File under: gorgeous cover, great premise, and a book I really wanted to like.
It was objectively fine, but with nothing really standing out for me. TFile under: gorgeous cover, great premise, and a book I really wanted to like.
It was objectively fine, but with nothing really standing out for me. There wasn't enough character development or atmosphere for this to be a satisfying "nothing happens" book, so I hoped the plot would pick up... But something about it fell flat. The pacing felt all wrong, there was no sense of urgency, and I just never felt invested in what would happen next. After finishing the book, I found myself wondering what the point of the plot was - were we striving for a "coming to terms with oneself" metaphor that didn't quite pan out? I'm honestly not sure.
It's sitting at a 2.5 stars for me and I'm rounding it down to 2: it wasn't for me but I think other people may enjoy it. If the premise of a Malaysian American lesbian navigating the land of spirits and gods as well familial pressured, an LDR, and deciding what to do with her life, sounds appealing to you... Well, this is probably the only book like that that currently exists. So even though it didn't quite meet my expectations (my description makes it sound so much richer than I felt that it was), it may meet yours....more
If you like your true crime to be historical, you're in for a treat.
I knew exactly nothing about this case when I started the book. The narration wasIf you like your true crime to be historical, you're in for a treat.
I knew exactly nothing about this case when I started the book. The narration was comprehensive and victim-focused - the author took great care to paint everyone affected as dignified human beings, a status not afforded to them at the time. I listened to this book but also leafed through my paperback copy, which had dozens of historical photos. I was impressed by how much the author consulted with the Osage when telling the story. All the little details are well worth reading and learning about.
I did however struggle to stay engaged - this is largely due to personal preferences.
The book was divided in 3 parts:
- part 1 introduced and humanized the victims, and gave an overview of the local politics and culture at the time. The deaths are presented. - part 2 focused on the investigation led by the newly-formed FBI and the arrest of the bad guys - part 3 rounded off with the modern fallout on the community as well as loose threads from the first investigation
I'm not interested in crime motivated by money, fraud, or undercover operations. I am however interested in the people affected by crime, including the loved ones left behind, and the cultural legacy of crime. As such, while parts 1 and 3 were fascinating, but I lost interest during part 2. As such, the "crime" part was the least interesting part of this book (and it was also good, but outside of my areas of interest).
Recommended if you enjoy more "classic" true crime (think In Cold Blood, Devil In the White City), have an interest in the history of America's indigenous peoples (circa 1920s), and are ok with a slow paced book that walks you through all the nit and grit.
Read this for book club - we all liked it, but I don't think anyone loved it. It's a fun sci-fi novel with some cool twists and turns. Who's loyal? WhRead this for book club - we all liked it, but I don't think anyone loved it. It's a fun sci-fi novel with some cool twists and turns. Who's loyal? What's real? What's the real mission here?...more
I have mixed feelings about both the book and the author. There were parts I loved - Junot Diaz writes with sincerity and humor. And then there were pI have mixed feelings about both the book and the author. There were parts I loved - Junot Diaz writes with sincerity and humor. And then there were parts that dragged on a little, frustrated me, and made me feel like I liked the idea of the book more than the book itself. ...more
I wanted to like this book so much but struggled to connect with it. This happens a lot with classic books that lay foundations of thing we're now we'I wanted to like this book so much but struggled to connect with it. This happens a lot with classic books that lay foundations of thing we're now we'll familiar with. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading dialect and following a character over decades....more
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