Wants to be more whimsical
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An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that’s obsessed …
Super informative. I learned so much. Had so many fresh asexual (and aromantic) perspectives on the culture of sex and relationships in society.
This book really makes me want to take a gender and sexuality class!
A gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the …
One night after an evening out, Jason Dessen, forty-year-old physics professor living with his wife and son in Chicago, is …
The topic is exactly my cup of tea, but the book was unfortunately not very engaging (probably especially because I listened to the audio)
'You seldom read a novel that so convinces you it is extending the possibilities of fiction.' Sunday TimesEngland, 1930s. Christopher …
Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America--but even more fundamentally, points …
In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at …
At the age of twelve, Sophie Caco is sent from the impoverished village of Croix-des-Rosets to New York to be …
Kazuo Ishiguro imagines the lives of a group of students growing up in a darkly …
Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go has an inventive premise. Yet, for me, the narrative structure dulled much of the emotion the book could have had.
The story is told by Kath, who we know from the beginning is a “carer” (but we’re not told what that is), as she remembers her childhood in Halisham, a seemingly idyllic boarding school. There is something off about Halisham, and as the novel progresses, we slowly learn more about Kathy’s world.
But, so much time is spent going through what feels like middle school drama, even when the characters are adults. Kathy’s narration often laser-focused on the other characters’ body language and their passive-aggressive comments, instead of the more significant implications of her world. I understand why Ishiguro chose this narrative structure (mild spoiler ahead); reading Kathy’s reflections on her life, including the dull, insignificant arguments with her peers, is meant to portray her …
Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go has an inventive premise. Yet, for me, the narrative structure dulled much of the emotion the book could have had.
The story is told by Kath, who we know from the beginning is a “carer” (but we’re not told what that is), as she remembers her childhood in Halisham, a seemingly idyllic boarding school. There is something off about Halisham, and as the novel progresses, we slowly learn more about Kathy’s world.
But, so much time is spent going through what feels like middle school drama, even when the characters are adults. Kathy’s narration often laser-focused on the other characters’ body language and their passive-aggressive comments, instead of the more significant implications of her world. I understand why Ishiguro chose this narrative structure (mild spoiler ahead); reading Kathy’s reflections on her life, including the dull, insignificant arguments with her peers, is meant to portray her and the other characters as truly human. But, this style actually made it hard for me to emotionally connect to the characters.
In the end, I didn’t actively dislike it as I was reading; I was just waiting for more the whole time. The novel held my interest enough for me to keep reading and the concept is thought-provoking. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an inventive novel with a slow buildup.
Read more reviews on my website!
https://cggbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/never-let-me-go/
Having grown up outside of DC, reading this book was very eye-opening for me. I enjoyed learning about the demographic of white-working class in rural Appalachia, but, Vance's personal narrative was the most powerful and engaging aspect of the book for me.
Having grown up outside of DC, reading this book was very eye-opening for me. I enjoyed learning about the demographic of white-working class in rural Appalachia, but, Vance's personal narrative was the most powerful and engaging aspect of the book for me.
“I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, …
Gay's Hunger was incredibly powerful and incredibly heavy. At times I wanted to stop because it was so hard to read emotionally, but I couldn't tear myself away. I certainly gained new perspective from this book. My one critique is that the book was very repetitive at times. Perhaps it would have served better as a collection of essays instead of a memoir. The book did not progress as a linear timeline anyway.
Gay's Hunger was incredibly powerful and incredibly heavy. At times I wanted to stop because it was so hard to read emotionally, but I couldn't tear myself away. I certainly gained new perspective from this book. My one critique is that the book was very repetitive at times. Perhaps it would have served better as a collection of essays instead of a memoir. The book did not progress as a linear timeline anyway.
Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star lodging on the northernmost tip …
In one word, I would describe The Glass Hotel as atmospheric. I enjoyed becoming immersed in the world of The Glass Hotel. Yet, the story and the characters did not really hold much emotional strength to me. Part of my disengagement may have been because I hadn't known what a Ponzi scheme was before reading The Glass Hotel. Regardless, I don't think I'll remember this book for a long time. However, I loved Mandel's Station Eleven.
In one word, I would describe The Glass Hotel as atmospheric. I enjoyed becoming immersed in the world of The Glass Hotel. Yet, the story and the characters did not really hold much emotional strength to me. Part of my disengagement may have been because I hadn't known what a Ponzi scheme was before reading The Glass Hotel. Regardless, I don't think I'll remember this book for a long time. However, I loved Mandel's Station Eleven.
On Beauty is a 2005 novel by British author Zadie Smith, loosely based on Howards …
I enjoyed this one! Smith writes developed characters, yet cynically. She wrote characters, families, and institutions flaws first. While some readers may not enjoy this style, I appreciated it and found it fresh. Although I was in quarantine, I felt like I was really there in Wellington.
