I didn't quite get on with the loose structure of this. It made it hard to feel grounded in any sort of narrative, and perhaps that's the [3.5 stars]
I didn't quite get on with the loose structure of this. It made it hard to feel grounded in any sort of narrative, and perhaps that's the point. But I found aspects of this incredibly moving and tender. There's so much compassion for the characters, especially Fanny, which makes sense in light of the author's own experience with losing her little sister and writing this book to contend with those circumstances.
The idea of the other main character being called The Narrator but not being the actual narrator made more sense as the story went on, but I don't think it quite worked for me fully. Perhaps if I re-read this now in light of the last 2 chapters, I would appreciate it even more. I think she's a skilled writer and the translation is flawless, but for me there wasn't quite *enough* to this book to blow me away. Still, there were quite a few very beautiful moments sprinkled throughout and it does an excellent job giving you perspectives of both parties: the one struggling with mental illness and the ones who carry the weight of caretaking.
"It's not that he's spineless, he's simply made in such a way that his life began with a question, and along the way all the things he has seen, read, heard and experienced have given him part of the answer, but over the years, of course, these answers have grown more and more meager, warped, swollen, and grayed, and he's so enamored of this perpetual back and forth between edification and composition that he keeps on toiling away."...more
[3.5 stars] Very cool concept. Wonderfully written and excellently translated. I just think it being the start of a series made me feel like, by the e[3.5 stars] Very cool concept. Wonderfully written and excellently translated. I just think it being the start of a series made me feel like, by the end, I wanted more (a good thing! I will continue) but that this one didn't satisfy as much as a 1st book in a series should, in my opinion. It's making me question whether this whole concept needs to be broken out into more volumes or could be instead one large volume or maybe 2-3 bigger ones. We shall see! Maybe I'll eat my words and see, in hindsight, why she ended this one where she did. But for now I liked, didn't love, and hope subsequent volumes provide a bit more meat....more
[3.5 stars]This was an incredibly sweet and sentimental story about growing up and learning to accept changes in life.
It follows a 4th grade boy who b[3.5 stars]This was an incredibly sweet and sentimental story about growing up and learning to accept changes in life.
It follows a 4th grade boy who becomes somewhat infatuated with the deli worker at his local grocery store who he dubs 'Ms Ice Sandwich.' She wears cool blue eye shadow and has a frosty demeanor that he, as a kid with nerves and anxiety (possibly on the autism spectrum as well though it's never explicitly stated) seems to admire. Over the course of this novella he befriends a girl at his school named Tutti and deals with his dying grandmother who he and his mother live with and care for.
It's a beautifully translated little book that takes a snapshot of one ordinary life to remind you about its precious and fleeting nature. It manages to balance profundity with mundanity and avoids cliche. I really enjoyed this!...more
A very short, very strange little novel that follows a woman who lives in a care home and pushes the edges of societal expectations especially for thoA very short, very strange little novel that follows a woman who lives in a care home and pushes the edges of societal expectations especially for those living in bodies with disabilities. It's quirky and wry and also a bit charming at times. But I just felt that it wasn't quite enough material for me to love it. It was only 90 pages and explored some interesting ideas around inner peace, the physical versus spiritual, and the roles we play in a larger context. I just wish it had been a bit meatier to allow us to sit with character longer and continue to push these themes further. ...more
I love a book that plays with structure and builds tension; this did that so well and delivered a slam dunk of an ending for such a short book. HoweveI love a book that plays with structure and builds tension; this did that so well and delivered a slam dunk of an ending for such a short book. However, I found the characters to be a bit cartoonish at times, feeling more representative of a concept than a real person. Anthony's writing is sharp, though, and I did like how each alternating chapter revealed more and more about their backstories and secrets. It leans a bit toward soap opera, but then the nuanced ending causes you to reconsider how you feel about these characters and their choices. Deceptively smart, though maybe not the most impactful or memorable story ever.
"But of course, if I really paid attention, there were plenty of other living things surrounding me in the city as well. It was never just the two of "But of course, if I really paid attention, there were plenty of other living things surrounding me in the city as well. It was never just the two of us, Sensei and me...And I never really acknowledged that any of them were alive in any way. I never gave any thought to the fact that they were leading the same kind of complicated life as I was."
