mcks_picks's reviews
133 reviews

I liked this book! My favorite part about this story was how short it was, while still delivering a complete narrative. I didn’t feel as if it was rushed or cut off. I think Murata did an excellent job at crafting a story that was small and easily digestible, while still maintaining character and plot integrity. The characters were well-developed and the plot was simple, but highly effective and creative. I enjoyed it.

I also liked the peek into Japanese culture. I don’t read a lot of translated fiction (something I am working on), so this was a nice, easy way to see a part of the world that I don’t always get to immerse myself in. The pressures that Keiko faces are immense and the fact that the people who should love her most are so disturbed by her lifestyle was, frankly, alarming. They wanted Keiko to change and adapt so badly, and didn’t seem to care about the fact that Keiko was already happy and satisfied with her life. It was interesting.

I didn’t have any explicit dislikes for this novel. Perhaps some sections felt a bit rushed or overlooked, but not so noticeably that I would categorize it as a flaw of the book.

The New Me by Halle Butler

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dark emotional funny reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was delightfully depressing and disgusting in a mundane, everyday-life kind of way. My favorite part about this book was its unreliable narrator and multiple perspectives. Throughout the whole book I never really knew if Millie was how she described herself to be or if she was how the other characters saw her to be. I liked being inside Millie’s head and, at the same time, viewing her externally while also learning about other characters, like her spiteful boss, Karen. It was a good way to structure the story.

Another detail about this book I liked was the simultaneous honesty and delusion with which Millie spoke about and viewed herself. Yes, most of the time, Millie was delusional about her life and her future. But when she wasn’t participating in self-deception, she was very honest with herself. More importantly, Mille tried. She tried so hard all throughout the book. I felt bad for her. I just wanted the world to work out for her and it simply didn’t.

I truly didn’t have any dislikes for this book. It was, to me, perfect in its character-driven, plotless narrative.

Skin by E.M. Reapy

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challenging dark emotional 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

3.5

I liked this one! It’s overall message was very sweet and inspiring. The detail I liked most about this story was Natalie herself. She has a difficult time not only loving, but simply accepting herself and her body just the way it is. That is something I think many young people can relate to. She is not a perfect person--she makes mistakes and says the wrong things and sometimes doesn’t fulfill her life the way she wants to--but she is a person that is trying, and I found that to be the highlight of the book. This book teaches how someone can love themselves exactly as they are and that other people really don’t care as much as you think they do; they can actually be quite supportive and caring. It’s inspiring and hopeful to read.

One other detail I enjoyed about Natalie’s story was the travel aspect! Everywhere Natalie goes, she discovers a new part of herself and eventually learns to cultivate and love that new discovery. It was a very nice evolution to see. She begins the novel with a disordered way of thinking and eating and we, as readers, get to see the change throughout the novel as Natalie learns a more healthy way of thinking and eating. It’s extremely lovely.

My one dislike about this novel was the writing style. It felt a little like it was trying to be something that it couldn’t quite reach, and that felt frustrating to read. It wasn’t too bad, but it was something I wanted to see be improved.

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mcks_picks's reviews 133 reviews

mcks_picks's reviews
133 reviews