Bright Young Women provides compelling commentary on the media's romanticization of serial killers, which memorializes violent men and leaves female Bright Young Women provides compelling commentary on the media's romanticization of serial killers, which memorializes violent men and leaves female victims nameless. However, the book consists of several strong paragraphs amidst a sea of random filler. There are so many storylines introduced, yet minimal payoff. I was always on the edge of my seat, with many scenes being tense and intriguing, but they were also unclimactic. The novel would benefit from an increase in length. It's a case of too many great ideas and not enough pages to best represent them. This makes for an uneven structure that taints the whole story for me. ...more
I am formally apologizing to all the Sarah J. Maas fans I may have offended in the past. This shit is fire. A Court of Mist and Fury is 1000000x bettI am formally apologizing to all the Sarah J. Maas fans I may have offended in the past. This shit is fire. A Court of Mist and Fury is 1000000x better than its predecessor. Stronger worldbuilding, better characters, and a much more developed romance make for an excellent story.
These were my top three thoughts while reading: 1. Do they need a third? 2. [image] 3. Fuck Tamlin
I don't even care about the nitpicks at this point because I had one hell of a good time reading this book. At the end of the day, I am just a 200k+ word friends to lovers slow burn AO3 girlie. I LOVE TENSION WITH MINIMAL SMUT WOOOOOOOOOO!
(view spoiler)[Ok, that's a lie I have one small gripe. I dislike the concept of mates. For me, the idea that Feyre and Rhysand were always destined for one another undermines Feyre's journey. Is she really choosing a destiny for herself if that destiny was sort of pre-written? I would rather have had it be Feyre and Rhysand falling in love at the same time, because of their gradual realization that they are one in the same. This is just a personal preference (hence why the rating isn't affected), but a relevant critique nonetheless. (hide spoiler)]
I am all in on this series now. Let's hope that this success was not a flash in the pan, because I still genuinely fear for my life with those long-ass textbooks that await me. ...more
"Anyone who uses fear to stop an artist from creating is an enemy of life."
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is not the book I expected it to be. I went in"Anyone who uses fear to stop an artist from creating is an enemy of life."
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is not the book I expected it to be. I went in ready for an artistic crime thriller, and instead got a devastating war novel. While still strong, this definitely has impacted my final rating.
The first half of the book is incredibly interesting. Pietro and the MC's familial relationship slowly builds, paired with some fascinating references to art and mythology. Without giving too much away, I particularly enjoy how the concept of gender is played with. It's the second half, especially the ending, where I am left dissatisfied. What once was an intricate examination of two war-torn people finding one another turns into a mediocre ensemble.
Despite these issues, I'm looking forward to reading other books from Derek B. Miller's catalog. His prose is stunning, and I can't even begin to imagine the research he put in to construct this story. ...more
**spoiler alert** 2.5 ----- I struggled to get into The American Daughters. The pacing is uneven, being extremely slow in some segments, and way too fa**spoiler alert** 2.5 ----- I struggled to get into The American Daughters. The pacing is uneven, being extremely slow in some segments, and way too fast in others (particularly the ending). Ady is a solid main character, but the side characters are not too compelling. In particular, I was underwhelmed by the romance between Ady and Lenore. While sweet, it feels like it comes out of nowhere.
I'm fascinated by Ruffin's previews of the future, with Ady's descendants, but I feel that he didn't play into them enough. They were by far the most interesting parts of the novel, and I wish I could have seen more of those narratives....more
"Grief is chronic pain. When will others allow the mourning to live without expecting them to be 'cured'?"
It's been a while since I've sat down and re"Grief is chronic pain. When will others allow the mourning to live without expecting them to be 'cured'?"
It's been a while since I've sat down and read a book from start to finish, never letting my eyes off the pages. Here After absolutely captivated me with its complex exploration of grief. After I finished, I could do nothing more than sit and reflect on the concluding words of Lin's acknowledgments. Her story is profoundly moving, and I am utterly unable to do it justice in a review. Please, read it for yourself. ...more
“We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we're more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our“We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we're more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows.”
Anxious People is a moving exploration of human kindness. It's hilariously heartwarming, a rare story that finds the light in the dark. These characters are endlessly irritating, yet that's all the more reason to discover what drives them. I enjoyed learning how to better empathize with even the troublesome of people. This book has several moments of profound emotional resonance, ones that I can liken to the "it's not your fault" scene in "Good Will Hunting." If you have any idea how much that movie made me sob, then you'll understand that's one of the highest compliments I could give....more
"Time was a winter fog—gray, shapeless, indifferent to his existence. It passed on its own like a ship that sails without passengers."