Tsukiko is a 38 year old lonely woman who wanders into a local bar one day and runs into her high school Japanese teacher, whom she continues to refer to as Sensei. They develop a sort of stilted companionship, inhibited by their large age gap, but bonded over their shared love of food and beer. They leave their encounters up to chance mostly, running into one another at the bar or walking around their neighborhoods. However, as time progresses, they start to develop feelings for one another, though their awkward natures and lack of confidence draws the process of love, the antidote to their loneliness, out for quite some time.
"I, on the other hand, still might not be considered a proper grown-up. I had been very much the adult when I was in elementary school. But as I continued on through junior high and high school, on the contrary, I became less grown-up. And then as the years passed, I turned into quite a childlike person. I suppose I just wasn't able to ally myself with time."
The story is quite short, told in small vignettes rather than one continuous narrative. We encounter them mostly sharing drinks at the bar, though they go on some small adventures together that reveal bits and pieces of their characters. However, I felt the context for the novel was lacking for me. I think there's an intentionally to their opaqueness; they hardly know themselves very well so the reader can't get to know them beyond the page either. Much like the haikus they work on together in one chapter, their descriptions are brief and momentary, focusing more on the process than the product.
I also found the dialogue to be quite awkward, and for me it wasn't in a way that fed into their characterization. I think many times it just sounded unnatural and strange, not sure if that's a translation issue, or just a personal preference. Perhaps others would read that and feel the characters even more illuminated, but for me I felt kept in the dark from their authentic selves.
The food descriptions and nature writing in this, when it occurred, was beautiful. There's a meditative and melancholy atmosphere that pervades the book that makes this definitely more of a mood or vibes type of read. Perhaps someday if I were to revisit this in a different time and place, I might feel more strongly towards it. By no means a bad book, but one that felt every so lackluster in the end and didn't give much for me to chew on....more
I'm gonna be honest: I kind of have no clue what I just read. But I liked it? I think this book would be even better on a re-read (and it's only 100 pI'm gonna be honest: I kind of have no clue what I just read. But I liked it? I think this book would be even better on a re-read (and it's only 100 pages so that's totally doable). It reads like a little puzzle and each chapter you get a new piece but you aren't quite sure where it goes until you finish and even then it takes some effort to put it all together. Maybe the point isn't to try and even piece it all together but enjoy the process, the struggle, the ideas, the creativity.
Basically this book is sort of about an author named Tomoyuki Tomoyuki who is able to go to a place and quickly learn the language and write a story in that language. Then they leave and are nearly impossible to track down. Sort of like a literary Banksy. No one really knows who the author is and where they are at any given time. But A.A. Abrams is trying to track the author down and will go to great lengths to try and collect all of their scattered works and piece together the puzzle of who this author is.
But really the book is about so much more than that. It's about language, translation, the malleability of our minds, travel, creativity, ideas and more.
I feel like people just have to experience this book for themselves, and try to not cling too hard to conventions of what a novel is and instead experience this book for what it is: a journey. If you like short weird little books, especially translated books and Japanese fiction, I'd give this one a shot! I think I'll revisit it someday and see if I uncover more from within its labyrinthine pages....more
The definition of no plot, all vibes. Descriptive writing evokes strong images of a Japanese garden tucked away in a backyard in Shinjuku, home to a bThe definition of no plot, all vibes. Descriptive writing evokes strong images of a Japanese garden tucked away in a backyard in Shinjuku, home to a bohemian couple of writers who inadvertently 'adopt' their neighbors cat. Over the years in which the cat treats their guesthouse on the property as a sort of second home, they develop an attachment to her that fundamentally changes them. It's simple, sweet and beautifully written. Told in vignettes that mostly revolve around the cat, but also the couples' life and vocations, the story unfolds slowly and with ease, taking you on a journey that, while confined in space to this walled garden and guesthouse, transcends time and barriers for anyone that's ever had a pet or experienced that unconditional connection between human and animal....more
The problem is clear: this isolated Swiss village is running low on natural resources with which to sustain their sizeable herd, which they depend upoThe problem is clear: this isolated Swiss village is running low on natural resources with which to sustain their sizeable herd, which they depend upon to provide sustenance and their community's livelihood. A recently elected Chairman and his younger followers propose they take the herd up the mountain to a lush pasture that was the scene of unspoken horrors 20 years ago. Their solution is met with resistance from the older crowd, but ultimately the plan moves forward anyway, and a group of men begin the journey that one can only feel will end in even more unspeakable events.
