I was so aghast when you said you didn't absolutely love Circe I was holding my hands over the keyboard, ready to unleash my wrath like a scorned greek god, but then you made several compelling arguments and now I am confused. This isn't how its supposed to go.
That's how I felt! I really enjoyed that book, but Cindy makes really good points and now I'm like "....hm....maybe I should read it again." I did think that Circe was pretty rude and unkind to the other nymphs on her island, despite the fact that they probably had a lot in common.
So, I do enjoy Greek mythology, but I agree with your criticism of Circe. I wanted to love it and just couldn't. It felt too much like a Cliffs Notes version of Circe's history. Granted, a more fun version of Cliffs Notes, but not an interesting novel. Song of Achilles made me cry. Circe is a book I read.
Same. As soon as I finished reading Circe and went to gush about it on Goodreads, I read a review that made many similar points as Cindy did. My immediate reaction was to be pissed, but then I realized they were pretty accurate and also those bits of the book weren’t what made me love it. I mean give me a woman who lets men thinks she’s utterly helpless until their ribs are cracking open and they scream dying because they did or tried to rape her and I AM SOLD. When she said, “As it turned out, I did kill pigs that night after all.” I was done. In the best possible way.
yea it's always a toss-up for me to balance out how much i actually enjoyed it personally vs how objectively good it is! i try to rate it as an average in-between the two categories
Bahahaha this is sooo true. Soulless was like this smutty feminist ish werewolf romance and it was like I obviously think the kite runner is better but I have to give this five stars also.
Right?? I read a book about feminism (written by a man 🙃) that said that 50 SHADES OF GREY was A ¡¡¡FEMINIST BOOK!!! because Anna was so in tune with her sexuality !!2!?’11!!!!?!????! I had a stroke when I read that
Delfina Garcia Oh my blessed fruit! Seriously? Not only is that a pathetically simplistic way of looking at feminism, it also makes me think that man either did not read or deeply misunderstood „50 shades of Grey”, since Ana’s sexuality simply does not exist before she meets Christian Von Douchebaggery Grey and pretty much forces herself (at least in the first and second book, if i recall correctly) to participate in most of their sexual exploits to please him and keep his interest. Any enjoyment she gets out of (some) of them is a byproduct of her insecurity and naive belief that he is a god amongst men (more like a half eaten, moldy jar of jam in human form). If you don’t mind, would you be so kind and tell me the name of this author? You’ve now infected me with morbid curiosity about his book. Double crap, as Ana would say. Oh, also, if you’re interested, Folding Ideas here on youtube, has a fantastic song parody of the „Fifty Shades” trilogy titled „Charlie Tango.” It could give you a good laugh. 😊
haggisa the author is Argentinian and the book is in Spanish, I don’t know if you understand it, it’s simply called “ELLAS” which is the feminine form of “them” in Spanish. On the matter of criticizing the trilogy, I recommend you the reviews by The Dom, he is hilarious, he is British and he hates 50SOG with his guts
Delfina Garcia Hehe, thanks for answering; my spanish is indeed limited, but i do use it to compliment my cats by calling them „guapa gatita” sometimes, so yeah...would not understand the book, sadly. Oh well.😊 But heh, funny that you should mention The Dom, because i love him dearly and his reviews for the trilogy and his passionate, comedic hatred for it had me feeling a weird mix of amusement and validation. :) The Dom fans unite! 👋🏼
I say this often about The Handmaid's Tale; you have to remember that the point of view of the book is limited to a main character who has a very selfish and limited view of the world. This is shown when, in her flash backs to before, she actively ignores the news of things changing and shuts down the people in her life trying to stop these changes (her mother, her best friend) and always refuses to go against the grain even when she doesn't agree with what's going on. I agree that there is limited world building and it is completely unsatisfiying in explaining how the world got there. I suppose what I'm saying is that the book is more of a warning to not let yourself be as ignorant or passive as the main character.
that's a good point. i knew the author was intentionally creating a very limited perspective and thus the worldbuilding and narrative had to be that way, so it was hard for me to rate this objectively. i guess i question if there could still be a more satisfying narrative and better worldbuilding even with an ignorant main character, or if the lesson can still be shown with a broader POV or multiple POVs.
Interesting... I don't remember feeling this way about Handmaid's Tale, but I DID get annoyed by the limited perspective in Oryx and Crake, which I just finished. The main dude is likewise kinda self-absorbed, and so we get almost no insight into Crake (the dude who basically casts himself as Shiva, destroying the humanity to create a new version) and even less into Oryx (beyond her being a mysterious, beautiful, damaged lady). I was also confused about how Atwood wanted the reader to feel about this Apocalypse, because the result is actually kind of beautiful and edenic; but NOT getting any insight into Crake's motivations and the fact that the narrator hates this new world makes it feel like you aren't supposed to like it. Maybe mixed feelings is the point? I dunno...
@@PirateQueen1720 the next two books in the Oryx and Crake series was better than the first IMO. I don’t think we ever are really supposed to know much about the man/cataclysm that ends humanity, although we do learn more about him in the latter books. I do remember feeling this way (like Cindy) about the Handmaid’s take and this main comment really made me stop and ponder my original thoughts. I agree, thank you for a different perspective, @sometimessunday.
Great point, I want to add that the adaptation, ie the show might be a great watch for cindy. It definitely is very adult rating, in terms of assault and rape and violence, but the world building gets explored and it is still going on. The first season is based on the book, and still it does a lot to bring everything alive and from then onwards, its an entire story in its own regard completely. There is a sequel to THT and you also might wanna read that. I haven't yet but it packs a lot more than this.
It's interesting that you say you were disappointed by Circe being the side character in her own story, because that's a facet of the book I really loved! I felt that Circe didn't want all the power, attention, and drama that came with being a god, she just wanted a simple, happy, fulfilling life. I related to that a lot, especially as someone who comes from a stressful family dynamic. I think a lot of what drew her to mortals is that they were simpler. She liked being happy, self-sufficient, and in control of her own island and magic, unlike her brothers and sister. I think your idea of her having an island full of rebellious goddesses is interesting, but it didn't bother me as it was. Circe was a deeply cathartic book for me, so I may be blind to its faults...ANYWAY, I'm sorry you didn't like it more!
thanks for sharing ur thoughts!! i can definitely see what u mean that there can be an appeal to how "quiet" circe's strength was and how u dont have to be a central character and do some epic revolution to be considered strong.
