lynnenad's reviews
148 reviews

The Porcupine by Julian Barnes

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

3.0

I generally like Barnes’ writing but I didn’t really enjoy this book. It felt dated (not the author’s fault, obviously) as we are now in our own “end of times” that has nothing to do with the fall of communism. I thought the arguments presented by the socialists and the anti-socialists were persuasive but also missed the point. Through it all, the common people continued to starve. Perhaps that was the point Barnes was trying to make. I feel like there are more ideas to be extracted from this book if I read it again at a different time. 
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

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

4.0

Buckets of fun. A worthy classic. I’m surprised at how well the humour stands up over the many decades since this was written. 
Conclave by Robert Harris

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informative mysterious tense fast-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

Terrific book. Interesting and exciting with a lovely twist in the tale/tail. The movie made in 2025 does absolute justice to the book too. It confirms my belief that it doesn’t matter at all what the topic of book is, the interest lies in the human story. Well done author!
Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan

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funny lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

3.25

I found this book surprisingly funny, which I wasn’t expecting. The impact of a hapless bunch of American tourists on the troubled nation of Myanmar was cynical and satirically handled. There were too many main characters for me to develop any strong attachment to any of them except the narrator but the plot moved along with sufficient surprise and mystery to keep me engaged. 
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

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

3.0

I found this book had some intriguing ideas but parts of it were hard to understand and many of the characters were odious. The philosophy embedded in the storyline will keep me pondering for quite some time. Is the act of “being” something that is unbearably light for everyone? Is the true meaning of kitsch the complete abrogation of anything undesirable (ie shit)?
Dusk by Robbie Arnott

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adventurous mysterious 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

Very exciting and also nicely written- an unusual combination. Interesting characters and comprehensive consideration of important relationships between them, all while charging along with an interesting, unpredictable and exciting plot. Well done Mr Arnott. 
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

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

3.0

It was ok I guess. There were some funny jokes. The plot had so many characters that I had trouble keeping track and in the end I stopped bothering to try to figure out who the baddy was as I knew Osman would pull some improbable candidate out of his hat. 
I preferred the Thursday Murder  Club series as I found the characters more interesting and fun. 
Not Just Black and White by Lesley Williams, Tammy Williams

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informative inspiring slow-paced

2.5

Mildly interesting memoir but really the two lives (Lesley and Tammy) were not remarkable enough to have a book made about IMO.  The two women are certainly out there doing the best they can and making small changes in the unjust racist country they live in, but so are we all. The writing was prosaic and bland. 
The Tale of the Unknown Island by José Saramago

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

4.25

Beautifully written, of course, but I didn’t really get it.
Love and a life companion is like sailing to an unknown island? But it is also sufficient unto itself?
The Fall of Light by Niall Williams

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

My word this man can write. This is a much darker story than the other books of Niall Williams that I’ve read but it is told so beautifully. Like a prose poem. I am intrigued by stories like this that explore ancestors who came before us and made small decisions that then changed who their descendants are, and can be. The connection through generations is moving and thought provoking.