The amount of infuriation I felt due to this novel should be illegal.
We continue on with Lenu as she prepares for her marriage with Pietro. She visitThe amount of infuriation I felt due to this novel should be illegal.
We continue on with Lenu as she prepares for her marriage with Pietro. She visits Lila in the sausage factory she is working at and is astonished by the work conditions Lila faces each day. Pissed off that Lila does not fight back like she used to, Lenu devotes her time to writing (unsuccessfully) and eventually to motherhood. Nino (*barf emoji*) makes a comeback (I'm not sure who asked him to, I swear I didn't) and he of course gets involved in ANOTHER affair (like father, like son huh). We finally begin to see a happy turn of events for Lila as she succeeds in a professional career with Enzo (a romance I absolutely adore).
This definitely felt a bit like a filler novel, but contained stronger political historical undertones (unionization) compared to the previous one. I could not help but root for Lila and beg for the downfall of Lenu (let's be honest she got herself in this mess).
I'm in denial that there is only one more book to go.
The story of Lila and Lena continues. We see Lila in a marriage that is painful to read about, as she fights against domestication, willing her body tThe story of Lila and Lena continues. We see Lila in a marriage that is painful to read about, as she fights against domestication, willing her body to not become pregnant. Lena convinces her to vacation away from her husband to a location Nino (*barf emoji*), Lena's crush, vacations at. What ensues is an affair, a terrible decision by Lenu, Lila falling in love, and finally literary success for Lenu!
As always, this series grips you and doesn't let you breathe until the very last page. By that point you're already addicted and absolutely need to start the next. Despite being my least favorite one of the series, I can't deny the obsession I have with these characters and story overall.
Welcome to bootleg buzzfeed to see if this book is for you:
How do you feel about reading about monotone, whiny, ignorant, simple-minded characters? a) Welcome to bootleg buzzfeed to see if this book is for you:
How do you feel about reading about monotone, whiny, ignorant, simple-minded characters? a) those are my favorite kind, sign me up! b) absolutely not
When you read sex scenes what are you looking for? a) something completely monotone, zero chemistry or emotion, boring descriptions, climax of a woman with a simple level-toned "oh" b) give me passion, give me graphic, leave me blushing and red faced fantasizing about what I just read
What dynamic do you want in the character's romantic relationships? a) the more miscommunication the better, i want characters that say one thing in one line and retract to the opposite view in one second without explanation, the more it seems they dislike each other the better b) healthy relationship
Do you want basic descriptions with no regard for character's thought or feelings? a) yes this is all i need in a novel b) no, wtf do i gain from that
Are emails between friends the only substantial thing you want to gain from a novel? a) 100% b) no
What are you looking for in a contemporary novel? a) long descriptions of each character using social media b) some connection to my life or events that occurred during my lifetime
--- If you answered mostly: a. time to start reading! b. run
--- The only quotes I could relate to were:
The contemporary novel is (with very few exceptions) irrelevant.
Alice, do you think the problem of the contemporary novel is simply the problem of contemporary life?
Notice that both directly relate to my feelings about this novel so Sally Rooney got something right.
--- Bottom line:Slightly better than Normal People, but my GOD WOMAN I can't stand your characters and monotone sex scenes.
"I loved this book - Ann Patchett" - marta the book slayer
I can't believe it has taken me this long to pick up work by Lily King because as quoted abo"I loved this book - Ann Patchett" - marta the book slayer
I can't believe it has taken me this long to pick up work by Lily King because as quoted above, I absolutely loved it. Upon finishing this collection of short stories I quickly placed a library hold on Writers & Lovers, which is the work of this author that I have heard most about.
My typical approach to writing reviews on short story collections is to provide commentary for each short story but I will not be doing that this time around. Simply because each and every one of these was equally as enjoyable. I loved the references to various other literature works that have quickly made their way to my TBR. The style of writing worked perfectly for me as I was able to envision and be immersed into each short story. I found them to provide the best level of detail without seeming tedious and ended at the perfect time - equal parts wanting more but also being satisfied.
Highly encourage picking this one up. I was under the impression for some reason that this collection would be winter-y read and this was not the case, however this in no way hindered my experience.
