Book Review Dump*** (1 Viewer)

[totally_screwed]

hi just reviving this for a second, I finally read a book (I only read 2 books this semester I hate uni) will be reviewing the book I finished yesterday

I'm not gonna give Normal People (by Sally Rooney) its own review bcz 1. it's been a while, and 2. it was mid. I gave it 8/10 initially but upon reflection I would give 6/10 in hindsight it was too wattpaddy and the characters were embarrassing, still enjoyed it though

anyways today's review

#4
Title: The List
Author: Yomi Adegoke
First published: 2023
Pages: 367
MY RATING: 10/10 (subject to change, like most of my ratings)

so yeah when I finished reading this last night I was like woah phenomenal, definitely a page turner. the reviews online are brutal though LMAO. it's about two millennial small influencers, Ola (feminist journalist) and Michael (presenter, works in media) who are set to be married in a month when a "list" gets published online featuring the names and crimes of alleged males with a history of abuse/assault (males with media presence and fame - artists, football players, content creators etc.). all names submitted anonymously by the women victims (wait for the plot twist). Michael's name is on there - and so begins the end of a insta-famous black-couple-goals relationship, as Ola tries to figure out the truth about her fiancé and Michael tries to put off telling her why he's on the list. their professional and personal lives spiral, and they pretty much get heavily toyed with by internet trolls

just 2 ppl who are in love but are toxic for each other and their relationship mess becomes everybody's business due to their fame

I thought it was a fun read. apparently the author did a terrible job at writing the characters (tbh for their old age [31 and 29] both of them needed to grow up) and giving the weight that topics like abuse against women in the industry, deserve. but she slayed imo, worth the pennies I spent

 

[totally_screwed]

review

#5
Title: Prophet Song
Author: Paul Lynch
First published: 2023
Pages: 309
MY RATING: 10/10

this one's about a government that goes berserk and tyrannical, set in Dublin Ireland, and overnight the lives of normal families becomes a fight for survival and people go missing, detained for being "an enemy to the state" i.e. for no reason, sent to camps, tortured and executed, high school boys forced to abandon their dreams and join the military, rebel forces emerge, airstrikes, bombing, everything a war on civilians entails. many families swiftly cross borders and escape the mess before it gets worse, but other families are logistically and emotionally unable to

the story focuses on one such family, Eilish, and her 4 kids. her husband (trade unionist) is considered an enemy of the state due to the nature of his job and goes missing for good. the whole book is Eilish's very tragic and hysterical effort to protect her kids, something she's not entirely able to do

it was especially sad because this stuff happens/is happening in the real world and the families or people going through it have stories, complex identities like the one in this book, I loved the mix of literal and metaphorical detail it painted the warzone picture as something a lot deeper and destructive than the scenes we see on the news.

even if Eilish crosses borders and survives (book doesn't confirm), she is always gonna carry the intense burden of grief that came with losing everything.
.no spoilers

2023 booker prize winner for a reason

 

[Masaken]

review

#5
Title: Prophet Song
Author: Paul Lynch
First published: 2023
Pages: 309
MY RATING: 10/10

this one's about a government that goes berserk and tyrannical, set in Dublin Ireland, and overnight the lives of normal families becomes a fight for survival and people go missing, detained for being "an enemy to the state" i.e. for no reason, sent to camps, tortured and executed, high school boys forced to abandon their dreams and join the military, rebel forces emerge, airstrikes, bombing, everything a war on civilians entails. many families swiftly cross borders and escape the mess before it gets worse, but other families are logistically and emotionally unable to

the story focuses on one such family, Eilish, and her 4 kids. her husband (trade unionist) is considered an enemy of the state due to the nature of his job and goes missing for good. the whole book is Eilish's very tragic and hysterical effort to protect her kids, something she's not entirely able to do

it was especially sad because this stuff happens/is happening in the real world and the families or people going through it have stories, complex identities like the one in this book, I loved the mix of literal and metaphorical detail it painted the warzone picture as something a lot deeper and destructive than the scenes we see on the news.

even if Eilish crosses borders and survives (book doesn't confirm), she is always gonna carry the intense burden of grief that came with losing everything.
.no spoilers

2023 booker prize winner for a reason

This has been on my reading list for a while and is on my shelf, so happy to know it's actually really good I'll probably read it in the new year

 

[Masaken]

on the plus side i have finished reading all of ishiguro's books @totally_screwed - best author fr

 

[totally_screwed]

This has been on my reading list for a while and is on my shelf, so happy to know it's actually really good I'll probably read it in the new year

YAY lmk ur thoughts once u finish, I will say the syntax can be hard to follow, I struggled at first, like sentences get rlly long and stream of consciousness-y but that's what makes the chaos in Eilish's mind more vivid. I'm sure you'll like it

 

[its_ace21]

YAY lmk ur thoughts once u finish, I will say the syntax can be hard to follow, I struggled at first, like sentences get rlly long and stream of consciousness-y but that's what makes the chaos in Eilish's mind more vivid. I'm sure you'll like it

Whyd u turn ur profile to private i wanted to tell u smth

 

[totally_screwed]

on the plus side i have finished reading all of ishiguro's books @totally_screwed - best author fr

no way im so glad there's an actual ishiguro stan around

what's ur top 3

 

[totally_screwed]

Whyd u turn ur profile to private i wanted to tell u smth

I got emo bcz the brats on here call me old
ill turn it on