purplegrape's reviews
25 reviews

This was my second time reading Six of Crows. The only parts I remembered from the first time were Inej climbing the incinerator and why Kaz wears gloves (also the ending but not necessarily how it happened). I have no recollection of the second novel (except that someone died, though I don't remember why nor how). Reading this with a playlist is the best move. I don't think I will ever tire of rereading it.

The Two Towers picks up after the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. 

There was (thankfully) much more action than the last book from the get go. Like before, I was more invested in the sections concerning the hobbits, of which there were numerous.

I am very fond of Merry/Pippin's friendship as well as Frodo/Sam's friendship. Gollum also never disappoints when he makes an appearance. His antagonistic dynamic with Sam was a joy to read. 

I did not see the ending coming. Perhaps I am too trusting. I enjoyed this novel better than the first, though I likely won't read it again (not for a loooong time at least). While other books I've been reading recently have made me tear up/cry, The Two Towers only makes me smile/giggle, for which I'm grateful.

All the Light We Cannot See follows a blind French girl and a German soldier boy in the years before, during, and after the German occupation of France during World War II. Through split perspectives and a split timeline, a story of human perseverance unfolds. Werner's talents kept him from the battlefield, but will they keep him alive? Everyone has left Marie-Laure one way or another, but is she truly alone? And what is the price in blood of the Sea of Flames? 

ATLWCS is split into thirteen books jumping back and forth between the past and the present. It was incredibly rewarding when everything came together. The chapters are short, and there is never a lack of action. This was the first novel I read from the perspective of a blind character, and the descriptions of sounds, scents, and tastes made it all the more immersive.

The end of the novel flies. I was so invested I forgot to do my chapter/book summaries. And when I realized I decided against it in favor of reading on. I have read so many World War II books, but this one is unique in every sense of the word. I took a lot out of the emphasis on radios. Every character shines, even the loathsome ones.

I first heard of ATLWCS in my junior year of high school. A girl in my class recorded her presentation on this book and went way over the time limit. I don't remember what she said, but I never forgot her novel (even when I forgot my own). Now, in my junior year of college, I've read it for the first time, and whatever she said, I wholeheartedly agree.

Started: July 24, 2024. Ended: Aug 27, 2024.

Frankenstein is named for the man who came face to face with the fruits of his ambitions. To his horror, the fruits in question are rotten to the core. The novel is Frankenstein's recount of his blasphemous creation and the haunting aftermath. Through Frankenstein's cautionary tale, Mary Shelley warns against unchecked scientific discovery.

I can finally say I know the story of Frankenstein. Who knew Frankenstein wasn't the name of the monster (not me). I learned a lot of new vocabulary (including European cities and landmarks).

3.5 ⭐ Started: June 28, 2024. Ended: June 29, 2024.

In Memoriam follows two schoolboys who discover the tragedies of war too young. To them, their unspoken love is as uncertain as the end of the war. We experience pivotal battles in history through their eyes. Death looms around every corner, though as the war dredges on, being left alive seems less and less a better fate.

Alice Winn has long been one of my favorite authors (iykyk). I preordered her debut novel, but when it arrived, I didn't touch it for months. I didn't touch any book for months. As someone who fell out of love with reading (or, better put, pined from afar without making any moves), In Memoriam was an exceptionally easy read. I didn't want to put it down (though I had to to sleep 💔).

I cried maybe three times. The first part of the novel spoke the most to me. The novelty of war wore off, but the newspapers remained heartrending (up to the very last one). The first half of the novel is incomparable, so much so that for the later half, I rated it 4 stars in its entirety. I was more attached to the characters when the perspectives did not shift so suddenly (it would have been nice to have a timeline to follow, especially with the time skip(s), though I understand why there wasn't one).

I thought for certain this would be a 5 star read for me. Maybe if/when I reread without annotating it will grow on me. I think I was more invested when I believed there would be an unhappy ending.

As always, Winn's writing is clean and beautiful. It shines the most in her character interactions (the sheer spectrum of relationships she portrays is remarkable). I will have to revisit it when I find myself forgetting.