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readingmermaid's reviews
340 reviews
Either/Or by Elif Batuman
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I read the first book, The Idiot, a long time ago but remembered really enjoying being in Selin’s head. Either/Or delivered more of her witty monologues and 20-something realizations about American culture, sex, relationships, music and literature. I love a book scattered with real literary references and this had plenty. The plot is definitely a backseat to what Selin is thinking, reading and listening and traveling to. If you’re looking for a smart book with a wandering character, this is it!
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Informative and engaging! I loved the way David Grann was able to turn history into a detective narrative. Very glad I read the book before seeing the movie, which I've heard reveals the villain up front. Part One sets up the reign of murders of the Osage tribe and the local and private investigations that weren't panning out, Part Two is about the FBI agent who finally cracks the case while also helping form the FBI in the process, and Part Three is about David Grann and the holes of the story he was able to help fill a century later.
Talk Stories by Jamaica Kincaid, Ian Frazier
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Enjoyed these slices of New York in the 70s and I’m sure they added a lot of color to the New Yorker each week, but reading them back to back became dull.
Erasure by Percival Everett
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Novels & Stories: The Lottery / The Haunting of Hill House / We Have Always Lived in the Castle / Other Stories and Sketches by Shirley Jackson
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
funny
mysterious
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? No
3.0
The boom had some funny and interesting moments but in the end I felt like the writer just bailed—like she’d set up too many threads to close so she went with an ending where she didn’t have to tie them up. Disappointing read because I’d heard such good things.
Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Every so often, I'd have to put this book down and really think about a line or two before moving on. I mean that in a good way. This book definitely challenged my thinking while also affirming some of my own experiences.
I do think some of the essays went on a little long. There would come a point when I thought the point of the essay had been clearly made, but the author kept going anyway. Not always saying something new, sometimes just adding more examples of the same points.
I do think some of the essays went on a little long. There would come a point when I thought the point of the essay had been clearly made, but the author kept going anyway. Not always saying something new, sometimes just adding more examples of the same points.