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viirastus

viirastus

Joined April 2020

A PhD student in linguistics from Estonia 🇪🇪
review
viirastus
My Devotion | Julia Kerninon
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Pickpick

A unique and complex love story by an extraordinary new voice in literature. So fresh and moving! I'd recommend it to fans of Elena Ferrante and similar authors. Hope it'll be nominated for international Booker next year. 🙏❤

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viirastus
Shadow of the Wind | Carlos Ruiz Zafon
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Mehso-so

It is a book designed to be a crowd-pleaser. The narrative is flowing, the plot is adventurous and complex, and it is very atmospheric. But while we‘re given a lot of details about every place and character, the details are often descriptive, as for the psychological complexity of the characters, there is almost no nuance at all. It has good enough entertainment value, some interesting ideas and plot points, but it doesn‘t teach you anything new.

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viirastus
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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Mehso-so

Oof, I have mixed feelings about this painful book. The writing was pretty good and I was really invested in the story at first, but overall it felt a bit repetitive, unbelievable and overwrought.

blurb
viirastus
Untitled | Unknown
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Sleepswithbooks Yay!!! 😃💛✨ 4y
Cupcake12 Looking forward to it xxx 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!!! 💌❤️ 4y
28 likes3 comments
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viirastus
Untitled | Unknown
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1. Yes, I've read more diverse books than last year. Partly because I started to follow some booktubers, joined Litsy, and started to follow some book prizes (e.g international Booker), which I haven't done before.

2. Sure. I would like to experience as many different fictional worlds as possible. 😊

Thanks for the tag @Mrs_B !
I'll tag @NeedsMoreBooks

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! ❤📚💙 4y
16 likes2 comments
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viirastus
Untitled | Unknown
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My first #litsylove letter is going out today. 😊

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viirastus
Untitled | Unknown

I'm looking for some #snailmail penpals. Anybody interested? 😊🙏 I'm a 25 y.o linguistics student from Estonia. Love long discussions about books, movies, travels, board games, cultural differences etc. If interested, leave a comment below or send an e-mail: johannakiik@hotmail.com

NeedsMoreBooks Hi Johanna! Perhaps you can join #LitsyLove. It is a group of pen pals from all over the world ❤️ 4y
MemoirsForMe @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks will set you up with the best pen pals! 🙌🏻💌📬 4y
viirastus @NeedsMoreBooks Sounds interesting! How can I join? 😃 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @viirastus email me at loverofbooks75@gmail .com with your username, name, address, and birthday !! We are a huge international pen pal group. You can write to as many or as few members as wish!! 4y
13 likes4 comments
review
viirastus
L'amica geniale | Elena Ferrante
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Pickpick

Finally finished the last part of the Neapolitan novels. It's a truly amazing series! The characters were so multilayered and lifelike. Nothing seemed simplified. Besides, Ferrante managed to create a story so immersive that all the people felt like your personal acquaintances. For those who haven't read it yet - even if you find it a bit slow and/or fragmented at first, bear with it, there's a good chance you're gonna love it by the end!

Leftcoastzen I need to start the 3rd book .they are quietly amazing. 4y
25 likes1 comment
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viirastus
Untitled | Unknown
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1. I live in Tartu, Estonia, Northern Europe ❄
2. “My Brilliant Friend“ by Elena Ferrante or “A Ladder to the Sky“ by John Boyne for completely different reasons.
3. It depends. 300-400 pages I'd say.
4. Whoever hasn't played yet, consider yourself tagged! :)

Thanks for the tag! @RamsFan1963

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viirastus
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#7days7books Day 7. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

I read it fairly recently, but I feel like it deserves a place in this list nevertheless.

22 likes3 stack adds
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viirastus
Alias Grace/ Alias Grace | Margaret Eleanor Atwood
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#7days7books Day 6. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

32 likes2 stack adds
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viirastus
The Master and Margarita | Mikhail Bulgakov
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#7days7books Day 5. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

21 likes2 stack adds
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viirastus
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#7days7books Day 4. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

26 likes1 stack add
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viirastus
Kafka on the Shore | Haruki Murakami
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#7days7books Day 3. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

AmyG My favorote of his. 5y
NeedsMoreBooks This is one of my favorites 💖 5y
25 likes1 stack add2 comments
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viirastus
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#7days7books Day 2. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

NeedsMoreBooks Forgot about this one! This is a favorite 💖 5y
BarbaraBB I used this one too for this challenge l! 5y
18 likes1 stack add2 comments
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viirastus
Northern Lights | Philip Pullman
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#7days7books Day 1. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me.

Thanks for the tag! 😊 @NeedsMoreBooks

NeedsMoreBooks Thank you for the reminder to read the trilogy ❤️ 5y
22 likes1 comment
review
viirastus
A Ladder to the Sky | John Boyne
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Pickpick

This is a book about ambition, vanity and complete lack of empathy. It also explores the borders of plagiarism. Our main character is a guy, who wants to become a writer, despite being unable to write a proper story, so he uses other people's ideas in a very cruel way to climb the so called “ladder“ to fame. The narration style was unique and very captivating! I especially admired the way John Boyne is able to write dialogue. Definitely recommend!

