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mqabbadbest's reviews
117 reviews
The Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
I can't...I just can't. I am tired of nothing happening interspersed with a sex scene or rape scene. How the fuck is that even enjoyable? I wish I researched about this book before I got it from the library. It was under historical fiction but it just isn't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur by Bernard Cornwell
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
This series is very repetitive and the book just ended way too abruptly.
Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed this book's story and I liked the way Cornwell writes, specially his battle scenes!
I usually find it difficult to follow battle sequences in books and therefore I find them boring. But in this book, I was hooked from start to finish. How Cornwell describes and writes his battles is extremely entertaining and understandable for the reader.
I also loved how he interwove very slight hints of magic with the Briton religion. Also, the battle for religious supremacy between Christianity and the Briton religion was interesting to see it evolve throughout the book.
Why do I give this book a 3.75 then? Well because other than what I mentioned above the book is pretty lacking in anything else. The most egregious is the World Building. No effort was done on that front, Cornwell just spouted out village and city names and that's it. There is no differentiation between Briton or Saxon or Irish Kingdoms. Every kingdom is just the same with different religions.
Then there is characterisation, where, in my opinion, lies the biggest fault of this book. These characters are one-dimensional except 2. Arthur and Derfel have some different qualities other than there most prominent but other male characters are pretty much all the same - soldiers or cowards.
Women are all pretty much the same as well. There apparenly are only three types of women in Dark Ages Briton: Druids, Whores (the MOST prominent type of women, as it seems like every women in this book is a whore), and mothers, who most of them hate their children. Only very few women were shown to actually love their children.
I usually find it difficult to follow battle sequences in books and therefore I find them boring. But in this book, I was hooked from start to finish. How Cornwell describes and writes his battles is extremely entertaining and understandable for the reader.
I also loved how he interwove very slight hints of magic with the Briton religion. Also, the battle for religious supremacy between Christianity and the Briton religion was interesting to see it evolve throughout the book.
Why do I give this book a 3.75 then? Well because other than what I mentioned above the book is pretty lacking in anything else. The most egregious is the World Building. No effort was done on that front, Cornwell just spouted out village and city names and that's it. There is no differentiation between Briton or Saxon or Irish Kingdoms. Every kingdom is just the same with different religions.
Then there is characterisation, where, in my opinion, lies the biggest fault of this book. These characters are one-dimensional except 2. Arthur and Derfel have some different qualities other than there most prominent but other male characters are pretty much all the same - soldiers or cowards.
Women are all pretty much the same as well. There apparenly are only three types of women in Dark Ages Briton: Druids, Whores (the MOST prominent type of women, as it seems like every women in this book is a whore), and mothers, who most of them hate their children. Only very few women were shown to actually love their children.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Is that it? Where is the literary masterpiece that this book apparently is??
The idea of the labyrinth is cool, but unfortunately that is only what this book is. If writing consists of 3 things: Plot, Characters, and World-Building, Plot and Characters get a 1/5 and 2/5 respectively for me. The Plot (although gripping) is just one massive trope, and I cared about none of the characters in this book.
The idea of the labyrinth is cool, but unfortunately that is only what this book is. If writing consists of 3 things: Plot, Characters, and World-Building, Plot and Characters get a 1/5 and 2/5 respectively for me. The Plot (although gripping) is just one massive trope, and I cared about none of the characters in this book.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is amazingly written. The characters and the world they live in and how it affects them are the main point of this book. Do not expect a action-packed cowboy story. Its how a group of men go from Texas to Montana. Lorena Wood, July Johnson, and Augustus McCrae will forever stay in my mind as their arcs had me hooked from start to finish. The reason why I docked .5 from my rating is the pacing. The pacing SLOOW, especially in the first 60%.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual assault
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75