I'm so sorry your depression has been flaring up worse than usual and I hope that things start to turn around for you soon. Finding ways to promote happiness and overall quality of life is super hard , but totally worth it! Thank you for all your amazing content
the funny thing is that we have a call and response cheer in marching band using that. It goes: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! Crowd: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! We sing this to pump you up! Crowd: We sing this to pump you up! Wam bam thank you ma'am! Crowd: Wam bam thank you ma'am! Come on (group/person) do your thing! Group/person: We/I can't! Why not? Group/person: Because we/I can't! Why not?! Group/person: Because my back aches, the sun's too hot, my booty shakes from the left, to the right, to the left, to the right, to the left, right, left, right, left right left right left right AGH! (it's supposed to be dumb and silly, haha)
I really appreciate how authentic and honest your reviews are. Sometimes I have unpopular opinions on books but because they are so popular or unpopular I am made to think my opinion is wrong or unjustified. However watching your reviews has made me appreciate all my opinions on books and I enjoy reading so much more now I am a more critical reader but also a reader who loves books for me not what other people think of them. ( idk if this made sense but yeah😂) xx
i think hearing different opinions & critiques of books is important. even when i LOVE a book, i'm interested in hearing critiques for it because it helps encourage me to be a more thoughtful reader. i also think u can still enjoy a book personally even if it's not good critically! in the case of Circe, i was just lucky to have some solid(ish) points for critique to justify me feeling "meh" about it lol
readwithcindy yes I totally agree. Say for example I really enjoyed the cruel prince but I have valued listening to other peoples more critical opinions on it as it has allowed me to also be a more thoughtful reader
I've adored Circe, but thank you for pointing out the missed opportunity with the nymphs, bcs i also thought that the empowerment lacked something crucial without finding the right words but as you said, it was female friendships and solidarity throughout the story And thanks for the rec for Educated, Imma check that out~
@@withcindy I think that the reason why the nymphs being depicted as they are didn't really bother me is because it is basically a writing device to set Circe apart from the other gods. If she never found any solace while amognst them when she was free I kinda doubt she would make any meaningfull connection with them while in exile. I know that Circe really plays into the whole "not like other girls/nymphs" trope, but it does fit into her story to be different from everyone else around her.
I really loved Circe, but I agreed with Cindy about Circe's treatment of the outcast nymphs. Circe had an "I'm not like other girls" vibe, since the author painted all nymphs (and the other various women) as extremely vain and self-serving.
I was so happy when the nymphs started coming when Circe was feeling depressed about her isolation. Surely female companionship would help provide comfort in her trying times! But nope, serving muscly sailors it is. The nymphs were just....cast to the side. I barely remembered they were in the book until I watched this review.
I really don't understand this comment.. Miller didn't only paint girls as vain, she painted every participant in the patriarchy as vain and self-serving. There are paragraphs upon paragraphs of Helios' vanity, of the vanity of Aeetes, the vanity of Odysseus... The point of Circe is not that she's "not like other girls" its that she's not like other divinity... She finds her humanity despite her divine blood. Her arc is about what it truly means to be human. To keep this humanity regardless of what the world does to try to take it away. Specifically with the nymphs, I find it a much more interesting commentary on the effects of patriarchy, that the world is basically saying the only power of a nymph is what she can offer a man/her husband, she must be beautiful and wicked in order to climb the social ladder. Circes rejection of this patriarchal system is very intentional, it isn't blaming the women for acting in the way that suits their best interest in this world, its a commentary on the system itself. "Even the most beautiful nymph is largely useless, and an ugly one would be nothing, less than nothing." This comes from the point of view of Circe and Aeetes, who both live in and operate within the patriarchal system. It is Aeetes that identifies for the reader exactly what the purpose of nymph is in society, to be beautiful and find a husband and have children. Its not an omniscient observer who makes these claims about their society, its two individuals who operate within it. I find it very similar to the way Patroclus views how the world remembers the life of Achilles. The world, through its patriarchal lens, views him as only a war mongering brute full of arrogance and pride, Patroclus begs the reader through his memory to know his good deeds, his humanity. The beauty that lingers through even the smallest actions that showed he was not just a vain god, but a human as well. I think Miller really excels at writing how society itself tries to strip your humanity from you, but her characters desperately try to find and keep themselves from that fate. If not, then they're already dead, just as the Gods are already dead, they can't hold anything meaningful in their hands, everything beautiful and swift moves on and they are left with nothing. Sorry its long, Im not sure if it all made sense but that's how I see the novel... Definitely not a perfect work of feminist literature but I don't think its fair to say Miller specifically painted all women as vain.. Especially given the context of Circes upbringing and location, like how many opportunities would she even have to meet a modest woman... I feel like people aren't giving Miller credit for the incredible world building that simultaneously comments on the patriarchy of today.
SoC was good but I wasn't terribly invested and the only reason I read on to CK was so I could watch your spoilers video and JESUS FUCK AM I GLAD I DID but also regretting it because I won't be able to get anything productive done for the next week because I'll just be thinking about this damned book and Kaz and Inej damn
As someone who's having a mental breakdown right now, I really appreciate your humour. Your videos always make me laugh, even if you're trash-talking a book that I like (which wasn't the case for this video, since I've only read a Ruin and Rising out of the books you mentioned lol). How do you always make such good arguments??? I'm total trash for your channel wtf
idk if you know/care about zodiac signs but i’m a virgo and we literally thrive on the god complex which explains my love for greek mythology so once AGAIN you’ve just attacked me
"Educated" was a phenomenal memoir. I watch Tara a lot on TH-cam and I see she seems to be a very insightful, analytical person. 5 stars and well deserving of a second read.
To summarize. This is a wham bam wrap up. I love it. I felt the same way about the Handmaid’s Tale. I read it for my English class, so we had a lot of great discussion. But it definitely had a very dissatisfying ending. The fact that it’s getting a sequel (IDK WHY?) like...I don’t know how to feel about that🤠
The sequel (The Testaments) is about how Gilead works. Atwood goes into all the questions she gets asked the most and gives POVs of women other than June.
Educated sounds quite amazing and you really made me wanna pick it up. I think I need some motivation and this one sounds like something I could definitely empathize with myself
It one of the best books I have ever read I literally couldn’t put it down and became so emotionally invested in like I wanted to walk through the pages and shake her parents into sensibility
I read Circe this month for The Booktube Games and I grew up loving Greek mythology. I had a lot of the same thoughts about Circe as you. It was a solid story but I don’t think it lived up to a lot of the hype. The prose was beautiful but I wanted more than just her and a bunch of heroes that came to her island. Also the ending 🤮 the incest. I guess in her case it was more normal. Props to you for enjoying it, I couldn’t get over it.
I do love mythology, and I loved Circe. However, I feel that part of my love for it was her extraordinary ability to communicate loneliness. I grew up cult-adjacent, and honestly it was s h o c k i n g how well she communicated what it's like to deprogram and the grieving process and isolation from toxic family/friends that often goes with it. That being said, not everyone has to like everything, and the themes that resonated deeply with me were absolutely not universal.
