en-US Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:12:10 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 231139274 Florile pierdute ale lui Alice Hart, transpus în serialul omonim difuzat pe Prime Video, creează în acest nou bestseller internațional, un mozaic narativ în care realitatea și simbolismul se întrepătrund într-o explorare penetrantă a identității și pierderii. Romanul a fost finalist, în 2023, la The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award și la Australian Independent Book Awards.

Ultima dată când Aura, sora lui Esther Wilding, a fost văzută, se îndrepta spre mare. Pentru a descoperi adevărul despre dispariția acesteia, Esther călătorește din Tasmania spre Copenhaga și Insulele Feroe, urmând indiciile lăsate de Aura: basme despre selkie, lebede și femei, condensate în șapte versuri criptice, pe care Aura și le-a tatuat, ca tot atâtea văluri care să-i acopere povestea. Un roman puternic despre intensitatea iubirii dintre surori, despre doliu, împăcare și transformare.]]> 535 Holly Ringland 6060974783 Nona 0 z_ps25 0.0 2022
author: Holly Ringland
name: Nona
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/10
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: z_ps25
review:

]]> 1953 A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens’s great historical novel, set against the violent upheaval of the French Revolution. The most famous and perhaps the most popular of his works, it compresses an event of immense complexity to the scale of a family history, with a cast of characters that includes a bloodthirsty ogress and an antihero as believably flawed as any in modern fiction. Though the least typical of the author’s novels, A Tale of Two Cities still underscores many of his enduring themes—imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal.]]> 489 Charles Dickens 0141439602 Nona 3 classics, romance, historical It was... not the best of books; it was not the worst of books.

I know "A Tale of Two Cities" is supposed to be Dickens' best novel, but I didn't vibe with it. There are other books from him that I have enjoyed a lot more. I'm just bored of the hero syndrome and the stereotypical black-and-white characters. Except for Sidney Carton (though I didn't like his choice and the whole sacrificial element) and Miss Pross, who is a complete badass, all the other characters were unidimensional.

But it does have one of the most iconic opening lines in the history of literature, so it gets points for that.

It's a historical novel set in the late 18th century, before and during the French Revolution, and it follows the lives of several characters in London and Paris and how their fates become entangled with the events of the times.

The story begins in 1775, when Jarvis Lorry, a banker at Tellson's Bank, travels to France to "resurrect" Dr. Alexandre Manette, a former prisoner of the Bastille, where he has spent 18 years. Dr. Manette is reunited with his daughter, Lucie, in London, where she helps nurse him back to health. Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who has renounced his noble heritage because of his family's cruelty. Years later, Charles returns to Paris to help a former servant, but being still considered part of the aristocracy, he must deal with the preconceptions and the violence of the French Revolution.

I usually love Dickens' writing and his humor. He uses satire to show the extreme behaviors of the French revolutionaries. Characters like Madame Defarge, who seeks revenge with a fanatic obsession, or the crowds that cheerfully demand the executions of the aristocrats, bring a touch of absurdity to the background. Also, Sydney Carton's self-deprecating humor is used as a defense mechanism to mask his inner despair. However, something about the writing style felt off to me here. Of course, we have Dickens' signature intricate prose and lengthy descriptions, but I found them inconsistent, which made my reading experience tedious. At times, especially in the last third, the narrative moves swiftly, while in other moments, it drags with excessively dramatic dialogue.

The novel is filled with grand sacrifices and sweeping gestures, but somehow, it left me emotionally uninvolved. I think I'm at that point in life where grand gestures make me roll my eyes at their absurdity rather than make me care about the characters. Especially not about characters that are mere stereotypes. Charles is the typical tragic, noble hero, but there's nothing to make him actually endearing or show any evolution. Lucie is absurdly selfless, the symbol of abnegation, but you'd think she'd at least care more about her children than about the man - but no. I've grown bored of these all-or-nothing love stories, especially when we don't really understand why these people love each other. Madame Defarge, the revolutionary zealot, would have made an interesting character if she had more depth. Many of these characters follow conventional literary tropes, with little to no internal struggles or contradictions.

To me, the most interesting aspect about this book was not the plot - which was predictable and stereotypical -, but rather the backdrop of the French Revolution. I'm almost sure that Dickens, as an Englishman, wanted to take a jab at the French. While he doesn't directly ridicule the revolution, he certainly comments on its more destructive aspects by showing the brutality and chaos it unleashes, primarily through his depiction of the mob mentality and the violent actions of the revolutionaries. Dickens paints the revolutionaries as no better than the aristocrats they seek to overthrow - the initial idealism, which promises freedom, equality and fraternity, becomes corrupted by a desire for revenge, leading to a cycle of violence that mirrors the abuses of the monarchy. The mob's desire for justice turns into an unchecked thirst for vengeance, leading to the moral decay of the revolutionaries. There's a shrewd comparison between the two cities - London and Paris - and their different approaches to social reform, which is more measured in England.

This novel did not enthrall me like I was, for instance, by "Great Expectations." Maybe I've become too cynical to believe that this kind of sacrifice can exist in real life, or perhaps it's the lack of subtlety in building the characters. Some of its storytelling choices, such as rushed emotional developments, felt frustrating. This is not a novel I'll remember with fondness.]]> 3.86 1859
author: Charles Dickens
name: Nona
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1859
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: classics, romance, historical
review:
It was... not the best of books; it was not the worst of books.

I know "A Tale of Two Cities" is supposed to be Dickens' best novel, but I didn't vibe with it. There are other books from him that I have enjoyed a lot more. I'm just bored of the hero syndrome and the stereotypical black-and-white characters. Except for Sidney Carton (though I didn't like his choice and the whole sacrificial element) and Miss Pross, who is a complete badass, all the other characters were unidimensional.

But it does have one of the most iconic opening lines in the history of literature, so it gets points for that.

It's a historical novel set in the late 18th century, before and during the French Revolution, and it follows the lives of several characters in London and Paris and how their fates become entangled with the events of the times.

The story begins in 1775, when Jarvis Lorry, a banker at Tellson's Bank, travels to France to "resurrect" Dr. Alexandre Manette, a former prisoner of the Bastille, where he has spent 18 years. Dr. Manette is reunited with his daughter, Lucie, in London, where she helps nurse him back to health. Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who has renounced his noble heritage because of his family's cruelty. Years later, Charles returns to Paris to help a former servant, but being still considered part of the aristocracy, he must deal with the preconceptions and the violence of the French Revolution.

I usually love Dickens' writing and his humor. He uses satire to show the extreme behaviors of the French revolutionaries. Characters like Madame Defarge, who seeks revenge with a fanatic obsession, or the crowds that cheerfully demand the executions of the aristocrats, bring a touch of absurdity to the background. Also, Sydney Carton's self-deprecating humor is used as a defense mechanism to mask his inner despair. However, something about the writing style felt off to me here. Of course, we have Dickens' signature intricate prose and lengthy descriptions, but I found them inconsistent, which made my reading experience tedious. At times, especially in the last third, the narrative moves swiftly, while in other moments, it drags with excessively dramatic dialogue.

The novel is filled with grand sacrifices and sweeping gestures, but somehow, it left me emotionally uninvolved. I think I'm at that point in life where grand gestures make me roll my eyes at their absurdity rather than make me care about the characters. Especially not about characters that are mere stereotypes. Charles is the typical tragic, noble hero, but there's nothing to make him actually endearing or show any evolution. Lucie is absurdly selfless, the symbol of abnegation, but you'd think she'd at least care more about her children than about the man - but no. I've grown bored of these all-or-nothing love stories, especially when we don't really understand why these people love each other. Madame Defarge, the revolutionary zealot, would have made an interesting character if she had more depth. Many of these characters follow conventional literary tropes, with little to no internal struggles or contradictions.

To me, the most interesting aspect about this book was not the plot - which was predictable and stereotypical -, but rather the backdrop of the French Revolution. I'm almost sure that Dickens, as an Englishman, wanted to take a jab at the French. While he doesn't directly ridicule the revolution, he certainly comments on its more destructive aspects by showing the brutality and chaos it unleashes, primarily through his depiction of the mob mentality and the violent actions of the revolutionaries. Dickens paints the revolutionaries as no better than the aristocrats they seek to overthrow - the initial idealism, which promises freedom, equality and fraternity, becomes corrupted by a desire for revenge, leading to a cycle of violence that mirrors the abuses of the monarchy. The mob's desire for justice turns into an unchecked thirst for vengeance, leading to the moral decay of the revolutionaries. There's a shrewd comparison between the two cities - London and Paris - and their different approaches to social reform, which is more measured in England.

This novel did not enthrall me like I was, for instance, by "Great Expectations." Maybe I've become too cynical to believe that this kind of sacrifice can exist in real life, or perhaps it's the lack of subtlety in building the characters. Some of its storytelling choices, such as rushed emotional developments, felt frustrating. This is not a novel I'll remember with fondness.
]]> 230669779
Când Myriam, mama a doi copii mici, se hotărăște, în ciuda reticenței soțului ei, să-și reia activitatea profesională, cuplul începe să caute o bonă. După o serie de interviuri, o angajează pe Louise, care cucerește rapid afecțiunea copiilor și ajunge să ocupe un loc central în căminul familiei. Treptat însă, cercul dependenței reciproce se închide, ducând la producerea unei tragedii.
Dincolo de descrierea minuțioasă a tânărului cuplu și a personajului fascinant și misterios al bonei, se întrevede tabloul epocii în care trăim, cu concepțiile sale despre dragoste și educație, raportul dintre dominație și bani, prejudecățile de clasă ori culturale. Stilul direct și tranșant folosit de Leïla Slimani, presărat cu frânturi de poezie, învăluie povestea încă de la primele pagini într-o atmosferă captivantă.
.
„Cântec lin te prinde în paginile lui cu o forță uimitoare, ce vine atât din măiestria cu care autoarea stăpânește povestea, cât și din stilul precis, rece, incisiv." Le Monde

„Aruncat într-un vârtej nebunesc, cititorul nu poate opri această cădere vertiginoasă și fascinantă. Tragedia despre care vorbește Leïla Slimani e cât se poate de convingătoare. Autoarea reușește să creeze în detaliu un portret al închisorilor noastre intime și sociale." Livres Hebdo

Leïla Slimani (n. 1981) este o romancieră și jurnalistă franceză de origine marocană.
S-a născut la Rabat și la 17 ani a plecat la Paris, unde s-a specializat în științe politice și studiul mass-media la Sciences Po. După absolvire, a vrut să urmeze o carieră în actorie, dar a început să lucreze ca jurnalistă pentru revista Jeune Afrique. În 2014 a publicat primul său roman, În grădina căpcăunului, urmat de thrillerul psihologic Cântec lin, care a devenit rapid un bestseller cu peste 80 000 de exemplare tipărite în primele trei luni de la apariție.
În 2016, romanul Cântec lin a fost distins cu Premiul Goncourt și a fost nominalizat la Prix Renaudot, Prix Femina, Prix de Flore și Prix Interallié.]]> 189 Leïla Slimani 6069781287 Nona 3 mystery, thriller
The opening was perfection: "The baby is dead." From this first (brutal) sentence, the book works backward, trying to explain how a seemingly perfect domestic setup ended in tragedy. I’d expected some kind of psychological thriller - you know - dark secrets, a slow descent into madness, maybe some insightful commentary on motherhood. Instead, what I got was a weirdly cold, clipped little novel with prose so minimalist that it felt like the literary version of being ghosted mid-conversation. And if there's something I hate in novels, it's a minimalist detached prose.

This slow character study left me with more questions than answers, and not always in a good way. The story follows Myriam and Paul, a Parisian couple with two young children. When Myriam, a former lawyer of Moroccan descent, decides to return to work, the couple hires Louise, the perfect nanny: punctual, clean, fun, devoted to the kids. But very early on, something just feels off. Louise is too perfect, too invested. She scrubs their apartment until it shines, she cooks elaborate meals, she invents games for the children, basically makes herself indispensable to the family and yet remains invisible in a disturbing way.

As we learn more about Louise's life, she becomes more obsessive and undeniably creepy. There’s a simmering madness beneath her perfect surface, a need for control that transforms into an unhealthy attachment to the entire family, not only the children.

The character work is almost on point. Louise is one of the creepiest characters I’ve ever read, and not because she’s openly dangerous, but because she’s so off in this quiet way. She slides into Myriam and Paul’s home, becomes the perfect servant, the dream nanny, the invisible force keeping everything clean, cooked and cared for. And then she starts to crack. Except�� it’s like the book doesn’t want you to really feel that unraveling. It just wants to show it to you through emotionally dry bullet points. Towards the end, I didn't believe Louise's motivations and her final act. We spend so much time in her head, only to be pulled out of there at the last second, and left with a wtf moment. Instead of really digging into her (i)rationale, the book just slams a door in your face.

I guess I just wanted more - drama, development, answers, emotions, just more. Instead, "The Perfect Nanny" is basically one long, dry meh wearing a horror mask.]]> 3.00 2016
author: Leïla Slimani
name: Nona
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: mystery, thriller
review:
Here's a book with so much potential, yet I felt that something was missing. It barely touched the psyche of this nanny who descends into madness, there was so much more Leïla Slimani could have done with her character!

The opening was perfection: "The baby is dead." From this first (brutal) sentence, the book works backward, trying to explain how a seemingly perfect domestic setup ended in tragedy. I’d expected some kind of psychological thriller - you know - dark secrets, a slow descent into madness, maybe some insightful commentary on motherhood. Instead, what I got was a weirdly cold, clipped little novel with prose so minimalist that it felt like the literary version of being ghosted mid-conversation. And if there's something I hate in novels, it's a minimalist detached prose.

This slow character study left me with more questions than answers, and not always in a good way. The story follows Myriam and Paul, a Parisian couple with two young children. When Myriam, a former lawyer of Moroccan descent, decides to return to work, the couple hires Louise, the perfect nanny: punctual, clean, fun, devoted to the kids. But very early on, something just feels off. Louise is too perfect, too invested. She scrubs their apartment until it shines, she cooks elaborate meals, she invents games for the children, basically makes herself indispensable to the family and yet remains invisible in a disturbing way.

As we learn more about Louise's life, she becomes more obsessive and undeniably creepy. There’s a simmering madness beneath her perfect surface, a need for control that transforms into an unhealthy attachment to the entire family, not only the children.

The character work is almost on point. Louise is one of the creepiest characters I’ve ever read, and not because she’s openly dangerous, but because she’s so off in this quiet way. She slides into Myriam and Paul’s home, becomes the perfect servant, the dream nanny, the invisible force keeping everything clean, cooked and cared for. And then she starts to crack. Except�� it’s like the book doesn’t want you to really feel that unraveling. It just wants to show it to you through emotionally dry bullet points. Towards the end, I didn't believe Louise's motivations and her final act. We spend so much time in her head, only to be pulled out of there at the last second, and left with a wtf moment. Instead of really digging into her (i)rationale, the book just slams a door in your face.

I guess I just wanted more - drama, development, answers, emotions, just more. Instead, "The Perfect Nanny" is basically one long, dry meh wearing a horror mask.
]]> 64334377
Emma Bovary este o femeie frumoasă și plictisită, prizonieră în căsnicia cu un doctor mediocru și sufocată de banalitatea vieții de provincie. Cititoare înfocată de romane sentimentale, ea tânjește după pasiune și își caută refugiul în fantezii romantice, în cheltuieli excesive și, în cele din urmă, în adulter. Aventurile sentimentale hrănite cu iluzii ajung însă și ele s-o dezamăgească, iar consecințele sunt devastatoare. Portretul plin de erotism și de sensibilitate psihologică realizat de Flaubert Emmei Bovary a stârnit indignare la data publicării romanului, iar autorului i-a fost intentat un proces pentru obscenitate. Descrierea eroinei s-a dovedit atât de realistă, încât multe femei au afirmat că-i serviseră drept model. De altfel, protagonista lui Flaubert n-a încetat să fascineze, de atunci, generații întregi de cititori. Eroină romantică sau soție întreținută și nevrotică, mamă neglijentă sau femeie instinctiv revoltată împotriva constrângerilor vieții mic-burgheze, Emma Bovary rămâne unul dintre cele mai enigmatice și mai tulburătoare personaje ale ficțiunii moderne.]]> 13 Gustave Flaubert Nona 0 currently-reading 0.0 1856
author: Gustave Flaubert
name: Nona
average rating: 0.0
book published: 1856
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 213133760 An inclusive and essential guide to reproductive health—including period problems, pelvic pain, menopause, fertility, sexual health, vaginal and urinary conditions, and overall wellbeing―from leading expert Dr. Karen Tang

Reproductive healthcare, from abortion to gender-affirming care, is under siege. The onus continues to fall on patients to find and advocate for the care they need. Dr. Karen Tang is on a mission to transform how women engage with their bodies and their healthcare.

Did you know that one in three women experiences menstrual abnormalities or pelvic issues, yet these conditions are overwhelmingly misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed? The root causes for these issues, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and pelvic-floor muscle dysfunction, don’t receive the stream of funding for research and new treatments that other conditions do, despite the potential to affect up to half the population.

It’s Not Hysteria is a comprehensive guide to common conditions and potential treatment options, with practical tools such as symptom prompts and sample questions to ask one's provider. In the face of uncertainty and misinformation, It’s Not Hysteria is destined to become a new classic that educates and empowers.]]> 10 Karen Tang Nona 4 non-fiction, z_ps25
I think that the book is accessible to all women, no matter their level of knowledge or their personal experiences. And I loved that she used inclusive language and spoke about issues affecting everyone born with a uterus, no matter their gender.

Tang starts by dismantling the stereotype of "hysteria" and presents how reproductive health has evolved across centuries - a sad, unfair journey that is still far from having ended, given the pervasiveness of male-focused medicine even to this day. Issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, perimenopause are still often underdiagnosed or misunderstood, and many doctors still minimize women's pain and symptoms and treat them ineffectively. As a young girl who's been given oral contraceptives without any blood tests and who's taken years to find the right doctor to understand me and my symptoms, I felt validated.

I appreciated her clear, accessible explanations. She doesn’t just throw medical terms; she walks you through what’s actually going on in your body, and why it matters that you know, while also sharing real stories that show how frequently women and gender-diverse people are dismissed by the healthcare system. She also offers practical tips on how to talk to doctors, what symptoms to track, what tests to ask for.

Honestly, this book felt like a breath of fresh air. Karen Tang manages to explain so many things I wish I had known years ago about reproductive health, and she does it with clarity and zero judgment.]]> 4.13 2024
author: Karen Tang
name: Nona
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: non-fiction, z_ps25
review:
I would say this book is a must-read for all women of reproductive age. Even if it's not a textbook and doesn't pretend to give every piece of information on female anatomy - it would be difficult and the book is not meant to be read by doctors, anyways -, I found it extremely informative. It's a compassionate guide to reproductive health, especially for those of us (and I think most women have felt this way at some point) who have felt dismissed, gaslit or simply left confused by the medical system.

I think that the book is accessible to all women, no matter their level of knowledge or their personal experiences. And I loved that she used inclusive language and spoke about issues affecting everyone born with a uterus, no matter their gender.

Tang starts by dismantling the stereotype of "hysteria" and presents how reproductive health has evolved across centuries - a sad, unfair journey that is still far from having ended, given the pervasiveness of male-focused medicine even to this day. Issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, perimenopause are still often underdiagnosed or misunderstood, and many doctors still minimize women's pain and symptoms and treat them ineffectively. As a young girl who's been given oral contraceptives without any blood tests and who's taken years to find the right doctor to understand me and my symptoms, I felt validated.

I appreciated her clear, accessible explanations. She doesn’t just throw medical terms; she walks you through what’s actually going on in your body, and why it matters that you know, while also sharing real stories that show how frequently women and gender-diverse people are dismissed by the healthcare system. She also offers practical tips on how to talk to doctors, what symptoms to track, what tests to ask for.

Honestly, this book felt like a breath of fresh air. Karen Tang manages to explain so many things I wish I had known years ago about reproductive health, and she does it with clarity and zero judgment.
]]> 3073457
Calcuta, 1932: El corazón de las tinieblas. Un tren en llama atraviesa la ciudad. Un espectro de fuego siembra el terror en las sombras de la noche. Pero eso no es más que el principio. En la vispera de cumplir 16 años, Ben, Sheere y sus amigos deberán enfrentarse al más terrible y mortífero enigma de la historia de la ciudad de los palacios.]]> 352 Carlos Ruiz Zafón 840807279X Nona 4
"El Palacio de la Medianoche"/"The Midnight Palace" is a dark and atmospheric story, full of secrets and ghostly figures. At its core, there's a deeply emotional mystery about a group of teenagers who must face a chilling enemy. The story is set in 1930s Calcutta, where a group of orphaned teenagers form a secret society that gathers in the abandoned ruin they call the Palace of Midnight, where they share stories and dreams.

One of these children, Ben, finds out he had been abandoned in the orphanage by his mysterious grandmother and raised apart from his twin sister, after their parents died under odd circumstances, in hopes that they would be protected from the mysterious Jawahal. As the twins turn 16, their destiny comes to haunt them.

And here’s where the book starts to get deliciously creepy. Fires, whispers, shadows stalking them... it quickly becomes clear that someone - or something - is after them. Jawahal, thought to be long dead, seems to be haunting them, literally. He appears in ghostly form, commanding fire and chaos. So was he undead? Possessed? Some kind of vengeful spirit? Zafón never fully explains the mechanics of his return, and it left me wondering: how exactly is he back? His actions are terrifying but unfortunately some of the plot threads are never fully explained, which left me a bit frustrated in the end.

Some of the ghostly lore and backstory could have used more development. That said, the story’s gothic style and haunting atmosphere made it a captivating read, and the emotional stakes get higher and higher as the dramatic end grows closer.

I loved the character work - it is, after all, one of the author's strengths. Ben is a classic Zafón protagonist - loyal, thoughtful, reckless at times, and suddenly thrown into a world of dangerous truths. Sheere, on the other hand, is intelligent and spirited, and there’s an almost mythical quality to her presence. But one of the most intriguing characters in the book is their grandmother, Aryami. She clearly knows more than she lets on. Her motivations are complex: on one hand, she’s trying to protect the twins from danger, but on the other, her silence made things worse. I wish there were more complexity to her character, especially towards the end, where she kind of disappeared.

The members of the Chowbar Society (Isobel, Seth, Michael, Roshan, and Ian) bring warmth and depth to the story and are more than just background characters; each one has a distinct personality, and their loyalty to one another adds real emotional weight to the story. Although I'm not a fan of epilogues, I appreciated the author showing us a glimpse into their future and not giving them a storybook ending or promising an everlasting friendship. Most of the times, childhood friendships don't last into adulthood, even those based on shared trauma.

Of course, Zafón’s prose shines. His writing is lyrical and deeply atmospheric. He doesn’t just tell you a story, he paints it in fog and candlelight. His descriptions are so vivid you can almost feel the humidity and hear the whispers in the shadows. It's not a fast-paced, clear-cut mystery; to the contrary, the beginning is quite slow. But I've always loved the way he carefully builds his stories and lets his readers get acquainted with the characters before throwing them into chaos.

It’s not just about what happens, it’s about how it feels, and Zafón is a master of mood.]]> 3.61 1994
author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
name: Nona
average rating: 3.61
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: horror, mystery, teen-ya, historical, fantasy
review:
I'm at book 2 from my plan to reread Carlos Ruiz Zafón's books, but in Spanish (I read "Marina" last year), and it's been - of course - a fun journey so far. Zafón's YA novels may not have the depth of the tetralogy, but they foreshadow the strong gothic vibes and the brilliant character work from his later novels.

"El Palacio de la Medianoche"/"The Midnight Palace" is a dark and atmospheric story, full of secrets and ghostly figures. At its core, there's a deeply emotional mystery about a group of teenagers who must face a chilling enemy. The story is set in 1930s Calcutta, where a group of orphaned teenagers form a secret society that gathers in the abandoned ruin they call the Palace of Midnight, where they share stories and dreams.

One of these children, Ben, finds out he had been abandoned in the orphanage by his mysterious grandmother and raised apart from his twin sister, after their parents died under odd circumstances, in hopes that they would be protected from the mysterious Jawahal. As the twins turn 16, their destiny comes to haunt them.

And here’s where the book starts to get deliciously creepy. Fires, whispers, shadows stalking them... it quickly becomes clear that someone - or something - is after them. Jawahal, thought to be long dead, seems to be haunting them, literally. He appears in ghostly form, commanding fire and chaos. So was he undead? Possessed? Some kind of vengeful spirit? Zafón never fully explains the mechanics of his return, and it left me wondering: how exactly is he back? His actions are terrifying but unfortunately some of the plot threads are never fully explained, which left me a bit frustrated in the end.

Some of the ghostly lore and backstory could have used more development. That said, the story’s gothic style and haunting atmosphere made it a captivating read, and the emotional stakes get higher and higher as the dramatic end grows closer.

I loved the character work - it is, after all, one of the author's strengths. Ben is a classic Zafón protagonist - loyal, thoughtful, reckless at times, and suddenly thrown into a world of dangerous truths. Sheere, on the other hand, is intelligent and spirited, and there’s an almost mythical quality to her presence. But one of the most intriguing characters in the book is their grandmother, Aryami. She clearly knows more than she lets on. Her motivations are complex: on one hand, she’s trying to protect the twins from danger, but on the other, her silence made things worse. I wish there were more complexity to her character, especially towards the end, where she kind of disappeared.

The members of the Chowbar Society (Isobel, Seth, Michael, Roshan, and Ian) bring warmth and depth to the story and are more than just background characters; each one has a distinct personality, and their loyalty to one another adds real emotional weight to the story. Although I'm not a fan of epilogues, I appreciated the author showing us a glimpse into their future and not giving them a storybook ending or promising an everlasting friendship. Most of the times, childhood friendships don't last into adulthood, even those based on shared trauma.

Of course, Zafón’s prose shines. His writing is lyrical and deeply atmospheric. He doesn’t just tell you a story, he paints it in fog and candlelight. His descriptions are so vivid you can almost feel the humidity and hear the whispers in the shadows. It's not a fast-paced, clear-cut mystery; to the contrary, the beginning is quite slow. But I've always loved the way he carefully builds his stories and lets his readers get acquainted with the characters before throwing them into chaos.

It’s not just about what happens, it’s about how it feels, and Zafón is a master of mood.
]]> 34700236 Corectii este o capodopera tragicomica despre farimitarea unei familii intr-o epoca a satisfactiilor facile. Intinzindu-se din Midwest-ul de la jumatatea secolului trecut pina pe Wall Street si in Europa Rasariteana de astazi, Corectii asaza lumea demodata a virtutilor civice si a inhibitiilor sexuale intr-un contrast violent cu vremea locuintelor supravegheate electronic, a educatiei liberale, a cartilor de popularizare ce te invata sa iti ingrijesti sanatatea mentala si a lacomiei globalizate. Dupa aproape cincizeci de ani de cind este sotie si mama, Enid Lambert doreste putina relaxare. Desi Alfred, sotul ei, este pe cale sa piarda batalia cu boala Parkinson, iar copiii au plecat de mult de acasa, fiecare esuind intr-un fel sau in altul, Enid si-a stabilit un tel aproape imposibil de atins: reunirea intregii familii pentru un ultim Craciun petrecut in casa parinteasca.]]> 688 Jonathan Franzen 9734665693 Nona 0 currently-reading 4.00 2001
author: Jonathan Franzen
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 229778530 FINALIST WORLD FANTASY AWARD
FINALIST GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD

Bine ați venit la Casa Starling. Intrați, dacă aveți curaj!

Eden, Kentucky, este unul dintre acele orașe sordide din care toată lumea și-ar dori să plece. Este cunoscut doar pentru legenda scriitoarei și ilustratoarei E. Starling, care, în secolul al XIX-lea, a scris The Underland și apoi a dispărut. Tot ce a lăsat în urmă au fost niște zvonuri întunecate și o casă. Dar nu încape îndoială că cel mai bine ar fi să ignori conacul ciudat și pe Arthur, moștenitorul său mizantrop.

Opal știe că nu-i bine să ai de-a face cu case bântuite sau cu bărbați posomorâți, doar că o ofertă neașteptată de muncă ar putea fi șansa de a-și scoate fratele din Eden.

Pe măsură ce forțe sinistre sapă tot mai adânc în secretele îngropate ale Casei Starling, iar coșmarurile lui Arthur devin din ce în ce mai reale, Opal își dă seama că, poate pentru prima dată, a găsit un motiv să rămână.

Dacă Opal își dorește un cămin, va trebui să lupte pentru el.

ÎN VISUL MEU, SUNT ACASĂ.

„Alix E. Harrow are un talent excepțional, incontestabil, iar Casa Starling, vorbind cu blândețe despre căminele pe care le construim și iubirea pe care o merităm, este mai mult decât satisfăcătoare. Este frumusețe pură sub formă de carte.��
Olivie Blake]]> 366 Alix E. Harrow 6064320257 Nona 3
To paraphrase a Romanian saying, not too too, not very very... As a long-time lover of Gothic literature, both classic and contemporary, I have high expectations when publishers label a novel as Gothic. Unfortunately, except for the atmosphere, "Starling House" had nothing memorable. And it reminded me of many other books or movies; it started feeling like a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling and ended with strong "Stranger Things" vibes.

It's messy, meta, and moody gothic. That is the only way I can define it. It has the ingredients of Southern Gothic - a decaying house full of secrets, an outcast protagonist, and a sense of creeping doom. Opal, our protagonist, is poor and stuck in a dead-end life in Eden, Kentucky, a town that offers nothing but bleak futures and whispered legends about Starling House, a cursed mansion on the outskirts of town. Starling House was built by E. Starling, a mysterious 19th-century writer whose book, "The Underland", became a cult classic. Its only inhabitant is Arthur, the grumpy, reluctant heir who is clearly hiding something.

Opal, who needs money to send her very smart brother to a private school, takes a job as the housekeeper at Starling House. From there, the story spirals into a mix of supernatural horror, reluctant romance, and "chosen one" nonsense.

The good: atmosphere and the house. The biggest strength of "Starling House" is its setting. The house itself is alive, watching, breathing, shifting. The descriptions of its rooms and its connection to the strange forces lurking beneath Eden are beautifully bizarre. The house itself feels like a character. I also liked how Harrow captured the slow decay of small-town poverty, the weight of generational trauma, and the suffocating desperation of people with no way out.

And then there's the cat - an absolute menace and, hands down, the best character in the book, other than the house itself.

The bad: Opal (So. Much. Stupidity.) The main characters are both insufferable, but Opal takes the prize for the most annoying character of the year so far. Yes, she's had a hard life, but she makes one mind-numbingly dumb decision after another - she lies constantly, even when it makes no sense, she refuses to tell her younger brother about the school because�� reasons?, she has zero regard for ethics (stealing, manipulating and justifying everything as if she's the only person who has ever suffered), she's wildly entitled, acting like the world owes her something, and she's supposed to be smart and resourceful, but she consistently makes reckless choices.

Her character arc doesn't feel earned. It's just a series of bad choices that somehow lead to a heroic moment.

At its core, "Starling House" follows a familiar "Beauty and the Beast" structure: a young woman enters a cursed house, gets close to its brooding inhabitant, and uncovers the dark secrets within. There's even a library with hundreds of books, because... of course there is! But instead of a romantic redemption story, it's more about facing down monsters, both literal and metaphorical. Opal, of course, is Special and somehow the only one who can fix everything.

None of the twists are shocking, and the pacing drags at times. The final act is chaotic, full of rushed explanations and conveniently resolved conflicts.

The novel is incredibly self-aware, playing with genre conventions and tropes in a way that constantly reminds you that it knows it's a story. Which... ok, I like meta on a typical day, but self-awareness alone doesn't make for compelling storytelling. Instead of undermining clichés, it just points at them.

The bottom line - "Starling House" does a good job with its atmosphere, but disappoints in its character development. I enjoyed the eerie descriptions and the house that feels more alive than the people in it. But the characters have no depth, logic, or even basic human decency, which left me feeling frustrated. The cat and the house? Fantastic. Everything else? Meh.]]> 3.67 2023
author: Alix E. Harrow
name: Nona
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: fantasy, mystery, horror, z_ps24
review:
2.5* with extra points for the cat.

