Around the World Reading Challenge: BELARUS === 4.5 rounded up
I really enjoyed this one! The concept seemed up my alley, as I generally enjoy any kind oAround the World Reading Challenge: BELARUS === 4.5 rounded up
I really enjoyed this one! The concept seemed up my alley, as I generally enjoy any kind of fable/mythology retelling, and the vibe here was very gothic mystery, which I'm also quite into. Had the sort of expected damsel-in-distress/no real strong female characters issue that often comes with older works, but I appreciated the critical approach towards the aristocracy. On the whole an engaging read with great sense of atmosphere....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: LIBYA === I thought this was an interesting read about Asouf, a lone bedouin who watches over the Wadi Matkhandoush Around the World Reading Challenge: LIBYA === I thought this was an interesting read about Asouf, a lone bedouin who watches over the Wadi Matkhandoush and its mysterious cave art, and who has an almost protective relationship with the waddan, a type of large mountain sheep that seems to hold some sort of mystical place of importance. The style here is quite fluid, with jumps in time between Asouf's current conflict with hunters who've come to kill the waddan and Asouf's past that's brought him to this point. It's quite a short read, and while I enjoyed it overall, I can't say I liked the ending....more
I've put off reading this for ages, because I sensed that I just wasn't going to love this as much as everybody else, and I was proven r2.5 rounded up
I've put off reading this for ages, because I sensed that I just wasn't going to love this as much as everybody else, and I was proven right -- I tend to have good instincts! Don't get me wrong, I did find this enjoyable on the whole; the writing was engaging, as was the pacing, and there are some really interesting bones and themes here. The video-game aspect, while not massively resonant for me, did work really well and it felt very fun and clever. Unfortunately, though, I just didn't find the book to have the follow-through that I wanted. The author touches upon things -- Sam's sexuality, the various times Sam and Sadie have a bit of a relationship falling out, Dov and the weird BDSM stuff -- but then never really follows up on it in a way that feels meaty or satisfying. Half the time when Sadie/Sam are having issues, they never really discuss it or resolve it, leaving me often wondering what the state of their relationship is, particularly towards the end. What happened to their company? Did Sadie actually quit? Is Sam on the greysexual spectrum or is he closed off due to trauma? What was the point of having Dov suddenly be into BDSM stuff other than to give a really weird anti-kink skew to the book for no apparent reason? On the one hand, I did sort of think the way Sadie thinks about her relationship with Dov is probably pretty realistic and I appreciated there was a kind of nuance there. On the other hand, there was absolutely abuse and a super unhealthy power dynamic on multiple levels, and it does feel weird that it's never really acknowledged in a meaningful way. There were a lot of instances of things like that where it felt like the author was almost there, but didn't quite nail the landing with some of the themes. The ending felt really rushed and messy and unsatisfying to me, and I found the whole plot twist to be really ham-fisted and it just didn't feel necessary....more
Wonderfully written, as with all of this author's books, with engaging characters and a snappy storyline. The book is essentially told in three novellWonderfully written, as with all of this author's books, with engaging characters and a snappy storyline. The book is essentially told in three novellas detailing different ~criminal~ events in the main character's life that are all loosely connected. I thought it was an interesting style to see these snapshots of life and the way things changed, both personally and in the greater political and cultural landscape of Harlem in the 1960s. Not quite as heavy as some of his other books, but it certainly doesn't shy away from the darker side of criminality....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: PALESTINE === 4.5 rounded up
I was a bit nervous going into this one, as the summary made it sound like it would be aAround the World Reading Challenge: PALESTINE === 4.5 rounded up
I was a bit nervous going into this one, as the summary made it sound like it would be a bit bleaker than I tend to enjoy, but I thought this was a gorgeous read. There's definitely a good amount of darkness, but it never felt overwhelming or oppressive, and there continued to be such a resilient thread of hope throughout. The writing was beautiful, the characters complex, and I had to pace myself to keep from devouring it in one sitting. I found my reading was also greatly enhanced by my familiarity with the history of the Palestinian struggle against Israel's colonial forces. It's not necessary, but this book takes place over a long period of time, and I found it added to the experience to have knowledge around context for historical events mentioned, such as Arafat's connect with Saddam Hussein and how that impacted Palestinians, particularly those living in Kuwait. Moving read, and I'd very much would recommend this one....more
