I don't like abuse stories and this is definitely that - but in Chidgey's hands it works. I picked this book upWell, it's official - I adore Chidgey.
I don't like abuse stories and this is definitely that - but in Chidgey's hands it works. I picked this book up solely because I read and loved Pet. I didn't know anything about the book, and thus was surprised and I'm going to leave it that way for you.
It's fun, sometimes funny, sometimes brutal ... really well done. ...more
Brooks always offers a solid reading experience. This book was no exception. I really had zero interest in reading this - Horses just aren't my thing. Brooks always offers a solid reading experience. This book was no exception. I really had zero interest in reading this - Horses just aren't my thing. I used to love going to the races, and probably still would except for the guilt I feel with the whole establishment.
Great characters, great storyline - interesting moments in time. The Horse was just about incidental to the story. Was it ultimately about racism? That's my bet. ...more
There were parts of this book which were 5-star, in fact a good portion of the book. Sheerly based on creativity. Things took a weird little turn in tThere were parts of this book which were 5-star, in fact a good portion of the book. Sheerly based on creativity. Things took a weird little turn in the end, (though course corrected) and there were some parts which were a little indulgent and I could have lived without, but overall - Ward is very creative. I love the way her dark mind works, and at this point, I'll keep reading what she's putting out. Ward is proof that there are still surprises in fiction!
I think I'd call this a literary thriller. It was good, but not the caliber of Migrations. And of course, the topic of animals can cause some sensitivI think I'd call this a literary thriller. It was good, but not the caliber of Migrations. And of course, the topic of animals can cause some sensitivity so be warned. ...more
This book was a surprise and delight! It was part travelogue and part a book about animals and conservation. I loved both aspects. Gerald Durrell, his This book was a surprise and delight! It was part travelogue and part a book about animals and conservation. I loved both aspects. Gerald Durrell, his wife Lee, and their crew head to Madagascar to find the elusive and endangered Aye Aye to they can begin a breeding program and bring it back from extinction.
Madagascar is one of those places that has species of plants and animals that live nowhere but there. The book gives interesting stories about these animals, and also about the people living near them and how the humans impact the wildlife (knowingly or unknowingly.)
I'm a member of the San Diego Zoo and there are two Aye Aye's there ... Unfortunately, I never get to see them because they are nocturnal. However, they have just opened a new(ish) section called Africa Rocks that has a bunch of other lemurs from Madagascar and they are awesome.
However you feel about Zoos they do a lot of good work trying to bring these animals back from the brink. The Durrell's are also responsible for restoring a Kestral from Mauritius of which there were only 4 left.
So if exotic travel, mild humor, endangered species and conservation are of interest, this is a great book. ...more
I thought "this will be a good book in the time of coronavirus. A jungle adventure discovering ancient ruins. That will take my mind off things!" Um . I thought "this will be a good book in the time of coronavirus. A jungle adventure discovering ancient ruins. That will take my mind off things!" Um ....
Turns out there's a lot of bad shit in the jungle. Hideously poisonous snakes, stalking panthers, and these little sand flies that bite you and give you Leishmaniasis. and terribly prevalent tropical parasitic disease. Fauci was quoted in this book. This book basically predicted the pandemic.
And also, there was the part about finding the ruins which was cool.
I saw this on Amazon the other day listed as an "impressive debut." By Amazon (or audible, one of the two) ... not some reviewer. If a friend of yours I saw this on Amazon the other day listed as an "impressive debut." By Amazon (or audible, one of the two) ... not some reviewer. If a friend of yours wrote this book, it would be super impressive. Alas, it was published. There are some interesting ideas here, but the execution was off. Derivative and not all that interesting. Frances Hodgson Burnett meets A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Narnia, but without any of the good parts of those books.
There was potential here. It was just boring and the characters just so caricature-ish. I did love the main characters dog, though.
The narration was also not good. The accents were atrocious. I'm 95% sure they picked the narrator because her name is January. ...more
My first intro to this story was a play I watched at church when I was in middle school. Since then I've read it countless times and seen every movie My first intro to this story was a play I watched at church when I was in middle school. Since then I've read it countless times and seen every movie version of it, including a BBC mini series. That suggests 5-stars, right? But I'm so sick of it! I was just going to skip it in my listening, but I just went ahead and did it anyway.
This was narrated by Michael York. He was much more over the top than Kenneth Branagh. Annoyingly so for me, but probably fun for the intended target audience.
Seriously, I need to remind myself never to read this book again. LOL. Love it, but you know, enough is enough. ...more
How am I still missing reviews from Shelfari days??
OK. OK. Literary community. You win. It was a Franzen throwdown and you emerged the victor.
I had noHow am I still missing reviews from Shelfari days??
OK. OK. Literary community. You win. It was a Franzen throwdown and you emerged the victor.
I had no doubt in my mind that I would not like this book. Franzen is over-hyped and I didn't like The Corrections (at least, the 1/3 of it that I read.) But there was this nagging voice in the back of my head that made me want to try it, and then I found out that the audio had gotten some acclaim so that was the route I chose.
I'm so glad. It was really a fantastic book. It felt authentic and that these were real people - warts and all. The writing, the pacing, the character development, the characters themselves - all deserving of praise. (Yes, some of the environmental stuff went on a bit long, but it didn't detract for me.)
The audio performance was outstanding, and added a level of depth to my experience of the book. I felt an emotional connection that I'm not sure I would have felt otherwise. It was like the narrator and I sat down, and he said ... Let me tell you about my friends, the Berglunds. And we sat, and he talked, and I listened...enraptured. I found so much relatable in these characters. I watched how they grew and changed, and I feel so many of these various evolutions in my own life.