To paraphrase a Romanian saying, not too too, not very very... As a long-time lover of Gothic literature, both classic and contemporary, I have high expectations when publishers label a novel as Gothic. Unfortunately, except for the atmosphere, "Starling House" had nothing memorable. And it reminded me of many other books or movies; it started feeling like a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling and ended with strong "Stranger Things" vibes.

It's messy, meta, and moody gothic. That is the only way I can define it. It has the ingredients of Southern Gothic - a decaying house full of secrets, an outcast protagonist, and a sense of creeping doom. Opal, our protagonist, is poor and stuck in a dead-end life in Eden, Kentucky, a town that offers nothing but bleak futures and whispered legends about Starling House, a cursed mansion on the outskirts of town. Starling House was built by E. Starling, a mysterious 19th-century writer whose book, "The Underland", became a cult classic. Its only inhabitant is Arthur, the grumpy, reluctant heir who is clearly hiding something.

Opal, who needs money to send her very smart brother to a private school, takes a job as the housekeeper at Starling House. From there, the story spirals into a mix of supernatural horror, reluctant romance, and "chosen one" nonsense.

The good: atmosphere and the house. The biggest strength of "Starling House" is its setting. The house itself is alive, watching, breathing, shifting. The descriptions of its rooms and its connection to the strange forces lurking beneath Eden are beautifully bizarre. The house itself feels like a character. I also liked how Harrow captured the slow decay of small-town poverty, the weight of generational trauma, and the suffocating desperation of people with no way out.

And then there's the cat - an absolute menace and, hands down, the best character in the book, other than the house itself.

The bad: Opal (So. Much. Stupidity.) The main characters are both insufferable, but Opal takes the prize for the most annoying character of the year so far. Yes, she's had a hard life, but she makes one mind-numbingly dumb decision after another - she lies constantly, even when it makes no sense, she refuses to tell her younger brother about the school because�� reasons?, she has zero regard for ethics (stealing, manipulating and justifying everything as if she's the only person who has ever suffered), she's wildly entitled, acting like the world owes her something, and she's supposed to be smart and resourceful, but she consistently makes reckless choices.

Her character arc doesn't feel earned. It's just a series of bad choices that somehow lead to a heroic moment.

At its core, "Starling House" follows a familiar "Beauty and the Beast" structure: a young woman enters a cursed house, gets close to its brooding inhabitant, and uncovers the dark secrets within. There's even a library with hundreds of books, because... of course there is! But instead of a romantic redemption story, it's more about facing down monsters, both literal and metaphorical. Opal, of course, is Special and somehow the only one who can fix everything.

None of the twists are shocking, and the pacing drags at times. The final act is chaotic, full of rushed explanations and conveniently resolved conflicts.

The novel is incredibly self-aware, playing with genre conventions and tropes in a way that constantly reminds you that it knows it's a story. Which... ok, I like meta on a typical day, but self-awareness alone doesn't make for compelling storytelling. Instead of undermining clichés, it just points at them.

The bottom line - "Starling House" does a good job with its atmosphere, but disappoints in its character development. I enjoyed the eerie descriptions and the house that feels more alive than the people in it. But the characters have no depth, logic, or even basic human decency, which left me feeling frustrated. The cat and the house? Fantastic. Everything else? Meh.
]]> 220266841 347 Agatha Christie 6303198597 Nona 4 classics, mystery
"Ordeal by Innocence" is a standalone mystery - quite refreshing, honestly, after a series of Poirot books. (However, the movie features Miss Marple, for some reason.) The novel explores the effects of a false murder accusation and how this affects an entire family.

The story follows a murder that had happened two years before. Rachel Argyle, a wealthy and domineering matriarch, was murdered in her home after an altercation with one of her adopted children, Jacko, who was eventually convicted of the crime and died in prison. Two years later, Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives at the house with proof that Jacko had an alibi. His revelation shatters the fragile stability of the Argyle family, as the only other people who could have murdered Rachel are members of the same family. Suspicion turns inward, and everyone becomes wary of one another.

Agatha Christie questions the nature of justice and the consequences of punishing the wrong person. Moreover, she explores guilt in various forms, not only about the murder, but also in a larger context, because every family member has secrets and hidden resentments. What makes this book particularly interesting is that all the Argyle children had been adopted and, in theory, they should have been grateful to the Argyles for rescuing them during the war from a fate of poverty or worse. However, this is not the case, and each of them grew bitter over the relationship with their adoptive mother. The Argyle family is deeply dysfunctional. Rachel’s controlling nature created fractures between its members, and her murder brings buried emotions to the surface.

I am always happy when we get to know the characters before the mystery unravels. Agatha Christie allowed me to dig into each character's psyche and motivations, and develop theories. Although my first instinct was correct, it's always fun to imagine who could have done it, especially in a book such as this one, where tension is built through interactions rather than traditional detective work.

While the pace is slower compared to her more "traditional" mysteries, I didn't mind it. I appreciated the strong focus on dialogue and character interaction. It might be one of my favourite books of hers yet.]]> 4.00 1958
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1958
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: classics, mystery
review:
Yey, I got the killer from the moment they entered the scene! I'm giving myself a prize for this, it rarely happens.

"Ordeal by Innocence" is a standalone mystery - quite refreshing, honestly, after a series of Poirot books. (However, the movie features Miss Marple, for some reason.) The novel explores the effects of a false murder accusation and how this affects an entire family.

The story follows a murder that had happened two years before. Rachel Argyle, a wealthy and domineering matriarch, was murdered in her home after an altercation with one of her adopted children, Jacko, who was eventually convicted of the crime and died in prison. Two years later, Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives at the house with proof that Jacko had an alibi. His revelation shatters the fragile stability of the Argyle family, as the only other people who could have murdered Rachel are members of the same family. Suspicion turns inward, and everyone becomes wary of one another.

Agatha Christie questions the nature of justice and the consequences of punishing the wrong person. Moreover, she explores guilt in various forms, not only about the murder, but also in a larger context, because every family member has secrets and hidden resentments. What makes this book particularly interesting is that all the Argyle children had been adopted and, in theory, they should have been grateful to the Argyles for rescuing them during the war from a fate of poverty or worse. However, this is not the case, and each of them grew bitter over the relationship with their adoptive mother. The Argyle family is deeply dysfunctional. Rachel’s controlling nature created fractures between its members, and her murder brings buried emotions to the surface.

I am always happy when we get to know the characters before the mystery unravels. Agatha Christie allowed me to dig into each character's psyche and motivations, and develop theories. Although my first instinct was correct, it's always fun to imagine who could have done it, especially in a book such as this one, where tension is built through interactions rather than traditional detective work.

While the pace is slower compared to her more "traditional" mysteries, I didn't mind it. I appreciated the strong focus on dialogue and character interaction. It might be one of my favourite books of hers yet.
]]> 203435660 La White Alice, o stație de cercetare din timpul Războiului Rece, un grup de femei calificate urmărește schimbările climatice. Însă termenii contractului lor devin tot mai nesiguri.
Iar în fostul orășel petrolier canadian Dominion Lake se construiește Baza Zero, o sursă de aer curat, cu temperaturi mai scăzute, gândită ca punct de pornire al unui nou stil de viață. Grant crede că va fi locul perfect să scape de moștenirea întunecată a familiei.
Dar fiecare urmărește câte ceva. În cine poți avea încredere? Oare să te îndrăgostești poate fi cel mai radical act?

"Un debut uluitor (��) Viitorul creat de Sterling e suficient de asemănător cu prezentul ca să poată fi recunoscut, infuzând acest mystery climatic inteligent construit cu o teroare palpabilă: această lume seamănă cu cea pe care ar putea-o vedea în cursul vieții mulți dintre cititori." �� Publishers Weeky

"Sterling descrie în culori vii un viitor apropiat cumplit, în care lumea este devastată de schimbările climatice, însă oferă în același timp speranță, prin legăturile omenești și perseverență." �� Booklist

"Genial de tulburător�� Baza Zero este un cli-fi distopic convingător, cu personaje tridimensionale �� o lectură perfectă pentru cei cărora le-au plăcut Simfonia itinerantă, To Paradise sau Povestea slujitoarei. Finalul lasă loc pentru o continuare. S-o vedem!" �� Shelf Awareness

"O structură inteligentă (��) Cartea se bazează pe legăturile de familie, cele cu care ne naștem și cele pe care le alegem, ca o cale de a merge înainte într-o lume tot mai haotică. O scrisoare de dragoste pentru ce pot realiza comunitățile de femei când muncesc împreună." �� Kirkus Reviews]]> 416 Michelle Min Sterling 6064019662 Nona 0 to-read 3.67 2023
author: Michelle Min Sterling
name: Nona
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221607976
„Într-o zi vorbeam din nou despre coșmarurile sale și, în acel context, l-am întrebat dacă putem reveni asupra a ceea ce îmi spusese despre „comportamentul abuziv�� al tatălui său �� o expresie pe care el o folosise. Am observat cum chipul lui Tony se întuneca; sprâncenele sale stufoase s-au unit și mi-a aruncat o privire înverșunată. M-am simțit anxioasă, dar și derutată. Eram convinsă că descrise cruzimea tatălui său în acel mod, așa că presupusesem că termenul era unul acceptabil pentru el. Ceea ce nu înțelesesem era că folosirea de către mine a cuvintelor sale le conferea acestora o realitate pe care el nu o putea suporta; era prea mult identificat cu tatăl său, iar cuvintele lui rostite de mine îl tulburaseră. Mâinile sale au apucat marginea mesei dintre noi, cu nodurile degetelor albindu-i-se. Aproape am tresărit, temându-mă că va răsturna masa.��
Autoarele

„Zahra a revenit la povestea incendiului, recunoscând că nu se putuse abține - înainte de a aprinde un chibrit, a trebuit să arunce o ultimă privire la telefon. Era un mesaj pe ecran, dar era doar un avertisment pentru „bateria descărcată��. Cui îi păsa? Nimănui. A ridicat prima lumânare de pe tavă și a aruncat-o prin cameră, înspre draperii. Apoi alta, și alta, în toate direcțiile... până când tava s-a golit. În timp ce privea, cu capul înotând în vin și ochii înlăcrimați de la fum, flăcările au țâșnit cu un zgomot teribil, mistuind perdelele și întinzându-se spre tapetul zdrențuit. Abia atunci a simțit panica. Ce făcuse? Acesta a fost ultimul lucru pe care și l-a amintit, mi-a spus ea, înainte de a se trezi într-un pat de spital.��
Autoarele]]> 496 Gwen Adshead 6064012854 Nona 3 non-fiction
Gwen Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist who has worked in the NHS system and has experience working with violent offenders in high-security hospitals and prisons. In this book, she tries to show the public that those who commit horrific crimes are not simply "monsters" but individuals shaped by trauma, mental illness or different social factors. What Dr. Adshead does is to humanize such offenders (or at least trying to - I wasn't quite so easily swayed in all cases), while dealing with ethical questions about rehabilitation and justice. She talks about the role of therapy in preventing recurrences of crime for convicted offenders. Basically, rather than focusing on crime details, it encourages people to reconsider how society treats and understands those who commit acts of violence.

One other point she is making is the challenges within the NHS in the UK, where funding for mental health has been reduced and thus people have difficult access to therapy.

If the book was meant to provide psychological insight into why people commit horrific crimes, I don't think it managed to do quite that. Some cases connect insecure attachment in childhood to later criminality, but this is not true for all. Other factors, such as socioeconomic conditions and systemic failures, are underexplored. I guess a refreshing element is the inclusion of female offenders, as usually such accounts focus disproportionately on male criminals. It's important to understand the complexities of female violence and mental illness and how they differ from the perspectives of men.

One of the most disappointing aspects in the book is that it presents composite cases rather than real-life profiles of criminals. While I understand that this approach is ethical and necessary to maintain confidentiality, it left me unsatisfied, I guess, and a bit on the fence as to whether the stories have any truth to them. My frustration is that we don’t really get to know the individuals behind the crimes. These stories are told in a way that feels distant and left me wondering what’s the real takeaway from it. I can't build empathy towards abstractions.

I'll admit, some of the issues challenged me. Why would offenders have the right to refuse meetings with their victims? The victims should always have priority over the desires of the criminals. Also, she talks about the ethical dilemma of patient-doctor confidentiality when an offender is a danger to themselves or others. When should a psychiatrist break confidentiality? How can a psychiatrist who didn't break confidentiality live with themselves when the offender relapses ?

I guess the book raises interesting questions and the psychological insights are valuable. It's worth reading for those interested in forensic psychiatry and the ethics of rehabilitation. Just maybe read it with an open mind. For me, it was difficult to leave my preconceptions aside.]]> 3.75 2021
author: Gwen Adshead
name: Nona
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/12
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: non-fiction
review:
(3.5) I went into this book with a set of expectations that were not met. It's my fault, I guess, for expecting something similar to true crime, rather than case studies about felons with different psychological or psychiatric problems and how they are helped by the system to overcome these problems. To be perfectly honest, the book challenged me in multiple ways - because, in theory, I know no one is irredeemable, but in practice, I wonder why so much mental health assistance is given to criminals, when so many people who have not committed crimes do not have access to the same care.

Gwen Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist who has worked in the NHS system and has experience working with violent offenders in high-security hospitals and prisons. In this book, she tries to show the public that those who commit horrific crimes are not simply "monsters" but individuals shaped by trauma, mental illness or different social factors. What Dr. Adshead does is to humanize such offenders (or at least trying to - I wasn't quite so easily swayed in all cases), while dealing with ethical questions about rehabilitation and justice. She talks about the role of therapy in preventing recurrences of crime for convicted offenders. Basically, rather than focusing on crime details, it encourages people to reconsider how society treats and understands those who commit acts of violence.

One other point she is making is the challenges within the NHS in the UK, where funding for mental health has been reduced and thus people have difficult access to therapy.

If the book was meant to provide psychological insight into why people commit horrific crimes, I don't think it managed to do quite that. Some cases connect insecure attachment in childhood to later criminality, but this is not true for all. Other factors, such as socioeconomic conditions and systemic failures, are underexplored. I guess a refreshing element is the inclusion of female offenders, as usually such accounts focus disproportionately on male criminals. It's important to understand the complexities of female violence and mental illness and how they differ from the perspectives of men.

One of the most disappointing aspects in the book is that it presents composite cases rather than real-life profiles of criminals. While I understand that this approach is ethical and necessary to maintain confidentiality, it left me unsatisfied, I guess, and a bit on the fence as to whether the stories have any truth to them. My frustration is that we don’t really get to know the individuals behind the crimes. These stories are told in a way that feels distant and left me wondering what’s the real takeaway from it. I can't build empathy towards abstractions.

I'll admit, some of the issues challenged me. Why would offenders have the right to refuse meetings with their victims? The victims should always have priority over the desires of the criminals. Also, she talks about the ethical dilemma of patient-doctor confidentiality when an offender is a danger to themselves or others. When should a psychiatrist break confidentiality? How can a psychiatrist who didn't break confidentiality live with themselves when the offender relapses ?

I guess the book raises interesting questions and the psychological insights are valuable. It's worth reading for those interested in forensic psychiatry and the ethics of rehabilitation. Just maybe read it with an open mind. For me, it was difficult to leave my preconceptions aside.
]]> 55924068
Isabel Allende bucea en su memoria y nos ofrece un emocionante libro sobre su relación con el feminismo y el hecho de ser mujer, al tiempo que reivindica que la vida adulta hay que vivirla, sentirla y gozarla con plena intensidad.

En Mujeres del alma mía la gran autora chilena nos invita a acompañarla en este viaje personal y emocional donde repasa su vinculación con el feminismo desde la infancia hasta hoy. Recuerda a algunas mujeres imprescindibles en su vida, como sus añoradas Panchita, Paula o la agente Carmen Balcells; a escritoras relevantes como Virginia Woolf o Margaret Atwood; a jóvenes artistas que aglutinan la rebeldía de su generación o, entre otras muchas, a esas mujeres anónimas que han sufrido la violencia y que llenas de dignidad y coraje se levantan y avanzan... Ellas son las que tanto le inspiran y tanto le han acompañado a lo largo de su vida: sus mujeres del alma. Finalmente, reflexiona también sobre el movimiento #MeToo -que apoya y celebra-, sobre las recientes revueltas sociales en su país de origen y, cómo no, sobre la nueva situación que globalmente estamos viviendo con la pandemia. Todo ello sin perder esa inconfundible pasión por la vida y por insistir en que, más allá de la edad, siempre hay tiempo para el amor.]]> 192 Isabel Allende 8401024471 Nona 4
My previous review is here: /review/show...

My opinion hasn't changed much, but after reading it in Spanish this time, I'm more inclined to give it a clean 4*. ]]> 4.24 2020
author: Isabel Allende
name: Nona
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: biography, for-rainy-days, non-fiction
review:
Reread 2025

My previous review is here: /review/show...

My opinion hasn't changed much, but after reading it in Spanish this time, I'm more inclined to give it a clean 4*.
]]> 56151522 Ne invita s-o insotim intr-o calatorie personala in care, cu harul ei de povestitoare, reviziteaza episoadele ce o leaga de feminism din copilarie pana astazi. Ne face cunoscute portretele unor femei far din existenta sa, ne vorbeste despre scriitoare si activiste, lauda creatia unor tinere artiste care exprima revolta generatiei lor si se inclina in fata atator anonime care, cunoscand suferinta produsa de violenta, s-au ridicat si, cu demnitate si curaj, au mers mai departe. Ele sunt cele care au inspirat-o si au insotit-o pe intregul parcurs al vietii, sunt femeile sufletului ei. Toate acestea fara sa piarda nici o farama din inconfundabila sa bucurie de a trai si amintindu-ne ca, dincolo de varsta, exista intotdeauna o vreme pentru dragoste.

Isabel Allende, acest izvor nesecat de joie de vivre, ne-a scris inca o carte dezarmant de frumoasa si de sincera, numita Ce vrem noi, femeile? Despre dragostea nerabdatoare, viata lunga si ursitoarele bune. Fiindca asa este ea, Isabel cea care se scrie, Isabel cea care ne scrie. Isabel, cea care inseteaza dupa libertate, dar nu doar pentru sine, ci pentru toate femeile acestei lumi. Caci dependenta si docilitatea imputineaza, tin femeile in chingile limitarii fortei mintii, sensibilitatii si creativitatii, a putintei lor de a exista autentic in lume. Le tin tematoare, undeva la marginea istoriei. Insa daca isi rup impreuna chingile dependentei, «ele vor schimba natura puterii, in loc ca puterea sa schimbe natura lor». Isabel, cea care alina si da speranta, stie cat de crunt de departe de libertate sunt cele si cei care traiesc traume greu de imaginat. Si atunci imparte roadele marelui ei succes cu fetite din India, cu femei din Nepal, cu refugiatii din dictaturi si razboaie. Isabel, cea care iubeste, crede ca dragostea, la 78 de ani, nu este cu nimic altfel decat cea de la 18 ani. Numai ca acum se afla sub imperiul urgentei. Nu mai e timp de pierdut. Caci, pana la urma, nici macar noi, femeile, nu suntem niciodata atat de batrane, incat sa nu intinerim. Isabel, cea care spune in fiecare dimineata Da! zilei care vine, soarbe zorile cu nesat, privind cu bucurie in urma: «Sunt libera. Nu am de dovedit nimic nimanui». Dar o face asumandu-si pana la capat cele doua surse care ii hranesc fiinta: scrisul si sentimentele. - Mihaela Miroiu]]> 200 Isabel Allende Nona 4
I've said this multiple times, Isabel Allende is one of my favourite writers. I've had a love-meh relationship with her books over the years - I find her earlier books amazing, the newest ones less so. She's a prolific writer and it's only natural to have some misses in between.

The Soul of a Woman is not Allende's first memoir. She has quite a few of those, more so than any writer I've encountered. She has lived an interesting life, with a lot of ups and downs, so of course there are things to tell. But, unlike her previous memoirs, this one falls a little bit short. One of the main reasons I like her so much is her amazing capacity of empathy and introspection, which I did not find to the same extent in this book.

This volume was written, as she states in the last pages, during the March 2020 quarantine. This year was, for all of us, a good time to take a good look at our lives and at the world we live in and to understand what are the things we need to change moving forward. Equality (gender equality, in particular, being the subject of this book) is one of the main issues we need to push on, as a society. People who know me understand why I jumped for joy when this book was published and ran to buy it for myself and as a Christmas present for my friends. An essay on feminism and the role of women in this (and past) society is just what I feel I need from time to time, to remind myself what is important.

The book is structured in short chapters and it reads easily. Allende draws upon her life experiences in order to make feminism approachable - she takes snippets from her life, her childhood, her family, her marriages and divorces, her motherhood years and mixes them with sociological musings in order to create an ode to feminism. It's a very honest, raw opening into her life (not unlike Paula or The Sum of Our Days). Her honesty and easiness with which she approaches subjects like sexuality, partnership, motherhood make her the cool aunt we all wish we'd had.

However, I felt that some things were missing. Maybe the book being so short or her writing it so fast made it less deep, somehow. It barely disturbed the waters, if I may say. There are many more things to say about womanhood, inequality, violence, topics she touched only on the surface. These are reflexions, sometimes disparate, not a full study on feminism - and it left me with a strong wish of more cohesiveness and depth.]]> 3.64 2020
author: Isabel Allende
name: Nona
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/21
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves:
review:
(3.5, I wish ŷ������ had a wider rating system)

I've said this multiple times, Isabel Allende is one of my favourite writers. I've had a love-meh relationship with her books over the years - I find her earlier books amazing, the newest ones less so. She's a prolific writer and it's only natural to have some misses in between.

The Soul of a Woman is not Allende's first memoir. She has quite a few of those, more so than any writer I've encountered. She has lived an interesting life, with a lot of ups and downs, so of course there are things to tell. But, unlike her previous memoirs, this one falls a little bit short. One of the main reasons I like her so much is her amazing capacity of empathy and introspection, which I did not find to the same extent in this book.

This volume was written, as she states in the last pages, during the March 2020 quarantine. This year was, for all of us, a good time to take a good look at our lives and at the world we live in and to understand what are the things we need to change moving forward. Equality (gender equality, in particular, being the subject of this book) is one of the main issues we need to push on, as a society. People who know me understand why I jumped for joy when this book was published and ran to buy it for myself and as a Christmas present for my friends. An essay on feminism and the role of women in this (and past) society is just what I feel I need from time to time, to remind myself what is important.

The book is structured in short chapters and it reads easily. Allende draws upon her life experiences in order to make feminism approachable - she takes snippets from her life, her childhood, her family, her marriages and divorces, her motherhood years and mixes them with sociological musings in order to create an ode to feminism. It's a very honest, raw opening into her life (not unlike Paula or The Sum of Our Days). Her honesty and easiness with which she approaches subjects like sexuality, partnership, motherhood make her the cool aunt we all wish we'd had.

However, I felt that some things were missing. Maybe the book being so short or her writing it so fast made it less deep, somehow. It barely disturbed the waters, if I may say. There are many more things to say about womanhood, inequality, violence, topics she touched only on the surface. These are reflexions, sometimes disparate, not a full study on feminism - and it left me with a strong wish of more cohesiveness and depth.
]]> 62984085 Duration: 10:04:19

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family—and a new love—changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for....]]> 10 Sangu Mandanna Nona 3
The book follows Mika Moon (at least she makes fun of her name as well), a witch who has spent most of her life in isolation, because of rules that prohibit witches to spend too much time together as magic attracts unwanted attention and can be dangerous. She had been raised by the strict and distant Primrose, the head of their region. However, Mika maintains a secret online presence by posting playful witchy videos, assuming no one will take them seriously. But, to her surprise, someone actually takes her seriously and she receives a message from Nowhere House, a secluded home that shelters three young witches, who desperately need guidance in controlling their growing magical abilities. The house’s caretakers, an unconventional group of non-magical adults, ask for Mika’s help in teaching the children before their magic spirals out of control.

Mika accepts the challenge, without the other witches' knowledge, and finds herself drawn into the chaotic but loving environment of Nowhere House. The story is cute and cozy and reminded me a lot of TJ Klune's books, exploring the found family trope and every other theme that's so typical of the genre - loneliness, belonging, finding love and one's destiny. And, not to forget, there's also a bit of grumpy-sunshine (gosh, I hate these tropes and I've never thought I'd write about them in a review!).

I found the characters stereotypical, there's little originality in writing them. Sure, they give the book a certain charm, especially through the "supporting cast", and the interactions between the inhabitants of Nowhere House vary from quirky to emotional to frustrating. The household as a whole learns to embrace change, showing that breaking old rules and forming new bonds can be a source of strength rather than danger. Sangu Mandanna made a point to have a diverse cast as possible, as is the "fashion" these days, but it doesn't feel forced, which I appreciate.

I don't even know where to place this book. It's perfectly YA, except for one particular paragraph that's quite adult. And also unnecessary. The book was fine without that one page of smut. Why do authors feel the need to include cringy sex everywhere?

The book has a warm, almost fairytale-like atmosphere, making it perfect for those who love feel-good stories. However, it follows a familiar formula, there are no shocking twists and the outcome is completely predictable. Also, if you're in search of lore, like I am, this isn't the story to give you that. The magical system isn’t really explored, as the book leans more into character relationships. It's just cute, somewhat uplifting, inoffensive, but utterly forgettable.]]> 4.05 2022
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: Nona
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/12
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: fantasy, for-rainy-days, z_ps25, romance
review:
If you're like me and have to read romance for a challenge, but you hate romance, then "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" may be a good idea. Unless you're like me and hate cutesy. Then it's not. So... yeah.

The book follows Mika Moon (at least she makes fun of her name as well), a witch who has spent most of her life in isolation, because of rules that prohibit witches to spend too much time together as magic attracts unwanted attention and can be dangerous. She had been raised by the strict and distant Primrose, the head of their region. However, Mika maintains a secret online presence by posting playful witchy videos, assuming no one will take them seriously. But, to her surprise, someone actually takes her seriously and she receives a message from Nowhere House, a secluded home that shelters three young witches, who desperately need guidance in controlling their growing magical abilities. The house’s caretakers, an unconventional group of non-magical adults, ask for Mika’s help in teaching the children before their magic spirals out of control.

Mika accepts the challenge, without the other witches' knowledge, and finds herself drawn into the chaotic but loving environment of Nowhere House. The story is cute and cozy and reminded me a lot of TJ Klune's books, exploring the found family trope and every other theme that's so typical of the genre - loneliness, belonging, finding love and one's destiny. And, not to forget, there's also a bit of grumpy-sunshine (gosh, I hate these tropes and I've never thought I'd write about them in a review!).

I found the characters stereotypical, there's little originality in writing them. Sure, they give the book a certain charm, especially through the "supporting cast", and the interactions between the inhabitants of Nowhere House vary from quirky to emotional to frustrating. The household as a whole learns to embrace change, showing that breaking old rules and forming new bonds can be a source of strength rather than danger. Sangu Mandanna made a point to have a diverse cast as possible, as is the "fashion" these days, but it doesn't feel forced, which I appreciate.

I don't even know where to place this book. It's perfectly YA, except for one particular paragraph that's quite adult. And also unnecessary. The book was fine without that one page of smut. Why do authors feel the need to include cringy sex everywhere?

The book has a warm, almost fairytale-like atmosphere, making it perfect for those who love feel-good stories. However, it follows a familiar formula, there are no shocking twists and the outcome is completely predictable. Also, if you're in search of lore, like I am, this isn't the story to give you that. The magical system isn’t really explored, as the book leans more into character relationships. It's just cute, somewhat uplifting, inoffensive, but utterly forgettable.
]]> 228009861
În inima Dublinului, în casa unei familii cu patru copii, se strecoară atmosfera apăsătoare care stăpânește, de la o vreme, toată Irlanda. Partidul de dreapta Alianța Națională a ajuns la guvernare, iar legile adoptate impun o stare de urgență prin care sunt limitate drepturile cetățenilor. Eilish Stack speră că soțul ei, secretar al sindicatului profesorilor, va reveni acasă după interogatoriul la care fusese chemat. Haosul ia locul liniștii aparente, școlile și magazinele se închid, mulți cetățeni își pierd locurile de muncă sau dispar fără urmă. De la democrație la autocrație nu e decât un pas, iar Eilish trebuie să ia urgent o hotărâre după ce Mark, fiul cel mare, se alătură luptei rebelilor pentru răsturnarea noului guvern. În mijlocul unui conflict armat care nu mai ține cont de viețile civililor, ieșirea din labirintul distopic înseamnă să-i lase în urmă pe cei dragi dispăruți și să plece din Irlanda pe furiș pentru a-și proteja copiii.]]> 296 Paul Lynch 6060975461 Nona 0 to-read 4.57 2023
author: Paul Lynch
name: Nona
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221381321
Patruzeci de femei sunt ținute de ani de zile într-o cușcă sub pământ și păzite de bărbați înarmați, care nu vorbesc niciodată. Femeile nu știu cum au ajuns acolo, au pierdut noțiunea timpului și își amintesc doar vag viaţa dinainte. Cea mai tânără dintre ele, o fată fără nume și fără trecut, stă retrasă într-un colț. Necunoscând decât această realitate de o monotonie necruțătoare, în care orice apropiere fizică este interzisă, nu știe nimic despre viața „normală��, iar curiozitatea ei le stingherește pe celelalte femei. Apoi se schimbă totul... și totodată nimic, iar tânăra care a trăit mereu în spatele gratiilor pornește să descopere lumea și pe sine.]]> 235 Jacqueline Harpman 6306676074 Nona 5
"I Who Have Never Known Men" is an exploration of isolation more than anything. It's coined as dystopia, but I'm reluctant to call it that. Because the story could have been placed in any setting and any time period, real or imaginary, with the same outcome. From the first page, we are confronted with a nameless protagonist, a young girl, trapped in a cage alongside 39 other women, watched over by silent guards. Why are they there? Is this an experiment? A prison? A forgotten remnant of some apocalyptic event?

Then, just as abruptly as the premise is established, the guards disappear. Are they dead? Gone? Abandoned their post? It doesn’t matter—what follows is a desperate attempt at survival in a desolate world. Jacqueline Harpman refuses to give clear answers, leaving us to piece together the world from fragments, though the more we learn, the more disturbing it becomes.

One of the author's most puzzling choices is the lack of chapters. This structure forces almost an unbroken reading experience, which works because of the book's short length. But the structure is also a mirror of the protagonist’s existence, where time flows without clear divisions other than the almost seamless change of seasons, and life continues without guidance or interruptions. It’s frustrating at times, but it works, creating an atmosphere of endless uncertainty.

Just before I started reading this book, I went to a bookclub where we discussed Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go", a book I read last year and which I didn't particularly resonate with. The two novels are similar in that they both follow protagonists who start as children and have no model for expressing emotion, despite being raised among adults. Their emotional growth is stunted and whatever they feel - if they feel anything at all -, they cannot express. But unlike Ishiguro’s restrained and emotionally distant characters, Harpman’s Child, while unfamiliar with traditional human relationships, not only experiences profound feelings of curiosity, frustration, unbearable loneliness, but is capable of making me, as a reader, feel them as well.

The entire book is a mystery. We, as readers, are called upon to decipher everything about the world, the women, the protagonist's past, piece by piece, in search of an answer and in search of hope. Every now and then, the Child would say something that would hint to a certain future, but we don't want to believe her, as it would be too horrific. I feel that these snippets from the future stripped some of the tension from the narrative, by giving us too much too soon, but still, when the ending came, it was distressful, to say the least.

I have so many theories and even more questions. This is not the kind of novel that packs everything neatly with a bow. But it is one of the best psychological studies on loneliness I have ever encountered. To be alone, truly alone, with no one to share a single word with, is a fate few books explore as deeply as this one.]]> 4.26 1995
author: Jacqueline Harpman
name: Nona
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: z_ps25, sci-fi, huh-what-did-i-read
review:
So yeah, what did I read... I'm both satisfied and not satisfied, so basically I'm just confused. On the one hand, I'm not a plot reader, so I really appreciated the psychological aspect of this novel, the deep dive into the character's inner world. On the other hand, I need lore - and lore is what I didn't get.

