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simonator's reviews
159 reviews
The Good Terrorist by Doris Lessing
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
An incredibly intelligent assessment of the flaws of leftist groups and thinking. In many nuances and with a quiet British sense of humour, the disfunct group of rebels represents the flaws and mistakes of some of our strategic thinking and instincts. Each character feels so real. The only criticism is the drawn-ou bit in the book's middle detailing house renovation in tedious length. Otherwise brilliant.
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
Beautiful poetry and at times quite witty. At its heart not a story of emancipation, but the journey of a rich, colonialist asshole who's too above it all to participate in the daily lives and struggles of us mere mortals.
Eurotrash by Christian Kracht
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Arschtraurig. Voller Resignation und dumpfer, apathischer Wut über Deutschlands Hässlichkeit. Man verzehrt sich nach einem Lichtblick, aber man muss sich einfach eingestehen, dass unser deutsches familiäres Dasein einfach manchmal nur traurig, demütigend und entrüstend ist. Ansonsten ist das Buch manchmal etwas bildungsbürgerlich und langweilig - genau wie die BRD.
Alte weiße Männer: Ein Schlichtungsversuch by Sophie Passmann
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.75
Gesprächspartner waren schon einigermaßen interessant. Es hätte mehr Einordnung für jedes Gespräch geben können. Ansonsten lustig, stellenweise mit wertvollen Gedanken, aber manches bleibt auch etwas belanglos und wird nicht weitergedacht.
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Serge by Yasmina Reza
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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
Touching, sometimes a bit gross. Feels very real. Some more profoundness could have been stuffed in there somewhere. I had trouble really understanding the characters until the end - or at least connecting to them.
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Gut-wrenching. Every now and then, a sentence comes along and knocks you out with its poetry. Intelligent, emphatic lesson in the complexities of contemporary colonialism and the terrible inevitibilty of a monstrous modernity.
Biggest issue is with narrative structure; often any suspense is neutered by some questionable choices for the temporal sequence of plot-events
Dshamilja by Chingiz Aïtmatov
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
So wunderbar. Trotz des Settings im sowjetischen Kirgistan des 2ten Weltkriegs berührt die Geschichte die eigenen Kindheitserinnerungen, archetypischen Emotionen und Sehnsüchte. Ein Traum.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I was skeptical, but became convinced. It is painfully relatable, presents beautifully written observations and very steamy at times. The book's contents of everyday life and interpersonal relationships could quickly become meaningless, but Rooney managed to make one care. The biggest issue is with the characters; their backstories and motivations remain slightly underexplored and inaccessible, caused by the detached, observational perspective of the narration. This is an issue for a novel about 4 people and their relations
Die Schrecken des Eises und der Finsternis by Christoph Ransmayr
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Ein wirklich frostigen Buch, bei dem man mitfiebert. Eine originelle Erzählweise gespickt mit historischen Schriften. Sehr zu empfehlen