If you are looking to escape reality, this isn't the book for you. It's left-leaning for certain. If ignorance is bliss is your motto, give it a pass. Otherwise, give it a try. Most libraries have the audio available for free download. I highly recommend it. ...more
I was definitely interested in this topic, and I learned some things, but I definitely didn't get an overall sense of "The Sixth Extinction" - What's I was definitely interested in this topic, and I learned some things, but I definitely didn't get an overall sense of "The Sixth Extinction" - What's going to extinct, when, and to some degree how. In the end it sounded like quite everything is effed and humans/global warming is a big culprit.
This felt more like a book of articles strung together in a haphazard way. And DNA strings don't make for riveting listening. But, like most mishmash books, there were some super interesting parts and the author was at times entertaining. (Not a huge fan of this narrator though, she sounds like Morgan Fairchild.) ...more
This was a funky little book. I'm not sure what Nobel uses as their criteria and if this book was specifically awarded or just the author, but it was This was a funky little book. I'm not sure what Nobel uses as their criteria and if this book was specifically awarded or just the author, but it was ... funky! haha.
An old woman lives on a mountain on the Polish/Czech border. She's eccentric - to say the least. Her village is suddenly plagued by a rash of deaths, and she is convinced it's nature fighting back against man.
To me, this book wasn't about the story. It was about this character, and her inner monologue. I found it a bit philosophical. That's normally not my jam, but she was just quirky enough I was really engaged.
I felt pretty certain it was getting 5-stars for a lot of the book, but I didn't love the end.
Not sure I'd rush to read more of this author, but I'm glad I read it....more
First, if you have interest in this book don't read other people's reviews. (mine's safe.) I scanned them and saw something which colored my reading oFirst, if you have interest in this book don't read other people's reviews. (mine's safe.) I scanned them and saw something which colored my reading of this book and I'm not even sure the person was correct. I'm not even sure what happened myself.
Moshfegh is pretty remarkable. I don't know if anything will ever compare to the brilliance of My Year of Rest and Relaxation for me, but this was definitely Moshfegh. (Dark, funny, character driven, stuff I couldn't even possibly think of.) A character study within a character study.
Could have been 5 star for me, but there were some parts that really dragged. I loved the concept, and the way she really got in (and brought us in) to the mind of the main character. A lot of stream of consciousness, though, which is not my thing at all.
This definitely won't be for everybody, but I think if you really appreciate her previous works, you should appreciate this as well. Now I'm off to read other people's reviews for some clarity! ...more
This book started very strong. The early pages describe a tornado so well that I felt like I was there. (Not that I've ever been in a tornado.)
After This book started very strong. The early pages describe a tornado so well that I felt like I was there. (Not that I've ever been in a tornado.)
After that the book deals with the aftermath and the impact of one family in Mercy, OK. I don't want to give any spoilers and I feel like that would be easy to do - It was solid for a really long time. 4-stars -even though sometimes the writing felt a bit textbook, it was a good and interesting story.
Where it fell apart for me was one characters obsession with animal activism and it went a bit too long and got a bit preachy and the book sort of lost me there.
This is a prequel to His Dark Materials telling the story of Lyra's beginnings. I was kind of hoping for something fresh but enjoyed it nonetheless.
TThis is a prequel to His Dark Materials telling the story of Lyra's beginnings. I was kind of hoping for something fresh but enjoyed it nonetheless.
There were a couple of characters - Malcolm and Alice who I don't recall from the prior books, (doesn't mean they weren't referenced) who I totally loved.
It was an entertaining book, definitely not a stand alone though. I think you'd be confused if you hadn't read the others. Also, there were a lot of "ideas" that just seemed to be in the story because Pullman had thought of them.
This book is nothing like that I was expecting. I don't even know what to rate it. If it had been 200 pages shorter it would have been charming. I canThis book is nothing like that I was expecting. I don't even know what to rate it. If it had been 200 pages shorter it would have been charming. I cannot BELIEVE there are two more books in this vein. Dear God, no.
I liked the writing and some of the people. Absolutely hated Siegfried, his boss. HOLY CRAP what a complete buffoon.
Story after story that go a little something like this: Over a period of weeks ... James: The brakes in the car really need fixing Siegfried: Right, I'll speak to the mechanic. J: Hey, about those brakes. S: I'm on it. J: Um, the brakes in the car are really bad S; Let me just advise the mechanic J: visits the Mechanic Mechanic: Wow, these brakes need fixing, have you spoken to Siegfried? J: Hey spoke to the mechanic the brakes need fixing S: Yes, I will call him. S: drives the car, almost dies. "James, you really have to learn to be more assertive and speak up when things need fixing."
ARGUHHHHHH. Once, cute. 18 times, Old.
And speaking of old, if I had to read one more story about him sticking his hand in a cow's Hoo Ha, I would have screamed. ...more
I've had this book on my Kindle since I first got my Kindle ... however many years ago that was. It's a short book, just never had a reason to read it I've had this book on my Kindle since I first got my Kindle ... however many years ago that was. It's a short book, just never had a reason to read it until now, and I listened to it. haha.
This is on the 1001 book list, and I guess I find it a bit odd, but the book was a bit odd and that was part of its charm. A man finds an injured hare at the start of the book and the rest of the book is the travels and travails of this oddly matched duo. A bit surreal, a bit sad, a bit funny. Definitely entertaining. Glad I finally consumed it....more
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