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thekohanacritique's reviews
164 reviews
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
5.0
Kira-Kira opened my eyes and my mind to believe more strongly that no matter what happens in life, no matter how hard it gets to live, there is always a silver lining behind every cloud
I finished this book within 2 days. I could not put the book down, I was so hooked. It was a beautiful, compact, simple and heartbreaking story but it gave hope to the readers at the end. I could not keep the book down, it was that engrossing for me. I loved the narration, the style the plot and Lynn!
My respect for Lynn grew as i read every line of the book,in the end, I became as sad as Katie about her death. Lynn showed me a new way to see the world, a new way to see everyday things in a much more positive way, and after her death, Katie took the lead. She taught me that even if you're really sad and struggling, you have to "steel yourself to a lot of things". I love the courage and the change she got into after her sister passed away; I felt sad for her, but I saw that she has grown stronger and she can now help her family to move on without having Lynn to help her out anymore.
Lynn is a very significant part if the Takeshima family. Her thoughts, her ideas, her reasonings, her way of seeing the world and loving it is very admirable and respectable. If only we had people like Lynn then the world truly would have been a better place to live. She is cheerful, loves her sister, friends and family and she truly is a genius . It's because of Lynn taht Katie understood that seeing the world in a "kira-kira" way is really important and that changes the whole way of how you live! It's a type of magic that's inside us!
I cannot describe in words how much I have enjoyed this book by Cynthia Kadohata I would like to thank my best friend for letting me borrow her book to read it; I understand why this book is still one of her favorites! And now, it's mine!
I finished this book within 2 days. I could not put the book down, I was so hooked. It was a beautiful, compact, simple and heartbreaking story but it gave hope to the readers at the end. I could not keep the book down, it was that engrossing for me. I loved the narration, the style the plot and Lynn!
My respect for Lynn grew as i read every line of the book,in the end, I became as sad as Katie about her death. Lynn showed me a new way to see the world, a new way to see everyday things in a much more positive way, and after her death, Katie took the lead. She taught me that even if you're really sad and struggling, you have to "steel yourself to a lot of things". I love the courage and the change she got into after her sister passed away; I felt sad for her, but I saw that she has grown stronger and she can now help her family to move on without having Lynn to help her out anymore.
Lynn is a very significant part if the Takeshima family. Her thoughts, her ideas, her reasonings, her way of seeing the world and loving it is very admirable and respectable. If only we had people like Lynn then the world truly would have been a better place to live. She is cheerful, loves her sister, friends and family and she truly is a genius . It's because of Lynn taht Katie understood that seeing the world in a "kira-kira" way is really important and that changes the whole way of how you live! It's a type of magic that's inside us!
I cannot describe in words how much I have enjoyed this book by Cynthia Kadohata I would like to thank my best friend for letting me borrow her book to read it; I understand why this book is still one of her favorites! And now, it's mine!
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
5.0
I have no words to explain how much I have enjoyed reading this book!! I would like to thank my dear friend who has recommended this book to me alot of times, I feel what you had felt back then, after reading this book.
This book needs to be read, to be remembered and to be loved forever!
Reading "The Kite Runner" gave me so much feels that I cannot describe in mere few words. I smiled, I feared, I cried, I had goosebumps and I found myself hoping at the end. I learned a lot from this book too but a mere review will not do any justice to this. All I can say is that it's a marvelous piece of a story, about love and friendship, relations and family, fight and freedom, death and life, evil and good, sin and redemption, from a beautiful life to a miserable one and then trying to go back.
This book is one of my treasured books from now on, it has impacted me a lot and it is now that I understand why many readers, who were very moved and who had the possibilities, had adopted Afghan orphans. My respects to them.
This book needs to be read, to be remembered and to be loved forever!
Reading "The Kite Runner" gave me so much feels that I cannot describe in mere few words. I smiled, I feared, I cried, I had goosebumps and I found myself hoping at the end. I learned a lot from this book too but a mere review will not do any justice to this. All I can say is that it's a marvelous piece of a story, about love and friendship, relations and family, fight and freedom, death and life, evil and good, sin and redemption, from a beautiful life to a miserable one and then trying to go back.
