The Pearl — More than just a Pearl

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A short but powerful novella about greed, poverty, and ambition. It follows the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver whose life changes when he discovers something extraordinary. Steinbeck uses this story as a rich allegory to explore human desire, the cost of ambition, and the fragility of human values.

His simple yet vivid prose makes the novella both easy to read and deeply meaningful. The ending was shocking and haunting, a real reminder that dreams can come with unexpected costs.

Notes from the Underground — A Dark Dive into the Human Psyche

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading Fyodor Dostoevsky, and now I’m curious to explore more of his work. Notes from Underground is intense, raw, and deeply human. Half of it feels like a deep philosophical rant, the other half like a personal confession, all from a narrator who’s bitter, self-aware, and full of contradictions.

The Underground Man challenges the idea that humans are purely logical, saying we actually crave freedom, even if it means choosing to suffer. Not gonna lie, this was a bit hard for me to grasp at first 😅, but it’s totally worth it. By the end, it made me want to read more of Dostoevsky’s work.

And TBH, I found myself relating to him more than I expected... his overthinking, self-awareness, wanting connection but also craving solitude, and questioning life’s meaning felt so human.

The Stranger — Life, Meaning, and the Absurd

The Stranger by Albert Camus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There’s something striking about The Stranger, its brevity and depth working hand in hand. Meursault doesn’t live his life like most of us expect people to. Detached, observant, and indifferent, he moves through life without illusions. The story isn’t just about what he does; it’s about how little meaning he assigns to life and how society reacts to that.

Camus writes plainly, almost sparingly, yet every sentence carries weight. The book lingers not because of a dramatic plot, but because of the questions it leaves behind. For me, it wasn’t just a read, it was an experience that made me question existence itself.

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea — A Haunting Tale of Youth and Obsession

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first Japanese literature read, and I don’t regret picking it up. Mishima’s writing is both poetic and haunting. He really captures beauty and darkness in equal measure. The chilling exploration of freedom, love, and the clash between ideals and reality.

What struck me most was how the novel builds an almost quiet tension, only to leave you unsettled by where it leads. It’s not a comforting book, it’s thought-provoking, disturbing at times, and definitely lingers long after you close it.

The Alchemist — A Timeless Tale of Self-Discovery

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book felt like a journey. It follows Santiago, a shepherd chasing a dream of treasure, but really it’s about self-discovery. I loved how it blends a simple adventure with deep life lessons about following your dreams and listening to your heart. That said, sometimes it felt a bit too simplistic and overly philosophical, like it was spoon-feeding its lessons. Still, it’s an easy read with a timeless message and a gentle reminder that the journey matters just as much as the destination.