nigel_hakeem's reviews
102 reviews

We Want What We Want: Stories by Alix Ohlin

adventurous emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

adventurous challenging informative reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Everybody should read it.

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Foster by Claire Keegan

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

2.5

Ok, we get it, you're from California!

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Every story teems with potential that makes you excited for what Oliver will do next, which makes her untimely death all the more upsetting.

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I think Baldwin wasn't much of a fan of Christianity 

Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The only bad thing about this novel is that it's a debut and I have to wait to read Angress'  next book. 

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Sometimes there's a book that is so good and true that it pisses you off. This is such a novel. A perfect encapsulation of living during late stage capitalism and all its contradictions. 

If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.5

I feel like I should have enjoyed this book more than I did. I have no real complaints, there were some bright spots, but it just didn't hit for me.