Groff is, without doubt, a very talented writer. Why exactly she chose to apply her talent to this particular story is a mystery though. The narrativeGroff is, without doubt, a very talented writer. Why exactly she chose to apply her talent to this particular story is a mystery though. The narrative is fast-moving and had me on the edge of my seat; the main character is indomitable and compelling. But, oh my goodness, was this just about the most depressing thing I have ever read.
Groff plays with conventional literary expectations in a way that feels a little bait-and-switch. I think readers have been conditioned by a long history of novels that repay plucky underdogs with victory after they endure their trials to expect something more than the author gives us in this novel. I don't question the likelihood of the outcome of this novel. It absolutely makes sense. However, I don't actually read novels for reality. That is the function of a decent newspaper. A novel is supposed to tell a story that makes me feel something or teaches me something or helps me experience the world in a way I wouldn't be able to otherwise.
The experience of this book was unrelenting, unmitigated human misery from start to finish. Obviously, no one wants to crank up the time machine to visit Jamestown colony during the Starving Time. Or, frankly, any part of 17th century colonial America if you happen to be a woman. It's depressing and scary. But I still expected a little more light to play against the dark in this story. Or, at minimum, a moral or philosophical takeaway that justified all the horror and violence. An attempt was made at the latter, but it didn't quite do it for me.
I don't think I recommend this book, even though it was well written and I thought about it constantly when I had to put it down. Or if I do, it is with the strong caveat that reading it will likely deal your Christmas cheer a very serious setback, and that it absolutely should not be read before an anticipated holiday dinner. ...more
I love Paulette Jiles. These slim little novels of hers pack a punch. Also, the references to News of the World and Simon the Fiddler were such a treaI love Paulette Jiles. These slim little novels of hers pack a punch. Also, the references to News of the World and Simon the Fiddler were such a treat. These books, along with Frazier's Cold Mountain paint the world of the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War with such conviction that you feel like the author somehow managed to see it with her own eyes. I felt that way about Mantel's Cromwell trilogy as well. To me, that is the mark of really wonderful historical fiction. You never get the feeling of the present intruding into the past, or the author's modern sensibilities coloring the characters' feelings. Mind you, having never actually lived in the the 1860s American South, I have no idea if Jiles' take is authentic. But it's awful convincing either way. I really recommend this - she's an automatic read for me at this point. ...more
Read this with my kiddos, and thought this was a great adaptation of the story and a good introduction to a famous cast of characters. The illustratioRead this with my kiddos, and thought this was a great adaptation of the story and a good introduction to a famous cast of characters. The illustrations are striking and enjoyably odd. The Odyssey is up next!...more
I tried to read this very slowly; I didn't want it to be over and have to wait another year or two before I could spend time in this world again. ThisI tried to read this very slowly; I didn't want it to be over and have to wait another year or two before I could spend time in this world again. This was a delight as always. ...more
I tend to have a hard time with short stories, but these were really lovely. They are mostly told from an outsider's perspective, which is fundamentalI tend to have a hard time with short stories, but these were really lovely. They are mostly told from an outsider's perspective, which is fundamentally different reading experience than reading a Roman writing about Rome, or even an expat story with all its inherent confidence. These characters were immigrants who worked service jobs, who lived on the fringes of society, or who felt themselves to be culturally separated from their neighbors even if they had grown up there. Having said that, one of the few stories about an Italian man ("P's Parties") was my favorite of the lot.
I would definitely recommend this collection. They read quickly and offer a lot to think about. ...more
The kids and I have been reading this since the end of last summer, and it's been a very useful jumping off point for exploring ancient history. We'veThe kids and I have been reading this since the end of last summer, and it's been a very useful jumping off point for exploring ancient history. We've paired this with some illustrated children's editions of Greek literature and mythology, picture books about the Epic of Gilgamesh, DK books about ancient and world history that have some great illustrations, and a books about pyramids and Egyptian mythology.
I like Bauer's nonchalant style - like teaching kids about ancient history is no big deal, and why shouldn't my first grader know about Sargon, Hammurabi, Sparta, Shi Huangdi, and Julius Caesar? Obviously, they aren't going to retain all the dates and names and specifics (although I've been startled by how much they have learned). The reason I chose to read this to my kids was to, hopefully, break through the intimidation factor early before it has time to set in. Modern schools seem to be under the impression that children should be limited to American history and amorphous ideas of "social studies". I like the idea of history as a narrative flow. It just honestly makes more sense that way.
I found the sections about the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia to be educational for me, too. This is not something I've studied at all in depth. I'm more familiar with the Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites, Medes, and Persians from Sunday School than from history, and that gives a very one-sided, black-hatted villain interpretation to my knowledge. It was interesting to learn a bit more about how they saw themselves.
Of course, this book offers some wild simplifications of complicated issues. The airy, blithe description of the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire in the West made me splutter with indignation as I read it. But this is an introduction to the subject, not graduate school. In my opinion, the key is to make history accessible and interesting, and then let kids explore its complexities further as they grow up. And Bauer succeeds beautifully in that.
