"The only thing harder than seeing yourself grow old is seeing the people you've loved grow old."
The title already caught my attention. Wh
"The only thing harder than seeing yourself grow old is seeing the people you've loved grow old."
The title already caught my attention. What are you going through? We all have enough going on to fill a book of our own.
Sigrid Nunez captures everything that occupies and troubles the thoughts of her protagonist during one period of her life in meticulous detail. Her relationships and friendships, the literature and art she holds dear, her former love that was lost to time, climate change and politics, and鈥攖he core of the novel鈥攈er best friend who is dying of cancer and has one proposition to make that changes everything.
Nunez has a way with words that pays justice to the all-important themes she tackles. Her prose is elegant, evocative, entrancing. She also keeps all her characters, even her protagonist, at a distance by leaving them all nameless. She also abstains from using quotation marks in her direct speech, which only serves to further the emotional distance. Everything happens with us glancing in from miles away, which clashes with Nunez' deeply introspective character study. As a result, as much as I loved the prose, I struggled to connect. Which is a shame, because Nunez has so many interesting things to say about dying and the meaning of life.
Adapted into the 2024 Pedro Almod贸var film , which makes substantial changes from Nunez' text, not all of which work, but many of which I'm in favor of because they streamline the chronology and linearity. Not to mention that Almod贸var is a wonderful choice for adapting Nunez. She's a great writer and I'm looking forward to reading her other novels鈥�The Friend in particular has caught my attention鈥攂ut she made a few choices here that I struggled to get on board with.
"You want to forgive all, [...] and you should forgive all. But you discover that some things you can't forgive, not even when you know you're dying. And then that becomes its own open wound [...]: the inability to forgive."
This is not even a graphic novel; it's a work of art.
[image]
Over the course of 300 pages, Richard McGuire's comic strip collection Here displays the eThis is not even a graphic novel; it's a work of art.
[image]
Over the course of 300 pages, Richard McGuire's comic strip collection Here displays the events and inhabitants of a corner in a single room throughout history, spanning the timeline of Earth itself鈥攆rom a time when dinosaurs were roaming around the planet, over a time when Native Americans built a burial ground on the site and colonialists took over, up to the life of a married couple who spend their life in the house during the 20th century, and way into a future where remnants of our civilization are looked at from a similar perspective as the way we look at life hundreds of years ago today.
It's a unique concept brought to life with staggering images of visual art. The production design here is impeccable, with this single room changing shape and design so seamlessly and rapidly that it makes you wonder about how your own room, the place where you're currently reading this, has changed over the course of history, how it will change throughout the future.
Time never stands still. What looks like the room we know today looked totally different one hundred years ago. Two hundred years ago, it was even more different. A thousand years ago, you might not recognize a single bit. How will it look like one hundred years from now?...more
"If there was only certainty, and if there was no doubt, there would be no mystery, and therefore no need for faith."
Habemus Papam. Move a
"If there was only certainty, and if there was no doubt, there would be no mystery, and therefore no need for faith."
Habemus Papam. Move aside, Dan Brown, this is what an intelligent thriller focusing on political intrigue and the inner workings of the Catholic Church should look like.
In Conclave, Robert Harris crafts a meticulous dissection of the behind-closed-doors electoral process regarding the papal election of a successor. What promises to be a fast-paced lesson of loose entertainment and check-marks for a delicious political thriller, soon turns into something more engaging: Harris interrogates the moral and ethical dilemmas of the Catholic Church, both in accessible manner to those who critique its stance and influences around the world, and in compassionate understanding of the problems this institutions faces. 鈥淲e do not need a church that will move with the world, we need a church that will move the world!鈥� I'm not a religious person, but there is no denying that billions of people seek comfort in its offering of guidance and teaching, whether it is one of wisdom or bewilderment. That is the exact underlying theme that Robert Harris seeks (and, in my view, succeeds) to capture: the dilemma of uniting an influential, secular institution against division in beliefs and morale.
To return to my introductory statement, this is what separates Harris from Dan Brown, a popular storyteller as far as thrillers surrounding Catholicism go. Brown's works are action-packed and adventurous, but interested more in the global conspiracies and political or historical battles, while in Conclave, Harris displays more interest in the subtleties of personal ambitions, hidden agendas and procedural expense, crafting a character study to question faith and responsibility; the responsibility to do justice to the position one has been elected to perform. The author's musings occur on a character level, lending us as the reader the thoughtful insight into the mindset of the persons living in the midst of the story and its undeniably realistic scenario.
But my intention with this review was not to throw shade at Dan Brown, an admittedly populist writer whose works are easy to digest and have proven incredibly marketable to a wide audience, which makes them valuable in their own right. And it's not like Conclave doesn't, in some sense, follow a similar formula: the writing is fast-paced and designed to turn a boring electoral process into a nail-biting tale where each new revelation ramps up the levels of suspense. If the book resorts to being campy (in the sense of it being intentionally exaggerated and playful), it's because the process it depicts deserves the same description.
