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Sarah (7799 KP) rated The Alchemist in Books

Jul 3, 2018

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho | 1993 | Fiction & Poetry

7.2

(35 Ratings)

Book Rating

Overrated

I had high hopes for this book based on general hype and reviews, and sadly it didn’t quite live up to it.

It isn’t a bad book, not at all, it’s just very short and simple. It’s trying to be something very profound and inspirational, but for me it wasn’t. It has a nice message around following your dreams, but it comes across as a little cheesy and unbelievable. There was an odd quote in here that I actually really liked, but nothing much else to make me feel inspired. The characters too didn’t seem particularly well developed or interesting. The one bonus is that it is very short, so you can get through it fairly quickly without it starting to drag.

It’s an alright read, but not one I’d ever recommend as a “must read”.

Kudos

Anne (15117 KP) rated Little Weirds in Books

Nov 4, 2019

This was an interesting read/listen a bit different. It was a quick and short read with some humor, reflection and memoir type stories. It reminded me a bit of a one-woman play of sorts.
The first 1/3-1/2 of the book was sort of random except I connected more to some bits but after the first half, I found more to connect with and then with the last few chapters, I found it enlightening and connected quite a bit to that part.
It's a bit like a collection of mini-memoir essays that talk about being a woman, a child, growing up, figuring things out and having an enlightening moment of rising above hard times, etc.
If you're looking for a short listen with some quirkiness memoir type stories and such then you might enjoy this.

Kudos

Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Zima Blue and Other Stories in Books

Nov 29, 2019

Zima Blue and Other Stories

Alastair Reynolds | 2006 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

A collection of short stories by science fiction writer Alastair Reynolds, these stories showcase his world building outside of his more well-known Revelation Space epics. Each story is told with his flair for hard physics combined with space opera but always driven by the psyche of his characters.

With so many well-written stories here, there is bound to be much to be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys futuristic science fiction. The ideas are intriguing and clever, often provoking considerable thought. The writing is deft and fluid, keeping the pace up. Every story feels like a perfect capsule of the idea it contains, rarely too long and flabby or too short and rushed.

If you are a fan of Reynolds' other works or if you have never read a word he has written, this book will not disappoint.