عندما نتحدث عن التشويق، عن الحبكات اللامتوقعة والشبه المستحيلة منطقيا فصاحبها هو دان براون، يبدأ بسير عادي، روتين شخصية ما أو ما شابه ذلك ثم من اللامكعندما نتحدث عن التشويق، عن الحبكات اللامتوقعة والشبه المستحيلة منطقيا فصاحبها هو دان براون، يبدأ بسير عادي، روتين شخصية ما أو ما شابه ذلك ثم من اللامكان يظهر اتصال هاتفي أو رسالة تدخلنا في سير أحداث كله إثارة. ما أحببته هو ال��صف الدقيق للفاتيكان ومكوناته، وكذلك الأماكن الأخرى التي قام لانغدون بالمرور بها، وطبعا مع كل فشل تأتي خيبة أمل، لكنها تخف فور الوصول إلى النهاية. رائعة بحق...more
This was a very emotional volume for me, and I expect the next one to be even more so. The art was spectacular, and I loved seeing the LOTR referencesThis was a very emotional volume for me, and I expect the next one to be even more so. The art was spectacular, and I loved seeing the LOTR references throughout. ...more
This was delightful. It was long and sometimes slow but it was an absolute joy to read. From the beautiful descriptions to the loveable characters, alThis was delightful. It was long and sometimes slow but it was an absolute joy to read. From the beautiful descriptions to the loveable characters, all of it was so enjoyable. I loved the historical aspect of it, but my favorite part was the delicious descriptions of all those glorious dishes prepared by Clara. The characters were, for the most part, engaging and the development of each one's life was fun to witness....more
There's been so much character development for Guts and I love seeing it. I love how he allowed himself to receive some help, and I love that he has, There's been so much character development for Guts and I love seeing it. I love how he allowed himself to receive some help, and I love that he has, once again, companions he can rely on. So cool to finally reach the part where the armor makes an appearance. Farnese also had some character development but I still dislike her....more
What a way to end the year. This was a beautiful and tender story, and I only realized that it was inspired by the author's own experience after finisWhat a way to end the year. This was a beautiful and tender story, and I only realized that it was inspired by the author's own experience after finishing the book. The writing was what pulled me in at first, and then there was the way every emotion was delicately translated into words. From alcoholism to the daily sorrows of living and witnessing pain and suffering, this novel portrayed how taxing the act of living can be for some. The ending was wholesome and heartwarming, hope inspiring....more
This is by far my favorite volume, and in my opinion, the heaviest emotionally. When I asked my partner if Casca were to die, he countered with a quesThis is by far my favorite volume, and in my opinion, the heaviest emotionally. When I asked my partner if Casca were to die, he countered with a question of his own "do you believe that there are fates far worse than death or not?" My answer was, of course, yes. And I think her fate is very cruel. Griffith or Femto, I don't think can redeem himself later on in the story. There's simply, imo, nothing he could do to undo all the damage he caused....more
This was so ridiculously cute and hopeful, and I loved every single bit of it. I've been going through a rough patch of feeling overwhelmed and sick oThis was so ridiculously cute and hopeful, and I loved every single bit of it. I've been going through a rough patch of feeling overwhelmed and sick of everything that brings me joy, and reading this righted everything for me. Everything about this book was wholesome, the characters, the magical writing, the setting. Everything was just right. The relationships between the characters were one of the best I've ever read, the love was healing. It was beautiful to read about it. It was wholesome, but also thought stirring. I found myself highlighting so many passages and sharing them with my loved ones. It's been a long time since I found it in me to write something well structured and expressive, so this is all I could muster. Anyway, read it. It's beautiful....more
This was a very relatable read. I felt so much anger towards the women in this book, but also so much anger for them. I could've just felt frustrationThis was a very relatable read. I felt so much anger towards the women in this book, but also so much anger for them. I could've just felt frustration towards them and said "they should've done better" and "they should've known better," but as a woman, who has felt this feelings before, and borne these insecurities (and still do) I cannot judge them for what they didn't do. I cannot judge them for not knowing their worth and acting upon that knowledge. It's easier to judge someone when you forget that it could be you, when you forget that you have felt those emotions at some point. It's easier to judge these women when you detach yourself from them and feel very removed from what they lived through. The growth that the characters went through was very remarkable, although for some eyes, it wouldn't feel all that important and substantial. By the end of the book, I wished they were friends of mine, and I wished I could've given them big warm hugs and reminded them of just how fabulous and important they are. The book is told from the perspectives of Joy, Annie, and Celine, which gave us lots of insight on who they really were as people and what their lives really were beyond the appearances. And I feel like that's such a huge discussion for us in this age and time, you see people tearing each other down and even tearing themselves down and apart, while assuming everyone else is so put together, that everyone has life figured out and that they've cracked all the big mysteries of life, when in fact everyone is living and doing the best they can to, at least, appear as what the world expects them to be....more