AmyG Great book. 5y
24 likes1 comment
review
viirastus
Memory Police | Yoko Ogawa
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Pickpick

@rmaclean4 @RachelO You were right, this novel was really good! :)

I found this story about the relevance of memories, emotions and identity to be very powerful and thought-provoking. Would recommend it to everyone, who are looking for an accessible, intellectual read.

rmaclean4 So glad you liked it! It is a book that has stayed with me. 5y
rockpools Oh good, I‘m glad you liked it. I agree with @rmaclean4 - it‘s one I‘ve been thinking about since I finished it. 5y
20 likes2 comments
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viirastus
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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I was just wondering if anybody would be up for a buddy read of “A Little Life“ sometime in May? 😄

I've been wanting to read it for awhile, but haven't got round to it yet. I've heard that the book is emotional and controversial, so thought it would be great to discuss it with somebody along the way.

thevagabondlawyer My god, my favorite book 4y
23 likes1 comment
review
viirastus
Once Upon a River | Diane Setterfield
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Mehso-so

This magical mystery about storytelling and a child who is found dead from the river and then comes back to life was thematically quite interesting. Several people in the community believe her to be their lost relative, but no one is sure. I also liked the setting (19th century London) and most of the characters. However, it often felt overly descriptive and too fragmented. I probably would have liked it more if it didn't drag for 500+ pages.

22 likes1 stack add
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viirastus
City of Girls | Elizabeth Gilbert
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This travelled to a new reader today. 😊

#bookexchange

review
viirastus
City of Girls | Elizabeth Gilbert
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Mehso-so

I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the writing style throughout the book. But on the other hand, the first half of the book was just boooring, I even DNF'd it initially and picked it up only 3 months later. There was just too much fluff and nothing significant happened in the first few hundred pages. However, the second half had a more serious tone and was quite interesting.

Lesanne Welcome to Litsy! 🥳 5y
21 likes1 comment
review
viirastus
Milkman | Anna Burns
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Pickpick

It is a unique take on the paranoid atmosphere that accompanies political conflict. We follow a young nameless girl who's stalked by an older man and who's accused of being his mistress by the community (she's not). The prose is lyrical and emotionally rich, even if at times claustrophobic and challenging. The author pays a lot of attention to detail and shows how harmless habits like reading while walking can make one a social outcast.

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viirastus
A Ladder to the Sky | John Boyne
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Got this from a local book exchange network.

Has anybody read it? 🌞

La_Cori I read last year and I loved it! One of the best book from 2019 for me 😉 5y
viirastus @La_Cori That sounds really promising! 5y
22 likes2 comments
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viirastus
Milkman | Anna Burns
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😂 😂

Curiouser_and_curiouser Which page is this? I'm just about to begin this on audio after reading a few chapters last year from a borrowed paperback. I've heard mixed reactions. How far are you in and are you enjoying it? 5y
viirastus @Curiouser_and_curiouser Page 243 in the hardback edition (in the beginning of chapter 6). I just finished the book and I think that if you liked the writing style in the first few chapters, then you're gonna enjoy the rest of the book as well. It was quite a challenging read, but I found it thought-provoking and really unique. 🙃 Oh, and the audiobook is great! I listened to some parts and read others. (edited) 5y
16 likes2 comments
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viirastus
Shadow of the Wind | Carlos Ruiz Zafon
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These arrived in the mail today. 😊

Which one should I read first?

Louise The Shadow of the Wind. It is wonderful! And then order the next 3 books in the series! Enjoy! 5y
rmaclean4 I loved the Memory Police! It is up for the international Booker. Happiness is a beautiful quiet novel. I am in the minority in that I did not like The Name of the Wind. 5y
viirastus @Louise Thanks! I have really high expectations for this one! 🙂 I have actually already read “The Labyrinth of the Spirits“, because the author has said that you can read them in any order. It was a really immersive reading experience! 5y
See All 24 Comments
viirastus @rmaclean4 Thanks for the suggestions! Looking forward to reading them. 🙂 “The Shadow of the Wind“ and “The Name of the Wind“ are different books though. “Shadow...“ is set in Spain after WW2 and “Name...“ is a high-fantasy novel. 5y
Louise Wow, you started by jumping into the deep end! All the Cemetery Of Forgotten Books volumes are so amazingly well-written. I adore the character Fermín. He gets some of the best lines! ? (edited) 5y
viirastus @Louise Yes, the writing is amazing! Fermín is my favourite character as well based on “Labyrinth...“. His scenes were always so funny. 😄 5y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Of these, I've only read The Shadow of the Wind and I definitely recommend it. I, too, am a huge fan of Fermin Romero de Torres. 5y
Debdeb I finished the binding at the weekend, loved it! 5y
viirastus @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @Debdeb Thanks for the suggestions! 😊 I'm new to Litsy and I'm very pleasantly surprised how friendly and interactive the community seems to be! 5y
cleoh I haven‘t read any of these but I‘ve heard amazing things about The Memory Police! 5y
JenlovesJT47 Welcome to Litsy! 🤗 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Ive only read The Binding - interesting and original! Welcome to Litsy! 5y
Avanders Hi & welcome!! 👋🏽 It‘s a wonderful bookish home - ask if you have questions! (&thx for the tag @BethM 😘) 5y
i.z.booknook I‘ve read The Binding but not the others. It took me a little while to get it into it but it turned out to be really engaging after the first third or so and a really original concept I think 😊 5y
MrBook Thank you, @BethM 🤗! Welcome to the #LitsyFamily!!! 5y
Bookzombie Thank you @Chrissyreadit ! 💗 I haven‘t read any of these. The Shadow of the Wind is on my shelf. 🙂 5y
viirastus Hello, everybody! :) @cleoh Same. I've heard good things about it too. And I generally quite like Japanese literature. @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Awesome! :) @TheAliceEvers I'll keep that in mind and try to be patient then. Thanks for the opinion! 5y
rockpools Welcome to Litsy! I‘ve just finished Memory Police and thought it was WONDERFUL! 5y
viirastus @RachelO good to hear that! 😃 checked out your other reviews for International Booker as well. it's good to hear people's thoughts on the shortlist. 🙂 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🥳🌺🥳 5y
TK421 Welcome to Litsy! 5y
40 likes1 stack add24 comments