josh_keane's reviews
19 reviews

Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Essential reading for any fans of the series. Mixes the tones well while playing more into the thriller/crime aspects that, in my opinion, tend to serve Batman the best. Given how unrelentingly bleak some of the elements are, the fact that this occurs while Grayson holds on to the mantle adds an interesting dynamic.
Sing Your Sadness Deep by Laura Mauro

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

Ten Nights Dreaming: And the Cat's Grave by Natsume Sōseki

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dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Some Prefer Nettles by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

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informative mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

Beyond The Sea by Paul Lynch

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Airside by Christopher Priest

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dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Airside, like many of Priest's work, is a book of subtle charm. It presents itself and is advertised as one thing, but, as the reader will quickly discover, it is about something else entirely. For what is, presumably, his final novel it is markedly autobiographical. Our hero is very much a stand in for Priest himself and the narration has an odd relation with the narrative. It is at once embedded in the present but distant too. This sense of eerie detachment pervades both the narrative, central mystery and the hero themselves. Many are likely to be baffled by this one, but it's a book to return to. The novel is chiefly concerned with what life is like in the airside, in transition and how so much of it is lived like that today.
The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

A very rewarding read. Eloquent, informative, a book of the moment. I really think this is a book everyone should read, but even more importantly I think it should be mandatory reading for the English. I hope it's a book that changes minds and I'm so glad I finally got round to reading it. 
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett

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dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There are short story writers and there are novelists. Sometimes, novelists dip their toes into the short form and it doesn't carry, the opposite happens too. I have absolutely adored Barrett's previous two collections, revisited the first a handful of times over the years and was utterly absorbed by the second. I was always wondering when this novel of his would see the light of day but a little anxious if it would hold a candle to his short work. I'm happy to say that Barrett is as accomplished a writer in the short form as he is with the novel. A novel that barrels along at great speed and intensity that juggles character introspection, fire-cracker like snappy dialogue with a great depth of feeling for its characters. It's utterly absorbing, I simply didn't want it to end. All I hope is that the next one doesn't take another ten years to come out, but even if it does it will be worth it!