"I Who Have Never Known Men" is an exploration of isolation more than anything. It's coined as dystopia, but I'm reluctant to call it that. Because the story could have been placed in any setting and any time period, real or imaginary, with the same outcome. From the first page, we are confronted with a nameless protagonist, a young girl, trapped in a cage alongside 39 other women, watched over by silent guards. Why are they there? Is this an experiment? A prison? A forgotten remnant of some apocalyptic event?

Then, just as abruptly as the premise is established, the guards disappear. Are they dead? Gone? Abandoned their post? It doesn’t matter—what follows is a desperate attempt at survival in a desolate world. Jacqueline Harpman refuses to give clear answers, leaving us to piece together the world from fragments, though the more we learn, the more disturbing it becomes.

One of the author's most puzzling choices is the lack of chapters. This structure forces almost an unbroken reading experience, which works because of the book's short length. But the structure is also a mirror of the protagonist’s existence, where time flows without clear divisions other than the almost seamless change of seasons, and life continues without guidance or interruptions. It’s frustrating at times, but it works, creating an atmosphere of endless uncertainty.

Just before I started reading this book, I went to a bookclub where we discussed Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go", a book I read last year and which I didn't particularly resonate with. The two novels are similar in that they both follow protagonists who start as children and have no model for expressing emotion, despite being raised among adults. Their emotional growth is stunted and whatever they feel - if they feel anything at all -, they cannot express. But unlike Ishiguro’s restrained and emotionally distant characters, Harpman’s Child, while unfamiliar with traditional human relationships, not only experiences profound feelings of curiosity, frustration, unbearable loneliness, but is capable of making me, as a reader, feel them as well.

The entire book is a mystery. We, as readers, are called upon to decipher everything about the world, the women, the protagonist's past, piece by piece, in search of an answer and in search of hope. Every now and then, the Child would say something that would hint to a certain future, but we don't want to believe her, as it would be too horrific. I feel that these snippets from the future stripped some of the tension from the narrative, by giving us too much too soon, but still, when the ending came, it was distressful, to say the least.

I have so many theories and even more questions. This is not the kind of novel that packs everything neatly with a bow. But it is one of the best psychological studies on loneliness I have ever encountered. To be alone, truly alone, with no one to share a single word with, is a fate few books explore as deeply as this one.
]]> 223290770 216 Emanuela Ignățoiu-Sora 6064319186 Nona 4 romanian-authors, non-fiction
Este o carte despre multiplele fațete ale feminismului. Doamnele care au semnat eseurile din această colecție vorbesc despre ce înseamnă să fii femeie în România și abordează teme dintre cele mai diferite, de la rolurile de gen în familie, la mamele adolescente (unde stăm extrem de prost), la contribuția, deseori omisă, a femeilor în istorie și știință, la misoginia instituțională sau intersecțională, la femeia văzută ca obiect, educație, hărțuire sexuală, identitatea feminină.

M-am regăsit în majoritatea textelor, într-un fel sau altul. Sunt puternice, dezbrăcate de cosmetizări inutile, impudice, amuzante, triste, frustrante. Sunt texte de la femei care nu s-au complăcut, care și-au făcut vocile auzite.

Mi-a plăcut, pe de o parte, alegerea doamnelor care au semnat textele din această colecție - nu avem voci „faimoase��, ci voci raționale, persoane care vin din mediul academic, profesoare, scriitoare, profesioniste. Ce pot spune că mi-a lipsit a fost vocea minorităților (de orice fel), singura dintre autoare care vorbește despre rasism fiind Roxana-Magdalena Oprea, a cărei poezie despre comunitatea Roma m-a sensibilizat profund.

Avem nevoie de astfel de cărți, avem nevoie ca ele să nu se limiteze la scrierile academice de proveniență SNSPA, să vorbească pe limba oricui - și a mea, și a bunicii mele, și a femeilor casnice care nu au avut luxul educației, poate și pe limba bărbaților care își doresc să învețe despre lumea interioară a femeilor cu care împart planeta.]]> 4.38
author: Emanuela Ignățoiu-Sora
name: Nona
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/04
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: romanian-authors, non-fiction
review:
Această antologie nu este un manual de feminism. Și oricum feminismul este un concept care pare simplu, dar este mult prea complex pentru a fi conținut într-o singură carte. În schimb, colecția coordonată de Emanuela Ignățoiu-Sora și Ionela Băluță reprezintă un set de experiențe personale care au condus autoarele pe drumul spre propria variantă de feminism, fie ca reprezentante ale mediului academic, fie ca participante în politică sau în diverse roluri în mediul privat.

Este o carte despre multiplele fațete ale feminismului. Doamnele care au semnat eseurile din această colecție vorbesc despre ce înseamnă să fii femeie în România și abordează teme dintre cele mai diferite, de la rolurile de gen în familie, la mamele adolescente (unde stăm extrem de prost), la contribuția, deseori omisă, a femeilor în istorie și știință, la misoginia instituțională sau intersecțională, la femeia văzută ca obiect, educație, hărțuire sexuală, identitatea feminină.

M-am regăsit în majoritatea textelor, într-un fel sau altul. Sunt puternice, dezbrăcate de cosmetizări inutile, impudice, amuzante, triste, frustrante. Sunt texte de la femei care nu s-au complăcut, care și-au făcut vocile auzite.

Mi-a plăcut, pe de o parte, alegerea doamnelor care au semnat textele din această colecție - nu avem voci „faimoase��, ci voci raționale, persoane care vin din mediul academic, profesoare, scriitoare, profesioniste. Ce pot spune că mi-a lipsit a fost vocea minorităților (de orice fel), singura dintre autoare care vorbește despre rasism fiind Roxana-Magdalena Oprea, a cărei poezie despre comunitatea Roma m-a sensibilizat profund.

Avem nevoie de astfel de cărți, avem nevoie ca ele să nu se limiteze la scrierile academice de proveniență SNSPA, să vorbească pe limba oricui - și a mea, și a bunicii mele, și a femeilor casnice care nu au avut luxul educației, poate și pe limba bărbaților care își doresc să învețe despre lumea interioară a femeilor cu care împart planeta.
]]> 62315740
For more than two decades, award-winning science and nature writer David Quammen has traveled to Earth’s most far-flung and fragile destinations, sending back field notes from places caught in the tension between humans and the wild. This illuminating book features 20 of those elegantly written narratives, originally published in National Geographic magazine and updated for today, telling colorful and impassioned stories from some of the planet’s wildest locales.

Quammen shares encounters with African elephants, chimpanzees, and gorillas (and their saviors, including Jane Goodall); the salmon of northeastern Russia and the people whose livelihood depends on them; the lions of Kenya and the villagers whose homes border on parks created to preserve the species; and the champions of rewilding efforts in southernmost South America, designed to rescue iconic species including jaguars and macaws.

With a new introduction, afterword, and notes framing each story, Quammen reminds us of the essential role played by wild nature at the heart of the planet.]]> 352 David Quammen 1426222076 Nona 0 to-read 4.26
author: David Quammen
name: Nona
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212063063
While many narrative set pieces of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin��), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.]]> 8 Percival Everett Nona 5 z_ps25, historical
In "James", Percival Everett reimagines "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Everett's Jim/James is highly intelligent and secretly well-read. Learning that his master wants to sell him, Jim runs away down the Mississippi River together with Huck, encountering different people such as conmen, other slaves, but also different townspeople with various degrees of bias against black people. Jim is determined to make enough money to be able to buy his wife and children, but he's an escaped slave who can't own property. His journey along the Mississippi is a dangerous one, as he is being pursued by law enforcement, but he also needs to navigate psychological and moral challenges.

One important theme of the novel is the power of literacy and of language. James is one of a kind - a slave who took advantage of his master's library and taught himself not only how to read, but also how to think. Because among the books he gets his hands on are not only the Bible and Shakespeare, but also works by Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire. And this is, for him, a stepping stone towards freedom: reading is an act of resistance. In this way, James slowly shapes his language as well, and he lives in two worlds: the world of slaves, who have their own broken dialect, which he uses to make white people assume he is unintelligent, and the world of books and knowledge, which moulds his interior speech, complex and sophisticated.

Everett infuses James with humor and irony, with James often engaging in wordplay, sometimes subtly mocking those who underestimate him. There are moments when he uses white people’s racism against them. This is how the author takes what was initially an adventure tale and turns it into a commentary on resistance and rebellion.

Despite its moments of adventure and humor, this novel is filled with raw emotion. Jim's love for his wife and children is a constant undertone, and the uncertainty of their fate adds to his pain. Unlike Huck, who sees their journey as an adventure, James carries the weight of loss, which makes every step of the trip more than just a physical escape, but a desperate attempt to reclaim his family. Everett doesn't hesitate to describe the brutal realities of slavery, and the novel includes moments where he must confront violence and humiliation, but there are also moments of hope.

Despite the vast differences in their experiences, James and Huck develop a complex relationship, with moments of genuine warmth. As Huck wrestles with his ingrained beliefs, James takes his time to patiently correct Huck’s misconceptions about race and morality.

I don't normally enjoy retellings and don't see their point, but "James" got me emotional and is yet another powerful portrayal of slavery in the US. ]]> 4.42 2024
author: Percival Everett
name: Nona
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: z_ps25, historical
review:
I don't remember if I've ever read "Huckleberry Finn" (or any other Mark Twain novel, for that matter). I think we had a vinil with the story when we were kids, but really American history has never been of too much interest to me, we have enough to care about in Europe. So I have no idea how "James" compares to Twain's novel, other than the story being told from Jim's perspective rather than Huck's.

In "James", Percival Everett reimagines "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Everett's Jim/James is highly intelligent and secretly well-read. Learning that his master wants to sell him, Jim runs away down the Mississippi River together with Huck, encountering different people such as conmen, other slaves, but also different townspeople with various degrees of bias against black people. Jim is determined to make enough money to be able to buy his wife and children, but he's an escaped slave who can't own property. His journey along the Mississippi is a dangerous one, as he is being pursued by law enforcement, but he also needs to navigate psychological and moral challenges.

One important theme of the novel is the power of literacy and of language. James is one of a kind - a slave who took advantage of his master's library and taught himself not only how to read, but also how to think. Because among the books he gets his hands on are not only the Bible and Shakespeare, but also works by Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire. And this is, for him, a stepping stone towards freedom: reading is an act of resistance. In this way, James slowly shapes his language as well, and he lives in two worlds: the world of slaves, who have their own broken dialect, which he uses to make white people assume he is unintelligent, and the world of books and knowledge, which moulds his interior speech, complex and sophisticated.

Everett infuses James with humor and irony, with James often engaging in wordplay, sometimes subtly mocking those who underestimate him. There are moments when he uses white people’s racism against them. This is how the author takes what was initially an adventure tale and turns it into a commentary on resistance and rebellion.

Despite its moments of adventure and humor, this novel is filled with raw emotion. Jim's love for his wife and children is a constant undertone, and the uncertainty of their fate adds to his pain. Unlike Huck, who sees their journey as an adventure, James carries the weight of loss, which makes every step of the trip more than just a physical escape, but a desperate attempt to reclaim his family. Everett doesn't hesitate to describe the brutal realities of slavery, and the novel includes moments where he must confront violence and humiliation, but there are also moments of hope.

Despite the vast differences in their experiences, James and Huck develop a complex relationship, with moments of genuine warmth. As Huck wrestles with his ingrained beliefs, James takes his time to patiently correct Huck’s misconceptions about race and morality.

I don't normally enjoy retellings and don't see their point, but "James" got me emotional and is yet another powerful portrayal of slavery in the US.
]]> 49245729 424 Andrei Ursu 9734680196 Nona 0 to-read 4.63
author: Andrei Ursu
name: Nona
average rating: 4.63
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23018879 Orlando is Woolf’s playfully subversive take on a biography, here tracing the fantastical life of Orlando. As the novel spans centuries and continents, gender and identity, we follow Orlando’s adventures in love �� as he changes from a lord in the Elizabethan court to a lady in 1920s London.

First published in 1928, this tale of unrivalled imagination and wit quickly became the most famous work of women’s fiction. Sexuality, destiny, independence and desire all come to the fore in this highly influential novel that heralded a new era in women’s writing.]]> 252 Virginia Woolf 0007558082 Nona 5 classics
It's a novel that plays with time and gender, with a protagonist who moves across centuries in a surreal story that fascinated me from the first to the last page. Orlando begins as a young nobleman in the Elizabethan era, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, enjoying wealth and privilege, and ends up as a modern woman in the 20th century, experiencing different roles as a page, a lover, an ambassador, a noblewoman, a poet, a wife.

From the start, Orlando is a bit of a gigolo - charming, indulgent, floating through the courts of Elizabethan England with seductive ease. He falls deeply in love with the mysterious Russian princess Sasha, a passionate relationship that feels like a dream. But then - nope, it’s not. Whatever love he thought he had is shattered just like warm weather shatters the ice on the Thames. This is a pattern that follows Orlando throughout the novel, a symbol of his constant change. Is the way he swings from extreme joy to despair, from man to woman, from century to century, a mirror of the instability that Woolf herself experienced during her lifetime? I've asked myself this question throughout my read.

His/ her continued transformation throughout the book is completely natural. Orlando doesn’t panic; she simply is. On the inside, the same person, but now a woman. And so we follow her through history from new perspectives, navigating her new identity and the rigid expectations regarding womanhood, encountering characters such as the absurd Archduchess Henrietta/ Archduke Harry, another play on the gender fluidity theme of the novel. (Why is she Romanian though? That's not a Romanian name, nor did we have "archduchesses". Slight annoyance.) Meanwhile, people like Alexander Pope, Joseph Addison and Jonathan Swift take us inside the literary world Orlando is trying to be a part of.

Virginia Woolf takes, through Orlando's character, a close look at the way gender roles are viewed across centuries. Orlando doesn't fit into either gender’s patterns and her mannerisms remain fluid even after her transformation. Beyond that, she retains her past experiences and outlook and is able to make insightful comparisons between what being a man and what being a woman feel like and how society views each gender. As a man, Orlando never questioned women’s limitations; he saw them as exotic, mysterious objects of pleasure. After the transformation, she becomes aware of how restrictive life is for women, from the expectations of society to sit in their drawing room and sew to legal issues such as being unable to own property - society wants them silent, invisible, delicate.

I loved how Virginia Woolf uses shifts in setting and detailed descriptions to mark the passage of time. We're barely told what century it is, but the transformations of London, in particular, and of Orlando's house, take the reader through the different eras seamlessly.

This novel is also a satire, not only of gender roles, but also of nobility and even of the literary world, with its rigid expectations of the male-dominated literary canon which Virginia Woolf herself broke.

Like all her novels, "Orlando" is experimental and introspective. Woolf makes use of metafiction to point out even stronger the absurdities of gender identities and societal expectations. It's not a scholarly approach, instead I found it quite playful, something I've never said about Woolf's works before. Just like the author, Orlando is unique and refuses to be framed in a specific category.]]> 3.84 1928
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Nona
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1928
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: classics
review:
"Orlando" just became my favourite Virginia Woolf book. And my favourite of her characters. I'd never thought someone could outrank Clarissa Dalloway, but here we are.

It's a novel that plays with time and gender, with a protagonist who moves across centuries in a surreal story that fascinated me from the first to the last page. Orlando begins as a young nobleman in the Elizabethan era, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, enjoying wealth and privilege, and ends up as a modern woman in the 20th century, experiencing different roles as a page, a lover, an ambassador, a noblewoman, a poet, a wife.

From the start, Orlando is a bit of a gigolo - charming, indulgent, floating through the courts of Elizabethan England with seductive ease. He falls deeply in love with the mysterious Russian princess Sasha, a passionate relationship that feels like a dream. But then - nope, it’s not. Whatever love he thought he had is shattered just like warm weather shatters the ice on the Thames. This is a pattern that follows Orlando throughout the novel, a symbol of his constant change. Is the way he swings from extreme joy to despair, from man to woman, from century to century, a mirror of the instability that Woolf herself experienced during her lifetime? I've asked myself this question throughout my read.

His/ her continued transformation throughout the book is completely natural. Orlando doesn’t panic; she simply is. On the inside, the same person, but now a woman. And so we follow her through history from new perspectives, navigating her new identity and the rigid expectations regarding womanhood, encountering characters such as the absurd Archduchess Henrietta/ Archduke Harry, another play on the gender fluidity theme of the novel. (Why is she Romanian though? That's not a Romanian name, nor did we have "archduchesses". Slight annoyance.) Meanwhile, people like Alexander Pope, Joseph Addison and Jonathan Swift take us inside the literary world Orlando is trying to be a part of.

Virginia Woolf takes, through Orlando's character, a close look at the way gender roles are viewed across centuries. Orlando doesn't fit into either gender’s patterns and her mannerisms remain fluid even after her transformation. Beyond that, she retains her past experiences and outlook and is able to make insightful comparisons between what being a man and what being a woman feel like and how society views each gender. As a man, Orlando never questioned women’s limitations; he saw them as exotic, mysterious objects of pleasure. After the transformation, she becomes aware of how restrictive life is for women, from the expectations of society to sit in their drawing room and sew to legal issues such as being unable to own property - society wants them silent, invisible, delicate.

I loved how Virginia Woolf uses shifts in setting and detailed descriptions to mark the passage of time. We're barely told what century it is, but the transformations of London, in particular, and of Orlando's house, take the reader through the different eras seamlessly.

This novel is also a satire, not only of gender roles, but also of nobility and even of the literary world, with its rigid expectations of the male-dominated literary canon which Virginia Woolf herself broke.

Like all her novels, "Orlando" is experimental and introspective. Woolf makes use of metafiction to point out even stronger the absurdities of gender identities and societal expectations. It's not a scholarly approach, instead I found it quite playful, something I've never said about Woolf's works before. Just like the author, Orlando is unique and refuses to be framed in a specific category.
]]> 222978474
În câte feluri poți iubi? Cât te-ai modela pe tine însuți pentru a-l găsi și păstra pe celălalt în viața ta? Ce se-ntâmplă când eșuezi în dragoste, din nou și din nou? Iată doar câteva dintre întrebările la care răspunde literar Sindromul picioarelor neliniștite. Un roman-metaforă, pornind chiar de la titlu (și de la o afecțiune reală), despre căutarea (fără sfârșit a) iubirii. O carte-mozaic în care descoperim o protagonistă cu totul și cu totul aparte, care privește lumea printr-o lentilă �� dragostea ��, dar dintr-o multitudine de perspective, din perioade foarte diferite ale propriului parcurs, din alte și alte colțuri, cu alte și alte fobii, manii, obsesii ori manifestări schizoide. Un regal, în fond, în materie de iubire.

„Când am închis Kindle-ul după ce am terminat de citit manuscrisul Ioanei, am avut senzația că pun capacul unui caleidoscop care îmi arătase o mulțime de fațete și unghiuri din care poate fi văzută povestea de iubire a unei vieți: în funcție de etapă, vârstă, situație, dispoziție, țară, limbă, persoană implicată sau contemplatoare. Nevoia de a (ne) înțelege arată exact așa, iar caleidoscopul poate continua la nesfârșit, cu ipostaze care curg una din alta fluid, fără întreruperi abrupte, așa cum o face acest volum. Privirea exhaustivă �� aproape antropologică �� a iubirii mi se pare punctul forte al cărții.��
Raluca Nagy

„Ioana Unk îndrăznește să pășească în literatura română contemporană pe o cărare îndelung bătătorită, cea a iubirii, una dintre temele majore în arte (și-n vieți), un teren minat. Și totuși, scriitoarea își apropie subiectul într-atât de mult, încât îl face al ei și doar al ei. Prin voce, prin construcție narativă, prin ritm, prin miză. Prin tot ce toarnă în cuprinsul romanului, de la protagonista atipică (a cărei unică și obsesivă misiune devine căutarea iubirii) la bărbații-plante care o acaparează, de la poveștile pe care (și) le spune la fișele de observație a bărbaților, dialogurile imaginare cu un el idealizat, referințele subtile (literare, în principiu, dar și culturale): o bogăție de elemente care se întrepătrund și surprind, în toată splendoarea, grotescul relațiilor romantice.
Cu Sindromul picioarelor neliniștite, Ioana Unk pariază pe o singură carte (esență a unei biblioteci, de fapt), iar rezultatul e, fără pic de îndoială, extra-ordinar.��

Eli Bădică, coordonatoarea imprintului n’autor]]> 164 Ioana Unk 6064319682 Nona 3 who is who, care-i timeline-ul și nici cum să interpretez finalul.

Ioana Unk scrie frumos. Proza curge, m-a vrăjit, m-a ținut între paginile ei chiar dacă simt că am bănănăit fără direcție. E o poveste despre iubire și căutarea acesteia, spusă de o femeie care nu-și poate uita iubitul din tinerețe și îl caută în toți ceilalți bărbați pe care îi cunoaște. Naratoarea mi-a părut nesigură în dragoste, mereu în căutarea aprobării celorlalți, înclinată spre raționalizare și victimizare, incapabilă să-și găsească locul. Și imatură emoțional.

Avem o carte emoționantă, introspectivă, care explorează complexitatea relațiilor de iubire și a auto-descoperirii prin intermediul dragostei. Naratoarea îl caută pe Filip, dar caută și sensul propriei existențe, și poate chiar sindromul picioarelor neliniștite de care suferă (afecțiune reală, de altfel) e un simbol al acestei căutări perpetue, al neliniștilor interioare și al dorinței de a găsi pace și echilibru.

De principiu, structura - și nu tema - cărții este cea care mi-a dat de furcă. Naratoarea ne duce de-a lungul vieții sale, dar o face în mod neliniar, combinând narațiunea de tip „memorialistic�� cu pagini de jurnal, scrisori și ședințe de terapie - și părerea mea e că cel puțin două dintre aceste forme de povestire nu-și aveau locul și nu aduc mai multă claritate, ci dimpotrivă, au fragmentat și mai mult proza.

Mai mult, am simțit că ne învârtim în jurul cozii. Naratoarea (oare Ela o cheamă? Nu cred că i-am văzut numele decât o singură dată și tot nu-s sigură că e acesta) ne trece prin multiplele sale povești de dragoste cu diferiți bărbați, care întruchipează diverse tipologii, revenind, iar și iar, la acest Filip, care pare iubirea vieții ei, singurul pe care nu îl poate uita. Bărbații primesc nume de flori - Carum Carvi, Mușețel, Crocus Sativus etc., aspect care, deși la prima vedere e interesant, nu-mi pare explorat îndeajuns. De ce fix aceste plante? Explicația că tipul din pădure mirosea a chimen nu mă satisface, mi se pare o ocazie ratată de a adăuga profunzime textului. Aspectul acesta s-a dus mai mult în zona de gimmick și nu-mi plac găselnițele introduse în proză doar de dragul de a face ceva „diferit�� (având deja și structura haotică, nu a făcut decât să adauge la haos).

Tot un gimmick mi s-a părut și introducerea fiecărui capitol nu doar printr-un set de versuri de la Depeche Mode, ci și printr-un citat din alte cărți. Cumva, cred că a vrut să fie originală, dar a adăugat puțin cam prea multe elemente de „estetică�� și a ieșit o mâncărică ce are un condiment în plus care strică tot gustul (și condimentul acela-i coriandrul).

Am rămas cu mai multe întrebări decât lămuriri la final, cu fire narative lăsate de izbeliște (Care-i faza cu Dori și de ce l-am pierdut pe drum? De ce îi trimitea prietenei celei mai bune paginile sale de jurnal? Și care-i faza cu Ludmila Ulițkaia?). Simt nevoia să o iau de la capăt și să o citesc încercând să ignor toate elementele „postmoderne��, poate-poate pun cap la cap harta vieții acestei femei.]]> 3.72 2024
author: Ioana Unk
name: Nona
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: romanian-authors, romance, huh-what-did-i-read
review:
Nu știu ce am citit, nici cum să mă raportez la cartea Ioanei Unk. În sensul că am senzația că mi-a plăcut, dar nu știu exact de ce, și în același timp mi-a făcut creierul iubitor de ordine și disciplină terci, pentru că nu are nicio ordine și nicio disciplină. Totul e un haos foarte frumos, dar, deși mi-am luat consecvent notițe și am încercat să construiesc o hartă a relațiilor protagonistei, încă nu știu who is who, care-i timeline-ul și nici cum să interpretez finalul.

Ioana Unk scrie frumos. Proza curge, m-a vrăjit, m-a ținut între paginile ei chiar dacă simt că am bănănăit fără direcție. E o poveste despre iubire și căutarea acesteia, spusă de o femeie care nu-și poate uita iubitul din tinerețe și îl caută în toți ceilalți bărbați pe care îi cunoaște. Naratoarea mi-a părut nesigură în dragoste, mereu în căutarea aprobării celorlalți, înclinată spre raționalizare și victimizare, incapabilă să-și găsească locul. Și imatură emoțional.

Avem o carte emoționantă, introspectivă, care explorează complexitatea relațiilor de iubire și a auto-descoperirii prin intermediul dragostei. Naratoarea îl caută pe Filip, dar caută și sensul propriei existențe, și poate chiar sindromul picioarelor neliniștite de care suferă (afecțiune reală, de altfel) e un simbol al acestei căutări perpetue, al neliniștilor interioare și al dorinței de a găsi pace și echilibru.

De principiu, structura - și nu tema - cărții este cea care mi-a dat de furcă. Naratoarea ne duce de-a lungul vieții sale, dar o face în mod neliniar, combinând narațiunea de tip „memorialistic�� cu pagini de jurnal, scrisori și ședințe de terapie - și părerea mea e că cel puțin două dintre aceste forme de povestire nu-și aveau locul și nu aduc mai multă claritate, ci dimpotrivă, au fragmentat și mai mult proza.

Mai mult, am simțit că ne învârtim în jurul cozii. Naratoarea (oare Ela o cheamă? Nu cred că i-am văzut numele decât o singură dată și tot nu-s sigură că e acesta) ne trece prin multiplele sale povești de dragoste cu diferiți bărbați, care întruchipează diverse tipologii, revenind, iar și iar, la acest Filip, care pare iubirea vieții ei, singurul pe care nu îl poate uita. Bărbații primesc nume de flori - Carum Carvi, Mușețel, Crocus Sativus etc., aspect care, deși la prima vedere e interesant, nu-mi pare explorat îndeajuns. De ce fix aceste plante? Explicația că tipul din pădure mirosea a chimen nu mă satisface, mi se pare o ocazie ratată de a adăuga profunzime textului. Aspectul acesta s-a dus mai mult în zona de gimmick și nu-mi plac găselnițele introduse în proză doar de dragul de a face ceva „diferit�� (având deja și structura haotică, nu a făcut decât să adauge la haos).

Tot un gimmick mi s-a părut și introducerea fiecărui capitol nu doar printr-un set de versuri de la Depeche Mode, ci și printr-un citat din alte cărți. Cumva, cred că a vrut să fie originală, dar a adăugat puțin cam prea multe elemente de „estetică�� și a ieșit o mâncărică ce are un condiment în plus care strică tot gustul (și condimentul acela-i coriandrul).

Am rămas cu mai multe întrebări decât lămuriri la final, cu fire narative lăsate de izbeliște (Care-i faza cu Dori și de ce l-am pierdut pe drum? De ce îi trimitea prietenei celei mai bune paginile sale de jurnal? Și care-i faza cu Ludmila Ulițkaia?). Simt nevoia să o iau de la capăt și să o citesc încercând să ignor toate elementele „postmoderne��, poate-poate pun cap la cap harta vieții acestei femei.
]]> 218043098
AGATHA CHRISTIE este unul dintre scriitorii care nu au nevoie de nici o prezentare, pentru că opera lor a trecut cu brio testul timpului și al cititorilor din toate epocile și generațiile. Cu peste 2 miliarde de cărți vândute și cu traduceri în mai mult de 100 de limbi, Agatha Christie este surclasată în acest top numai de Biblie și de William Shakespeare. Autoare a 66 de romane polițiste și a 14 colecții de povestiri, 19 piese de teatru, o autobiografie, volume de non-ficțiune și povestiri amuzante din călătoriile realizate alături de soțul ei, cu numeroase ecranizări inspirate de romanele ei, Agatha Christie își merită cu prisosință locul în biblioteca oricărui iubitor de literatură.

De aceea, Editura Litera are plăcerea să îți prezinte opera Agathei Christie într-o colecție excepțională �� și totodată accesibilă ��, de care să te poți bucura alături de întreaga familie pentru mulți ani de acum înainte. Volumele cartonate, cu o grafică elegantă și superbe ilustrații ale copertelor puse în valoare de elementele ornamentale argintii repetitive �� care dau astfel eleganță și unitate colecției ��, se ridică la înălțimea calității scriiturii acestei adevărate regine a romanului polițist.]]> 319 Agatha Christie 6303198511 Nona 3 classics, mystery
"The Pale Horse" is a murder mystery that leans into the supernatural, but ultimately lands squarely in the rational realm. The book follows a secretive organization that appears to cause deaths through occult means. The story is set in the English countryside, where a peculiar former inn called The Pale Horse, inhabited by three women who claim to be witches, becomes the center of attention after various random people claim to have visited it.

The central character, Mark Easterbrook, is a historian with no particular expertise in the occult but is intrigued by the rumors surrounding the inn and the women. He becomes involved in the investigation after a series of deaths which include some people he knows or has heard about, all seemingly dead by natural causes. He goes undercover and discovers an extended network of crime which includes a betting agent and an organization that runs door-to-door polls.

While Christie is known for her clever misdirection, this one doesn’t exactly conceal its culprit well. The moment the criminal steps in, he practically wears a neon sign saying Suspicious Person Here. Or I've seen too many crime series.

The whole “supernatural�� aspect, with the séance and the odd trio of women at The Pale Horse inn, builds an intriguing atmosphere but ultimately feels like a red herring that overstays its welcome. It’s an interesting premise that serves more as an elaborate smokescreen but doesn’t necessarily deliver the tension it promises.

In theory, this is considered an Ariadne Oliver book, but she barely makes an appearance. Sure, she gives a hint to Easterbrook that puts him on the path to discover the killer, but I was disappointed by her absence.

Overall, "The Pale Horse" is an interesting read, though it's not Christie’s most surprising mystery. ]]> 3.83 1961
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1961
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/23
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: classics, mystery
review:
Well, this was predictable. The second the killer walked into scene, I knew exactly who it was. I still had fun, though.

"The Pale Horse" is a murder mystery that leans into the supernatural, but ultimately lands squarely in the rational realm. The book follows a secretive organization that appears to cause deaths through occult means. The story is set in the English countryside, where a peculiar former inn called The Pale Horse, inhabited by three women who claim to be witches, becomes the center of attention after various random people claim to have visited it.

The central character, Mark Easterbrook, is a historian with no particular expertise in the occult but is intrigued by the rumors surrounding the inn and the women. He becomes involved in the investigation after a series of deaths which include some people he knows or has heard about, all seemingly dead by natural causes. He goes undercover and discovers an extended network of crime which includes a betting agent and an organization that runs door-to-door polls.

While Christie is known for her clever misdirection, this one doesn’t exactly conceal its culprit well. The moment the criminal steps in, he practically wears a neon sign saying Suspicious Person Here. Or I've seen too many crime series.

The whole “supernatural�� aspect, with the séance and the odd trio of women at The Pale Horse inn, builds an intriguing atmosphere but ultimately feels like a red herring that overstays its welcome. It’s an interesting premise that serves more as an elaborate smokescreen but doesn’t necessarily deliver the tension it promises.

In theory, this is considered an Ariadne Oliver book, but she barely makes an appearance. Sure, she gives a hint to Easterbrook that puts him on the path to discover the killer, but I was disappointed by her absence.