[image] An image from the 2024 film adaptation by Edward Berger, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. I have not seen it yet, but will be sure to report back once I've managed to catch it in theaters. (Reporting back after seeing it on 28 December: it's a great movie. I feel it has some pacing issues compared to the book, but it works as an adaptation and the performances are indeed phenomenal, as suspected.)
A character study on the dichotomy of faith and leadership
The central thesis of Conclave is the question of authority. The Pope as the head of the Catholic Church is responsible for its orientation and focus. Cardinal Lomeli, the protagonist and single point-of-view character, is not just a mere plot vessel but a character whose doubts and internal reflections represent the Church as she struggles and changes.
Lomeli is humble and reflective, which stands in stark contrast to the political ambition and incessant maneuvering of his equals. In the end, Lomeli and his peers represent a microcosm of the Church itself: an institution that struggles to remain relevant in a world that changes so rapidly while becoming increasingly fractured with each passing day.
In this context, a constant sub-thread of the story is the conflict between tradition and progress; an antagonism not exclusive to the Catholic Church by any means. By refraining from taking sides, Harris provides respect for the beliefs of both sides while condemning neither, but provides compelling arguments for the importance of adjusting to a world that has never before changed as rapidly as in the last century.
Yet, by focusing on Lomeli, and Lomeli alone as a protagonist, it seems clear that Harris chooses his side; what we as a reader make of it remains for ourselves to decide. The viewpoints of other characters, especially the leading candidates during the election, may have been fascinating to follow, and as much as I applaud the author for deciding to tell the story from a single POV, thus streamlining it and making the character study at its heart so much more textured, I can't help but wonder how much more insight the book could have reached by spending more time on the internal struggles of Lomeli's peers.
Conclave is not just about the election of a new pope鈥攖he novel is about the challenges of faith and burdens of authority, about the overpowering weight of making a decision that will have the power to change and impact so many others. Harris' writing may be sensationalistic, overly focused on delivering cliffhangers to make his readers turn the page once more鈥攂ut it pays off. The book is easily devoured in one sitting, but impossible to be forgotten quite so easily, as the immaculate character piece leaves its impact. Such is the power of the thriller: a book that is entertaining, but leaves a mark through intelligent reflections on important themes. Harris's novel checked all those marks for me; I admired this book greatly. 4.5 stars is my verdict, rounded down for now because I'll need some time to decide whether it is truly worthy of the 5-star treatment.
I'll be reading more Robert Harris soon for sure. Fatherland is next up on my list....more
Philip K. Dick's 1954 short story Adjustment Team is a compelling conversation about the concept of reality, free will, and the exterior influences shPhilip K. Dick's 1954 short story Adjustment Team is a compelling conversation about the concept of reality, free will, and the exterior influences shaping our existence.
Turned into the middling, but entertaining 2011 film "The Adjustment Bureau" (starring Matt Damon & Emily Blunt, directed by George Nolfi), this short story lays the foundation for an interesting narrative of existential philosophy. The story follows the protagonist, Ed Fletcher, as he accidentally discovers that his seemingly ordinary existence鈥攈ouse, wife, office job, every day is the same as the day that came before鈥攊s manipulated by a mysterious agency. Nobody was ever meant to discover the manipulations, so-called "adjustments", but the agency is just an instrument of bureaucracy, and bureaucracy is prone to error.
[image] In the process of Fletcher grappling with the realization that his life is subject to constant adjustments he has never been aware of, the story raises questions about existence, choice & destiny, insinuating that our free will is not as free as we would like to think, that our path is predetermined by exterior forces and there is very little for us to do against that. Philip K. Dick navigates the interplay between normality and surrealism skillfully, discussing the concept of human autonomy in a clever foray into speculative fiction.
At little more than 8,000 words, Adjustment Team is a fast and entertaining read, and as my personal introduction into Philip K. Dick's writing, it certainly piqued my interest. A unique premise that packs a lot of thought and creativity into a very small framework鈥攖his left me very impressed....more
Everything I wrote about the first book in my previous review holds true in my review for this seqSequel to The Housemaid, which I have reviewed here.
Everything I wrote about the first book in my previous review holds true in my review for this sequel. The Housemaid's Secret is more of the same: writer Freida McFadden repeats the formula of her previous novel, hitting copy-and-paste in terms of story structure, writing style, her arrangement of twists. It's practically designed for the "this was so thrilling, I want to read another book that is exactly the same" crowd.
The result is another action-packed novel with twists and turns around every corner, except this time the mystery feels more penetrable and less intriguing because it immediately feels like we've read the whole thing before. I couldn't stop groaning at McFadden's sentences, some of which exact replicas of how she constructed twists in the previous novel.
It is still an entertaining ride, as the novel faces its ups and downs through cheap thrills and short, gripping chapters. As much as it left me wanting to complain and express my frustration, I can't deny that McFadden knows how to write a twisty romantic thriller that will make you keep turning the pages.
