writer_in_the_dark's reviews
42 reviews

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.

Somehow this book just wasn't for me. Maybe it was a mistake picking this up while I was in college, already so overwhelmed by all the readings, to read about a character who is in a very overwhelming situation herself. But simultaneously, it felt like nothing has really 'happened' in the book so far, even though I'm almost halfway through- while many events have taken place, they just seem to float around and appear for the sake of having something happen instead of being driven by the consequences of previous events or Agnes's actions. Nor do we know how Agnes felt about these events, how they impacted her, and how she grew (or remained the same) because of them. And this is coming from someone who has read Les Misérables, with more plot and character development in 80 pages (a small fraction of that book) as opposed to almost half of this one. 

And this is more of a me problem than a book problem, but it didn't help that my copy had an extremely vague, misleading blurb, which suggested that it would be a work of historical fiction, so I was thrown off guard as I realised the book was not what I thought it was.

I might pick this up some other time perhaps.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Victor Hugo could make a sewer sound poetic, and still keep me reading till the end despite 10000 digressions. Beautiful work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Greatest Works of Oscar Wilde by Oscar Wilde

dark funny reflective 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

4.0

The Picture of Dorian Gray- 4.5/5
The Importance of Being Earnest- 3.25/5
Average- approximately 4 stars

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

My younger self is finally validated. This book is like attending a therapy session. An extremely healing, cathartic experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

I had skewed expectations of this book having a specific plot, and revolving around that definite plot, so I was taken aback when I started reading this, and found it to be a little slow. However, towards the end, I saw the novel for what it truly is- a richly detailed character study with excellent writing.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

adventurous funny medium-paced

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

4.0

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.75

First half was 10/10, impeccable writing, but when after Celie left Albert, the book slowed. I struggled to finish especially the last 50 pages or so.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional hopeful relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

De tuin van de blinde by Nadeem Aslam
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

This book had a really interesting premise, which is why I picked it up. But my main issue is the author's writing style. He clearly has a command over literary devices, but seems to overuse them. When every sentence describing even the mundanest of actions uses a simile or a metaphor, the descriptions and scenes that are actually supposed to elicit an emotion out of the reader fail to do so. This does not make the story a gripping read at all, and it seemed so overwritten therefore that I was zoning out more often than not while reading. Or maybe it's just because I haven't been able to find quiet places to read lately, but even when I do have a quiet place, I find every excuse to not read. I don't know if it's just me or this book, but currently we don't seem to be a fit. Maybe I'll return to it later.