Overall, "The Pale Horse" is an interesting read, though it's not Christie’s most surprising mystery.
]]> 212992786
New York, 1991. Rosa Kusstatscher a construit un imperiu bazându-se pe flerul său, pe arta de a le oferi femeilor frumusețe și încredere. Dar în această seară, când se pregătește pentru cea mai importantă întâlnire din viață, siguranța ei de sine se clatină. Ținuta potrivită nu mai este doar o chestiune de gust, ci trebuie să o ajute să-și spună povestea �� aceea a unei fete sărace de la munte, dintr-un sat din Tirolul de Sud, a ocupației naziste și a plecării din Italia, a speranței și durerii devastatoare încercate în Elveția; dar și pe cea despre glamour și dragoste la Paris, despre ambiție și pierdere la Rio, despre succes și reinventare la New York. O viață trăită fugind mereu de trecut, abia acum își dă seama. A cucerit lumea. Dar cu ce preț? Inspirat în parte din relatări de familie, Croitoreasa din Paris este un roman captivant, care îl poartă pe cititor pe trei continente, traversând cincizeci de ani de istorie a secolului XX.]]> 396 Georgia Kaufmann 6060974015 Nona 3
Rosa Kusstatscher is a teenager born in South Tyrol, a German-speaking region that had been annexed by Italy at the end of World War I. In 1943, the region was occupied by Nazi Germany, and Rosa's village becomes home to a German detachment. Rosa is assaulted by the Nazi sergeant and becomes pregnant, and is helped to escape from the occupied territory and finds refuge in St. Gallen, in the home of a Jewish professor. Life takes her to Paris, where she reinvents herself as a seamstress and begins working with Christian Dior, then to Rio de Janeiro and eventually New York, becoming a high-profile fashion designer who builds a successful business. But at what price?

Rosa's life is shaped by tragedy, but also by circumstance. One of the things that irked me and made her journey implausible was the easiness with which she accomplished everything. We are told she struggled, but we barely see her struggle, if you know what I mean; things just seem to fall in her lap with barely a hitch - her meeting Dior, him immediately noticing her and making her his muse, her relationships. Even her decisions feel easy, impulsive, especially the one that shaped her life the most - this alone made it difficult for me to connect with her as a character.

It's a first person narrative, but the emotional depth just isn’t there. Maybe because Rosa remains emotionally immature and incapable of confronting her fears until the very end. Or maybe because the book itself leans too heavily on factual accuracy - I did this, and then I went there etc. -, leaving little room for me to actually experience alongside Rosa. Everything is documented, but nothing is deeply felt. Her decision to run to Paris? Emotionally empty. Charles' sickness? Completely disregarded. Her marriage to Jim? Out of nowhere. [spoilers removed] It all feels more like a checklist of life events than an emotionally engaging story.

Rosa's life is a telenovela. That, in itself, is ok, we all thrive on drama sometimes and just want the protagonist to succeed, in the end. I didn't mind the romance, I even liked the relationship between her and Charles, and even the one with Izzy, where she broke societal expectations on interracial relationships. But I found the sex scenes too "technical", and some graphic descriptions quite uncomfortable.

That said, I enjoyed the atmosphere, the descriptions of her home town and the way Kaufmann roots her narrative in the larger historical context, through fashion and snippets of social and political events. I wish I'd seen Paris more (it honestly could have been any city, there's nothing memorable about it), but the New Year’s Eve in Rio, while brief, was vibrant and transported me back to the New Year of 2007, which I celebrated dressed in white, on the Copacabana beach.

Overall, "The Dressmaker of Paris" presents an ambitious life story, but lacks the emotional depth to make it truly speak to me. It's the kind of chick-flick that would make a passable Hallmark movie, but will leave no lasting mark.]]> 4.30 2020
author: Georgia Kaufmann
name: Nona
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: historical, for-rainy-days, z_ps25, telenovela, romance
review:
For a debut novel, "The Dressmaker of Paris" is not bad. And for once, I'm happy that a historical fiction doesn't focus exclusively on WWII (although there are some references). The novel sets up an interesting premise: a woman’s unlikely journey from a small-town girl to global fashion success. But while the book delivers on historical detail, Georgia Kaufmann didn't create a truly immersive emotional experience for me.

Rosa Kusstatscher is a teenager born in South Tyrol, a German-speaking region that had been annexed by Italy at the end of World War I. In 1943, the region was occupied by Nazi Germany, and Rosa's village becomes home to a German detachment. Rosa is assaulted by the Nazi sergeant and becomes pregnant, and is helped to escape from the occupied territory and finds refuge in St. Gallen, in the home of a Jewish professor. Life takes her to Paris, where she reinvents herself as a seamstress and begins working with Christian Dior, then to Rio de Janeiro and eventually New York, becoming a high-profile fashion designer who builds a successful business. But at what price?

Rosa's life is shaped by tragedy, but also by circumstance. One of the things that irked me and made her journey implausible was the easiness with which she accomplished everything. We are told she struggled, but we barely see her struggle, if you know what I mean; things just seem to fall in her lap with barely a hitch - her meeting Dior, him immediately noticing her and making her his muse, her relationships. Even her decisions feel easy, impulsive, especially the one that shaped her life the most - this alone made it difficult for me to connect with her as a character.

It's a first person narrative, but the emotional depth just isn’t there. Maybe because Rosa remains emotionally immature and incapable of confronting her fears until the very end. Or maybe because the book itself leans too heavily on factual accuracy - I did this, and then I went there etc. -, leaving little room for me to actually experience alongside Rosa. Everything is documented, but nothing is deeply felt. Her decision to run to Paris? Emotionally empty. Charles' sickness? Completely disregarded. Her marriage to Jim? Out of nowhere. [spoilers removed] It all feels more like a checklist of life events than an emotionally engaging story.

Rosa's life is a telenovela. That, in itself, is ok, we all thrive on drama sometimes and just want the protagonist to succeed, in the end. I didn't mind the romance, I even liked the relationship between her and Charles, and even the one with Izzy, where she broke societal expectations on interracial relationships. But I found the sex scenes too "technical", and some graphic descriptions quite uncomfortable.

That said, I enjoyed the atmosphere, the descriptions of her home town and the way Kaufmann roots her narrative in the larger historical context, through fashion and snippets of social and political events. I wish I'd seen Paris more (it honestly could have been any city, there's nothing memorable about it), but the New Year’s Eve in Rio, while brief, was vibrant and transported me back to the New Year of 2007, which I celebrated dressed in white, on the Copacabana beach.

Overall, "The Dressmaker of Paris" presents an ambitious life story, but lacks the emotional depth to make it truly speak to me. It's the kind of chick-flick that would make a passable Hallmark movie, but will leave no lasting mark.
]]> 56771689
ÎNCHISOAREA ÎNGERILOR, nuvela care a stat la baza celebrului film Shawshank Redemption, cu Tim Robbins și Morgan Freeman. Un deținut, condamnat pe nedrept, se gândește zi și noapte la o răzbunare demnă de contele de Monte-Cristo.

UN ELEV CAPABIL, povestirea care a inspirat thrillerul psihologic Apt Pupil. Un elev de liceu e obsedat de trecutul întunecat al unui bătrân din orașul său.

CADAVRUL, nuvela după care s-a făcut filmul Stand by Me, cu River Phoenix și Kiefer Sutherland. Patru adolescenți trec dincolo de poleiala de civilizație a unui orășel de provincie ca să-și înfrunte propriii demoni.

METODA RESPIRAȚIEI. O femeie căzută în dizgrație vrea să triumfe asupra morții, cu orice preț.]]> 486 Stephen King 606431012X Nona 5
We have here a collection of four novellas, each tied to a season of the year. There are some horror-adjacent elements here, but this is not a horror collection. And the more King I read, the less I am inclined to call him "king of horror" (not because he's not!) and more inclined to call him "the king of character building". All four stories are compelling in their own way, but what stood out to me here - and in most of his works - is the way he makes perfectly unlikable, sometimes hateable people feel empathetic.

Spring: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
The movie is brilliant for a reason. But the novella is brilliant in its own way and the greatest thing it does is to humanize a certain category of people I would normally either: ignore, despise or outright hate in real life. Of course, I'm talking about Red. Red is a murderer. Yet King made me sympathize with him and be happy for him in the end. He outright manipulated me and I let myself easy.

The story follows Andy Dufresne, a man wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and his friendship with fellow inmate Red. It's an equally emotional and horrific depiction of life in prison, with fragments that made my blood boil, and others that made me feel hope. Through the perspective of Red, we meet a range of prisoners, some of whom are genuinely good people who made terrible mistakes, others who remain irredeemable. King doesn’t romanticize prison life, but he shows that even in a place of punishment, kindness and camaraderie can exist.

Summer: Apt Pupil
So... this novella is one of the most disturbing things I've read lately. Maybe because of what's happening in the world right now. It's a psychological thriller about the corrupting influence of evil and the terrifying easiness with which darkness spreads. So we’ve got Nazis�� and not just any Nazi, but Kurt Dussander, a fugitive war criminal hiding in suburban America, whose real identity is discovered by a 13-year-old boy who... starts to blackmail him. But Todd doesn't want money, instead he wants stories. The gruesome ones, in detail, because he's a ghoul.

Needless to say, things progress towards some pretty disturbing shit, involving both Todd and Dussander. The kid is a creep on multiple levels, starting with his interest in the concentration camps, his creepy relationship with his mother and his "coming of age". The relationship between these two is a toxic power struggle, a chilling psychological dance where each drags the other further into depravity. Sometimes, monsters aren't made, they are just waiting to be released.

Fall: The Body
"The Body" felt deeply nostalgic. It's a beautifully written, atmospheric story about friendship, but also about the inevitable passage of time that shapes and sometimes destroys friendship. King follows four teenage boys who hear about the discovery of a body on the side of some train tracks. They each tell their parents they're going camping, only to embark on a two-day journey on foot to find the body. Their friendship is an unlikely one, due to their different social backgrounds, and the ending proves that not all childhood friendships last into adulthood.

The story is essentially Gordon's (one of the boys) memoir and is his way of preserving the memory of his friends, especially Chris. It has a bittersweet tone, with Gordon carrying the weight of loss - the realization that childhood can never be reclaimed.

Winter: The Breathing Method
I found this one ambiguous and I didn't enjoy it as much as the first three. It has some underlying supernatural and horror accents, though none of it is really explained in any way. But, as a lover of gothic fiction, I enjoyed the gothic, Lovecraftian atmosphere and the idea of this gentlemen's club where people tell strange stories. One of these stories is about a woman determined to give birth despite tragic circumstances involving a lack of head. Not a metaphor.

The club is frozen in time, everything feels very secretive and strange (doors appear where there were no doors before, corridors seem to change), and the butler, Stevens, is just off. It seemed to me that the club feeds somehow on the stories people tell. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had some kind of conclusion. I want more! King barely scratched the surface with this one.

To conclude. This collection is proof of King's versatility. If we even needed more proof. I loved the character development, the way he built the relationships, the psychological tension, the variety of the themes. It's a win for me.]]> 4.31 1982
author: Stephen King
name: Nona
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1982
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/14
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: shorts, z_ps25, thriller, made-to-movie
review:
Well, Mr. King, what can I say? You did it again. Had it not been for the last novella (which is not bad, just not quite there there), "Different Seasons" would have gone right into my *current* top 5 King books.

We have here a collection of four novellas, each tied to a season of the year. There are some horror-adjacent elements here, but this is not a horror collection. And the more King I read, the less I am inclined to call him "king of horror" (not because he's not!) and more inclined to call him "the king of character building". All four stories are compelling in their own way, but what stood out to me here - and in most of his works - is the way he makes perfectly unlikable, sometimes hateable people feel empathetic.

Spring: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
The movie is brilliant for a reason. But the novella is brilliant in its own way and the greatest thing it does is to humanize a certain category of people I would normally either: ignore, despise or outright hate in real life. Of course, I'm talking about Red. Red is a murderer. Yet King made me sympathize with him and be happy for him in the end. He outright manipulated me and I let myself easy.

The story follows Andy Dufresne, a man wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and his friendship with fellow inmate Red. It's an equally emotional and horrific depiction of life in prison, with fragments that made my blood boil, and others that made me feel hope. Through the perspective of Red, we meet a range of prisoners, some of whom are genuinely good people who made terrible mistakes, others who remain irredeemable. King doesn’t romanticize prison life, but he shows that even in a place of punishment, kindness and camaraderie can exist.

Summer: Apt Pupil
So... this novella is one of the most disturbing things I've read lately. Maybe because of what's happening in the world right now. It's a psychological thriller about the corrupting influence of evil and the terrifying easiness with which darkness spreads. So we’ve got Nazis�� and not just any Nazi, but Kurt Dussander, a fugitive war criminal hiding in suburban America, whose real identity is discovered by a 13-year-old boy who... starts to blackmail him. But Todd doesn't want money, instead he wants stories. The gruesome ones, in detail, because he's a ghoul.

Needless to say, things progress towards some pretty disturbing shit, involving both Todd and Dussander. The kid is a creep on multiple levels, starting with his interest in the concentration camps, his creepy relationship with his mother and his "coming of age". The relationship between these two is a toxic power struggle, a chilling psychological dance where each drags the other further into depravity. Sometimes, monsters aren't made, they are just waiting to be released.

Fall: The Body
"The Body" felt deeply nostalgic. It's a beautifully written, atmospheric story about friendship, but also about the inevitable passage of time that shapes and sometimes destroys friendship. King follows four teenage boys who hear about the discovery of a body on the side of some train tracks. They each tell their parents they're going camping, only to embark on a two-day journey on foot to find the body. Their friendship is an unlikely one, due to their different social backgrounds, and the ending proves that not all childhood friendships last into adulthood.

The story is essentially Gordon's (one of the boys) memoir and is his way of preserving the memory of his friends, especially Chris. It has a bittersweet tone, with Gordon carrying the weight of loss - the realization that childhood can never be reclaimed.

Winter: The Breathing Method
I found this one ambiguous and I didn't enjoy it as much as the first three. It has some underlying supernatural and horror accents, though none of it is really explained in any way. But, as a lover of gothic fiction, I enjoyed the gothic, Lovecraftian atmosphere and the idea of this gentlemen's club where people tell strange stories. One of these stories is about a woman determined to give birth despite tragic circumstances involving a lack of head. Not a metaphor.

The club is frozen in time, everything feels very secretive and strange (doors appear where there were no doors before, corridors seem to change), and the butler, Stevens, is just off. It seemed to me that the club feeds somehow on the stories people tell. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had some kind of conclusion. I want more! King barely scratched the surface with this one.

To conclude. This collection is proof of King's versatility. If we even needed more proof. I loved the character development, the way he built the relationships, the psychological tension, the variety of the themes. It's a win for me.
]]> 221789548 357 Dubravka Ugrešić 973469989X Nona 4 contemporary, fantasy, z_ps25
I was lucky to read "Baba Yaga Laid an Egg" for a book club where we the translator also participated. Not only did she provide a lot of information about the author's life, but she helped "elucidate" some of the more obscure symbols hidden inside the book. I feel the need to reread it, as I'm sure I'll have a different experience. As of now, the novel - a triptych - was an uneven experience for me. The first part got me emotional. the second part was a lot of fun, but the third was a chore - mostly because I didn't expect it.

Despite the author not identifying her writing with post-modernism or feminism, I felt that "Baba Yaga" was both. It's a genre-blending novel that reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga in a contemporary setting. Baba Yaga is a legendary figure from Slavic folklore (the Balkans, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, all have her), often depicted as an old, fearsome witch who lives in a hut that rotates and stands on two chicken legs. She is a complex and contradictory character - sometimes a villain who eats children and tests heroes, other times a wise old woman who offers guidance and magical aid.

Ugrešić’s approach is not a straightforward retelling, but rather a multi-layered study on aging and womanhood. It's divided into three distinct sections, each offering a different perspective on the Baba Yaga myth. Some characters jump from one story to another and the book closes the circle in a very interesting way, with a folklorist explaining very didactically the myth of Baba Yaga.

The first part, the one that got me the most emotionally invested, seems semi-autobiographical. We have a female narrator who is also a writer, who travels to Varna, Bulgaria, at the request of her mother, to visit the places where her mother grew up and bring back photographs and stories about Varna today. It's a travelogue, but also a reflection on aging and the vicinity of death. The narrator's mother is elderly and her mind is affected by dementia, so her memories are not quite reliable anymore, but she remembers with stark acuity her childhood in Bulgaria and the places where she grew up. Reading it, I saw in the narrator's mother - in her actions, the way she recollects certain events from her youth or how she reinvents her parents and late husband - both my grandmothers. It was an eerie experience for me, as I've had many similar dialogues with my grandmas.

On her journey, the narrator is accompanied by a young folklorist, Dr. Aba Bagay, who attaches herself to the writer like a leech, trying to build a female connection she lacks in her life. Through her, Ugrešić subtly introduces the idea that myths, especially those about old women, are shaped by cultural anxieties about aging and female power, and foreshadows the later academic analysis of Baba Yaga.

The second part is a surreal fairytale. It took me a while to interpret it as a fairytale, though, and the first chapters confused me. It tells the story of three eccentric and formidable elderly women visiting a luxury spa. Each of these women - in retrospect - reflects a different facet of Baba Yaga’s identity. What I loved about this part was the underlying satire. Ugrešić challenges the stereotypes about older women, deconstructing the image of Baba Yaga as merely an evil crone. She decided on presenting her as a symbol of resilience and wisdom, even as defiance against societal norms.

The feminist undertone is stronger here. There are male characters, but they are (almost) all presented as ridiculous stereotypes. They are either exploitative, weak, or foolish. Unlike the three elderly women, who are strong-willed and independent, the men seem either powerless or downright comical and most of them fail to exert meaningful control over their lives.

The third part is a (faux-)academic analysis of the Baba Yaga myth. In a letter sent to an editor, Dr. Aba Bagay dissects Baba Yaga as a cultural figure in the Slavic space, incorporating feminist theories and folklore studies. Because I didn't expect the book to take this sort of nonfiction turn, it was hard for me to get through this part and it bored me at times. However, in retrospect, it serves as an explanation of the themes from the first two sections. The essay discusses the demonization of elderly women, who are no longer seen as the object of sexual desire and thus become crones - ugly, threatening and dangerous. But Baba Yaga is also a guardian of wisdom and magic. Ugrešić offers a feminist critique on how women’s stories have been controlled and distorted by men.

However, the last three pages spoke directly to my heart - they are an outright feminist rant on how women should take out a metaphorical sword and rise against the centuries of injustice and hurt - an "international army" of Babas Yaga who embrace their strength.

"Baba Yaga Laid an Egg" it's not a conventional novel and it was a bit difficult to navigate. But I loved the satire and the complexity of Ugrešić's symbols. I've read my share of mythological retellings, but none like this unique, postmodern, feminist reinterpretation (yeah, yeah, the author would hate me for saying that). I will reread it at some point; in light of the new information I received at the book club, I'm sure I'll have a better understanding of it's themes.]]> 3.52 2007
author: Dubravka Ugrešić
name: Nona
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: contemporary, fantasy, z_ps25
review:
Despite the proximity, my knowledge of Balkanic literature is scant at best. The few translations that reach us are overshadowed by "popular" books and I need to make a conscious decision to read more from our neighbors. And for sure Dubravka Ugrešić will be on my radar in the future. Her life alone makes her interesting enough to dive deeper into her work.

I was lucky to read "Baba Yaga Laid an Egg" for a book club where we the translator also participated. Not only did she provide a lot of information about the author's life, but she helped "elucidate" some of the more obscure symbols hidden inside the book. I feel the need to reread it, as I'm sure I'll have a different experience. As of now, the novel - a triptych - was an uneven experience for me. The first part got me emotional. the second part was a lot of fun, but the third was a chore - mostly because I didn't expect it.

Despite the author not identifying her writing with post-modernism or feminism, I felt that "Baba Yaga" was both. It's a genre-blending novel that reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga in a contemporary setting. Baba Yaga is a legendary figure from Slavic folklore (the Balkans, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, all have her), often depicted as an old, fearsome witch who lives in a hut that rotates and stands on two chicken legs. She is a complex and contradictory character - sometimes a villain who eats children and tests heroes, other times a wise old woman who offers guidance and magical aid.

Ugrešić’s approach is not a straightforward retelling, but rather a multi-layered study on aging and womanhood. It's divided into three distinct sections, each offering a different perspective on the Baba Yaga myth. Some characters jump from one story to another and the book closes the circle in a very interesting way, with a folklorist explaining very didactically the myth of Baba Yaga.

The first part, the one that got me the most emotionally invested, seems semi-autobiographical. We have a female narrator who is also a writer, who travels to Varna, Bulgaria, at the request of her mother, to visit the places where her mother grew up and bring back photographs and stories about Varna today. It's a travelogue, but also a reflection on aging and the vicinity of death. The narrator's mother is elderly and her mind is affected by dementia, so her memories are not quite reliable anymore, but she remembers with stark acuity her childhood in Bulgaria and the places where she grew up. Reading it, I saw in the narrator's mother - in her actions, the way she recollects certain events from her youth or how she reinvents her parents and late husband - both my grandmothers. It was an eerie experience for me, as I've had many similar dialogues with my grandmas.

On her journey, the narrator is accompanied by a young folklorist, Dr. Aba Bagay, who attaches herself to the writer like a leech, trying to build a female connection she lacks in her life. Through her, Ugrešić subtly introduces the idea that myths, especially those about old women, are shaped by cultural anxieties about aging and female power, and foreshadows the later academic analysis of Baba Yaga.

The second part is a surreal fairytale. It took me a while to interpret it as a fairytale, though, and the first chapters confused me. It tells the story of three eccentric and formidable elderly women visiting a luxury spa. Each of these women - in retrospect - reflects a different facet of Baba Yaga’s identity. What I loved about this part was the underlying satire. Ugrešić challenges the stereotypes about older women, deconstructing the image of Baba Yaga as merely an evil crone. She decided on presenting her as a symbol of resilience and wisdom, even as defiance against societal norms.

The feminist undertone is stronger here. There are male characters, but they are (almost) all presented as ridiculous stereotypes. They are either exploitative, weak, or foolish. Unlike the three elderly women, who are strong-willed and independent, the men seem either powerless or downright comical and most of them fail to exert meaningful control over their lives.

The third part is a (faux-)academic analysis of the Baba Yaga myth. In a letter sent to an editor, Dr. Aba Bagay dissects Baba Yaga as a cultural figure in the Slavic space, incorporating feminist theories and folklore studies. Because I didn't expect the book to take this sort of nonfiction turn, it was hard for me to get through this part and it bored me at times. However, in retrospect, it serves as an explanation of the themes from the first two sections. The essay discusses the demonization of elderly women, who are no longer seen as the object of sexual desire and thus become crones - ugly, threatening and dangerous. But Baba Yaga is also a guardian of wisdom and magic. Ugrešić offers a feminist critique on how women’s stories have been controlled and distorted by men.

However, the last three pages spoke directly to my heart - they are an outright feminist rant on how women should take out a metaphorical sword and rise against the centuries of injustice and hurt - an "international army" of Babas Yaga who embrace their strength.

"Baba Yaga Laid an Egg" it's not a conventional novel and it was a bit difficult to navigate. But I loved the satire and the complexity of Ugrešić's symbols. I've read my share of mythological retellings, but none like this unique, postmodern, feminist reinterpretation (yeah, yeah, the author would hate me for saying that). I will reread it at some point; in light of the new information I received at the book club, I'm sure I'll have a better understanding of it's themes.
]]> 210255758 355 Elif Shafak 9734696041 Nona 4
The plot develops over multiple narrative timeframes - present-day London, 1970s and early 2000s Cyprus. The book starts with Ada, the daughter of a Greek man and a Turkish woman from Cyprus, who has a meltdown moment in class. She had recently lost her mother and her emotional turmoil is increased by her classmates�� bullying. Yet, despite her struggles, no one seems to tell her the full truth about her family's past, which would be frustrating for anyone, let alone a grieving teenager.

Her parents, Kostas and Defne, had met as teenagers, just before the start of the 1974 Cypriot military coup d'état and the ensuing Turkish military invasion, which led to thousands of deaths and an island divided to this day. Kostas and Defne's relationship was forbidden due to the ethnic conflicts, but they still met in secret until Kostas was sent away to London by his mother. Years later, they reconnect, only for tragedy to strike again.

The dual timeline is a trope I am growing weary of, but it was essential to tell the story of Kostas and Defne. However, the decision they made to keep Ada in the dark for so long about her family’s history felt somewhat artificial. I understand the need to shield her from trauma, but teenagers are not that easy to fool.

Going back to the magical realism aspect I mentioned before, part of the story is told from the perspective of a fig tree brought by Kostas to London when they fled Cyprus. The tree has seen the entire love story unfold before its eyes and was a witness to history. What worked for me was the fig tree's role as a bridge between timelines and as a means to make the novel, at least in part, an environmentalist manifesto. Thus, Cyprus became not only a place of conflict, but one of beauty, with its vegetation and birds that pass by on their migration routes. There's a lot of biology infodump, which became a bit tedious, but it was still interesting. What didn't work was the exaggeration - the tree doesn’t just observe; it philosophizes, narrates, and even falls in love with Ada’s father. It's magical realism, I know, but it went too far off the believability wagon.

The characters. Ada, especially, is a deeply relatable figure. I understood her grief, isolation and anger, and her struggles with bullying at school made me relive some years I wish I could forget entirely. I enjoyed the addition of Meryem, Defne's sister, who brings a much needed outsider’s perspective to Ada’s life, but she is frustratingly one-dimensional, with her habit of speaking in proverbs. Shafak forgot to explain to us the reasons behind her absence in Defne's life - in fact, many threads were left unresolved.

As for Defne and Kostas, their love story is captivating and tragic, but it leans into some overused tropes. I liked them as teenagers, but afterwards they were diluted and, again, Shafak left us (and Ada) with many unanswered questions, especially about Defne's mental state and death. Character work is maybe the weakest aspect of the novel.

The strongest, for me, was the cultural & historical context. Shafak explores how colonial legacies and ethnic divisions shape lives and family histories. I appreciated that the author didn't stop with the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion, but also discussed the efforts of the Committee on Missing Persons to search for the ~2000 missing people and to bring closure to the families through the return of the remains.

Shafak dedicated this book to all immigrants, and, while migration and displacement are among the themes of the novel, through Kostas' exile and Ada's alienation from her Cypriot roots, I don't think the book fully explores the immigrant experience. It was a bit of a missed opportunity and one of the unresolved threads I was talking about.

It is, though, a beautifully written book, that captures the personal and intergenerational trauma and reconstructs the past in a respectful and well-documented way. I'll try more of her books, for sure.]]> 4.44 2021
author: Elif Shafak
name: Nona
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: historical, romance, for-rainy-days
review:
So the time has come to make the acquaintance of Elif Shafak. Looking at other reviews, I feel like this may not have been the best choice, but I enjoyed the experience, overall. "The Island of Missing Trees" is a beautiful story about love and family told in the context of the recent history of Cyprus. The author employs magical realism to tell a part of the story - something I usually like, but I'm torn about here - I'll get back to that.

The plot develops over multiple narrative timeframes - present-day London, 1970s and early 2000s Cyprus. The book starts with Ada, the daughter of a Greek man and a Turkish woman from Cyprus, who has a meltdown moment in class. She had recently lost her mother and her emotional turmoil is increased by her classmates�� bullying. Yet, despite her struggles, no one seems to tell her the full truth about her family's past, which would be frustrating for anyone, let alone a grieving teenager.

Her parents, Kostas and Defne, had met as teenagers, just before the start of the 1974 Cypriot military coup d'état and the ensuing Turkish military invasion, which led to thousands of deaths and an island divided to this day. Kostas and Defne's relationship was forbidden due to the ethnic conflicts, but they still met in secret until Kostas was sent away to London by his mother. Years later, they reconnect, only for tragedy to strike again.

The dual timeline is a trope I am growing weary of, but it was essential to tell the story of Kostas and Defne. However, the decision they made to keep Ada in the dark for so long about her family’s history felt somewhat artificial. I understand the need to shield her from trauma, but teenagers are not that easy to fool.

Going back to the magical realism aspect I mentioned before, part of the story is told from the perspective of a fig tree brought by Kostas to London when they fled Cyprus. The tree has seen the entire love story unfold before its eyes and was a witness to history. What worked for me was the fig tree's role as a bridge between timelines and as a means to make the novel, at least in part, an environmentalist manifesto. Thus, Cyprus became not only a place of conflict, but one of beauty, with its vegetation and birds that pass by on their migration routes. There's a lot of biology infodump, which became a bit tedious, but it was still interesting. What didn't work was the exaggeration - the tree doesn’t just observe; it philosophizes, narrates, and even falls in love with Ada’s father. It's magical realism, I know, but it went too far off the believability wagon.

The characters. Ada, especially, is a deeply relatable figure. I understood her grief, isolation and anger, and her struggles with bullying at school made me relive some years I wish I could forget entirely. I enjoyed the addition of Meryem, Defne's sister, who brings a much needed outsider’s perspective to Ada’s life, but she is frustratingly one-dimensional, with her habit of speaking in proverbs. Shafak forgot to explain to us the reasons behind her absence in Defne's life - in fact, many threads were left unresolved.

As for Defne and Kostas, their love story is captivating and tragic, but it leans into some overused tropes. I liked them as teenagers, but afterwards they were diluted and, again, Shafak left us (and Ada) with many unanswered questions, especially about Defne's mental state and death. Character work is maybe the weakest aspect of the novel.

The strongest, for me, was the cultural & historical context. Shafak explores how colonial legacies and ethnic divisions shape lives and family histories. I appreciated that the author didn't stop with the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion, but also discussed the efforts of the Committee on Missing Persons to search for the ~2000 missing people and to bring closure to the families through the return of the remains.

Shafak dedicated this book to all immigrants, and, while migration and displacement are among the themes of the novel, through Kostas' exile and Ada's alienation from her Cypriot roots, I don't think the book fully explores the immigrant experience. It was a bit of a missed opportunity and one of the unresolved threads I was talking about.

It is, though, a beautifully written book, that captures the personal and intergenerational trauma and reconstructs the past in a respectful and well-documented way. I'll try more of her books, for sure.
]]> 213279352
Do you have the flair, order and method of Poirot, or the unassuming, shrewd intelligence of Miss Marple? You're going to need it...

Welcome to Greenway, Agatha Christie's beloved home in the English countryside. A place of rest and relaxation, it is also where she loves to read her latest mystery to guests. And on your visit to Greenway, a mystery is afoot. A body has been found and only you can solve the puzzle. Who is the victim and what has befallen them?

With the murderous culprit leaving behind the most perplexing puzzles to solve, clues are scattered throughout the house and grounds. With 100 puzzles to dive into, can you solve the mystery, following the trail in the home of the Queen of Crime?

Brush off your moustache, collect your knitting needles and put your little grey cells to good use with this puzzling series of events. From logic puzzles to choose your own adventure, from word searches and missing word games, immerse yourself in the world of Agatha Christie.]]> 352 Agatha Christie Limited 1399627937 Nona 0 currently-reading 4.52
author: Agatha Christie Limited
name: Nona
average rating: 4.52
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 58858835 �� Sir David Attenborough

Narator: Adrian Titieni
Durata: 5 ore și 8 min]]> David Attenborough 6067224461 Nona 4 non-fiction, biography
The book does not come with new information, but I found it interesting that he found a way to put everything in a centralized way and in terms that are easily understood by anyone. And he does so by drawing parallels with his own life, taking us on a journey that makes us better understand the incredibly fast changes we have brought on to this world. Human activity has dramatically altered ecosystems, driven species to extinction and contributed to climate change, all in an extremely short timeframe, relative to the history of this planet. It's scary, for those with enough brain to comprehend.

The main points of interest in this book are the loss of biodiversity, climate change and the planet's limits. Attenborough speaks about how human actions have led to widespread deforestation, habitat destruction and the continued loss of countless species, with statistics that show the rapid decline of biodiversity over the course of his lifetime. He also discusses how unsustainable human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, overfishing and industrial agriculture, have pushed the planet's natural systems to their limits, leading to environmental instability.

But this book is not a lamentation. He doesn't just give us the ugly, but offers a hopeful vision for restoring balance to our planet. Maybe a bit too hopeful - I don't think people will wake up before it's already too late, but I admire his optimism. He doesn't really touch on the political and economic challenges of implementing environmental reforms, and this may be the most important obstacle to take into consideration in a world that is mostly focused on consumption and money. We need scientists to be loud and come up with solutions, because politicians surely won't.

