The Commons

Reviews

Reviews from across the whole catalogue, written as the back cover closes. A score out of ten and a summary that earns it.

Showing 49 to 72 of 613 reviews

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The Silence of the Lambs reviewed by @grimdarkgareth
9 out of 10
Nine. Every scene with Lecter is tight as a drum and Clarice is one of the few protagonists I'd follow anywhere. Harris shows you a clever man being clever instead of telling you he is. Gumb's basement, mate. Mental.
The Silence of the Lambs@grimdarkgareth19 Aug 2026
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle reviewed by @commuterfiction
8 out of 10
Aiden Bishop wakes at Blackheath in a different body each day and has eight days to find out who kills Evelyn Hardcastle. A man in a plague doctor mask explains the rules. Two other guests are doing the same thing.
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle@commuterfiction19 Aug 2026
Guns, Germs, and Steel reviewed by @books_and_bins
4 out of 10
One idea, said eleven times, slow. Is that a book? Skimmed the last third and missed nothing.
Guns, Germs, and Steel@books_and_bins19 Aug 2026
To Kill a Mockingbird reviewed by @w_okonkwo
5 out of 10
Issue 41 cost me sixty-one subscribers.
To Kill a Mockingbird@w_okonkwo18 Aug 2026
Letters from a Stoic reviewed by @theodore_p
8 out of 10
Campbell's selection, not the complete letters. That matters.
Letters from a Stoic@theodore_p18 Aug 2026
Devotions reviewed by @an_ordinary_tuesday
8 out of 10
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? I have been asked worse questions.
Devotions@an_ordinary_tuesday18 Aug 2026
12 readers agree with this review
One Hundred Years of Solitude reviewed by @theodore_p
8 out of 10
The genealogy chart at the front is a confession of a design problem.
One Hundred Years of Solitude@theodore_p18 Aug 2026
2 readers agree with this review
Project Hail Mary reviewed by @ivor_stack
7 out of 10
The problem-solving I enjoyed enormously; the jokes I could have done without about a hundred times. Seven, and most of it is for the chapter where he works out the units.
Project Hail Mary@ivor_stack18 Aug 2026
Reasons to Stay Alive reviewed by @three_chapters_in
8 out of 10
read half of it in one go in the bath, which is maybe not the ideal setting for it. it's kind, is the thing. I've already lent it to my flatmate without finishing, which probably tells you everything.
Reasons to Stay Alive@three_chapters_in18 Aug 2026
Quiet reviewed by @mx_marginalia
5 out of 10
Half of a very good book.
Quiet@mx_marginalia18 Aug 2026
The Thursday Murder Club reviewed by @libbyoverdrive
7 out of 10
Every mother in the country has this on hold at all times. Waited seven weeks. It's nice! That is the review.
The Thursday Murder Club@libbyoverdrive18 Aug 2026
Mistborn reviewed by @kepler22b
6 out of 10
the system is fine, the sentences aren't
Mistborn@kepler22b18 Aug 2026
When Breath Becomes Air reviewed by @annotatedannie
8 out of 10
The epilogue is the best chapter.
When Breath Becomes Air@annotatedannie17 Aug 2026
A Little Life reviewed by @dnf_diaries
3 out of 10
DNF at p.310, 19 September
A Little Life@dnf_diaries17 Aug 2026
Between the World and Me reviewed by @w_okonkwo
8 out of 10
The letter form does something the argument around this book in 2015 never let it do. Read it as a letter.
Between the World and Me@w_okonkwo17 Aug 2026
2 readers agree with this review
The Alchemist reviewed by @pageandvine
3 out of 10
It is warm water
The Alchemist@pageandvine17 Aug 2026
H Is for Hawk reviewed by @saltmarsh
9 out of 10
Mabel.
H Is for Hawk@saltmarsh17 Aug 2026
Me Before You reviewed by @plainjaneausten
5 out of 10
cried, and I'm still cross about it
Me Before You@plainjaneausten16 Aug 2026
Slaughterhouse-Five reviewed by @sam
9 out of 10
Read it waiting on a car part. Jokes, then bodies. Nine.
Slaughterhouse-Five@sam16 Aug 2026
Snow Crash reviewed by @books_and_bins
5 out of 10
Starts like a rocket. The pizza run at the start is brilliant. Then a man explains Sumerians at you for what feels like a fortnight and I was done.
Snow Crash@books_and_bins16 Aug 2026
Maus reviewed by @theodore_p
10 out of 10
Ten. It's the bookkeeping.
Maus@theodore_p16 Aug 2026
1 reader agrees with this review
The Origins of Totalitarianism reviewed by @theodore_p
9 out of 10
Read Part Two first. Nobody tells you this and it makes the whole thing legible.
The Origins of Totalitarianism@theodore_p16 Aug 2026
In Patagonia reviewed by @saltmarsh
8 out of 10
He isn't always telling the truth. That's all right. The wind in it is correct and the wind was what I wanted.
In Patagonia@saltmarsh16 Aug 2026
Odd Thomas reviewed by @commuterfiction
6 out of 10
Odd Thomas works as a fry cook in Pico Mundo and sees dead people who cannot speak. He follows a man who is trailed by shapes he calls bodachs and tries to work out what is going to happen at the mall. Fine.
Odd Thomas@commuterfiction15 Aug 2026

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Member reviews

The Silence of the Lambs reviewed by @grimdarkgareth

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle reviewed by @commuterfiction

Guns, Germs, and Steel reviewed by @books_and_bins

To Kill a Mockingbird reviewed by @w_okonkwo

Letters from a Stoic reviewed by @theodore_p

Devotions reviewed by @an_ordinary_tuesday

One Hundred Years of Solitude reviewed by @theodore_p

Project Hail Mary reviewed by @ivor_stack

Reasons to Stay Alive reviewed by @three_chapters_in

Quiet reviewed by @mx_marginalia

The Thursday Murder Club reviewed by @libbyoverdrive

Mistborn reviewed by @kepler22b

When Breath Becomes Air reviewed by @annotatedannie

A Little Life reviewed by @dnf_diaries

Between the World and Me reviewed by @w_okonkwo

The Alchemist reviewed by @pageandvine

H Is for Hawk reviewed by @saltmarsh

Me Before You reviewed by @plainjaneausten

Slaughterhouse-Five reviewed by @sam

Snow Crash reviewed by @books_and_bins

Maus reviewed by @theodore_p

The Origins of Totalitarianism reviewed by @theodore_p

In Patagonia reviewed by @saltmarsh

Odd Thomas reviewed by @commuterfiction