Manas > Recent Status Updates

Adina is loving, caring, thoughtful, eloquent, intelligent and kind. The way Bertino has written her makes her even more precious and she might be one of my favourite protagonists in a book ever.
Bertino’s intricate yet casual prose makes this even better because I’m burning through it faster than I ever expected to.

I understand now why everyone wrote about this book being strangely sad, because of how vividly it captures the thoughts of someone who goes through adolescence while yearning to feel accepted, someone who struggles to fit in and is given the short end of the stick in terms of their future, and is forced to watch the world move on while they're left behind.
It's hauntingly beautiful because of its unique prose.

What a uniquely written book. I find myself feeling unexplainable sorrowful everytime a section ends because of the very distinct way Bertino ends them, usually with an anecdote that pulls at very specific heartstrings.

Done with 3/4th of the novel, and while the characterisation is stronger, it’s only during the time when Grace and Rocky interact, and the flashbacks remain to be the weaker portions.
The comedic portions fall short as well, but overall it’s still a very enjoyable read.

VERY interesting science bits, and the interactions between Grace and Rocky are great, with the latter being a more stronger character.
It’s so refreshing to experience a Sci-Fi story where humanity allies with aliens to fight a common enemy

Feels like very easy reading, and while the writing may not be the best, the science is still enthralling enough to binge through.

Don’t see the point of this entire section involving the shire being taken over by saruman, especially since a lot of tolkiens more racially biased descriptions are being used - slant eyed villains? bruh

I'm almost at the end, and I think I will finish this magnificent work of art in another day or two, and I will be sad because I have to set it aside for who knows how long.

Finally I have reached the conclusion - Frodo and Sam have completed their quest and all is well again, and it's the most beautiful feeling ever, to know that peace and hope lives again.
I've gotten so engrossed in this work of art that I've started thinking of myself as someone who lived in Gondor!

the closer i get to the end, the more i wish to draw it out because i’m enjoying this book so much, and it will be a shame to shelf it once and for all.

The closer I get to the end, the sadder it makes me because I know I won't ever get to experience something of this scale ever again.
What a wonderful work of art. I only wish I had read it much sooner in my life, I wonder what effect it would have had on me when my frontal lobe was still developing.

The description of the charge of the Rohirrim might just be the greatest thing I’ve ever read oh my god

Exhausted and even more feverish than before, and yet I was completely hooked for almost thirty pages until my body started to give up and my eyes began to droop.
So begins the siege of Minas Tirith!

The final book may just be my favourite out of the three, not just because I enjoy Tolkien’s prose so much, but also because the story has picked up so much pace and I can feel the tension that has been built up for so long coming close to its climax.

and so the last act begins.
tolkien’s prose is absolutely astounding! his description of shelob, of gollum’s inner conflict, of sam’s doubts regarding the choices he’s making, all of it is so well written that you can’t help but keep reading, even though you’re feverish and sick like i was.

i was able to read almost 60 pages today but i did little else apart from that.
nevertheless, i feel it was time well spent because of how much i am enjoying this work of art!

finally got to read peacefully and the battle of helms deep was so exhilarating!
the siege of isengard was great too, but i wish i’d gotten to read it from the POV of one of the hobbits.

Gandalfs return was done so well in the movie, and the more i read, the more I appreciate the fact that the original trilogy of movies was done with so much care and respect towards the source material.

Haven’t been able to do much reading because of the situation in Bahrain, so i’m taking it slow.
Currently at the point where Merry and Pippin meet and talk to Treebeard.

Rest in peace Boromir, your death was just as sad as your actions beforehand.
The book is picking up in pace very quickly and it’s just getting better and better.
I’ll get as much reading done as possible tomorrow since I have no plans of getting out.

Absolute brilliance. It's so unique in its prose and you can tell JRRT sat and thought about all of this detail and made sure that everything was intertwined perfectly.
I'm having some difficulties reading owing to how much I have to study and how much I'm going outside to socialise, but what little reading I'm doing is so satisfying.

This is quite possibly one of the best books i’ve ever read - inspite of being long and drawn at times, it feels so rich and full of life, with every single aspect of tolkiens life being described with immaculate detail and exceptional prose. I FUCKING LOVE THIS SHIT SO MUCHHHH GRAAHHH🔥🔥🔥🔥✍️✍️✍️✍️✍️

it may seem tiresome to some people when tolkien spends entire paragraphs to describe mere mountains, but only those who stick around and finish the aforementioned paragraph realise how beautifully descriptive his prose is - it’s amazing because it truly feels like i am a part of the fellowship and making this journey with them! this shit is SO GOOD!!!

it’s so refreshing to pick this back up after so long, and after something as emotionally taxing as demon copperhead was.
thanks to how much i’ve been reading these past two months, my reading comprehension is back to how it was, if not better than ever before (which i feel it is!)

There’s just the slightest hint of cautious optimism creeping in, but a lot of the commentary on addiction and drugs feels odd.
I want to say it feels tone deaf, but I keep asking myself how I would do any better.

The whole poverty-suffering-drugs shtick is getting really old.
The appeal of this book is burning out for me because of how miserable it’s turning out to be.

very odd direction that the story is taking, but the writing is good enough that i’m still interested