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kimschouwenaar's reviews
340 reviews
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
4.0
Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe by George Eliot
Before you start reading this, keep in mind that this book is highly moralistic and communicates a religious message. If that's not your thing, do not pick this up. As I wrote, this is a book that published in the mid-Victorian era and thus is what you should expect of Victorian literature <3
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? Yes
4.0
Who would have thought I'd ever become a classics admirer?
I have read so many reviews of people saying they despised reading it. Why? How? Did we actually read the same book?
Is the pacing off? Yes. Does it contain long, convoluted sentences that could have easily been avoided? Absolutely. Should this have been a lot shorter? Most likely. It's a book from the mid-Victorian era.
But it is a heartfelt story about a man losing everything and then losing everything he's ever held dear again. Against all odds, he finds happiness again in the form of a small child who helps him recover his lost belief and sense of self. George Eliot had me grieve a broken pot. And that was 23 pages in.
As I said, the pacing is off. Rather than showing us how Eppie grows up with Silas, Eliot makes a time jump of 16 years. The first part of the book is slow and unnecessarily long; it talks a little about Silas's past and then repetitively approaches the life Silas lives, his role in the town he resides and the perspective of other townspeople. Yet I could still hardly put this book down.
Silas's development from depressed weaver to loving father however: I adored it. I makes you root for him despite some unlovable characteristics.
I have read so many reviews of people saying they despised reading it. Why? How? Did we actually read the same book?
Is the pacing off? Yes. Does it contain long, convoluted sentences that could have easily been avoided? Absolutely. Should this have been a lot shorter? Most likely. It's a book from the mid-Victorian era.
But it is a heartfelt story about a man losing everything and then losing everything he's ever held dear again. Against all odds, he finds happiness again in the form of a small child who helps him recover his lost belief and sense of self. George Eliot had me grieve a broken pot. And that was 23 pages in.
As I said, the pacing is off. Rather than showing us how Eppie grows up with Silas, Eliot makes a time jump of 16 years. The first part of the book is slow and unnecessarily long; it talks a little about Silas's past and then repetitively approaches the life Silas lives, his role in the town he resides and the perspective of other townspeople. Yet I could still hardly put this book down.
Silas's development from depressed weaver to loving father however: I adored it. I makes you root for him despite some unlovable characteristics.
Our consciousness rarely registers the beginning of a growth within us any more than without us: there have been many circulations of the sap before we detect the smallest sign of the bud.
Before you start reading this, keep in mind that this book is highly moralistic and communicates a religious message. If that's not your thing, do not pick this up. As I wrote, this is a book that published in the mid-Victorian era and thus is what you should expect of Victorian literature <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, and Abandonment
Gezinsverpakking by Bart Chabot, Sebastiaan Chabot, Splinter Chabot, Storm Chabot, Yolanda Chabot, Maurits Chabot
en
Dit geschenk heeft mij in ieder geval enthousiast genoeg gemaakt om me te gaan verdiepen in de andere literatuur van de Chabotten!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Ik lees niet vaak (eigenlijk vrijwel nooit) in mijn moedertaal, maar de Chabotten en Boekenweek 2024 hebben me zo ver gekregen.
Om eerlijk te zijn, verwachtte ik een collectie van vrolijke verhalen. Hoewel het algemene geluk van de familie Chabot zichtbaar is in dit boekenweekgeschenk, domineert de strijd die we als mensen collectief aan het voeren zijn: de strijd met de tijd. Yolanda en Splinter springer er voor mij bovenuit, voornamelijk Splinter als hond Bril. In het eerste hoofdstuk zet hij direct de mood voor de verhalen die volgen:
Om eerlijk te zijn, verwachtte ik een collectie van vrolijke verhalen. Hoewel het algemene geluk van de familie Chabot zichtbaar is in dit boekenweekgeschenk, domineert de strijd die we als mensen collectief aan het voeren zijn: de strijd met de tijd. Yolanda en Splinter springer er voor mij bovenuit, voornamelijk Splinter als hond Bril. In het eerste hoofdstuk zet hij direct de mood voor de verhalen die volgen:
Hoewel ik altijd graag met hen meeloop, vroeger zelfs meerende, weet ik niet of ik het nog lang zal volhouden.