OMG yes I agree about Circe. I also noticed that she literally slept with EVERYONE. It had so much more potential to be a true feminist story. 🤔 Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. Madeline Miller does write beautifully though.
yea honestly i dont mind if she sleeps with everyone cuz like... that's her choice if she wants to get some LOL but her sleeping with any of those men did not further her character development IMO. at the end of the day that's what should matter
Ahh thanks for talking about Circe because i was not sure if i was gonna pick this up but now it doesn't sound like my thing. I really love your wrap ups- like even they are long, they are always super fun to watch :)
I just read Circe and I loved it but hearing your points does make sense. The nymphs, even Ariadne could have been better developed relationships for Circe. I did enjoy her relationship with Penelope though, even if it should have gotten more attention than it did.
As for The Handmaid's Tale, I always saw it as a snapshot of a very real possibility of our reality, where the numbness and unawareness of a group allowed for such a change to happen, tilting the power balance we have, at least in some level. But definitely blue balls from the ending.😂
I really just went and binge watched your channel omg, I haven't watched booktube videos in like a year but all of yours make me so damn happy and excited about reading again! I can't get enough of your videos! If a book gets a 5 star from you, I KNOW I have to read it :)
educated checked my privilege so hard. i'm an asian girl, which is pretty minority as they get. but i did also grow up in a middle class suburb and was lucky enough to go to a private high school and college. this book really just put my entire life into perspective and i love it.
What I've realized with this video, and with pretty much all the videos I've watched of you, is that you could honestly roast and drag all my favorite books of all time that I would just sit there and say: 'Yes Cindy go off!' lmaoo I just love your personality and the way you express yourself
I rated it 4 stars but tbh I think I personally am feeling it as more like 3.5 stars. I enjoyed all the metaphors and anecdotes and double meanings of his poetry and I also think it's a lot more powerful to hear him reading it out loud. I also really enjoyed his poems that talked about the struggles of black identity and realization of toxic masculinity. The main caveat I had was that he seemed to often write about women he barely knows as some ethereal creature (a girl he sees at Starbucks, a girl he’s in a FWB relationship with, etc). This reminds me a lot of the typical self-pitying male writer who overly romanticizes women and only likes the idea of them without actually knowing them. I prefer the poems where he's talking about or criticizing his own identity because that's actually grounded in what he knows about himself
@@withcindy I agree that it can be a lot more powerful hearing him read it out loud. For sure. I understand your view point. I never read it that way. I'm glad you didn't absolutely despise it though, ha!
thats why i did a live show for SoC!! but to be fair, i cant truly tell if i'm gonna like a book if i haven't read it yet. i was hoping i'd like circe lol
It was interesting hearing your thoughts on Handmaid's Tale. I just recently read it and also had mixed feelings. The Hulu series definitely does everything that the book lacks IMO. I ended up giving it 3 stars
Also regarding Circe... what a concept it would be if a woman’s character development didn’t hinge on her (slight spoiler warning also CW) getting sexually assaulted...
Glad to see someone else who was underwhelmed by Circe. XD I liked the prose, but Circe is one of the most passive and static protagonists I've seen for a long time. (Except for in the last 20%; the book sticks the landing.)
Your hatred of the Grisha trilogy is so pure and makes me so happy 😂 Really intrigued by Circe. I hadn't heard a single bad thing about (until now) - which made me suspicious. Going to give it a go, but cautiously.
Song of achilles is one of my fave books but i was kinda "meh" about circe i guess i was too hyped up for it both by myself since i adored her first book and by other ppl
So glad you got to Educated! I listened to it early last year and LOVED, I've been watching many of her book tour interviews on youtube as well. So many great reflections on learning and family.
I love Circe in the beginning then hated it half way. It was repetitive and Circe just started annoying me. The writing itself was good but nothing else. It didn't strike me as feminist, sex isn't all there is to feminism. The only reason I finished it was because of the booktube games and the good writing is the only reasons I gave it 3 stars.
I’m currently going through a depressed slump and I really needed this today! You made me laugh 😆 I will be picking up Educated ASAP and taking The Happiness project off my tbr. Thank you for being honest and real, I really enjoy your content!
You should read Song of Achilles, I'd love to hear your opinion on it. Also it has my favourite ship ever, like I'm ready to jump in the book and marry them to each other lmao
Finally, someone else who felt meh about circe! I thought i was the only one!! Also i love you saying Wam Bam Thank You Ma’am in a Bang! Pow! Sweater 😂😂😂😂
I always love your reviews! I felt similarly about Educated and The Handmaid's Tale. I still have yet to read Circe, but I do love mythology, so I feel optimistic. Also nearly died when you said different strokes for different folks. 😂
@@withcindy I'll let you know when I eventually get to it. I can't decide between starting with Circe or Song of Achilles. I'm leaning toward the latter, though now. 😅
YES CIRCE oh damn .. Luke warm ? 🤣😩 Agreed that she felt like a side character in her own story lmao See this makes me so nervous to read the grisha trilogy lol but the book community has advised me to read it before six of crows 🙄
my experience (so far!) with cutesey self-help books like that is that they always 1. end up being super generic, cliche advice that's probs not actually helpful to the reader 2. end up being more autobiography than self-help and 3. typically are written by someone with privilege up the wazoo. but then i think, to write a cutesey millennial-esque self-help book, an author would probs /have/ to have privilege in order to even be offered a book deal about it to begin with bc this author would have to have a following of people looking at their life and wanting to see how they deal with "problems" and "adulting" and "achieving happiness". idk - i guess the lesson i ended up teaching myself as i wrote this is that i should stay away from cutesy self-help books and read something a little more helpful lolol
ok THANK YOU for bringing up the points u did about circe. i did give it four stars but almost gave it three and just. i appreciated hearing your thoughts on it. also educated sounds AMAZING. i've seen it around but now i really want to pick it up!!
i almost gave it 4 stars out of pressure that i might be missing something but ultimately i decided fuck it and gave it 3 lol i hope u enjoy educated!!
Haven’t read Circe and it’s been high up on my TBR so I am interested now to compare what you said to my own ideas when I read it! You said some freaking compelling points! It’s always a blast watching your videos.
as usual your video lifted my spirits! I listened to Educated in January and also gave it 5 stars, just wanted to put out there that the narration is also amazing if anyone prefers audiobooks :) I'm actually considering starting a "Cindy's quotes" notebook because your thoughts on books are hilarious :)
Coming across this pretty late but wanted to ask if you read the section at the end of the novel which is like a lecture in the future, where they discuss the text. It's still part of the novel and it's extremely clever in communicating the message of why Atwood chose to focus on the feelings and emotions of Offred's experience and not the historical details. It criticizes how academia, most frequently monopolized by men, favors analytical stories over emotional ones and they devalue Offred's records of her experience because it's not the information they wanted to know. Just really, really interesting, and I wonder if it would have reframed your frustration over the ending.
