jenknox's Reviews (494)

This was incredibly difficult for me to read. Fitzgerald's nonfiction is a gift though, and I wonder if there's more.

There's something so fresh about this book, the energy behind the narration, that made me read the entire thing twice. Domestic Apparition is a slender book but one that is so filled to the brim with a candid and lively examination of the depth and change that occurs internally; it's filled with an examination of the courage necessary when the glitz fades, the truth is revealed, and we are left to redefine our ideas about beauty.

Tuite's book reads like a series of personal essays or a memoir - it feels honest, as though the narrator is confiding in us readers, completely unraveling for the first time. Involving us, making us live the stories with her. It's the kind of book that makes me reevaluate the star system here because it seems to deserve so much more than five measly yellow stars. This novel of interconnected stories opens up a world that I recommend all readers enter and explore. You'll find grit and toughness here, but you'll find so, so much energy. And if you're like me, a good shot of energy is never a bad thing.

A poignant and compassionate look at the reality of lives affected by war. This book is told through the eyes of individuals themselves as weaved in with the author's experience, and this narrative nonfiction allows the book to provide personal glimpses that exhibit the impact and connectivity of all of our lives; for instance, two personal stories here combine when regret and unfathomable forgiveness meet. What distinguishes this book is that it tells the stories untold, the stories of remorse, victimhood and survival together. And the stories work to both investigate and provide hope; this collection is a true testament to human endurance and empathy.

Tales of the Troupe is a fantastic read. I read this book after work, and took my time because it seemed like a nice pick-me-up at the end of the day. Now, I'm sad it's over. I love the way the book is narrated, that it's dialogue-heavy (because the author knows what he's doing when it comes to dialogue) and that there's a slightly dry humor here; this is a realistic look at a group of young comics struggling to make it in New York. The characters are well-drawn and the relationship dynamics are as complex and heartwarming/wrenching as those we experience. This book is both intimate and witty. Read it.

I like the sadness. A lot of sadness and longing here, sometimes for no apparent reason.
It felt like a memoir, only sadder. There was beautiful, spare writing throughout with a few absolutely fantastic descriptions ("And beneath those feet, my hands ... worn and rough as cedar bark. Ivory angel feet with opal nails and satin soles. And my hands became his steps."), but Bloom doesn't flaunt her skills, she teases, lets a reader peek. The simplicity of her writing makes such passages leap from the page.

Did I mention the book is a little sad? It is. Perhaps so much so because the narrator (who is sometimes the narrator and sometimes not, as the perspective shifts) is endearing. Recommended. I'd loan you mine, but I spilled coffee all over it.

Okay, so here's my official blurb:

A Greater Monster offers pure sensory stimulation, verging on sensory overload. The graphics, concept and narration are pause-worthy, and they all combine to create literary indulgence at its best—it’s most interactive. The narrator in A Greater Monster doesn’t hold your hand and guide you; he doesn’t ask you to like him. Instead, he delivers a sharp uppercut to your chin and asks you to stop cowering, open your eyes and fight back. You will. He’ll make you.

***