mariball's reviews
65 reviews

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

Babel by R.F. Kuang

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective 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

4.25

Hit Parade of Tears by Izumi Suzuki

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Go to review page

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

5.0

A dreamlike, mysterious tale of a picnicking trip that goes south when 3 boarding school girls and their mathematics teacher go missing on Hanging Rock. Lindsay does a great job describing the scenery of the Australian landscape, a character of its own right, and telling the tale through various characters tied to the mystery. A classic that should be better known.
Penance by Eliza Clark

Go to review page

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

4.25

The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman

Go to review page

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

2.75

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

3.0

The rating is moreso the writing style than the content- it’s written very straightforwardly, sometimes so much so I felt like I was rereading the same sentence again. However I have so much respect for Britney and the courage and fortitude she had. Also being reminded of the tabloid culture of the 2000s made me so mad and angry for her, as someone who watched the events she talks about unfold in real time. I hope she’s living her best life now. 
A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis, Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies by Lauren Redniss

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.0