A beautifully co"Time was a winter fog—gray, shapeless, indifferent to his existence. It passed on its own like a ship that sails without passengers."
A beautifully composed multigenerational saga, set against the backdrop of a turbulent time in Korean history. It's easy to grow attached to Kim's characters when they're imbued with such tender emotion. The narrative threads of Jade and JungHo weave a beautiful tapestry of intersecting lives, in all its complicated patterns. Scenes of bombastic violence are balanced with those of great beauty, all moments described with eloquent prose. The novel's symbolic motifs, particularly the tiger, are evocative and compelling forces that push the story forward. Ultimately, this is a tale about forgiveness in the face of great horror, and how to start afresh after a lifetime of suffering. Beasts of a Little Land is easily the kind of story that absorbs the soul of its reader....more
As a literary scholar and a person of Chamorro descent, I am profoundly grateful to live in a time where The New Oceania Literary series is being publAs a literary scholar and a person of Chamorro descent, I am profoundly grateful to live in a time where The New Oceania Literary series is being published. Having poetry, prose, and drama in print, from a vast diaspora of Micronesian peoples, is deeply important to recognizing the rich cultures and histories of the islands.
I'm inching closer to my degree thesis, and without a doubt, this collection has solidified my interest in basing the project around Micronesian literature. Having recently visited Guam, I dealt with the harsh reality that the lack of accessible materials on the mainland severely limits my research. There is so much beautiful work that exists but is rarely circulated because of academia's focus on EuroWestern pieces. I hope this series continues on for many volumes. I sure as hell will be marking each edition up with my color-coded post-its.
I would speak more on the ecological themes of this volume, but then I'd end up writing the equivalent of a fifteen-page essay, so I'd rather save that for later. From creation myths to critiques on ecofacism, the works are wide-reaching explorations of relevant topics in the modern landscape of Micronesia. In the wake of the pandemic and devastating natural disasters, all I can say is that I can't recommend the collection enough....more
This is a lovely collection of work. While her themes don't resonate with me as strongly, I can't deny that Limon is a powerhouse. I borrowed my copy This is a lovely collection of work. While her themes don't resonate with me as strongly, I can't deny that Limon is a powerhouse. I borrowed my copy from a dear friend. Seeing his notes and own lines sprinkled throughout made for a touching reading experience.
I always feel strange giving an overarching review to a poetry collection, rather than viewing each piece individually. Instead, here are some of my favorite lines:
"There is a solitude in this world I cannot pierce" - "Drowning Creek"
"These unearned moments are a tribute to the dead" - "Forsythia"
"Now, something’s breaking always on the skyline, falling over and against the ground, sometimes unnoticed, sometimes covered up like sorrow, sometimes buried without even a song.” - "Not the Saddest Thing in the World"
"Could you refuse me if I asked you to point again at the horizon, to tell me something was worth waiting for?" - "Stillwater Cove"
"Her desire is something like a blazing flower, a tree, shaking off, the torrent of rain, as if it is simply making music" - "Banished Wonders"
"I want to honor a man who wants to hold a wild thing, only for a second, long enough to admire it, Foley, and then wants to watch it safely. Return to its life, bends to be sure the grass closes up behind it." - "Cyrus & the Snakes"
"What good is accuracy admist the perpetual scattering that unspools the world?" - "It’s the Season I Often Mistake"
"Mercy is not frozen in time, but flits about frantically, unsure where to land." – "Runaway Child"
"There is a truth in that smooth indifference, a clean honesty about our otherness that feels not like the moral but the story." - "Intimacy"
"What is lineage, if not a gold thread of pride and guilt?" – "The Hurting Kind"
"If I had known, would I have still made mistake after mistake until I had only the trunk of me left, stripped and nearly bare of leaves?" - "Against Nostalgia"
"Who doesn’t want to hold their individual God, to be redeemed by pleasing the only one you serve?" – "Obedience"...more
Ruhani and I crossed paths a few years ago when we were living in Dublin. She's a lovely person and an even lovelier poet. This debut is a triumph!
RuRuhani and I crossed paths a few years ago when we were living in Dublin. She's a lovely person and an even lovelier poet. This debut is a triumph!