Circe is on my March 2019 TBR. I like watching your reviews. I appreciate that you make people step back and think about things in a different way. Me, I'm just like, "I loved this book! I loved that book! I love ALL THE BOOKS!" If I don't love it, I don't finish it, and I don't rate it at all. I call it plausible deniability. :)
Ahhh I have been bingeing your vids since last night. Love what you said about Greek mythology - often so gratuitous and unnecessary. Doesn't make you an intellectual because you can name a few gods. But also, I just don't find it entertaining and I feel like everyone else is obsessed with it. Such a good review!
Circe banging dudes < expanding Sea Monster story Circe banging dudes < Sea Monster POV Circe banging dudes < Circe and Sea Monster Circe banging dudes < Sea Monster eating dudes I mean if you didn't sea the potential for that natural progression...I can't help you. (Tbh, haven't read the book but my thoughts got away from me when you reviewed it XD)
Cindy's critiques on the whole feminist retelling of Circe makes so much sense with how much missed opportunity there was with the immortals that were scorned by the Olympian gods now I wish the book was redone in such a way where there were more female connections and companionships :(
I am SOO glad you gave Educated 5 stars and enjoyed it so much! I read it last year and I loved it! I also found it to be pretty reliable because of the footnotes from other family members where her memory was fuzzy. a coworker is reading it right now, and she is really frustrated with Tara for not leaving her family earlier. I have to restrain myself to not yell at her: SHE WAS A CHILD! she was completely removed from society and taught to not trust anything. So, of course, she's not going to leave. I'm so sorry about your own experiences with your family.
yeah i dont get people's criticisms for her not leaving earlier. her family was literally the only thing she ever knew. i've asked my sister before why she doesnt cut off connections with our parents and she said that it was because she doesnt have anything else in her life. so i can understand tara's internal struggle for that- i think deep down she wanted that familial love even if it was unhealthy and dangerous for her
@@withcindy I agree with you that Tara wanted the familial love. Her interactions with her older brother who abused her. She was afraid of him, but still spent time with him. I think it really speaks to how we as people really desire a a community and close bonds. I hope your sister and your experience with your family is nowhere near as bad as Tara's. I also hope , that if she needs to, she's able to disassociate like you have. My dad's brother is a very toxic person, his daughter doesn't speak to him, and my dad up until his death didn't speak to him. My uncle tried to form a relationship with me and my brother, but quickly showed his true colors and we have distanced ourselves from him as well. It's different when it's not a parental figure though, and he was not a part of our lives growing up. So it was easy to distance ourselves.
I was so aghast when you said you didn't absolutely love Circe I was holding my hands over the keyboard, ready to unleash my wrath like a scorned greek god, but then you made several compelling arguments and now I am confused. This isn't how its supposed to go.
booktube isnt supposed to use logic!! RAAHHH
That's how I felt! I really enjoyed that book, but Cindy makes really good points and now I'm like "....hm....maybe I should read it again." I did think that Circe was pretty rude and unkind to the other nymphs on her island, despite the fact that they probably had a lot in common.
This is what happens when a woke booktuber speaks to your soul.
So, I do enjoy Greek mythology, but I agree with your criticism of Circe. I wanted to love it and just couldn't. It felt too much like a Cliffs Notes version of Circe's history. Granted, a more fun version of Cliffs Notes, but not an interesting novel. Song of Achilles made me cry. Circe is a book I read.
Same. As soon as I finished reading Circe and went to gush about it on Goodreads, I read a review that made many similar points as Cindy did. My immediate reaction was to be pissed, but then I realized they were pretty accurate and also those bits of the book weren’t what made me love it. I mean give me a woman who lets men thinks she’s utterly helpless until their ribs are cracking open and they scream dying because they did or tried to rape her and I AM SOLD. When she said, “As it turned out, I did kill pigs that night after all.” I was done. In the best possible way.
Personally I wish there could be separate ratings for “how much I enjoyed the book personally” vs. “how objectively good I think it was.”
YES
yea it's always a toss-up for me to balance out how much i actually enjoyed it personally vs how objectively good it is! i try to rate it as an average in-between the two categories
Bahahaha this is sooo true. Soulless was like this smutty feminist ish werewolf romance and it was like I obviously think the kite runner is better but I have to give this five stars also.
Good point about sexuality and empowerment. I think feminists sometimes mistake sex as being *inherently* empowering.
yea im kinda tired of "reclaiming sexuality" as being the ONLY way to show feminism. sometimes i dont want a femme fatale character lol
Right?? I read a book about feminism (written by a man 🙃) that said that 50 SHADES OF GREY was A ¡¡¡FEMINIST BOOK!!! because Anna was so in tune with her sexuality !!2!?’11!!!!?!????! I had a stroke when I read that
Delfina Garcia Oh my blessed fruit! Seriously?
Not only is that a pathetically simplistic way of looking at feminism, it also makes me think that man either did not read or deeply misunderstood „50 shades of Grey”, since Ana’s sexuality simply does not exist before she meets Christian Von Douchebaggery Grey and pretty much forces herself (at least in the first and second book, if i recall correctly) to participate in most of their sexual exploits to please him and keep his interest. Any enjoyment she gets out of (some) of them is a byproduct of her insecurity and naive belief that he is a god amongst men (more like a half eaten, moldy jar of jam in human form).
If you don’t mind, would you be so kind and tell me the name of this author? You’ve now infected me with morbid curiosity about his book. Double crap, as Ana would say.
Oh, also, if you’re interested, Folding Ideas here on youtube, has a fantastic song parody of the „Fifty Shades” trilogy titled „Charlie Tango.”
It could give you a good laugh. 😊
haggisa the author is Argentinian and the book is in Spanish, I don’t know if you understand it, it’s simply called “ELLAS” which is the feminine form of “them” in Spanish.
On the matter of criticizing the trilogy, I recommend you the reviews by The Dom, he is hilarious, he is British and he hates 50SOG with his guts
Delfina Garcia Hehe, thanks for answering; my spanish is indeed limited, but i do use it to compliment my cats by calling them „guapa gatita” sometimes, so yeah...would not understand the book, sadly. Oh well.😊
But heh, funny that you should mention The Dom, because i love him dearly and his reviews for the trilogy and his passionate, comedic hatred for it had me feeling a weird mix of amusement and validation. :) The Dom fans unite! 👋🏼
"Can I abort mission?"
God me every single day of 2019
me every day of my life
@@withcindy same tbh
How's 2020 for you? 😂
2020- hold my beer
I say this often about The Handmaid's Tale; you have to remember that the point of view of the book is limited to a main character who has a very selfish and limited view of the world.
This is shown when, in her flash backs to before, she actively ignores the news of things changing and shuts down the people in her life trying to stop these changes (her mother, her best friend) and always refuses to go against the grain even when she doesn't agree with what's going on.
I agree that there is limited world building and it is completely unsatisfiying in explaining how the world got there.