I think it's a great read for anyone concerned about the future of our planet, especially because Attenborough speaks with passion and in a compelling, but easy to understand way, mixing personal anecdotes with scientific insights.]]> 4.33 2020
author: David Attenborough
name: Nona
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: non-fiction, biography
review:
"A Life on Our Planet" is both a powerful memoir and environmental manifesto. It couldn't have been otherwise, given Sir David Attenborough's lifelong dedication to the preservation of nature. It's a reflection on a life dedicated to exploring the natural world and a warning about the environmental crisis we face.

The book does not come with new information, but I found it interesting that he found a way to put everything in a centralized way and in terms that are easily understood by anyone. And he does so by drawing parallels with his own life, taking us on a journey that makes us better understand the incredibly fast changes we have brought on to this world. Human activity has dramatically altered ecosystems, driven species to extinction and contributed to climate change, all in an extremely short timeframe, relative to the history of this planet. It's scary, for those with enough brain to comprehend.

The main points of interest in this book are the loss of biodiversity, climate change and the planet's limits. Attenborough speaks about how human actions have led to widespread deforestation, habitat destruction and the continued loss of countless species, with statistics that show the rapid decline of biodiversity over the course of his lifetime. He also discusses how unsustainable human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, overfishing and industrial agriculture, have pushed the planet's natural systems to their limits, leading to environmental instability.

But this book is not a lamentation. He doesn't just give us the ugly, but offers a hopeful vision for restoring balance to our planet. Maybe a bit too hopeful - I don't think people will wake up before it's already too late, but I admire his optimism. He doesn't really touch on the political and economic challenges of implementing environmental reforms, and this may be the most important obstacle to take into consideration in a world that is mostly focused on consumption and money. We need scientists to be loud and come up with solutions, because politicians surely won't.

I think it's a great read for anyone concerned about the future of our planet, especially because Attenborough speaks with passion and in a compelling, but easy to understand way, mixing personal anecdotes with scientific insights.
]]> 57020147
Casa Olandeză este o poveste despre iubire și sacrificiu, despre absență și generozitate, despre puterea și magia unui loc care poate condamna, dar poate și vindeca.

La sfârșitul celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial, Cyril Conroy face o investiție genială, dar nu tocmai corectă, care îi va scoate familia din sărăcie și îl va transforma într-un mogul imobiliar. Ca orice îmbogățit peste noapte, va cumpăra Casa Olandeză, unde se va muta împreună cu familia, punând în mișcare roțile destinului care vor schimba pentru totdeauna viețile celor din jurul lui. „Visul american�� al lui Cyril Conroy se destramă, așa cum înainte o făcuse și cel al familiei VanHoebeek, primii proprietari ai casei, dar va fi reactivat de ambițiosul său fiu, Danny, care a moștenit spiritul antreprenorial al tatălui, și va fi împlinit cu succes de nepoata sa, May. Reușita lui Danny însă vine cu un preț: Maeve, sora lui, va renunța la propriile visuri, o renunțare care însă vorbește despre sacrificiul pe care numai iubirea îl poate face posibil și îl legitimează.]]> 351 Ann Patchett 606779764X Nona 5 omgs, historical, z_ps25
The story is narrated by Danny Conroy, who looks back on his childhood growing up in the Dutch House, a lavish estate in Pennsylvania. Their father had loved the house, but their mother, Elna, who has some sort of "Mother Theresa" syndrome, had hated it - because how can they live in such a big, beautiful place, while so many people live in poverty? Elna had disappeared early in the children's lives, leaving Danny and his older sister Maeve in the care of their very distant father. The already fragile family dynamic collapses when Cyril marries Andrea, a devious woman with two daughters of her own, whose only purpose was to get her hands on the house. When Cyril dies unexpectedly, Andrea inherits everything, including the house, and throws Danny and Maeve out, because "they never loved her" (duh! why would they?).

The siblings form an unbreakable bond, leaning on each other for emotional and financial support, but are never really able to get over the abandonment or the loss of their childhood home. Over the years, they keep driving by the Dutch House, reliving their resentment, an obsession that keeps them emotionally tied to the past.

"The Dutch House" is a character-driven novel and one about trauma and the effort it takes to survive it. Ann Patchett is a beautiful storyteller, but an ever more beautiful character builder. Maeve, in particular, stood out for me, and she is one of the best written characters I've encountered. Despite the novel being narrated by Danny, it's his sister who mostly attracts attention. She is the heart of the novel and her fierce loyalty to Danny is touching, but also quite tragic. Her way of seeking revenge - forcing Danny to go to med school, although he has no passion for it - might seem like an act of care, but it’s also a form of control. She uses the only power she has left to influence their lives, ensuring that their father’s money doesn’t benefit Andrea’s daughters. Her "malicious compliance" was satisfying to me, but I felt sorry for her because she was unable to benefit from her father's inheritance at all, instead sacrificed her own future for her brother's.

This is a novel about a deeply unhealthy family. Cyril’s decision to marry Andrea, a woman who shows no love for his children, baffled me, but what’s even worse is how easily he lets her take over their lives. I was so frustrated by everything he did, he sacrificed their happiness for a few "happy times" in the bedroom. He never considers the impact of bringing a stepmother into their home, nor does he shield Danny and Maeve from the consequences of his poor judgment. But what's even more unforgivable, to me, is the way he erases their mother’s family from their lives. They grow up without a sense of belonging and heritage, which only deepens their wounds. The injustice of Cyril's decision to leave everything to Andrea "because she is a good woman who wouldn't leave his children to suffer" was difficult for me to understand. How could he be so blind to the needs of his own children, effectively leaving them with with nothing? Even if Andrea had taken care of them until they were adults, which she didn't, what then? Men are so stupid sometimes...

And can we talk about their mother, as well? While her dedication to helping the poor might be admirable in theory, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that she sacrificed her own children in the process. Her moral righteousness feels meaningless in light of the suffering she left behind. What kind of mother chooses strangers over her own family? [spoilers removed]

And don't even get me started with Danny's wife, who never understood his bond with his sister and has zero empathy for the deep scars Danny carries. The only thing she ever cared about was marrying a doctor.

However, as frustrating as the characters may be, it's amazing how realistically Ann Patchett wrote them. Many issues hit right home with me and I couldn't stop drawing parallels with my own life, especially my teenage years.

One of the best aspects of the novel is the way the Dutch House itself functions almost as a character. It's not just a setting, but an omnipresent force in Danny and Maeve’s lives. The house, with its opulent design, big windows and the painted portraits in the living room, becomes a symbol of both privilege and loss - something they had and which was deviously taken from them.

Ann Patchett built an atmosphere of nostalgia and longing. The descriptions of the Dutch House are lush and vivid, almost ghostly, a place frozen in time. It's a manifestation of their father’s ambitions, of Andrea’s greed, but also of the siblings�� unresolved grief. The novel is built around cycles - returning to the past, revisiting trauma, but ultimately finding closure. Danny and Maeve spend years parked outside the Dutch House, staring at what was once theirs and unable to move on. In the end, the story comes full circle in an inevitable, but bittersweet way. Some wounds never truly heal, but there is an imperfect sense of resolution.

I loved and hated the story, at the same time. Patchett wrote about flawed, frustrating characters who make horrible decisions, yet their struggles feel real. She's a master of storytelling and this novel proves that family wounds run deep, but sometimes closure comes in the most unexpected ways.]]> 4.00 2019
author: Ann Patchett
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: omgs, historical, z_ps25
review:
How can a book be so triggering and yet I've loved it so much? I wanted to scream in frustration time and time again, but Ann Patchett is amazingly talented and "The Dutch House" has become my favorite of her works. Why triggering? Because, similarly to Cyril Conroy, my father brought another woman into our house, among my mother's things, without ever taking into account the feelings of his two teenage children. I'm obviously not over it and and the novel brough back awful memories.

The story is narrated by Danny Conroy, who looks back on his childhood growing up in the Dutch House, a lavish estate in Pennsylvania. Their father had loved the house, but their mother, Elna, who has some sort of "Mother Theresa" syndrome, had hated it - because how can they live in such a big, beautiful place, while so many people live in poverty? Elna had disappeared early in the children's lives, leaving Danny and his older sister Maeve in the care of their very distant father. The already fragile family dynamic collapses when Cyril marries Andrea, a devious woman with two daughters of her own, whose only purpose was to get her hands on the house. When Cyril dies unexpectedly, Andrea inherits everything, including the house, and throws Danny and Maeve out, because "they never loved her" (duh! why would they?).

The siblings form an unbreakable bond, leaning on each other for emotional and financial support, but are never really able to get over the abandonment or the loss of their childhood home. Over the years, they keep driving by the Dutch House, reliving their resentment, an obsession that keeps them emotionally tied to the past.

"The Dutch House" is a character-driven novel and one about trauma and the effort it takes to survive it. Ann Patchett is a beautiful storyteller, but an ever more beautiful character builder. Maeve, in particular, stood out for me, and she is one of the best written characters I've encountered. Despite the novel being narrated by Danny, it's his sister who mostly attracts attention. She is the heart of the novel and her fierce loyalty to Danny is touching, but also quite tragic. Her way of seeking revenge - forcing Danny to go to med school, although he has no passion for it - might seem like an act of care, but it’s also a form of control. She uses the only power she has left to influence their lives, ensuring that their father’s money doesn’t benefit Andrea’s daughters. Her "malicious compliance" was satisfying to me, but I felt sorry for her because she was unable to benefit from her father's inheritance at all, instead sacrificed her own future for her brother's.

This is a novel about a deeply unhealthy family. Cyril’s decision to marry Andrea, a woman who shows no love for his children, baffled me, but what’s even worse is how easily he lets her take over their lives. I was so frustrated by everything he did, he sacrificed their happiness for a few "happy times" in the bedroom. He never considers the impact of bringing a stepmother into their home, nor does he shield Danny and Maeve from the consequences of his poor judgment. But what's even more unforgivable, to me, is the way he erases their mother’s family from their lives. They grow up without a sense of belonging and heritage, which only deepens their wounds. The injustice of Cyril's decision to leave everything to Andrea "because she is a good woman who wouldn't leave his children to suffer" was difficult for me to understand. How could he be so blind to the needs of his own children, effectively leaving them with with nothing? Even if Andrea had taken care of them until they were adults, which she didn't, what then? Men are so stupid sometimes...

And can we talk about their mother, as well? While her dedication to helping the poor might be admirable in theory, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that she sacrificed her own children in the process. Her moral righteousness feels meaningless in light of the suffering she left behind. What kind of mother chooses strangers over her own family? [spoilers removed]

And don't even get me started with Danny's wife, who never understood his bond with his sister and has zero empathy for the deep scars Danny carries. The only thing she ever cared about was marrying a doctor.

However, as frustrating as the characters may be, it's amazing how realistically Ann Patchett wrote them. Many issues hit right home with me and I couldn't stop drawing parallels with my own life, especially my teenage years.

One of the best aspects of the novel is the way the Dutch House itself functions almost as a character. It's not just a setting, but an omnipresent force in Danny and Maeve’s lives. The house, with its opulent design, big windows and the painted portraits in the living room, becomes a symbol of both privilege and loss - something they had and which was deviously taken from them.

Ann Patchett built an atmosphere of nostalgia and longing. The descriptions of the Dutch House are lush and vivid, almost ghostly, a place frozen in time. It's a manifestation of their father’s ambitions, of Andrea’s greed, but also of the siblings�� unresolved grief. The novel is built around cycles - returning to the past, revisiting trauma, but ultimately finding closure. Danny and Maeve spend years parked outside the Dutch House, staring at what was once theirs and unable to move on. In the end, the story comes full circle in an inevitable, but bittersweet way. Some wounds never truly heal, but there is an imperfect sense of resolution.

I loved and hated the story, at the same time. Patchett wrote about flawed, frustrating characters who make horrible decisions, yet their struggles feel real. She's a master of storytelling and this novel proves that family wounds run deep, but sometimes closure comes in the most unexpected ways.
]]> 226255982
2016 by Balli Kaur Jaswal. Published in paper format in Singapore by Epigram Books, recorded by Storyside 2019.]]> 10 Balli Kaur Jaswal Nona 4
The novel follows Pin, a ten-year-old Punjabi Sikh girl growing up in Singapore in the 1990s. She is a curious child who wants nothing more than to fit in at her Catholic school, where she is one of the few Sikh students. However, as a bursary student, she becomes increasingly aware of the racial and social differences that isolates her from her classmates. At home, Pin's life is shaped by her loving but strict mother, Jini, and by her affectionate but largely absent father. Their peaceful family life is soon disrupted by the arrival of Jini's mother, who is sick and comes to live with them. Nani-ji is traditional, very religious, and her relationship with her daughter is marked by a sad secret from the past and by Jini's decision to marry outside her cast.

This is a first-person narrative, told from the perspective of Pin. Having a child not only as main character, but also as narrator, always seemed to me an act of courage. Often, adults forget what it's like to be a child and many stories told from the perspective of one are unrealistic. But I found Pin's voice fresh, and her struggles with school, fitting in with the other children, navigating the confusion that lives in her house felt authentic. She has no filter - children generally don't -, and this made her endearing. I found no clichés, instead Jaswal gave us a a genuine portrayal of childhood curiosity and resilience.

One of my favorite aspects of "Sugarbread" is that it centers primarily on women. Pin, Jini and Nani-ji each represent an evolutionary stage in this transgenerational story - the very traditional grandmother, who doesn't like change; the mother who tried to break free, but is still held back by her past and who doesn't want her daughter to grow up like her; and the daughter, who is being raised in a more relaxed environment and doesn't feel tied down by religion or cast. It's not exactly a coming-of-age story, but it explores the complex relationships between different generations of women, who are also immigrants in a predominantly Chinese and Malay society. While men exist in the story, they are mostly peripheral, even Pin's father. They play minor roles, instead the author focuses on women as the ones who shape the family’s fate.

Don't read this book when hungry! Food plays a major role in the story - Jini’s cooking mirrors her emotions and her desire to break away from the rigidity of the traditions she grew up with. Her elaborate meals, that include a wide variety of ingredients from different cuisines, is a symbol of love, but also of her desire to be free from the ties of the past.

As a European who has never travelled to Asia, the portrayal of Singapore was fascinating. It's a multicultural but segregated place, with Chinese, Malay, Indian and other ethnic groups living together. The city felt real to me, with its smells, its colors and the ever-present stirring. It's a detailed sensory description. The city feels alive, from the crowded markets to the sticky heat and the smells of different cuisines mixing in the air. While home feels like a restricted, rule-bound space, especial after the arrival of Nani-ji, Singapore is full of possibilities, but also full of danger.

But Jaswal doesn’t present an overly harmonious picture; instead, she points out the racial and social divisions that exist beneath the surface, not only in the adult society, but also in the group of children who play together outside.

I really enjoyed this story of cultural memory and generational trauma. While the plot is not original, every tale of migration and racism comes with its own nuances. It gave me an insight into the diversity of Singapore and a craving for sweetened parathas.]]> 4.50 2016
author: Balli Kaur Jaswal
name: Nona
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: teen-ya, contemporary, historical
review:
My knowledge of Singaporean literature is... zero. But in my endeavor to read at least one book from each country, I stumbled upon Balli Kaur Jaswal and her "Sugarbread", something that seemed light and fun enough to try out. But the title is deceiving: the novel is neither light nor fun. Instead, I found a story about family, heartache, racism and traditions.

The novel follows Pin, a ten-year-old Punjabi Sikh girl growing up in Singapore in the 1990s. She is a curious child who wants nothing more than to fit in at her Catholic school, where she is one of the few Sikh students. However, as a bursary student, she becomes increasingly aware of the racial and social differences that isolates her from her classmates. At home, Pin's life is shaped by her loving but strict mother, Jini, and by her affectionate but largely absent father. Their peaceful family life is soon disrupted by the arrival of Jini's mother, who is sick and comes to live with them. Nani-ji is traditional, very religious, and her relationship with her daughter is marked by a sad secret from the past and by Jini's decision to marry outside her cast.

This is a first-person narrative, told from the perspective of Pin. Having a child not only as main character, but also as narrator, always seemed to me an act of courage. Often, adults forget what it's like to be a child and many stories told from the perspective of one are unrealistic. But I found Pin's voice fresh, and her struggles with school, fitting in with the other children, navigating the confusion that lives in her house felt authentic. She has no filter - children generally don't -, and this made her endearing. I found no clichés, instead Jaswal gave us a a genuine portrayal of childhood curiosity and resilience.

One of my favorite aspects of "Sugarbread" is that it centers primarily on women. Pin, Jini and Nani-ji each represent an evolutionary stage in this transgenerational story - the very traditional grandmother, who doesn't like change; the mother who tried to break free, but is still held back by her past and who doesn't want her daughter to grow up like her; and the daughter, who is being raised in a more relaxed environment and doesn't feel tied down by religion or cast. It's not exactly a coming-of-age story, but it explores the complex relationships between different generations of women, who are also immigrants in a predominantly Chinese and Malay society. While men exist in the story, they are mostly peripheral, even Pin's father. They play minor roles, instead the author focuses on women as the ones who shape the family’s fate.

Don't read this book when hungry! Food plays a major role in the story - Jini’s cooking mirrors her emotions and her desire to break away from the rigidity of the traditions she grew up with. Her elaborate meals, that include a wide variety of ingredients from different cuisines, is a symbol of love, but also of her desire to be free from the ties of the past.

As a European who has never travelled to Asia, the portrayal of Singapore was fascinating. It's a multicultural but segregated place, with Chinese, Malay, Indian and other ethnic groups living together. The city felt real to me, with its smells, its colors and the ever-present stirring. It's a detailed sensory description. The city feels alive, from the crowded markets to the sticky heat and the smells of different cuisines mixing in the air. While home feels like a restricted, rule-bound space, especial after the arrival of Nani-ji, Singapore is full of possibilities, but also full of danger.

But Jaswal doesn’t present an overly harmonious picture; instead, she points out the racial and social divisions that exist beneath the surface, not only in the adult society, but also in the group of children who play together outside.

I really enjoyed this story of cultural memory and generational trauma. While the plot is not original, every tale of migration and racism comes with its own nuances. It gave me an insight into the diversity of Singapore and a craving for sweetened parathas.
]]> 122759084
„Un roman emoționant despre puterea transformatoare a cărților, care îi va încânta pe toți cititorii dornici să afle povestea din spatele poveștilor preferate din copilărie." �� Booklist

Megs Devonshire are un talent ieșit din comun la calcule și ecuații. Studiază la Oxford și visează să dezlege cele mai mari mistere ale fizicii. Crede în știință, cu o singură ezitare: fratele ei mai mic, pe care îl iubește nespus, nu mai are mult de trăit, iar știința nu-l poate ajuta. Când George devine fascinat de Leul, vrăjitoarea și dulapul, o carte nou apărută a faimosului autor C.S. Lewis, și o imploră să afle cum s-a născut Narnia, Megs nu poate să-l refuze.
Deși la început șovăie, Megs se trezește curând că ia ceaiul cu profesorul de la Oxford și cu fratele acestuia, rugându-i să-i ofere niște răspunsuri. Dar tot ceea ce primește sunt povești din copilăria scriitorului, pe care fata i le va depăna mai departe fratelui ei. De ce domnul Lewis nu-i spune direct ceea ce vrea George să știe? Răspunsul îi va dezvălui lui Meg multe adevăruri pe care știința și matematica nu i le pot oferi, iar darul pe care și-a imaginat că i-l face fratelui său �� povestea din spatele Narniei �� se dovedește în schimb a fi unul pe care George i-l face ei: speranța.

„A fost odată un dulap este o scrisoare de dragoste către toate cărțile cu un mesaj puternic și profund. Megs și familia ei află că poveștile sunt hrană pentru suflet și că, uneori, sunt singura cale prin care putem înțelege viața." �� The Washington Post

„O poveste dedicată tuturor celor a căror viață a fost schimbată pentru totdeauna de o carte." �� Lisa Wingate, autoarea bestsellerului Înainte să fim ai voștri

„O carte revelatoare despre imaginație și știință, despre credință și rațiune. O lectură obligatorie pentru fanii lui C.S. Lewis, care îi va ajuta să descopere lucruri uimitoare despre autorul Cronicilor din Narnia." �� Library Journal

Patti Callahan este autoarea a 16 romane, multe dintre ele fiind bestselleruri New York Times și USA Today. Pentru cartea sa Becoming Mr. Lewis a primit nenumărate distincții, printre care The Christy Award „Book of the Year", The Harper Lee Distinguished „Writer of the Year" și Alabama Library Association „Book of the Year".
Este cofondatoarea și una dintre gazdele celebrului show online și podcast Friends and Fiction. Colaborează la publicația Parade Magazine și scrierile sale au apărut în numeroase antologii și volume de povestiri. Locuiește în Mountain Brook, Alabama, împreună cu soțul ei.
A fost odată un dulap a fost numită „Indie Next Great Reads" pe anul 2021 de către American Booksellers Association, precum și una dintre cele mai bune cărți de ficțiune istorică ale anului 2021 de către Toronto Star, The Bookseller, Parade, SheReads, BookRiot ș.a.]]> 304 Patti Callahan Henry 6064015888 Nona 5 for-rainy-days, historical
"Once Upon a Wardrobe" is a historical fiction, but one that doesn't focus on a heartbreaking event from the past. Instead, the author brings to life a writer who changed, together with his fellow Inkling J.R.R. Tolkien, the face of children's literature. (By the way, Tolkien fans - that's also me! - there are a few easter eggs for you as well in this novel).

“Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not far away...�� It's 1950 and Megs Devonshire, a brilliant but pragmatic mathematics student, is asked by her brother to find out from the man himself, who was a professor at Oxford, where she studied, how Narnia came to be. Where does it all come from?, George asks. Are Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy real? Is the snowy forest based on a real place? And who is Aslan? See, George is sick. He has a heart condition that hinders him from doing activities that are otherwise normal for an 8-year-old boy: go to school, run outside, play with other children. So he stays in bed and reads, and "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is his latest obsession. He even goes inside his closet to read, mirroring Lewis' wardrobe that takes the four Pevensie kids to Narnia.

And so, Megs, who has little patience for fairy tales herself, stalks the professor's house until she finally meets him. Soon, she finds herself drawn into Lewis’s world, where he shares memories from his childhood that reveal how imagination and real-life experiences shape stories. As Megs recounts these stories to George, she begins to see the magic and meaning in them, and it changes her own perspective on life and faith. And she starts to understand that stories have the power to give sense to real life.

“With stories, I can see with other eyes, imagine with other imaginations, feel with other hearts, as well as with my own. Stories aren’t equations.��

After finishing this novel, I found out that Patti Callahan had previously written a book about C.S. Lewis' wife and she did a lot of research into his life, with the help of his stepson, Douglas Gresham. So I'm not in the least surprised at the way she pictured the professor. She gathered here many details about Lewis’s life, his family, his studies, his participation in WWI, all of these offering a glimpse into how his personal experiences shaped "The Chronicles of Narnia." The interactions between him and Megs were lovely, heartwarming, full of wisdom, inspirational. It was delightful to follow Megs in her journey from the skeptical realist who thinks only science has purpose in the real world to the person who welcomes magic into her life.

I adored and empathized with all members of the Devonshire family, who live in fear and sadness, knowing that George will not see another birthday, but trying to make life as good for him as possible. But, of course, the relationship between Megs and George is the focal part of the novel and it's a a deeply loving one. Megs is logical, grounded in facts and reason, while George is imaginative, curious, and an artist who is deeply moved by stories - and this contrast makes their bond even more touching.

This is a novel for Narnia lovers, but I would also say this is a book for any book lover. Patti Callahan makes all of us book nerds to feel understood, listened to. It's nostalgic, magical, and feels exactly like a love letter addressed to literature itself.]]> 4.26 2021
author: Patti Callahan Henry
name: Nona
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: for-rainy-days, historical
review:
Well, Narnia fans, this is the book for the geek in you! And for the geek in me, cause I love Narnia! It's magical and quirky and makes every girl and boy want to become a hero. And I feel like Patty Callahan managed to capture the spirit of the story, while also building a heartwarming tale of love and family.

"Once Upon a Wardrobe" is a historical fiction, but one that doesn't focus on a heartbreaking event from the past. Instead, the author brings to life a writer who changed, together with his fellow Inkling J.R.R. Tolkien, the face of children's literature. (By the way, Tolkien fans - that's also me! - there are a few easter eggs for you as well in this novel).

“Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not far away...�� It's 1950 and Megs Devonshire, a brilliant but pragmatic mathematics student, is asked by her brother to find out from the man himself, who was a professor at Oxford, where she studied, how Narnia came to be. Where does it all come from?, George asks. Are Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy real? Is the snowy forest based on a real place? And who is Aslan? See, George is sick. He has a heart condition that hinders him from doing activities that are otherwise normal for an 8-year-old boy: go to school, run outside, play with other children. So he stays in bed and reads, and "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is his latest obsession. He even goes inside his closet to read, mirroring Lewis' wardrobe that takes the four Pevensie kids to Narnia.

And so, Megs, who has little patience for fairy tales herself, stalks the professor's house until she finally meets him. Soon, she finds herself drawn into Lewis’s world, where he shares memories from his childhood that reveal how imagination and real-life experiences shape stories. As Megs recounts these stories to George, she begins to see the magic and meaning in them, and it changes her own perspective on life and faith. And she starts to understand that stories have the power to give sense to real life.

“With stories, I can see with other eyes, imagine with other imaginations, feel with other hearts, as well as with my own. Stories aren’t equations.��

After finishing this novel, I found out that Patti Callahan had previously written a book about C.S. Lewis' wife and she did a lot of research into his life, with the help of his stepson, Douglas Gresham. So I'm not in the least surprised at the way she pictured the professor. She gathered here many details about Lewis’s life, his family, his studies, his participation in WWI, all of these offering a glimpse into how his personal experiences shaped "The Chronicles of Narnia." The interactions between him and Megs were lovely, heartwarming, full of wisdom, inspirational. It was delightful to follow Megs in her journey from the skeptical realist who thinks only science has purpose in the real world to the person who welcomes magic into her life.

I adored and empathized with all members of the Devonshire family, who live in fear and sadness, knowing that George will not see another birthday, but trying to make life as good for him as possible. But, of course, the relationship between Megs and George is the focal part of the novel and it's a a deeply loving one. Megs is logical, grounded in facts and reason, while George is imaginative, curious, and an artist who is deeply moved by stories - and this contrast makes their bond even more touching.

This is a novel for Narnia lovers, but I would also say this is a book for any book lover. Patti Callahan makes all of us book nerds to feel understood, listened to. It's nostalgic, magical, and feels exactly like a love letter addressed to literature itself.
]]> 155766
On moving to another province Mohamed learns how to charm and steal, and discovers the joys of drugs, sex and alcohol. Proud, insolent and afraid of no-one, Mohamed returns to Tangiers, where he is caught up in the violence of the 1952 independence riots. During a short spell in a filthy Moroccan jail, a fellow inmate kindles Mohamed's life-altering love of poetry.

The book itself was banned in Arab countries for its sexual explicitness. Dar al-Saqi was the first publishing house to publish it in Arabic in 1982, thirty years after it was written, though many translations came out before the Arabic version.

Translated by Paul Bowles.

Mohamed Choukri is one of North Africa's most controversial and widely read authors. At the age of twenty he decided to learn to read and write classical Arabic. He went on to become a teacher and writer, finally being awarded the chair of Arabic Literature at Ibn Batuta College in Tangier.

Paul Bowles, perhaps best known for his novel The Sheltering Sky, collaborated closely with Choukri on the translation of For Bread Alone.

The story of Choukri's life is continued in Streetwise.]]> 169 Mohamed Choukri 1846590108 Nona 0 to-read 3.71 1973
author: Mohamed Choukri
name: Nona
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1973
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62967004
Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena’s a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn’t even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface takes on questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation not only in the publishing industry but the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. R. F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.]]> 9 R.F. Kuang Nona 4
Because, ladies, gents and everything in between, this is a delicious satire of the publishing industry and the almost performative nature of diversity in art. And R.F. Kuang did all this as a POC author who wrote about a white woman posing as ambiguously Chinese. This is absolutely brilliant.

A death and a theft. June Hayward and Athena Liu are not exactly friends. They are both young authors who met while studying at Harvard, but, while June's debut was poorly received by the critics, Athena has had a fulminating career and is courted by publishers and the public alike. June is white, Athena is a Chinese-American who doesn't have ties to the Chinese community and doesn't even speak Mandarin, but she fills a "diversity quota" much sought after by the industry. During an evening when they celebrate Athena's latest success, she chokes to death on a pancake and June takes advantage of the situation by stealing her unfinished manuscript, a historical novel about Chinese laborers during World War I.

June edits the manuscript, adding her own changes and publishes it under the racially ambiguous name "Juniper Song", which leads the readers into assuming she might be of Asian descent. The novel becomes a massive hit, winning awards and critical acclaim. But June is haunted not only by Athena's ghost, but also by the internet, who slowly starts to uncover similarities between the novel and her dead friend's other works. What follows is a cat-and-mouse pursuit where June tries to play the victim, while the public gets closer and closer to the truth.

As the controversy grows, June finds herself in a downward spiral. Kuang is great in describing the paranoia that takes hold of the protagonist just as the public (and editorial) pressure builds. June makes mistake after mistake in the effort to hide her theft and she starts to obsessively monitor social media and even tries to sabotage potential whistleblowers who try to expose her. As the tension increases, I found myself caught between the need to see justice fulfilled and the secret hope that June will succeed as a writer [spoilers removed].

What's interesting is how accurately Kuang describes the toxic social media culture, that can make or break a personality based on real or sometimes false accusations. She examines the rising trend of cancel culture and the hypocrisy of the publishing industry which pushes diversity, but only when it's convenient. She also discusses the fluid notion of cultural appropriation, which is used as a tool for profit. And she does so in a thriller where tension is perfectly built to a satisfying conclusion. It's a personal story, but also one about an entire system that allows toxicity to thrive.

It wasn't a comfortable read and the protagonist was definitely unlikeable (as I started listening to the novel, I really hated June with her snarky tone born from an inferiority complex), but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought, because of the sharp criticism coming from someone directly involved in the editorial world. Quite refreshing.]]> 3.75 2023
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Nona
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: z_ps25, contemporary, thriller
review:
It takes a good writer to create an unlikeable character and somehow convince the readers to feel sorry for them and maybe even want them to prevail. And that's exactly what R.F. Kuang did in "Yellowface". And what's more, she did it by making fun of the publishing world.

Because, ladies, gents and everything in between, this is a delicious satire of the publishing industry and the almost performative nature of diversity in art. And R.F. Kuang did all this as a POC author who wrote about a white woman posing as ambiguously Chinese. This is absolutely brilliant.

A death and a theft. June Hayward and Athena Liu are not exactly friends. They are both young authors who met while studying at Harvard, but, while June's debut was poorly received by the critics, Athena has had a fulminating career and is courted by publishers and the public alike. June is white, Athena is a Chinese-American who doesn't have ties to the Chinese community and doesn't even speak Mandarin, but she fills a "diversity quota" much sought after by the industry. During an evening when they celebrate Athena's latest success, she chokes to death on a pancake and June takes advantage of the situation by stealing her unfinished manuscript, a historical novel about Chinese laborers during World War I.

June edits the manuscript, adding her own changes and publishes it under the racially ambiguous name "Juniper Song", which leads the readers into assuming she might be of Asian descent. The novel becomes a massive hit, winning awards and critical acclaim. But June is haunted not only by Athena's ghost, but also by the internet, who slowly starts to uncover similarities between the novel and her dead friend's other works. What follows is a cat-and-mouse pursuit where June tries to play the victim, while the public gets closer and closer to the truth.

As the controversy grows, June finds herself in a downward spiral. Kuang is great in describing the paranoia that takes hold of the protagonist just as the public (and editorial) pressure builds. June makes mistake after mistake in the effort to hide her theft and she starts to obsessively monitor social media and even tries to sabotage potential whistleblowers who try to expose her. As the tension increases, I found myself caught between the need to see justice fulfilled and the secret hope that June will succeed as a writer [spoilers removed].

