pineconek's Reviews (816)

I listened to the 12h audiobook in less than two days, so I think that gives you a sense of my enjoyment of this book.

The main character and her narration stole the show. The story of Starr is not only the story of Khalil's murder but also of Starr's family, extended family, neighborhood, school, and how contrasting worlds collide. Recommended to anyone interested in fictional perspectives of what life is currently like for black Americans affected by police brutality.

3 stars because it was overall enjoyable but I would only recommend it to patient readers with an interest in autobiographies. This book is, among other things, a harrowing portrayal of watching someone you love slowly die.

The book didn't 100% land for me, and I struggled getting through the first quarter or so. Something about the writing style didn't quite click for me. That said, deeper into the book, the story and emotions carried me through. I ended up reading most of this book in one day, realizing far too late that this is Japanese Breakfast's autobiography (and I'm glad it wasn't marketed as such). That said, it's motivated me to listen to more Japanese Breakfast.

I'd recommend picking this book up if you can stomach graphic depictions of slow death and grief, are interested in immigration-related nostalgia, and enjoy the ways in which food can carry emotions and memories.

This book ranged from "fine" to "a chore to get through" to "ok now I'm just annoyed" so two stars for me. I would only recommend it if you're really into Stephen King and like when he goes off the deep end.

I'm feeling pretty stunned after finishing this book. There were several things I didn't like about it, the biggest of which was how the narrative was very clearly crafted for suspense, irony, etc... Aside from the need to suspend my disbelief for a number of coincidences however, there was a lot about this book that was wonderful. The characters were memorable. The themes of womanhood, generational tension, immigration, secrecy, community violence, and others were deeply explored. And the widow's stories were also pretty good ;).

This was something else.

I love good sci fi so much. I love a good "what if" premise. Here we have "what if women developed physical advantages over men". How would heavily patriarchal societies like Saudi Arabia respond? What about more egalitarian ones like the States? How would religion change? How would perceptions of gender roles shift? What conspiracy theories would emerge?

The pros: the book is crafted in a really cool way. Alternating chapters that follow different characters are framed by an exchange between the author and the writer she stole the manuscript from. Sketches of ancient artifacts are sprinkled throughout. It felt very fresh and explored the above questions in fascinating ways.

The cons: certain middle sections dragged on a bit and I felt myself losing interest in some of the character's stories. The balance of the book made me feel some themes were under-explored while others were over-explored, but I suspect that this is a very subjective personal preference.

Recommended to anyone who enjoys good sci-fi/alternate history that addresses some of the "what ifs" above.

So it took me about a year and a half to read this book. Not because it's bad - it's excellent. Not because it's technical - it's extremely accessible. But this book is immensely painful and I sometimes needed several days to recover from 3 pages.

This is an incredibly detailed, compassionate, and raw deep-dive into trauma. Dr Herman was the first to propose the existence of complex ptsd as separate from "regular" ptsd, and in the book narrows in particularly on the vulnerability of children and women to violence and its enduring effects.

This book has two sections, as the title indicates: trauma and recovery. Both are harrowing in their own way. Dr Herman doesn't shy away from using the big words or from quoting honest patient testimonies. There's a sorrow that reverberates in each page of this book along with a defiant hope.

Ultimately, this is an emotionally taxing comprehensive book on the enduring effects of chronic and/or interpersonal trauma, be it childhood abuse, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, political terrorism, long term captivity, etc... it reminds the reader continuously of how devastating the aftermath of these crimes are and how much work remains to be done in supporting survivors. But the take-home message is one of hope: not hope of a quick fix all erasing cure, but hope of a rewarding journey of recovery.

Winterson writes poetry disguised as prose. This book won't be everyone's cup of tea and isn't a great place to start reading her work (unless you've read a lot of Anais Nin). That said, it's a beautiful novel. The language and imagery are exquisite. The musings and insights span so many domains (medicine, science, history, philosophy....) and explore so many ideas (grief, lust, fear, uncertainty, loss...). This is a book to take slowly and savour.

Three stars because I like it but I don't think it has universal appeal. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys poetic interpretations of every day life, surreal conversations between lovers, and descriptions of science that read like magic realism.

2021 reread: I loved it in 2013, I loved the TV adaptation, and I loved it in 2021. Nothing beats a thriller that remains gripping even when you know the twist. This book is so dark and so heavy and I recommend it if you're into that sort of thing.

--- earlier review below ---

This is the quintessential perfect short thriller, as far as I'm concerned. It's also by far my favourite Gillian Flynn novel. Short and sweet, keeps you guessing, explores so much darkness, and has a satisfying albeit abrupt ending.
The TV adaptation is also perfect, but I recommend reading the book first.

This is a Matt Haig appreciation zone.

I appreciate his rawness and sincerity. I appreciate his openness to being disagreed with. I appreciate how evocative but simple (in a very good way) his writing is. I appreciate all the literary references he makes and how much he directs us to other works that have helped him. This is a beautiful book that provides excellent insight into the horrific cocktail of depression, generalized anxiety, and panic disorder.

Reading Sally Rooney feels like scrolling through a very detailed social media feed of someone I went to highschool with ten years ago. It feels uncomfortable, weirdly voyeuristic, annoyingly fascinating, and ultimately I don't feel great about myself after I do it. But I still find myself doing it.

This is essentially just a book about four characters in their late 20s "figuring it out", ft the pandemic at the very end. Mixed feelings all around. I recommend this if you feel like being annoyed with people while also eavesdropping on their private conversations.