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2023 === I feel about this book very similarly to how I felt about previous Pulitzer winner The Goldfinch. Gorgeous writing, compPULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2023 === I feel about this book very similarly to how I felt about previous Pulitzer winner The Goldfinch. Gorgeous writing, compelling and vivid characters, and way too fucking long/filled with what felt like unnecessary minutiae and detail. It's basically a blow-by-blow of Demon's entire life up to his early 20s, with the occasional time skip or months or even years, but in a way that I didn't always think made sense pacing-wise for me. This one definitely gets pretty bleak, and though it does have a hopeful ending, it was definitely difficult to read at times, seeing the way everybody around Demon continued to fail him. It was certainly a powerful story, but I think it would have been stronger with a more thorough edit. I also was disappointed by the ending. (view spoiler)[I think ending with an implied Demon/Angus romantic relationship felt like it cheapened their relationship; a sibling/best friend is just as important as a love interest, and for Demon I think even more so. It sucked to end the book on that note. (hide spoiler)]...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: BELGIUM === 1.5 rounded up
I hadn't realized when I started this book that it's one of those that straddles the line Around the World Reading Challenge: BELGIUM === 1.5 rounded up
I hadn't realized when I started this book that it's one of those that straddles the line between fiction and memoir. How much of each and where that line is remains unknown. The writing was certainly effective and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the Verhulst family in all their drunken squalor and somewhat repulsive impulses. I didn't find any of the characters to be particularly compelling or redeemable, nor was their life of inebriation really one I had much interest in reading about. This was compounded by the fact that each chapter was often entirely unrelated to the previous, and this 200 page book spans decades. The pacing was incomprehensible here, and this just felt like a collection of random scenes without anything beyond involving the same people to connect them as a cohesive narrative. Calling this a "novel" seems overly generous....more
This was a fascinating concept--told primarily in second person, it centers on "The Reader" who just wants to finish a damn book, but 3.5 rounded down
This was a fascinating concept--told primarily in second person, it centers on "The Reader" who just wants to finish a damn book, but printing errors, book bans, and various shenanigans keep getting in the way. The previous sentence makes it sound both more and less madcap than it felt while reading. Certainly quite experimental and philosophical--I'm endlessly impressed with what Calvino was trying to do here and the way he breaks the fourth wall and ruminates on the act of reading and what it means for people. A heavy dose of magical realism bordering on fantasy, and a convoluted plot that really doesn't feel like it can even rightly be called one. I appreciated the cleverness and experimental style, but it didn't always entirely work for me--I not-infrequently found myself lost in the labyrinth of the various twists and turns and people with multiple identities to the point of throwing me out of the story. I also just can't say I found The Reader all that compelling and there was a particular dissonance given the second person POV because I really couldn't relate to The Reader's motivations at all. I found this an impressive work, but for me to really love a book, it needs to appeal to my emotions as well as my brain, and despite the obvious ode to reading that drives this entire book (which clearly appeals to me massively) the writing style here didn't connect enough to resonate as deeply as I'd have liked!...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: CYPRUS === 2.5 rounded down
I'm not super familiar with Cyprus's history, so I was excited to read a book that delvesAround the World Reading Challenge: CYPRUS === 2.5 rounded down
I'm not super familiar with Cyprus's history, so I was excited to read a book that delves a bit into the modern-day impacts, especially one with queer themes! I enjoyed the writing, and there was a lot of great stuff here, but it felt really unfinished and underdeveloped. It felt like the author had a lot of ideas and things she wanted to touch upon, but there wasn't really a cohesive thread tying everything together--I was left a little unclear what the author's main theme or message was. The ending felt very abrupt and rushed and vague in a way that was pretty confusing and unsatisfying. There's decent potential here, but it was too unfocused for me....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: SAMOA === Multi-generational saga set in Samoa in the early to mid-1900s that I found unfortunately tedious. The chaAround the World Reading Challenge: SAMOA === Multi-generational saga set in Samoa in the early to mid-1900s that I found unfortunately tedious. The characters are generally unpleasant, even the ones that we keep being told weren't. The plot and pacing is super slow, and while I can appreciate the author's critique of colonialism and its impact on Samoan history and communities, the way he went about it felt very roundabout and just didn't make for a compelling read. Even the characters whose viewpoints I knew I was supposed to root for I found so unlikable that the messaging felt a little muddled for me....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: INDONESIA === 1.5 rounded down
I was so excited for this one, but I could not understand a thing that was happening. Around the World Reading Challenge: INDONESIA === 1.5 rounded down
