I enjoyed the writing in this book so, so much. Really, I just wanted to linger and not have it end. And then it did, and I was sad because how thingsI enjoyed the writing in this book so, so much. Really, I just wanted to linger and not have it end. And then it did, and I was sad because how things fell out didn't sit well with me AT ALL. Plot-wise, it worked, but one aspect really bothered me. I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that I don't think a character who has been put through outrageous and prolonged trauma by a truly horrific (and *maybe* traumatized herself?) mother needed to be the villain of the piece when there were plenty of other (male) candidates. Just saying.
Otherwise, I loved it and just wanted to live within the slowed-down interiority of Elina's and Lexie's lives.
Erpenbeck's novel recounts the story of a dysfunctional relationship between a young woman and an older man. The relationship is icky - he's manipulatErpenbeck's novel recounts the story of a dysfunctional relationship between a young woman and an older man. The relationship is icky - he's manipulative, even abusive, and her response to the situation is frustrating. If you need to like your characters, this is not the book for you.
Usually that would be an auto-DNF for me, but I found myself drawn into story nevertheless. It's also key that the relationship is set against the backdrop of the lead up to the wall coming down between East and West Germany. Erpenbeck isn't heavy handed about it, but the relationship ultimately becomes an allegory for the political, economic, and social divisions in late 20th century Germany. I wound up finding it a complicated and fascinating book that left me with a lot to think about....more
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Hertmans tells the story of a Belgian man who collaborated with the Nazis and whose house Hertmans (theI'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Hertmans tells the story of a Belgian man who collaborated with the Nazis and whose house Hertmans (the character and the author). The SS man is real, and Hertmans did really buy his house. The novel includes documentary evidence about the life of the SS man, as well as tracks Hertmans's research experience. What makes this fiction rather than biography/autobiography is that Hertmans is imagining the life of this man in ways that draw on but go beyond the evidence. For example, we're drawn into the day-to-day life of his wife, who was disgusted by his work for the Nazis and was constantly humiliated by his lack of repentance and flaunting of his mistress. As a result, we get a picture of a truly horrible man. The story is compelling in exactly the ways that Hertmans has backed up and fleshed out his stories. This is a domestic drama as much as a story of wartime atrocities....more
I can't decide what I think of this book. It's a spy thriller set in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and the protagonist, Shane Collins, is an aging sI can't decide what I think of this book. It's a spy thriller set in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and the protagonist, Shane Collins, is an aging spy riding out his time until retirement - but also compelled to investigate when his informant's information doesn't match what the higher ups are hearing from the Bahraini government. I.S. Berry is a former CIA agent creating a fictional story that also reflects her experience in the field.
If you care about liking your main character, you're not going to like this at all. Collins is a sexist alcoholic whose loyalties are slippery. I came to the conclusion, however, that in this novel of betrayal and divided loyalties, Berry created a main character who matched the theme of not knowing whom to trust. From that point of view, Collins is perfect. Berry also captures the politics of the Arab Spring perfectly, and the intrigue and backstabbing is believable based on what was in the news at the time.
The intrigues get a bit muddled about 2/3 of the way through, and I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. But, overall, this was an intriguing narrative created by someone who'd been there....more
I'm still figuring out what I think of this book. Gonzalez uses a dual timeline to tell the story of a Latinx female artist whose work was buried by hI'm still figuring out what I think of this book. Gonzalez uses a dual timeline to tell the story of a Latinx female artist whose work was buried by her jealous artist husband after her death and the story of a graduate student years later trying to find a space for herself in art history. Anita de Monte's voice comes through as justly enraged, rebellious, and explosively creative. Inversely, Raquel finds her voice through her research on Anita. The men in this novel are horrific in over the top ways, which bothered me at times because they felt one-dimensional. Ultimately, this novel is absorbing, raw, and a story that I keep thinking about. I both read it in print and on audio, and the audio narration is excellent.
