eliss959's reviews
125 reviews

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was nothing I’ve expected. 
I was blown away and had to pause in between different parts of the book because I felt lots of emotions and needed to process. It is so weird and complicated and yet the main character is simply ill but her mental illness sounds almost mystical. It’s so strange to describe and it’s difficult to recommend but I’ve so enjoyed it. 

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

La portalettere by Francesca Giannone

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

So this book divided people and I believe it was very good instead. I really liked it. I liked how Italian the people felt to me, and I loved this strong woman character that tries to be independent among a group of people that is pretty much old fashioned. I love how she loves and how she grieves. She sounds like a real person to me and I felt like I met a friend. 

The Family Experiment by John Marrs

adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really liked this book! It was well made and kept me glued to the pages. It provided my bookclub with lots of discussion points and lots of different takes on this new technology. I was thrilled. The only reason it’s not 5 stars is that the ending was a bit over explained and kind of gave me a bitter taste. Otherwise, after reading The one by the same author I would say that he did it again ;) 

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Eh like the Picture of Dorian Grey this is a great dark classic. I loved how people are flawed and everything feels more scandalous and serious than in a normal crime book. Great atmosphere and story. I’m so enthusiastic to have read it! 

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

challenging dark tense medium-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

3.25

I liked the romance part at the beginning and then the middle was very melodramatic and just a bit depressing until I liked the end again. To resume the book it’s 2 people who just are not meant to be together as partners because they just don’t get each other. And this woman is a bit abusive to be honest. I would just say that they are adults body with a broken teenager soul. 

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

4.25

This book is beautiful because it feels deeply true. I believe that the writer is the main character and that those things really happened to her. I believe all her life story without any doubt and I can attribute this to good writing and good research. I understand now when they say that white people don’t truly understand black people’s life. The words, similes and actions are different from what I would expect someone to do or say and it is because that’s never been my reality or anyone’s around me. I feel very lucky and very sad that someone would have to go so hard into life at such a young age and would have nobody to turn to. Not even the police. I’m so happy Kiara found her reason to live in Trevor and I am so impressed at how strong she is even though she’s just a child. It’s sad that she shouldn’t have to be. 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was a beautiful journey written like poetry. The writing let me enter into the Liars world and I wouldn’t doubt that they are real people in real life as I feel like I know them and I see them. 
I love when a book feels this way. And it has so many moral messages too. It’s a very special read and I’m glad I’ve read it!

People Like Them by Minka Kent

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It’s a well written and catchy short story. It was nice! Nothing super special but because it’s well written and it got me into the mood I appreciated it. 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I’m so glad that someone talks about her having autism. Many reviewers talk about her just being asexual.

But actually the example of the bird makes it very clear, also when she sees her nephew makes you understand how she doesn’t understand feelings and social rules. The fact that she doesn’t know how to live her life without being part of a routine and all she wants to do is sleep it’s another proof that she didn’t develop her identity but this identity is dictated by her work that she needs to survive. Shiraha instead is an aggressive, manipulative parasite. He says it himself but wow, he demonstrates it too. Fascinating and disgusting at the same time.

I’m glad I’ve read it, it was such a quick read and I was a bit sad. I wanted more details but the end was brilliant. So I’m not mad. This book makes amazing points about mental illness and how people desire to cure you and help you. How it unsettles society to see someone different. We also see how manipulative people operates and choose prays that are vulnerable. It would be so good for a discussion.