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nhdiary's reviews
202 reviews
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
5.0
"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." (screams)
At last, I read this classic book! And what a pleasant surprise. Getting into a story that was written so long ago –for the first time in a while– definitely took some adjusting. But once I immersed myself into the book, I became eager to know more about the future of Elizabeth and her relatives. (But mostly about Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, let's be honest.)
Overall, I genuinely had a great time reading this book full of miscommunications that generated several juicy narratives. I enjoyed reading about its characters, their lives in Georgian England, and the flaws that made them human. Except Lydia. She's a despicable spoiled brat that I just couldn't stand. Sure, she's young, and parts of her storyline were somehow necessary to the developement of our main characters' relationship. But still, she was insufferable till the very end.
At last, I read this classic book! And what a pleasant surprise. Getting into a story that was written so long ago –for the first time in a while– definitely took some adjusting. But once I immersed myself into the book, I became eager to know more about the future of Elizabeth and her relatives. (But mostly about Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, let's be honest.)
Overall, I genuinely had a great time reading this book full of miscommunications that generated several juicy narratives. I enjoyed reading about its characters, their lives in Georgian England, and the flaws that made them human. Except Lydia. She's a despicable spoiled brat that I just couldn't stand. Sure, she's young, and parts of her storyline were somehow necessary to the developement of our main characters' relationship. But still, she was insufferable till the very end.
How Do You Live? by Genzaburō Yoshino
3.0
"And now I think I want to ask all of you a question. How will you live?"
I wanted to read "How Do You Live?" after finding out that it was Hayao Miyazaki’s favourite childhood book. Probably in an attempt on my part at figuring out how it helped shaping his mind and future brilliant work. I was very curious!
In and out of itself, I do think that it is a good coming-of-age book. I liked the way it was structured, alternating between Copper's adventures and his uncle's educating letters. There is definitely a lot to take from this book, and even though I couldn't agree with some of the author's ideas and perception of society, I am certain that his work would have left quite a big impression on me, had I read it 15 years ago.
It's bittersweet, though. Reading about young people enjoying life as they gradually figure it out, and with such a benevolent figure around them. It is a precious thing taken for granted by a little too many.
On a side note, I picked up this book at Waterstones while exploring Brussels at the beginning of the month and I must say that I find the cover art absolutely gorgeous.
I wanted to read "How Do You Live?" after finding out that it was Hayao Miyazaki’s favourite childhood book. Probably in an attempt on my part at figuring out how it helped shaping his mind and future brilliant work. I was very curious!
In and out of itself, I do think that it is a good coming-of-age book. I liked the way it was structured, alternating between Copper's adventures and his uncle's educating letters. There is definitely a lot to take from this book, and even though I couldn't agree with some of the author's ideas and perception of society, I am certain that his work would have left quite a big impression on me, had I read it 15 years ago.
It's bittersweet, though. Reading about young people enjoying life as they gradually figure it out, and with such a benevolent figure around them. It is a precious thing taken for granted by a little too many.
On a side note, I picked up this book at Waterstones while exploring Brussels at the beginning of the month and I must say that I find the cover art absolutely gorgeous.
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
3.0
"On our last journey, let's see all kinds of amazing things. Let's spend our time taking in as many wonderful sights as we can. That's what I had pleged yesterday, when we set off. And what incredible sights we saw."
It is a really lovely book. I had a bit of a hard time getting properly into it because I didn't particularly like the tone of the narrator, although, paradoxically, I very much enjoyed reading from the cat's point of view. I must say that the way Satoru never once saw his life as unfortunate, despite everything that was thrown at him, is somewhat inspiring. No matter how short, he truly lived his life.
Cats are wonderful creatures. Satoru and Nana really found their best match in one another. Once again, it was an absolute pleasure to read about Japan's beautiful scenery. I genuinely love that about Japanese books, and this one didn't miss.
It is a really lovely book. I had a bit of a hard time getting properly into it because I didn't particularly like the tone of the narrator, although, paradoxically, I very much enjoyed reading from the cat's point of view. I must say that the way Satoru never once saw his life as unfortunate, despite everything that was thrown at him, is somewhat inspiring. No matter how short, he truly lived his life.
Cats are wonderful creatures. Satoru and Nana really found their best match in one another. Once again, it was an absolute pleasure to read about Japan's beautiful scenery. I genuinely love that about Japanese books, and this one didn't miss.
Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
4.0
"There are many crossroads in life. All regrets stem from what happened at one moment we never imagined would happen to us. When our own action brings about an unexpected result, how can we not experience huge regret? After all, do we ever get another shot?"
This one might be my favourite book of the series. And yet, I was very hesitant to even read it at first, considering how bored I had gotten by the time I finished the third instalment. This time around, I found the tales quite refreshing, with both eccentric and ordinary characters that had me deeply invested in their stories. I could fully appreciate, again, the timeless-like atmosphere of this peculiar cafe and how its customers could find comfort, closure, and mostly a way of setting things right despite the impossibility of fixing their past actions and words. Regret is such a heavy weight to live with, after all.
This one might be my favourite book of the series. And yet, I was very hesitant to even read it at first, considering how bored I had gotten by the time I finished the third instalment. This time around, I found the tales quite refreshing, with both eccentric and ordinary characters that had me deeply invested in their stories. I could fully appreciate, again, the timeless-like atmosphere of this peculiar cafe and how its customers could find comfort, closure, and mostly a way of setting things right despite the impossibility of fixing their past actions and words. Regret is such a heavy weight to live with, after all.