Great concept, easy read - I liked the obvious metaphor.
I liked that it was difficult to predict the plot.
Not sure how I feel about Wren's mother3.75
Great concept, easy read - I liked the obvious metaphor.
I liked that it was difficult to predict the plot.
Not sure how I feel about Wren's mother's story being held back in the way it was, although I did like how it recast how I thought of the mom once learning it.
I didn't think everything was totally airtight in terms of character and plot but sort of OK with it being a big loosey goosey...more
In tone and feel it's kind of a great combination of Princess Bride, Hitchhiker's Guide, and Terry Pra4.5
I really needed this book; Maybe you do too.
In tone and feel it's kind of a great combination of Princess Bride, Hitchhiker's Guide, and Terry Pratchett.
It's shelved as adult at my library but could easily be in YA. The chapters are quite short, but they are written so well, and almost every chapter end had a mini-cliffhanger or a little twist. Lots of little philosophical asides. I loved the narrative voice of the book; it's a rare choice or narrator that Sanderson made and I really dig it.
There was a big twist at the end that wasn't at all a twist for me, but honestly whether you figure it out or not, you still want to know how the story will get there, so that is not a complaint.
My only quibble was despite the short chapters and a plot that kept constantly evolving there was a little bit of a sag in the middle where I wasn't quite as invested. But my overall feeling for the book is five stars!...more
Look, Ben is my friend, and Ben is rad, and Ben knows how to use words. Not all of these essays hit with me, but the ones that did, really really did.Look, Ben is my friend, and Ben is rad, and Ben knows how to use words. Not all of these essays hit with me, but the ones that did, really really did.
This is not really a how-to or book of specific pieces of advice about how to live a creative life while also having to work and caretake. It's more about Ben's philosophy about what creation, writing, and poetry are or can be; why the creative life is worth pursuing; why playfulness and mistakes and perseverance matter; why setting aside the time for this kind of life is necessary.
You can choose to go through your day with a head full of tasks and petty grievances and mental detritus or you can choose the mindfulness of deep observation - of others, of yourself, of how words want to play. Your body can be in the supermarket, but your brain can be on the monkey bars, or your brain can make the supermarket into monkey bars - you can choose....more
Please get thee to a library and read it - it's so good and I am shocked that there are not more reviews for this on goodreI LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!
Please get thee to a library and read it - it's so good and I am shocked that there are not more reviews for this on goodreads. It's so brilliant - the concept, the art, the stories, the ideas, the satire, the humor, the pathos - how everything works together.
I haven't been so excited about a book in such a long time!...more
I love that this was a novella because I love that format and also it really could not have sustained itself at a longer length. There are two main chI love that this was a novella because I love that format and also it really could not have sustained itself at a longer length. There are two main characters - a Monk and a Robot, and I only really liked the Robot, who comes into the story at the halfway mark. More Robot please!
I didn't really like the Monk character, or understand the role of Monks or their services in this semi-utopian future world. The rest of this future world was really well described, so it seems odd that the main character's profession would be so vague. The word monk evokes to me someone with very little possessions who ministers to the poor and devotes themselves to spiritual undertakings. This monk seemed to care very much about their own ego, performance, and the opinions others had of them and seemed to spend very little time engaging or talking about spiritual matters. Instead it felt like their goal was to be "the best tea monk" in all the land by setting up an aesthetically pleasing tea food truck and dispensing tea and and a quiet space - if not wisdom - to those who needed it.
I also didn't care for the Monk's speech patterns replete with lots of F-bombs and other Earth-contemporary patterns. It's not that I am looking for cheesy sci/fi fantasy writing, but I wish the writing and been a bit more graceful and artful. ...more
Well I thought this book was genius! Loved the writing, dialogue, sharp character observations, and the magical realism mystery. So glad there two morWell I thought this book was genius! Loved the writing, dialogue, sharp character observations, and the magical realism mystery. So glad there two more books with Jared and his mom! I also want to watch the CBC series....more
Fast read, but not enough explanation of philosophy and the mid 20th century Borscht Belt style humor was wearying and sometimes racist and misogynistFast read, but not enough explanation of philosophy and the mid 20th century Borscht Belt style humor was wearying and sometimes racist and misogynist in gross ways....more
Some of the humor was a bit much in places, but the execution of how philosophy was explained was great in terms of how things build upon each other iSome of the humor was a bit much in places, but the execution of how philosophy was explained was great in terms of how things build upon each other in each chapter and how those chapters built upon each other. Very clear, very concise. Probably the best philosophy book I've read.