Of eigenlijk weet ik dat wel.
Ik ben al een tijdje afscheid aan het nemen.
en
Want de dood is een estafette.
Dit geschenk heeft mij in ieder geval enthousiast genoeg gemaakt om me te gaan verdiepen in de andere literatuur van de Chabotten!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
finished in a little over 48 hours. nuff said <3
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
THE END OH MY GOD
River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta
And the disappointment in public transport, which I could really relate to as a Dutch person:
I'm cracking up rereading all the quotes I highlighted.
If you are looking for a novel that pays attention to Jamaica's colonial past, has a group of friends that have the expected reaction to a deity forcing a quest upon them, underrated pop-culture references, and a breathtaking portrayal of Jamaican culture and mythology, then read this book. Honestly, even if you're not looking for this, I would still recommend it. I will most definitely be keeping an eye on anything else Reid-Benta published.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Zalika Reid-Benta knew exactly who her target audience was and it shows. River Mumma is a brilliant blend of references to colonialism, Jamaican culture and mythology, and millennial and Gen-Z slang. Alicia lives in modern-day Toronto and is currently going through a bit of a quarter-life crisis; as a 26-year-old, I could immediately relate. While she is walking home from a houseparty she didn't really want to attend, she is lured into the park by Jamaican water deity River Mumma, who tells her to find the comb that was stolen from her by a tourist. Cue a deadly, mythological quest through the city.
I really wasn't prepared for the comicality and wittiness of the narrator and her friends, who kept making me literally laugh out loud. Alicia has such an authentic and relatable reaction to being told she has to go on a hunt for a deity that she may or may not have hallucinated:
Zalika Reid-Benta knew exactly who her target audience was and it shows. River Mumma is a brilliant blend of references to colonialism, Jamaican culture and mythology, and millennial and Gen-Z slang. Alicia lives in modern-day Toronto and is currently going through a bit of a quarter-life crisis; as a 26-year-old, I could immediately relate. While she is walking home from a houseparty she didn't really want to attend, she is lured into the park by Jamaican water deity River Mumma, who tells her to find the comb that was stolen from her by a tourist. Cue a deadly, mythological quest through the city.
I really wasn't prepared for the comicality and wittiness of the narrator and her friends, who kept making me literally laugh out loud. Alicia has such an authentic and relatable reaction to being told she has to go on a hunt for a deity that she may or may not have hallucinated:
I'm really trying my best not to lose my shit, and I'm not doing a good job.
And the disappointment in public transport, which I could really relate to as a Dutch person:
She had often wondered if the universe and the Toronto Transit Commission worked together to conspire against her emotional and psychological well-being, but today she truly worried that something supernatural was at play.
I'm cracking up rereading all the quotes I highlighted.
If you are looking for a novel that pays attention to Jamaica's colonial past, has a group of friends that have the expected reaction to a deity forcing a quest upon them, underrated pop-culture references, and a breathtaking portrayal of Jamaican culture and mythology, then read this book. Honestly, even if you're not looking for this, I would still recommend it. I will most definitely be keeping an eye on anything else Reid-Benta published.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.75
Honestly, the only reason this doesn’t have a 5-star rating is because I couldn’t get a grip on the timeline and the pacing. Will definitely be reading more of Alice Walker!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Infidelity and Slavery
The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.25
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
In The Absinthe Underground, Jamie Pacton combines historical France with magic and queer culture. It follows best friends Sybil and Esme who are close to admitting to each other they want to be more than friends. Sybil is a 'professional' thief and Esme a server and parttime clock repairer, but they have trouble paying rent and Sybil coaxes Esme into helping her steal posters to sell to collectors. As they are selling a stolen poster, they meet Maeve, who happens to be the person on the mentioned poster and owner of the club in Severon named The Absinthe Underground. But Maeve is not who she seems; she is an exiled Fae and needs Sybil and Esme to steal the Crown Jewels from faerie.