I don't know how this ended up on my TBR (the raving reviews) or why I even chose to pick it up (the short length so i can finish my reading goal heheI don't know how this ended up on my TBR (the raving reviews) or why I even chose to pick it up (the short length so i can finish my reading goal hehe), but this novel was pretty boring. After reading a couple of reviews, I can understand the attempt to replicate the metaphor of entering into hell, but I didn't really care for our main character or her family or anything else....more
This book accompanied me on the last true days of summer. I heard so many great things about it but kept my expectations realistic. With this book in This book accompanied me on the last true days of summer. I heard so many great things about it but kept my expectations realistic. With this book in hand on a beach, I quickly made it through the 50% mark as the perfect day was coming to an end. This book was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!
Written through multiple POVs, each chapter focuses on a different woman. Have no fear, they're all entertained in some ways so your favorite character might show up a little later as a friend or mother to our next character.
My words can't adequately express how refreshing and wonderful this book was. I don't think it's for everyone and if you struggled to get through the first couple chapters than I don't think this book would necessarily be a good fit for you.
This book and I got along really fucking well. wow wow wow. I have yet to read a book that makes me feel as much as this one did. ...more
One of the strangest introductions I have had to the magical realism genre, but one that I will nevertheless appreciate.
It was as if God had decid
One of the strangest introductions I have had to the magical realism genre, but one that I will nevertheless appreciate.
It was as if God had decided to put to the test every capacity for surprise and was keeping the inhabitants of Macondo in a permanent alternation between excitement and disappointment, doubt and revelation, to such an extreme that no one knew for certain where the limits of reality lay.
Written through multiple generations of the same family in a fictional town Macondo, this book is by no means an easy read. Given that many characters share the exact same name, even referring the the family tree in the beginning of the book offers no help. There's an abundance of strange characters, ones that tie themselves to trees for many years, a girl who eats dirt, ghosts, and gypsies, and yet you don't really question it as a reader. Often times reading these strange passages I thought "yeah but that's just what happens in Macondo and it's the Buendiá family.".
The prose is absolutely beautiful. It's so easy to get mesmerized by this novel and completely engrossed in the passages. This is absolutely one that I would love to re-read, simply for reliving the feeling that I got upon reading the last sentence of this book. *chefs kiss*...more
TW: This book has violent and disturbing imagery and language. Read/listen at your own discretion
Set to the backdrop of the Scottish highlands, Inti sTW: This book has violent and disturbing imagery and language. Read/listen at your own discretion
Set to the backdrop of the Scottish highlands, Inti struggles to re-introduce wolves back to the wild. Within the first line of this book, we learn Inti has mirror touch synesthesia, allowing her to feel the pain she witnesses inflicted on other people and animals. Raised by two drastically different separated parents, Inti relies on her twin sister Aggie as her source of comfort and security. The timeline shifts from past to present, as we learn of their childhood and the struggles Inti is now facing in Scotland. The readers are questioning whether her mission to embed the wolves in a community that fears them will be successful.
As Inti immerses herself with the ongoing dramas in the village, we see her passion to defend a woman who is being domestically abused. Through her friendships and rivalries, the readers witness her desperation at saving both this woman and the wolves. As the plot progresses in present day time, Inti becomes deeply involved in a murder that will unveil the truth about the twin sisters' unsettling past.
If my brief synopsis grasped your attention, then this is precisely what happened to me when starting this audiobook. It wasn't hard to get fully invested in this because the narrator was phenomenal. She was able to quickly shift accents which added authenticity to the settings this story was taking place in. The pace of the story was fairly easy to follow in audiobook format.
As for my overall feelings about this book, I think it was trying to tackle too many genres (mystery, romance, environmentalism). The romantic relationship in this book felt incredibly forced and too quick. Whereas the mystery of the murder was underdeveloped; the murder only served purpose to the plot in the ~50% portion and conclusion of the book.
Inti and Aggie are both incredibly unhinged characters. The trauma that both of them faced is so evident based on their reactions to the situations in this book. At one point, the accusations that Inti was making weren't justified and didn't seem believable. Because this accusation drove a huge part of the plot, I felt that novel went downhill at this point.
The book had incredible potential if it only focused on one key storyline; overcomplicating the plot took away from the sole focus on Inti and the wolves. The wolves were only really mentioned at what seemed like random points and only when the plot was stalling. I didn't think there was very good character development with Inti as well. I was left feeling that nothing really significant changed from the first page of the novel to the last, leaving me underwhelmed overall. However, the imagery, descriptions and style of writing were fantastic and were what kept me reading. (If these are things you look for and value in a novel, I think you would be incredibly impressed with this one).