I suppose what I'm saying is that the book is more of a warning to not let yourself be as ignorant or passive as the main character.
that's a good point. i knew the author was intentionally creating a very limited perspective and thus the worldbuilding and narrative had to be that way, so it was hard for me to rate this objectively. i guess i question if there could still be a more satisfying narrative and better worldbuilding even with an ignorant main character, or if the lesson can still be shown with a broader POV or multiple POVs.
Interesting... I don't remember feeling this way about Handmaid's Tale, but I DID get annoyed by the limited perspective in Oryx and Crake, which I just finished. The main dude is likewise kinda self-absorbed, and so we get almost no insight into Crake (the dude who basically casts himself as Shiva, destroying the humanity to create a new version) and even less into Oryx (beyond her being a mysterious, beautiful, damaged lady). I was also confused about how Atwood wanted the reader to feel about this Apocalypse, because the result is actually kind of beautiful and edenic; but NOT getting any insight into Crake's motivations and the fact that the narrator hates this new world makes it feel like you aren't supposed to like it. Maybe mixed feelings is the point? I dunno...
@@PirateQueen1720 the next two books in the Oryx and Crake series was better than the first IMO. I don’t think we ever are really supposed to know much about the man/cataclysm that ends humanity, although we do learn more about him in the latter books. I do remember feeling this way (like Cindy) about the Handmaid’s take and this main comment really made me stop and ponder my original thoughts. I agree, thank you for a different perspective, @sometimessunday.
Great point, I want to add that the adaptation, ie the show might be a great watch for cindy. It definitely is very adult rating, in terms of assault and rape and violence, but the world building gets explored and it is still going on. The first season is based on the book, and still it does a lot to bring everything alive and from then onwards, its an entire story in its own regard completely. There is a sequel to THT and you also might wanna read that. I haven't yet but it packs a lot more than this.
A good remedy for depression is a Cindy video 😏
i wish it were my own remedy LOL
Fact.
Jay G Much truth.
It's interesting that you say you were disappointed by Circe being the side character in her own story, because that's a facet of the book I really loved! I felt that Circe didn't want all the power, attention, and drama that came with being a god, she just wanted a simple, happy, fulfilling life. I related to that a lot, especially as someone who comes from a stressful family dynamic. I think a lot of what drew her to mortals is that they were simpler. She liked being happy, self-sufficient, and in control of her own island and magic, unlike her brothers and sister. I think your idea of her having an island full of rebellious goddesses is interesting, but it didn't bother me as it was. Circe was a deeply cathartic book for me, so I may be blind to its faults...ANYWAY, I'm sorry you didn't like it more!
thanks for sharing ur thoughts!! i can definitely see what u mean that there can be an appeal to how "quiet" circe's strength was and how u dont have to be a central character and do some epic revolution to be considered strong.
I love this comment so much, this is what I wanted to say but I could never say it as well as you did
I'm so sorry your depression has been flaring up worse than usual and I hope that things start to turn around for you soon. Finding ways to promote happiness and overall quality of life is super hard , but totally worth it! Thank you for all your amazing content
thank u, i'll try to hang in there!!
“Wambam thank you ma’am.”
WHAPOW
the funny thing is that we have a call and response cheer in marching band using that. It goes:
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!
Crowd: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!
We sing this to pump you up!
Crowd: We sing this to pump you up!
Wam bam thank you ma'am!
Crowd: Wam bam thank you ma'am!
Come on (group/person) do your thing!
Group/person: We/I can't!
Why not?
Group/person: Because we/I can't!
Why not?!
Group/person: Because my back aches, the sun's too hot, my booty shakes from the left, to the right, to the left, to the right,
to the left, right, left, right, left right left right left right
AGH!
(it's supposed to be dumb and silly, haha)
Horrible histories🥺
i almost died at that part bahahaha
I really appreciate how authentic and honest your reviews are. Sometimes I have unpopular opinions on books but because they are so popular or unpopular I am made to think my opinion is wrong or unjustified. However watching your reviews has made me appreciate all my opinions on books and I enjoy reading so much more now I am a more critical reader but also a reader who loves books for me not what other people think of them. ( idk if this made sense but yeah😂) xx
i think hearing different opinions & critiques of books is important. even when i LOVE a book, i'm interested in hearing critiques for it because it helps encourage me to be a more thoughtful reader. i also think u can still enjoy a book personally even if it's not good critically! in the case of Circe, i was just lucky to have some solid(ish) points for critique to justify me feeling "meh" about it lol
readwithcindy yes I totally agree. Say for example I really enjoyed the cruel prince but I have valued listening to other peoples more critical opinions on it as it has allowed me to also be a more thoughtful reader
I've adored Circe, but thank you for pointing out the missed opportunity with the nymphs, bcs i also thought that the empowerment lacked something crucial without finding the right words but as you said, it was female friendships and solidarity throughout the story
And thanks for the rec for Educated, Imma check that out~
yes i think seeing female friendships and solidarity would have greatly enhanced the story!
@@withcindy I think that the reason why the nymphs being depicted as they are didn't really bother me is because it is basically a writing device to set Circe apart from the other gods. If she never found any solace while amognst them when she was free I kinda doubt she would make any meaningfull connection with them while in exile.
I know that Circe really plays into the whole "not like other girls/nymphs" trope, but it does fit into her story to be different from everyone else around her.
I really loved Circe, but I agreed with Cindy about Circe's treatment of the outcast nymphs. Circe had an "I'm not like other girls" vibe, since the author painted all nymphs (and the other various women) as extremely vain and self-serving.
Even the one woman she somewhat is on friendly terms with is her lovers WIFE BRO
@@itsafish3235 AND SHE FUCKED HER SON LIKE WHAT
I was so happy when the nymphs started coming when Circe was feeling depressed about her isolation. Surely female companionship would help provide comfort in her trying times! But nope, serving muscly sailors it is. The nymphs were just....cast to the side. I barely remembered they were in the book until I watched this review.