To my surprise, there's another one: The Housemaid Is Watching. I'll probably read it, given how these are such fast-paced, easy diversions, but the rapid decline in its average rating doesn't inspire much confidence in its quality鈥攜ou can only repeat a winning formula so often until it gets tiresome, and The Housemaid's Secret already came dangerously close to outstaying its welcome....more
I usually don't review short stories that I have read from short story collections, but this one felt like one that I should make an exception for. ThI usually don't review short stories that I have read from short story collections, but this one felt like one that I should make an exception for. The Jaunt is a part of Stephen King's Skeleton Crew, and at 25 pages a fast-paced read that does not take long to get through.
鈥淵our mind can be your best friend; it can keep you amused even when there's nothing to read, nothing to do. But it can turn on you when it's left with no input for too long.鈥�
Something that consistently impresses me about Stephen King's writing is how well he manages to bring out the horror in seemingly ordinary or mundane situations, channeling the innermost emotions and hidden fears that lurk in our darkest thoughts. And The Jaunt is, at its heart, a sci-fi story about a futuristic society that has advanced to instantaneous transportation across immense distances, even across the solar system, which has fundamentally changed humanity as we know it. That's an ambitious premise, sure, but not yet a horrific one鈥攖he horror comes as Stephen King creates characters that inhabit this premise, characters who learned to live with this technology and are still left alone to their thoughts and ruminations about what could happen. King creates an entire mythology around the origin of this technology, infused with horrors all of its own, and then turns the tables on the reader with a twist that knocked my breath away.
I am reviewing all of the stories in Skeleton Crew while I'm slowly making my way through the book here, but The Jaunt is my favorite so far and made me want to give it a spotlight of its own....more
"All motion is relative. Maybe it's you who've moved away by standing still."
This 1955 play is a courtroom drama inspired by the historica
"All motion is relative. Maybe it's you who've moved away by standing still."
This 1955 play is a courtroom drama inspired by the historical trial of John T. Scopes, who was charged in 1925 with teaching evolution in a Tennessee school, violating the Butler Act specifically passed to prevent teachers from opposing the Bible's teachings on the origins of humanity. Here comes a man teaching everyone's children that humans descended from primates鈥攚orse of all, Old World primates, and not even "good 'ol American monkeys"! What blasphemy!
Of course, what seems ridiculous one hundred years later in a society that has thankfully come closer to accepting scientific research and advancement, was a major upheaval in rural environments a century ago. Inherit the Wind tackles the emerging clash between science and religion by exploring the contrast of intellectual freedom vs. social ideologies, turning into a memorable commentary on the complexities of human belief systems and the infinite conflict between tradition and progress.
As interesting as the central thematic focal point is, I struggled a bit with the characters, who felt underdeveloped across the board, walking stereotypes. Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee wrote some great dialogues, but it was not enough to help these characters come to life off the play....more
Never thought I'd be in the target audience for this novel (I'm a non-American male reading this fifty years after it was published), but last year's Never thought I'd be in the target audience for this novel (I'm a non-American male reading this fifty years after it was published), but last year's film with Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates (one of the great young-adult stories with a cinema release of recent years) convinced me to give it a chance, and this tiny little book warmed my heart. It's a free-spirited, heartwarming coming-of-age novel that brings its characters to life with an authenticity and playfulness that makes for a sublimely engaging piece of literature. There's a reason it remained relevant over all these years: Judy Blume's writing aspires to (and achieves) a level of universality that is rarely seen with young-adult novels....more
鈥淚 couldn't be bothered to deal with fixing things. I preferred to wallow in the problem, dream of better days.鈥�
Disturbing. Compelling. Two seemin
鈥淚 couldn't be bothered to deal with fixing things. I preferred to wallow in the problem, dream of better days.鈥�
Disturbing. Compelling. Two seemingly opposite words, but they describe Ottessa Moshfegh's novel almost perfectly, as the author establishes a complex protagonist as instantly unlikable, but still manages to pull the reader into the story because of the allure and anticipation of something going on that will be worth reading about.
The story's grim and unsettling nature might not be to everyone's taste, as can be attested by the comparatively low average rating (at least for 欧宝娱乐 standards), but Ottessa Moshfegh managed to leave a lasting impact in terms of unconventional and atmospheric storytelling that stays with you, exploring themes of obsession, loneliness, and the desire for escape of monotony in fascinating fashion, often applying dark humor used by Eileen's character to cope with her situation.
The summary on 欧宝娱乐 describes it as "Hitchcockian", and while I do think that word is thrown around a little too frequently for anything that counts as a psychological thriller while rarely reaching the actual heights of Hitchcock's masterful classics, Eileen is a novel that does capture that particular vibe of grimness and fatality. For what it's worth, this is a story that will stay with me....more
I haven't done of these in a while. But I really want to use this space nevertheless to talk a bit about my year with books and also give a bit of a lI haven't done of these in a while. But I really want to use this space nevertheless to talk a bit about my year with books and also give a bit of a life update to those who have known me for a while.