. part of race against time challenge (aka read all 2021 releases before the year ends.)
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review....more
I guess this was eerie... or maybe not so much...or not at all
Knowing that an unreliable narrator is at the forefront of this novel really ruined thisI guess this was eerie... or maybe not so much...or not at all
Knowing that an unreliable narrator is at the forefront of this novel really ruined this experience for me. I knew not to trust Merricat from the start and so I just disliked her as much as the villagers did.
The pace felt incredibly off. It was such a slow and treacherous start, I had to borrow the audiobook to be able to get through it. Towards the end it picks up, but so much so that we are losing the gothic details that gave the story life. There was no perfect written middle ground for me to enjoy this and thus my experience varied: boredom at the start confusion at the end.
A part of me is satisfied with reading this classic, however, it really isn't a book I'll recommend to others for spooky season. A part of this could be that I struggle with classics and this one was just not my cup of tea (I drink mine with no sugar though, just lemon).
read as part of spooky season haunted tales that hopefully keep me up till the witching hour ...more
"Thank you for the tools. The chests. The decking. The clothes closest. The paneling. I forget....Thank you," she says, following the ancient formu"Thank you for the tools. The chests. The decking. The clothes closest. The paneling. I forget....Thank you," she says, following the ancient formula. "For all these gifts that you have given." And still not knowing how to stop, she adds, "We're sorry. We didn't know how hard it is for you to grow back."
4.3/5
This novel begins with ROOTS in which 8 (9 if you count the couple as separate, but they are always written together) completely different people are introduced; the introductions begin generations back for some characters and others you meet during their childhood. Each chapter focuses on a different person and it isn't till TRUNK when their stories connect and begin to intertwine. In CROWN we read about the aftermath of their actions before the conclusion in SEEDS where we get 8 different narratives once again. Without spoiling too much, this novel is pretty much an ode to trees with some crazy plot points dispersed throughout the novel.
The writing style is absolutely phenomenal and easy to read. The plot evolves like a very slow rollercoaster, at times there is exhilaration when you hit a high and something in the plot makes you gasp but soon after the ride down is pretty slow with nothing occurring. This novel is very much a work of activism and a love letter to Mother Nature. "What you make from a tree should be at least as miraculous as what you cut down" is the most quoted line I take away from the novel. I agree wholeheartedly, however sometimes this novel is just TOO MANY TREES and I got lost trying to follow the endless descriptions of the millions variations of trees. This is a novel worth reading but if you're not looking for a book about trees definitely skip this one until you're in the right mindset....more
i read this when in prague which definitely resulted in a higher (biased for the vibes) rating. i didn't care much for the characters but thought the i read this when in prague which definitely resulted in a higher (biased for the vibes) rating. i didn't care much for the characters but thought the writing and ideas were pretty good....more
**spoiler alert** "If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."
I'm so conflicted**spoiler alert** "If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."
I'm so conflicted with my thoughts on this book (as I frequently am with anything I read). This book in particular is so troubling because it is unlike anything I have read before, and maybe that's the point highlighted by the quote I chose.
(view spoiler)[Every character is so severely flawed beyond normality. Toru is torn between women that are incredibly twisted and unstable. His only friendship with Reiko (who almost slept with a 13 year old claiming to be under her control..) ends in four rounds of sex. Midori seems like a pathological liar who wants Toru to be there for her, but leaves him for two months when he doesn't compliment her hair. Naoko...ugh...I understand her at some points and then don't two sentences later. Still, her death was heartbreaking because like Toru I was hoping she would get better (though distance herself from either of them). Nagasawa is a huge asshole and narcissist and I severely pitied Hatsumi for continuing to stay with him. (hide spoiler)]
I ranted a lot about each of the characters which I usually don't do with books. Regardless of this, there is still something about the style of writing and all the events that happened that captivated me. I think this is traumatizing as a coming age story and even at 21, almost 22, this was hard for me to get through. I definitely don't think this book is for everyone, and I'm surprised I rated it as high as I did. I think my frustration with the characters is keeping me from giving this a full 5 stars, but I think this is a book I'll re-read in a couple years with a new perspective....more
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