nookandcrannyseattle's reviews
185 reviews

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I think this book might be perfection. Style, structure, syntax: all perfect. Can't believe I slept on it for so long.
Shrill by Lindy West

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

Lindy is really funny and an outstanding writer, so of course I laughed. But I've also never in my life related more to a book. And I've never felt more seen. So mostly I just sobbed from cover to cover.
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

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adventurous informative medium-paced

3.75

99% of it was just a series of white guys getting themselves into trouble in the jungle and aggressively not learning from each other's mistakes. Pretty entertaining. The final 10 or so pages where they actually start looking at the evidence of pre-Columbian civilizations...that section was breathtaking! That's the book I was hoping to read!
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

Absolutely devastating.
The Seventh Function of Language by Laurent Binet

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challenging dark funny informative mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Unhinged 😂😂 I love it.
The Invisible Hotel by Yeji Y. Ham

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Idk y'all, I wanted to like it. I enjoy meandering, atmospheric, fragmented horror and this has those ingredients, but I really dislike the prose. The short, choppy sentences--almost without variation--far from adding any sense of urgency or eeriness, just feel monotone. Maybe it's meant to represent Yewon's state of mind? Maybe I'll try again sometime, but it wasn't for me. So disappointed! 😞 
How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form by Thomas C. Foster

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funny informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Great overview and super fun read! It got me hyped to start filling in the gaps in my knowledge, especially of the postmodernists.
The Tree Doctor by Marie Mutsuki Mockett

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Just not for me. Didn't love the prose, didn't like the characters, didn't care about the fuchsias or the gardener's hot legs. It's not horrible, but I'm busy. 🤷
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey

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

4.75

Outstanding accomplishment
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

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challenging emotional funny informative reflective sad slow-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

3.75

It was very bold, but I think she overreached. Some style and continuity issues, but still very enjoyable (and eye-opening). The author has grown in her craft since then