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_lia_reads_'s Reviews (757)
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free advanced copy.
You guys, this book. I didn’t know much about the story going in and I think that really enhanced my experience of the book. So I don’t want to say much about the plot and help it retain that mystery for you all.
The story focuses around two families, one black and one white. It is an interesting exploration of race and class, similar to Such a Fun Age but with less humor. Interspersed with the story is a narration reminiscent of a Greek Chorus that lends an interesting perspective on what’s happening and what’s to come for the story.
I thought the characters were really well developed and the story surprised me. While slow to get started, the second half of the book flew by for me. I loved this one and think it’s something that everyone should read.
You guys, this book. I didn’t know much about the story going in and I think that really enhanced my experience of the book. So I don’t want to say much about the plot and help it retain that mystery for you all.
The story focuses around two families, one black and one white. It is an interesting exploration of race and class, similar to Such a Fun Age but with less humor. Interspersed with the story is a narration reminiscent of a Greek Chorus that lends an interesting perspective on what’s happening and what’s to come for the story.
I thought the characters were really well developed and the story surprised me. While slow to get started, the second half of the book flew by for me. I loved this one and think it’s something that everyone should read.
I was so happy to hear that this book was picked for January’s #notyomamasbookclub. After reading If You Want to Make God Laugh––and loving it so much that it became one of my best books of 2019––I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. Hum did not disappoint. Set in apartheid South Africa and told through the alternating perspectives of Robin, a ten-year-old white child and Beauty, an older Xhosa woman, the book explores complex questions of race and what it means to be a family. After Robin’s parents are killed and her former maid leaves, Beauty is hired to take care of Robin. All the while, Beauty is searching for her daughter, who disappeared during the Soweto Uprising.
The book is part heartwarming drama and part mystery. The latter keeps the plot moving quickly and made me want to know what happened while the former emphasized the complex characters that Marais created. Much like Laugh, Marais has artfully interrogated the different facets of racial interactions in South Africa, and explored how people are able to transcend these self-imposed boundaries in the name of love. While at times I wanted to shake Robin for her ignorance, it was interesting to see a young girl grapple with racism and its effects on people that she cares about.
I think that Laugh is still my favorite book of Marais work, but Hum satisfied a need for more of her storytelling and was highly enjoyable. I cannot wait to see what else she creates!
The book is part heartwarming drama and part mystery. The latter keeps the plot moving quickly and made me want to know what happened while the former emphasized the complex characters that Marais created. Much like Laugh, Marais has artfully interrogated the different facets of racial interactions in South Africa, and explored how people are able to transcend these self-imposed boundaries in the name of love. While at times I wanted to shake Robin for her ignorance, it was interesting to see a young girl grapple with racism and its effects on people that she cares about.
I think that Laugh is still my favorite book of Marais work, but Hum satisfied a need for more of her storytelling and was highly enjoyable. I cannot wait to see what else she creates!
Guys, I’m here with an #unpopularopinion: I didn’t like The Silent Patient. Sure, I wanted to know what happened and why Alicia Berenson was silent and that twist at the end was a bit unexpected. But my goodness…I’m still not sure what I just read and I’m annoyed that I spent time I this book.
From the beginning, I did not like Theo. He was kind of a douche and really macho and full of himself. Maybe this was the point, but it honestly made the twist a lot less of a shock. Second, how does the new doctor at a mental institution just waltz in there and DRASTICALLY change a patient’s care plan, against the wishes of people who have been treating her for longer than he has? Third, why are almost all the women in this book crazy or accused of being crazy? Ruth is the only one that Theo has mostly positive remarks about. Why did we have to go on all those subplots to visit Alicia’s gallery dealer, her brother-in-law, her cousin? And why are all these sub characters so underdeveloped? I kept waiting for the connection between Diomedes, the Greek character, and the Greek play they kept referencing to become more of a plot point (a la a Deus ex machina) but that never happened, which frustrated.