Thanks to Flatiron, Edelweiss, and Libro.fm for the ALC/ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
This is one of those books where I didn't especially enjoy the reading experience, but I appreciate what the author is doing. It's told through KoredeThis is one of those books where I didn't especially enjoy the reading experience, but I appreciate what the author is doing. It's told through Korede's point of view, and she is stingy with her emotions and unwilling to open up, even in her own narration. As she tells the story of her sister's seemingly psychotic behavior, the reader only slowly gets to understand the trauma, jealousy, and heartbreak that Korede conceals so carefully. By the end, the reader has much more knowledge about Korede's motivations and history than it seems like she'd want to reveal. That push and pull between letting her past come creeping out and Korede's obvious desire to keep everything concealed makes for a brilliant narrative....more
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Little Dorrit, although I definitely don't think it's Dickens's best crafted novel. Each individual chapter was full of eI thoroughly enjoyed reading Little Dorrit, although I definitely don't think it's Dickens's best crafted novel. Each individual chapter was full of energy and excellent characters, but the story's resolution is almost incoherent. Dickens puts several plots in motion, but he doesn't tie them together with the same brilliance as in Bleak House, for example. But then there are chapters like the one on the Circumlocution Office, and I totally forgive him....more
If you've heard of Ariel Lawhon's novel The Frozen River, this is the story that it's based on. Martha Ballard was a midwife in late 18th century MainIf you've heard of Ariel Lawhon's novel The Frozen River, this is the story that it's based on. Martha Ballard was a midwife in late 18th century Maine, and she left behind a diary spanning twenty-seven years. In that diary she recounts the details of her day-to-day life, including her work as a midwife and female head of household.
If you were just to read the diary, however, you wouldn't get very much out of it. There isn't a lot of description, and you wouldn't know anything about the people or events she mentions. Ulrich's brilliance in this account of Ballard's life is that she has done the work to fully contextualize and cross-reference the details in the diary. So, when Ballard mentions a woman whose baby she's delivered, for example, Ulrich tells you who that woman is, the backstory to her pregnancy, and her standing in the town. Ulrich gives us a richly detailed story of Ballard's life, midwifery in early America, and the growth of a small New England town.
As a side note, in Lawhon's author's note to The Frozen River, she says versions of "you're welcome" several times when she discusses details she omitted, streamlined, or made spicier in fictionalizing the story. I liked Lawhon's novel, but she didn't really trust the material. Ulrich's account is quietly compelling, and it takes patience to read it, whereas Lawhon's novel sensationalized the details and offers a melodrama....more
I loved this story of a midwife in 18th-century Maine. She's tough, knowledgeable, and she doesn't take any crap. My favorite parts of this novel wereI loved this story of a midwife in 18th-century Maine. She's tough, knowledgeable, and she doesn't take any crap. My favorite parts of this novel were the more ordinary ones about her everyday life, her relationship with her family, and delivering babies. There's also a lot of melodrama, and I found it a bit much at times. All of the villainy and chauvinism was ratcheted up to a 10, when I think it would have worked just as well at a 5. Overall, though, this was a satisfying historical novel that inspired me to pick up Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's nonfiction account of Martha Ballard in A Midwife's Tale.
I alternated between reading this as an ebook and listening to the audiobook. The narration is fabulous.
Thanks to @Edelweiss, @Libro.fm, and @Doubleday for the gifted advance copies in exchange for an honest review....more
This is my favorite Louise Penney yet. I've had a hard time getting into this series, but I'm enjoying reading along with Currently Reading's Journey This is my favorite Louise Penney yet. I've had a hard time getting into this series, but I'm enjoying reading along with Currently Reading's Journey to Three Pines podcast.
This one had elements of a country house mystery, except that it's a hotel in a remote area. The crime is rooted in an obnoxiously messy family, and Gamache probes the tensions and petty cruelty that has created longstanding grudges. There is plenty of material there because each character is both capable of horrible behavior and full of hurt.
Although I very much enjoyed the unfolding of this story, I realized that one thing that has bugged me about Penney's novels is how she conceals crucial information. She creates mini-mysteries throughout by hinting at some important detail, but won't tell us what it is until the end. I don't enjoy the unnecessary secrecy; it feels like cheating. ...more
Book #48 in my read a book from every country project (Hungary)
Originally published in Hungarian in 1942, Marai's novel looks back on the Austro-HungaBook #48 in my read a book from every country project (Hungary)
Originally published in Hungarian in 1942, Marai's novel looks back on the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the nineteenth century. The premise of the story is that a man is reunited with a friend whom he hasn't seen in 41 years. The idea is that they will talk out a secret that is hidden between them.
The premise is intriguing, and I agree with reviewers who call this suspenseful because we don't find out what the secret is until about 85% of the way into the book.
For me, however, the narrative style did not work. About 70% of the book is a monologue by the general recounting his life to his friend, even though that friend was supposedly there the whole time. The idea that they are talking this through is belied by the fact that the friend hardly says anything throughout the entire book. At one point he is about to answer one of the general's questions, but the general talks over him and tells him not to answer. Even though the book repeatedly tells us how inevitable this meeting is, it's mystifying why the friend showed up just to be harangued for several hours.
