nitroglycerin's Reviews (952)

Infuriating. Informative. Essential. 

Would I have preferred to read a a book about Cornwall by someone born and bred in Cornwall. Sure. Lamorna Ash is a “posh” London girl (her words) but is drawn to Cornwall as her namesake is a small coastal village, and her summers were spent on the Cornish coast too. She’s also well researched, spent time with Cornish sea folk, and put a lot of effort into distilling their lives into the book. 

As a big heartstopper fan I flew through this, loved finding out about tori and Michael’s relationship after he was revealed in S3 of the show, but damn tori’s headspace is draining to be in. She is so negative. And I get it. There are people out there who do perceive the world like that, and she’s a teenager too which makes it infinitely more annoying. Yet somehow I still really loved the book. 

Unfortunately this didn’t do it for me. 
I can’t pinpoint one thing but lots of little things that grated on me: name dropping people I had no idea who they were (prominent Christian people?), alluding to things coming up in future chapters that just weren’t all that interesting, a lack of hedgehogs in my opinion, and finally a sense of upper classness that just always irks me.  

What a messed up MC. Oh Lordy. What a compelling train wreck. 

Damiyan! 2.5 ⭐️ 
Throw toward the moon 3.5 ⭐️ 
The old guys 3.5 ⭐️
Henry and Charles 3 ⭐️
It’s a beautiful day 3.5 ⭐️
Musica nostra 2.5 ⭐️
Kaiju kingdom 5 ⭐️
Tanshin funin/solo mission 4⭐️

Overall a great collection. It’s a beautiful day has me listening to 70’s Japanese folk music now so my Spotify wrapped is going to be weird this year. Kaiju kingdom was brilliant. Really should read the other Urasawa manga on my shelves. 

It’s been 7 years since I read The Outrun but I know in my bones that this doesn’t compare. Is it me? More mature and my life more put together now where’s The Outrun was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time? Perhaps. 

Following from the Outrun, Amy moves to Berlin to find herself again without the pitfalls of London and the loneliness of the Islands. 

And I still enjoyed being carried along in Amy’s adventures in Berlin and in Love. But the stakes were less. It felt less important. A memoir is someone’s life though so perhaps it’s a good thing that her life was gentler (heartbreak is horrible, but alcoholism I recon is worse). 

I question the books inclusion on the Wainwright prize long list. The outrun, while a memoir, had amazing descriptions of the islands and the bird life Amy encounters as she works for the RSPB. The Instant is city based. Sure she goes birding. But it isn’t the same. Am I being picky. Maybe. Nature isn’t always out there in the wilds, but there was such few mentions of birds or nature that it feels misplaced.  

Would I recommend the book? Absolutely. Just go in with tempered expectations, especially if you loved the Outrun. 

Short and heartbreaking. To know this is inspired by the real life Magdalen Laundries - the many women and girls who were sent there, slaved there and died there - is soul destroying. 
Humans are truly awful, even the ones with faith in Gods. 

A strong collection of short stories that allow you to really connect with the characters for the short time you’re with them.