In fact, the last time I used the Year on 欧宝娱乐 feature was back in 2017. Even then, I complained already about a slow year reading-wise where I didn't get to spend as much time reading books as I would have liked to. In the years since, things haven't changed much, and my yield in terms of actually reading all the books I'm buying is ludicrous at best, considering that I now have close to one hundred unread books waiting at home on my book shelves. At least, I managed to restrict my spending habits this year and bought a lot less books, even though I still haven't taught myself to actually read the books I'm buying.
... I'm sure that sounds completely strange and totally unfamiliar to all of you. ( 汀掳 蜏蕱 汀掳)
But a little more to my reading slumps. As it turns out, the last few years have taught me that the best way to get myself to read is ... not to have too many obligations waiting for me. Which is why my reading diary on 欧宝娱乐 looks so random: sometimes, I get to finish five books in five days, and then suddenly there are two or three months without any finished book at all. Whether it's having to write a paper for university or having lots of workload at work, things like those usually prevent me from building up the motivation to pick up a book, and often have me deciding to turn on my laptop or TV and watch a movie instead. (Which I do tons of, actually, ). Over the years, writing movie reviews has become maybe even more of a pleasure to me than writing book reviews, but since it all started with books for me, those will always have a special place in my heart. Plus, 欧宝娱乐 has had some really crappy updates to its UI in recent years, and the last update was almost enough to drive me off the website once and for all with how much it reduced the functionality of the website in terms of how I used it before.
In 2022, I managed to squeeze in a lot more reading time again than in previous years, and 欧宝娱乐 tells me I have read forty books this past year (although, for the sake of honesty, subtracting short stories and the likes leaves it at a number closer to twenty). Still, a book every two weeks on average is a good turnout for me, at this point. I don't know whether I will be able to continue this trend for next year, since I am currently in the process of applying for an internship in the early half of the year and will then (probably) spend the latter half of the year writing my master thesis, not to mention that I have to increasingly take care of my father who, at the age of sixty, has been experiencing cognitive problems for a couple of months now (which we all hope will not turn out to be dementia, but no medical examinations have brought a conclusive diagnosis yet), which obviously takes up a lot of time and energy. On the more positive side of things, I have a wonderful and supportive boyfriend, with whom I have now been together for almost six years. All the audiobooks I am logging (this year, the entire Lord of the Rings series and a bit of George R.R. Martin as well as a few odd audiobooks in-between), we are listening to together in the evenings, oftentimes while building LEGO sets or working out or stuff like that.
I haven't talked yet about any of the books I have been reading this year, but that's mostly because only a few have really stood out to me, such as Louise May Alcott's Little Women, Alice Oseman's Heartstopper: Volume One series or the writings of H.P .Lovecraft, who I sincerely hope to be able to get a lot more into over the next year. A lot of the top-voted write-ups on the 2022 on 欧宝娱乐 page include a ton of interesting recommendations, however, so take a look at those if you want to get some recs.
I feel like this has been a somewhat pessimistic reflection on the past year and on what's coming in 2023 for me, but it really isn't. I'm in a really good place mentally, am really happy with some important life decisions I have committed to in the past, and am looking forward to the future with a lot of positivity, all while valuing the time I do decide to spend with a good book in the evenings very much.
I'm looking forward to reading everyone's year-in-reviews, because even when I miss a lot of the updates and reviews you all post here, it gives me a chance to catch up and also gather some fantastic recommendations. Thank you all for making 欧宝娱乐 a wonderful place, visiting which always feels a bit like coming home and meeting old friends again....more
"You don鈥檛 ever have to say anything,鈥� he says. 鈥楢lways remember that as a thing you need never do. Many鈥檚 the man lost much just because he
"You don鈥檛 ever have to say anything,鈥� he says. 鈥楢lways remember that as a thing you need never do. Many鈥檚 the man lost much just because he missed a perfect opportunity to say nothing."
Claire Keegan's novella Foster is a thoughtful rumination on family dynamics, isolation & displacement, and the complexities of finding your own identity as a child. Set in rural Ireland, the story unfolds through the perspective of a young girl temporarily placed with a foster family during the summer. Over the course of one fast-paced story, Keegan crafts a touching and intimate portrayal of the girl's experiences. Familial bonds vs. the harshness of life, belonging vs. alienation鈥攊t's astonishing to me how much Keegan was able to convey through such a short piece of literature. Her prose is lyrical and evocative, transporting you into life on a farm and making you feel part of this curious family.
In the end, what struck me about Foster most was Keegan's understanding of the meaning of brief encounters. The quiet girl's visit with the foster family lasted only one summer, but the effects of this particular summer on her character will last a lifetime, a fundamental component of her upbringing and the formation of her identity.
She wants to find the good in others, and sometimes her way of finding that is to trust them, hoping she鈥檒l not be disappointed, but she sometimes is.