What's interesting is how accurately Kuang describes the toxic social media culture, that can make or break a personality based on real or sometimes false accusations. She examines the rising trend of cancel culture and the hypocrisy of the publishing industry which pushes diversity, but only when it's convenient. She also discusses the fluid notion of cultural appropriation, which is used as a tool for profit. And she does so in a thriller where tension is perfectly built to a satisfying conclusion. It's a personal story, but also one about an entire system that allows toxicity to thrive.

It wasn't a comfortable read and the protagonist was definitely unlikeable (as I started listening to the novel, I really hated June with her snarky tone born from an inferiority complex), but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought, because of the sharp criticism coming from someone directly involved in the editorial world. Quite refreshing.
]]> 18751848
Într-o dimineaţă, după ce toţi călătorii au debarcat, marinarul Danny Boodmann descoperă în luxosul salon de bal al transatlanticului Virginian o cutie de carton. În ea �� un nou-născut, pe care matrozul se hotărăşte să-l adopte, dându-i numele secolului care de-abia începea: Novecento. La opt ani, când Danny Boodmann moare, micul Novecento rămâne pentru a doua oară al nimănui. Adoptat din nou, de data aceasta de căpitan şi de întregul echipaj, băiatul îşi dezvăluie talentul extraordinar: este un pianist desăvârşit, care seara, alături de orchestra vasului, îi încântă pe pasagerii bogaţi de la clasa întâi, iar noaptea, de unul singur, le oferă umililor călători de la clasa a treia o muzică supraomenească, menită să alunge orice urmă de nefericire. Şi totuşi, cum de poate Novecento, care nu a coborât niciodată de pe vas, să cânte despre toată frumuseţea lumii.

„Pământul e un vapor prea mare pentru el, aşadar n-a coborât niciodată pe uscat. Vaporul e micul lui pământ plutitor. Aici începe şi se sfârşeşte lumea. Cartea aceasta e un micro-roman, o dramă, un poem sau doar o fermecătoare improvizaţie pentru pian şi trompetă. Citiţi-o ca pe o parabolă (lumea-vapor, omul-călător) sau ascultaţi-o relaxaţi, ca şi cum, în drum spre America, aţi descoperi deodată o melodie care v-ar umple sufletul.�� (Ioana PÂRVULESCU)]]> 83 Alessandro Baricco 9736896382 Nona 4
Written partially as a play/monologue, "Novecento" follows pianist Danny Boodmann T.D. Lemon Novecento, who was born on a luxury ocean liner and lived his entire life on that ship. He was a musical prodigy with extraordinary skill, but has never set foot on land. He was an abandoned infant and was raised by a crew member among the ship’s workers, but he does not exist for the world - he has no papers, no official identity, and builds his entire life around the skill he develops himself, without any formal instruction or coaching. Novecento becomes a legendary pianist, astonishing the ship's passengers with his ability to compose and play music that transcends anything ever heard before, as if channeling the spirit of the ocean into his music.

His story is narrated by Tim Tooney, a trumpet player who joins the ship’s orchestra and becomes Novecento’s only close friend. Through Tooney’s eyes, we learn about Novecento’s extraordinary talent and his unusual relationship with the world - he believes that the infinite vastness of the world beyond the ship is overwhelming, and that he would be lost in it. His entire life is defined by the 88 keys of his piano.

Novecento’s life is paradoxical—he is free in his music yet stuck in the finite world of the ship, his talent isolating him, making it impossible to integrate in normal society. It's the burden of the genius that isolates him from everyone and everything, stuck between the fear of the unknown and the comfort bubble he has lived in his entire life.

This is a very poetic and melancholic novella. For its shortness, I was surprised at the richness of the story and the emotions it transmits. The book is very introspective and I was myself conflicted on the meaning of true freedom and how it can be found even in a confined space. I loved the lyricism of the prose and the way it invites to reflection with its almost meditative rhythm that mirrors the sounds and movement of the waves.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but it's definitely on my list, as is Alessandro Baricco, whom I'm curious to get to know better.]]> 3.94 1994
author: Alessandro Baricco
name: Nona
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/23
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: z_ps25, contemporary, made-to-movie
review:
Alessandro Baricco's novella is short and sweet. And also unusual, through its theme, but also through its format.

Written partially as a play/monologue, "Novecento" follows pianist Danny Boodmann T.D. Lemon Novecento, who was born on a luxury ocean liner and lived his entire life on that ship. He was a musical prodigy with extraordinary skill, but has never set foot on land. He was an abandoned infant and was raised by a crew member among the ship’s workers, but he does not exist for the world - he has no papers, no official identity, and builds his entire life around the skill he develops himself, without any formal instruction or coaching. Novecento becomes a legendary pianist, astonishing the ship's passengers with his ability to compose and play music that transcends anything ever heard before, as if channeling the spirit of the ocean into his music.

His story is narrated by Tim Tooney, a trumpet player who joins the ship’s orchestra and becomes Novecento’s only close friend. Through Tooney’s eyes, we learn about Novecento’s extraordinary talent and his unusual relationship with the world - he believes that the infinite vastness of the world beyond the ship is overwhelming, and that he would be lost in it. His entire life is defined by the 88 keys of his piano.

Novecento’s life is paradoxical—he is free in his music yet stuck in the finite world of the ship, his talent isolating him, making it impossible to integrate in normal society. It's the burden of the genius that isolates him from everyone and everything, stuck between the fear of the unknown and the comfort bubble he has lived in his entire life.

This is a very poetic and melancholic novella. For its shortness, I was surprised at the richness of the story and the emotions it transmits. The book is very introspective and I was myself conflicted on the meaning of true freedom and how it can be found even in a confined space. I loved the lyricism of the prose and the way it invites to reflection with its almost meditative rhythm that mirrors the sounds and movement of the waves.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but it's definitely on my list, as is Alessandro Baricco, whom I'm curious to get to know better.
]]> 36917307 129 Fernando Contreras Castro 993054920X Nona 4 contemporary
Única contemplates the sea. But her sea is a sea of garbage. Until the end, when she really gets to contemplate the real sea. Única Oconitrillo is a former substitute teacher who finds herself without a job and without the possibility to pay rent anymore. She is forced to leave her home and move on the outskirts of a contested landfill, making a life among the “b�ܳ��𲹻�ǰ������ (waste pickers) who survive by scavenging through garbage. She is not alone; many people in the same situation as hers, who have been discarded by society, live by sorting through garbage and selling what they can just so they can buy food. Among them, a boy she ends up "adopting", a former postman, a couple forever nicknamed "the fiancés", a woman driven crazy by the pain of losing her baby, and others.

The novel is bleak, but it's also filled with beauty. Fernando Contreras Castro does something I wouldn't have thought possible: he finds poetry in the filth. The prose is lyrical and full of symbolism, more vibes than actual plot. There's an oppressive atmosphere that parallels these people's lives, yet there's underlying hope in the way the buceadores end up viewing their situation. Única, as a former schoolteacher, takes up a sort of leading role in all things spiritual and infuses their otherwise miserable existence with religion, Christmas, lessons for the children, community dinners where everyone brings what food they can get and share it with their neighbors.

Contreras Castro humanizes those often considered invisible, showing their dignity and solidarity, but above, their humanity. It's a story about social exclusion and what it can do to the human mind, but also about resistance in the face of adversity and finding meaning in life despite society's abandonment.

Of course, "Única" is also an environmentalist novel. The landfill is a microcosm of a society that disregards both people and the environment. Through subtle satire, the author points out the wastefulness of the world today - the buceadores find everything they need in the landfill, from clothes to tableware, making a living from perfectly good items people throw away for no reason. It's a critique of the consumerism that will eventually destroy our planet.

I loved the empathetic portrayal of Única and the other characters. We, those who have a roof above our heads and enough food to fill our bellies, tend to discard those who don't, to judge them based on our limited morality, and, what is even more painful, to forget entirely about their existence. Maybe, from time to time, we need a reminder that the world is bigger than our limited bubble.]]> 4.26 1993
author: Fernando Contreras Castro
name: Nona
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: contemporary
review:
Who would have thought I'd enjoy a book about... garbage as much as I did? "Única" was a lovely surprise from an author I'd never heard about until I actively looked for Costarican writers for a personal challenge. And now I want to read more.

Única contemplates the sea. But her sea is a sea of garbage. Until the end, when she really gets to contemplate the real sea. Única Oconitrillo is a former substitute teacher who finds herself without a job and without the possibility to pay rent anymore. She is forced to leave her home and move on the outskirts of a contested landfill, making a life among the “b�ܳ��𲹻�ǰ������ (waste pickers) who survive by scavenging through garbage. She is not alone; many people in the same situation as hers, who have been discarded by society, live by sorting through garbage and selling what they can just so they can buy food. Among them, a boy she ends up "adopting", a former postman, a couple forever nicknamed "the fiancés", a woman driven crazy by the pain of losing her baby, and others.

The novel is bleak, but it's also filled with beauty. Fernando Contreras Castro does something I wouldn't have thought possible: he finds poetry in the filth. The prose is lyrical and full of symbolism, more vibes than actual plot. There's an oppressive atmosphere that parallels these people's lives, yet there's underlying hope in the way the buceadores end up viewing their situation. Única, as a former schoolteacher, takes up a sort of leading role in all things spiritual and infuses their otherwise miserable existence with religion, Christmas, lessons for the children, community dinners where everyone brings what food they can get and share it with their neighbors.

Contreras Castro humanizes those often considered invisible, showing their dignity and solidarity, but above, their humanity. It's a story about social exclusion and what it can do to the human mind, but also about resistance in the face of adversity and finding meaning in life despite society's abandonment.

Of course, "Única" is also an environmentalist novel. The landfill is a microcosm of a society that disregards both people and the environment. Through subtle satire, the author points out the wastefulness of the world today - the buceadores find everything they need in the landfill, from clothes to tableware, making a living from perfectly good items people throw away for no reason. It's a critique of the consumerism that will eventually destroy our planet.

I loved the empathetic portrayal of Única and the other characters. We, those who have a roof above our heads and enough food to fill our bellies, tend to discard those who don't, to judge them based on our limited morality, and, what is even more painful, to forget entirely about their existence. Maybe, from time to time, we need a reminder that the world is bigger than our limited bubble.
]]> 71463778
Într-un acces de furie, Puiu Faranga își sugrumă soția. Ultimul descendent al unei familii de vază, crescut în răsfăț și educat la școli înalte din Occident, Puiu nu pare să-și fi găsit vreun rost în viață, în afara petrecerilor și aventurilor galante. Este sau nu responsabil Puiu Faranga de uciderea Mădălinei? Este întrebarea la care se caută răspuns de-a lungul întregii construcții narative.

Consecvent tematicii întregii sale opere �� prăpastia dintre stările sociale și felul în care cei care au avere și poziție privilegiată dispun de cei umili după bunul plac ��, Rebreanu concentrează în acest roman de mici dimensiuni acțiune, caractere, psihologie în evoluție, critică socială și unghiuri de abordare care fac din Ciuleandra o culme a măiestriei sale artistice.

Când Liviu Rebreanu trece la romanul orăşenesc, el eludează pe cât se poate înfăţişarea de indivizi şi se refugiază în monografia unei pasiuni, a unei porniri, adică în romanul psihologic, conştient sau nu de lipsa putinţei de a intui personaje. Ciuleandra e un astfel de roman analitic. [...] Materia romanului o formează această trecere treptată de la logica aparent normală la conduita şi ţinuta demenţială... G. Călinescu]]> 4 Liviu Rebreanu Nona 3
Povestea îl are în centru pe Puiu Faranga, fiul unui influent ministru, care, într-un moment de furie, își ucide soția, pe frumoasa Madeleine/ Mădălina, de care se îndrăgostise pe când aceasta era abia o copilă. Tatăl său, în clasicul stil al oricărui politician român pentru care legea e doar o mică piedică, încearcă să-l scape de închisoare internându-l într-un sanatoriu de boli mintale. Din acest moment, Rebreanu ne aruncă în mintea lui Puiu și explorează relația dintre cei doi soți, motivele din spatele crimei și traumele psihologice ale protagonistului.

Puiu Faranga nu e un protagonist cu care să poți empatiza. Eu, cel puțin, nu am putut. E un privilegiat al sorții din toate punctele de vedere, un tânăr care, cu ajutorul tatălui sus-pus, ia tot ce vrea fără să se gândească la consecințe. Pe măsură ce povestea avansează, aflăm că relația dintre Puiu și Mădălina a fost una complicată de diferențele de clasă socială, dar și de viața libertină dusă de Puiu. Pe de altă parte, Mădălina s-a trezit aruncată într-o existență mult diferită de viața liniștită de la sat pe care a trăit-o până la 14 ani și pe care nu și-a dorit-o, în ciuda avantajelor materiale pe care le-a primit. Ciuleandra, dansul popular care a fost catalizatorul pentru relația dintre cei doi, revine obsesiv de-a lungul romanului, ca simbol al libertății și pasiunii reprimate.

Dacă de Puiu nu m-am putut apropia, introspecția sa lăsându-mă rece (sigur, analiza psihologică e interesantă din perspectivă didactică, dar nu m-a convins de realismul ei, nu cred că un om de teapa lui Puiu poate să ajungă la asemenea concluzii și remușcări), romanul m-a atras prin critica socială. Rebreanu explorează diverse unghiuri ale contextului social al vremii (pe alocuri, aplicabil și în ziua de azi, chiar dacă nu mai avem boieri și nici servitori). Pe de o parte, de impact sunt diferențele de clasă dintre Puiu și Mădălina - și familia ei, în general - episodul cu mama Mădălinei, care vine să-i ceară socoteală lui Puiu, a fost cel mai de impact pentru mine, deși e scurt în economia romanului. De asemenea, autorul ne pune în fața mașinăriei justiției și a modului în care aceasta funcționează discriminatoriu în funcție de numele de familie și funcția celui care apelează la „dreptate��.

„Ciuleandra�� e, pentru mine, un roman curat, care merge după o formulă și nu impresionează, dar nici nu dezamăgește. În ciuda faptului că se vrea a fi o scriere de factură psihologică, personajele mi s-au părut prea puțin nuanțate ca să mă facă să-mi pese de ele.]]> 3.89 1927
author: Liviu Rebreanu
name: Nona
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1927
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/21
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: romanian-authors, classics, z_ps25
review:
N-am fost niciodată prietenă cu Liviu Rebreanu și nu-mi doresc să mă întorc la lecturile de liceu pentru a vedea cum le percep ca adult. Dar „Ciuleandra�� m-a atras prin premisa de roman policier, deși e, în fapt, mai curând psihologic, deoarece ne este clar de la început cine a comis crima. Citind cartea, îmi dau seama - a câta oară? - că țara asta a fost mereu condusă de aceleași lichele, că ultimii 30 de ani nu sunt deloc o excepție, ci corupție a existat și va exista atâta timp cât gena „românească��, dacă există o astfel de genă, va supraviețui. De altfel, Rebreanu ar fi putut foarte bine scrie cartea astăzi, pornind de la oricare dintre cazurile de beizadele care s-au crezut mai presus de lege doar pentru că tati e „cineva��.

Povestea îl are în centru pe Puiu Faranga, fiul unui influent ministru, care, într-un moment de furie, își ucide soția, pe frumoasa Madeleine/ Mădălina, de care se îndrăgostise pe când aceasta era abia o copilă. Tatăl său, în clasicul stil al oricărui politician român pentru care legea e doar o mică piedică, încearcă să-l scape de închisoare internându-l într-un sanatoriu de boli mintale. Din acest moment, Rebreanu ne aruncă în mintea lui Puiu și explorează relația dintre cei doi soți, motivele din spatele crimei și traumele psihologice ale protagonistului.

Puiu Faranga nu e un protagonist cu care să poți empatiza. Eu, cel puțin, nu am putut. E un privilegiat al sorții din toate punctele de vedere, un tânăr care, cu ajutorul tatălui sus-pus, ia tot ce vrea fără să se gândească la consecințe. Pe măsură ce povestea avansează, aflăm că relația dintre Puiu și Mădălina a fost una complicată de diferențele de clasă socială, dar și de viața libertină dusă de Puiu. Pe de altă parte, Mădălina s-a trezit aruncată într-o existență mult diferită de viața liniștită de la sat pe care a trăit-o până la 14 ani și pe care nu și-a dorit-o, în ciuda avantajelor materiale pe care le-a primit. Ciuleandra, dansul popular care a fost catalizatorul pentru relația dintre cei doi, revine obsesiv de-a lungul romanului, ca simbol al libertății și pasiunii reprimate.

Dacă de Puiu nu m-am putut apropia, introspecția sa lăsându-mă rece (sigur, analiza psihologică e interesantă din perspectivă didactică, dar nu m-a convins de realismul ei, nu cred că un om de teapa lui Puiu poate să ajungă la asemenea concluzii și remușcări), romanul m-a atras prin critica socială. Rebreanu explorează diverse unghiuri ale contextului social al vremii (pe alocuri, aplicabil și în ziua de azi, chiar dacă nu mai avem boieri și nici servitori). Pe de o parte, de impact sunt diferențele de clasă dintre Puiu și Mădălina - și familia ei, în general - episodul cu mama Mădălinei, care vine să-i ceară socoteală lui Puiu, a fost cel mai de impact pentru mine, deși e scurt în economia romanului. De asemenea, autorul ne pune în fața mașinăriei justiției și a modului în care aceasta funcționează discriminatoriu în funcție de numele de familie și funcția celui care apelează la „dreptate��.

„Ciuleandra�� e, pentru mine, un roman curat, care merge după o formulă și nu impresionează, dar nici nu dezamăgește. În ciuda faptului că se vrea a fi o scriere de factură psihologică, personajele mi s-au părut prea puțin nuanțate ca să mă facă să-mi pese de ele.
]]> 210814646
Adevărul este că, pentru oamenii epocii victoriene, personajele lui Hardy puteau să pară adevărați monștri. În realitate, existența lor este, de cele mai multe ori, banală. Sunt oameni oarecare, cu defecte obișnuite: pot fi bețivi, egoiști, violenți, pot fi ingrați cu cei care îi iubesc sau, dimpotrivă, să le atribuie însușiri nemaiîntâlnite celor de care sunt îndrăgostiți. Dragostea lor e însă nimicitoare: ea îi mistuie deopotrivă pe cel care o nutrește, și pe obiectul dragostei lui, încheindu-se totdeauna cu moarte sau nebunie. Dan Grigorescu]]> 510 Thomas Hardy 630319639X Nona 3
Let me start with what I think Thomas Hardy did well. He painted a portrait (accurately, I'm told) of the Victorian society where women had little to no say in what happens with their own lives. He was, of course, revolutionary - who in their right mind would conjure up a character such as Tess, who, through no fault of her own, points out all the hypocrisies of the 1800s? The author is essentially showing the double standards regarding gender and sexual morality.

Tess Durbeyfield is basically a teenager when her father accidentally learns that he is a descendant of the now extinct noble family d’Urbervilles. Her (ridiculous, I might add) parents, seeing the opportunity, send her to the house of Alec D'Urberville, whom they think is their rich relative, but who instead seduces her (abuse is implied, but never actually mentioned). Tess becomes the talk of the county and is blamed for being a harlot, while Alec, of course, "is a man", so he is forgiven. Tess tries to rebuild her life and eventually falls in love with Angel Clare, the idealistic son of a clergymen, but her previous experiences only lead to more heartbreak.

The novel is built around the idea of injustice. There's nothing Tess can do to escape her one "mistake" (I use the term "mistake" euphemistically). Her destiny seems predetermined and no matter what she does and how much she tries to escape her past, it comes back to bite her in the butt. Because the Victorian society doesn't really value women outside their roles as wives and mothers, someone who has even the semblance of independency is seen as morally corrupt, and not even love can redeem them.

Hardy was definitely a sharp observer of the 1800s society. The novel is, above all, a social criticism, even more than it is Tess' story. In fact, I see it as a social tragedy more than just a personal one. The characters fill archetypes - the innocent girl who falls victim to shrewd men, the "false gentleman", the idealist, the ridiculous parents (gosh, the ridiculousness!).

And here come the things I didn't resonate with. Mostly, the didactic tone. I know Hardy wrote in an era where books had to have a "moral" lesson, but here it's not subtle at all. In fact, the author inserts himself into the story with side commentary on the characters, their actions, their beliefs, drawing conclusions and telling us what to think. He simply pushes his message too heavily, which I hate. The other aspect I hated were the constant religious references. I don't like when religion is shoved down my throat, and "Tess" does exactly this. There's hardly a page without some kind of debate about doctrine or citation from the Bible.

Also, the characters felt stereotypical and had little and very unconvincing growth. Tess is idealized, she never - not even in the end - actually fights for herself. She inspired zero emotion to me, [spoilers removed] Also, it felt like Hardy tried too hard to sell Angel as the good guy, when in fact he's just as bad, if not worse, than Alec.

The pacing felt off, we have entire chunks of time dissolve into nothingness, and then there's that abrupt ending which came out of nowhere. And, to make things even worse, [spoilers removed]

So, despite all my admiration for my high school English teacher, who was a major fan of the novel and mentioned it every time he found the opportunity, "Tess" and I didn't become friends. Although I admire Hardy for his courage to point out the hypocrisy of his times.]]> 4.33 1891
author: Thomas Hardy
name: Nona
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1891
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/29
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: classics, z_ps25, made-to-movie
review:
Every time I read a classic I don't fall in love with, I feel guilty. Because I love classics and I want to be enamored of all of them. But alas, Tess didn't do it for me, and it's not her fault. It's everything else in the novel. I understand what Hardy wanted to do here, but understanding and enjoying are two completely separate things. One plays on the rational, the other on the emotional. And opinions about books, generally, are a mix of both.

Let me start with what I think Thomas Hardy did well. He painted a portrait (accurately, I'm told) of the Victorian society where women had little to no say in what happens with their own lives. He was, of course, revolutionary - who in their right mind would conjure up a character such as Tess, who, through no fault of her own, points out all the hypocrisies of the 1800s? The author is essentially showing the double standards regarding gender and sexual morality.

Tess Durbeyfield is basically a teenager when her father accidentally learns that he is a descendant of the now extinct noble family d’Urbervilles. Her (ridiculous, I might add) parents, seeing the opportunity, send her to the house of Alec D'Urberville, whom they think is their rich relative, but who instead seduces her (abuse is implied, but never actually mentioned). Tess becomes the talk of the county and is blamed for being a harlot, while Alec, of course, "is a man", so he is forgiven. Tess tries to rebuild her life and eventually falls in love with Angel Clare, the idealistic son of a clergymen, but her previous experiences only lead to more heartbreak.

The novel is built around the idea of injustice. There's nothing Tess can do to escape her one "mistake" (I use the term "mistake" euphemistically). Her destiny seems predetermined and no matter what she does and how much she tries to escape her past, it comes back to bite her in the butt. Because the Victorian society doesn't really value women outside their roles as wives and mothers, someone who has even the semblance of independency is seen as morally corrupt, and not even love can redeem them.

Hardy was definitely a sharp observer of the 1800s society. The novel is, above all, a social criticism, even more than it is Tess' story. In fact, I see it as a social tragedy more than just a personal one. The characters fill archetypes - the innocent girl who falls victim to shrewd men, the "false gentleman", the idealist, the ridiculous parents (gosh, the ridiculousness!).

And here come the things I didn't resonate with. Mostly, the didactic tone. I know Hardy wrote in an era where books had to have a "moral" lesson, but here it's not subtle at all. In fact, the author inserts himself into the story with side commentary on the characters, their actions, their beliefs, drawing conclusions and telling us what to think. He simply pushes his message too heavily, which I hate. The other aspect I hated were the constant religious references. I don't like when religion is shoved down my throat, and "Tess" does exactly this. There's hardly a page without some kind of debate about doctrine or citation from the Bible.

Also, the characters felt stereotypical and had little and very unconvincing growth. Tess is idealized, she never - not even in the end - actually fights for herself. She inspired zero emotion to me, [spoilers removed] Also, it felt like Hardy tried too hard to sell Angel as the good guy, when in fact he's just as bad, if not worse, than Alec.

The pacing felt off, we have entire chunks of time dissolve into nothingness, and then there's that abrupt ending which came out of nowhere. And, to make things even worse, [spoilers removed]

So, despite all my admiration for my high school English teacher, who was a major fan of the novel and mentioned it every time he found the opportunity, "Tess" and I didn't become friends. Although I admire Hardy for his courage to point out the hypocrisy of his times.
]]> 39189837 In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice.

From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman, the woman C. S. Lewis called “my whole world.�� When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.]]> 435 Patti Callahan Henry Nona 0 to-read 4.04 2018
author: Patti Callahan Henry
name: Nona
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212116793


AGATHA CHRISTIE este unul dintre scriitorii care nu au nevoie de nici o prezentare, pentru că opera lor a trecut cu brio testul timpului și al cititorilor din toate epocile și generațiile. Cu peste 2 miliarde de cărți vândute și cu traduceri în mai mult de 100 de limbi, Agatha Christie este surclasată în acest top numai de Biblie și de William Shakespeare. Autoare a 66 de romane polițiste și a 14 colecții de povestiri, 19 piese de teatru, o autobiografie, volume de non-ficțiune și povestiri amuzante din călătoriile realizate alături de soțul ei, cu numeroase ecranizări inspirate de romanele ei, Agatha Christie își merită cu prisosință locul în biblioteca oricărui iubitor de literatură.

De aceea, Editura Litera are plăcerea să îți prezinte opera Agathei Christie într-o colecție excepțională �� și totodată accesibilă ��, de care să te poți bucura alături de întreaga familie pentru mulți ani de acum înainte. Volumele cartonate, cu o grafică elegantă și superbe ilustrații ale copertelor puse în valoare de elementele ornamentale argintii repetitive �� care dau astfel eleganță și unitate colecției ��, se ridică la înălțimea calității scriiturii acestei adevărate regine a romanului polițist.


ISBN 9786303192451]]> 299 Agatha Christie 6303192459 Nona 3
The book is centered on the Boynton family, dominated by their tyrannical matriarch, Mrs. Boynton, who has a tight grip on her stepchildren and daughter, which creates a lot of tension and resentment within the family. These people, although adults now, have been raised in isolation and have little idea of the outside world. It is implied that Mrs. Boynton was (and still is) psychologically abusive, to the point where the oldest sibling has become passive and uninterested in everything around him, despite his wife's repeated efforts to take him out of this family and build a life for himself, while the youngest (and only natural child of the matriarch) became mentally unstable and created an alternate life for herself where she is a princess that had been abducted and imprisoned by Mrs. Boynton. The psychological abuse is doubled by Mrs. Boynton's tight control over the money left by her late husband, which means the children have no means to support themselves if they leave the family.

During a trip to Petra, Mrs. Boynton is found dead, apparently from natural causes. However, Poirot, who is a tourist himself, is called to investigate and suspects that her death may be the result of foul play. But he has only 24 hours to solve the case, so he must work fast to untangle the complex web of family secrets, suppressed emotions and motives behind the murder. The situation is complicated by other characters who come into play and who, apparently, are just bystanders, until Poirot uncovers their ties to the Boyntons.

The novel starts slow and the murder only occurs after about 100 pages, which, on one hand, gives us a chance to get to know everyone involved, but on the other, the anticipation of the murder made me want to see things move faster. Agatha Christie built Mrs. Boynton's character in such a way that I, as a reader, not only anticipated her death, but actually hoped this would happen. It's a fascinating study on abuse and toxic family relationships and how they can lead to desperate actions.

The most interesting aspect for me, here, is Poirot’s sense of justice and fairness. This contrasts with the moral ambiguity surrounding the murder. We, as readers, want to see Mrs. Boynton out of the picture, maybe permanently, but for Poirot, things are less nuanced - he is seeking justice above everything else.

“The moral character of the victim has nothing to do with it! A human being who has exercised the right of private judgment and taken the life of another human being is not safe to exist amongst the community.��

To me, things were clear from very early on, after a certain phrase issued by the victim itself. I found the story predictable and the mystery quite easy to solve. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy following Poirot's investigation, he is always fun to watch, especially with his quirks - I mean, who in their right mind wears uncomfortable shoes in the desert just because he always needs to be perfectly put together?

This is one of those Christie novels that excels in atmosphere and character development and allows the readers time to come up with their own theories. But the slower pace and somewhat abrupt resolution made the book uneven. And I hated the ending - I always hate it when the author resorts to "the easy way out" for the culprit - and didn't understand the need for the epilogue, which ties everything up too neatly.]]> 3.60 1938
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1938
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: mystery, classics, z_ps25, made-to-movie
review:
I must admit, I'm jealous of Poirot for visiting Petra in this adventure! Petra has been on my bucket list for so long and it was delightful to see it through Agatha Christie's eyes.

The book is centered on the Boynton family, dominated by their tyrannical matriarch, Mrs. Boynton, who has a tight grip on her stepchildren and daughter, which creates a lot of tension and resentment within the family. These people, although adults now, have been raised in isolation and have little idea of the outside world. It is implied that Mrs. Boynton was (and still is) psychologically abusive, to the point where the oldest sibling has become passive and uninterested in everything around him, despite his wife's repeated efforts to take him out of this family and build a life for himself, while the youngest (and only natural child of the matriarch) became mentally unstable and created an alternate life for herself where she is a princess that had been abducted and imprisoned by Mrs. Boynton. The psychological abuse is doubled by Mrs. Boynton's tight control over the money left by her late husband, which means the children have no means to support themselves if they leave the family.

During a trip to Petra, Mrs. Boynton is found dead, apparently from natural causes. However, Poirot, who is a tourist himself, is called to investigate and suspects that her death may be the result of foul play. But he has only 24 hours to solve the case, so he must work fast to untangle the complex web of family secrets, suppressed emotions and motives behind the murder. The situation is complicated by other characters who come into play and who, apparently, are just bystanders, until Poirot uncovers their ties to the Boyntons.

The novel starts slow and the murder only occurs after about 100 pages, which, on one hand, gives us a chance to get to know everyone involved, but on the other, the anticipation of the murder made me want to see things move faster. Agatha Christie built Mrs. Boynton's character in such a way that I, as a reader, not only anticipated her death, but actually hoped this would happen. It's a fascinating study on abuse and toxic family relationships and how they can lead to desperate actions.

The most interesting aspect for me, here, is Poirot’s sense of justice and fairness. This contrasts with the moral ambiguity surrounding the murder. We, as readers, want to see Mrs. Boynton out of the picture, maybe permanently, but for Poirot, things are less nuanced - he is seeking justice above everything else.

“The moral character of the victim has nothing to do with it! A human being who has exercised the right of private judgment and taken the life of another human being is not safe to exist amongst the community.��

To me, things were clear from very early on, after a certain phrase issued by the victim itself. I found the story predictable and the mystery quite easy to solve. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy following Poirot's investigation, he is always fun to watch, especially with his quirks - I mean, who in their right mind wears uncomfortable shoes in the desert just because he always needs to be perfectly put together?

This is one of those Christie novels that excels in atmosphere and character development and allows the readers time to come up with their own theories. But the slower pace and somewhat abrupt resolution made the book uneven. And I hated the ending - I always hate it when the author resorts to "the easy way out" for the culprit - and didn't understand the need for the epilogue, which ties everything up too neatly.
]]> 221317647 Publishers Weekly



Când pandemia de COVID-19 lovește New York-ul, Jamie Gray ajunge să fie blocat într-un loc de muncă fără perspective, livrând mâncare. Asta până când face o livrare pentru un vechi cunoscut care lucrează la ceea ce el numește „o organizație pentru drepturile animalelor��. Echipa lui Tom are nevoie urgentă de un ajutor pentru următoarea misiune. Jamie, dispus să facă orice, acceptă imediat.

Ceea ce Tom nu-i spune lui Jamie este că animalele de care se ocupă echipa sa nu sunt pe Pământ. Cel puțin, nu pe Pământul nostru. Într-un univers paralel, creaturi masive asemănătoare dinozaurilor, numite Kaiju, cutreieră o lume caldă și lipsită de oameni. Sunt cele mai mari și periculoase „panda�� ale universului și se află în pericol.

