Five queer women looking and hoping for freedom in 1970s Uruguay - a country and time period that I don't see much in literature. This book is simply a masterpiece.

My original rating was 4 stars, and then I moved it to 5 stars. Upon talking with my buddy read, I’m changing it back to 4. I wanted more of Malena’s story, more so than any of the other characters.

If you like book that is full of family dynamics over several decades, both blood and chosen, I highly suggest picking this one up. 

This book was both optimistic and heartbreaking and it was just what I needed. 

I wasn’t expecting to love this one. In fact, I thought it would be a disappointment for me since most of my other friends have loved it. However, I love to be proven wrong.

Sometimes a badass, practical assassin is needed at the most unexpected times. 

“You could rattle the stars.” pg 399

The Secret History will always be my number one dark academia book, but hello In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. Welcome to the number 2 spot.

Why I loved it:

- A dark academia book with red herrings that I didn’t hate? 

- Rich kid/college friend group with a lot of secrets 

- A love triangle I could get behind 

- A tied up ending

This book will not be for everyone. Honestly, I considered DNFing it twice. So just keep that in mind as you're reading it or considering putting it up.

It's a combination of historical fiction, literary fiction, and a little bit of science fiction and once again, Anthony Doerr showed off his prose. Which, I do know that all of people aren't fans of his prose. If you didn't like All the Light We Cannot See, maybe consider not picking this one up. Be warned that once again, there are short and jumpy chapters in this. In fact, for a bit of Cloud Cuckoo Land, I hated the short chapters.

With the short chapters, came odd cutoffs in my opinion. I found myself just getting enthralled in one of the POVs to be plucked out and pushed into the next.

The timelines in order of my favorite to my least favorite:
Konstance
Anna and Omeir
Zeno
Seymour

Konstance's POV from The Argos was my favorite because I was enthralled on her life on the 'ship' and I kept wanting to go back to see what would happen next. If you don't like scifi, don't worry - there's not too much in it to throw you off.

Anna and Omeir? Two POVs from the same timeline in Constantinople that later combine? Perfection.

My rating journey for this: DNF, 2 stars, 3 stars, and with the list 68 pages - 4 stars. 

May Tree, Moonlight, and Trusty Friend rest in peace. 

Too repetitive and not what I thought it was