Honestly, I almost gave up on this book halfway through and the only reason I stuck with it was so that I could know why she was silent, and even that was a bit of a let down.
2.5 stars rounded up.
From the beginning, I did not like Theo. He was kind of a douche and really macho and full of himself. Maybe this was the point, but it honestly made the twist a lot less of a shock. Second, how does the new doctor at a mental institution just waltz in there and DRASTICALLY change a patient’s care plan, against the wishes of people who have been treating her for longer than he has? Third, why are almost all the women in this book crazy or accused of being crazy? Ruth is the only one that Theo has mostly positive remarks about. Why did we have to go on all those subplots to visit Alicia’s gallery dealer, her brother-in-law, her cousin? And why are all these sub characters so underdeveloped? I kept waiting for the connection between Diomedes, the Greek character, and the Greek play they kept referencing to become more of a plot point (a la a Deus ex machina) but that never happened, which frustrated.
Honestly, I almost gave up on this book halfway through and the only reason I stuck with it was so that I could know why she was silent, and even that was a bit of a let down.
2.5 stars rounded up.
This one is hard for me, because on paper it really seems like a book that I would like. A literary fiction novel, exploring women's relationship and sexuality just sounded really great.
However, it just didn't work for me. I was willing to let the lack of quotation marks in the first chapter go, but overall I had a hard time connecting to any of Popkey's characters. I think that this novel would have worked better as a series of short stories with different narrators, because I was left feeling as though I should understand the narrator better than I did by the end of the book. Her reflection at the end of the story left me wondering why I was supposed to care about the character and her supposed growth. Some of the stories were better than others for me, and that's why I kept going with the book. But overall, it was just not for me.
2.5 stars rounded up.
However, it just didn't work for me. I was willing to let the lack of quotation marks in the first chapter go, but overall I had a hard time connecting to any of Popkey's characters. I think that this novel would have worked better as a series of short stories with different narrators, because I was left feeling as though I should understand the narrator better than I did by the end of the book. Her reflection at the end of the story left me wondering why I was supposed to care about the character and her supposed growth. Some of the stories were better than others for me, and that's why I kept going with the book. But overall, it was just not for me.
2.5 stars rounded up.
“Stories lead us to the truth and they lead us astray, and how are we to know the difference?” (Thanks to Celadon Books and Edelweiss for the free review copy!)
Guy, this book was a trip. I devoured it, finding times where I could sneak in some pages in order to finish it quickly. Clarire’s older sister Alison disappearance when they are on vacation on Saint X continues to haunt Claire for the rest of her life. She is only seven years old when the college-aged Allison disappears and spend the rest of her formative years hearing about the disappearance and trying to craft her own life that is separate from that trauma. However, one day she encounters Clive Richardson, one of the men suspected of her sister’s murder and her world changes.
Schaitkin really has a way with words and has crafted a story that is both well-written and gripping. I loved how the book switched between the different POV and in doing so also switched the voice that was being used to the tell the story. I know that narrative choice for the opening of the book bothers some people but I appreciated its almost cinematic quality. I wanted to know what happened to Allison and was pleasantly surprised when my predictions did not come true throughout the book. She seamlessly weaves in discussions of class disparity and race alongside the mystery. These themes are unavoidable when you are writing about the disappearance and death of a wealthy white girl on a predominantly poor island and I think that Schaitkin handled them well. The only part where the book lost me was Clarie’s emotional journey in the middle, where her paragraphs of observations of New York City were often a bit of a distraction from the rest of the story (though might be more appreciated by someone from the city).
Overall, I highly recommend the book and think it is going to be a big one of 2020. 4.5 stars
Guy, this book was a trip. I devoured it, finding times where I could sneak in some pages in order to finish it quickly. Clarire’s older sister Alison disappearance when they are on vacation on Saint X continues to haunt Claire for the rest of her life. She is only seven years old when the college-aged Allison disappears and spend the rest of her formative years hearing about the disappearance and trying to craft her own life that is separate from that trauma. However, one day she encounters Clive Richardson, one of the men suspected of her sister’s murder and her world changes.