I pretty much agree with the author's conclusions about how to operate in this world, and I think even if his system is not the overall best, the world would be a much better place if more people used it. ...more
This is what a graphic novel adaptation of a literary classic should be, and I'm not surprised that Ryan North would be just the right person to trulyThis is what a graphic novel adaptation of a literary classic should be, and I'm not surprised that Ryan North would be just the right person to truly capture Vonnegut's style and voice through comic form. ...more
I don't know, maybe 3.5? For a 550 page book, I finished it quickly, so something about it kept me reading. I guess I cared about the characters and wI don't know, maybe 3.5? For a 550 page book, I finished it quickly, so something about it kept me reading. I guess I cared about the characters and wanted to know what would happen to them. That is no small thing.
My brain lit up with much pleasure a few times: 1) anything to do with the Marie Kondo-esque Zen nun and her training 2) some fun easter eggs of Nao from of A Tale for the Time Being showing up quietly in a few places (plus I believe one un-named character was meant to be Ozeki herself, possibly even her whilst writing ATftTB and 3) the stunning image of a murder of crows making a living blanket to protect an injured human.
But I felt the writing to be a bit over-written and distracting, and was put off by frequent inelegant soapboxing. It is interesting to me how a lot of current writers seem to want to tackle ideas around climate change and income inequality and Deep Life Meaning things and The Power of Stories, but how, at least to me, these books feel more like the author wanted to write an essay and less like a novel to fall into.
I'm also not entirely sure why the setting was never named. It is clearly Vancouver, BC but a version of Vancouver where it is in the United States. I am puzzling over this choice. I can only guess that the lack of specificity was an attempt to make the story more like a parable, but I am not sure that was the right choice for a 550 page novel.
Finally, the scenes involving a character hoarding things were very very very stressful for me to read. While I don't hear the voices of objects like the character Benny does, when there is too much clutter or too much volume of things (ie COSCO) it makes me feel anxious to the point of needing to leave or detach. I can't imagine what it would be like if I could hear their thoughts.
It's so interesting when you read books in a row that all seem to be having a similar conversation with each other. My last three books were:
1. Petra,It's so interesting when you read books in a row that all seem to be having a similar conversation with each other. My last three books were:
1. Petra, a fictionalized telling of the German Green movement led by Petra Kelly, who preached the interconnectedness of everything both human and of nature, and believed in free love/polyamory
2. Figuring, a non-fiction book about the interconnectedness of art and science which focused quite a bit on the Transcendentalist movement, which itself focuses on interconnectedness and a reverence for nature. And many of the Transcendentalist figures that the book profiles were secretly queer and/or polyamorous.
3. And now this memoir by Alison Bechdel which also heavily references Buddhist and Transcendental thought, profiling a few of the same luminaries who were focused on in Figuring. Of course, Bechdel is known for her comic Dykes to Watch Out For, and as she chronologically recounts her obsession with physical exercise, she also recounts her coming out, her work for queer organizations, and her relationships, one of which is with a woman who is polyamorous.
Also, all three books have a moment of reflection about the concept of not knowing when it is the last time you will experience something or see someone you love.
I just find all these specific synchronicities so interesting, especially because I read these in the order in which my library holds came in!
So about this book, The Secret to Superhuman Strength: I liked the peppy narration, and the humorous drawings and asides, and as someone in their mid 40s, I appreciated a glimpse into the relationship with physical activities as one ages and begins to fall apart. I did feel frustrated, though, that through her life she seemed to get stuck in the same destructive patterns over and over - she would temporarily think she'd found The Answer, only to resume some of the same patterns again. I appreciate that this is a common human thing, and I appreciate her candor, but it wasn't fun to witness. Still, it was a fast, engaging read, and I was glad to have read it. ...more
Well, this was the weirdest thing I've read in a long time
The graphic novel's avant-garde style perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dread and hel4.5
Well, this was the weirdest thing I've read in a long time
The graphic novel's avant-garde style perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dread and helplessness many feel when thinking of the power of corporations, especially Big Tech, have over our lives. ...more
Oh man, I didn't think it could be possible to successfully dramatize the tensions within and the concept of I and Thou or of Oneness, but somehow KorOh man, I didn't think it could be possible to successfully dramatize the tensions within and the concept of I and Thou or of Oneness, but somehow Korean sci-fi writer Bo-Young Kim did just that within two of the four short stories that comprise this collection. When I first started reading these two stories I was NOT in the right frame of mind for the intellectual headiness of it and almost abandoned. It wasn't until I discovered that in the appendix that there was a glossary of key terms that I felt more confident to try again and I am glad I did!
