kon713's reviews
135 reviews

القصر الأسود by منى سلامة

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Phew… this author sure likes symbolism and metaphors. Always expect finer lines beneath the already fine lines, each paragraph something for you to ponder and interpret. A homework to wisen up your creaky brain gears.

Exactly what I loved about the books I read from her so far! 
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

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

2.25


It was hard to find a single character likable enough for me to feel like I’d actually love to meet any of them in real life rather than flee on sight, but then again, the point was that all of us are flawed to some degrees. Some a little more than others perhaps. So I wouldn’t say that’s a real negative. The real negatives tho…

I feel like the various topics of misogyny, racism, classism, mental health awareness, all things I love reading about in fiction and non-fiction alike mind you, were too much of a baggage to unload in a single go so the whole thing just ended up being too cluttered for my taste. Forced even, I dare say. Also, while the author seemed to be pursuing a more realistic outlook she ironically ended up finishing the whole thing on unrealistic terms on notes of Queenie’s (and a certain other character) misbehaves simply being overlooked without real repercussions and everyone lived happily ever after. 

Boy this thing fails the bechdel test so HARD (ironically, it’s mentioned in the book lol) Like is all the pleasures y’all could all think of are sex and alcohol? Please get a life

I highly recommend the audiobook if you must read it though, the narrator’s performance was simply phenomenal. I must note however that as I simultaneously read this as an ebook, I couldn’t help but notice quite a chunk of words and sometimes even whole lines being replaced or just wholly removed
Negative Space by Ryan K. Lindsay

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dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The best thing about this is definitely the art for me. The reason why I picked up the thing in the first place really

The whole thing, I believe, was symbolisms and metaphors on depression, and perhaps, facing the inevitable
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

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dark emotional mysterious tense 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

Last Breath by Karin Slaughter

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challenging mysterious medium-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

3.0

Zombie Rain by Zach Sweets

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

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emotional informative reflective medium-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? No

5.0

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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

4.0