This was the most beautiful love story I've ever read, no exaggeration. Everything about this book felt like a gift from the universe, meant to comforThis was the most beautiful love story I've ever read, no exaggeration. Everything about this book felt like a gift from the universe, meant to comfort you and allow you to slip into a state of pure bliss. This was one of the books that I made myself slow down while reading just so I can enjoy the company of the characters longer. It felt like being immersed in an artistic show, a graceful dance between Eva and Shane, where every move of theirs tugged at your heartstrings. The book managed to treat so many topics and lay them out in such a raw form that sometimes you can't keep reading, and instead let go of the book and go back to reality, trying to absorb what you've read. It was like being in a whirlwind of intense emotions. The characters were very well crafted, and each of them had a unique voice and portrait, where each of their struggles, worries, feelings, and selves were painted in the most skilled way possible. I loved the way Williams discussed generational cycles and the effort to break free of their shackles. I loved Eva's and Shane's choices as adults, and how aware and conscious of their trauma and what they needed to do to free themselves from the shadows of the past. This book was perfect, the characters were delightful, the presence of honest communication was refreshing (we don't see much of that in contemporary romance), and the writing was simply exquisite....more
ALL THE STARS IN THE WORLD, TAKE MY HEART. It was such a slow slowburn but it was totally worth it. The MC could be exasperating sometimes, but it was ALL THE STARS IN THE WORLD, TAKE MY HEART. It was such a slow slowburn but it was totally worth it. The MC could be exasperating sometimes, but it was a nice growth. ...more
Let me just say that it is absolutely cruel to end a book in this manner. Even if there's another instalment coming. It's cruel.
This series, despite Let me just say that it is absolutely cruel to end a book in this manner. Even if there's another instalment coming. It's cruel.
This series, despite the difference in opinions about it, is as I see it the next ACOTAR series, but better. Infinitely so. I was surprised to see that it got better with the second book and this one. It's clear that this is not a series written to meet the publisher's deadline, or to simply give the reader something. It's very clear how well-thought it is, and how well-executed. And I love that you could see that every plot twist was carefully planned to fit within the larger frame of things.
I will not talk of the events, because I fear letting spoilers slip. All I can say is that it was a treat, despite my awful curiosity that made me google answers for my questions time and again.
Penellaphe is amazing, and I can confidently say that she makes the top ten list of my favorite heroines across literature. And the same goes for the rest of the characters who were all given enough attention and were all carefully developed.
The effort that went into this series is almost tangible, and I could feel how real the events were made to be, so much that I simply couldn't tear myself away from reading on. And that tells you something, because I get bored very easily and have to switch between books.
I will honestly be very disappointed and heartbroken if the next book doesn't match the energy of the first three....more
With the first step into this book, the reader is transported and suspended in an in-between state, just like the feeling you get when you crane your With the first step into this book, the reader is transported and suspended in an in-between state, just like the feeling you get when you crane your neck to look at the sky and momentarily lose sense of your surroundings and orientation. From the first page and the reference to the loss of a loved one, you know that this is going to hurt, that you will absorb the narrator's sorrow like a sponge. This is a book steeped in feelings of loss, of not belonging, of being invisible. Heavy, but oh-so worth it.
The multigenerational aspect of the novel is presented through the alternation between a present-time narration by Nadir and an old diary of Laila's. Names are not attributed at first, and some are gleaned from the overlap of events, while others are newly adopted.
I love books that include bits of another language, and even more so when it is Arabic, although I am born and raised in an Arab country and all I ever hear in my daily life is Arabic. So, the use of Arabic, especially for pet names and endearments was a very beautiful addition that goes to show how love is expressed and practiced in different cultures.
There's a strange beauty to this book that involves a vast knowledge of birds and artistic techniques that I knew nothing about. It was like stepping into a sanctuary of all creations beautiful.
I am sure that Nadir's struggles with a body that never felt like his own, and a perception that never fit the image that exists deep within him, are struggles shared by many, and I love how this book tells them "I see you, and I see beyond the shell that holds your essence." A lot was lost but more was gained, there was sorrow, grief, loss, but also love, comfort, and friendship.
The lyrical writing style was breathtakingly beautiful, and it was heavily marked by a tone that reflected the characters' emotions. Everything was interconnected in the most genius way, and there were no omissions or plot holes, which in my opinion is a huge feat. I also noticed how different the writing was in the two narratives (Nadir's and Laila's) and how easily I could tell them apart....more
My heart aches in the best sense possible. I wanted to lower my rating a bit while reading, because sometimes it felt as if the story was glorifying lMy heart aches in the best sense possible. I wanted to lower my rating a bit while reading, because sometimes it felt as if the story was glorifying lack of communication, but then it turned out that Ove communicated, he just didn't use (intelligible) words to do so.