The other two stories were a love story that I found to be okay+, but not super compelling - however, again, the information in the appendix about why the author came to write these stories elevated my feelings for it - and also made the author's title page dedication have such lovely meaning....more
This book from France, translated from the French, is the Frenchiest thing I have ever read, from casual mentions of "apertif hour", to cheeses alwaysThis book from France, translated from the French, is the Frenchiest thing I have ever read, from casual mentions of "apertif hour", to cheeses always being named specifically, to wine with every meal, to people unapologetically smoking, to copious quotes of French pop songs I've never heard of, and, of course, adultery as a fact of life. With the exceptions of Elvis Presley, a John Irving book, and the movie version of The Bridges of Madison County - and some brief mentions of a few other countries - this book is almost entirely contained in France and French culture.
The publisher is the same as for Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet, and there was a bit of a kinship to that series in both the look and feel of the book, but also that the English translation so nicely captures the lilting rhythms of a Romance language.
The author created vivid images of the cemetery, the Marseilles coast, and of the main character Violette's garden, and more. The narration was really interesting - the first couple hundred pages were all in first person, and then the book began to alternate between our narrator, another character's diary, and a third person account of yet another character. It was kind of weird but I liked it.
Overall I liked the quiet philosophical feel of the novel, and was invested in Violette's story. It did get a little too mawkish and on-the-nose in places for my taste, but I was glad to have read the book, even though it made me incredibly hungry for someone to bring me a crusty baguette, and omelette, and a salad straight from the garden.
The thing I appreciated most about this book was how the form of it matched its content. It starts out disjointed and random and trivial to reflect thThe thing I appreciated most about this book was how the form of it matched its content. It starts out disjointed and random and trivial to reflect the mindset of the main character mindlessly browsing the internet and lending her attention and creativity and efforts to the project of being part of "the conversation" of culture online. But as a serious family event occurs in her life, the writing gets more centered, cohesive, thoughtful, emotional, philosophical, serious, and directed. Lockwood captures this shift of attention so well. ...more
It's been 25 years since I was an English major and thinking about literature was basically my full-time job. By the end of university, I felt that doIt's been 25 years since I was an English major and thinking about literature was basically my full-time job. By the end of university, I felt that doing so was kind of an over-indulgent way to spend one's time when there were so many more pressing issues in the world. I had also started to feel that writing essays about literature was both derivative (quoting other critics and thinkers) and self-consciously performative (my audience was one professor, and I wanted a good grade).
The way that Saunders writes about these Russian short stories is with joy, and I felt so much joy reading this whole book. Maybe reading and thinking about literature is an indulgent act, but it feels more special and meaningful and important to me now that it is not my main "job".
I admit that I allowed Saunders to do a lot of the work in explaining what was going on with some of these short stories - I didn't really stop and think too much about them and when finishing some of them I could not understand why they were "good" stories. But Saunders analyses were so illuminating, while still giving the reader room to form their own thoughts. This was all so fun. I tore through this book and then regretted when I was finished. Fortunately, I think this is something that would reward re-reading. ...more
If you enjoyed this book, and it gave you hope and a new perspective, I am happy for you. I suspect a past self of mine may have liked this book, too.If you enjoyed this book, and it gave you hope and a new perspective, I am happy for you. I suspect a past self of mine may have liked this book, too.
Sci-fi, fantasy, philosophy, the multiverse, cats, libraries - this book had all the things I really really like, but I did not like the book itself.
The writing was choppy and the narrator and everyone sounded the same.
When I was in high school, I enjoyed reading Sophie's World because it seemed a fun way to learn about Western philosophy. I tried re-reading it in my 30s and remembered that I had never actually finished the book because the story about Sophie and her missing dad was so uncompelling and only there as a structure to insert facts about philosophy. I couldn't re-read it. Similarly, I did not enjoy other beloved philosophical novels such as Ishmael, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, and The Alchemist because like Midnight Library, these books are not stories with characters and places that feel alive (to me), but are rather didactic lessons about philosophy grafted into a utilitarian story.
I was completely willing to suspend my belief in the concept of the Midnight Library, but there were definitely many cracks in the rules it set up for itself, and those bothered me.
I also had an issue with how depression was treated in this book, and how neatly things were tied up in the end.
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