@@araw_buwan Welcome to Greek mythology
I really don't understand this comment.. Miller didn't only paint girls as vain, she painted every participant in the patriarchy as vain and self-serving. There are paragraphs upon paragraphs of Helios' vanity, of the vanity of Aeetes, the vanity of Odysseus... The point of Circe is not that she's "not like other girls" its that she's not like other divinity... She finds her humanity despite her divine blood. Her arc is about what it truly means to be human. To keep this humanity regardless of what the world does to try to take it away. Specifically with the nymphs, I find it a much more interesting commentary on the effects of patriarchy, that the world is basically saying the only power of a nymph is what she can offer a man/her husband, she must be beautiful and wicked in order to climb the social ladder. Circes rejection of this patriarchal system is very intentional, it isn't blaming the women for acting in the way that suits their best interest in this world, its a commentary on the system itself. "Even the most beautiful nymph is largely useless, and an ugly one would be nothing, less than nothing." This comes from the point of view of Circe and Aeetes, who both live in and operate within the patriarchal system. It is Aeetes that identifies for the reader exactly what the purpose of nymph is in society, to be beautiful and find a husband and have children. Its not an omniscient observer who makes these claims about their society, its two individuals who operate within it. I find it very similar to the way Patroclus views how the world remembers the life of Achilles. The world, through its patriarchal lens, views him as only a war mongering brute full of arrogance and pride, Patroclus begs the reader through his memory to know his good deeds, his humanity. The beauty that lingers through even the smallest actions that showed he was not just a vain god, but a human as well. I think Miller really excels at writing how society itself tries to strip your humanity from you, but her characters desperately try to find and keep themselves from that fate. If not, then they're already dead, just as the Gods are already dead, they can't hold anything meaningful in their hands, everything beautiful and swift moves on and they are left with nothing. Sorry its long, Im not sure if it all made sense but that's how I see the novel... Definitely not a perfect work of feminist literature but I don't think its fair to say Miller specifically painted all women as vain.. Especially given the context of Circes upbringing and location, like how many opportunities would she even have to meet a modest woman... I feel like people aren't giving Miller credit for the incredible world building that simultaneously comments on the patriarchy of today.
"This rocket ship is about to blast off."
Hell yeah it is.
gross
I just finished Crooked Kingdom last night and I am BROKEN CINDY HELP WHAT DO I READ NEXT and the final Kaz and Inej scene was sO PERFECt oh MY GOd
SoC was good but I wasn't terribly invested and the only reason I read on to CK was so I could watch your spoilers video and JESUS FUCK AM I GLAD I DID but also regretting it because I won't be able to get anything productive done for the next week because I'll just be thinking about this damned book and Kaz and Inej damn
DUDE RIGHT?! SoC was decent but crooked kingdom was like SoC on STEROIDS
King of scars is next I guess! I finished it today
You always articulate your thoughts so flawlessly, with just the right balance of humour and critique. I both love and admire that so much!
thank you joe! it helps to take notes beforehand!
"what do I know? im just some depressed girl on the internet." title of my autobiography
@@withcindy cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool
As someone who's having a mental breakdown right now, I really appreciate your humour. Your videos always make me laugh, even if you're trash-talking a book that I like (which wasn't the case for this video, since I've only read a Ruin and Rising out of the books you mentioned lol). How do you always make such good arguments??? I'm total trash for your channel wtf
omg i feel u girl, let's hang in there!!! HUGS
Read the Song of Achilles it's GODLY
idk if you know/care about zodiac signs but i’m a virgo and we literally thrive on the god complex which explains my love for greek mythology so once AGAIN you’ve just attacked me
LMAO i cant deal with ppl who have god complexes i get ENOUGH of that from work and the world
Ayyyyyeee I'm a virgo too
"Educated" was a phenomenal memoir. I watch Tara a lot on TH-cam and I see she seems to be a very insightful, analytical person. 5 stars and well deserving of a second read.
Wow i didnt even know she had a TH-cam chanel. Thank you!
To summarize. This is a wham bam wrap up. I love it.
I felt the same way about the Handmaid’s Tale. I read it for my English class, so we had a lot of great discussion. But it definitely had a very dissatisfying ending. The fact that it’s getting a sequel (IDK WHY?) like...I don’t know how to feel about that🤠
IDK i feel like a sequel kinda makes sense because the story was so incomplete with the ending, world building, etc!
I felt the same! Way too many unanswered questions
Catherine! I love your videos! Ok bye, sorry for interrupting lol
Maya Ella Aww thank you
The sequel (The Testaments) is about how Gilead works. Atwood goes into all the questions she gets asked the most and gives POVs of women other than June.
Educated sounds quite amazing and you really made me wanna pick it up. I think I need some motivation and this one sounds like something I could definitely empathize with myself
i hope u enjoy it!!
It one of the best books I have ever read I literally couldn’t put it down and became so emotionally invested in like I wanted to walk through the pages and shake her parents into sensibility
I loved this book so much i still find myself thinking about it now and then.
*this rocket ship is about to blast off*
*...can i abort mission?*
D E A D
The best of the video LOL!!! Who wants sponsorship with that sense of humor, that's all we need XD
The good content we’re here for cindy
thanks jenna
I read Circe this month for The Booktube Games and I grew up loving Greek mythology. I had a lot of the same thoughts about Circe as you. It was a solid story but I don’t think it lived up to a lot of the hype. The prose was beautiful but I wanted more than just her and a bunch of heroes that came to her island. Also the ending 🤮 the incest. I guess in her case it was more normal. Props to you for enjoying it, I couldn’t get over it.
LMAO maybe at that point i was so desensitized by her sexcapades that i was like *shrugs* ok then
The Handmaidens tale was based of of 1970's Iran/Iraq... Sort of explains how quickly a seemingly liberal society devolved into "craziness".
your Circe review is literally everything I've been thinking while reading it!!
I do love mythology, and I loved Circe. However, I feel that part of my love for it was her extraordinary ability to communicate loneliness. I grew up cult-adjacent, and honestly it was s h o c k i n g how well she communicated what it's like to deprogram and the grieving process and isolation from toxic family/friends that often goes with it. That being said, not everyone has to like everything, and the themes that resonated deeply with me were absolutely not universal.
The more I watch you, the more I want to read books. Thank you.
aww i love it when people say they are more motivated to read books because of these shitty vids!! thank u
"This is why my videos don't get sponsorships." -- Made my day! We freaking love you still! 😂🤣😁🥰😘
in a strange twist of events, i got a sponsorship after filming this lol
OMG yes I agree about Circe. I also noticed that she literally slept with EVERYONE. It had so much more potential to be a true feminist story. 🤔 Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. Madeline Miller does write beautifully though.
yea honestly i dont mind if she sleeps with everyone cuz like... that's her choice if she wants to get some LOL but her sleeping with any of those men did not further her character development IMO. at the end of the day that's what should matter
“Reading a bored, mommy blogger...” is the best description of the Happiness Project. 😆
LOL AND THEN MIDWAY THRU THE BOOK IT TURNED OUT SHE BECAME THAT
Ahh thanks for talking about Circe because i was not sure if i was gonna pick this up but now it doesn't sound like my thing. I really love your wrap ups- like even they are long, they are always super fun to watch :)
u can still give it a try, im prob just being nitpicky!
I just read Circe and I loved it but hearing your points does make sense. The nymphs, even Ariadne could have been better developed relationships for Circe. I did enjoy her relationship with Penelope though, even if it should have gotten more attention than it did.
Im not done watching this yet, but can I just say my love for this channel continues to grow! ❤
aww thank you subha!
You completely sold me on Educated!
hope u enjoy!!
