olivyre's reviews
51 reviews

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

Honestly I’m getting a little bored of every SJM relationship being the exact same. That said, it’s a comforting book, especially in audio form. I have now read it 3 times for some reason. On the first read I remember being blown away and labelling it my favourite (long time ago) - now it’s definitely not my favourite but it’s my cosiest.

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

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emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The worldbuilding of this universe was left vague, but it felt intentional. There was almost no plot and the book pretty much cycled through receiving and reading letters, but the letters were so so good to read. These authors are so clever in their writing and they referenced things that I understood and probably also things that slipped my notice. It’s very verbose but in a kind of stylistic way? I very much enjoyed it. The opening chapter is *chef’s kiss.

‘It is difficult—it is very difficult, to befriend where you wish to consume, to find those who, when they ask Do I have you still, when they end a letter with Yours, mean it in any substantive way.’

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I can see why this is a classic.

The world building is excellent and thought provoking.

Winston gets increasingly confident in his internal resistance of the party, to the extent that he exposes his thoughtcrimes to multiple people. All his character development is then reversed as he is caught, tortured and manipulated into the ideal Party comrade. It is quite a depressing book overall. It was not an easy read.

The characters and plot are used as devices for Orwell to convey the workings of the dystopian society in which the story is set.

For the most part, a reader in 2024 will agree with Winston’s view of the Party, but there are jarring moments of misogyny where Winston repeatedly reduces Julia to her body, admitting to her that before she told him she loved him, he ‘wanted to rape [her] and then murder [her] afterwards’. It could be taken as a part of Winston’s character, but I suspect it is Orwell’s sexism coming through in his writing because Julia replies with a delicate laugh and moves on. Orwell also describes a woman’s life as having a ‘momentary flowering’ before becoming ‘swollen like a fertilised fruit and grow[ing] hard and red and course’ multiple times. He appears to have a gross outlook on women. When Winston says a woman is beautiful, Julia replies ‘she’s a metre across the hips, easily’. Rather than being taken aback at his lack of loyalty, she attacks the woman who he refers to. Julia is the only main female character in 1984 and she is used solely to fulfil the sexual aspect of Winston’s defiance of the Party.

It was helpful to have the exposition provided by Goldstein’s book within 1984, but it was challenging to get through and I’d have liked if chapter II was also included and if it was significantly shorter.

‘Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.’

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

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adventurous inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

Shock was definitely visible when Esen died and when Zhu slit the prime ministers throat. I loved Esen and Ouyang and I cannot believe it ended like that but I guess it was fitting. Ma and Zhu I also loved but I feel like Ma’s heart will be broken when she realises Zhu wants greatness more than she wants her. I fully thought Ouyang had killed Zhu and that the next book would be about Ouyang. Somehow all of Zhu’s successes felt earned even though he barely sustained any losses once he joined the Red Turbans. It was very very well written and I wish I brought the next book with me. (Also I really like the ambiguity around gender.)

‘Just knowing that it was transient - that any moment would be drained of its sweetness and vividness once it became memory - made it bittersweet to him even as it was happening.’

The 78-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

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inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced