theelliad's reviews
221 reviews

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

4.5

You have to hand it to Christie, this is endlessly clever, immersive and entertaining! 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

3.5

As much as I hate to praise another dead white man who was an awful person, this really is textbook absurdist fiction! For me, reading the full book of a story I know so well for the first time was equal parts nostalgic and new. Audiobooking this was also the best choice as Carroll’s fiction is so musical and audible! I especially liked the moral reflections in the epilogue, and like A Christmas Carol, this book carries a message that society will never quite outgrow. Lots of fun and a nice easy read what a shame he was a kiddy fiddler 

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

3.5

So You Want To Talk About Race explores systematic and institutional racism and oppression across the world through Oluo’s conversation centred approach. This book is full of important lessons on the ways in whic our everyday actions can be changed slightly to take action against oppression and against our own predjudice and privilege. This is not written for people who aren’t willing to learn, its purpose is to show you that there is always more every individual can do and includes more complex examples of micro aggressions. It is hard to hear, but needs to be heard. I found most interesting the chapter focused on the ways in which white activism contributes to the exploitation of people of colour, especially when intersectionality is concerned. That said this wasn’t revolutionary in a literary sense, it doesn’t need to be to convey the lessons and motivate me to be better but in comparison to the overall books i have read this year it falls into this 3.5* category

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

3.5

It’s a cute little fantasy and the world building is soooo interesting however it wasn’t as revolutionary as it was when i was like 10! 

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

2.0

This book wasn’t for me, I wanted to be a Murakami girlie but maybe I just don’t get it. Don’t get me wrong this is beautifully composed, the writing style is breathtaking and their are moments of description that feel so cosy, I’m also aware that a twisted retelling of Oedipus is bound to be weird and so had an open mind going in. HOWEVER (and it’s a big however) I found so much about this problematic. 1. The way women are written, I knew going into this that it was a common criticism of Murakamis work however the blatant passive sexualisation of every female character is just uncomfortable and inexcusable, 2. leading on from that, i cannot get behind a book which has a ridiculously romanticised scene of r*pe and pages later the only acknowledgement is the main character literally stating ‘I shouldn’t of  r*ped her’ (sorry if you consider that a spoiler, i think it’s something i would have liked to know in advance) that isn’t wacky that’s just wrong, 3. the plot really wasn’t as special as i expected. The middle section of the book in which the pieces fall together was certainly engaging and clever, however beyond that this really didn’t do it for me. Laced with repetitive actions and seemingly pointless pages of description this is a classic case of good concept terrible execution (and is also about 300 pages longer than it needs to be), 4. ANIMAL VIOLENCE IN THAT MUCH GRAPHIC DETAIL WAS SO UNNECESSARY literally what did the kittens do to you Murakami I am in pain still and it’s been days 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

4.5

Well ouch… Everything I never told you is a beautiful anatomy of familial love, placing siblings, parents and children at its very heart. There is something raw and real in each character and I think this story will hold a special place in my heart for time to come- strange really, it’s so simply written, the plot is free of twists and shocks, and yet it was one of the most engaging things I have read in a while! 

All's Well by Mona Awad

4.0

This book entirely captured all that I love about psychological thrillers, playing on the sentiment ‘if you could pass your pain onto someone else, would you?’ there is wackiness written with such beauty it feels real, the lines are laden with ambiguity, there is shakespeare, there is the most fundamentally unlikable narrator I have ever read and yet it was genuinely such an experience to read. Was it perfect? no, but given my enjoyment of this giving it anythint less than 4* just felt wrong

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

4.5

Americanah offers incredible insight into the subtle everyday racism of the world, exploring multiple perspectives and places. While the ending section, primarily consumed by different realtionships is somewhat repetitive and mundane, I found it increased the overall experience- its a book on real life and just like real life we are forced to weather the ups and downs the boring and the dramatic of finding place, purpose and people. Not to compare the two as while similar i do feel they are serving different purposes, i enjoyed this one more than white teeth- possibly due to the female perspectives being the most prominent, i found this was free of the main flaws which inhibited my enjoyment of White Teeth. I also thoroughly enjoyed the blog inclusion, they offered a perfect critical and commentary space that felt natural and informative and broke up the narrative nicely 

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

4.0

This book offered a perfect blend between fantasy, realism and romantic storylines. A case study in  the celebration of differences through a story of inversion, deceit, desire to survive and layers of lies. The characters are well developed and complex in ways you don’t often see and the plot is extremely engaging overall. Relationships are looked at from all angles, with deep and genuine friendship at the heart as well as the romantic storyline. I felt I had a lot in common with the main character and the gender politics and inversion in the book hits hard for anyone who has questioned their identity or felt out of place in their own skin. Was it a perfect representation of these gender ideas? No of course not, but where it differs from ✨certain other✨ similar stories within mainstream media is its issues do not cause harm, and the Zhu is ultimately unwilling to back down from what she wants regardless of expectations or experience. I do feel that the ending was slightly rushed but i believe there is a sequel and so i must forgive this for now! Overall it was an engaging read and i enjoyed it 

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

4.0

Brideshead Revisited is a beautiful and nostalgic exploration of a time of transformation and decline. It captured the confusion of navigating life after and between wars, human relationships, religion and familial dynamics- this book is most memorable for its elegant and powerful prose and is a cosy and vibey read beyond measure