Ruhani's beautiful words are best enjoyed with a flavorful cup of chai, next to dim lamplight. These are some of my favorite lines in the book:
"I knew that these times would become grains of sand I’d never be able to shake from my clothes" - "High School"
"I, too, become more powerful when crushed" - "Basil"
"And just like that, he found power in the fragility of a cloud, but refused to see power in his own" - The Boy & the Cloud"
"Every sip I take, is a chance to swallow the pit in my throat and begin again" - "My Parents Drinking Chai"
"He was a pillar of memory and dreams" - "Nana Papa"
"So Joy spoke louder, rushed for time I didn’t realize she had so much to say and I let her shout until she had to leave" - "Coffee with Pain and Joy"
"Another one told me to receive a blessing by holding my hand to its flame. Cover my eyes. Feel the warmth enter my temples but not to linger" - "Their Chatter"
"You were the sun setting between New York City avenues and the willingness of the busy to marvel no matter how often they tell themselves to keep walking" - "Gold"...more
3.5 ---- "Same bed, different dreams. Korea is the bed."
I started this novel certain that it would be a triumph of historical fiction. Alternate histor3.5 ---- "Same bed, different dreams. Korea is the bed."
I started this novel certain that it would be a triumph of historical fiction. Alternate histories are fascinating, with limitless potential to explore in a narrative of this scale. I can't deny that Ed Park's Same Bed, Different Dreams isn't a well-researched, innovative dive into the history of the Korean Provisional Government, but I wish it were a more focused one. There's a lot of history to cover, but this book is dense to the point of losing the threads that make its story compelling. In fact, it took me over a month to finish reading it.
"The Sins" chapters are by far the story's most compelling aspect. I was instantly charmed by Soon Sheen's wit and humor as a character. The problems start arising once "Dream One" begins. From there on, the book zig zags so sporadically that it's difficult to keep track of character motivations, narrative messages, etc. Whenever we returned to Soon's point, I was fully invested in the unraveling mysteries. Outside of that, I was mostly confused and overwhelmed by the dense amount of information pummeled in my brain.
I really wanted to hail this book as a new favorite of mine. Ed Park is clearly a talented writer, but this novel might work better in a different medium. Visual storytelling in television, or even a video game, would help make this more impactful and less hazy. The story is already quite episodic, so I think the author's intent would thrive that way....more
A book with transformative power. I cried time and time again while reading this, but the kind of cry that make you feel stronger and more hopeful aftA book with transformative power. I cried time and time again while reading this, but the kind of cry that make you feel stronger and more hopeful after. bell hooks' words have left a profound impact, so I'd like to highlight some of my favorite lines.
"To love somebody is not just a strong feeling — it is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a promise."
"The path to love is not arduous or hidden, but we must choose to take the first step."
"To be loving is to be open to grief, to be touched by sorrow, even sorrow that is unending."
"Knowing love or the hope of knowing love is the anchor that keeps us from falling into that sea of despair."
"Loneliness makes us cling to others in desperation; solitude allows us to respect others in their uniqueness and create community."...more
4.5 ------ "Color is the touch of the eye, music to the deaf, a word out of the darkness. Because I've listened to souls whispering - like the susurrus 4.5 ------ "Color is the touch of the eye, music to the deaf, a word out of the darkness. Because I've listened to souls whispering - like the susurrus of the wind - from book to book and object to object for tens of thousands of years, allow me to say that my touch resembles the touch of angels. Part of me, the serious half, calls out to your vision while the mirthful half soars through the air with your glances."
My Name is Red is a rich text that explores the complexities of art, especially in its connection to divine forces. The vibrancy of its prose outmatches the novel's intimidating length, as Orhan Pamuk's words bring inhuman and immaterial concepts to life. Chapters are narrated by illustrations of death and trees, counterfeit gold coins, and even the color red itself. The human characters are rife with inner turmoil and deception. Each is an unreliable storyteller in their own right. Some of the novel's most impactful moments arise when the characters directly engage with the reader, blaming you for taking sides or considering a party guilty. Pamuk's use of these ranged perspectives twists the reader's sense of reality, accosting them with a murder-mystery narrative that constantly reinvents itself.
Although I enjoy this novel and largely consider it a masterclass in creativity and technicality, there's something that holds it back: the sexual aspects. For as carefully placed as each character's action and motivation is, the long discussions on massive erections and odd sex scenes don't align. I'm particularly thrown off by the ending and how detached it feels from the beautifully constructed art debate narrative.
Regardless, this massive tome of a book flew by. For anyone searching for a historical epic that will rock your sense of the world, My Name is Red will do the trick....more
3.5 --------- "We all have a sob story, but we don't all go around killing people."
Debated for a while on what to rate this, but ultimately settled for 3.5 --------- "We all have a sob story, but we don't all go around killing people."