As for The Handmaid's Tale, I always saw it as a snapshot of a very real possibility of our reality, where the numbness and unawareness of a group allowed for such a change to happen, tilting the power balance we have, at least in some level. But definitely blue balls from the ending.😂
yea i think that was the whole intention of the book, so it was hard for me to rate it fairly!
I really just went and binge watched your channel omg, I haven't watched booktube videos in like a year but all of yours make me so damn happy and excited about reading again! I can't get enough of your videos! If a book gets a 5 star from you, I KNOW I have to read it :)
thank you! im glad u enjoyed them!
educated checked my privilege so hard. i'm an asian girl, which is pretty minority as they get. but i did also grow up in a middle class suburb and was lucky enough to go to a private high school and college. this book really just put my entire life into perspective and i love it.
"wham bam thank you mam." excuse me i'm screaming and dying lmaoo
ur welcum
Somehow you are both comedy gold AND a great reviewer - really love your content!
“it’s only the first month of 2019 and i’ve already had a mental breakdown” BIG MOOD
it be like that sometimes
oo i like this take on Circe, i had a hard time getting into it and had to set it down. this is validating me lol
U ARE ALWAYS VALID CHANDLER
we stan an eloquent cindy 👌
p.s. i hope to read Educated this year
i hope u enjoy educated!!
What I've realized with this video, and with pretty much all the videos I've watched of you, is that you could honestly roast and drag all my favorite books of all time that I would just sit there and say: 'Yes Cindy go off!' lmaoo
I just love your personality and the way you express yourself
thank you patricia! i hope i havent dragged any of ur faves yet lol
you damn right about everything you said about greek mythology but i live for the fictional drama it never gets old to me LMFAO
let's be real, we all love fictional drama
I love how real you are always!
I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO READ HELIUM. It’s my favorite poetry collection. Rudy is amazing
i finished helium last week and have some THOUGHTS!!
TELL. ME. NOW
I rated it 4 stars but tbh I think I personally am feeling it as more like 3.5 stars. I enjoyed all the metaphors and anecdotes and double meanings of his poetry and I also think it's a lot more powerful to hear him reading it out loud. I also really enjoyed his poems that talked about the struggles of black identity and realization of toxic masculinity. The main caveat I had was that he seemed to often write about women he barely knows as some ethereal creature (a girl he sees at Starbucks, a girl he’s in a FWB relationship with, etc). This reminds me a lot of the typical self-pitying male writer who overly romanticizes women and only likes the idea of them without actually knowing them. I prefer the poems where he's talking about or criticizing his own identity because that's actually grounded in what he knows about himself
@@withcindy I agree that it can be a lot more powerful hearing him read it out loud. For sure. I understand your view point. I never read it that way. I'm glad you didn't absolutely despise it though, ha!
Your review of The Happiness Project made me feel less alone in the world I loved it that much
Mental breakdown squad 👊🏻 There’s no coping skill like not coping because you’re ignoring your own life and existence 📚📚📚
i feel this comment in my soul
Abigail Kingston Yes!
I feel like the real moral of the story is you should do your own liveshows around books you like
thats why i did a live show for SoC!! but to be fair, i cant truly tell if i'm gonna like a book if i haven't read it yet. i was hoping i'd like circe lol
I'm slowly but surely bingewatching all of your videos and I kinda love you.
Aw thank you!!
It was interesting hearing your thoughts on Handmaid's Tale. I just recently read it and also had mixed feelings. The Hulu series definitely does everything that the book lacks IMO. I ended up giving it 3 stars
TBH if i think about it for too long i might bump it down to 3 stars too lol im honestly stuck in between
Also regarding Circe... what a concept it would be if a woman’s character development didn’t hinge on her (slight spoiler warning also CW)
getting sexually assaulted...
That happiness project book literally sounds like a bored housewife/mummy blog lol
IT ACTUALLY IS THO
Glad to see someone else who was underwhelmed by Circe. XD I liked the prose, but Circe is one of the most passive and static protagonists I've seen for a long time. (Except for in the last 20%; the book sticks the landing.)
Cindy please never change... 💕
thanks joyce
No thank you for your witty ass remarks on life and the world it gives me life 😂... 💕
Honestly, Circe is a MOOD! 😩💆💅
circe can GET IT
I'm so happy and grateful that you're on booktube
aww thank you
Glad I'm not the only person that wasn't crazy about Circe. I liked the story (kind of)...not the protagonist though.
Your hatred of the Grisha trilogy is so pure and makes me so happy 😂
Really intrigued by Circe. I hadn't heard a single bad thing about (until now) - which made me suspicious. Going to give it a go, but cautiously.
Song of achilles is one of my fave books but i was kinda "meh" about circe i guess i was too hyped up for it both by myself since i adored her first book and by other ppl
good to know her other book is better!
I loooove your videos! Thank you for being so true and direct. You represent what I believe true readers are. Keep going! :)
So glad you got to Educated! I listened to it early last year and LOVED, I've been watching many of her book tour interviews on youtube as well. So many great reflections on learning and family.
i also checked out her book tour interviews! she's such a wise, resilient woman
Educated was SO GOOD holy shit. So glad you enjoyed it!
RIGHT?! it was so damn good
I love Circe in the beginning then hated it half way. It was repetitive and Circe just started annoying me. The writing itself was good but nothing else. It didn't strike me as feminist, sex isn't all there is to feminism. The only reason I finished it was because of the booktube games and the good writing is the only reasons I gave it 3 stars.
i agree, the main thing i enjoyed was the writing, but the story and its portrayal of feminist themes left a lot to desire for me
Love your opinions. Your point of views are totally agrreable and you are so funny. You are my new favorite youtuber.
thank you!!
Great commentary and video! I hope you feel better soon. Depression sucks.
thank you! hanging in there
I’m currently going through a depressed slump and I really needed this today! You made me laugh 😆 I will be picking up Educated ASAP and taking The Happiness project off my tbr. Thank you for being honest and real, I really enjoy your content!
i hope you enjoy educated!
You should read Song of Achilles, I'd love to hear your opinion on it. Also it has my favourite ship ever, like I'm ready to jump in the book and marry them to each other lmao
I've been seeing "The calculating stars" everywhere and BOI, THIS WRAP UP OF YOURS JUST CONVINCED ME TO BUY IT.
i hope u enjoy!!
your reviews are always excellent, i love them 💜
Educated has been on my tbr for ages! i'm glad you loved it ^^
i hope u love educated too!
I absolutely adore you. This made my day
thank u!
Finally, someone else who felt meh about circe! I thought i was the only one!!
