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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Anatomy of a Scandal in Books

Mar 11, 2018  
Anatomy of a Scandal
Anatomy of a Scandal
Sarah Vaughan | 2018 | Thriller
8
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
A well-timed book about abuse of power
An Anatomy of a Scandal is a book about privilege and power, a timely novel given the recent spate of high profile sexual harassment cases. In this instance, James is a privileged, charismatic, successful member of Parliment and is accused of raping his mistress in a lift on the grounds of Westminster, while his doting wife Sophie, is torn between believing him and staying with him.

A trial then ensues, in which the accuser, Olivia is forced to face her worst nightmares, all the while fighting against a system in which he is king. Her lawyer Kate on the other hand, knows he is guilty, and we watch her back story unfold.

The book is told from alternating viewpoints with alternating timelines. As more of the past is revealed it is even more clear, that James is hiding more than expected.

An Anatomy of A Scandal exposes sexual assault for being more than just a moment in isolation. It is a culmination of behaviours and attitudes leading up to that moment and involves more than just the victim and the assaulter. An interesting read, and worth a trigger warning.
  
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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Peach in Books

Jan 15, 2018  
Peach
Peach
Emma Glass | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dark, harrowing but poetic - requires a trigger warning
This is a debut novel by author Emma Glass and she has produced something extraordinary. Her writing is confident and bridges any gap between prose and poetry, with emotion portrayed often through alliteration and repetition of key phrases.

The story follows Peach, who has been brutally battered and left bruised one night, though it is never clear what has happened. Her thoughts meander over the incident and the consequences in which at one point she believes she may be pregnant.

The remainder of the book paints a graphic picture of the effect the trauma has had on Peach and how this is expressed by her in changes to her body shape, and in her perception of the ordinary things of life.

There are mythical and superstitious elements to Peach's damaged psyche, which you will need to experience yourself. I must admit that some of it escaped me, but this thin volume has such power and leaves the reader in no doubt of Peach's pain and the ultimate consequences.

It is quite unlike anything I have read before, and whilst I cannot claim to have fully understood it, it definitely is unique. Unfortunately it is an acquired taste so not everyone will appreciate the style.
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Astonishing Color of After in Books

Mar 29, 2018  
The Astonishing Color of After
The Astonishing Color of After
Emily X.R. Pan | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Evocative descriptions (1 more)
Good characters
Just WOW. The Astonishing Color of After is about a teenage girl, an artist, dealing with her mother's depression and ensuing suicide. Part of what makes the book so fascinating is Leigh's constant description of colors. She uses color as shorthand for emotions - her grandmother might have a vermilion expression on her face, or she might be feeling very orange while staring at her mother's coffin at the funeral. Between colors-as-feelings and her insomnia-induced hallucinations (or magic - the book is deliberately, I think, noncommittal on whether some things only happen in her head or not) the entire book feels a little surrealistic. But grief and mourning DO feel surrealistic. The book is amazingly evocative and emotional and I absolutely adore it. This, along with City of Brass and Children of Blood and Bone, are definitely on my Best of 2018 list.

As an added bonus, the author is the American child of Taiwanese immigrants herself. So all the ghost traditions and folklore from Leigh's journey to Taiwan are from her ancestry as well.

This book was gorgeous. It may need a trigger warning for depression and suicide. If you can handle those themes, read it.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
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Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated A Touch of Death in Books

Mar 1, 2020  
A Touch of Death
A Touch of Death
Rebecca Crunden | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
New twist to the classic dystopians
Trigger Warning: Graphic gore, death, suicidal thoughts, torture.

When Rebecca approached me about reading A Touch of Death, I have to admit I was a little apprehensive. Dystopian is one of those genres that has been so overly saturated that nothing seems to be fresh. Luckily, my apprehension was unwarranted.

A Touch of Death is one of those books that will grab you the second you start reading it. This dystopian sci-fi novel grabbed me almost instantly. The plot was exciting and gave us a nice twist to the classic dystopian books. I liked all of the elements present, and they seemed to work pretty well together.

The main characters Kitty & Nate, were fascinating. I liked seeing how they interacted, and I loved the bit of bickering too. It did take me some time to warm up to both characters. I never seemed to connect to either of them, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. The relationships in the book were interesting to watch evolve, and I liked seeing how both Kitty & Nate changed throughout the book.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. I would have liked to connect more with the characters, but this was a solid 4 star read for me!