DNF I'm so baffled at the rave reviews for this book. It was somehow simultaneously bland and trying way too hard. Like if Joss Whedon tried writing aDNF I'm so baffled at the rave reviews for this book. It was somehow simultaneously bland and trying way too hard. Like if Joss Whedon tried writing an apocalypse novel....more
"My ideas expanded to a grand scale, and suddenly the thought of people living covered in dog poo on the streets of India, or people racking up debts "My ideas expanded to a grand scale, and suddenly the thought of people living covered in dog poo on the streets of India, or people racking up debts to loan sharks and having to run away in the middle of the night...." lol shout out to the people covered in dog poo in india...more
Petition to take the word "Gothic" away from authors until they prove they have more to say than just "creepy old houses are creepy and skinny white gPetition to take the word "Gothic" away from authors until they prove they have more to say than just "creepy old houses are creepy and skinny white guys are kind of sexy"...more
**spoiler alert** Starts off promising and then goes absolutely nowhere with a copout ending (relatedly, this book loves cops and espouses the whole "**spoiler alert** Starts off promising and then goes absolutely nowhere with a copout ending (relatedly, this book loves cops and espouses the whole "tough guy ex-cop who has seen things in the line of dooty that gives him a preternatural ability to suss out bullshit and also be the coolest dude in the room" view of cops). Bree is a passive character and I dont know what the point of emphasizing her friendship with Betsy was if she wasn't going to like...do anything with it. She never embodied any of Betsy's personality or toughness -- except whenever she needs to get a man I guess, cuz thats how she pulls Trey and later how she marries her dead bestie's hubby. Just a weak plot with a weak message that thinks its saying something about rape culture....more
this is the kind of book i feel like i would love, but it just felt superficial and unfinished to me. the concept is intriguing. even the idea of a mathis is the kind of book i feel like i would love, but it just felt superficial and unfinished to me. the concept is intriguing. even the idea of a male narrator for a narrative about women talking is interesting in theory, but in execution was weak in a way that felt unintentional. and the women didn't come across to me as people that had been isolated in a restrictive religious society their whole lives either--another aspect that could have been interesting but instead felt more like the author using the women as mouthpieces to philosophize. Ona in particular felt one-note to me as a character, and read like a Mennonite manic pixie dream girl for August. i just think this book could have benefitted a lot from a deeper exploration of the characters' motivations. it felt shallow and that is a shame....more
This is categorized as a disturbing book, and it definitely is, but not for the reasons you would think. It's a portrait of a family that is simultaneThis is categorized as a disturbing book, and it definitely is, but not for the reasons you would think. It's a portrait of a family that is simultaneously nothing like your own and exactly like your own. Dunn clearly put a lot of love and care into creating the Binewskis, awful as they could be. She also had a masterful grasp of the English language so the story is a treat to read. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but regardless, I feel like this book will stay with me a long time....more
Succeeded at writing an awful main character, with sections in the narrative that did make me sick to my stomach. The story itself was pretty lacklustSucceeded at writing an awful main character, with sections in the narrative that did make me sick to my stomach. The story itself was pretty lackluster though. Like yeah, okay, Jack sucks ass. Now what ...more
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