Debated for a while on what to rate this, but ultimately settled for 3.5. It's a cozy story with a charming cast of characters, sprinkled with British humor. Yet, I struggled to get into the mystery itself. I found myself far more interested in the characters, but only a select few, since there are far too many.
Honestly, this book could just be about Elizabeth and Joyce pulling pranks around Cooper's Chase and hitting up the town, and I would enjoy it just the same. I love those #TrueCrime girlies. Perhaps this would be better on a reread, but I'm unsure if I'll get around to that....more
4.5 ------ "Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?"
He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasp4.5 ------ "Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?"
He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart. "Only this," he said as morning drew near. "Only this."
I saw Hadestown last night, and let me tell you, stories with immortal men simping for their hot girlfriends always hit. I also kept picturing Santángel as David Bowie's Thin White Duke persona and goddamn does it fit: [image] [image]
The Familair is an enrapturing tale. Its lush Spanish setting and dark atmosphere make for a perfect read in the late hours of the night. Rich with symbolism and intricate characters, Bardugo's first standalone is a more slow, subtle fantasy, but no less powerful. Luzia and Santángel's simmering romance elegantly builds throughout the story. Dare I say, it's actually quite sexy (and I rarely feel that way about a fantasy romance).
If there's one critique I have for this excellent novel, it's the ending. Without getting into spoilers, Bardugo shoots for a grand finish but introduces some random elements that throw off the story's cadence. The final result is a slightly confusing/unsatisfying end to an otherwise strong book. It's like this Tumblr meme: [image] I think this is an appropriate comparison. Pomegranates are topical for this book, no?
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bathe myself in orange blossoms.
P.S. - I adore the U.K. hardcover edition I got. It's one of the most gorgeous books I own (especially the endpapers)....more
This book was slow to get into but it won me over with its loveable cast! The episodic narrative might translate better as a stage show (you can tell This book was slow to get into but it won me over with its loveable cast! The episodic narrative might translate better as a stage show (you can tell that's what this originated as), but the vibe is ever so charming. It's simultaneously a very complicated and very simple time travel story. But at its core, it's a story about love and human connections that transcend the laws of time. It's also so damn sad, and I really wasn't prepared to get teary-eyed, but I did.
Overall, I really enjoyed this short, but sweet book. However, I'm left with one question...where the hell was the cat? I was promised a cat by the cover and I'm left very disappointed. :(...more
I recently studied abroad in Vietnam and Cambodia, and had an adorable encounter during my last day in Phnom Penh.
Eating breakfast at the rooftop barI recently studied abroad in Vietnam and Cambodia, and had an adorable encounter during my last day in Phnom Penh.
Eating breakfast at the rooftop bar of my hotel, I was pleasantly surprised when Sam, one of the servers, came over to me and asked about my interest in books. He saw me reading Afterparties the other day and wanted to discuss Khmer authors. It was a really sweet conversation, and to my surprise, it ended with him gifting me A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land: A Novel of Sihanouk’s Cambodia! To receive a free book from a stranger is one of life's greatest joys. Never would I have thought it would happen to me, haha. :D [image]
This novel's neverending depictions of the hardships faced by the poor make for a challenging read. I had a difficult time swallowing the brutality of it all, but that's post-colonial lit for ya. It saddens me that this is Sorin's only novel, with literature derailed by the Khmer Rouge.
My rating is mostly due to the quality of the translation. Many of the sentences are stilted, and I'm sure they're much more powerful in Khmer. Length-wise, I think the story could have benefited from a few more chapters. The pacing becomes rather rushed at the end, with barely any time to process the series of tragedies introduced to readers.
Regardless, I'm grateful to have read this book. I will be dutifully reporting back to Sam, who actually found me on Instagram a couple of weeks ago. Woo!! Go international book club!...more
3.5 ----- This has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen!! I immediately bought this collection once I came across it. It's an evocative blend3.5 ----- This has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen!! I immediately bought this collection once I came across it. It's an evocative blend of poems and short essays that's incredibly intimate. However, while Tibble's prose is well-crafted, and her creative ideas are plentiful, nothing particularly affected me. Then again, I struggle with connecting with poetry in general, so Tibble isn't much at fault for that....more
4.5 ---- Devastatingly beautiful. One of the most upsetting reads I've had in a while. While Nightcrawling focuses on a fictional character, this story4.5 ---- Devastatingly beautiful. One of the most upsetting reads I've had in a while. While Nightcrawling focuses on a fictional character, this story is all too real, based on a true case about a young Black girl's sexual exploitation by the Oakland police force in 2015. Mottley's writing is dark but powerful. To craft such a book at seventeen is a remarkable feat....more
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