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2.41k reviews by:
renatasnacks
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I feel like a person who watched Episode I of Star Wars before the original trilogy, but I'm doing this whole thing in a pretty weird order... first I watched the Hannibal TV show, then read Red Dragon, then read this, and still haven't seen any of the movies?
That said, from reading the book I can definitely see why the movie has become so iconic. And given Harris's strong plot and characters but.. less strong overall writing... I can definitely see how the movie might be better than the book. I should probably watch that sometime.
That said, from reading the book I can definitely see why the movie has become so iconic. And given Harris's strong plot and characters but.. less strong overall writing... I can definitely see how the movie might be better than the book. I should probably watch that sometime.
AUGH I read a bunch of reviews of this that were just like, "SO GOOD, READ IT ASAP BUT AVOID SPOILERS" but FYI the GoodReads summary of this is a spoiler. Also the ~spoiler~ is like... what makes this an interesting concept.
Anyway, I read it spoiled, but I kind of appreciated it that way--like knowing how a magic trick works, I appreciated seeing how Fowler was building to the ~spoiler~.
Either way you read it--I loved the characters and the, hmm, humaneness of the narrative? I guess is what I want to say?
Anyway, I read it spoiled, but I kind of appreciated it that way--like knowing how a magic trick works, I appreciated seeing how Fowler was building to the ~spoiler~.
Either way you read it--I loved the characters and the, hmm, humaneness of the narrative? I guess is what I want to say?
What Renata Didn't Know: this was a book in verse?? I might not have picked it up if I'd known b/c that's not usually my jam, but then it was so fast-paced that I read the whole thing while waiting for my clothes to launder. HUZZAH.
Anyway, I... honestly wish I could have read this book when I was a high school freshman, it was like... seriously just I think I would have found it very helpful and relateable to read about around that age.
As an adult it was almost embarassing to read, like oh noooo I used to be like that. But also cool?? But I can DEF get why she's a popular author with teens. Teen Renata would probably give this 5 stars.
Sometimes I read complaints that since adults are reading YA now some YA books are more skewed toward adult interests? But this one is DEF not.
Anyway, I... honestly wish I could have read this book when I was a high school freshman, it was like... seriously just I think I would have found it very helpful and relateable to read about around that age.
As an adult it was almost embarassing to read, like oh noooo I used to be like that. But also cool?? But I can DEF get why she's a popular author with teens. Teen Renata would probably give this 5 stars.
Sometimes I read complaints that since adults are reading YA now some YA books are more skewed toward adult interests? But this one is DEF not.
Super cute! Meg Cabot is so dependable with her funny-neurotic heroines and pop culture references. I read this on a plane, which was the perfect place to read it. I don't generally go for mysteries but I did because it was Meg Cabot, and I liked Heather Wells enough to want to read the next one even if I'm NOT on a plane.
Oh and given the title I was a little nervous that this was going to be like way heavy-handed on the body-image talk but it wasn't. It was regular-handed. I should have trusted Meg Cabot. Sorry, Meg.
Oh and given the title I was a little nervous that this was going to be like way heavy-handed on the body-image talk but it wasn't. It was regular-handed. I should have trusted Meg Cabot. Sorry, Meg.
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, R. Gregory Christie
OK, is it just me or does this book have a title that makes it sound boring as fuck? I only read it because it had won the Coretta Scott King award and it happens to be among the somewhat limited # of YA titles our library has for Kindle, but I was kind of expecting it to be like a vitamin book--good for me, but hard to choke down. (Ugh, sorry, I know it's gross but that's just how I was thinking of it. Also what's with the cover? I'm judging it.)
But anyway, it was GREAT! Such compelling voices and historical detail presented in a skilfully casual way (is that what I want so say? Like the opposite of heavy-handed?) and so great at showing multiple perspectives on historical events. And what a great great microcosm of black history Lewis Michaux's bookstore is!!
But it's not like a vitamin, it's like a PIZZA. Eat it!! You'll like it!!
But anyway, it was GREAT! Such compelling voices and historical detail presented in a skilfully casual way (is that what I want so say? Like the opposite of heavy-handed?) and so great at showing multiple perspectives on historical events. And what a great great microcosm of black history Lewis Michaux's bookstore is!!
But it's not like a vitamin, it's like a PIZZA. Eat it!! You'll like it!!
HEAVY SHIT.
This was a compelling book, and I like how it complicated the role of UN aid in Haiti & all of the political turmoil in Haiti. Not... super sure about the voodoo, but... okay.
This was a compelling book, and I like how it complicated the role of UN aid in Haiti & all of the political turmoil in Haiti. Not... super sure about the voodoo, but... okay.
Yeah! Totally solid fantasy-adventure-mythology! My favorite part of the narration is .
Spoiler
Luke's evil bro voice
Yay, after forcing myself to read a bunch of popular paranormal romance books so I can stay HIP AND RELEVANT for the kids these days, I read a YA book that I picked out for myself!! And it was so great! I read it all in one day!
I love realistic contemporary fiction about kids who are kind of pretentious and maybe say things that are a few degrees smarter than what real kids stay but still seem realistic about it.
Like maybe there are real teenagers who start out each day by YAWPING and reciting Walk Whitman aloud. Like three of them. In the world. But who cares because fictional James Whitman does it and it's perfect and endearing and sad. Really strong, great narrative of depression and fraught family life and high school and therapy that ends up being a narrative of strength and joy rather than, like, depression.
I love realistic contemporary fiction about kids who are kind of pretentious and maybe say things that are a few degrees smarter than what real kids stay but still seem realistic about it.
Like maybe there are real teenagers who start out each day by YAWPING and reciting Walk Whitman aloud. Like three of them. In the world. But who cares because fictional James Whitman does it and it's perfect and endearing and sad. Really strong, great narrative of depression and fraught family life and high school and therapy that ends up being a narrative of strength and joy rather than, like, depression.
Lemony Snicket writes like a MOTHERFUCKER and makes it look easy. Like, honestly, I'm just pretty breathless about him. Have you read [b:Adverbs|79129|Adverbs|Daniel Handler|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327729597s/79129.jpg|1230197]? Like, I don't wanna tell you how to live your life, but you should read Adverbs. I want to re-read Adverbs right now.
What? This isn't supposed to be a review of Adverbs? WHATEVER I DO WHAT I WANT. Anyway, in college I became a big fan of the Series of Unfortunate Events, which are also super clever but not just clever for clever's sake, you know? Just brilliant.
I loved the way this tied in to ASoUE but also stood alone. Ummm when does the next one come out. Is it tomorrow? I hope it's tomorrow.
What? This isn't supposed to be a review of Adverbs? WHATEVER I DO WHAT I WANT. Anyway, in college I became a big fan of the Series of Unfortunate Events, which are also super clever but not just clever for clever's sake, you know? Just brilliant.
I loved the way this tied in to ASoUE but also stood alone. Ummm when does the next one come out. Is it tomorrow? I hope it's tomorrow.