This was a dark and funny narrative about what it means to create your own family. But on the surface it's about a woman agreeing to take care of her This was a dark and funny narrative about what it means to create your own family. But on the surface it's about a woman agreeing to take care of her friends' step children who catch on fire, and all the danger and hijinxs that entails....more
This book felt more emotionally charged then it had any right to be. The plot could have been fleshed out more, but it made me feel like I was apart oThis book felt more emotionally charged then it had any right to be. The plot could have been fleshed out more, but it made me feel like I was apart of the family. I am a huge fan of magical realism and this book not only used it well, but in refreshing ways. A short read that is less horror and more reflective about how family can make us whole. ...more
Ok someone let me in on this joke? This is the highly rated book I've seen everywhere as haunting and brilliant. This was pretty ideas, that had no paOk someone let me in on this joke? This is the highly rated book I've seen everywhere as haunting and brilliant. This was pretty ideas, that had no payoff. I barely know who Ada the main character is or why she is able to heal cures (humans).
This short book all seemed like it was leading somewhere, but the ending left me barely more informed then I was in the first chapter. I finished it because it was a audiobook, but I do not recommend at all. It reads like a short story that was extended into a novella without being fleshed out. No one was likeable and I still want someone to tell me what the point was because I genuinely do not know. ...more
This book was a wonderful rumination of what unites and divides us. The characters explore class, race, realFind this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex
This book was a wonderful rumination of what unites and divides us. The characters explore class, race, real or imagined borders and the violent realities of poverty. Emi and Gabriel are a couple who chase after stories, and Buzzworm is a man who has the skills and hope to assist a homeless community. All of the characters serve a purpose and their existence and dialogue works on multiple levels. After a slow start I became completely engaged in how the characters come together to show just how hard existing can be if your not apart of mainstream society. The book covers the span of a week and changes point of views between different connected characters.
"The assemblage of military might pointed at one's own people was horrific, as was the amassing of weapons and munitions by the people themselves."
The writing is politically driven and there is commentary that makes sense in the context of the LA Riots which happened around the time this book was published. The political nature of the book may turn some people off, but I enjoyed the philosophical musings thrown in between very weird events. The Tropic of Cancer is "the most northerly circle of latitude on the Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead, " according to Wikipedia. The Tropic of Orange is a tangible representation of the borders that separate our planet's hemispheres and countries. The books' events start to unravel as the Tropic of Orange is moved, LA's highways completely shutdown, and time and space begins to bend.
"Talked about mythic realities, like everyone gets plugged into a myth and builds a reality around it. Or was it the other way around? Everybody gets plugged into a reality and builds a myth around it."
I admire this book's scope and ability to describe many different cultures, as they collide in people and occupy very different spaces.This book illustrates how important it is to develop an understanding for those we may ignore, and appreciate the value of diversity. The ending wraps up the sprawling events and characters nicely. The magical realism in the book was used well to adapt to the events and feelings that are hard to describe in our reality. I would recommend this book to readers who don't mind a slow start into an engaging politically driven narrative filled with magical realism....more
This was a sad and beautiful glimpse into a family's journey of healing. I was not expecting such a heart wFind this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex
This was a sad and beautiful glimpse into a family's journey of healing. I was not expecting such a heart wrenching story. The beginning of the book focuses on Eleanor and how she deals with parents who have been forever changed by her sisters death. While I became emotionally connected with the characters, for the first third of the book, the slow pacing bored me at times. The characters were realistic and flawed. The writing is fantastic and every word is purposefully placed, which makes sense . The writing allowed me to push through the lulls and enjoy the rest of a mind altering story. Once I got past the first third of the book, I was engaged and excited to see the rest of the story unfold.
"Time is a river, and it flows in a circle."
Dealing with grief is different for everyone, but the author did not shy away from the awful ways that it can eat at a person from the inside out. The magical realism worked well, although you don't get all the reasons why it's happening until later in the book. There was some well timed romance that didn't seemed forced. Every conversation and interaction leads up to and plays a part in the books climax. When things started to come together, I was finally let in on the clues the author was dropping.
"She feels like a woman who has lived through the Depression, a woman who has watched her babies die, who is beaten down by circumstances and who succumbs to it, who doesn't fight back, because why fight back?"
This book deals with serious issues, but still leaves the reader hopeful with a satisfying ending. The books mystery and fantasy elements helped elevate the story of Eleanor and her family to a wonderful place. The book manages to incorporate time travel, other realms, and human self destruction without becoming confusing. Reading this was an experience, and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy young adult, and magical realism in a book that is worth more than the sum of its parts.
Tori (InToriLex)
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Books:
magical-realism
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