Novel
William Goldings "Lord of the Flies"
People are all born evil and selfish, always choosing themselves first. It is only society that makes us good or redeemable. How do we know? William Golding’s masterpiece puts this front and center, showing that good British boys will immediately slice each other’s throats the second the chips are down.
By Bryan Buffkin11 months ago in Critique
The Wager: A tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder
The Wager is a book about a boat called The Wager. It’s a good book and they’re planning on turning it into a movie. It’s about an aggressive captain. The crew hates him and mutiny’s against him, and the mutineers kill anyone loyal to him. It is a true story.
By Alex H Mittelman 11 months ago in Critique
The Uglies Series Review
The Uglies is a young adult dystopian series with a total of four books. It has a satisfying ending without having the characters suddenly act out of character. It also has a love triangle that is not frustrating because, given the circumstances, it makes sense. I highly recommend reading it!
By Rebecca Patton11 months ago in Critique
Where the Crawdads Sing. Runner-Up in Critique Challenge.
Cons: Big “Not Like Other Girls” energy from the heroine ; Heavy lean on the “Magical Negro” trope; Some of the worst poetry ever written ; Imagine an interesting love-triangle/murder mystery. Take out what makes it interesting. Pros:
By Helen Seder11 months ago in Critique
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
The raw power of longing sweeps you into this story. A cursed love triangle, and a dauntless heroine keep you there. It's a gorgeous take on the old caution to be careful what you wish for, as rich as Addie’s favourite black coffee. An enchanted midnight whisper of a novel.
By Lauren Everdell11 months ago in Critique
Where The Crawdads Sing
Where The Crawdads Sing poetically weaves abandonment and isolation into a swampland setting. Perhaps even more lyrical are the things inferred yet unsaid and the subtle trail of hints of unseen events. Even still, the concept of Man's justice as opposed to the laws of nature is the most epic.
By Marilyn Glover11 months ago in Critique
"Woom" by Duncan Ralston
A work of implausible anatomical assertions and insertions, Duncan Ralston's "Woom" had this reader scratching his head and reaching for the institutional hand sanitizer. Perhaps in this mess of shock and shlock there is a point … somewhere, but meaningfulness seems woefully absent from this gratuitous and hastily written tome.
By Mack Devlin12 months ago in Critique
"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
In this retelling of The Jungle Book, Neil Gaiman takes readers on a thrilling and frightening adventure through the realms of the living and the dead. The way Gaiman writes makes readers feel like they are enfolded in a warm, comfy sweater, even when he's scaring them half to death.
By Mack Devlin12 months ago in Critique
Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale is a great new book from Stephen King. There’s already a movie being made based on the book. It’s really detailed and has descriptions of the other world the main character walks into that are vivid and bring the story to life, making it all feel very real!
By Alex H Mittelman 12 months ago in Critique
A Critique of George Orwell's "1984"
"1984" has one glaring aspect that lies in its relentless bleakness, which at times can overshadow the depth of its social commentary. The exaggerated portrayal of totalitarian control, while serving as a cautionary tale, occasionally verges on the melodramatic, potentially distancing readers from engaging with the narrative and it's characters.
By James Robinson12 months ago in Critique
Who even cares who John Galt is?
Rand’s masterpiece of the human spirit, “Atlas Shrugged,” demonstrated that I can both appreciate the strength of writing while fundamentally disagreeing with the core philosophy of the work. The brutal entanglement of individual happiness and productivity miss the mark on the true beauty of the human spirit - boundless kindness.
By Colton Babladelis12 months ago in Critique