The Housemaid is a fast-paced, deliriously entertaining ride as far as twisted thrillers go. On an enjoyment level, this would be a four-star book easThe Housemaid is a fast-paced, deliriously entertaining ride as far as twisted thrillers go. On an enjoyment level, this would be a four-star book easily, but after dwelling on it for a little while (and reading the first sequel), I realized that it isn't quite good enough to deserve that four-star rating.
Author Freida McFadden's popularity has exploded in recent years, as it seems to me鈥攐r at least her name stares at me from the top of all best-selling lists and her books are consistently among the most rated releases of any given year on 欧宝娱乐 in this decade. I'm not sure where that success came from; whether it's a BookTok thing or something else; but fast thrillers that are gripping reads and easy diversions are always a source of allure for me, so I decided to give her most successful book a try.
And it's just that: a gripping read and an easy diversion. The story is convoluted and unbelievable, but you can't accuse Freida McFadden of not making her twists a pleasure to read. At some point, you give up on trying to follow the story's logic, or even the characters' logic (protagonist Millie made the least sense to me鈥攈er past and present story lines did not seem reconcilable to me). Discussing any of the events in the novel would be a spoiler by default, as the plot's predominant structure relies on subverting previously manifested expectations. But let it suffice to say that I didn't find Millie's character development very believable.
But some characterization deficits aside: The Housemaid is a twisted page-turner in the truest sense of the word. I finished this entire book pretty much in one single sitting. The chapters are extremely short, somewhere between three and eight pages most of the time, so you'll find it easy to keep reading with each cliffhanger that adds a new twist to the story, especially as we build towards an ending that qualifies as an extremely satisfying conclusion.
The writing gets on my nerves at times (why is the author so obsessed with male Adam's apples, for instance?). Usually, I like to highlight all my favorite quotes in a book, sentences that strike a chord with me in some way. McFadden's writing, however, left me mostly cold. Not a single sentence stood out to me. The writing is not overly verbose or sophisticated, but also there isn't much insight to be derived from the author's observations as she delves into her characters' points-of-view. That isn't necessarily a must-have when the story's core aim is to provide psychological thrills, but when other authors of the same genre niche (i.e. Gillian Flynn or even Paula Hawkins) are more adept at developing their characters, it makes books like this one pale in comparison.
In short: The story is unpredictable and follows captivating twists. The writing, meanwhile, is unremarkable, and each choice of words feels predictable.
But all those aspects aside, most of all, it's fun. And sometimes that can be just enough.
I've read the sequel immediately afterwards. Review to follow soon here.
The upcoming film adaptation: Film rights have sold to Lionsgate, with Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Bridesmaids, Spy) set to direct and Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried starring as Millie and Nina, respectively. I think Feig's involvement signifies the direction this adaptation will go into: like A Simple Favor, which was a classy black comedy/thriller that focused on turning a female-led thriller into two hours of nonstop entertainment, The Housemaid will probably adopt a similar formula and stylistic setup. Seyfried is perfect casting and actually who I had in mind for this character most of the time, while Sweeney feels less satisfying to me (but she has proven her talent as an actress when the source material gives her an interesting character to work with, so I'm optimistic). Hasn't filmed yet, so the adaptation probably won't be out until 2026 at the earliest....more
This short story can be read for free online on the .
I'm not going to lie, for years, I was intimidated by the writings of H.P. This short story can be read for free online on the .
I'm not going to lie, for years, I was intimidated by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, the cosmic mythological concepts of his worlds and the stunning, yet frightening artwork that has originated from Lovecraft's words. I should rephrase: it isn't so much the Lovecraftian vibe itself that I dreaded, but rather my feeling that reading Lovecraft might not live up to the monumental expectations that years of exposure to Lovecraft-inspired media were responsible for building. I have eagerly consumed and enjoyed countless fictional works that were widely described as 'Lovecraftian' (e.g., Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy, the works of Panos Cosmatos and Richard Stanley, and of course the entire filmography of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead) 鈥� but I have never read anything actually written by Lovecraft.
The moon was gleaming vividly over the primeval ruins, lighting a dense cloud of sand that seemed blown by a strong but decreasing wind from some point along the cliff ahead of me.
What struck me immediately with this short story, one of Lovecraft's first published writings, was how the story is soaked in atmospherical touches. From the first sentence, you get a strong sense of the images Lovecraft tried to conjure up, of how he produced such intricate written templates to the infinite amount of stunning artworks crafted from his universes.
Lovecraft draws a gorgeous painting with his words, and then infuses it with dread and terror, existentialist fears and increasingly claustrophobic feels. Best read in the surroundings of the darkness of the night....more
鈥淚f you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.鈥�
Whew! Talk about a page-turner.
Chris Bohjalian's The Lioness i鈥淚f you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.鈥�
Whew! Talk about a page-turner.
Chris Bohjalian's The Lioness is a fast-paced and riveting odyssey through the open savannas of East Africa. In the words of Bohjalian himself, the novel is set in a time of transition, both for East Africa and Hollywood, the Golden Age of which was in the process of closing its previous chapter and opening the doors for a more daring, more adventurous culture of film-making in American cinema.
