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The Little Android
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
The Gene: An Intimate History
A Clash of Kings
Клетниците: част първа - трета (Избрани произведения в пет тома, #1
The Fifth Season
I really enjoyed the book, though I felt it dragged a bit at first. It definitely had lows afterwards as well, but overall it was full of interesting characters and fascinating worldbuilding, so I found it quite difficult to put this one down. The prose is also beautiful as always, and I loved the LGBT+ inclusivity, as well as how casually it was presented.
Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances
I really enjoyed some of the short stories: they definitely deserved the title of "disturbances". Others were a bit bland, but it was still overall a pretty good read.
The Stepford Wives
I really enjoyed this one and how casually creepy it was. The author was a master at weaving a story, which meant I was never bored, and the book raised many problems that I've struggled with myself: how defenceless I can be against physical strength, how there are times when nobody believes me/cares even about things that turned out to be right... Plus, there was an asexuality mention, which made my day! All in all, I definitely recommend this one.
The Stepford Wives
I really enjoyed this one and how casually creepy it was. The author was a master at weaving a story, which meant I was never bored, and the book raised many problems that I've struggled with myself: how defenceless I can be against physical strength, how there are times when nobody believes me/cares even about things that turned out to be right... Plus, there was an asexuality mention, which made my day! All in all, I definitely recommend this one.
The Last Dragonslayer
I really enjoyed the book: it was fun and entertaining, and just... Good-natured, I guess? It felt like a very optimistic and idealistic book to me, even with the darker elements in it, and I felt like I enjoyed the world around me more while reading it.
The Last Dragonslayer
I really enjoyed the book: it was fun and entertaining, and just... Good-natured, I guess? It felt like a very optimistic and idealistic book to me, even with the darker elements in it, and I felt like I enjoyed the world around me more while reading it.
The Killing Moon
Loved it, especially the world-building and the mythology. It was all fascinating and very well thought-out, and I really don't want to start the second book any time soon, because this one was so good, I'd read it instead of studying pretty much every day.
The Killing Moon
Loved it, especially the world-building and the mythology. It was all fascinating and very well thought-out, and I really don't want to start the second book any time soon, because this one was so good, I'd read it instead of studying pretty much every day.
Die Ilse ist weg
I had an Ilse when I was younger: my cousin was very beautiful, she seemed very self-assured and she was a compulsive liar. We didn't live together, but I adored her, and was so, so happy whenever she would spend time with me. It took me ages to figure out that she was using me and lying to me and I felt so stupid for not realizing it all sooner.So reading Erika's story felt, in some ways, like reading my own story. She was so eager to please, so happy to be her sister's confidante that she was completely blindsided by the truth, because she refused to think about what was going on for a second. I was more than a bit disappointed in the character when she didn't confront her sister at the end, when she still craved her love, even though she now had other people she could trust, but I suppose that Erika is different from me as well, and can bear much more. I find it quite strange that in all the German books I've read so far, the characters are more... Real, as if the author never cared to make them likeable. This book is no exception: though Erika was mostly shown in a good light, I feel this was because the book was from her perspective, and even then, we were shown some pretty major character flaws. Plus, I feel like the whole book was incomplete, as what was, for me, the main conflict: Ilse's behavior - was unsolved, merely pushed back a bit more. I really wish there were a sequal, as these are characters I would love to revisit!
Die Ilse ist weg
I had an Ilse when I was younger: my cousin was very beautiful, she seemed very self-assured and she was a compulsive liar. We didn't live together, but I adored her, and was so, so happy whenever she would spend time with me. It took me ages to figure out that she was using me and lying to me and I felt so stupid for not realizing it all sooner.So reading Erika's story felt, in some ways, like reading my own story. She was so eager to please, so happy to be her sister's confidante that she was completely blindsided by the truth, because she refused to think about what was going on for a second. I was more than a bit disappointed in the character when she didn't confront her sister at the end, when she still craved her love, even though she now had other people she could trust, but I suppose that Erika is different from me as well, and can bear much more. I find it quite strange that in all the German books I've read so far, the characters are more... Real, as if the author never cared to make them likeable. This book is no exception: though Erika was mostly shown in a good light, I feel this was because the book was from her perspective, and even then, we were shown some pretty major character flaws. Plus, I feel like the whole book was incomplete, as what was, for me, the main conflict: Ilse's behavior - was unsolved, merely pushed back a bit more. I really wish there were a sequal, as these are characters I would love to revisit!
Die schreckliche deutsche Sprache /The Awful German Language
Although I definitely agreed with a lot of the difficulties that the author had with German, I found his assumption that English is a nearly perfect language that other languages should compare themselves with more than a bit irritating. His insistence on using English words in his German speech was nearly enough to make me put down the book for good, as it is something I get more than enough of when I talk to native English speakers.
Asexuality: A Brief Introduction
Being ace myself, I must find that this book helped me clear up a whole lot. I had more than a few "Oooh, so that's why I felt that way" moments and I can honestly say the book was very... Validating in showing me it's not just me, even if no one around me feels that way. On the other hand, though, it was far too repetitive: more like a FAQ than a book. I definitely recommend it though, and already sent it to some friends who were curious about my sexuality.
Asexuality: A Brief Introduction
Being ace myself, I must find that this book helped me clear up a whole lot. I had more than a few "Oooh, so that's why I felt that way" moments and I can honestly say the book was very... Validating in showing me it's not just me, even if no one around me feels that way. On the other hand, though, it was far too repetitive: more like a FAQ than a book. I definitely recommend it though, and already sent it to some friends who were curious about my sexuality.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Very clear and detailed, though it was aimed more at people who work in large companies than at anyone else.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Very clear and detailed, though it was aimed more at people who work in large companies than at anyone else.
Bitterschokolade
The first book I've read in German! I'm so proud of myself for reading it all, even though I didn't understand 100% of it. Anyway, I found the book to be very realistic, and it hit uncomfortably close to home at first. I've never had serious issues with my weight, but I have been an outsider in my class, and Eva's coping mechanisms were very familiar to me. I disliked the way that subplot was handled, though - having everyone else actually like the main character and be friendly with her as soon as she put in some effort is both overdone and can be very damaging, because it is rarely true in real life.
I think that the part with Michel was done well - he was far from a perfect boyfriend and had quite a few problems, but he was trying, and he really cared about Eva quite a bit. I enjoyed how it was both kept realistic - your first boyfriend being awesomeness incarnate is unlikely, especially if you don't know what you're looking for yet - while still showing that yes, you can have a boyfriend that likes you for you, while still seeing the parts of you that you dislike.
As I said, I've never had problems with my weight, so I don't think I'm qualified to talk about how well/realistically that part was written, but I loved the message that the key is in moderation, and that starving yourself is not the answer.
Overall, I quite liked the book and thought it had a very real voice (well, as far as I could understand - the slang is probably quite outdated, for one). I think it touched on a lot of big problems for teenagers, and did so in a way that was both respectful and genuine. That being said, people who have had problems similar to those of the main character should keep in mind that the book is at times incredibly direct and brutal and can potentially be triggering.