Pacton has a really compelling writing style, approachable for people of all ages. With regards to the land of the Fae, it doesn't do anything new and reminded me a lot of The Cruel Prince, but that is okay. I enjoyed their time in the land of faerie. I did find the world building lacking, mainly of Severon, which is where the majority of the story takes place. Pacton added some notes in the back of the book, but I would have loved to see this covered within the story.
Usually, I am a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope (controversial opinion, I am aware). It's something about the mutual pining and the angst in not knowing if the other will ever return their feelings. The mutual pining is there, but it is not as believable as I hoped it would be. Esme would say something that clearly insinuates she has romantic feelings for Sybil, which Sybil understands and then kind of forgets about. The one aspect I loved about this queer romance is that it entirely skips the coming out phase. So many queer stories linger there, and there is a lack of wholesome romances that look further than the initial oh gods, I am gay. The Absinthe Underground eludes this awkward part and immediately dives into the romance aspect queer people deserve just as much as straight people.
Generally speaking, I enjoyed reading the book. I expected more, but that by no means implies I did not like it. It comes out February 6!
In The Absinthe Underground, Jamie Pacton combines historical France with magic and queer culture. It follows best friends Sybil and Esme who are close to admitting to each other they want to be more than friends. Sybil is a 'professional' thief and Esme a server and parttime clock repairer, but they have trouble paying rent and Sybil coaxes Esme into helping her steal posters to sell to collectors. As they are selling a stolen poster, they meet Maeve, who happens to be the person on the mentioned poster and owner of the club in Severon named The Absinthe Underground. But Maeve is not who she seems; she is an exiled Fae and needs Sybil and Esme to steal the Crown Jewels from faerie.
Pacton has a really compelling writing style, approachable for people of all ages. With regards to the land of the Fae, it doesn't do anything new and reminded me a lot of The Cruel Prince, but that is okay. I enjoyed their time in the land of faerie. I did find the world building lacking, mainly of Severon, which is where the majority of the story takes place. Pacton added some notes in the back of the book, but I would have loved to see this covered within the story.
Usually, I am a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope (controversial opinion, I am aware). It's something about the mutual pining and the angst in not knowing if the other will ever return their feelings. The mutual pining is there, but it is not as believable as I hoped it would be. Esme would say something that clearly insinuates she has romantic feelings for Sybil, which Sybil understands and then kind of forgets about. The one aspect I loved about this queer romance is that it entirely skips the coming out phase. So many queer stories linger there, and there is a lack of wholesome romances that look further than the initial oh gods, I am gay. The Absinthe Underground eludes this awkward part and immediately dives into the romance aspect queer people deserve just as much as straight people.
Generally speaking, I enjoyed reading the book. I expected more, but that by no means implies I did not like it. It comes out February 6!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada
Wes is a teenager through and through, but he is also a senior in high school. With teachers and a guidance counsellor pestering him about grades and college, his first instinct is to ignore them all and close himself off. Gradually, he begins to realise that's not what he wants, which is followed by a convincing coming-of-age story including coming out.
There is romance, but it is not as central to the plot as Wes's story is. That isn't to say that I didn't love it because I certainly did. For me, it simply faded a little into the background compared to everything else Wes was dealing with.
In Skater Boy, Wes defies all stereotypes and I will love him forever for it.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.75
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Kicking my feet and squealing in adoration of this book.
This book ticks every single box I look for in an honest coming-of-age and coming out story. Anthony Nerada transforms a misunderstood bully into a believable protagonist and grants this generation with a heartbreaking character arc that I was missing when I was growing up.