The Lioness focuses on an eclectic cast of characters surrounding a Hollywood starlet, superstar actress Katie Barstow who is currently at the top of her career and one of the ruling people of Hollywood, who invites her close friends on a safari through the Serengeti... only for things to go horribly wrong in the process.
鈥淭oo often you couldn't mine the recollections that might keep you sane, but instead held close the memories that someday would kill you.鈥�
At a swift length of a bit over three hundred pages, it might be difficult to imagine that a cast of a dozen characters could be developed well enough to hold our attention. But Bohjalian proves us the opposite. Each characters gets their own viewpoint chapters, and while each chapter remains short and brisk, it all adds to the multi-dimensional character development that guides each character's arc. The main story on the safari adventure in 1964 is frequently interrupted by various bits and pieces from the characters' past interactions, deepening our understanding of their relationships, their lives and their individual stories. Usually, such an approach would make me roll my eyes to the back of my head; after all, most of the time, if non-linear storytelling approaches are chosen, it turns out that one of the stories is more interesting than the other, which weakens the impact that pretty much half of the book has on you. Not here, though. Bohjalian knows that the safari tour gone wrong would not be half as interesting without some understanding of the characters involved, and he also knows that a mere investigation of the impact of the Cold War on Tanzania would not be half as thrilling as a standalone plot vehicle. His solution to this problem was to interconnect two vastly different worlds: the open savannas where wild animals are lurking in every shadow, waiting for one mistake of yours to strike and kill you, and the glorious world of Hollywood where humans are lurking in every shadow, waiting for one mistake of yours to strike and kill you. One of the kills is literal, the other is figurative, but aren't they still the same? The parallels are a defining feature of the linearity in The Lioness; you get the deeper insight into the celebrity culture of the early 1960s and the way Hollywood treated both its most and its less prominent stars, and you get an unhinged adventure during a safari in the open wilderness.
Back in 1964, the 'good old-fashioned Hollywood picture' was on the verge of dying out, overshadowed by the soon-to-arise innovations of the American New Wave; grittier, colder, darker works that would replace the hopeful, dreamlike bliss promised by Hollywood's Golden Age that loved to feign its fa莽ade of virtue and role model function, when reality looked vastly different behind cinema curtains. At that time, safari pictures such as King Solomon's Mines, The African Queen, Hatari or Mogambo were not yet affected by post-colonial reevaluations that would later highlight them in a less courteous light. The Lioness is a story set exactly during that era of transition, a point of time where, it seems, the paranoia of the Cold War and the impending horrors of the Vietnam War would shape the people for years to come, but they were still holding onto the bliss and splendor of happier times.
[image]An image from the 1962 movie "Hatari" (dir. Howard Hawks)
The Lioness was my first exposure to Bohjalian's writing, but certainly not my last. The writing is on-point here, with no unnecessary filler moments to drag out the plot, and the character work is phenomenal (advice: take a few notes on each character to avoid confusing their names all the times, like I did). A really solid novel that I don't really have any actual complaints about! On that note, does anyone have any recommendations for which of Bohjalian's novels I might check out next?...more
1. fill in the blank: a) poetry is ____________. - anything you want it to be.
And so, the author explains her own stylistic choices with that short, dam1. fill in the blank: a) poetry is ____________. - anything you want it to be.
And so, the author explains her own stylistic choices with that short, damning declaration.
It鈥檚 so simple. Poetry can be what the reader makes of it. I have not yet met another medium that is so fundamentally reliant on the subjective experience. Whether words speak to you, ignite a sparkle in your soul, tear themselves into your memory, is almost invariably linked with the reader鈥檚 own, unique experience.
In The Princess Saves Herself in This One, Amanda Lovelace writes about her own experiences. Her childhood, bullying, abuse, alienation, her losses, her loves. Those experiences are radically subjective; and the reader鈥檚 perception of these words is most likely correlated with whether some of these experiences are shared.
As for my own, personal experience with these words: some of them spoke to me, sometimes they made me sigh with how contrived I found some of the wisdoms woven into the poetry. My main issue is that I found the stylistic choices incredibly annoying. A sentence doesn鈥檛 suddenly turn into poetry if a paragraph is inserted after every single word. Poetry as a medium seems perfect as an expressive playground of stylistic variations; for me, however, it was taken too far here, and ultimately could not win me over.
But as I said before: poetry is inherently subjective. This worked for a lot of people, just as it didn鈥檛 work for a lot of people. And both reactions are fine.
鈥滼ust because they don鈥檛 hit you doesn鈥檛 mean it isn鈥檛 abuse.鈥�...more
Isabel Allende's Eagle and Jaguar series is a young adult-oriented fantasy series that takes us through several adventures in different regions of theIsabel Allende's Eagle and Jaguar series is a young adult-oriented fantasy series that takes us through several adventures in different regions of the world. City of the Beasts focuses on the Amazon rainforest, introducing us to a variety of different, partly ancient cultures and their secrets and treasures outlined through Allende's skillful application of elements of magical realism.
