This was wild. Weird, but in the best way. I don't want to tell you anything about this because I don't think you should know much before picking thisThis was wild. Weird, but in the best way. I don't want to tell you anything about this because I don't think you should know much before picking this up.
Very genre bending and surprising! I was not expecting this story to go where it did. PLUS, there are so many layers to this story, I feel like I need to reread it to truly appreciate how intricately crafted it is.
i love the way Ferrante writes Giovanna's internal monologue. One of the best coming of age novels i've read!i love the way Ferrante writes Giovanna's internal monologue. One of the best coming of age novels i've read!...more
The density and complexity of emotion that this book achieves in under 200 pages makes my head thrum in awe. Refusing to pass judgement or give answerThe density and complexity of emotion that this book achieves in under 200 pages makes my head thrum in awe. Refusing to pass judgement or give answers, Sula thrives in the grey zone of race, sex, class, power. Morrison delves into the intensity of female friendship to highlight that the good/bad binary doesn’t even scratch the surface of the multitudes we contain. If you enjoyed Sally Rooney’s Conversation with Friends or Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend and you haven’t read this yet, add it to your list immediately because Toni Morrison’s Sula is definitely a major part of that blueprint. ...more
The best writing was like a good friend, in the way that it gave you permission to be yourself
I will not be writing a review for this one bc it hits The best writing was like a good friend, in the way that it gave you permission to be yourself
I will not be writing a review for this one bc it hits a little too close to home for me on the ED/dysmorphia front but what i will say is first: major trigger warnings for ED and dysmorphia and two: this is a fantastic novel. ...more
One of my all time favorite characters-the one largely responsible for my comedic taste- is Jim Carrey's The Grinch. Eileen gives heavy Grinch energy;One of my all time favorite characters-the one largely responsible for my comedic taste- is Jim Carrey's The Grinch. Eileen gives heavy Grinch energy; they are both darkly funny and are governed by their distaste for society and its structure, but where the Grinch is ostracized, Eileen is invisible. Plus, Eileen takes place in New England in 1964 during the 5 days leading up to Christmas, so if your fav holiday movie is the Grinch, but only up until he steals all the presents, I think this is the type of "festive" book you'd enjoy-in other words, not at all festive.
This book is slightly thriller, slightly mystery, but mostly a confrontation of a disturbed woman with the world hell-bent on erasing her. What I liked about this book is its use of conventional form to echo Eileen's entrapment. I found Moshfegh's writing to be gorgeously unsettling. Eileen is disgusting and hard to stomach as a character. She loves talking about her bowel movements in great detail, but there's also a stark honesty to her that feels commendable.
If you like to read books that explore the female psyche, female relationships, or how a disturbed woman rebels against oppressive structures, this is the one for you. But I warn you now, you've gotta be ok with reading some very vile and graphic description of the body and it's fluids (+ TW SA of minors, sodomy). ...more
As the East Asian Studies Department falls into chaos following a shocking revelation, Ph.D. student Ingrid Yang wrestles with a sWOW WOW WOW WOW WOW
As the East Asian Studies Department falls into chaos following a shocking revelation, Ph.D. student Ingrid Yang wrestles with a simmering rage. It’s a quiet rage that pushes the narrative forward, forcing Ingrid to make uncomfortable realizations about her identity as an Asian American woman, her relationship with white men, white institutions, her family, her friends, and her gaslighting/fetishizing fiancé.
Although the satirical elements are quite heavy-handed, they are carefully undercut with moments of tenderness and introspection. The plot itself is both absolutely ridiculous and purposefully predictable.
Thematically, it reminds me a lot of R.F. Kuang’s ‘Babel’ in the way it questions the potential violence of translation, and how academia leverages the immigrant experience for its own gain. (Side note: I suspect this would also make a nice companion read to her upcoming title ‘Yellowface’—which I am very much looking forward to comparing/contrasting. Also desperate to know if Kuang or Chou have read each other's work).
Although thematically similar, Chou’s use of blown-out satire establishes a comedic tone which, in contrast to Kuang’s heaviness, acts as a humorous counterpoint to the larger discussions of identity, white supremacy, and white ownership of the racialized experience. I actually quite enjoy how over the top the satire is as it balances out the painful realizations which set Ingrid on a sobering growth arc.
Chou gives each character their own distinct Asian American experience, all of which act as a foil for Ingrid, both challenging her and slowly stoking the fire of her unspoken rage. She’s frustrated with herself for mirroring elements of the stereotypical Asian woman and for blindly acting against her best interests. As the white world of academia rears its ugly head, Ingrid must move past her complicity and step into herself....more
Every decent friendship comes with a drop of hatred. But that hatred is like honey in the tea. It makes it addictive.
Marie Antoine is the daughter of Every decent friendship comes with a drop of hatred. But that hatred is like honey in the tea. It makes it addictive.
Marie Antoine is the daughter of the richest man in 19th century Montreal and the face of her father's sugar factory. She strikes up a friendship with Sadie, the daughter of a politician trying to establish his influence in the Golden Mile. Together, Marie and Sadie forge a lustful and competitive relationship that takes violent turn, incriminating them both.
As their paths diverge and converge, we are introduced to a cast of characters spread across all corners of Montreal. Mary, a factory worker and aspiring baker, bears an eerie resemblance to her boss’s daughter, Marie Antoine. On the other side of town, George (non-binary coded character) works in a brothel where she was abandoned as a child, performing abortions and working as a midwife.