For anyone interested in the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this will be an interesting read....more
I had a hard time getting into this book, but that had more to do with having very little bandwidth when I started it. The narrative is told in a non-I had a hard time getting into this book, but that had more to do with having very little bandwidth when I started it. The narrative is told in a non-linear fashion mimicking Scheherazade's storytelling story. I'm SO glad that I stuck with it.
Nayeri relates this story of his life through the voice of his younger self, Khosrou (as he was called until his mom Americanized his name). Khosrou is irrepressible and refuses to stop telling the story of his family's flight from Iran and their experiences as refugees first in Dubai and then Italy and finally Oklahoma.
The story is a condemnation of religious extremism, domestic violence, treatment of refugees, and racism. Nayeri communicates the sadness, fear, and trauma that he experienced, but he is also witty, sharp-eyed, and funny. The combination makes for an incredible, moving, and enjoyable book. I'm so glad to have read it....more
On the surface, this seems like a very shallow book about a father trying to prevent his daughter from marrying a man who's only after her money. But On the surface, this seems like a very shallow book about a father trying to prevent his daughter from marrying a man who's only after her money. But James creates a fascinating character study in Catherine, a character that we're told throughout the story is really not very interesting at all.
I also read that this story is James's version of Austen's Northanger Abbey, and once I saw that I couldn't unsee it. I highly recommend reading the two together....more
This is a superb collection of short stories centered on the Lebanese immigrant community in Dearborn, MI. Zeineddine has created characters with distThis is a superb collection of short stories centered on the Lebanese immigrant community in Dearborn, MI. Zeineddine has created characters with distinct voices in situations with a strong sense of place and cultural identity. The stories are moving and immersive, but never sentimental. There are a few stories that fall flat in the middle of the collection, but the collection is strong overall. My favorites are Speedoman, I Have Reason to Believe My Neighbor is a Terrorist, and Rabbit Stew.
Thanks to Libro.fm and Edelweiss for the ARC/ALC....more
Oh, I loved this book! This is a book about depression, family, friendship, and acceptance. Napolitano renders William's depression, as well as the chOh, I loved this book! This is a book about depression, family, friendship, and acceptance. Napolitano renders William's depression, as well as the challenges the Padavano sisters face, in such a compassionate way that the book is both comforting and heartbreaking. The characters are fully realized and believable, and Napolitano makes you care about everyone, even when they behave badly. The homage to Little Women is subtly woven in, and it doesn't matter if you've read Alcott's book or not. If you have, the Easter eggs are a delight, such as Cecelia's career as an artist of powerful women. This was such a lovely read.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more
I loved this book. Reading it was seriously like drinking a cup of hot cocoa. Patchett does such a good job combining serious topics (alcoholism, betrI loved this book. Reading it was seriously like drinking a cup of hot cocoa. Patchett does such a good job combining serious topics (alcoholism, betrayal, family strife, even the pandemic) with a comforting frame tale of family togetherness. I agree with others who've said that the pandemic is merely a device here, so those who might avoid it because of that don't need to worry that it will be too much too soon. This is just a lovely, engrossing, and moving story....more
This is book #41 (Egypt) in my read-a-book-from-every-country project.
Wassef tells the story of co-founding the first modern literature bookstore in CThis is book #41 (Egypt) in my read-a-book-from-every-country project.
Wassef tells the story of co-founding the first modern literature bookstore in Cairo, Diwan. She and her two partners had to fight against social expectations about what bookstores should be (i.e., not lending libraries) and cultural norms against women in business and strict adherence to Islam. Wassef tells this story by devoting chapters to individual sections of the store, which makes space for her insights and opinions about everything from Egyptian literary history to the role of self help books in modern society. This is just as much a story about Egypt as it is about Diwan.
Wassef comes across as abrasive and judgmental, but that's clearly part of her success. She doesn't have to be likable for this to be an interesting story, and her strong personality is a big part of what makes this compelling....more
More of a 3.5. I read this for the Book Cougars's quarterly readathon, and I always appreciate the books they introduce me to that I wouldn't have fouMore of a 3.5. I read this for the Book Cougars's quarterly readathon, and I always appreciate the books they introduce me to that I wouldn't have found otherwise. Without a discussion to look forward to, I would probably never have found, much less read, this book.
This is a light and breezy book about a woman who's sick of being left at home while her brother goes off on adventures. When a man shows up with an early 20th century version of a bookmobile for sale, she decides to buy it and go off on adventures of her own. Along the way, she encounters a LOT of sexism. The (male) author's choice to have her constantly referring to herself as a fat housewife got old after a while, but I mostly enjoyed reading this.
One of my favorite passages was about the importance of sharing reading with all readers, not just elite ones....more
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