Wesley 'Big Mac' Mackenzie is a punk: skateboarding through his high school's halls, failing all his classes and always getting into trouble. That's all people see when they look at him. Inside, however, he is full of anxiety, and pent-up anger no one ever taught him to address makes him terrified he is turning into his father. People expect him to fall into a stereotype and so he does. And honestly, who can blame him?
But the story Nerada wrote is about defying stereotypes and creating your own narrative rather than falling into the one adults write for you. It was heart-wrenching to see Wes struggle with himself, unable to allow anyone entrance into the fortress he'd built to protect himself, agonising to read how he fully believed he was no better than his father (whom you'll have to learn about yourselves because it contains major spoilers).
Kicking my feet and squealing in adoration of this book.
This book ticks every single box I look for in an honest coming-of-age and coming out story. Anthony Nerada transforms a misunderstood bully into a believable protagonist and grants this generation with a heartbreaking character arc that I was missing when I was growing up.
Wesley 'Big Mac' Mackenzie is a punk: skateboarding through his high school's halls, failing all his classes and always getting into trouble. That's all people see when they look at him. Inside, however, he is full of anxiety, and pent-up anger no one ever taught him to address makes him terrified he is turning into his father. People expect him to fall into a stereotype and so he does. And honestly, who can blame him?
But the story Nerada wrote is about defying stereotypes and creating your own narrative rather than falling into the one adults write for you. It was heart-wrenching to see Wes struggle with himself, unable to allow anyone entrance into the fortress he'd built to protect himself, agonising to read how he fully believed he was no better than his father (whom you'll have to learn about yourselves because it contains major spoilers).
My own worst enemy is me.
Wes is a teenager through and through, but he is also a senior in high school. With teachers and a guidance counsellor pestering him about grades and college, his first instinct is to ignore them all and close himself off. Gradually, he begins to realise that's not what he wants, which is followed by a convincing coming-of-age story including coming out.
There is romance, but it is not as central to the plot as Wes's story is. That isn't to say that I didn't love it because I certainly did. For me, it simply faded a little into the background compared to everything else Wes was dealing with.
In Skater Boy, Wes defies all stereotypes and I will love him forever for it.
I was a punk, he did ballet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
It's a tough read, but I strongly believe it's one that we should all know.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Expect to finish this book sobbing.
Woah. And I mean that in every sense of the expression. This multi-generational story about a Palestinian family grabs you by the throat, nails digging in, and does not relent. I expect it to retain its hold on me for months to come. Abulhawa takes you by the hand and leads you through history and grief, leads you through the relentless suffering of Palestinians, and does not hold back.
Each chapter I was left questioning Can this really happen? Can a people be this ruthless and arrogant to believe they have the rights to invade a country and act like they are the only victims?
Yes. In fact, it is happening and has been happening for decades. We need to stop trying to justify genocide. The safety of one people should not come at the cost of another country and culture.
Woah. And I mean that in every sense of the expression. This multi-generational story about a Palestinian family grabs you by the throat, nails digging in, and does not relent. I expect it to retain its hold on me for months to come. Abulhawa takes you by the hand and leads you through history and grief, leads you through the relentless suffering of Palestinians, and does not hold back.
Each chapter I was left questioning Can this really happen? Can a people be this ruthless and arrogant to believe they have the rights to invade a country and act like they are the only victims?
Yes. In fact, it is happening and has been happening for decades. We need to stop trying to justify genocide. The safety of one people should not come at the cost of another country and culture.
"The roots of out grief coil so deeply into loss that death has come to live with us like a family member who makes you happy by avoiding you, but who is still one of the family. Our anger is a rage that Westerners cannot understand. Our sadness can make the stones weep. And the way we love is no exception, Amal."
It's a tough read, but I strongly believe it's one that we should all know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Dementia, and Deportation