This book was everything it needed to be and then some. First of all, Grady Henderson always delivers exactly what he says he is going to. This book pThis book was everything it needed to be and then some. First of all, Grady Henderson always delivers exactly what he says he is going to. This book promises to be about selling a haunted house, and it gives just that in the most exact and precise way possible, while still being wildly creative in the concepts Henderson marries together.
Haunted house? Check. In a modern Southern Gothic setting? Kind of an oxymoron, but it's the South. I am convinced the entire American South is haunted. (As it should be.) So, check. Sibling rivalry while selling haunted house? Makes sense. Adds some conflict and a thoughtful dynamic about real things that happen to real people. Check. Christian Puppet Ministry? Um... okay... I guess that's a thing. Again, it's the South. Radical Puppet Collective? Wait... what? Is that also a thing? Taxidermied Squirrel Nativity that comes to life? GAAAAH!!! I will never sleep again. The list goes on...
Added to the creative ideas, Henderson has a gift for humorous and witty dialog, and this is his best to date. I mean, how can you go wrong when you can set up conversations that begin with a casual reference to joining a Radical Puppet Collective? (Please don't answer that. I am aware that could go terribly wrong in the wrong hands. In this case, it's in the right hands. Henderson's.)
Finally, this book is about as terrifying as it gets. Did I mention the taxidermied squirrel nativity that comes to life? Well, that is the tip of the terror iceberg, and anything more would be spoilers.
If you are looking for something humorous, but terrifying, and yet with a heart, this is it. Enjoy. ...more
Manga horror writer Junji Ito delivers his unique take on cat ownership... and honestly it's pretty adorable. Manga horror writer Junji Ito delivers his unique take on cat ownership... and honestly it's pretty adorable. ...more
Reading this made me feel pretty good about my terrible life choices, mental health issues, and the fact that I spent 19 years of my life living with Reading this made me feel pretty good about my terrible life choices, mental health issues, and the fact that I spent 19 years of my life living with a mean-ass cat. Samantha Irby, I can relate: I also surreptitiously dumped my dad's ashes in a large body of water with some trepidation and probably not nearly enough ceremony.
Then I got to the chapter where she puts her cat down. Now I feel like I need to bump this from the 4 stars I was going to give it to 3 stars just because I cannot read about killing animals without feeling somehow betrayed that the author would put me through that. (And yet I had no problem with the chapter about dad's ashes. Seriously, what is wrong with me?) ...more
Side note: I am struggling with finding joy right now in the world of coronavirus and the passing of a close frienThis is just so adorable and funny.
Side note: I am struggling with finding joy right now in the world of coronavirus and the passing of a close friend. This gave me smiles and even laugh-out-louds at the adorable 'aliens' and their unique use of language.
Highly recommended if you need a pick-me-up. In the language of the book itself, it helped absorb some sadness, a literary hug so to speak....more
Most know Shirley Jackson only for her creepier works ( We Have Always Lived In the Castle, The Haunting of Hill House, but I'm here to tell you JackMost know Shirley Jackson only for her creepier works ( We Have Always Lived In the Castle, The Haunting of Hill House, but I'm here to tell you Jackson writes simply THE best family dialog. For example, after an apple-buying expedition, 3-year-old Sally explains to the family how she and her mother were delayed getting home, first by a group of cows on the road, and then by a fire brigade:
"We got apples," I said to my husband, "and we saw--"
"Giants, Sally swung wildly on her father's arm, "Giants." She nodded.
"Giants?" my husband asked me, staring.
"There was a big giant party and they were cooking marshmallows," Sally said. She caught Jannie in a long ominous look. "Giant marshmallows." Her voiced dropped to a compelling whisper. "And the giants were all stamping around and the mother giant sat there and watched them, and then the mother giant said 'Wait till those other cars get out of the way and then we can go home.' And I had 97 apples. And then we came over the river and the mother giant went in and got drowned dead." There was a short, respectful silence.
Finally Laurie inquired of his father, "Who was Aristides the Just?"
"Friend of your mother's," my husband said absently.
***
Jackson is also delightfully tongue-in-cheek. Here she is checking into the hospital to give birth to her third child:
"Name?" the desk clerk said to me politely, her pencil poised.
"Name," I said vaguely. I remembered, and told her.
"Age?" she asked. "Sex? Occupation?"
"Writer," I said.
"I'll just put down housewife," she said. "Doctor? How many children?"
"Two," I said. "Up until now."
"Husband's name?" she said. "Address? Occupation?"
Enjoyable, but I didn't find it as funny as Furiously Happy. Seemed like it went on a bit long, and I didn't love the forced in morals in the later chEnjoyable, but I didn't find it as funny as Furiously Happy. Seemed like it went on a bit long, and I didn't love the forced in morals in the later chapters. ...more
Five random thoughts about Furiously Happy plus one additional fact: 1. Having struggled with anxiety myself, there were many things I could relate to Five random thoughts about Furiously Happy plus one additional fact: 1. Having struggled with anxiety myself, there were many things I could relate to in this book. 2. There were laugh-out-loud funny moments in this book. (Most notably for me, the chapters about bathrooms in Japan and the chapter about Australia.) 3. The narrative style (and some of the author's behavior) frequently reminded me of my sister. 4. Jenny Lawson's parents seem pretty awesome... and often pretty strange themselves. That is a compliment. 5. This book sort of demands reviews written in the form of random thoughts. That's not a bad thing. 6. This book took me a long time to read mainly because I lost it for about 3 weeks and later found it behind the bed. I think Jenny Lawson would approve of that and/or see it as a sign....more
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