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4.5 stars. Parts of this were a bit more focused on romance than I'm used to, but I got caught up in the story and enjoyed it a lot. Cinematic and well-written. Many of the sentences are long but lyrical, especially as read by Philippe Spall for the audiobook.

It has a fascinating setting and well-developed characters. I loved the description of Willa's need to understand things, and the way she tries hard to learn by carefully watching what the experienced people do. As for Henrik, who is pretty slow-witted (not helped by his excessive drinking, which is a problem for quite a few characters), Pylväinen does a great job of conveying his doubts and his realization that he doesn't understand or remember things; these parts are painful but also funny. There are also times when certain characters start imagining a brighter future - and their moods lift as they think about things going their way (maybe it's part of God's plan?) - and I appreciated how well the book captures this sort of thinking.

The story also includes some thoughtful criticism of religious leaders and does a good job of providing background on the history and cultures of the region. Plus, there are the reindeer, which I decided (correctly, it turns out) would make this an appropriate read for December. Finally, I liked the low-key humor that runs throughout the book, e.g. The more he thought about it, the more he agreed with himself .... :-)

This was a fast, intense read. I originally set it aside because the omniscient narration was rubbing me the wrong way. It constantly jumps between the characters' thoughts/points of view; over a few pages, for example, you will see a single conversation through the eyes of four different people, as they react to each other, etc. At first, it struck me that this approach gave the story kind of a shallow feeling, in contrast to one that has you seeing things through the eyes of a single character (or maybe a few characters, with the perspective/point of view alternating among the chapters).

But luckily I decided to give it another try, and then I realized that the omniscient narration is essential for this book. Every time the characters say or do anything, there is immediate commentary about what they're thinking, so you get to see their motivations, doubts, shame, mental gymnastics, etc. It's fascinating.

Overall, it is very suspenseful and makes pointed observations about New York and many aspects of life, including parenting, racism, intergenerational and class tensions, self-delusion, and environmental degradation.

Because so much of what matters in this book takes place inside the characters' heads, I would say that it was almost unfilmable. So I'm really interested in seeing what the Netflix show does with it. [Note: I watched the movie and thought it was pretty good]

(Read in 2023) A gripping and incisive thriller that keeps getting better as it proceeds. Enraging but empowering. In some ways, it's definitely a tough read because of the subject matter (serial killer targeting young women), but on the other hand its real focus is on celebrating the women - and recognizing their potential. In the process, it also impressively dismantles both true crime fascination in general and the hype about one defendant in particular. There are plenty of almost cartoonish portrayals of men being sexist idiots/assholes (boyfriends, law enforcement, etc.), and yet ... those depictions ring true.

(Read in 2023) 3.5 stars. Some of the excitement that I had when I began reading this book wore off after a while. One thing that started to bother me was the frequent dialogue in which characters spoke without using pronouns (e.g., "Went to the store" instead of "They went to the store"). A little bit of that would have been fine (especially if limited to certain characters), but it was so constant that it started to distract me. The end of Chapter 6 was a highlight for me (when the "angels" started teaching some classes, especially Biology). It held my interest - and its heart is in the right place - but it's bleak and a little clunky. I'm looking forward to reading "Dinosaurs," which I have on my to-read list for 2024.

(Read in 2023) 3.5 stars. I thought this was good - timely, challenging, insightful and well-written - and mostly enjoyed it, but I didn't think the ending worked very well.

(Read in 2023) It took some time for me to adjust to the spareness of the writing (especially after some of the other things I've read recently, like Demon Copperhead), but I think it worked well and helped convey Gopi's experience with grief, adolescence, family and cultural tensions, and finding herself (and some comfort) in playing squash. I agree with various reviews I saw that described Maroo's writing as tender, graceful, elegant, and subtle. I enjoyed it, and the audiobook narration by Maya Saroya was very good. I thought that this NY Times review by former squash champion Ivy Pochoda was particularly interesting.

(Read in 2023) I think Kirkus hit the nail on the head ("an angry, powerful book seething with love and outrage" for its Appalachian community) - and I guess that's what I was in the mood for, because I loved it. Stunning. Somehow it managed to be funny and hopeful, despite plenty of misery and asshole-type people doing their thing. Great audiobook narration by Charlie Thurston.

(Read in 2023) I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; it was great to spend time with Carney and Pepper again. Lots of wisdom and memorable observations about life, families, work, etc. weaved into the excellent storytelling. For example, on the 5 train when Carney changes how he's interacting with Robert, after thinking back on how his own father used to get on his case for being too quiet ... as someone who's been hassled many times over the years for being quiet, I really appreciated that scene. Also, important insights about racism, crime, and corruption, plus ... a bit of a geology lesson! In between reading Harlem Shuffle and Crook Manifesto, we took a trip to NYC and spent a day walking around Harlem to see the Hotel Theresa, Morningside Park, and other aspects of the neighborhood. I recommend that to anyone who loves these books.

(Read in 2023) 3.5 stars. Well-written, low-key and mostly charming. I appreciated the narrator framing his driving as an artistic endeavor, and things being managed down to the minute, primarily in the hopes of creating enough time for a cup of tea in between runs. There is a bit of sexism evident, e.g. in the lack of women bus drivers overall, and in some of the male drivers' attitudes. Considering the amusing conversations among the drivers, I was thinking it would be fun to see this performed by actors.

(Read in 2023) 3.5 stars. Laugh-out-loud funny in many places. The humor about politics (e.g., Albany corruption) and literary pretensions was great, but the jokes about prison sexual assault and other violence ... not so much. I listened to the audiobook, which was good, but the jabs and references come so fast (especially in the early chapters) that it's easy to miss some of them.

(Read in 2023) A fast and tense read. Poetic and sometimes dreamlike. I enjoyed the shifts between the characters' points of view and also the Siberian setting, especially the contrast between the claustrophobic train and the expanse through which they are passing.