Schaitkin really has a way with words and has crafted a story that is both well-written and gripping. I loved how the book switched between the different POV and in doing so also switched the voice that was being used to the tell the story. I know that narrative choice for the opening of the book bothers some people but I appreciated its almost cinematic quality. I wanted to know what happened to Allison and was pleasantly surprised when my predictions did not come true throughout the book. She seamlessly weaves in discussions of class disparity and race alongside the mystery. These themes are unavoidable when you are writing about the disappearance and death of a wealthy white girl on a predominantly poor island and I think that Schaitkin handled them well. The only part where the book lost me was Clarie’s emotional journey in the middle, where her paragraphs of observations of New York City were often a bit of a distraction from the rest of the story (though might be more appreciated by someone from the city).
Overall, I highly recommend the book and think it is going to be a big one of 2020. 4.5 stars
Zelda is a 21-year-old viking enthusiast with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She lives with her brother Gert and is concerned with protecting her tribe, which includes her brother and his ex-girlfriend AK47. Told through Zelda's eyes, we follow her on her quest to become legendary and save her tribe from danger.
While the story's premise sounds almost like a fairytale, MacDonald's book is grounded in harsh reality. It was fascinating to see the story unfold through Zelda's eyes, a perspective that many of us may not be familiar with. I loved the friendships that she developed and maintained throughout the book and the ways in which she worked through her different moments of adversity. Zelda is an easy character to root for, and I found myself doing so throughout the entire book. At times, the plot is difficult to follow but this due not to the writing but the fact that Zelda herself is not entirely sure what is happening. This made the beginning of the book difficult to get into, but it easier to read after that. A word of warning that I was surprised by how dark the story got towards the end. However, this was overall a unique and enjoyable read that I'm glad I picked up.
4 stars
TW: Attempted rape, domestic abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, language
While the story's premise sounds almost like a fairytale, MacDonald's book is grounded in harsh reality. It was fascinating to see the story unfold through Zelda's eyes, a perspective that many of us may not be familiar with. I loved the friendships that she developed and maintained throughout the book and the ways in which she worked through her different moments of adversity. Zelda is an easy character to root for, and I found myself doing so throughout the entire book. At times, the plot is difficult to follow but this due not to the writing but the fact that Zelda herself is not entirely sure what is happening. This made the beginning of the book difficult to get into, but it easier to read after that. A word of warning that I was surprised by how dark the story got towards the end. However, this was overall a unique and enjoyable read that I'm glad I picked up.
4 stars
TW: Attempted rape, domestic abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, language
Thanks to Scribner for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a funky little book that I have kept thinking about since I finished it. The story follows Danny, an illegal immigrant living in Sydney. To make his living, he takes under the table house cleaning jobs in the apartments of wealthy Australians. The book takes place over one day, during which he hears about the murder of one of his former clients and suspects her lover (and another client of his) is involved. But, because he is illegally in the country, he is hesitant to approach the police.
The book is written in a very literary, stream of consciousness style. You flip constantly back and forth between Danny's manic thoughts (which are at times quite weird) and little snippets of how he came to be illegal in Australia. As Danny starts to get more and more anxious, his thoughts become weirder and more disjointed.
While at times it was definitely hard to follow Danny's thoughts and what exactly was going on in the book, it would always come together if I kept reading. It was an interesting perspective of an illegal immigrant, not just arriving in a country as tends to be the focus of many stories, but who has been living in his new country for many years. It got into some of the implications of that lifestyle: the constant worry about being discovered, taking l0w-paying jobs to get by, living under the radar etc. Personally, I had never read a book featuring a Sri Lankan main character, so that alone was quite interesting, as was the study of immigration in Australia.
I don't think this book will appeal to everyone with its literary style and prose that is not always entirely clear. However, I enjoyed it and felt it was an important addition to my reads this month.