This book is one of my treasured books from now on, it has impacted me a lot and it is now that I understand why many readers, who were very moved and who had the possibilities, had adopted Afghan orphans. My respects to them.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
5.0
"All animals are equal, But some are more equal than others"
All men are equal, but some are more equal than others
That line above, explains all the symbolic meaning in this short, powerful, satirical 95 paged book.
Animal Farm is a great great short story and I just loved the simplicity with which the allegory, the satire was pointed right at our faces! I was smiling and chuckling at the end after I finished reading it. I mean, the way people exploit power, and goodness is explained very flawlessly to the T here, and I could not help but agree and put human beings in the place of pigs and imagine the entire scenario. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again: but already it was impossible to say which was which" .
How the powerful people trod over people like us, show us the wrath of power, rules, law and regulations and they themselves alter those and excuse themselves from the wrongs by vague excuses and reasonings, specially around people who are illiterate, the less fortunate who work ridiculously hard until they sweat blood, but are never given the "equal benefits" of human life. They say it's all for the change, everything shall pay off when that "change" shall come....only to find ourselves back to that same place where we started, but memories of back then are long forgotten and altered. Promises for a Change, Rebellion, Belief, they are all like a vicious circle or paradox that leads to nothing but where we were before it all began without our own realization. It's a cruel, unfair world and Men are the creators of it.
The thing is, while reading a review of this/such satirical books on human kind or nature, some might feel annoyed that human beings are projected like this - selfish and power craving hypocrites . But, the fact is, most of us are, it may not be you or me, but it could be the person right next to you or your friend. And we need to acknowledge that and either rectify or give in to that nature. It's all in our hands to make things better. "Equal rights for all Special privileges for none" - what an irony!
All men are equal, but some are more equal than others
That line above, explains all the symbolic meaning in this short, powerful, satirical 95 paged book.
Animal Farm is a great great short story and I just loved the simplicity with which the allegory, the satire was pointed right at our faces! I was smiling and chuckling at the end after I finished reading it. I mean, the way people exploit power, and goodness is explained very flawlessly to the T here, and I could not help but agree and put human beings in the place of pigs and imagine the entire scenario. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again: but already it was impossible to say which was which" .
How the powerful people trod over people like us, show us the wrath of power, rules, law and regulations and they themselves alter those and excuse themselves from the wrongs by vague excuses and reasonings, specially around people who are illiterate, the less fortunate who work ridiculously hard until they sweat blood, but are never given the "equal benefits" of human life. They say it's all for the change, everything shall pay off when that "change" shall come....only to find ourselves back to that same place where we started, but memories of back then are long forgotten and altered. Promises for a Change, Rebellion, Belief, they are all like a vicious circle or paradox that leads to nothing but where we were before it all began without our own realization. It's a cruel, unfair world and Men are the creators of it.
The thing is, while reading a review of this/such satirical books on human kind or nature, some might feel annoyed that human beings are projected like this - selfish and power craving hypocrites . But, the fact is, most of us are, it may not be you or me, but it could be the person right next to you or your friend. And we need to acknowledge that and either rectify or give in to that nature. It's all in our hands to make things better. "Equal rights for all Special privileges for none" - what an irony!
A Work in Progress by Connor Franta
5.0
"A Work In Progress" made me realize, think, love and contemplate about the most simple day-to-day things I, we all, go through and the fact that we are all so very different from one another as individuals and are so unique in our very own ways and the fact that we all have a right to not just 'exist' but to 'live' -- a gift only we know what to do with.
Reading this memoir was an amazing exposure and enlightenment for me. I learned and absorbed so much wisdom, thought: that there is so much more than what the eyes can see. We need to look deeper and further and know what a thing or person truly is. Being a creative and art lover as myself, I found that this was much relatable for me. I too am holding back my true desires and not being able to exercise what I want to. I found the confidence and faith from this book. I have learned to follow my instincts first...the voice in my heart not in my head. I'm sure you have saved many people and changed their perspectives just like mine, with this book. It's that powerful and it's now on of my most favorite book!
