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jessicaxmaria's Reviews (1.04k)
I took my time to read this collection of short stories - at first because I was simultaneously reading [b:Suttree|394469|Suttree|Cormac McCarthy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174413102s/394469.jpg|1196119], but then because every time I finished a story I needed time to process it. The plots, the characters - they all stayed with me for hours, then days after I read them. Yesterday I finished the last story, "Powers" and today in my commute I'm still thinking about it.
The stories work well together, too, and I loved them all; there wasn't a story I dismissed. Perhaps my favourite, or the one that garnered the most reaction and staying power with me was one called "Silence." I could probably sit down with someone else who's read it, over coffee, and dissect it together for over an hour. The story itself is only a few pages.
I'll be looking into reading more Munro, as this was my first foray into her writing.
The stories work well together, too, and I loved them all; there wasn't a story I dismissed. Perhaps my favourite, or the one that garnered the most reaction and staying power with me was one called "Silence." I could probably sit down with someone else who's read it, over coffee, and dissect it together for over an hour. The story itself is only a few pages.
I'll be looking into reading more Munro, as this was my first foray into her writing.
The book took a while to settle for me after I read it; the ending (and, actually, most of the book) garnered a strange reaction from my usual reading habits.
I usually enjoy books in which I like the protagonist. Or, so I thought. I realized to say this would be to oversimplify my thought process. I like books not in which I exactly like the protagonist, but I somehow relate to them or understand them.
I did not like Hollowell's main character Birdie Baker. Nothing she does is quite likable, and her motives are not deep but rather cliche and superficial. But there's something there that feels a bit too real - she is the cliche actress trying to make it, but her depressing sadness at her everyday life, her weariness really sold her as a character to me. I may not have liked her, but I understand her.
However, what really made me love this book was Hollowell's lovely prose and dismal, descriptive portrait of Hollywood. Hollowell writes well, and with biting, cynical humor that is necessary to tell such a tale. She sets up scenes well and punctuates them with great dialogue. Can't wait for her next effort.
I usually enjoy books in which I like the protagonist. Or, so I thought. I realized to say this would be to oversimplify my thought process. I like books not in which I exactly like the protagonist, but I somehow relate to them or understand them.
I did not like Hollowell's main character Birdie Baker. Nothing she does is quite likable, and her motives are not deep but rather cliche and superficial. But there's something there that feels a bit too real - she is the cliche actress trying to make it, but her depressing sadness at her everyday life, her weariness really sold her as a character to me. I may not have liked her, but I understand her.
However, what really made me love this book was Hollowell's lovely prose and dismal, descriptive portrait of Hollywood. Hollowell writes well, and with biting, cynical humor that is necessary to tell such a tale. She sets up scenes well and punctuates them with great dialogue. Can't wait for her next effort.
I really liked [b:Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea|40173|Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea|Chelsea Handler|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1215803088s/40173.jpg|2270522] when I read it last year, so I was excited to delve into her latest group of essays. She's still as brash and hilarious as ever; I would love to be her friend but as a super gullible person I would probably be embarassed a lot - she lies constantly in order to get a laugh. Loved her writing as her five-year-old self in which she cursed a lot, loved the tricks she would play on her CEO of E! boyfriend, and I loved how the book made me laugh out loud on a plane.
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Love this series more than Y: The Last Man. Already.