3.5 stars rounded up
This was such a funky little book that I have kept thinking about since I finished it. The story follows Danny, an illegal immigrant living in Sydney. To make his living, he takes under the table house cleaning jobs in the apartments of wealthy Australians. The book takes place over one day, during which he hears about the murder of one of his former clients and suspects her lover (and another client of his) is involved. But, because he is illegally in the country, he is hesitant to approach the police.
The book is written in a very literary, stream of consciousness style. You flip constantly back and forth between Danny's manic thoughts (which are at times quite weird) and little snippets of how he came to be illegal in Australia. As Danny starts to get more and more anxious, his thoughts become weirder and more disjointed.
While at times it was definitely hard to follow Danny's thoughts and what exactly was going on in the book, it would always come together if I kept reading. It was an interesting perspective of an illegal immigrant, not just arriving in a country as tends to be the focus of many stories, but who has been living in his new country for many years. It got into some of the implications of that lifestyle: the constant worry about being discovered, taking l0w-paying jobs to get by, living under the radar etc. Personally, I had never read a book featuring a Sri Lankan main character, so that alone was quite interesting, as was the study of immigration in Australia.
I don't think this book will appeal to everyone with its literary style and prose that is not always entirely clear. However, I enjoyed it and felt it was an important addition to my reads this month.
3.5 stars rounded up
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.
WOW, this book was stunningly clever. A re-telling of Macbeth, Capin has composed a witty, dark, and captivating story. 16-year-old Elle's life changes forever when she is assaulted by a group of lacrosse players at a prep school party. She takes it into her hands to exact revenge on everyone who was involved in the assault. I was so intrigued watching her manipulate the boys into killing each other, with the same sort of fascination as watching a true crime tv show: you know it's horrible and twisted but you also can't stop watching. It was so interesting seeing the ways in which Capin remained true to Macbeth (the out out damn spot scene in particular was well-written) while also seeing the ways in which she diverges from Shakespeare's story to make her own timely narrative. The diversity of the characters was refreshing, especially as someone who reads mostly adult fiction. There are characters of color and even a transwoman as main characters.
This book is definitely not for everyone. It's dark, bloody, horrific. Some might not agree with Elle's exacting of revenge in the manner that she does. However, I love a good, dark novel and this one was right up my alley.
TW: sexual assault (not shown, but heavily referenced), graphic violence
WOW, this book was stunningly clever. A re-telling of Macbeth, Capin has composed a witty, dark, and captivating story. 16-year-old Elle's life changes forever when she is assaulted by a group of lacrosse players at a prep school party. She takes it into her hands to exact revenge on everyone who was involved in the assault. I was so intrigued watching her manipulate the boys into killing each other, with the same sort of fascination as watching a true crime tv show: you know it's horrible and twisted but you also can't stop watching. It was so interesting seeing the ways in which Capin remained true to Macbeth (the out out damn spot scene in particular was well-written) while also seeing the ways in which she diverges from Shakespeare's story to make her own timely narrative. The diversity of the characters was refreshing, especially as someone who reads mostly adult fiction. There are characters of color and even a transwoman as main characters.
This book is definitely not for everyone. It's dark, bloody, horrific. Some might not agree with Elle's exacting of revenge in the manner that she does. However, I love a good, dark novel and this one was right up my alley.
TW: sexual assault (not shown, but heavily referenced), graphic violence
This book was so quietly beautiful and lyrical, everything that I have come to expect from a Patchett novel. Telling the story of a birthday party taken hostage by a group of militant rebels looking to overthrow the government, the focus of the story is on the people themselves and the relationships that they form while in captivity. A famous opera singer, Roxane Cross, brings the characters together, from bringing many of them to the party initially to using her music and her spirit to keep others together. The theme of opera is woven through the book, touching many of the characters in different ways. Even not knowing much about opera, I found this to be a very interesting way to tie the book together.