Written in 1926, this novel from one of the acclaimed Swiss French writers (who I had honestly never heard of prior to this) is surprisingly modern in its style and approach. Fluttering constantly between characters point of views, even moving back and forth in tense, sometimes in the same paragraph or even sentence, and including the 1st to 3rd person, both singular and plural, the storytelling weaves together a sort of collective consciousness of the village and its inhabitant. It's a complex and at times confounding, yet layered prose that lends itself to a cinematic feel (reminding me, in ways, of Damon Galgut's Booker Prize-winning novel, The Promise). Think A24, if this were to be adapted to screen, in both obscurity and eerie tone.
I enjoyed reading this one and discussing it for book club. It was generally not loved but perhaps appreciated, with layers to pick apart and lenses through which to view the text: man vs. nature, physical vs. spiritual, reality vs. fantasy, etc. I think it's a book I'd be rewarded for re-reading, and while it wasn't outright scary, it had some subtly creepy elements that made this a perfect October read....more
I love my local book club because it definitely encourages me to read books I might normally have missed or not picked up on my own. I had seen this bI love my local book club because it definitely encourages me to read books I might normally have missed or not picked up on my own. I had seen this book floating around and even seen it at the library with passing interest, but never taken the leap to pick it up because it's not something that sounds exactly up my alley.
I notoriously HATE animal narrators (at least this one which is one of the worst books I've ever read), and while I like when poets write fiction I prefer prose most of the time over prose poetry. Nevertheless I am committed to my local indie and their monthly selections and read this one—which I'm glad to have finally picked up!
This book is strange, but also not as strange as it might seem? It's told from the point of view of a mountain lion who lives in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, based on the real mountain lion P-22. The story follows the cougar's wanderings and musings about the city, its inhabitants, what it means to be a human or desire to be one, gender, sexuality, and more. It's a free flowing, well written poetic style that I think worked for at least the first half of the story.
I'll avoid spoilers and say for me the pace of the story shifts quite drastically in the second half and that's where it lost me. I didn't feel as interested or connected with the events of the novel, which distracted, for me, from the mind of the character that I thought Hoke developed really well early on.
However, this is such a short book you can definitely read in 1-2 sittings, and potentially even re-read (which I think would be rewarding to see things in a new light after finishing it), that I would still recommend it to people. It's funny, thought-provoking, and while a bit uneven, showcases a strong narrative voice and POV that I think is fresh and exciting in the fiction world. I'll keep an eye out for Hoke's next work!...more
I’m glad I read the short story “A Perfect Day for Bananafish� before reading this. It’s helpful to have some context of the Glass family when pickingI’m glad I read the short story “A Perfect Day for Bananafish� before reading this. It’s helpful to have some context of the Glass family when picking this up.
“Franny� is a short story following the youngest member of the Glass family, Franny, as she struggles to compose herself during a lunch date with her boyfriend, Lane, on a weekend visit she makes to him in 1950s upstate New York.
“Zooey� is a novella following her older brother, the second youngest member of the Glass family, Zachary/Zooey, in the fallout of the events of Franny’s story as they contemplate their unconventional upbringing and education via their two oldest brothers Seymour and Buddy.
Both stories have strong themes of religion, especially how to reach a sort of nirvana, and also reflects on common themes in Salinger’s work include authenticity, creativity, and beauty.
I really enjoyed these stories and appreciated how it gave more insight to the family. It was obviously well written and while at times it felt a bit repetitive it was still engaging, funny, thoughtful and compelling enough to never get boring. ...more
Elisa Shua Dusapin delivers another finely drawn portrait of a character in flux, this time sending her to the circus. Following her prize winning EngElisa Shua Dusapin delivers another finely drawn portrait of a character in flux, this time sending her to the circus. Following her prize winning English debut Winter in Sokcho and its follow-up The Pachinko Parlour, Dusapin continues her exploration of loneliness and identity in the port city of Vladivostok as fall turns to winter.