Însă nu doar Societatea pentru protecția kaiju a ajuns în această lume alternativă. Și alții au ajuns aici. Iar neglijența lor ar putea duce la moartea a milioane de oameni pe Pământul nostru.



„Cu umor și har de maestru povestitor, Scalzi construiește o evadare literară perfectă pentru iubitorii de aventură, SF și animale uriașe.��
Marian Coman, redactor-șef Armada]]> 278 John Scalzi 6064319755 Nona 2 z_ps25, sci-fi 3.77 2022
author: John Scalzi
name: Nona
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/05
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: z_ps25, sci-fi
review:

]]> 222559832 464 Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu 6064024674 Nona 5
Desigur, romanul lui Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu este mult mai complex de atât. Așa cum ne-a obișnuit de la „Abraxas��, autorul ne poartă într-un soi de delir literar, prin viețile și experiențele mai multor personaje, ale căror destine se leagă în moduri uneori surprinzătoare, explorând ideea de traumă atât din interior, cât și didactic, din exterior. Dacă în romanul anterior m-a bântuit Prințesa Ralu, aici nu avem doar un singur personaj puternic, ci triada formată din Ibra-Smara-Diallo pare uneori o hidră greu de despărțit în indivizi, chiar și în momentele în care cei trei pleacă pe drumuri diferite.

Figura - sau, mai bine zis, absența - tatălui domină romanul. Diallo a avut o prezență fizică efemeră, dar nu a ieșit niciodată cu adevărat din viața lui Ibra, lăsând în urmă un bărbat-băiat marcat de ideea răului, pe care îl caută obsesiv, la fel cum își caută tatăl - în amintire, în imaginație, în alte persoane din jur și, la final, alegând să-l caute de-adevărat, pornind într-o aventură ce marchează finalul unei jumătăți de viață trăită în pasivitate.

Gigi-Ibra e un personaj blocat între două lumi: cea a mamei, palpabilă, în nuanțele de gri ale periferiei Bucureștiului, în același spațiu pre și post-revoluționar pe care l-am străbătut și în romanul anterior; și cea a tatălui, care capătă dimensiunile mitologice ale continentului de unde acesta provine. Ibra cel cu pielea ciocolatie, pe care ajungem să-l îndrăgim dinainte să-i aflăm ascendența, într-o mișcare genială a autorului de-a nu ni-l descrie până spre pagina 50, pentru a ne da ocazia să-l cunoaștem dincolo de orice preconcepții. Îl însoțim încă dinainte de naștere, prin aventura „scandaloasă�� în epocă a părinților săi, prin copilăria din Doamna Ghica și adolescența din centrul Bucureștiului, pe tot parcursul primei jumătăți a vieții - o existență letargică aproape, a unui „go with the flow�� nesatisfăcător.

Dar, în paralel, într-un roman neliniar care ne poartă prin diferite epoci unde liniile dintre istorie și fantezie sunt estompate, Stănescu ne duce, din aproape în aproape, de-a lungul unui întreg lanț genealogic unde întâlnim un preot abuziv, o mătușă schizofrenică, un psihiatru educat de KGB, un scriitor neamț, un trădător nazist, într-o tornadă care absoarbe suflete și le scuipă afară spre a-și lăsa amprenta de neșters asupra lui Ibra. Toate acestea într-un periplu care depășește nu doar granițele Bucureștiului, ci și ale țării, plin de simboluri pe care nu știu cine ar putea să le descâlcească după o singură citire.

Mi-a plăcut enorm modul în care acest roman se construiește parcă de la sine. Nu avem capitole, deși am putea oarecum identifica trei părți distincte, inegale ca lungime și complexitate, dar care ajung să creeze un tot unitar. M-a fascinat modul în care Stănescu a făcut trecerea de la un personaj la altul și de la o poveste la alta, pe nesimțite. Această tactică, de altfel, a făcut ca romanul să fie aproape imposibil de lăsat din mână - te știi în povestea lui Ibra, pentru ca, peste câteva pagini și fără să-ți dai seama cum ai ajuns acolo - hipnotic, aproape - să fii în Timișoara postbelică sau în casa de modă a Mamei Mina sau într-o peșteră din Ur. Episodul Sulina cred că a fost partea mea preferată și cea mai atmosferică și senină - de altfel, singurul moment cu adevărat senin al unui roman plin de zbucium, acea pace care vine cu libertatea adolescenței și pe care o pierdem ca adulți.

M-a atras mult și tonul uneori satiric al cărții, referințele tongue-in-cheek la anumite persoane și evenimente din istoria recentă a României, cum ar fi acel fotbalist furat de Nicu Ceaușescu de la Dinamo, Mama „Mina��, care făcea jocurile în moda anilor 80, dar și progeniturile cuplului prezidențial. Tot satiric mi s-a părut și momentul de delir ritualic al naziștilor - pe care a trebuit să-l citesc de mai multe ori înainte să înțeleg ce citesc de fapt. Ca să nu mai vorbesc de „republica de la Sibiu��, o bucată de istorie alternativă care ar putea fi ușor confundată cu istoria reală.

După ce am citit „Abraxas�� anul trecut, nu am crezut că voi mai găsi un roman care să mă absoarbă atât de complet, dar iată că Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu a plusat cu „Soarele negru��, o carte pe care deja simt nevoia să o recitesc, pentru că nu simt că i-am înțeles nici pe jumătate simbolistica - de unde și această recenzie pe care o simt haotică, pentru că mi-e greu să-mi adun ideile. Pentru mine, Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu rămâne unul din marii prozatori ai zilelor noastre.]]> 4.60
author: Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu
name: Nona
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/17
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: romanian-authors, faves, historical
review:
O poveste în poveste în poveste în poveste... una cu multiple interpretări, dar pe care eu o rezum la o idee principală care m-a bântuit pe tot parcursul lecturii: suntem suma tuturor celor care au fost înaintea noastră.

Desigur, romanul lui Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu este mult mai complex de atât. Așa cum ne-a obișnuit de la „Abraxas��, autorul ne poartă într-un soi de delir literar, prin viețile și experiențele mai multor personaje, ale căror destine se leagă în moduri uneori surprinzătoare, explorând ideea de traumă atât din interior, cât și didactic, din exterior. Dacă în romanul anterior m-a bântuit Prințesa Ralu, aici nu avem doar un singur personaj puternic, ci triada formată din Ibra-Smara-Diallo pare uneori o hidră greu de despărțit în indivizi, chiar și în momentele în care cei trei pleacă pe drumuri diferite.

Figura - sau, mai bine zis, absența - tatălui domină romanul. Diallo a avut o prezență fizică efemeră, dar nu a ieșit niciodată cu adevărat din viața lui Ibra, lăsând în urmă un bărbat-băiat marcat de ideea răului, pe care îl caută obsesiv, la fel cum își caută tatăl - în amintire, în imaginație, în alte persoane din jur și, la final, alegând să-l caute de-adevărat, pornind într-o aventură ce marchează finalul unei jumătăți de viață trăită în pasivitate.

Gigi-Ibra e un personaj blocat între două lumi: cea a mamei, palpabilă, în nuanțele de gri ale periferiei Bucureștiului, în același spațiu pre și post-revoluționar pe care l-am străbătut și în romanul anterior; și cea a tatălui, care capătă dimensiunile mitologice ale continentului de unde acesta provine. Ibra cel cu pielea ciocolatie, pe care ajungem să-l îndrăgim dinainte să-i aflăm ascendența, într-o mișcare genială a autorului de-a nu ni-l descrie până spre pagina 50, pentru a ne da ocazia să-l cunoaștem dincolo de orice preconcepții. Îl însoțim încă dinainte de naștere, prin aventura „scandaloasă�� în epocă a părinților săi, prin copilăria din Doamna Ghica și adolescența din centrul Bucureștiului, pe tot parcursul primei jumătăți a vieții - o existență letargică aproape, a unui „go with the flow�� nesatisfăcător.

Dar, în paralel, într-un roman neliniar care ne poartă prin diferite epoci unde liniile dintre istorie și fantezie sunt estompate, Stănescu ne duce, din aproape în aproape, de-a lungul unui întreg lanț genealogic unde întâlnim un preot abuziv, o mătușă schizofrenică, un psihiatru educat de KGB, un scriitor neamț, un trădător nazist, într-o tornadă care absoarbe suflete și le scuipă afară spre a-și lăsa amprenta de neșters asupra lui Ibra. Toate acestea într-un periplu care depășește nu doar granițele Bucureștiului, ci și ale țării, plin de simboluri pe care nu știu cine ar putea să le descâlcească după o singură citire.

Mi-a plăcut enorm modul în care acest roman se construiește parcă de la sine. Nu avem capitole, deși am putea oarecum identifica trei părți distincte, inegale ca lungime și complexitate, dar care ajung să creeze un tot unitar. M-a fascinat modul în care Stănescu a făcut trecerea de la un personaj la altul și de la o poveste la alta, pe nesimțite. Această tactică, de altfel, a făcut ca romanul să fie aproape imposibil de lăsat din mână - te știi în povestea lui Ibra, pentru ca, peste câteva pagini și fără să-ți dai seama cum ai ajuns acolo - hipnotic, aproape - să fii în Timișoara postbelică sau în casa de modă a Mamei Mina sau într-o peșteră din Ur. Episodul Sulina cred că a fost partea mea preferată și cea mai atmosferică și senină - de altfel, singurul moment cu adevărat senin al unui roman plin de zbucium, acea pace care vine cu libertatea adolescenței și pe care o pierdem ca adulți.

M-a atras mult și tonul uneori satiric al cărții, referințele tongue-in-cheek la anumite persoane și evenimente din istoria recentă a României, cum ar fi acel fotbalist furat de Nicu Ceaușescu de la Dinamo, Mama „Mina��, care făcea jocurile în moda anilor 80, dar și progeniturile cuplului prezidențial. Tot satiric mi s-a părut și momentul de delir ritualic al naziștilor - pe care a trebuit să-l citesc de mai multe ori înainte să înțeleg ce citesc de fapt. Ca să nu mai vorbesc de „republica de la Sibiu��, o bucată de istorie alternativă care ar putea fi ușor confundată cu istoria reală.

După ce am citit „Abraxas�� anul trecut, nu am crezut că voi mai găsi un roman care să mă absoarbă atât de complet, dar iată că Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu a plusat cu „Soarele negru��, o carte pe care deja simt nevoia să o recitesc, pentru că nu simt că i-am înțeles nici pe jumătate simbolistica - de unde și această recenzie pe care o simt haotică, pentru că mi-e greu să-mi adun ideile. Pentru mine, Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu rămâne unul din marii prozatori ai zilelor noastre.
]]> 216682082
A novel of enormous wit and profound emotional resonance from one of the world's finest writers.

In Colm Toibin's masterful new novel, we are reunited with Eilis Lacey, the heroine of Brooklyn, twenty years on, in the 1970s, living with her husband, Tony Fiorello, and her children in a house in Long Island, rather too close to her Fiorello in-laws. A shocking piece of news propels Eilis back to Ireland, to a world she thought she had long left behind and to ways of living, and loving, she thought she had lost.]]> Colm Tóibín Nona 3 historical, romance, z_ps25
In "Long Island", Eilis and Tony have been married for around 20 years and have children in high-school. They live - clearly - on Long Island, in the same suburb as Tony's parents and siblings, a close-knit community where everyone knows everybody's business. Her seemingly perfect, peaceful life starts to show cracks after a man turns up at her door one day, telling her that Tony had an affair with his wife, who is now pregnant, and he will bring the baby to her once it is born. Torn between her family and Tony's betrayal, Eilis returns to Ireland for the first time in 20 years, in an effort to find herself again, reconnect with her roots and allow herself time to make decisions for the future.

As opposed to "Brooklyn", this novel does not only follow Eilis. Instead, we have multiple POVs that include those of Nancy, her former childhood friend, and Jim, Eilis' former suitor. Although still mostly introspective, the multiple POV structure gives the story a higher dynamic in terms of plot and character construction and more complexity. Not being exclusively in Eilis' head made me, surprisingly, empathize more with her, as the relationships between her and her family and friends (both those at home and those in Ireland) are explored.

Tóibín revisits the themes of identity and belonging he had examined in "Brooklyn", but adds more depth here, as Eilis now has a family and an established life on Long Island, which she is not willing to abandon. But she is still stuck between two worlds, masking her Irish accent while at home and her American accent while in Ireland, trying to fit in in both places, becoming a master at deflection. Returning to her home town, where many things have changed - some of them triggered by her actions two decades before - , Eilis feels alienated, questioning whether this is truly a homecoming or merely a desperate search for the idea of peacefulness she had imagined she would find there.

The tone is still detached, but I felt more emotion here, although a lot of that is repressed - not only by her, but by the other characters she meets, to whom she cannot truly reconnect to the same level of intimacy. Nancy is hiding things from her, while trying to feign that they are still friends, her brothers don't know her at all, and her mother is treating her with a passive-agressiveness that hides a lot of hurt.

My main issue was with the abrupt way the book ended, with no resolution in any shape or form. It felt like the author had no idea what to do with it and he just stopped writing. I was ready to put Eilis' story to rest, but Colm Tóibín apparently won't let us, and as such, the soap-opera continues. I don't know, though, whether I'll be willing to revisit it when this happens.]]> 3.82 2024
author: Colm Tóibín
name: Nona
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves: historical, romance, z_ps25
review:
3.5* and a whole lot of annoyance at that ending. Because I was more than ready to leave Eilis behind, but apparently she doesn't want to leave me. Where "Brooklyn"'s ending, although open, in a way, felt like closure, "Long Island" has a very clear open, "I'll write another sequel for sure" finale. It was too abrupt and left me utterly unsatisfied. Thus the 3.5 instead of 4.

In "Long Island", Eilis and Tony have been married for around 20 years and have children in high-school. They live - clearly - on Long Island, in the same suburb as Tony's parents and siblings, a close-knit community where everyone knows everybody's business. Her seemingly perfect, peaceful life starts to show cracks after a man turns up at her door one day, telling her that Tony had an affair with his wife, who is now pregnant, and he will bring the baby to her once it is born. Torn between her family and Tony's betrayal, Eilis returns to Ireland for the first time in 20 years, in an effort to find herself again, reconnect with her roots and allow herself time to make decisions for the future.

As opposed to "Brooklyn", this novel does not only follow Eilis. Instead, we have multiple POVs that include those of Nancy, her former childhood friend, and Jim, Eilis' former suitor. Although still mostly introspective, the multiple POV structure gives the story a higher dynamic in terms of plot and character construction and more complexity. Not being exclusively in Eilis' head made me, surprisingly, empathize more with her, as the relationships between her and her family and friends (both those at home and those in Ireland) are explored.

Tóibín revisits the themes of identity and belonging he had examined in "Brooklyn", but adds more depth here, as Eilis now has a family and an established life on Long Island, which she is not willing to abandon. But she is still stuck between two worlds, masking her Irish accent while at home and her American accent while in Ireland, trying to fit in in both places, becoming a master at deflection. Returning to her home town, where many things have changed - some of them triggered by her actions two decades before - , Eilis feels alienated, questioning whether this is truly a homecoming or merely a desperate search for the idea of peacefulness she had imagined she would find there.

The tone is still detached, but I felt more emotion here, although a lot of that is repressed - not only by her, but by the other characters she meets, to whom she cannot truly reconnect to the same level of intimacy. Nancy is hiding things from her, while trying to feign that they are still friends, her brothers don't know her at all, and her mother is treating her with a passive-agressiveness that hides a lot of hurt.

My main issue was with the abrupt way the book ended, with no resolution in any shape or form. It felt like the author had no idea what to do with it and he just stopped writing. I was ready to put Eilis' story to rest, but Colm Tóibín apparently won't let us, and as such, the soap-opera continues. I don't know, though, whether I'll be willing to revisit it when this happens.
]]> 220626787
În sud-vestul Japoniei, între provinciile Kagawa și Okayama, insula Teshima găzduiește Shinzō-on no Ākaibu, Arhiva Bătăilor de Inimă. Încântătoare și emoționantă, povestea țesută în jurul acestei insule îi are în centrul său pe Shūichi, ilustratorul de 40 de ani cu o cicatrice pe piept, și pe Kenta, un copil cu o aureolă misterioasă. Istoria unei prietenii extraordinare, a unor inimi care vor ajunge să bată la unison și a unui nou început își confruntă cititorii cu cele mai importante întrebări: Cum depășim obstacolele de netrecut? Cum recunoaștem oamenii și întâlnirile care ne schimbă viețile pentru totdeauna? Sunt inimile noastre capabile să redescopere seninătatea fiecărei zile? Cu o structură originală și liberă, romanul onorează frumusețea vieții și delicatețea culturii japoneze, aducându-ne mai aproape de filozofia reconcilierii cu propriul trecut.]]> 278 Laura Imai Messina 6060974929 Nona 5
The novel is set in Japan and follows Shūichi, a children's book author and illustrator, who returns to his hometown of Kamakura to settle his late mother's affairs after her death. During this time, he meets Kenta, an eight-year-old boy who, upset by Shūichi's remodelling activities in his mother's home, begins to steal different objects that had been put into storage. We later discover that Kenta had formed a bond with Shūichi's mother, and the two protagonists - the adult and the child - form an unlikely friendship that changes both their lives. It's a journey of mutual healing, where the heart - seen as both an organ and a metaphysical concept - needs to be mended.

The story uses the real museum of “Les Archives du Cœur�� (the Library of Heartbeats) on Teshima Island, a place which houses recordings of heartbeats from people worldwide, as an anchor, a symbol which returns throughout the novel as a place of healing and reconnection.

The novel follows a non-linear narrative. As the friendship between Shūichi and Kenta deepens, we are taken back into both characters' past and understand the events that led to their current state of mind. While Shūichi is battling the memories of his son's death and the failing of his marriage, Kenta hides a secret that ties him to Shūichi's family at a deeper level than anticipated.

The book is all vibes, no plot. Or not so much plot-focused. I found the story predictable, but this didn't really impact my enjoyment and emotional involvement with the story. I am more of a character-focused reader and Messina spoke directly to my heart with her novel. Shūichi, mostly, but also Kenta are fully-fleshed characters, and following their journey was both emotional and uplifting. Shūichi's road is one of reconciling with loss and finding a path forward, while he wrestles with unresolved feelings about his late mother and his life choices. It was a delight following his creative vision change as his heart heals and his life becomes more colorful. Kenta, on the other hand, is a key catalyst for change in Shūichi’s life and comes with a surprising depth of wisdom for his age.

And then there's Shūichi's mother. Although she's dead, she still constitutes a strong presence in her son's life and in the story itself. Her influence is still felt in her relationships, especially with Kenta, and in the memories she left behind for Shūichi, who remembers his childhood as one of artificial happiness, as his mother constantly tried, over the years, to erase from his memory all traces of any unhappy incident that affected him. I find myself unable to agree with her - despite her good intentions, manipulating your own child to believe he had a dreamy childhood where nothing bad ever happened impacted him throughout his whole life, into adulthood.

I absolutely adored Laura Imai Messina's prose, poetic, atmospheric, with a contemplative quality to it. It's a sensory journey that immersed me both into the Japanese culture and in the minds and emotions of the characters. The narrative is sprinkled with moments of quiet reflection, that made me, along with the characters, pause to reconsider my place in the world. The use of symbolism is strong - the imagery of the heartbeats ties directly to the themes of life and death (so many sounds for heartbeats, in different languages and in Japanese, based on the type of emotions felt! Beautiful!).

This novel was an emotional journey for me, on multiple levels. I found here a delicate balance between introspective depth and beauty and it drove me to reflection. Laura Imai Messina is an author I want to read more from in the future.]]> 4.43 2022
author: Laura Imai Messina
name: Nona
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves: faves, contemporary, for-rainy-days, romance, z_ps25
review:
Lately (in the past year, more specifically) I seem to have fallen in love with contemporary Italian writers, and I've just added a new author I want to follow. Because Laura Imai Messina's writing is splendid. This book, in fact, is splendid from start to finish, in every aspect - not only the prose, but the themes, the characters, the way she handled emotions. "The Heartbeat Library" is the definition if healing fiction.

The novel is set in Japan and follows Shūichi, a children's book author and illustrator, who returns to his hometown of Kamakura to settle his late mother's affairs after her death. During this time, he meets Kenta, an eight-year-old boy who, upset by Shūichi's remodelling activities in his mother's home, begins to steal different objects that had been put into storage. We later discover that Kenta had formed a bond with Shūichi's mother, and the two protagonists - the adult and the child - form an unlikely friendship that changes both their lives. It's a journey of mutual healing, where the heart - seen as both an organ and a metaphysical concept - needs to be mended.

The story uses the real museum of “Les Archives du Cœur�� (the Library of Heartbeats) on Teshima Island, a place which houses recordings of heartbeats from people worldwide, as an anchor, a symbol which returns throughout the novel as a place of healing and reconnection.

The novel follows a non-linear narrative. As the friendship between Shūichi and Kenta deepens, we are taken back into both characters' past and understand the events that led to their current state of mind. While Shūichi is battling the memories of his son's death and the failing of his marriage, Kenta hides a secret that ties him to Shūichi's family at a deeper level than anticipated.

The book is all vibes, no plot. Or not so much plot-focused. I found the story predictable, but this didn't really impact my enjoyment and emotional involvement with the story. I am more of a character-focused reader and Messina spoke directly to my heart with her novel. Shūichi, mostly, but also Kenta are fully-fleshed characters, and following their journey was both emotional and uplifting. Shūichi's road is one of reconciling with loss and finding a path forward, while he wrestles with unresolved feelings about his late mother and his life choices. It was a delight following his creative vision change as his heart heals and his life becomes more colorful. Kenta, on the other hand, is a key catalyst for change in Shūichi’s life and comes with a surprising depth of wisdom for his age.

And then there's Shūichi's mother. Although she's dead, she still constitutes a strong presence in her son's life and in the story itself. Her influence is still felt in her relationships, especially with Kenta, and in the memories she left behind for Shūichi, who remembers his childhood as one of artificial happiness, as his mother constantly tried, over the years, to erase from his memory all traces of any unhappy incident that affected him. I find myself unable to agree with her - despite her good intentions, manipulating your own child to believe he had a dreamy childhood where nothing bad ever happened impacted him throughout his whole life, into adulthood.

I absolutely adored Laura Imai Messina's prose, poetic, atmospheric, with a contemplative quality to it. It's a sensory journey that immersed me both into the Japanese culture and in the minds and emotions of the characters. The narrative is sprinkled with moments of quiet reflection, that made me, along with the characters, pause to reconsider my place in the world. The use of symbolism is strong - the imagery of the heartbeats ties directly to the themes of life and death (so many sounds for heartbeats, in different languages and in Japanese, based on the type of emotions felt! Beautiful!).

This novel was an emotional journey for me, on multiple levels. I found here a delicate balance between introspective depth and beauty and it drove me to reflection. Laura Imai Messina is an author I want to read more from in the future.
]]> 221318609
Carlo Vecce, profesor la Universitatea din Napoli, este autorul unei descoperiri uluitoare: actul de eliberare al unei sclave de origine cercheză, Caterina. Toate documentele puse cap la cap cu minuțiozitatea unui investigator conduc spre convingerea ea că ar fi chiar mama lui Leonardo da Vinci. Din fiecare detaliu al cărții acestui excelent leonardist țâșnește iubirea acestuia pentru redarea onestă, bazată exclusiv pe documente autentice, a universului multietnic, colorat și viu din jurul bazinului mediteranean de acum jumătate de mileniu. O poveste despre robie și libertate, la fel de actuală și în zilele noastre și o abilă reconstrucție romanescă a unei descoperiri istorice.]]> 568 Carlo Vecce 6060974902 Nona 0 to-read 3.91
author: Carlo Vecce
name: Nona
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62813278
Sub aparența unei suite de întrebări și răspunsuri �� un interviu pentru un site dedicat literaturii ��, Eshkol Nevo construiește un roman profund și captivant despre un scriitor israelian de succes, care îi seamănă neliniștitor de mult. Fiecare întrebare este punctul de plecare a unui fir narativ, iar din mănunchiul acestora se țese confesiunea curajoasă a unui bărbat silit să constate că tot ce a clădit pare să se năruie. Căsnicia lui este într-un impas pe care singur l-a creat. Fiica lui cea mare a plecat de acasă, simțindu-se trădată de un tată pentru care realitatea e o sursă de ficțiune, iar sentimentele celor dragi, un izvor de inspirație. Prietenul cel mai bun este lovit de o boală necruțătoare, dar poveștile nu îi pot alina suferința. Început cu dezinvoltură și chiar frivolitate, interviul devine tot mai serios, silindu-l pe artistul matur să se maturizeze ca om și să își reconsidere istoria personală: a fost literatura un refugiu din fața vieții, sau i s-a substituit, iar acum el trebuie să plătească prețul?]]> 344 Eshkol Nevo 6060970699 Nona 5 contemporary World Cup Wishes. "The Last Interview" was equally beautiful, but in another way.

We still have friendship here, one that marks the protagonist's life in a significant way, and relationships are also a main theme, be it those between parents and children, those between spouses, or even transient relationships that leave a fleeting memory. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be autofiction - it feels like it, the tone is introspective, veering towards stream of consciousness.

The protagonist is a writer of some success, with a failing marriage and a best friend dying of cancer (these are not really spoilers, we find these out pretty soon). He agrees to respond to an interview - a series of questions collected from all sorts of people from the internet, to which he responds in writing, over the course of multiple weeks. At first, the questions seem straightforward and lighthearted and he answers them cheerfully, providing a glimpse into his professional life. But as the interview moves forward and the questions become more probing, his answers are less about responding to the actual question and more about deep diving into his personal life. He goes more and more in depth about his his strained relationship with his wife, his role as a writer and his professional doubts, the difficulties with his children, his friendships and his past.

We have a non-traditional life story, half coming-of-age, half confession, in which the protagonist, who shares the name and some biographical details (such as his grandfather being Levi Eshkol, the third prime minister of Israel) with the author himself, becomes more and more unhinged as he dissects every little aspect of his part and present life, in a nonlinear narrative that moves between temporal planes in a seemingly chaotic fashion.

But all this apparent chaos is an emotional roller-coaster that would make a psychologist have an exciting ride into the protagonist's head. I rooted for the character, I really did, despite his somewhat questionable decisions, especially regarding his marriage. He opens up completely, letting the reader in, showing us that he is profoundly human and that humans, even those we see as idols, make mistakes, cheat, fight with their children, abandon their friends, have doubts and impostor syndrome, live a conflictual life between the public persona and their personal identity.

(Coincidentally, I read today an article by John Scalzi titled "Please Don’t Idolize Me (or Anyone, Really)", where he talks about the need people have to idolize creative people such as writers, actors etc. and become really disappointed when they turn out to be human and, thus, make mistakes. Go read it, it's quite good.)

The interview format shifts and the boundaries between the narrator’s reality and fiction blur, and some of the protagonist's confessions are contradictory, taking the book into the unreliable narrator realm. It's a very character-focused novel, with barely an intrigue, with may become tedious, but you keep going, although you anticipate the ending and it's like watching a train wreck happen. Novel-Eshkol has, as psychologists put it, a series of realizations where the narrator's defenses crumble, leaving him exposed.

The novel is also mildly political, anchored (the same as "World Cup Wishes") into the Israeli society and touching (subtly) on some aspects such as the military service (mandatory for Israeli citizens), the Green Line and life beyond it, the Intifadas, the vibrant life of Tel-Aviv and other aspects.

While I was conflicted at first, I ended up appreciating Nevo's intimate writing and the unconventional Q&A format that turned this book into a long confession. It was a 4,5 �� for me.]]> 4.22 2018
author: Eshkol Nevo
name: Nona
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/11
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: contemporary
review:
My previous encounter with Eshkol Nevo was with one of the most (if not THE most - after LOTR, duh!) beautiful books about friendship I've ever read - World Cup Wishes. "The Last Interview" was equally beautiful, but in another way.

We still have friendship here, one that marks the protagonist's life in a significant way, and relationships are also a main theme, be it those between parents and children, those between spouses, or even transient relationships that leave a fleeting memory. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be autofiction - it feels like it, the tone is introspective, veering towards stream of consciousness.

The protagonist is a writer of some success, with a failing marriage and a best friend dying of cancer (these are not really spoilers, we find these out pretty soon). He agrees to respond to an interview - a series of questions collected from all sorts of people from the internet, to which he responds in writing, over the course of multiple weeks. At first, the questions seem straightforward and lighthearted and he answers them cheerfully, providing a glimpse into his professional life. But as the interview moves forward and the questions become more probing, his answers are less about responding to the actual question and more about deep diving into his personal life. He goes more and more in depth about his his strained relationship with his wife, his role as a writer and his professional doubts, the difficulties with his children, his friendships and his past.

We have a non-traditional life story, half coming-of-age, half confession, in which the protagonist, who shares the name and some biographical details (such as his grandfather being Levi Eshkol, the third prime minister of Israel) with the author himself, becomes more and more unhinged as he dissects every little aspect of his part and present life, in a nonlinear narrative that moves between temporal planes in a seemingly chaotic fashion.

But all this apparent chaos is an emotional roller-coaster that would make a psychologist have an exciting ride into the protagonist's head. I rooted for the character, I really did, despite his somewhat questionable decisions, especially regarding his marriage. He opens up completely, letting the reader in, showing us that he is profoundly human and that humans, even those we see as idols, make mistakes, cheat, fight with their children, abandon their friends, have doubts and impostor syndrome, live a conflictual life between the public persona and their personal identity.

(Coincidentally, I read today an article by John Scalzi titled "Please Don’t Idolize Me (or Anyone, Really)", where he talks about the need people have to idolize creative people such as writers, actors etc. and become really disappointed when they turn out to be human and, thus, make mistakes. Go read it, it's quite good.)

The interview format shifts and the boundaries between the narrator’s reality and fiction blur, and some of the protagonist's confessions are contradictory, taking the book into the unreliable narrator realm. It's a very character-focused novel, with barely an intrigue, with may become tedious, but you keep going, although you anticipate the ending and it's like watching a train wreck happen. Novel-Eshkol has, as psychologists put it, a series of realizations where the narrator's defenses crumble, leaving him exposed.

The novel is also mildly political, anchored (the same as "World Cup Wishes") into the Israeli society and touching (subtly) on some aspects such as the military service (mandatory for Israeli citizens), the Green Line and life beyond it, the Intifadas, the vibrant life of Tel-Aviv and other aspects.

While I was conflicted at first, I ended up appreciating Nevo's intimate writing and the unconventional Q&A format that turned this book into a long confession. It was a 4,5 �� for me.
]]> 63879511
Când Miss Marple vine în vacanță la Londra, găsește la hotelul Bertram ceea ce căuta: decor tradițional, servicii impecabile, brioșe pregătite ca pe vremuri și amintirile copilăriei.

Dar descoperă și ceva absolut neașteptat: atmosfera inconfundabilă de pericol din spatele manierelor impecabile ale personalului și al distinșilor oaspeți ai hotelului �� doamne respectabile, fețe bisericești, ofițeri în retragere și tinere ieșite de la pension.

Totuși, nici măcar Miss Marple nu poate să prevadă lanțul de evenimente violente ce se declanșează atunci când un oaspete zăpăcit ajunge la aeroport în ziua greșită.]]> 7 Agatha Christie Nona 3 classics, mystery
When Canon Pennyfather, known for being just a little bit too absentminded, disappears instead of going to a conference in Lucerne, the police stumbles upon a crime ring that seems to have ties with the respectable hotel. Miss Marple, who happens to stay at the same hotel on a short vacation, uses her "old maid" invisibility cloak to listen in to various conversations and uncovers long lost secrets that help the police solve a murder and discover the crime ring members.

The entire idea of Bertram's Hotel fascinated me. Sometimes, Agatha Christie's mysteries might seem repetitive, murders committed by the same type of people and generally for the same reasons, but I was intrigued by the robberies and how they were coordinated and put together. I was equally fascinated by some of the characters, mostly the interesting Lady Sedgwick and Chief Inspector Fred Davy, with his instincts and sometimes unorthodox methods of investigation.