I'm 17 and my life is barely begun and I want to improvise my life from now on. This moment. Right now! I need to be better and not just good and embrace the delights of every day life in the little things that make me happy. Life is full of ups and downs but "we must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for".
Thank you Connor Franta for being a best friend, an advisor and thank you for sharing your 22 years of life with all of us, with me, a reader. I plan to re-read your book after a few years ahead.
Reading this memoir was an amazing exposure and enlightenment for me. I learned and absorbed so much wisdom, thought: that there is so much more than what the eyes can see. We need to look deeper and further and know what a thing or person truly is. Being a creative and art lover as myself, I found that this was much relatable for me. I too am holding back my true desires and not being able to exercise what I want to. I found the confidence and faith from this book. I have learned to follow my instincts first...the voice in my heart not in my head. I'm sure you have saved many people and changed their perspectives just like mine, with this book. It's that powerful and it's now on of my most favorite book!
I'm 17 and my life is barely begun and I want to improvise my life from now on. This moment. Right now! I need to be better and not just good and embrace the delights of every day life in the little things that make me happy. Life is full of ups and downs but "we must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for".
Thank you Connor Franta for being a best friend, an advisor and thank you for sharing your 22 years of life with all of us, with me, a reader. I plan to re-read your book after a few years ahead.
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
5.0
Side note: I had been struggling to finish this book for more than 3 months. It's today that I got to finish the last 6 chapters of this book.
Tabitha Suzuma I really have no words to express how much my soul cried at the end. The writing style was really good, apt use of words for describing all the emotional tornado in the characters' minds and hearts. And I was just sucked in! The story is very very different and extremely tragic. This is the first book I've ever read with such a special relationship set in the most troubling background of modern days. I wish I had a physical copy of this book rather than a digital copy. But I think I'm quite lucky to give this book a chance, thanks to the recommendation from my dear friend.
Love has no boundary, no generalization, no hard and fast rule, no society, no system, no obligation, no holding back, no nationality, and it happens all too sudden in it's most purest form. That is real love. Most couples take all kinds of affectionate romantic gestures for granted; their liaisons are looked upon with a mixture of awe and envy by other single people. Sometimes these couples don't even last for more than a few weeks or months at the most. But when someone or some people are truly in love, deeply in love, madly in love-their beings are the fibers of each others' existence-why can't they show their affection to the whole world without hiding? without secrecy? without fear? without being vigil of their surroundings that they are being watched? the fear of being caught since it's "against the law"? This should not be, but society does not allow cause it's so blinded by generalization. It's actually so very sad to see the two people/characters in this book regardless of what their relation is to the public eye be, is not allowed to love; it's seen as a crime-a serious crime and to save one another, the other has to take a very crucial step....
The characters became so very alive in my eyes! It took me some time after finishing the book, to realize that it was pure fiction.
This book isn't just about love in it's truest form though, it's much more-family, sibling, parenting, school, and protecting your loved ones...and just add the word "trouble" at the end of all the above mentioned topics, and that's what it's really about. It's a very beautiful book, I cannot explain in words. I've never read any book, and Forbidden is my first, about love between a brother and a sister, I loved it so freaking much, that I'm so depressed with the ending. I had become so into that world that Lochan and Maya became real people in my eyes and their suffering just broke my heart. Many will find this disgusting, sick and probably twisting (I didn't to be very honest) and if you do, then please restrain form reading but that does not mean that the books is bad! The book is really well written!
Tabitha Suzuma I really have no words to express how much my soul cried at the end. The writing style was really good, apt use of words for describing all the emotional tornado in the characters' minds and hearts. And I was just sucked in! The story is very very different and extremely tragic. This is the first book I've ever read with such a special relationship set in the most troubling background of modern days. I wish I had a physical copy of this book rather than a digital copy. But I think I'm quite lucky to give this book a chance, thanks to the recommendation from my dear friend.
