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morybaby's reviews
440 reviews
So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
My favorite quote from this book is “Friendship has splendours that love knows not. It grows stronger when crossed, whereas obstacles kill love. Friendship resists time, which wearies and severs couples. It has heights unknown to love.”
The two stars are for Aïssatou. What a friend! What a woman. I sympathise with Ramatoulaye and all she had to go through with that wretched fellow of a husband, good riddance.
With that being said, although this book was 96, struggled quite a bit with it. I can’t put my finger on what did not work for me but it just did not. I did not dnf because I was reading it for a StoryGraph challenge and the whole point is to read out of your comfort zone to find other things you enjoy and to diversify your reading.
Maybe classic literature isn’t for me.
The two stars are for Aïssatou. What a friend! What a woman. I sympathise with Ramatoulaye and all she had to go through with that wretched fellow of a husband, good riddance.
With that being said, although this book was 96, struggled quite a bit with it. I can’t put my finger on what did not work for me but it just did not. I did not dnf because I was reading it for a StoryGraph challenge and the whole point is to read out of your comfort zone to find other things you enjoy and to diversify your reading.
Maybe classic literature isn’t for me.
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
tense
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
4.0
An amazing sequel to the poppy war. There were so many moving parts and I was flabbergasted at every point. Rebecca you ate that!
Now, Yin Nezha when I catch you Ricky???????? What a serpent. Oh my heart broke for Rin. She was literally stabbed in the back. Kitay you beautiful boy…love you!! My girl Venka really came around, my heart still hurts for what she went through.
This book is very dark and violent and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Shout out to one of my favorite narrators who brought this to life, Emily Woo Zeller!
This book is very dark and violent and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Shout out to one of my favorite narrators who brought this to life, Emily Woo Zeller!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Honor by Thrity Umrigar
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-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
4.5
I had started this book a while back but I kept dropping it because it was so heavy.
Few days ago, @oyindalovesbooks on instagram. posted about it and I decided to finish it and I am so glad I did.
Meena’s story made me so mad and angry, I was so sad at all she had to endure just because she married a Muslim man as a Hindu woman. My heart kept breaking over and over again for her.
And Smita’s back story stunned me.
My heart hurt for both women. This book highlights the violent misogyny faced by women once men’s egos are bruised.
Thrity Umrigar has such a beautiful way of telling such difficult and heavy stories.
Sneha Mathan was an incredible narrator as always.
Few days ago, @oyindalovesbooks on instagram. posted about it and I decided to finish it and I am so glad I did.
Meena’s story made me so mad and angry, I was so sad at all she had to endure just because she married a Muslim man as a Hindu woman. My heart kept breaking over and over again for her.
And Smita’s back story stunned me.
My heart hurt for both women. This book highlights the violent misogyny faced by women once men’s egos are bruised.
Thrity Umrigar has such a beautiful way of telling such difficult and heavy stories.
Sneha Mathan was an incredible narrator as always.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Bride Price by Buchi Emecheta
Did not finish book. Stopped at 59%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 59%.
I simply could not look past Chike being interested romantically in Aku-nna. I got to a place where he was fondling her and I had to close the book. Like he is 24 and she’s 15. I understand that that was the norm in those days but I’m not interested in reading such
The End of Loneliness by Benedict Wells
emotional
sad
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
Between us girls, I was going to dnf this book. Why? Thank you for asking. There was cheating/infidelity in the book and that does not go over well under my regime. I was buddy reading so I couldn’t quit! Never back down, never give up!
And oh am I glad that I didn’t dnf this book. What a beautiful book full of complex characters. My heart hurt for them so much and I also wanted to hurl a glass at them at times.
Shout out to the author for writing such a moving work of fiction, shout out to the translator for capturing the essence of this book and to the narrator for bringing it to life.
I will not forget this one in a while.
And oh am I glad that I didn’t dnf this book. What a beautiful book full of complex characters. My heart hurt for them so much and I also wanted to hurl a glass at them at times.
Shout out to the author for writing such a moving work of fiction, shout out to the translator for capturing the essence of this book and to the narrator for bringing it to life.
I will not forget this one in a while.
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I’ve once again set myself up by reading YA thrillers. I’m never thrilled when I read them because the murderer was so obvious to me from the beginning.
What kept me going with the fantastic full cast audio narration and the social commentary on what it means to be a black/brown boy in America.
What kept me going with the fantastic full cast audio narration and the social commentary on what it means to be a black/brown boy in America.
These Letters End in Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere
These letters really ended in tears. I had a feeling Fatima wasn’t alive but learning how she died was so incredibly heartbreaking. IMAM MAHAMADOU when I catch you?????????
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.25
Between us girls I dnfed this sometime in 2023 but thank God I came to my senses.
The fact that she wrote this book at 19 is so insane to me. Her mind>>>
I love this book so much.
Shout out to Emily Woo Zeller because there’s no way I’d have read that with my eyes.
I will be reading book 2 tomorrow I just need to go on Reddit and see what the girls are saying about this book.
Last but not least, I support Rin’s rights and wrongs. That’s my queen and I’ll stick beside her
The fact that she wrote this book at 19 is so insane to me. Her mind>>>
I love this book so much.
Shout out to Emily Woo Zeller because there’s no way I’d have read that with my eyes.
I will be reading book 2 tomorrow I just need to go on Reddit and see what the girls are saying about this book.
Last but not least, I support Rin’s rights and wrongs. That’s my queen and I’ll stick beside her
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Excrement, and War
COVIK ONE NINE: Stories and Poems by Ibiso Graham-Douglas
2.5
I only enjoyed Chimeka Garricks’ story 😔
A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75