Also i love you saying Wam Bam Thank You Ma’am in a Bang! Pow! Sweater 😂😂😂😂
omg youre right, the sweater was so fitting LOL
I always love your reviews! I felt similarly about Educated and The Handmaid's Tale. I still have yet to read Circe, but I do love mythology, so I feel optimistic. Also nearly died when you said different strokes for different folks. 😂
im curious to hear ur thoughts on circe since u love mythology! u might appreciate it more than i did
@@withcindy I'll let you know when I eventually get to it. I can't decide between starting with Circe or Song of Achilles. I'm leaning toward the latter, though now. 😅
Oh my god you are just absolutely delightful
YES CIRCE
oh damn .. Luke warm ? 🤣😩
Agreed that she felt like a side character in her own story lmao
See this makes me so nervous to read the grisha trilogy lol but the book community has advised me to read it before six of crows 🙄
i say try out the first book and if u hate it just read the summary and skip over to SOC
readwithcindy sounds like a better plan lol
my experience (so far!) with cutesey self-help books like that is that they always 1. end up being super generic, cliche advice that's probs not actually helpful to the reader 2. end up being more autobiography than self-help and 3. typically are written by someone with privilege up the wazoo. but then i think, to write a cutesey millennial-esque self-help book, an author would probs /have/ to have privilege in order to even be offered a book deal about it to begin with bc this author would have to have a following of people looking at their life and wanting to see how they deal with "problems" and "adulting" and "achieving happiness". idk - i guess the lesson i ended up teaching myself as i wrote this is that i should stay away from cutesy self-help books and read something a little more helpful lolol
yea very true. i know this and yet i keep searching for the one that will help my depressed ass LOL.
ok THANK YOU for bringing up the points u did about circe. i did give it four stars but almost gave it three and just. i appreciated hearing your thoughts on it. also educated sounds AMAZING. i've seen it around but now i really want to pick it up!!
i almost gave it 4 stars out of pressure that i might be missing something but ultimately i decided fuck it and gave it 3 lol i hope u enjoy educated!!
“can i abort mission?” HAHAHA Cindy you get me every time
my rocket ship is getting far away from this
oh yes the queen is here
hello julianna
Haven’t read Circe and it’s been high up on my TBR so I am interested now to compare what you said to my own ideas when I read it! You said some freaking compelling points!
It’s always a blast watching your videos.
ooo i am very interested in hearing ur thoughts courtney!!
as usual your video lifted my spirits! I listened to Educated in January and also gave it 5 stars, just wanted to put out there that the narration is also amazing if anyone prefers audiobooks :)
I'm actually considering starting a "Cindy's quotes" notebook because your thoughts on books are hilarious :)
omg if u do start a notebook send me a pic
I love your videos so much!😭💞 usually I can't sit through a 30min youtube video but whenever you upload I'm like yasss girl give it to me💖💖💖💖
thanks for being patient wit me
Circe seems to be more well-loved and widely read than Song of Achilles but I’ve always loved the latter more. I highly recommend Song of Achilles!
Coming across this pretty late but wanted to ask if you read the section at the end of the novel which is like a lecture in the future, where they discuss the text. It's still part of the novel and it's extremely clever in communicating the message of why Atwood chose to focus on the feelings and emotions of Offred's experience and not the historical details. It criticizes how academia, most frequently monopolized by men, favors analytical stories over emotional ones and they devalue Offred's records of her experience because it's not the information they wanted to know. Just really, really interesting, and I wonder if it would have reframed your frustration over the ending.
I love that you loved Educated. I'm so eager to start it now (im so late i know)
I’ve been so curious about Educated I’m definitely checking it out now!
would def recommend!
Circe is on my March 2019 TBR. I like watching your reviews. I appreciate that you make people step back and think about things in a different way. Me, I'm just like, "I loved this book! I loved that book! I love ALL THE BOOKS!" If I don't love it, I don't finish it, and I don't rate it at all. I call it plausible deniability. :)
im sure u will enjoy circe more than i did!
Ahhh I have been bingeing your vids since last night. Love what you said about Greek mythology - often so gratuitous and unnecessary. Doesn't make you an intellectual because you can name a few gods. But also, I just don't find it entertaining and I feel like everyone else is obsessed with it. Such a good review!
yea i honestly cant get into it at all. glad its not just me!
Can't wait for your king of scars review😍😍😍
i plan on reading it in april!
Ahhh I needed this today 🙌
aww hope u enjoyed codie!
readwithcindy ALWAYS! But not in a creepy Snape way 😅
Circe banging dudes < expanding Sea Monster story
Circe banging dudes < Sea Monster POV
Circe banging dudes < Circe and Sea Monster
Circe banging dudes < Sea Monster eating dudes
I mean if you didn't sea the potential for that natural progression...I can't help you.
(Tbh, haven't read the book but my thoughts got away from me when you reviewed it XD)
i'd LOVE to read a book about a sea monster eating dudes
@@withcindy why exactly? I love dudes, so I wouldn't want them to be eaten 😏😏😏
I felt this whole video on a spiritual level
we are spiritually connected
Educated is on my reading list too, and I'm so happy you liked it. Now, I'm more inclined to pick it up.
i loved educated, i hope u do too!
Cindy's critiques on the whole feminist retelling of Circe makes so much sense with how much missed opportunity there was with the immortals that were scorned by the Olympian gods now I wish the book was redone in such a way where there were more female connections and companionships :(
I really hope you feel better soon. 🙂
thank you rachael
Another great video! That book “Educated” sounds interesting. Added to my TBR! ❤️
hope u enjoy it!
i actually liked the ending for ruin and rising and thought it made sense too!
glad im not the only one!
I am SOO glad you gave Educated 5 stars and enjoyed it so much! I read it last year and I loved it!
I also found it to be pretty reliable because of the footnotes from other family members where her memory was fuzzy.
a coworker is reading it right now, and she is really frustrated with Tara for not leaving her family earlier. I have to restrain myself to not yell at her: SHE WAS A CHILD! she was completely removed from society and taught to not trust anything. So, of course, she's not going to leave.
I'm so sorry about your own experiences with your family.
yeah i dont get people's criticisms for her not leaving earlier. her family was literally the only thing she ever knew. i've asked my sister before why she doesnt cut off connections with our parents and she said that it was because she doesnt have anything else in her life. so i can understand tara's internal struggle for that- i think deep down she wanted that familial love even if it was unhealthy and dangerous for her
@@withcindy I agree with you that Tara wanted the familial love. Her interactions with her older brother who abused her. She was afraid of him, but still spent time with him. I think it really speaks to how we as people really desire a a community and close bonds.
I hope your sister and your experience with your family is nowhere near as bad as Tara's. I also hope , that if she needs to, she's able to disassociate like you have.
My dad's brother is a very toxic person, his daughter doesn't speak to him, and my dad up until his death didn't speak to him. My uncle tried to form a relationship with me and my brother, but quickly showed his true colors and we have distanced ourselves from him as well. It's different when it's not a parental figure though, and he was not a part of our lives growing up. So it was easy to distance ourselves.
Perfectly explained how I felt about Circe! I was conflicted on rating it 3 but I did because I didn’t like it that much!