bethan_clark's reviews
203 reviews

The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan

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4.25

Reread number who knows. It's still just v good. No notes.
Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou

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2.25

Unfortunately not as good as I'd been told it would be. I'll still look into her bigger works 
The Story of the Night by Colm Tóibín

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No

2.5

Interesting to learn about the setting and period, but I think I just don't like Tóibín's short-sentence-only and emotionally detached writing style.
After the Fire by Will Hill

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1.25

Cheap narrative tricks e.g. ordering of flashbacks and delaying multiple hinted-at scenes for artificial reader investment instead of for in-story logic. (Could have largely been avoided if narrator was a different character) 

Repetitive and unnecessary reflective sequences where the reactions and motivations are spelled out again after each scene.

Shallow and inaccurate portrayal of PTSD and cult psychology. Ex-fundie accounts give more insight.

Fair enough message about anyone being susceptible 
Walking Naked by Nina Bawden

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emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.5

Nina Bawden has somehow seen into my soul. Some of the thought passages ARE me. Attacked, etc.