This is only the second novel I read by Backman, and he has been successful, once more, in making me cry, which is something I rarely do anymore. I wish I could have Backman as a therapist, I imagine he could do a great job. ...more
What a way to end the year. One of my sorrows this year was how few books maCWs: incest, rape, suicide, child abuse, animal abuse, abortion, bullying.
What a way to end the year. One of my sorrows this year was how few books made it to my favorites list, but this one made up for all the lousy (in my opinion) books I read this year, and I don't even know where to start. This deserves all the stars in the cosmos and then some.
The writing is a good place to start, so let me just say that no matter what words I use to describe how beautiful, magical, and enchanting the writing was, they wouldn't be enough. In fact, I don't think I have enough befitting words in my vocabulary to describe how it made me feel as though I was transported in time and space to a reality other than my own, feeling sensations that transcend my power and control. As you read, no matter how detached you think you are in that moment, you cannot stop your teeth from grinding together in anger and frustration at how unjust and cruel the world is to some people.
The Carpenters were a family of tragedies but also a family of immense love, whose lives were told from the perspective of Betty, who makes sure that no one is forgotten or left behind. She makes sure to document every moment, and especially every trauma, sometimes across generations. I feel like I can't really talk about the book without disclosing some of the plot, so it'd be better not to address what goes on. Suffice it to say that you will feel every single emotion depicted to the core, as if you're personally experiencing them and not just reading about them....more
Like Giovanni's room, this book is so compact and messy. It reeks of the sweet and tangy odors of the body, it screams of guilt, loneliness, fear, andLike Giovanni's room, this book is so compact and messy. It reeks of the sweet and tangy odors of the body, it screams of guilt, loneliness, fear, and hiding. Baldwin has amazed me before, but this time even more so, although there were some remarks and facets of the story that I didn't necessarily agree with, namely the remarks made about women.
(view spoiler)[ 1950s Paris, David is running away, from home, from himself, from everything that he carries within himself. David is full of hate, but also full of love. He recounts how he came to meet with Giovanni, he tells Giovanni's story and, eventually, demise, but also everything in between. How did Giovanni end up where he ended? Was it because of David's denial of who he is and of his feelings? Or perhaps it was Giovanni's own fault for putting all of himself into loving David, despite knowing the outcome? (hide spoiler)]
Baldwin writes for the reader to feel as though they're sitting through a therapy session, or listening to a recording of the narrator's account of the events. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like you're reading prose at all, it almost feels like you're reading a script from within your head and heart. It drenches you in such feelings of sorrow and despair as you've never known before. But it ends almost too soon, leaving you needing and wanting more. How I would love to read and take refuge in long books. They're temporary homes, surely. But they last longer than a hundred and so pages. ...more
I kept telling myself that I have chosen the wrong time to read this book, but I wonder what time would be good for reading something this heavy and lI kept telling myself that I have chosen the wrong time to read this book, but I wonder what time would be good for reading something this heavy and laden with grief.
Every time I read a book that tells me of what I had ignored my whole life, I feel ashamed of my ignorance, and wonder time and again why no one told me about it, why there aren't history books recounting the Biafran war and telling the world about it.
I won't talk about the events, because I don't have Chimamanda's talent of weaving in and out of different time frames, but I will tell you that this book has to be read and shared. This is overlooked history, and no one should conceal it....more
This business of reading romance books in less than 24hrs time is really starting to bug me, but I can't complain. Had I decided to review the book inThis business of reading romance books in less than 24hrs time is really starting to bug me, but I can't complain. Had I decided to review the book in my agitation right after having finished it, I would probably have rated it 5/5 and put it some place on my favorites shelf. But now that I have calmed down a bit, I believe that it's worth a solid 5/5, and worth being a favorite.
This was such a rollercoaster of feelings and emotions. It was a mixture of gushing over adorable characters, being angry against scum characters, gushing a little more over the love story, and grinning stupidly at the screen because I was happy with the ending. However, the book is not what you'd read when you're looking for something strictly serious, but it's not totally love-fuzziness-cuteness-centered either. There's all the fluffiness you could ask for in a romance book, but also a huge discussion of highly important topics going on on the sidelines. And that's an additional reason why I absolutely loved it.
Yes, I was craving a romance story, but I feel extra good when I find the author raising awareness through highly realistic events and characters (which is very important to me).
I haven't lost sleep over a book in so long. This was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't change anything about it. Some sequels are a waste of time and efI haven't lost sleep over a book in so long. This was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't change anything about it. Some sequels are a waste of time and effort, but others like this one are a manifestation of the author's growth and how they become better with each book, in terms of writing and plot.
As was the case with the first book, this was a real slow-burn, and I enjoyed every last bit of it. Some might have found the sheer length of the book exhaustive and unnecessary, but I don't think that a shorter version of this would have satisfied me. The plot was very unexpected, and I did not once doubt what was coming, which extends to the world-building that kept getting better and better.
I think the characters in this series are my favorite by far in the world of fantasy books. I am already making my way through the third book, which speaks volumes....more
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