERVE RED. The open ending was a nice solution, but why did it have to be told through a letter? I hate letters in books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Death, Medical content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship