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sandaru's reviews
191 reviews
Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
It's not as good as the reviews states. I kind of can guess the rest of the story but even if I am wrong about it, I wish not to continue it's really boring.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling, Newt Scamander
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
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
Magically written. It is written as an extension for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The royalties are donated on Rowling's charities: Lumos and Comic Relief.
It's full of the magical creatures I have once read in Harry Potter series or seen on Fantastic Beasts movies. This is why I love Rowling's books. They are so magical and so minute to detail that feels real. This is one of the books in the Hogwarts first year's syllabus and now we get to read about them like a real book. It was so pure and funny at time. How wittily Rowling writes (as Newt) that some creatures who had already received Muggle press like the unicorns or some creatures like the Dodo bird whom the Muggle believed to be extinct, but in truth, they are Diricawls: a bird that could vanish in a puff of feathers.
It's full of the magical creatures I have once read in Harry Potter series or seen on Fantastic Beasts movies. This is why I love Rowling's books. They are so magical and so minute to detail that feels real. This is one of the books in the Hogwarts first year's syllabus and now we get to read about them like a real book. It was so pure and funny at time. How wittily Rowling writes (as Newt) that some creatures who had already received Muggle press like the unicorns or some creatures like the Dodo bird whom the Muggle believed to be extinct, but in truth, they are Diricawls: a bird that could vanish in a puff of feathers.
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I had to read this book as slowly as possible to take everything in. I love Murakami's writing. it's full of depth and perplexed ideas, sometimes you need to put the book down more than for hot minute to reflect on what you just read. If you are a person who cannot accept Marakami's inane writing style, this won't be the book for you but on the other hand, if you read it with an open mind it would be a one of a kind experience. After "After Dark" this has to be my favourite Murakami novel.
When he writes in double chapter format you know the two stories going on are connected. It's his signature style. At first there will be small facts that you see how they are connected. Gradually the stories become parallel and uniformed and it gives you the full picture of that one story you have been reading so far.
The ending though, I wouldn't know what I expected it to be but I felt it could have been a bit different. Or may be not!
When he writes in double chapter format you know the two stories going on are connected. It's his signature style. At first there will be small facts that you see how they are connected. Gradually the stories become parallel and uniformed and it gives you the full picture of that one story you have been reading so far.
The ending though, I wouldn't know what I expected it to be but I felt it could have been a bit different. Or may be not!
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Such a sad story. I always have a soft spot to old people and reading about them in books makes me wanna bawl my eyes out. The story is beautifully written on Santiago the old man's expenditure in the sea. His perseverance, suffering as a fisherman, the physical and mental bearings he had to go through only to understand all he could do was hope. Even to the end his character never showed the sense of giving up. He would erratically talk to himself in the sea and to the fish he caught. It was all sad but even if he is just a fictional character I had felt a sense of respect towards him. Hemingway's writing and character building is so beautiful.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Again pretty amazed by Roald Dahl's storytelling ability and the imagination for stories like this. The characters were funny and comical and very wittily written. Towards the end the story got a bit boring and the ending could have been better but I am not complaining about it. It was all fun and amusing. Specially the songs in the story with the witty rhymes and words. The audiobook narrator James Acaster did a great job in changing his voice for different characters. I felt like a child listening to it.
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
One of my favourite plays ever written. The story is so simple yet complex. The characters and their characteristics are very relatable and realistic in the most raw simplistic way. Specially the characters of the fathers and sons and their relationship.
"Salesmen never hit rock bottom" the main character coming from a profession where he was always on the road, making money in good days only to live the end of your life in disappointment, exhaustion and without the money because all he did was spending money on the house, the mortgage, and the family. The loss of identity once you lose your profession is something common I have seen in men. Probably in women too.
Linda's character too indicate how a lot of women are in patriarchal families. Getting scolded for speaking over, being cheated on or kept in the dark on that detail. She enables her husband unrealistically with her blind loyalty and faith towards him.
The children being pressured to show the parents that they are successful making them feeling pathetic and exhausted in their own time. I love the character development. They are not so different from each other as individuals but all their characters speak much familiarity with family lives and parents.