Love has no boundary, no generalization, no hard and fast rule, no society, no system, no obligation, no holding back, no nationality, and it happens all too sudden in it's most purest form. That is real love. Most couples take all kinds of affectionate romantic gestures for granted; their liaisons are looked upon with a mixture of awe and envy by other single people. Sometimes these couples don't even last for more than a few weeks or months at the most. But when someone or some people are truly in love, deeply in love, madly in love-their beings are the fibers of each others' existence-why can't they show their affection to the whole world without hiding? without secrecy? without fear? without being vigil of their surroundings that they are being watched? the fear of being caught since it's "against the law"? This should not be, but society does not allow cause it's so blinded by generalization. It's actually so very sad to see the two people/characters in this book regardless of what their relation is to the public eye be, is not allowed to love; it's seen as a crime-a serious crime and to save one another, the other has to take a very crucial step....
The characters became so very alive in my eyes! It took me some time after finishing the book, to realize that it was pure fiction.
This book isn't just about love in it's truest form though, it's much more-family, sibling, parenting, school, and protecting your loved ones...and just add the word "trouble" at the end of all the above mentioned topics, and that's what it's really about. It's a very beautiful book, I cannot explain in words. I've never read any book, and Forbidden is my first, about love between a brother and a sister, I loved it so freaking much, that I'm so depressed with the ending. I had become so into that world that Lochan and Maya became real people in my eyes and their suffering just broke my heart. Many will find this disgusting, sick and probably twisting (I didn't to be very honest) and if you do, then please restrain form reading but that does not mean that the books is bad! The book is really well written!
1984 by George Orwell
4.0
Yes, I finally am finished with this book - 1984.
All in all, I understand why it's a must read and a classic, but it was quite a drag to read it. The plot and concept is really great! It left me paranoid - to think about staying alive in that sort of world!!
One thing I found is that the "thought crime" concept is kind of like the concept that was instilled in the making of "Psycho Pass". Maybe its just me, but I felt that there could be a little similarity. Nonetheless, it was a good feeling, it's a great book! recommended to everyone!
All in all, I understand why it's a must read and a classic, but it was quite a drag to read it. The plot and concept is really great! It left me paranoid - to think about staying alive in that sort of world!!
One thing I found is that the "thought crime" concept is kind of like the concept that was instilled in the making of "Psycho Pass". Maybe its just me, but I felt that there could be a little similarity. Nonetheless, it was a good feeling, it's a great book! recommended to everyone!
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
3.0
Well, how to start with this....
This was a first read and I really think a re-reading is stake already cause....well, I'm confused...REALLY confused.
It's got humor, very confusing writing style which confuses the picture in your head. Very descriptive which is a necessity but not 'everywhere' and is political.
The book deals with some really sensitive and explicit issues of that time (and present times too). It's quite hard to decipher everything in one reading, so very mixed feeling. The ending though was pretty nice :)
I'll write a proper review about this novel after I understand everything xD
This was a first read and I really think a re-reading is stake already cause....well, I'm confused...REALLY confused.
It's got humor, very confusing writing style which confuses the picture in your head. Very descriptive which is a necessity but not 'everywhere' and is political.
The book deals with some really sensitive and explicit issues of that time (and present times too). It's quite hard to decipher everything in one reading, so very mixed feeling. The ending though was pretty nice :)
I'll write a proper review about this novel after I understand everything xD
Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai
3.0
This book didn't really have any kind of impact except the story of Bala-his love life.
The gay love story was all I liked about the book to be honest and how Bala has a grip over himself, his family and everything else that matters to him. The "taboo" love story is very well portrayed here and how much it can affetc one's "normal" life. I guess I like this.
Overall, I did not find it interesting to read about Anna's life and her sisters and mother; the ending isn't great either.
Google could care less about this book too.
The gay love story was all I liked about the book to be honest and how Bala has a grip over himself, his family and everything else that matters to him. The "taboo" love story is very well portrayed here and how much it can affetc one's "normal" life. I guess I like this.
Overall, I did not find it interesting to read about Anna's life and her sisters and mother; the ending isn't great either.
Google could care less about this book too.