Allende knows how to insert more complex thematic issues and questions into a less sophisticated setting in comparison to some of her more adult-oriented works. It's clearly written for teenagers, but the social and cultural aspects that become a central part of the story's development are suitable for adults and more demanding readers as well.
A minor weakness of City of the Beasts might be Allende's struggles to characterize her cast ensemble. Everyone feels mostly one-dimensional; we have lots of Mary Sues and John Does, and the scope of the cast caused me to lose my overview on questions of who is who several times. However, that did not harm my enjoyment of the audiobook on any level, as Allende's substantially note-worthy attempt to speak to a younger audience is full of charm, wit and allure, exploiting the Indiana Jones-like adventure style for her full benefit....more
Throwing all objectivity out of the window here, because Alice Oseman's illustrious, vivacious art style stole my heart and made me spend an entire daThrowing all objectivity out of the window here, because Alice Oseman's illustrious, vivacious art style stole my heart and made me spend an entire day reading through the entire series at once.
Heartstopper, in its essence, hits a lot of popular checkmarks of the YA genre: 鉁旓笍 Coming-of-age angst/teenage struggles (bullying, identity exploration, school troubles). 鉁旓笍 Sexual awakening (particularly in the non-heteronormative context that Oseman's stories focus on). 鉁旓笍 Experience of first love (chaotic emotions, emotional overload). 鉁旓笍 Attraction of opposites (basically a 'jock meets introvert' romance, but... that description really wouldn't give this justice, so please don't let that cloud your impression of the story if you haven't read Heartstopper yet). A lot of these aspects are encompassed in Oseman's often-mesmerizing style, but while on their own they might pass the impression of a stereotypical, clich茅d Young-Adult/coming-of-age tale, the interaction of all these elements is what makes Heartstopper such an interesting and captivating story.
The author understands that with such an overabundance of coming-of-age stories in this crowded genre, it is important to create relatable, multi-faceted characters. The character work is one of her biggest strengths, as even the secondary characters are given their fair deal of emotional baggage that Oseman explores gracefully, even if it might sometimes not occur until later volumes of the series. It all comes back again to Nick and Charlie, the two central characters. They are both highlighted through distinct, colorful personalities that grab your attention and make you root for them. Additionally, the author alludes to mental health issues through several well-developed subplots in her story and never forgets to handle them respectfully, with an overall uplifting connotation, as she takes them seriously, but never allows the positive energy of the story to be pulled down by more serious subjects.
What I also feel the need to highlight is Oseman's art style: She has such a unique, captivating way of drawing her characters and bringing them to life. One of my favorite techniques of hers in this series is to have characters communicate with each other through messaging apps, and showing their hesitation to send messages that would reveal their true thoughts or emotions, sometimes deleting them and sending something less revealing instead. It's a technique that gives insight into the characters' thought processes without unnecessary narration, while also showcasing the difficulties of proper communication over technological devices.
(Of course, as a highly-strung over-thinker just like Charlie I was basically bound to fall in love with this story, so that certainly didn't hurt my appreciation for the series.)
Since I'm not planning to write separate reviews for the rest of the series, here are my individual ratings for the other three novels along with some short notes: Volume Two 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� Just as mesmerizing as the first novel, maybe even a step ahead as the author solidifies her voice and manages to hit all the notes and feelings of teenage discovery and self-doubting. Volume Three 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄 For me, a slight step down from a narrative perspective, as I wasn't terribly fond of the school excursion plot. Still: this has its fair share of heartfelt moments and elaborates on Nick and Charlie's relationship in charming ways. Not my personal favorite of the series, but certainly not a step down in quality. Volume Four 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄陆 As mentioned before, the author emphasizes mental health and eating disorders as a driving element of the narrative here, but it works well and still allows Heartstopper to operate as a mood elevator. An elevator that only moves upwards, that is.
鈥淪ometimes you just jump and hope it's not a cliff.鈥�
It's easy to look at a book like Red, White & Royal Blue and immediately dismiss it as unrealistic鈥淪ometimes you just jump and hope it's not a cliff.鈥�
It's easy to look at a book like Red, White & Royal Blue and immediately dismiss it as unrealistic fantasy fulfillment. The thing is, even stories that are intended as just that, unrealistic fantasy fulfillment, can be valuable.
In Casey McQuiston鈥檚 欧宝娱乐 Choice-winning 2019 novel, we follow a star-struck romance between the American First Son and the British Royal Prince, two guys in their early twenties who fall head over heels in love with each other and are forced to maneuver their unlikely relationship, navigate through political turmoil and geopolitical differences and decide whether their love is stronger than the political and social pressure weighing down on their shoulders.
