stefanicox's Reviews (519)

This book is a tome! I mean, it's a serious undertaking. James has clearly done his research, both in facts, but also on Jamaican society. The most amazing thing to me about the book was how he kept the majority of it in Jamaican patois, which, while making for a difficult read in the beginning, really brings out the unique setting of the book.

A Brief History follows a whole host of characters involved in the assassination attempt on Bob Marley. It takes a while to get into James' style, which includes shifting characters each chapter. But it's worth hanging with the book to really get deep on what life is like for a certain subset of people in Jamaica (hint: beyond the tourist eye), and to learn some really interesting history about Marley, the CIA, and the drug trade at that time. Sounds like he has more coming in his next book as well!

At first I didn't know if I was going to like this book, but by the end I really loved it. It's one of those stories that gets deeper and deeper as it's told, and Ozeki is really great at putting in subtle hints about what's going on behind the surface of the story. It's hard to say much about the plot without giving away the story, but basically a woman named Ruth in coastal Canada discovers the diary of a Japanese teenager named Nao, and the book is a back and forth explanation of both of their stories.

There's a lot of similarities to Murakami's work — fantastical elements of the plot, strange dreams, interesting games with time — which made for a unique read. And while the book covers some seriously heavy topics, somehow the end result is poignant, not depressing.

A light, quick read, lots of quirky situations and characters!

I love Toni Morrison, and I still need to read so many of her past books! This one is a more modern take than much of her other work, but you still get a really strong sense of the characters and there's a ton of Morrison's classic signatures (like really interesting/meaningful character names).

What I loved most about this book was its originality. I'm not sure I can remember reading much of anything by a photojournalist, and especially not a woman with a family. I loved Addario's thoughtful reflections and explanations of her life's journey. And the passion that she has for her work was riveting to follow. I really appreciate this glimpse into a dangerous yet very important profession.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Loved Americanah, loved this one. Vivid characters and a detailed plot. I am again amazed at how little of non-European world history I learned growing up. If the book had gone on much longer than it did I might have had to reduce it by a star, but the beginning was so great and quick reading that I'll leave it as is.