Nathalie, a recent college graduate with an emphasis in clothing design, is commissioned to help a trio of circus performers with their costumes for an upcoming exhibition. She arrives at the circus as it closes for the winter, where Nathalie and the trio, along with Leon the choreographer and manager, will stay on to rehearse and design their new act. The trio is made up of Anton and Nino who have worked together for 15 years, a Russian and German respectively—and Anna, a Ukrainian woman about Nathalie's age that is replacing the previous 'flyer' of their Russian bar act, after an incident occurred leaving Igor, the previous flyer, unable to perform.
(It's worth noting this book was written and published in French in 2020, years before the Russian invasion of Ukraine; so while this story itself never denotes when it takes place, it's easier to imagine Anna's character and behaviors, speaking Russian and living in a Russian city, based on the context in which the story itself was created).
At first, Nathalie feels uncomfortable with such close contact and cohabiting with people she barely knows in a city she hasn't been to in nearly twenty years. But as the cold of winter descends and the characters begin to warm up to each other, she begins to reveal more of her guarded self and learns more about the others in return.
In a way this book reads well with Dusapin's other two novels in a loose sort of trilogy. Where she was in South Korea and Japan before, she triangulates her settings on the Russian coastline and even describes the setting in relation to some of these previous places. Nathalie feels dislocated in a way that her other protagonists have as well. We continue themes of language and identity, communication and the arts, through the ways in which characters speak to one another—both verbally and through shared experiences.
One of the highlights of the novel comes about mid-way through when Anton and Nino convince Nathalie to get on the bar and see what Anna experiences when they perform. From there, a sort of trust is developed as Dusapin explores how people in close proximity, especially those endeavoring to push the boundaries of art and creativity, must collaborate with one another. You see the barriers break down as the characters continue to develop bonds, often unspoken.
I won't lie and say this book hooked me immediately like her previous novels did. However, with each of her books, each time I read it, I immediately go back to the beginning and read it once again. This one was no exception. They are so short, but pack a punch, and while they may seem simple, there's a lot of nuance and layers to the story, the characters, their journeys, that you pick up on while re-reading.
Once I finished my 2nd reading of this, I was convinced by its brilliance, its subtlety and beauty, and that Dusapin is one of my favorite living writers. I cannot see what she does next (and hope that Higgins continues to translate with Luke Bird's excellent cover designs)....more
Binti: Home, the second installment in the Binti trilogy, picks up a year after the events of the first book. We follow Binti on her journey home to pBinti: Home, the second installment in the Binti trilogy, picks up a year after the events of the first book. We follow Binti on her journey home to participate in an ancestral pilgrimage, and she is accompanied by Okwu, the first time a Meduse has ever peacefully set foot on earth. But the reception doesn't go as Binti might have hoped or planned, and she is forced to reckon with her lineage and her education. She must embrace the expansion of her mind beyond what she has known and connect more deeply with her roots in order to find her true place in the world.
I think Okorafor is a writer I need to actively pick up more because I'm never disappointed by her books.
Firstly, her worlds are so unique and creative. The different people groups and species, the descriptions of places and spaces, are all so original. Yet there are clear parallels to real life, which I think is what good sci-fi does well: uses a fictional setting to expand on and explore history. What could the world be if it looked a bit, or a lot, differently?
These books are also brief but not lacking. Of course I'd love a bit more because I enjoy them so much, but each installment has a clear purpose and executes it well without overdoing it and always staying focused on Binti and how these things affect her.
I do wish we got to see a bit more of the university in this one because it's such a cool and interesting setting. I would've like a bit more time spent there to show Binti's evolution over the last year or so before the true plot of this begins.
All in all, I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what happens in the 3rd book. I won't wait over a year to pick that one up like I did between books 1 and 2. :)...more
What a little gem of a novel. It glistens in its multifacetedness.
This novel in stories follows a grandmother and her 6 year old granddaughter, SophiWhat a little gem of a novel. It glistens in its multifacetedness.
This novel in stories follows a grandmother and her 6 year old granddaughter, Sophia, on an island in the Gulf of Finland where they spend their summer months. Each short chapter is a glimpse into a moment of their lives that summer, the summer after Sophia's mother has passed away.