Now, as mentioned before, Red, White & Royal Blue is wish fulfillment fantasy at its finest, from beginning to end. Even though Casey McQuiston wrote it in a style that could be deemed as close to reality as possible under the given circumstances of her premise, it鈥檚 still unrealistic to expect that this story would play out similarly in real life.
Fortunately, this is fiction, not real life, and sometimes fiction is there to just comfort us, to give us hope and something to hold onto. In a world that still wants to deny people their fundamental right to love who they love, stories like Red, White & Royal Blue are the spark of hope that will give joy to so many people reading it. It鈥檚 about the hope that stories like this could be real, someday, at some point of the future. Straight people got their wish fulfillment fantasies for decades, so it鈥檚 about time that wish fulfillment fantasies are written for queer people too....more
A quintessentially Hitchcockian suspense thriller which will keep you turning the pages.
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn was one of the biggest noA quintessentially Hitchcockian suspense thriller which will keep you turning the pages.
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn was one of the biggest novels released in 2018. It sold countless amounts of copies, and just look at the number of votes it has received on 欧宝娱乐 within the course of a little more than one year. It's probably only logical that with this amount of attention, a lot of readers would find it a little overrated, and their opinions certainly cannot be dismissed. As with many other psychological thrillers, The Woman in the Window depends on how well the reader is able to access the characters and suspend disbelief for their situation.
I was an easy target for A.J. Finn, so you probably shouldn't trust my opinion too much. The author crossed off all the marks: suspense, a mentally disturbed main character, an eclectic supporting cast, and countless film noir references. As a huge fan of classic Hollywood and the film-noir genre, A.J. Finn managed to pull me in from the very beginning by creating a character whose life was significantly shaped by watching films from the classic Hollywood period. [Take a peak at the bottom of this review to see a complete list of all those films. It was just too much fun to keep track of all those films while reading! It should be no surprise to see so many Hitchcock films among the references. Rear Window is probably the most obvious reference, since this book mirrors its plot in several instances.]
This marked the first book in a very long time that I managed to finish reading within less than 24 hours. The Woman in the Window pulled me in from the very beginning, and left me unable to stop reading it with its exceptional ability to build up suspense and create well-drawn, interesting characters. There are flaws with this book, however, so don't get overly enthusiastic by my five-star rating if you haven't read it yet. I can see this being very much a hit or miss with many readers, but if you love all the aspects I have listed above, then you should have no problem enjoying this novel. It's a fast read; at about 450 pages, I still managed to finish it within a few hours. Since I have had a lot of trouble reading this quickly for more than two years by now, that felt like a tremendous achievement, but it's also a testament to A.J. Finn's page-turning, almost cinematic writing style. (Which leads me to the upcoming film adaptation set for a release by Fox Searchlight in May 2020 - Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Wyatt Russell and Julianne Moore feel like the perfect casting choices, with Amy Adams actually being the person I constantly imagined the main character to look like. Unfortunately, it seems like the studio doesn't have too much faith in the film, since they postponed it from a prime awards season date to a release window which usually sees studios dumping their lesser films into cinemas. Hopefully, I'm wrong about that, since The Woman in the Window would make an absolutely excellent film if executed well.)
Finally, here's the promised list of all the film references from The Woman in the Window in a chronological order from when they were first mentioned in the book. (1956, Alfred Hitchcock) (1946, Charles Vidor) (1947, Jacques Tourneur) (1980, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker) (1953, Howard Hawks) (1955, Henri-Georges Clouzot) (1948, Carol Reed) (1944, Fritz Lang) (1935, Alfred Hitchcock) (1944, Billy Wilder) (1944, George Cukor) (1942, Alfred Hitchcock) (1948, John Farrow) (1934, W.S. Van Dyke) (1947, Edward Buzzell) (1970, Claude Chabrol) (1947, Delmer Daves) (1953, Henry Hathaway) (1963, Stanley Donen) (1952, David Miller) (1967, Terence Young) (1988, George Sluizer) (1988, Roman Polanski) (2013, Steven Soderbergh) (1942, Michael Curtiz) (1977, George Lucas) (1950, Jules Dassin) (1949, Otto Preminger) (1944, Edward Dmytryk) (1937, Richard Thorpe) (1944, Otto Preminger) (1958, Alfred Hitchcock) (1949, Carol Reed) (1955, Jules Dassin) (1945, Alfred Hitchcock) (1989, Phillip Noyce) (1940, Alfred Hitchcock) (1951, Alfred Hitchcock) (2006, Neil LaBute) (1948, Alfred Hitchcock) (1959, Alfred Hitchcock) (1938, Alfred Hitchcock) (1943, Howard Hughes, Howard Hawks) (1956, Nicholas Ray) (1943, Alfred Hitchcock) (1954, Alfred Hitchcock) (2002, M. Night Shyamalan) (1968, Roman Polanski) (1984, Brian De Palma) (1966, Michelangelo Antonioni) (1960, David Miller) (1940, Alfred Hitchcock) (1956, Henry Hathaway) (1965, Robert Stevenson)...more
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