Varsha鈥檚 Year in Books

What did you read this year?

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2024

8,263

pages read

books read

Varsha

Shortest Book

194

pages

Longest Book

1,310

pages

Average book length in 2024

413

pages

Most Shelved

7,915,327

people also shelved

Least Shelved

4,094

people also shelved

Varsha鈥檚 average rating for 2024

3.4

Highest Rated on 欧宝娱乐

4.80 average

Varsha鈥檚 first review of the year

it was amazing

As I prepared for a reread, I was acutely reminded of my dislike for this novel upon reading it 3 years ago. Pages were skimmed and the plot was painfully comprehended but all was forgiven because it would be sinful to not enjoy pride and prejudice.

Very quickly into my reread, I realized that 19 year old me had embarrassingly not comprehended the characters, nor did she understand the crux of the issue at hand. Nevertheless, through a more atten As I prepared for a reread, I was acutely reminded of my dislike for this novel upon reading it 3 years ago. Pages were skimmed and the plot was painfully comprehended but all was forgiven because it would be sinful to not enjoy pride and prejudice.

Very quickly into my reread, I realized that 19 year old me had embarrassingly not comprehended the characters, nor did she understand the crux of the issue at hand. Nevertheless, through a more attentive read, I began to realize how tedious and un enjoyable I found the book to be, especially the central characters. Where was the feminist icon Elizabeth Bennet people spoke of? All i was confronted with was a judgmental, rude, sharp tongued heroine who not only carried shame for her family but also succumbed to double standards in regards to Charlotte鈥檚 marriage. Similarly, the heartthrob Mr.Darcy was anything but, his obvious pride and his use of language that paints his superiority in bright colors added to his already unlikable demeanor.

But as I continued reading, I myself was ashamed to realize how prejudiced I had been and as Elizabeth鈥檚 love was supposedly masked behind prejudice, so was mine for these characters and the story Jane Austen has constructed.

The realization that these characters are flawed, real, and ever changing made this novel one of the most enjoyable ones I had read in a long time. Elizabeth is different, she鈥檚 opinionated and brave and to expect perfection of her would be unfair for she is just like us. Mr.Darcy becomes more and more endearing as the story takes it course and this effect was striking as I began to fuse myself with Elizabeth and was in complete agreement with her thought process after a certain point.

There鈥檚 something very exhilarating about the manner in which Jane Austen chooses to tell the story, irony, subtle humor all interlaced with hope and vulnerable romance. The characters jump out of the page and are given space to grow and review themselves and sometimes not which is equal parts frustrating but adds to the believability and rooted nature of the story.

Pride and prejudice was an unexpectedly immersive experience and my hands are stained red after all the markings of beautiful writing I鈥檝e made. I hope to revisit it again and re evaluate what 25 year old me thought that this 22 year old missed. ...more

痴础搁厂贬础鈥橲 2024 BOOKS

it was amazing

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

it was amazing

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

really liked it

Varsha鈥檚 last review of the year

it was amazing

I like Sally Rooney's books for the exact reason so many people loathe them 鈥� there's no resolution, no forward momentum, and everything frustratingly stays the same. But isn't that real life? You can reconcile without having really grown, you can be forgiven without repenting for years, you can exist and be loved and accepted in all your imperfect glory. That's what her books seem to be about for me, the desire for connection and love inspite of ...more

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