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sandaru's reviews
191 reviews
Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan
challenging
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Read for a competition. Liked this immensely. The best part about this book for me was the story telling aspect. It was done perfectly well even if the story sound unrealistic or a exaggerated (given it's not fully speculative fiction)
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
If I go into the review without explaining what the book is about a little bit, I wouldn't do my review a justice. The story in the book could be compared to a self-help book that is out there. It talks about various topics such as love marriage , children, crime and punishment, law, eating and drinking, pleasure, death and may more topic and gives a philosophical teachings on each topic. However, the difference is the format these topics were discussed upon. The story starts with a man called the Prophet on the day he is planning to leave the land he made home for many year. Whole his ship taking him to his original land boarding, the people in this land asks him last minute advice on topics related to the characters that ask these questions.
It started out really interesting and with beautiful writing I have never read in my entire life. I loved those parts in the book but there were more topics I found really boring and too philosophical or whimsical for my taste. However, I have to mention this book has some of the most amazing writing and metaphors I have ever seen.
It started out really interesting and with beautiful writing I have never read in my entire life. I loved those parts in the book but there were more topics I found really boring and too philosophical or whimsical for my taste. However, I have to mention this book has some of the most amazing writing and metaphors I have ever seen.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
2.25
It was an interesting read but towards the end I got a little bored but I could see this book was written for me. The part about the resistance was like a waking up call. Towards later the repetition and the slow pace bored me so I couldn't get much out of it. Overall it's a great read for anyone who has a creative block. You might be able to figure out as to why you procastinate or even cannot move forward with your creativity.
Men Without Women: Stories by Haruki Murakami
However, one recurring concern I have is the consistent portrayal of women in each story. They are often depicted as cheaters or somehow responsible for the male characters' situations, even when the male character is the one at fault. This portrayal left me feeling somewhat biased and lacking the balance that is typically present in depictions of both men and women.
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In this latest short story collection by Murakami, I am once again certain, after this being the 3rd short story collection I have read, Murakami is good at novels but he lacks from a short story perspective. His weird and overly sexualised writings get more highlighted in the short story pace, while this is more spread out in the novels. His writing remains as exquisite and eloquent as ever, delving into the lives of men facing a certain emptiness caused by the absence of women.
However, one recurring concern I have is the consistent portrayal of women in each story. They are often depicted as cheaters or somehow responsible for the male characters' situations, even when the male character is the one at fault. This portrayal left me feeling somewhat biased and lacking the balance that is typically present in depictions of both men and women.
Like how Yin and Yang are not all black and white. It's black with a little white in it and white with a little black in it.
The Midnight Man by Caroline Mitchell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Broke the chain of connection to the story after a long hiatus from reading this. Wasn't that impressionable either.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
Had to be the best books I have read so far this year. It's ba story and conversation fragments of four very unlikely friends.
A boy who is going home
A mole who likes cakes
A horse who is wise
A fox who is loyal
They are not perfect individually. They have their own weaknesses, fears, confusions and insecurities about life but together the conversations they have, the way of looking at things are perfect. Reminds me of one of the quotes in this book "The greatest illusion of life is that it should be perfect"
Such a cute book, anyone can devour it in less than half an hour but it will make you think about a lot of things: to be kind to yourself, the importance of friends and loved ones or "when you haven't succeeded yet, eat cakes"
A boy who is going home
A mole who likes cakes
A horse who is wise
A fox who is loyal
They are not perfect individually. They have their own weaknesses, fears, confusions and insecurities about life but together the conversations they have, the way of looking at things are perfect. Reminds me of one of the quotes in this book "The greatest illusion of life is that it should be perfect"
Such a cute book, anyone can devour it in less than half an hour but it will make you think about a lot of things: to be kind to yourself, the importance of friends and loved ones or "when you haven't succeeded yet, eat cakes"
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I remember when I saw this book in a 2nd hand book shop I was shocked and happy because I added this book to my TBR just a few weeks before I saw it. Reading this was like reading a self-help book but in a better format. In the format of a conversation that actually happened between an old professor and an ex-student during the professor's last few months. There were parts that I was not able to fathom simply because I am far from being the human this professor advises the author to be. But there were beautiful parts and great lessons for any kind of human being. Instead of teaching "how-to methods" this book converses about these two characters' lives and stories and their conversations.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I always wanted to read Atwood's books ever since I watched her writing course. Such a creative storyteller. And before reading any of her other works, I wanted to start with the infamous "The Handmaid's Tale". Did not disappoint me. If you liked 1984 by Orwell, this will be interesting as well.
The character arches and the story (how she kept it very real in terms of the ending, the slow pace the story went by) everything for us to understand this one character and what is on her head in a dystopian society where the women is considered either a baby making machine, a supportive wife, and kitchen workers and even prostitutes. It's only an exaggerated version of some real women in the world, who are already going through similar situations.
It's not a story about how the heroine breaks the wheel and stands down her foot but more like a realistic version of how things were always meant to be. For that I loved it.
The character arches and the story (how she kept it very real in terms of the ending, the slow pace the story went by) everything for us to understand this one character and what is on her head in a dystopian society where the women is considered either a baby making machine, a supportive wife, and kitchen workers and even prostitutes. It's only an exaggerated version of some real women in the world, who are already going through similar situations.
It's not a story about how the heroine breaks the wheel and stands down her foot but more like a realistic version of how things were always meant to be. For that I loved it.
A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
This book was just so-so I took a long break from it and now I am too bored to continue.