A creative, comforting, often funny novel that's a little more lightweight than her previous novel, The Dutch House, a Pulitzer finalist4.25ish stars.
A creative, comforting, often funny novel that's a little more lightweight than her previous novel, The Dutch House, a Pulitzer finalist, but cozy in its lightness. Meryl Streep's narration for the audiobook is top-notch. ...more
A "Me Too" story framed as true crime, with the author making the case that much of the true crime we consume for our entertainment is a4.25ish stars.
A "Me Too" story framed as true crime, with the author making the case that much of the true crime we consume for our entertainment is actually someone else's "Me Too" first and foremost.
It's nominally a mystery but far from a thriller, which makes it hard for me to recommend to people who enjoy mystery thrillers, and easy for me to understand why a lot of the book's critics just didn't get what they were expecting. Makkai shies away from the suspense, twists, and other gimmicks that define the genre, preferring to focus pragmatically on how Society works for certain people and against others, thus facilitating the true crime we so perversely enjoy.
Makkai writes with such class and intelligence, and she allows the lead character, Bodie, to be as prickly as she wants without feeling the need to make her likable or unlikable according to the needs of the story. These are things I enjoyed - just in a different way from how I enjoyed, say, Rock Paper Scissors or The Guest List....more
Delightfully meta, both in the sense that Kuang obviously parodies herself in both of the prominent characters, and because I am a Goodread4ish stars.
Delightfully meta, both in the sense that Kuang obviously parodies herself in both of the prominent characters, and because I am a Goodreads reviewer who has not infrequently panned various books, which plays a prominent role in the narrative. (I tend to stay off Twitter because I am easily rage-baited - I still can't stand Sarah Dessen, an author who I otherwise know nothing about, for the self-indulgent shitstorm she stirred up a few years ago).
It's funny that Kuang makes Athena such a well-respected and idolized figure when she very apparently shares many characteristics with Kuang herself. From what I can tell based on pictures and videos of awards speeches I've seen, she's a young, thin, generally pretty Chinese woman. She published her first novel at 22 to hype, critical acclaim and $$, even being nominated for a Nebula award and World Fantasy Award like Athena. I can't help but wonder whether her decision to make Athena insufferable is lampooning criticisms she's heard of herself, particularly on Goodreads and Twitter.
I'm also curious how much of herself she inserts into June. I know only vaguely about controversy that Kuang herself has been involved in from her Poppy Wars novels. I also know (because I had to look it up after reading this) that Kuang does not believe in the notion that authors should only write about characters of their own race. I thought that satirizing the current identity politics policing the issue was a clever choice, especially when June is unconsciously racist and actually stole someone else's story.
Overall I have a lot more respect for Kuang who I have in the past found to be preachy and laborious. There was a little more nuance in this book and it was a lot more digestible than the slog-fest that was Babel....more
Amelia Bedelia starring in her own mystery thriller! There were parts that seriously had me on the edge of my seat, unable to stop reading.3ish stars.
Amelia Bedelia starring in her own mystery thriller! There were parts that seriously had me on the edge of my seat, unable to stop reading. There were also a few times my suspension of disbelief was stretched to the breaking point. Then it came to a climax and... resolved. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and it never did.
It's been a year now since reading and my lasting impression is that it was just kind of dumb. ...more
Read while waiting for library hold to come in. Kept my attention way better than the first Dresden book and the main character didn’t bug4ish stars.
Read while waiting for library hold to come in. Kept my attention way better than the first Dresden book and the main character didn’t bug me as much, although it has its share of cringe-worthy moments. Willing to give #2 a try....more
The kind of book that can only truly be appreciated through discussion and inquiry. How do I interpret that, did I miss something, what's t4ish stars.
The kind of book that can only truly be appreciated through discussion and inquiry. How do I interpret that, did I miss something, what's the significance?
I appreciated it in its own right just based on the perspective and voice of the main character, and the varied plot lines. But I didn't truly appreciate it until I read explanations and insights from articles and reviews after I finished reading. I realized there was a lot I didn't pick up on and a lot of the cleverness and finesse, the basic intent of the author, went way over my head.
I was vaguely aware going in that there are three slightly different versions of the novel and the first thing I thought upon finishing was "How do the other two end?!" I still can't find a straight answer on the internet. Please someone spoil me.
Basically, the movie is better. Its writer/director, David O. Russell, took the basic structure of the novel and2.5ish stars. (Movie: 4.5 ish stars).
