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sandro_reads's reviews
59 reviews
Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Hurricane Season is short but dense - long run-on sentences, no paragraphs, no quotation marks - an assault to the senses - brutal, vulgar - much like what the women in this Mexican town face at the hands of men.
Unfortunately, I admire the idea of this book much more than I enjoyed reading it.
Unfortunately, I admire the idea of this book much more than I enjoyed reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
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? No
4.75
I often find myself drawn toward melancholy and every sentence of Tin Man is wrapped in mournful longing.
It’s a reflection on love and friendship and art as they exist between 3 individuals - nearly perfect except for [minor spoiler]the exclusion of Annie’s perspective.
It’s a reflection on love and friendship and art as they exist between 3 individuals - nearly perfect except for [minor spoiler]
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
I have never read Dickens’ David Copperfield which provided the inspiration for this novel so I did not have that as a reference point. But, Kingsolver delivers a tour-de-force with characters who felt so real, I often heard their voices while reading.
It’s a heartbreaking tale of systemic poverty and the opioid crisis in rural Appalachia that grabs you and takes hold. I did not want it to end.
It’s a heartbreaking tale of systemic poverty and the opioid crisis in rural Appalachia that grabs you and takes hold. I did not want it to end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
Foster by Claire Keegan
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Claire Keegan packs an emotional punch with Foster - saying so much with so few words. It left me longing for more.
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is a self-deprecating humor as our titular character, Rachel, reflects on her early twenties in Cork, Ireland which makes you root for her despite many questionable choices. And, much like real life, it takes many unexpected turns to keep your interest.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
The author, Kaveh Akbar, is a poet which is immediately apparent by the beautiful prose throughout Martyr. I found myself constantly pausing to let sentences sink in as Cyrus ruminates on meaning, purpose and art.
I have already reread the last two chapters and can see multiple interpretations and I imagine revisiting this book again and again.
I have already reread the last two chapters and can see multiple interpretations and I imagine revisiting this book again and again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It’s odd to say you love a book that is so horrifying and uncomfortable. But, My Dark Vanessa, told in the first person through a split timeline, perfectly captures the layered emotions of someone who was groomed starting at 15 years old.
I also find it so fascinating when a book fully embraces another novel, in this case Lolita, with references to characters and quotes, thus expanding both fictional worlds.
I also find it so fascinating when a book fully embraces another novel, in this case Lolita, with references to characters and quotes, thus expanding both fictional worlds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Project Hail Mary puts the science firmly in Science-Fiction so there is a lot of [insert theory, theory, solution] repetition but told in witty, first person narration that has a lot of heart.
Something Wild by Hanna Halperin
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Something Wild is a heavy read exploring the family dynamics between Lorraine and her two daughters, Nessa and Tanya.
Although no one comes off all that likable, it is a brutally honest look at familial roles and how trauma affects everyone differently.
Although no one comes off all that likable, it is a brutally honest look at familial roles and how trauma affects everyone differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Murder
Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? No
4.5
It’s rare that a book can evoke both laughter and fear which is a testament to how grounded the story feels in the wonderful cast of characters.
Masterfully written with the perfect mix of nostalgia and tension, Lost Man’s Lane is a coming-of-age tale with a touch of supernatural/horror in the vain of Stephen King.
SPOILER-ISHMy one minor complaint is when an author has a character reveal the full backstory which could have easily been shared much earlier.
Masterfully written with the perfect mix of nostalgia and tension, Lost Man’s Lane is a coming-of-age tale with a touch of supernatural/horror in the vain of Stephen King.
SPOILER-ISH
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Mass/school shootings