Madeline
I love Holden. I think some people interpret him as hateful, but I don't think he is. He's just upset and he doesn't know how to handle himself.
I read it for my book club. If you think everything happens for a reason, it might be a good book for you. But if you're an optimistic nihilist like me, watch Everything Everywhere All At Once instead. It's more fun anyway.
I think it would have been more enjoyable if it had been shorter. There were lots of times I felt it dragged on a bit.
Interesting premise, but I didn't really need such in depth info about making perfume. 3 stars because I like the idea and the parts where there is actual action going on.
I loved it. Wow. Can't wait to read the next one.
I found the dialogue at the beginning kind of annoying but I feel like it found its way. I was skeptical because I've watched the vlogbrothers since they started out and I didn't want to just blindly like something produced by one of them but I really did love it. It was fun and interesting and made me say “oh no” out loud when I listened to the audiobook.
This is really just a great book. I think it's a book everyone should read even if they're an adult despite it being considered “young adult” literature. Because I think everyone who has lived to the point of “young adulthood” can relate that period of their lives to Charlie's description of his.
I really like the way Charlie is just a very honest and straightforward character. I don't feel like anything is hidden and it's like looking into somebody's mind. It's lovely and I find it very unique. I guess I could kind of relate it to Holden Caulfield's stream of consciousness in The Catcher in the Rye, but Charlie is not Holden. He's kind of an opposite. While Holden sees everything that's wrong with the world and allows himself to feel crushed by it, Charlie sees these things and tries to cope with them the best he can. He cries a lot, but he never blames the world for his misfortune. And don't get me wrong: I like Holden and I agreed with many of his points. He and Charlie are just two different people who see and experience many of the same things, but take them different ways. I think that with help, both of them could learn to live happier lives in the future if they had a future. “So even if this does end up being my last letter, please believe that things are good with me, and even when they're not, they will be soon enough.” Maybe Holden would benefit from meeting Charlie. I liked how Charlie read The Catcher and the Rye and I wish I could have read his essay on it.
“I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have. Good and bad.”
This was super fun to read and I loved the writing style. I'm going to aim to read some more Sherlock Holmes books soon. Well, when I get through some of the other books on my list, which make take a while.
Read it because it was heavily referenced in Middle Game which I really loved. Just a fun bit of British sci fi that poses interesting and difficult questions about humanity.
It's good if you haven't looked into this before. I've been watching a lot of the YouTube channel How to ADHD and I think there's even more info there. Definitely good for helping you feel less alone as well.
Wow. It was pretty intense, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting that ending. Very interesting book.
I could not finish it. Maybe I will try again one day but I feel no pull to continue reading. I might just not “get it,” but it just feels like there's so much background information with not much plot and I'm already on part 3. I was drawn to it because of the controversy, but I'm pulling out because I'm bored and want to enjoy reading/listening to an audio book.
I couldn't finish it. There was no inspirational or deep meaning behind the paddleboarding. It just feels like a long humble brag. She says she didn't do it just for the achievement but then literally says she hoped someone would notice her on her preparation and ask what she was doing so she could tell them. I tried to read it but as it was not very exciting and not very meaningful and she seemed a bit presumptuous, I had no reason to care anymore.
I think Riggs has potential as an author, as I really thought the beginning was very well-written, but I felt like the book was a bit too forced. The pictures are interesting, but it seems like the story was written to fit in with the pictures rather than the pictures fitting in with the story. I suppose he probably was inspired by the photographs, but it just didn't go together as smoothly as I would have liked. It was interesting, but I don't think I'll be inclined to read any sequels, which the ending foreshadows are yet to come.
Very hard to read because it's so heartbreaking. But important to read to understand that the US is guilty of bloody and heartless genocide. Reparations are looking overdue. And more people need to be aware what really happened. It wasn't at all what I was taught in elementary school.
It's not my type of book but I read it for my book club and I think it's good for what it aims to be.
I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. I didn't like it so much at first, but I got more into it as I read it. It's not my favorite book in the whole world, but definitely one I'll remember. Maybe I'll read the sequel one day.
I wasn't sure if I would read this. I have never been particularly interested in the royal family as I do think the institution is archaic and should be done away with. Why should anybody be seen as more important simply because of the circumstances of their birth? But when I heard about Harry and Megan in the news, I've always rooted for them. I never actively sought out stories about them and I didn't bother with the Oprah special or Netflix special because I felt like while I hope they are doing well, I'm just not interested in celebrity gossip. But my book club decided to read this and admittedly with a title like Spare, I was really curious.
I don't agree with Harry on everything, like I do think the monarchy should be dissolved and I don't think the war in the Middle East was a worthy cause, but I really respect him. Yes he has not had to worry about finances in the way most people have and in that way he's very privileged. But I honestly don't know how much you'd have to pay me to make what he has been through, such as the devastating and public death of his mother and the intense surveillance and cruelty executed by the press. I don't think we should have a monarchy but I do believe human beings deserve to be treated like human beings, particularly by their own family members. I hope he and his family are living well now and it really does seem like he's living the life Diana would have wanted for herself and for him.
I enjoyed the writing and felt myself brought to tears a few times. I wasn't as interested in the stuff about the military but it was important to get the whole picture.
Oh also there are some wild things Harry writes in here that are pretty personal but I think it seems like a great way to get ahead of people who want to use something against you by saying it yourself first, so good for him honestly. Some parts were really amusing as well.