"Salesmen never hit rock bottom" the main character coming from a profession where he was always on the road, making money in good days only to live the end of your life in disappointment, exhaustion and without the money because all he did was spending money on the house, the mortgage, and the family. The loss of identity once you lose your profession is something common I have seen in men. Probably in women too.
Linda's character too indicate how a lot of women are in patriarchal families. Getting scolded for speaking over, being cheated on or kept in the dark on that detail. She enables her husband unrealistically with her blind loyalty and faith towards him.
The children being pressured to show the parents that they are successful making them feeling pathetic and exhausted in their own time. I love the character development. They are not so different from each other as individuals but all their characters speak much familiarity with family lives and parents.
The BFG by Roald Dahl
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.5
Truly a funny little story I would always remember. The audiobook narrator did an amazing job with his performance: changing up his voice and tone for each character and also for making it sound super comical in the BFG's parts. Loved it and recommended to children and adults alike.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The last time I read this I gave this 5 stars. The story was mesmerising and haunting. And to this date it's still haunting for me. I also thought it was insulting of me to read this because this holds one of the biggest controversial stories related to Christianity, which is not even an ares I am well well-informed in but got to say the story in this is my type: full of mystery, climaxes and twists. I love Robert Langdon stories. It feels like reading mysterious treasure hunts.
The last time I read this, I considered how captivating the story was I gave it 5 stars but this time I have a better grading system, this the 4.25 stars.
One difference I felt compared to last time was the characters were unrealistic in my current sense. Too good to be true kind of characters and of course I personally do not believe the controversy in this story which also affects one of the main characters family. It was a good story but character writing-wise not the best of what I have read.
And also this time and the last time alike I found it hard to read some parts about the religion that are too intricate for me personally. However how Brown used the historically accurate facts and symbolism was amazing and mind boggling. I think that is the best part of the story.
The last time I read this, I considered how captivating the story was I gave it 5 stars but this time I have a better grading system, this the 4.25 stars.
One difference I felt compared to last time was the characters were unrealistic in my current sense. Too good to be true kind of characters and of course I personally do not believe the controversy in this story which also affects one of the main characters family. It was a good story but character writing-wise not the best of what I have read.
And also this time and the last time alike I found it hard to read some parts about the religion that are too intricate for me personally. However how Brown used the historically accurate facts and symbolism was amazing and mind boggling. I think that is the best part of the story.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
A clever and creative story. Eventhough I was familiar with the story and the characters I haven't read the book until now. Really enjoyed reading this. There were parts I was laughing super hard specially the lost boys were funny without trying because of their child-like innocence and ignorance but Wendy was irritatingly stupid sometimes but that too was comical at times. The concept and the writer's storytelling ability were definitely noteworthy. Specially how the story was told in the format of reading a tale by someone(the writer? Or even the reader) I think this story would have been a great bedtime story to be read by someone. The format and the story setting both are suitable for such occasion)
However I wondered at times if the story or the vocabulary were fitting for the children. The use of syntax and some use of words were at times suprising and confusing (difficult vocabulary, complexed sentences and also the inappropriate words like "orgy", unless back then the word had a different meaning to it)
However I wondered at times if the story or the vocabulary were fitting for the children. The use of syntax and some use of words were at times suprising and confusing (difficult vocabulary, complexed sentences and also the inappropriate words like "orgy", unless back then the word had a different meaning to it)
Birthday Stories: Selected and Introduced by Haruki Murakami by Haruki Murakami
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Wasn't the best but this is not completely Murakami's work. It's a collection of stories on theme of the setting of birthday he curated or sometimes translated. I read this for my 32nd birthday. The stories are short and fast paced so you can quickly read them but some of them are really weird and off putting. Most of them the stories were a sad and depressing like when it is about how children grow up and parents grow old. Or even stories about infidelity or secrets. Some are really interesting will give you moments to think about. Overall not a bad book to read on anyone's any brithday to be honest.
I specifically loved Murakami's story. I think that was my favourite.
I specifically loved Murakami's story. I think that was my favourite.