This book fires on all cylinders as everything I want in a sci-fi novel: a complex world that the author allows to unfurl as I travel through it; emotThis book fires on all cylinders as everything I want in a sci-fi novel: a complex world that the author allows to unfurl as I travel through it; emotionally compelling main characters who are women, queer, of color, multi-faceted and imperfect; strong and distinct narrative voices; rich and beautiful language that propels uniquely crafted ideas; and un-stilted, natural dialogue.
Most "odyssey novels" follow bland, cishet white men or boys on same-same journeys to forgone conclusions. This book is the antithesis of that. Thoroughly enjoyable and though-provoking. Read it!...more
I am deeply impressed by Ingalls' talent for weaving a tapestry of menace beneath the banality of every-day life. For me, these two tales lacked satisI am deeply impressed by Ingalls' talent for weaving a tapestry of menace beneath the banality of every-day life. For me, these two tales lacked satisfying endings, but the journey made me feel like I was cresting the hill of a roller-coaster. These are definitely stories from which the craft of writing should be taught....more
Not as suspenseful as The Little Friend, but still tension-filled and surprisingly humorous. Not much I can type on my iPhone (it's annoying) but hot Not as suspenseful as The Little Friend, but still tension-filled and surprisingly humorous. Not much I can type on my iPhone (it's annoying) but hot damn, Tartt could write about a snail crossing the sidewalk and I'd be enraptured. Lady's got mad skillz. ...more
How did I forget to review this book? I love this book! Ummm... But i can't actually review it right now because typing on my phone is annoying. SomedHow did I forget to review this book? I love this book! Ummm... But i can't actually review it right now because typing on my phone is annoying. Someday I'll have real Internet and a lot of reviews to catch up on. Til then I will just say, if you want masterful suspense, enviable characterization, and just a full-immersion reading experience, this book is for you! (though I still haven't figured out who the little friend is)...more
What it boils down to is this: I do not care one single fig about the lives of privileged white 20-somethings. The whole thing reads like a long-windeWhat it boils down to is this: I do not care one single fig about the lives of privileged white 20-somethings. The whole thing reads like a long-winded "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" essay. And the thing is, I don't believe ANY of these characters came to some grand revelation (or even small one) about themselves or their place in the world. I understand, because the novel told me, that this was going to be a "marriage plot" story, and that's great (I did actually really enjoy the slight winky-wink ending), but even Eugenides' confident, intelligent, sporadically humorous prose can't save this story from banality.
I also must mention how problematic I found the rape scene. (What rape scene? you ask. Oh you know the one where M. makes it EXPLICITLY CLEAR BY REPEATEDLY SAYING NO to L. that she DOES NOT WANT what he's doing to her and he CONTINUES TO DO IT. That rape scene.) M. was pretty much a victim of L.'s sexual and emotional abuse throughout, and it was very difficult to tell if the character of M. was excusing/ignoring this behavior on account of L.'s mental illness (which is NOT an excuse, that man should be locked up), OR if the author himself was excusing this behavior because he didn't consider what L. was doing to BE sexual abuse. I don't know. L. got off light, and M. never seemed to get that she deserved much, much better (simply for being a HUMAN BEING, but also because she's her own person, which, actually, she never really became in this narrative, to me).
I want a better plot/premise next time, please, Mr. Eugenides. You know I love you. Do me a solid. ...more
Peter Orner's sentences are beautiful. This is my favorite sentence of the whole book: "Nobody is more determined than a person running away"(p.411). Peter Orner's sentences are beautiful. This is my favorite sentence of the whole book: "Nobody is more determined than a person running away"(p.411). I fully believe that Orner rewrote each sentence in this book at least once in order to get it sounding just right.
Like The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo, Love and Shame and Love is told in "episodes." I don't think this technique works as well here; it took me a while to get situated in the multi-threaded narrative. I love the letters from Seymour during WWII; heartbreaking.
One thing I can't decide if I liked: All of the women are cheaters and home-wreckers. On the one hand, this is a welcome gender role-reversal. On the other hand, I have to wonder if Orner has some unprocessed Mommy issues.
All in all, another very strong novel from Orner that I get college credit for reading. Booyah....more
This is one of those ideas that would have worked had it been applied to a short story rather than a novel. The child's point of view is intriguing atThis is one of those ideas that would have worked had it been applied to a short story rather than a novel. The child's point of view is intriguing at first but one starts to wonder how long this can go on when they are only fifty pages into the book with two hundred more to go.
There was tension and intrigue in the first half of this book, but by the second half I felt I was reading a lot of unnecessary tying up - or, really, that this is the stuff the author truly wanted to explore and just had to have the more sensational first bit to get to this. Which would be fine, except all of this lagged mostly due to still being stuck in the 5-year-old's mind. I think this book could definitely have benefited from being told in halves: the first half from the kid's limited PoV, the second from his mom's slightly more knowledgeable PoV. It just grows tiresome.
