phanero

I really appreciated this book for leaning into its concept. It may not be for everyone, but I appreciated that Dunn really leaned into the full spirit of the freak show. I would recommend this book for people who want to read about dysfunctional who are terrible to one another.

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This was Sarah Waters’ debut novel, and the second of hers that I’ve read after the Fingersmith. I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as the Fingersmith as I enjoyed the thriller aspects of the Fingersmith. As well, I found the narrator character in Tipping the Velvet somewhat unlikeable at times. But I can see why people would like this novel. It was about a woman exploring her sexuality, and had a big happy ending with all the closure. It just didn’t draw me in, specifically because I am not lesbian and so the sexuality journey did not speak to me, but again I just felt the main character hard to sympathize with at times. But still, I know some people will love this novel so please read it if you like novels about lesbian characters that are happy!

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An interesting novella. A nice quick read.

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This was an interesting story, I understand why it would be well-received. There’s drama, there’s politics. Unfortunately as always is the case with older books, I felt that I didn’t absorb the story in full and I know tons of references went over my head. However, I did still feel that the story had substance. I’d recommend this book to those who want a bit of drama.

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This was a science fiction novel focused on civilizations. Actually, I found a lot of similarities in themes between this novel and that of the Remembrance of Earth’s Past Trilogy (i.e. The Three Body Problem Trilogy) but this novel took a more focused approach. I think this novel would be enjoyed by people who enjoy those themes of big questions regarding civilization.

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This was a memoir about the author’s abusive relationship. It was written in a way that pulled in references from stories, history, etc. to mirror her own experience. The chapters are very short and so this was a fairly quick read. I would recommend this book as a well-written memoir.

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Very interesting book that was not at all what I expected. This was not a crime novel as I had expected. Rather, it was an exploration of people and personalities who were connected by crime. I would recommend this book to people who want a psychological read. But be warned that this book can be dark.

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This book was alright. It was a little too cheesy and fairy tale-like for me to fully enjoy. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I was younger, but I couldn't really take it seriously. It did have some interesting plots and themes as a mystery/adventure, but the way it was written was too perfect and too morally black and white for me to enjoy.

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This was a terrific set of short stories. Varied in nature, from the freaky and unexplainable horror, to detective crime. Having read some Japanese crime novels, it was pretty cool to see how they drew influence from Edogawa Ranpo's early works.

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Interesting story. It's an easy read and I can see why this book would be an easier gateway to classical Greek plays. I would recommend this for people who want to read a short but tragic play.

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