I was so excited for this one, but I could not understand a thing that was happening. Surreal to the point of nonsensical, with no discernible plot. I have no idea what was real or dream, the POV shifted from first to second with no apparent reason, and I truly could not tell you what happened in this far-too-long-for-what-it-was book. Baffled....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: LESOTHO === Interesting book that provides a fictionalized, almost fable-like account of Chaka/Shaka, one of the infAround the World Reading Challenge: LESOTHO === Interesting book that provides a fictionalized, almost fable-like account of Chaka/Shaka, one of the infamous Zulu kings, reigning in the early 1800s. He's depicted here as a cruel, capricious, and power-hungry king, who slowly sheds all traces of humanity as he chases more and more power. It gets quite brutal in places, and the legend-like recounting here occasionally left me wanting a bit more detail and context, but on the whole I enjoyed this more than expected--books about megalomaniacs are rarely my bag....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: GUINEA-BISSAU === I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't particularly love it either. I felt like the summary spoiAround the World Reading Challenge: GUINEA-BISSAU === I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't particularly love it either. I felt like the summary spoils a good chunk of the story, though perhaps that was by necessity because a lot of time passes between the chapters, which also switch to different POVs, such that you have to sort of infer what happened to the characters after the last chapter ended. It left the story feeling really incomplete to me, and not quite cohesive, as there were just big chunks of story and context missing, though what was there was interesting....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: GUINEA === Alas, I can't say I loved it. Another reviewer said the humor here reminded them of John Kennedy Toole’s Around the World Reading Challenge: GUINEA === Alas, I can't say I loved it. Another reviewer said the humor here reminded them of John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces, and I cannot say I disagree. Which is unfortunate, because I just don't connect with that kind of absurdist humor. I found it mostly tedious, and I'm not really sure I understood the point, in the end. ...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: BANGLADESH === Interesting concept and I really enjoyed the writing, but I think the Fable aspect here prevented me Around the World Reading Challenge: BANGLADESH === Interesting concept and I really enjoyed the writing, but I think the Fable aspect here prevented me from fully connecting to the story. I didn't totally feel like I really had a strong sense for who Jhumur was as a person beyond her feelings about her husband and marriage, and her choice of revenge just didn't really connect for me. ...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: ECUADOR === Really fascinating book that is told in a series of vignettes following a woman in her late-thirties in Around the World Reading Challenge: ECUADOR === Really fascinating book that is told in a series of vignettes following a woman in her late-thirties in the aftermath of her marriage breaking down. Definitely more experimental in style, which isn't usually my jam, but something about this really worked for me. The imagery throughout is a bit dark at times, but not overly so--gory is too strong a word, but there's things verge close to the graphic and gross at times, but it works. IDK, the writing here was really great and the woman in particular felt so visceral and real. It really felt like a brief window into the life and headspace of this woman and I found it quite compelling....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: TANZANIA === 2.5 rounded up
I thought this was a fine, average, slightly forgettable book. The subject-matter shouldAround the World Reading Challenge: TANZANIA === 2.5 rounded up
I thought this was a fine, average, slightly forgettable book. The subject-matter should have made for a riveting read, but it's told in a very distancing way that really glosses over a lot of the realities and horrors--economic depressions, war, abuse, death... it's all told rather than shown, and in a way that doesn't really leave any large emotional impact on the reader. I kept thinking that I didn't really know the point of the story, as even the characters didn't really have much life. I also thought the focus on Ilyas to be very weird, especially since I wasn't left with a favorable impression of him... It wasn't bad, but not particularly memorable....more
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2023 === I truly had no expectations going into this. The blurb isn't particularly illuminating, nor did it sound all that capitvPULITZER PRIZE WINNER: 2023 === I truly had no expectations going into this. The blurb isn't particularly illuminating, nor did it sound all that capitvating, and I've had varying success with Pulitzer Prize winners. Let me just say, wow, I very much did not expect it to blow me away as much as it did. The writing here is gorgeous, the story surprisingly compelling, and the structure is so super cool--one of the Pulitzer hallmarks. The layered stories here work so beautifully together, and the whole thing was just an absorbing, engrossing read. Such a delightful way to spend a weekend--it's rare that I pick up a book that (wonderfully!) surprises me as much as this one did. ...more
Around the World Reading Challenge: PAKISTAN === Really engaging novel, presenting a fictionalized account of the death of Pakistani dictator General ZiAround the World Reading Challenge: PAKISTAN === Really engaging novel, presenting a fictionalized account of the death of Pakistani dictator General Zia ul-Haq. Very compelling characters, and I enjoyed the mixture of political machinations with a more simple tale of revenge. I hadn't been expecting the queer themes, which I always love, though (view spoiler)[the ending did have a faint whiff of the Kill Your Gays trope, which I continue to loathe. (hide spoiler)] Super glad I was recommended this one to read for Pakistan!...more
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