Overall, while the conceit does work some of the time, it seems such an alienating narrative device would have worked much better in the tighter space a short story demands. And for this, the book suffered. But it was a good idea, so there are your two stars. ...more
There are definitely moments in this book that are beautiful, but as a narrative, I was not drawn in. I just can't relate to John Ames and his worldviThere are definitely moments in this book that are beautiful, but as a narrative, I was not drawn in. I just can't relate to John Ames and his worldview. I must admit, though, I was very critical about this book from the beginning because it won the Pulitzer and thus has a lot to live up to, in my opinion. I now have a theory that the formula - if there is one - for winning such a prize is to write about old, white men who are dying. ...more
A coworker once exclaimed to me, "You're a creative writing major and you've never read Toni Morrison!?!"
Now I understand her disbelief.
SULA is a greA coworker once exclaimed to me, "You're a creative writing major and you've never read Toni Morrison!?!"
Now I understand her disbelief.
SULA is a great character study. Boiled down to its simplest form, it is a story about love and relationships (as most stories are), but Morrison's prose and characterization make it impossible for you to boil it down, especially because you're too busy soaking up its poetry and trying to decide how much you can reasonably dislike each character while still being intensely interested in their lives. The complexity and depth Morrison packs into a single sentence is truly inspiring.
That said, I thought part two could have done with a lot less summary and more scene. I understand the need for the narrative to move quickly, and the language was still beautiful, but it felt like a lot of over-explaining character motivations for the benefit of the reader as opposed to the benefit of the story.
I read this after seeing the trailer for the movie coming out next year. I love the way the book assumes you know everything about the world and so itI read this after seeing the trailer for the movie coming out next year. I love the way the book assumes you know everything about the world and so it never gets bogged down in explanation or exposition (except maybe a tad at the end), and every "reveal" is unveiled in such a nonchalant way so that there are no "gasp" moments, but rather you feel, on some level, that you've always known (because, really, you have; it's not a secret, it's only in shadow). The story isn't ABOUT this world and its secrets; it's about how three particular individuals navigate this world together, and the secrets they learn of each other - or keep from each other - along the way. The narrative does great and fascinating things with memory and time (if you're into that sort of thing), and the voice is very authentic (so much in fact that I assumed at first the author was a woman). Even though this is a sad and moving tale, it never falters into sentimentality or melodrama. Read it before you see the movie. ...more
I don't think I'd be as interested in this story if the narrative structure weren't so delicious. It's quite an experiment that I think Amis pulls offI don't think I'd be as interested in this story if the narrative structure weren't so delicious. It's quite an experiment that I think Amis pulls off well. ...more
This four-star rating is based solely on the one story I read this collection, "The Immortals," which is one of the best short stories I've ever read.This four-star rating is based solely on the one story I read this collection, "The Immortals," which is one of the best short stories I've ever read. To tell you anything about it would be giving everything away. It's not about vampires. That's all you need to know....more
This was the best book I read this summer, maybe even of all time, I have not decided yet. It is just one of those stories that claws its way into youThis was the best book I read this summer, maybe even of all time, I have not decided yet. It is just one of those stories that claws its way into your stomach and nests there, seeping its juices into the rest of your bodily functions on the daily. It's just so incredible. I had the same reaction to this as I did when I first read The Poisonwood Bible a few years ago: "Holy christ, how have I not read this before now?" Life is not the same after you read this. Trust me....more
I'd seen the fantastic Infamous, which spurred me to read In Cold Blood, but never had I read any of Capote's straight fiction. This was a fascinatingI'd seen the fantastic Infamous, which spurred me to read In Cold Blood, but never had I read any of Capote's straight fiction. This was a fascinating piece of literature, and I was surprised (though perhaps I shouldn't have been) at how little has changed over the years in regards to language and what is considered taboo. Sex and sex work, real or imagined, is kind of still regarded in the same "wow that's kind of erotic...maybe we shouldn't talk about it" kind of way. (Interesting side note, depending on what you find interesting: a had a customer sell some books the other day whose last name was Golightly. I asked if that was her given name, and she said, "Yes. At least my parents didn't name me Holly." I forget what her first name was.) ...more
This is definitely one o' them love 'em or hate 'em books. My money is on love, but I do have to admit that I skipped sizable chunks of what I consideThis is definitely one o' them love 'em or hate 'em books. My money is on love, but I do have to admit that I skipped sizable chunks of what I considered to be the secondary narrative and concentrated on only reading the "essay" of the house and its explorers. It was pretty creepy....more
This story explores the aftermath of a child's fatal mistake from the point of view of first his mother and then himself. It's interesting terrain, buThis story explores the aftermath of a child's fatal mistake from the point of view of first his mother and then himself. It's interesting terrain, but I must say I felt the ending was too "oh no this thing needs a plot?!? crap." Because, really, it didn't need that extra plottiness at the end; I was digging it as just a kind of portrait....more
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