We will be starting "History of the World: The Middle Ages" shortly!...more
Beautiful writing and well-researched historical fiction from Brooks as always. This felt a little anticlimactic in comparison to some of her other woBeautiful writing and well-researched historical fiction from Brooks as always. This felt a little anticlimactic in comparison to some of her other work, however. That people could have ever actually thought the way these people did is almost impossible to believe. Imagine being told that you are not allowed an education because, in addition to making you un-marriageable, it could physically damage your weak female brain. I don't even know where to start with that. So, so happy to not be a 17th century Puritan. Honestly, they were pretty much the Taliban. ...more
Another excellent novel from Geraldine Brooks. I'm making my way through her books, and it's been a very worthwhile experience. I loved the way the stAnother excellent novel from Geraldine Brooks. I'm making my way through her books, and it's been a very worthwhile experience. I loved the way the story skips ever farther back through history. This was intelligently researched and beautifully written....more
This is a great series. "Iron Gold" is the first book after the initial trilogy, and it veers away from Darrows POV in a way the first three books didThis is a great series. "Iron Gold" is the first book after the initial trilogy, and it veers away from Darrows POV in a way the first three books did not do. I liked the broader cast of characters and viewpoints, but I missed the voice of the original books at the same time. I really think no one does moral quandary like Pierce Brown. There is so much delightful grey in these stories. I have grown very weary of modern authors who preach like Victorian moralists, and there is none of that here. ...more
This was really good. I'm amazed someone hasn't made this into a streaming series, actually. It's like an adult mixture of Game of Thrones and Hunger This was really good. I'm amazed someone hasn't made this into a streaming series, actually. It's like an adult mixture of Game of Thrones and Hunger Games. So much drama, violence, and action. It took me a while to really get into this book - basically until the war games started - but I got hooked once I did. Darrow is a fantastic character; he is self-aware enough to fear how good he is at being a Gold, and to acknowledge that he might have been worse than his enemies if he was born to it. All around, it's a great story. I dove straight into Golden Son and have hardly put it down....more
This was a pleasant audio-read. I preferred the first book in the series, and I'm not sure if I'll continue on to the third though. This was a pleasant audio-read. I preferred the first book in the series, and I'm not sure if I'll continue on to the third though. ...more
This was fine-ish. I don't think it's the book's fault that I was disappointed. Realistically, this was exactly what one would expect. It's just that This was fine-ish. I don't think it's the book's fault that I was disappointed. Realistically, this was exactly what one would expect. It's just that I feel like there is this Platonic ideal of a romantasy novel out there that is all the things I want, and instead I just keep getting these shadows on the cave wall. Ah, well. Maybe the next one.
Also, politics completely aside, this cannot be the future of the English language. Sentences containing pious phrases like "femme-appearing figures" are convoluted and ridiculous, especially when said femme-appearing figures are referred to unambiguously as "she" on the very next page. It's not as if the characters had a conversation where preferred pronouns were hashed out from one page to the next. It felt performative, distracting, and applied in a bizarrely uneven way throughout the entire book. ...more
Honestly what is happening in this book? I feel like I fell into some sort of moral funhouse mirror where I’m supposed to cheer for people doing objecHonestly what is happening in this book? I feel like I fell into some sort of moral funhouse mirror where I’m supposed to cheer for people doing objectively horrible things. I mean who acts like this??
I read this because it was a recommended read-alike for “Seven Days in June�. I’m going to be really disappointed if an actual human was in charge of that decision instead of an algorithm that couldn’t tell the difference between two books having Black female main characters and two books giving anything like the same feelings. That book was, at its heart, incredibly wholesome and romantic and uplifting. This was a dumpster fire of pathological selfishness that made me want to read Jane Austen or something as a palate cleanser. Just no....more
It took me a while to get through this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. As a murder mystery, it's pretty good. But as a social commentary, it It took me a while to get through this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. As a murder mystery, it's pretty good. But as a social commentary, it was fantastic. I loved the nuance of Makkai's writing regarding the MeToo phenomenon. She writes with gorgeous conviction about the way women experience violence from men, the ways women are blamed or ignored, and the maddening ways in which men get away with it. There is stark truth in her "the one where..." lists that is incredibly affecting.
I also really like that she wasn't afraid to confront the extremes of the movement as well. The frustrating false equivalencies between rape and bad manners. The reign of terror that is the court of Twitter. The gap that exists between the feel-good phrase "Believe Women" and the immeasurably more difficult task of delivering legal justice within the limits of due process and moral justice within the more amorphous bounds of fairness.
Makkai is a smart writer who takes on a very difficult topic with wonderful success. ...more
I loved this. Like, so much. Williams' writing has presence for days and these characters are fabulous. This was a sucker punch of a novel - I wasn't I loved this. Like, so much. Williams' writing has presence for days and these characters are fabulous. This was a sucker punch of a novel - I wasn't familiar with the author and downloaded it on impulse when I saw the Reese's Book Club sticker. It took me three days to read and I obsessed over it the entire time. My family heard about it, my coworkers heard about it, I ordered everything I could find on a "if you liked 'Seven Days in June' read..." list, and generally bemoaned my real life getting in the way of seeing what would happen next. Seriously - read this book....more
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