Basically, the movie is better. Its writer/director, David O. Russell, took the basic structure of the novel and turned it into something special. The book is a sporadically entertaining but strange story about a man whose TBI and repressed memories cause him to act and think like a teenager, and the unkind, manipulative, but well-meaning woman who is into it for some reason.
The movie is a nuanced, sometimes hilarious picture of mental health seen through the eyes of two relatable, struggling individuals who match each other’s crazy in a way that might just save both of them. Tiffany in particular is given life in the movie (as embodied by Jennifer Lawrence) in a way that rises above the caricature she’s painted as in the book. But all of the characters and their relationships make more sense and are much more likable as envisioned by Russell.
He also makes several changes to the story that elevate it from humdrum into an exciting culmination of football juju, high-stakes sports betting, and a climactic dance performance at the Benjamin Franklin hotel. He manages to accomplish in two hours what Quick wasn’t able to in 300 pages.
What I’m saying is, this is one of those times you really can skip the book and just watch the movie.
The creativity and world-building are as impressive as any of Jemisin's high fantasy series, and her prose keeps her unique stamp. But wher4ish stars.
The creativity and world-building are as impressive as any of Jemisin's high fantasy series, and her prose keeps her unique stamp. But whereas her Broken Earth series is fearless and furious and powerful, her work here feels cautious and correct and utterly un-New York-ish. The wokeness is almost self-aware, bordering on parody. It disconnected me from the narrative at times.
Spoiler section:
It was a little on the nose that the only white character (besides the obvious symbolic evil of the Woman in White) was the ignorant, repressed, indoctrinated Republican demi-villain. Jemisin mentioned something in the acknowledgements about sensitivity readers helping her recognize some of her stereotypes of Staten Island, etc. I don't know what happened then because she boiled it down to nothing but.
Stealing this from carol.'s review because she says it so well: "I actually liked the turning away of one of the characters, but you know what might have been more powerful? A person of color saying, "No, I've been too hurt for too long," and believing in separation, perhaps like Malcolm X. I would have been interested in how to write our way through that kind of pain, instead of the simplicity of the white person continuing to choose small-minded 'safety'."
End spoilers.
To be honest, when the prologue was released separately as a short story a few years ago, I was not a fan. I wasn't sure if I would pick this up because of it. But for whatever reason I enjoyed reading it a lot more a second time and thought the book as a whole, despite my gripes, was pretty great.
As with his previous books, I have little understanding of Weir's use of planetary science, astronomy, chemistry, etc. but I appreciate and4ish stars.
As with his previous books, I have little understanding of Weir's use of planetary science, astronomy, chemistry, etc. but I appreciate and respect that it's there, and I trust that he knows what he's talking about if only because it sounds legit, and thus cool.
As for Dr. Grace, I found him much more entertaining and sympathetic than Jazz from Artemis (which overall I thought was kind of trash). Maybe because I'm also a teacher! On a related note, I also appreciate the lack of vulgarity in this one because I'm a prude when it comes to language, (sex and gore are great!) and because when the swears do come out, the impact is that much more effective. Dr. Grace is funny (in a cheesy, dad joke way) and relatable, and he becomes more nuanced as the book goes on. The friendship he makes along the way is seriously special.
I found Weir's use of switching between timelines effective because it breaks up the relative monotony of being alone in space, and it creates even more depth in the narrative. The flashbacks also include some colorful characters such as the enigmatic and relentless Dr. Stratt.
Overall, my favorite Weir so far, and one that I feel confident recommending to others, even friends who are not sci-fi nerds.
"Astonishing" is a word that publishers like to throw out in blurbs, and it's usually unfounded. But wow, this book is Astonishing! Both 4.75ish stars
"Astonishing" is a word that publishers like to throw out in blurbs, and it's usually unfounded. But wow, this book is Astonishing! Both in the sense that I'm taken aback, even startled, and also that it's simply outstanding literature.
Vern is an Astonishing character and so are her kids (with the names Howling and Feral, of course they are).
The plot is Astonishingly horrific and brilliantly conceived.
The prose is Astonishingly natural and self-assured.
Sweet, predictable, and harmless, but a little simplistic and optimistic to essentially assert that returning from the brink of suicide i3.5ish stars.
Sweet, predictable, and harmless, but a little simplistic and optimistic to essentially assert that returning from the brink of suicide is as easy as "love is all you need" or any number of other platitudes like "it gets better" or "you matter." Because while all of those things are true and meaningful, they feel a little hollow without a transcendental transpiration like Nora's to accompany them. A little wistful wishing it worked like that in real life. But the message is uplifting and I hope it hits home for someone who needs to hear it.
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