whothehelliskaitlin's reviews
90 reviews

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

4.0

I really liked the way this graphic novel was illustrated and the way the story was told. Bechdel has a humorous way of addressing topics that could be considered taboo or hard to talk about. Even though the pictures of the scenes were drawn out for me, I was still able to get my own picture of what was happening and see it in my mind. The only thing I will say is that the comic was very literary heavy with references to a lot of different writings and I feel like I missed out on parts of the novel because I did not know the authors or stories she was referring to. Plus I feel as though she used very big vocabulary and word choices that I did not always feel fit the panel, but overall I enjoyed this as my first graphic novel.

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat

5.0

This book is definitely a heavy read but it was also a beautiful one. While the prose and writing style may seem straightforward to most reviewers, I felt that it perfectly suited the story and that just because it was straightforward does not mean the story or style had no magic. I loved Danticat's emphasis on color and food and how she used these components in the story and I loved the folk stories that were intertwined with the plot. I think that Danticat's prose made it easier to immediately immerse yourself in the story.

I will say, however, that the dialogue does fall short in numerous parts - it seems like the characters talk in chopped, short sentences and are very straightforward. However, this did not take away from the novel for me at all. I loved the complexity and duality of all of the characters and I loved following along with the lives of the Caco women, however traumatic their lives may be. I think this is a story that will stick with me and for that, it is five stars.

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

4.0

This book was so much more than I expected. Going into it I was excited to relive the passions of my childhood but I didn’t expect to actually enjoy the story as much as I did considering it was technically one that I had already read. Reading this book I could really tell how much SM’s writing has improved compared to the very first book. I really and truly felt the love that Edward has for Bella and it honestly made me emotional at some points. Their romance feels more like a natural chain of events in this book and it feels more real and passionate. I also enjoyed the freshness that his perspective brought to the story as he added more to Bella’s character than we get in her own book and the insight to all the other characters was entertaining as well. After reading this I feel like I’ve made my inner younger self happy and I feel content to have this story and these characters fresh in my mind again. The only thing I will say is that Edward’s thoughts and rambles do get repetitive and the book is slightly longer than it needs to be. Regardless of this, however, I still loved this book!

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno

2.0

This book had a good story in the beginning. I was intrigued by the main characters and their stories and even the side characters were interesting and fun to learn more about. I wanted to see how the two main characters would come together and how their problems with each other and outside of the relationship would be worked out. This, however, is where the book fell flat to me.

Fiona and Sam argued and made up constantly, and I knew that per the pattern in most romances there would be one huge final blowout fight before they made up and lived happily ever after. And while this indeed happened, the resolution was too quick. After one short conversation that mostly consisted of them joking around they were in love again and the book was suddenly over. The ending felt rushed and left a lot of details unfinished. Why couldn't Sam ever book a part? Was he able to keep his apartment and find some money? What happened to his mom? Did Fiona's dad ever get better? And what was the reaction to Erin's article? Who knows? Certainly not me and evidently not the author of the book either. I kept flipping the last pages of the book to look for an epilogue that would surely sum everything up and show readers how the story ended but nope, the story just ends. Over and done with no real character development, resolution, or any kind of serious conversation about the central issue of the book pertaining to the #metoo movement.

My real rating would be 2.5 stars.

In een ondiep graf by James Purdy

5.0

I absorbed this book within a day and I loved the ride it took me on. Did I understand everything that was happening and being said immediately? Nope. Regardless, I enjoyed reading Purdy's style of writing so much that it wasn't hard to keep reading. The southern feel of this book draws you in along with the characters. I had to keep reading to try to understand them better and to figure out their dynamics and motivations. And although I was immensely surprised by the supernatural elements that appear later in this book they only drove me on more. I also enjoyed the introspection in this book and the commentary on the treatment of veterans. What unexpected fun.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

5.0

I really enjoyed everything about this book. I love how the magic systems and setup are so different from every other book I've read and although it was sometimes a little hard to follow that never took away from my experience reading it. It was so interesting to read about magic through hands, blood, and land. I also loved that I felt really immersed in the setting and time period without the novel feeling like a stuffy classic English novel. What I enjoyed the most though were the character dynamics and how well fleshed out they were. I was in love with the idea of Robin and Edwin falling in love and I found myself looking forward to every interaction they had. Not only that, I enjoyed seeing how the other characters were built into the story and how they acted as well.

This book gives you everything you want and need from its world and characters without having an over convoluted universe set up to follow and it still keeps you interested. Five stars from me because I was hooked from when I first read the premise till the very end and every chapter kept getting more and more interesting. I also, again, really loved Robin and Edwin!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

4.0

I’ve had to read this book multiple times for school and every time I reread it I feel like I’ve learned something new or discovered a new detail in the book. Two sides of me are fighting about giving this book four stars. Part of me thinks this book is brilliant and tells a truly captivating story with remarkable characters. Another part of me doesn’t want to give this book such a high rating because of the obvious misogyny and racism in the book. Either way, this book makes me feel a wide range of emotions every time I read it.

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo

5.0

This book is an excellent portrayal of the struggle of displaced immigrants in the U.S. and at the same time an excellent critique of the typical "African experience" story. The book follows the life of a young girl named Darling as she grows up from living in struggling Zimbabwe to living in Michigan. It is told from Darling's perspective so while the writing may seem simple and straight-forward at times, at the same time it is compelling and her perspective adds a unique experience and insight to the story. I found myself continuously turning the page so that I could see what Darling and her friends would get up to next and at the same time it was not always easy to read the real life hardships that were portrayed in the novel. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read modern African literature and to anyone who is trying to expand their library into new spaces of literature.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë

3.0

This book was hard to get into. It had a slow and boring beginning and none of the characters were at all likable. I found the characters annoying and selfish the beginning volume was longer than it needed to be. I will however give it three stars because the last 100 pages were more enjoyable plot wise and started to show a change in some of the characters as well as the book itself being a good analysis of Victorian society. Do not think I would reread this.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

5.0

This book was very surprising to me in a good way. I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I loved everything about it. The book felt more like dark academia or sci-fi to me than fantasy, but it was a pleasant surprise. Schwab built up the atmosphere to this book very well and I was able to feel the darkness of the characters and the coldness of their setting and actions. Every character felt thoroughly flushed out and I could see them as real people. I especially adored the found family element to this novel which was the best surprise as I did not expect it. And I love a good anti-hero!

I think the pacing of the book worked very well for the story telling and I did not mind the time hops in this. I was intrigued and engaged the whole time in the plot and the events. I really think that Schwab did a very nice job putting this story together. I could see everything happening in my mind like a movie playing out.

This is a new favorite book of mine and I can't wait to read the sequal!