mikkiokko's reviews
101 reviews

Paper Girls, Book One by Brian K. Vaughan

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

Little lost, art is sick, interested enough to keep reading. 

A Frog in the Fall (and Later On) by Linnea Sterte

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

I read this outside and felt nothing but joy in my little heart. Escapism at its finest. I'd love to find more stories by this author. 

Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

adventurous emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

I LOVE VAISHNAVI PATEL'S BOOKS!!! 
Plain and simple she does not miss, misspeak, fumble, or even trip! 
"Goddess of the River" is another AMAZING retelling that fantastically weaves in magic and mythology into such great characters and their complex relationships. I loved the conflict between characters' duties, morality, and convictions; it was endlessly thought provoking. I also love that while none of the characters are ever truly right and you are so deeply frustrated with all of them at least once, Patel always makes sure to explore their backgrounds to create reasoning and empathy. Her exploration of a  relationship between a parent and child also made me tear up and was just so heartfelt. I'm so glad to exist at the same time as this book! I need to read "The Mahābhārata" now, and cannot wait for Patel's next book!!

(ALSO SHOUT-OUT  AGAIN TO THE COVER JACKET DESIGNER!!! Patel's books always have some of my favorite covers!!!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and War

Moderate: Ableism and Classism

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

This book could have been really great, but after finishing it I have quite a complicated feeling from it. 

There were things I took away from reading "A Little Life" that were either positive or cathartic (myself having quite a few similarities to Jude). BUT, I am quite concerned about what exactly is being suggested at the end. 

When I got to the end where Jude committed suicide I was taken a back and wondered what Yanagihara was trying to say about him going through with that after everything. At first, the line that caught my attention the most was Harold, in trying to understand Jude's death, saying; "It isn't only that he died, or how he died; it was what he died believing. And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him". I thought that by diving into the psychology of Jude and getting the reader to care about him, by taking him away at the end of everything she was perhaps trying to show the complex suffering someone can experience. And this line had me wondering if at the end Yanagihara wishes to push the audience to consider the cruelty they are complacent to and to retire that complacency (I thought of the ministers at the church who would stand by something so cruel in particular). Bringing attention to how what Jude so deeply believed about himself was created and perpetuated by cruelty. But then, I've seen what she's said. From my understanding she did no research for "A Little Life" and has suggested that some people are too far gone in their mental illness to seek treatment like therapy. I fear that with the previous line Yanagihara is suggesting that there are people whose beliefs (mental health) are so far gone that it is better for them to take their life. If that is what she intended, I am really confused because there are points earlier in the book that I would say suggest the opposite of her point. Ana's quote; "You'll find you own way to discuss what happened to you. You'll have to, if you ever want to be close to anyone" implies the benefit of exploring, discussing, and attempting to improve your mental health (and it began to work at least a little with Willem!) and that it is all a process anyone can do, but then Yanagihara insists otherwise? Yanagihara also provides wonderful moments OF JUDE BEING HAPPY!!! Of being amazed by how wonderful of people and things he has surrounded himself with. So, why give the idea that he should still kill himself? Why, whether you intend it or not, write a story that could so easily be read as suggesting suicide as an answer? It reminds me too often of people conflating a life full of physical pain as one not worth living. Chronic physical and mental pain are both extremely difficult and possibly never "curable" conditions. But they can still be managed and leave one with a wondrous and joyful life, that happens to be weaved in with pain.

TLDR; I want to say I liked "A Little Life" completely, but I can't. The ending is highly questionable and Yanagihara's commentary has only worsened my suspicions. I'm going to try to hold onto the positives I found or interpreted as there were things in here that meant quite a bit to me, but man can an author's dissonance sour a book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Not only a successful experimental understanding of grief, but also confrontation of the American quality to remain careless that challenges the reader to care and be here. Twenty years later it remains as potent as ever. I will be circling this one for a long time. 

The Sandman Book One by Neil Gaiman

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

I've never read a story set up like this! Thoroughly enjoyed the mixing and mashing of styles. Also, I love the final monologue :)

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

adventurous dark informative reflective medium-paced

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

While I am not religious I'm still glad that I read this book! I found it very interesting to understand an interpretation of the nature of the universe and to learn A LOT about ancient history and 1300s Italian politics. I liked that Dante allowed there to be criticism of the Church he was a part of and it led to some interesting insight. I also appreciated that he never made himself an overpowered narrator. My favorite character was Virgil and I'm sorry but it's ridiculous to me that he's stuck in Inferno forever. Finally, holy crap Dante was OBSESSED with his crush. Guy made her a Queen of a realm in Heaven and compared her face to the light of GOD multiple times. 

If you were thinking of reading this one I'd say go for it!

Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

5.0

I cannot say this is the book that made me like poetry, but it is absolutely the book that made me "get" poetry; or to say let itself affect me completely. I finished it and wanted to immediately read it again. I love love love love love love this collection!! 

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

adventurous dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is probably one of my favorite classics! As a sci-fi junkie and lover of science it is so cool to see how influential to sci-fi this novel was and how it predicted some things in the future. Be prepared though, while this is very much a sci-fi book it is also straight horror too! I also loved that while it was a story centering aliens it left the reader to reflect on humanity a lot. I like how it pushes the reader to investigate the immorality of imperialism when they realize how horrible it feels to be invaded by someone larger and more technologically advanced than them. The eerie feeling at the end of the novel was greatly unsettling and that last line LOVED IT!! Finally, for a classic I must say it's never "boring" so if that's something you're ever worried about give this one a try!