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janenx01's reviews
56 reviews
The Ghost of Opalina by Peggy Bacon
informative
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
One of my most beloved books of childhood, so thrilled it's been re-released. I probably wore out my small town library's copy in 1972.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
OBVIOUSLY Le Guin is one of the best SF writers ever, but I've missed a lot of her short stories so I enjoyed this. Never a word wrong. Genius.
Living Reed: A Novel of Korea by Pearl S. Buck
medium-paced
5.0
I'm always looking for books about Korea that aren't focused on the Korean War or the trials of living in N Korea. I was suspicious of this one because while I think Buck is an exceptional writer, I always feel like she's leaning towards Orientalism (I could be wrong on this but it's a vibe I get).
But since I apparently like books that are 50+ years old better than contemporary fiction, I enjoyed this one. The last third or so did seem kind of rushed, but the first third was so good I was willing to put up with it to find out what happened to everybody.
New Voices in Chinese Science Fiction by Neil Clarke, Xia Jia, Regina Kanyu Wang
challenging
medium-paced
5.0
I've been trying to read more non-western SF, but I struggle sometimes with translastions (this is on me, NOT the authors). I enjoyed this collection quite a bit, and the short stories were easier for me than a novel. Thumbs up!
The Omega Factor by Steve Berry
0.0
Lone wolf genius longing for his one-time girlfriend who coincidentally has some kind of super secret bible (?) secret, he has to save her from disaster, there are some "heretics", a bunch of violence, etc., etc. After a couple of chapters I realized I didn't gaf and returned it to the library. Pedestrian and unoriginal.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Animal death
Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady by Kate Summerscale
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death