The undercurrent of these stories is a melancholic avoidance of reality—the ways in which we escape from life daily through our chores, our adventures, our conversations. Things are said and left unsaid, and Jansson beautifully depicts these characters' emotions with the subtlety and prowess of a seasoned writer....more
Pared down prose and a vivid setting highlight this tension-filled story about masculinity and its devastating effects on a place and people. I think Pared down prose and a vivid setting highlight this tension-filled story about masculinity and its devastating effects on a place and people. I think the rhythm of the writing lends this story an energy that ultimately leads to a weak ending. I just wanted a little bit more.
At 99 pages, this could've benefited from some further development while still retaining that power it holds in its simplicity. Themes were hinted at but not explored to give enough power to the story as a whole. I liked the characters and was intrigued only to find them vague outlines rather than real people.
Perhaps in time they will live longer in my memory and I will revisit—ideally in conversation with the other two novels in this 'loose trilogy,' as its described. For now an enjoyable enough read that I surely wouldn't have found were it not for the International Booker Prize....more
"We live so many lives within our lives—smaller lives with people who come and go, friends who disappear, children who grow up—and I never know which "We live so many lives within our lives—smaller lives with people who come and go, friends who disappear, children who grow up—and I never know which of these lives is meant to serve as the frame."
In her English language debut, Ia Genberg explores what it means to live a meaningful life in a world of chaos and disorder. Told through four vignettes into particular relationships in the unnamed narrator's life—past loves, friends and family—we learn less about the main character as a person of action and more as a person of being.
"As far as the dead are concerned, chronology has no import and all that matters are the details, the degree of density, this how and what andeverything to do with who."
In the vein of Rachel Cusk's Outline trilogy, the story is less concerned with narrative propulsion—in fact the narrator seems to reject or counter her partner's constant forward movement—and settles more into the seeing, the observing of everyday life. Of years of her life. Decades. Things once forgotten and remembered in a fevered state. What about a book that lingers on your shelf inscribed by a lost love? Or a dress ripped up the side that recalls a New Year's Eve party from the old millennium? This is the detritus, or perhaps treasures, of a normal life—the details that tell the full story, if any story, any life, is really complete.
I was engaged, first, by her skilled writing and Kira Josefsson's flawless translation. The prose, each thought, flows so seamlessly into the next you can't help but be compelled forward by an otherwise 'mundane' story.
Then, as each chapter unfolds and the narrator brings you into various spheres of her life through these relationships, you get to see a more intimate side of the speaker without every getting the full picture.
My only wish was for it to be a bit longer. Selfishly because I was enjoying it so much I wanted more information, more detail; but also because I felt the story a bit choppy and it was just in the final section I started to feel it fully coming together. I did appreciate and enjoy the ending, though perhaps one extra glimpse into her life through another friendship, or lover, or sibling relationship would have made these stronger for me.
Nonetheless, there's plenty to enjoy here and if you want an autofiction of a woman pondering life and her past while breathing hope rather than despair, this would be a great addition to your shelves....more
This is a beautiful yet brutal story about shame and how it shapes and changes the course of a life, from both the outside and inside.
Told from the peThis is a beautiful yet brutal story about shame and how it shapes and changes the course of a life, from both the outside and inside.
Told from the perspective of 71 year old Raimundo as he finally learns to read and write, the story reflects on his youth when he had an illicit love affair with another young man in his town and how they were ostracized and abused, especially by their fathers, for this love.
The writing style is stream of consciousness at times, jumping between past and present, internal voice and dialogue, and weaves together a beautifully tapestry of language. I really enjoyed and was surprised by these linguistic choices! Also considering I read the English translation, I'm impressed by the translator's work and how seamless it was.
The story, however, did feel a bit overdone. I'm not sure how this book was received in Brazil and how Brazilian culturally is regarding LGBTQIA+ stories, but this didn't feel like it tread new ground (at least from my limited U.S.-centric mindset). I also couldn't really tell when the story took place. I don't always need those markers but it might have helped to better understand the cultural climate and response from the elder community in regards to the young men's relationship.
If you are looking for a short, compelling and uniquely written story, I would recommend this one! I will be curious to see what Gardel does next, as this was his debut novel....more
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