From a finishing school in England, to a brothel in Montreal, to a sugar factory in the heat of industrial revolution, our cast of characters explore feminine desire and rage as it manifests itself across social class. When We Lost Our Heads highlights the intersection between class and gender, reinforcing the limits of choice feminism that is so popular with the upper class. In the end, hyper individualism ends up being a one way ticket to the guillotine. ...more
Enthralling from the very first page, Lila and Lenù's story echoes what I imagine my grandmother's life must have been like in rural Italy in the 1950Enthralling from the very first page, Lila and Lenù's story echoes what I imagine my grandmother's life must have been like in rural Italy in the 1950s. This book was recommended to me after loving the exploration of complicated female friendship in Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends (thank you amazing tiktok friends, you always come through with fantastic recs). Ferrante creates a magnetic friendship between Lila and Lenù filled with adoration and competitiveness that speaks to how instrumental early friendships are in pushing and shaping our identities. The writing is evocative and made me feel like I was sitting in a piazza, espresso in hand, listening to my nonna tell me about her brilliant childhood friend. Very excited to see how this story continues in the second installment, as I imagine the tension will build and burst as Lila and Lenù friendship evolves in adulthood. ...more
My first review is still spot on. I wish I could use my words the way Sally Rooney does. I was blown away when 2nd review-----------------------------
My first review is still spot on. I wish I could use my words the way Sally Rooney does. I was blown away when I first read this, and I really can’t believe I am even more speechless the second time around.
I found myself feeling a lot more empathetic towards Bobbi on this second read. I loved reading through all my previous annotations and seeing how my perspective has changed.
The strength of this complex psychological profile was even more apparent to me this time. Frances is unreliable and the single point of view makes this such an interesting read, especially once you realize how she sees herself is completely different to how others do. I still feel an unsettling connection with Frances. I love how messy and complex all these characters feel. I really paid attention to how social structures impacted the various interpersonal relationships. This is something SR loves to play around with, and I didn’t catch on to this much on my first read. I feel like this is a book I’ll appreciate more every time I read it. I will never stop recommending this one!
TW: self harm, infidelity, sexual content, depression, suicidal thoughts, medical trauma/endometriosis, toxic friendship
1st review------------------------------ This book was addictive and painful to read, but it capture my soul entirely.
What sticks with me the most from this book is how perfectly Sally Rooney captures the 'messy edges' of female friendship (the back of the book describes it this way and I think it's absolutely perfect). France's relationship with Bobbi was so frustrating to read. I found myself reminiscing back to a friendship that I had which made me feel just as empty and lost. It's a kind of friendship where jumping between loving and loathing creates a space devoid of trust. France is an unreliable narrator, and our impression of Bobbi is a direct byproduct of Frances zooming in on aspects that upload her hatred.
Reading Frances' inner monologue was like holding up a mirror to myself and exposing all the things I hate. Her narrative was disturbing and at times felt way too personal. Frances lacks agency and is governed by her anxiety which others misinterpret as a mysterious character. What results are messy and disconnected relationships that play out in a way that feels all too real and familiar....more
I knew I was going to love this from the first scene, it didn’t even take the full chapter for me to be on board. I love Mona Awad’s writing, I think I knew I was going to love this from the first scene, it didn’t even take the full chapter for me to be on board. I love Mona Awad’s writing, I think she can do no wrong and I am blown away by how smart this novel is.
All’s Well is a layered mashup of Shakespeare references, cut with soft horror and dark comedy elements, a touch of the occult, and a gloriously unhinged narrative voice. I consider this book a masterpiece.
It’s an internal read, so if you enjoy reading from a single perspective, you’ll love this character study. All's Well is about the loneliness and frustration of chronic pain, and how everyone from doctors, to husbands, coworkers, and friends refuse to acknowledge its existence.
Layered on top of this central theme, Awad mirrors various plot points and character arcs from “All’s Well That Ends Well”, the Shakespearean play that Miranda is directing. Half the fun of this book is trying to figure out how and when this it's going to take a genre bending turn into horror/magical realism. This book is a gold mine. I am obsessed. ...more
I blinked and finished this in a single sitting. Moshfegh brought her signature crude and darkly funny tone to this outrageous story4.5 rounded to 5⭐️
I blinked and finished this in a single sitting. Moshfegh brought her signature crude and darkly funny tone to this outrageous story which started out as satire then deviated from what I was anticipating.
Our nameless narrator wants to enter a year of hibernation in hopes of erasing herself and reawakening a new person. To achieve this, she consumes every prescription drug she can get her hands on and spends her few waking moments sat in-front of her VCR or in a blacked-out haze. As our narrator dips in and out of reality, the world around her moves forward towards one of the darkest events in New York’s history. The narrator’s own traumatic past has been eating away at her bit by bit, acting as the catalyst for this hibernation experiment which creates a character that is at their most damaged and disillusioned.
I wanna start by saying I loved how Moshfegh got me to feel for the narrator while highlighting that her nihilistic approach is only made possible by her status. This is the Moshfegh hallmark: writing anti-heroes that find humour in dark depravity but still make you feel a sense of shared humanity.
The narrator is aware that her position in society is what affords her this chance to run away from her trauma instead of dealing with it head on. She doesn’t worry about money while living in New York, collects unemployment despite not needing it, has access to psychiatric help (albeit terrible help, Dr. Tuttle is a piece of work), all the while aligning with the thin white blonde beauty standard of the early 2000s. Despite the narrator’s nihilism and desire to disengage completely, the world continues to embrace her with open arms, labelling her year of rest and relaxing an elaborate performance piece.
The final page has me conflicted. I'd hoped to see a different ending, one that would force the narrator to engage with the systems that afforded her a rebirth. All I can come to is this idea that everyone, regardless of societal echelon or character flaws, deserves to move through this world awake and alive.
edit 11/01/2022: im now feeling like the ending has this nice cyclical aspect to it, and it points to this ideas that you can't run from grief and pain. I was originally looking at this story purely as satire, but I don't think that fits with the ending Moshfegh decided to go with. I'll be thinking about this book for a while....more
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