However, I found that this novel was a little bot too all over the place. There's a murder at some point, but it felt random and only added in as an afterthought - the book didn't particularly need it, it was enough to focus on the hotel and the robberies. Miss Marple's presence was episodic and I didn't feel her as involved as in other cases.]]> 3.50 1965
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1965
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/09
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves: classics, mystery
review:
Bertram's Hotel, a staple of old English elegance, where people come to experience things as they once were - the luxury, the impeccable services, the authentic food. Bertram's Hotel - where the staff makes everyone feel like royalty and the guests are old regulars, who know each other from old times. Bertram's Hotel - where everything is a little bit too perfect, too carefully presented, too choreographed.

When Canon Pennyfather, known for being just a little bit too absentminded, disappears instead of going to a conference in Lucerne, the police stumbles upon a crime ring that seems to have ties with the respectable hotel. Miss Marple, who happens to stay at the same hotel on a short vacation, uses her "old maid" invisibility cloak to listen in to various conversations and uncovers long lost secrets that help the police solve a murder and discover the crime ring members.

The entire idea of Bertram's Hotel fascinated me. Sometimes, Agatha Christie's mysteries might seem repetitive, murders committed by the same type of people and generally for the same reasons, but I was intrigued by the robberies and how they were coordinated and put together. I was equally fascinated by some of the characters, mostly the interesting Lady Sedgwick and Chief Inspector Fred Davy, with his instincts and sometimes unorthodox methods of investigation.

However, I found that this novel was a little bot too all over the place. There's a murder at some point, but it felt random and only added in as an afterthought - the book didn't particularly need it, it was enough to focus on the hotel and the robberies. Miss Marple's presence was episodic and I didn't feel her as involved as in other cases.
]]> 123620672 For the first time ever, a special enhanced edition of the enchanting prelude to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout with over 50 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps by J. R. R. Tolkien himself and with the complete text printed in two colours.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again��. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon��

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit was published on 21 September 1937. With a beautiful cover design, a handful of black & white drawings and two maps by the author himself, the book became an instant success and was reprinted shortly afterwards with five colour plates.

Tolkien’s own selection of finished paintings and drawings have become inseparable from his text, adorning editions of The Hobbit for more than 85 years. But the published art has afforded only a glimpse of Tolkien’s creative process, and many additional sketches, coloured drawings and maps �� although exhibited and published elsewhere �� have never appeared within the pages of The Hobbit.

In this unique enhanced edition of Tolkien’s enchanting classic tale, the full panoply of his art is reproduced for the first time, presenting more than 50 illustrations to accompany Bilbo Baggins on his adventure ‘there and back again��.]]> 273 J.R.R. Tolkien 0008627789 Nona 5
I still firmly believe this book is perfection. And with Tolkien's own drawings, even more so.

(I've reviewed it two times before, there's nothing new I can say about it.)

/review/show...]]> 4.67 1937
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Nona
average rating: 4.67
book published: 1937
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: adventure, classics, faves, fantasy, made-to-movie, omgs, teen-ya, z_ps25, for-my-inner-child
review:
Reread 2025

I still firmly believe this book is perfection. And with Tolkien's own drawings, even more so.

(I've reviewed it two times before, there's nothing new I can say about it.)

/review/show...
]]> 40046036
A classic tale of American Gothic, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' has found a central place in the collective imagination and inspired many adaptations. Also included in this volume is a selection of some of Irving's most celebrated ghostly tales, such as 'The Phantom Island' and 'The Devil and Tom Walker'.]]> 208 Washington Irving 1847497608 Nona 4 a ghostly tale. Hot take: the movie was better.

This book is a collection of 12 gothic short stories which includes, besides "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", other ghostly and supernatural tales that showcase Irving's talent for blending the macabre with folklore. Most of them are placed in the South of Spain (where Washington Irving spent some time, as Minister to Spain, and fell in love with Andalusia and especially Granada), but there are some where the action takes place in New York and one placed in Malta.

To no one (who knows me)'s surprise, my favorites were those that have Alhambra as a backdrop. During my visit to Granada this summer, I learned of Irving's love story with this region (he even wrote a travelling book titled "Tales of the Alhambra", which I'm interested to read) and I was not in the least surprised that many of his gothic tales took advantage of Granada's fascinating history and mystique associated with the Moorish ancestry. These tales are atmospherically rich, bringing the Alhambra architecture and gardens to life. Irving paints a vivid picture of this palace where history and myth intertwine, creating a magical world filled with ghosts, hidden treasures and other mysteries.

Other tales are placed in his native Manhattan and its surroundings, a place initially settled by colonists from the Dutch Republic. (By the way, Sleepy Hollow is apparently a real place, and Irving is buried there, live and learn!) These tales dive into Dutch folklore and, as opposed to his Andalusian stories, these are darker, more claustrophobic. I enjoyed these less, I'm not into pirate lore, but they are a window into the cultural heritage of early America. My favorite of these was probably "The Devil and Tom Walker", which has Native American inspiration.

I liked the prose - it's a classic, so of course the prose is elegant and lush, but in some of the tales, the rhythm seemed too slow ("The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is an example, where the exposition is incredibly long and then we have two pages of actual intrigue). But overall I really enjoyed this collection, and, as a gothic literature lover, it was a delight to make Irving's acquaintance.]]> 3.08 1820
author: Washington Irving
name: Nona
average rating: 3.08
book published: 1820
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: classics, horror, made-to-movie, shorts
review:
In a collection called "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Ghostly Tales", I liked the "Other Ghostly Tales" more. Mostly because "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is not exactly a ghostly tale. Hot take: the movie was better.

This book is a collection of 12 gothic short stories which includes, besides "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", other ghostly and supernatural tales that showcase Irving's talent for blending the macabre with folklore. Most of them are placed in the South of Spain (where Washington Irving spent some time, as Minister to Spain, and fell in love with Andalusia and especially Granada), but there are some where the action takes place in New York and one placed in Malta.

To no one (who knows me)'s surprise, my favorites were those that have Alhambra as a backdrop. During my visit to Granada this summer, I learned of Irving's love story with this region (he even wrote a travelling book titled "Tales of the Alhambra", which I'm interested to read) and I was not in the least surprised that many of his gothic tales took advantage of Granada's fascinating history and mystique associated with the Moorish ancestry. These tales are atmospherically rich, bringing the Alhambra architecture and gardens to life. Irving paints a vivid picture of this palace where history and myth intertwine, creating a magical world filled with ghosts, hidden treasures and other mysteries.

Other tales are placed in his native Manhattan and its surroundings, a place initially settled by colonists from the Dutch Republic. (By the way, Sleepy Hollow is apparently a real place, and Irving is buried there, live and learn!) These tales dive into Dutch folklore and, as opposed to his Andalusian stories, these are darker, more claustrophobic. I enjoyed these less, I'm not into pirate lore, but they are a window into the cultural heritage of early America. My favorite of these was probably "The Devil and Tom Walker", which has Native American inspiration.

I liked the prose - it's a classic, so of course the prose is elegant and lush, but in some of the tales, the rhythm seemed too slow ("The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is an example, where the exposition is incredibly long and then we have two pages of actual intrigue). But overall I really enjoyed this collection, and, as a gothic literature lover, it was a delight to make Irving's acquaintance.
]]> 58582071 Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snow drifts blocking the roads, someone will have to make the journey on foot.]]> Agatha Christie Nona 4
The story takes place in a remote village called Sittaford, where people find themselves snowbound. Mrs. Willet and her daughter, Violet, arrived from South Africa, rent the comfortable Sittaford House for the winter from Captain Joseph Trevelyan, who moves to the nearby town of Exhampton for the duration of their stay. The book starts with a séance held by the Willets at Sittaford House, during which a spirit supposedly announces the murder of Captain Trevelyan. Alarmed by the revelation, Major Burnaby, a close friend of Trevelyan, treks through the harsh weather to investigate, only to discover that Trevelyan has indeed been killed.

As Trevelyan left behind a large fortune, Inspector Narracott, the lead investigator from the police, turns his attention to James Pearson, Trevelyan’s nephew and heir, who is discovered to have visited the victim the day of the murder. But Pearson's fiancée Emily is convinced of his innocence and teams up with an ambitious journalist, Charles Enderby, to solve the mystery.

For this standalone mystery, I guessed the culprit almost immediately. The séance revealed enough information for me to form an opinion and Narracott's early investigation also gave me the motive. But that didn't take anything away from the excitement of reading this novel, I enjoyed following Emily in her efforts to clear her fiancé's name. She is smart and resourceful and very determined to prove James’s innocence.

I enjoyed the claustrophobic atmosphere created by the snowy, isolated setting. The wintry backdrop is used to create suspense and was perfect for a winter read. And of course, we have an eclectic cast of characters, which add depth to the mystery and generate a few red herrings. There were some pacing issues towards the middle, but nothing that would hinder my enjoyment.

The book was perfect for a cozy winter read and I was actually happy that it is a standalone. I'll be returning to Poirot in January.]]> 3.78 1931
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1931
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: classics, made-to-movie, mystery
review:
Another year of Agatha Christie has ended and I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. The main reason I was excited to read this was because it doesn't feature either Poirot or Miss Marple (which I love, but it's nice to take a break from them from time to time). Instead, the novel has an entirely surprising "detective": the fiancé of the main suspect.

The story takes place in a remote village called Sittaford, where people find themselves snowbound. Mrs. Willet and her daughter, Violet, arrived from South Africa, rent the comfortable Sittaford House for the winter from Captain Joseph Trevelyan, who moves to the nearby town of Exhampton for the duration of their stay. The book starts with a séance held by the Willets at Sittaford House, during which a spirit supposedly announces the murder of Captain Trevelyan. Alarmed by the revelation, Major Burnaby, a close friend of Trevelyan, treks through the harsh weather to investigate, only to discover that Trevelyan has indeed been killed.

As Trevelyan left behind a large fortune, Inspector Narracott, the lead investigator from the police, turns his attention to James Pearson, Trevelyan’s nephew and heir, who is discovered to have visited the victim the day of the murder. But Pearson's fiancée Emily is convinced of his innocence and teams up with an ambitious journalist, Charles Enderby, to solve the mystery.

For this standalone mystery, I guessed the culprit almost immediately. The séance revealed enough information for me to form an opinion and Narracott's early investigation also gave me the motive. But that didn't take anything away from the excitement of reading this novel, I enjoyed following Emily in her efforts to clear her fiancé's name. She is smart and resourceful and very determined to prove James’s innocence.

I enjoyed the claustrophobic atmosphere created by the snowy, isolated setting. The wintry backdrop is used to create suspense and was perfect for a winter read. And of course, we have an eclectic cast of characters, which add depth to the mystery and generate a few red herrings. There were some pacing issues towards the middle, but nothing that would hinder my enjoyment.

The book was perfect for a cozy winter read and I was actually happy that it is a standalone. I'll be returning to Poirot in January.
]]> 219505264
“Come for the Gilmore Girls anecdotes, stay for the revealing truths about what it takes to build a lifelong career in and out of Hollywood�� (The A.V. Club) in this candid and captivating memoir from award-winning and beloved actress Kelly Bishop, spanning her six decades in show business from A Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, and much more.

Kelly Bishop’s long, storied career has been defined by landmark achievements, from winning a Tony Award for her turn in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line to her memorable performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing. But it is probably her iconic role as matriarch Emily in the modern classic Gilmore Girls that cemented her legacy.

Now, Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future with The Third Gilmore Girl. She shares some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she’s learned on her journey. From her early transition from dance to drama, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to the losses and achievements she experienced—among them marching for women’s rights and losing her second husband to cancer—Bishop offers a rich, genuine celebration of her life.

Full of witty insights, The Third Gilmore Girl is a warm, unapologetic, and spirited memoir from a woman who has left indelible impressions on her audiences for decades and has no plans on slowing down.]]> 7 Kelly Bishop Nona 4 biography, non-fiction
And now we finally have Kelly Bishop's autobiography, which I was excited to listen to in the author's own narration. And her narrative voice is exactly what I would have imagined after seeing her in GG and "Bunheads" and watching multiple interviews with her over the years: she's candid and funny, self-deprecating at times, completely honest about her turbulent youth as a dancer (and damn, I've always envied her legs, now I know where she's got them from!) and very sympathetic. In her book, she talks about her 60 years of career in show-business, from being a balet dancer to her years as a Broadway and off-Broadway performer (as a dancer, singer and eventually actor), to her career as a TV and movie actress. Of course, she talks a lot about GG and the family she found there, the close and enduring relationship she built with Amy Sherman-Palladino, Lauren Graham and the much regretted Edward Herrmann.

She's also very honest about her personal life (her activism as a pro-choice advocate, her child-free life, her many pets) and especially about her relationship with her late husband and - as she describes him - the love of her life, Lee Leonard, who has, sadly, died of cancer. The last part, where she talks about her husband, is especially emotional.

Through this memoir, she became an even greater icon for me! If you're a GG fan, you should read this book!]]> 4.39 2024
author: Kelly Bishop
name: Nona
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: biography, non-fiction
review:
Kelly Bishop is a legend, I think, for anyone who is a fan of the "Gilmore Girls" TV show. She was perfectly cast as Lorelai's mother and Emily became, after I've watched the show so many times, one of my favorite characters. In fact, while I mostly identify with Lorelai, as I mature, I understand Emily more and more.

And now we finally have Kelly Bishop's autobiography, which I was excited to listen to in the author's own narration. And her narrative voice is exactly what I would have imagined after seeing her in GG and "Bunheads" and watching multiple interviews with her over the years: she's candid and funny, self-deprecating at times, completely honest about her turbulent youth as a dancer (and damn, I've always envied her legs, now I know where she's got them from!) and very sympathetic. In her book, she talks about her 60 years of career in show-business, from being a balet dancer to her years as a Broadway and off-Broadway performer (as a dancer, singer and eventually actor), to her career as a TV and movie actress. Of course, she talks a lot about GG and the family she found there, the close and enduring relationship she built with Amy Sherman-Palladino, Lauren Graham and the much regretted Edward Herrmann.

She's also very honest about her personal life (her activism as a pro-choice advocate, her child-free life, her many pets) and especially about her relationship with her late husband and - as she describes him - the love of her life, Lee Leonard, who has, sadly, died of cancer. The last part, where she talks about her husband, is especially emotional.

Through this memoir, she became an even greater icon for me! If you're a GG fan, you should read this book!
]]> 58402946 200 Rui Zink 9720034300 Nona 4 sci-fi, contemporary
The book starts with two mysterious men arriving at a woman's door, claiming to represent an unnamed authority and wanting to perform what they call an "installation of fear". The concept is vague and doesn't really get clearer by the end of the book. They start by configuring some sort of equipment, while in the meantime they explain and exemplify (through stories) what fear is and why it needs to be "installed" for everyone. Because, as they say, a population that lacks fear is a population that becomes too comfortable for their own good.

What follows is an disturbing dialogue filled with ambiguity and subtle threats, designed to make the woman become afraid of all sorts of things, from physical threats to xenophobia, fear of getting sick, even fear of economic crises. It's a philosophical debate on fear as a tool of control.

The book is not plot-driven and may seem boring and repetitive at times. It's quite the opposite of what we have grown accustomed to when it comes to contemporary dystopias. Instead, Zink reminded me rather of Aldous Huxley, in the way he explores power dynamics and psychological manipulation. In Zink's society, fear is weaponized to subjugate and silence people, recalling totalitarian regimes but also modern forms of authoritarianism. The fact that we don't really know, not even in the end, what the political and societal context is and how this "installation of fear" began makes it all even more chilling and it created paranoia both for the woman and for me as a reader.

The ending, though, was completely surprising - it's completely unexpected, if we compare it to other dystopias, in that it doesn't give closure in either way - we have no idea if the regime manages to subjugate the population, nor do we know if the population successfully resists and overthrows the regime. The view is completely micro: all we see is the fate of the woman and her two visitors, independently of the world outside the woman's apartment. Is the "installation of fear" successful? Is the woman's paranoia a direct consequence of this "installation"? The ending even has a slight horror element and I found the conclusion karmic.

Zink's prose is quite minimalistic and relies mainly on dialogue. He even says that he intended it to be seen as a play (and it was actually adapted for the stage). I can visualize the stage, the setting, the characters with ease. This dialogue-driven narrative made the story feel real, especially with its sharp and often ironic style. The author even included some literary references (to Cortázar, Lovecraft, even some verses from Camões) which made the text a nice Easter-egg hunt.

My main criticism is in its density - for such a short book, it includes a lot of allegorical and philosophical elements that don't really have time to develop. But it was, for me, an interesting discovery, as Portuguese contemporary writers are not readily available in translation and thus not particularly easy to stumble upon. ]]> 3.55 2012
author: Rui Zink
name: Nona
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: sci-fi, contemporary
review:
Well, this was thought provoking! In this novella, Rui Zink proposes an exploration of the manipulation of fear and its impact on individuals and society. The book was written in 2012, but it could have been published after the 2020 pandemic, that's how much it resonates with those years! In fact, one of the fears he explores here is the fear of an invisible virus that turns the entire planet upside down. Sure, it's not the first novel that tackles this theme ("The Plague" by Camus comes to mind), but I don't think the theme will ever be completely overdone.

The book starts with two mysterious men arriving at a woman's door, claiming to represent an unnamed authority and wanting to perform what they call an "installation of fear". The concept is vague and doesn't really get clearer by the end of the book. They start by configuring some sort of equipment, while in the meantime they explain and exemplify (through stories) what fear is and why it needs to be "installed" for everyone. Because, as they say, a population that lacks fear is a population that becomes too comfortable for their own good.

What follows is an disturbing dialogue filled with ambiguity and subtle threats, designed to make the woman become afraid of all sorts of things, from physical threats to xenophobia, fear of getting sick, even fear of economic crises. It's a philosophical debate on fear as a tool of control.

The book is not plot-driven and may seem boring and repetitive at times. It's quite the opposite of what we have grown accustomed to when it comes to contemporary dystopias. Instead, Zink reminded me rather of Aldous Huxley, in the way he explores power dynamics and psychological manipulation. In Zink's society, fear is weaponized to subjugate and silence people, recalling totalitarian regimes but also modern forms of authoritarianism. The fact that we don't really know, not even in the end, what the political and societal context is and how this "installation of fear" began makes it all even more chilling and it created paranoia both for the woman and for me as a reader.

The ending, though, was completely surprising - it's completely unexpected, if we compare it to other dystopias, in that it doesn't give closure in either way - we have no idea if the regime manages to subjugate the population, nor do we know if the population successfully resists and overthrows the regime. The view is completely micro: all we see is the fate of the woman and her two visitors, independently of the world outside the woman's apartment. Is the "installation of fear" successful? Is the woman's paranoia a direct consequence of this "installation"? The ending even has a slight horror element and I found the conclusion karmic.

Zink's prose is quite minimalistic and relies mainly on dialogue. He even says that he intended it to be seen as a play (and it was actually adapted for the stage). I can visualize the stage, the setting, the characters with ease. This dialogue-driven narrative made the story feel real, especially with its sharp and often ironic style. The author even included some literary references (to Cortázar, Lovecraft, even some verses from Camões) which made the text a nice Easter-egg hunt.

My main criticism is in its density - for such a short book, it includes a lot of allegorical and philosophical elements that don't really have time to develop. But it was, for me, an interesting discovery, as Portuguese contemporary writers are not readily available in translation and thus not particularly easy to stumble upon.
]]> 213014364
„Treptat, poveștile despre cozonaci au început să-mi vorbească altfel: erau capsule ale intimității ocrotitoare, lecții despre pofta de viață în siguranța unui cămin, despre răbdare, încredere, dragoste, tărie de caracter și despre o pașnică întregire a omului în timp, care, în secolul tuturor vitezelor și al tehnologiei digitale, a devenit cu atât mai rară și mai prețioasă.�� �� TATIANA NICULESCU]]> 206 Tatiana Niculescu Bran 9735084376 Nona 3
Istoria acestui preparat are, pare-se, rădăcini adânci. Tatiana Niculescu ne expune istoria dospelilor începând cu Egiptul Antic, trecând prin toate erele până în ziua de astăzi. Pâinea dospită, care a stat la originea cozonacului de astăzi, a avut rol nu doar în alimentația oamenilor, ci și în ritualurile religioase - de altfel, și astăzi se împart cozonaci la pomeniri.

Mi-a plăcut, desigur, componenta istorică. Spațiul românesc, vizitat încă de la Vasile Lupu, este plin de aromele feluritelor dospeli, care au îmbogățit mesele boierilor și domnitorilor, cu precădere - țăranii de rând neavând acces la făina albă. Autoarea navighează prin epoci, veșminte, obiceiuri și particularități ale limbajului, dar și prin rețete cu ușurința celui cu adevărat ancorat în acest spațiu. Documentarea este minuțioasă, izvoarele bibliografice variate și uneori surprinzătoare (cine și i-ar fi închipuit pe Mihail Kogălniceanu și Costache Negruzzi în rolul de autori ai unei cărți de bucate?).

Cartea însă m-a plictisit pe alocuri. Devine repetitivă prin expunerea copy-paste a rețetelor de cozonac din diferitele cărți de bucate, majoritatea acestor rețete fiind asemănătoare. Am cam trecut peste ele, recunosc. Și cred că aș fi vrut ceva mai mult pe partea istorică, mi s-a părut că a trecut de la o epocă la alta uneori haotic și în toate cazurile mult prea rapid.

Totuși, cartea este un omagiu adus moștenirii culinare românești și o incursiune fascinantă în istoria acestui preparat emblematic.]]> 4.02
author: Tatiana Niculescu Bran
name: Nona
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: romanian-authors, non-fiction, historical
review:
Am căutat în povestea cozonacului aromele copilăriei. Am găsit o pagină de istorie, istoria unei pâini dulci a cărei poveste se întrețese cu cea a spațiului geografic în care trăim. Surprinzător, pentru mine, la această carte, a fost că acest cozonac de care ne bucurăm acum la sărbători are rădăcini mult mai adânci decât bănuiam. Tot surprinzător a fost că forma pe care o cunoaștem astăzi este, de fapt, oarecum nouă în lunga istorie a cozonacului. Umpluturile au apărut relativ recent, la fel ca și statutul său de desert, cozonacul fiind, în trecut, mai curând o pâine ușor dulcică.

Istoria acestui preparat are, pare-se, rădăcini adânci. Tatiana Niculescu ne expune istoria dospelilor începând cu Egiptul Antic, trecând prin toate erele până în ziua de astăzi. Pâinea dospită, care a stat la originea cozonacului de astăzi, a avut rol nu doar în alimentația oamenilor, ci și în ritualurile religioase - de altfel, și astăzi se împart cozonaci la pomeniri.

Mi-a plăcut, desigur, componenta istorică. Spațiul românesc, vizitat încă de la Vasile Lupu, este plin de aromele feluritelor dospeli, care au îmbogățit mesele boierilor și domnitorilor, cu precădere - țăranii de rând neavând acces la făina albă. Autoarea navighează prin epoci, veșminte, obiceiuri și particularități ale limbajului, dar și prin rețete cu ușurința celui cu adevărat ancorat în acest spațiu. Documentarea este minuțioasă, izvoarele bibliografice variate și uneori surprinzătoare (cine și i-ar fi închipuit pe Mihail Kogălniceanu și Costache Negruzzi în rolul de autori ai unei cărți de bucate?).

Cartea însă m-a plictisit pe alocuri. Devine repetitivă prin expunerea copy-paste a rețetelor de cozonac din diferitele cărți de bucate, majoritatea acestor rețete fiind asemănătoare. Am cam trecut peste ele, recunosc. Și cred că aș fi vrut ceva mai mult pe partea istorică, mi s-a părut că a trecut de la o epocă la alta uneori haotic și în toate cazurile mult prea rapid.

Totuși, cartea este un omagiu adus moștenirii culinare românești și o incursiune fascinantă în istoria acestui preparat emblematic.
]]> 48894741 Booklist

Când îl întâlnește pe faimosul Charles Lindbergh la o recepție de Crăciun dată de tatăl ei, ambasador al Statelor Unite în Mexic, Anne Morrow, studentă în ultimul an la un prestigios colegiu pentru fetele din lumea bună, nu bănuiește că viața i se va schimba spectaculos. Obișnuită să fie eclipsată de sora ei, Anne aproape că îl refuză pe tânărul aviator care îi propune să zboare împreună a doua zi în zori. Mica escapadă se dovedește începutul unei mari aventuri, aventura unei vieți trăite la limită, presărată cu uluitoare expediții și recorduri, dar marcată de o tragedie inimaginabilă care va lăsa cicatrici de neșters.]]> 391 Melanie Benjamin 6067795876 Nona 4 historical, romance
"The Aviator's Wife" follows the life of the lesser known Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, who had been the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane. He was already a hero when he met his future wife and always in the spotlight, with the press following his every move. And, despite Anne's accomplishments as a pilot herself (she was a pioneer in her own right, being the first woman to receive a U.S. glider pilot license and serving as radio operator and copilot to her husband on multiple exploratory flights and aerial surveys), people mostly considered her a wife and mother and, after the kidnapping of her first born son, a tragic figure.

Melanie Benjamin takes a step further in the Lindberghs' story and paints a rich portrait of this woman who was overshadowed by her husband’s larger-than-life persona. She was kept at the margins of his fame not only by the patriarchal society of the 1900s, but also by her husband, who wanted her to raise his "dynasty" and wait for him at home, while he was travelling all over the world, fighting wars, doing consultancy for the aviation industry and making babies with other women.

The novel follows Anne over the course of almost her entire life, from her early 20s until after the death of her husband. The first half of the book, which starts with their whirlwind romance and high-profile marriage and ends with the Lindberghs' realization that their son had been murdered, was my favorite. It's where the story packs the most emotion. From her assistance in Charles' flights to the infamous kidnapping of their son, Anne's life is a mix of adventure and tragedy. Her character is slowly built, from the insecure teenager who can't believe that a hero would chose her instead of her more beautiful sister, to settling into the role of wife, mother, co-pilot and writer.

The second half of the novel loses some of the spark and the rhythm becomes frayed, uneven. We skip entire time periods without seeing much character growth and the novel becomes mostly a listing of events.

Despite this, there's one dominant theme that keeps coming up: Anne's insecurity. Benjamin captures her internal conflict from the first to the last page. She starts off as a subdued young woman, and struggles to find her independency from her strict, often cold, controlling husband until the last day. Unfortunately, although the author wanted to make me believe she'd succeeded, to me, she never really did. Despite her moments of rebellion (few and far in between), she keeps going back to him, unable to break free, not even in the moment of his death.

While this was annoying, especially towards the end, when she had all the information she needed to make a clean break, I appreciated the author's portrayal of the characters. Both Anne and Charles are complex, nuanced, and Melanie Benjamin doesn't shy away from highlighting their virtues as well as their flaws. She doesn't gloss over the episodes when Charles Lindbergh became an admirer of H!tler and his regime, turning into an active oponent of USA's participation in WWII. She did, however, make Anne look like she was a reluctant participant in her husband's endeavors, when, in fact, there are strong evidences that she was a Nazi admirer herself.

The book is set in the most hectic and transformative decades of the 20th century, including the golden age of aviation, the Great Depression and World War II. Melanie Benjamin skillfully anchored her story in the greater context - it would have made no sense to do it otherwise, of course, but I always appreciate when historical novels are indeed focused on the historical background. Despite her taking some liberties with the facts (for instance, as Benjamin herself admits, not all of Charles and Anne's flights took place exactly as presented), most of the portrayed events are depicted in a detailed fashion and she managed to convey the emotions of the characters when faced with these events.

Melanie Benjamin did a good job in making me feel - empathy for Anne's situation and the loss of her child, indignation at the way her husband kept her almost a prisoner of his wishes, annoyance at her inability to break free of her cage, outrage at the way the press treated them, actively contributing to their son's kidnapping and murder (by making their location public, despite Charles struggling to keep it a secret). It's a solid historical fiction, well-written and documented, enjoyable despite the pacing hiccups and my overall dislike of the characters.]]> 4.06 2013
author: Melanie Benjamin
name: Nona
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves: historical, romance
review:
I've been fascinated with the Lindbergh baby mystery ever since I found out about it, one of the reasons being, of course, his father's fame. But I was also morbidly attracted to this drama because of the way the press trampled all over this family's tragedy with muddy feet, making their life impossible to the point that they had to flee the country to escape the public eye. This was way before the scandal surrounding Princess Diana's death, but it was just as awful, even if it didn't end in the same way.

"The Aviator's Wife" follows the life of the lesser known Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, who had been the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane. He was already a hero when he met his future wife and always in the spotlight, with the press following his every move. And, despite Anne's accomplishments as a pilot herself (she was a pioneer in her own right, being the first woman to receive a U.S. glider pilot license and serving as radio operator and copilot to her husband on multiple exploratory flights and aerial surveys), people mostly considered her a wife and mother and, after the kidnapping of her first born son, a tragic figure.

Melanie Benjamin takes a step further in the Lindberghs' story and paints a rich portrait of this woman who was overshadowed by her husband’s larger-than-life persona. She was kept at the margins of his fame not only by the patriarchal society of the 1900s, but also by her husband, who wanted her to raise his "dynasty" and wait for him at home, while he was travelling all over the world, fighting wars, doing consultancy for the aviation industry and making babies with other women.

The novel follows Anne over the course of almost her entire life, from her early 20s until after the death of her husband. The first half of the book, which starts with their whirlwind romance and high-profile marriage and ends with the Lindberghs' realization that their son had been murdered, was my favorite. It's where the story packs the most emotion. From her assistance in Charles' flights to the infamous kidnapping of their son, Anne's life is a mix of adventure and tragedy. Her character is slowly built, from the insecure teenager who can't believe that a hero would chose her instead of her more beautiful sister, to settling into the role of wife, mother, co-pilot and writer.

The second half of the novel loses some of the spark and the rhythm becomes frayed, uneven. We skip entire time periods without seeing much character growth and the novel becomes mostly a listing of events.

Despite this, there's one dominant theme that keeps coming up: Anne's insecurity. Benjamin captures her internal conflict from the first to the last page. She starts off as a subdued young woman, and struggles to find her independency from her strict, often cold, controlling husband until the last day. Unfortunately, although the author wanted to make me believe she'd succeeded, to me, she never really did. Despite her moments of rebellion (few and far in between), she keeps going back to him, unable to break free, not even in the moment of his death.

While this was annoying, especially towards the end, when she had all the information she needed to make a clean break, I appreciated the author's portrayal of the characters. Both Anne and Charles are complex, nuanced, and Melanie Benjamin doesn't shy away from highlighting their virtues as well as their flaws. She doesn't gloss over the episodes when Charles Lindbergh became an admirer of H!tler and his regime, turning into an active oponent of USA's participation in WWII. She did, however, make Anne look like she was a reluctant participant in her husband's endeavors, when, in fact, there are strong evidences that she was a Nazi admirer herself.

The book is set in the most hectic and transformative decades of the 20th century, including the golden age of aviation, the Great Depression and World War II. Melanie Benjamin skillfully anchored her story in the greater context - it would have made no sense to do it otherwise, of course, but I always appreciate when historical novels are indeed focused on the historical background. Despite her taking some liberties with the facts (for instance, as Benjamin herself admits, not all of Charles and Anne's flights took place exactly as presented), most of the portrayed events are depicted in a detailed fashion and she managed to convey the emotions of the characters when faced with these events.

Melanie Benjamin did a good job in making me feel - empathy for Anne's situation and the loss of her child, indignation at the way her husband kept her almost a prisoner of his wishes, annoyance at her inability to break free of her cage, outrage at the way the press treated them, actively contributing to their son's kidnapping and murder (by making their location public, despite Charles struggling to keep it a secret). It's a solid historical fiction, well-written and documented, enjoyable despite the pacing hiccups and my overall dislike of the characters.
]]> 58164852
Într-o seară, la bazinul de înot, Kristian vede un nas pistruiat lipit de geam. Când iese de acolo face cunoștință cu Hedvig, cea mai vorbăreață și mai veselă fată din câte a văzut până atunci. Cei doi se împrietenesc pe dată și împreună descoperă care sunt lucrurile cu adevărat importante.

Și, cine știe, poate că anul acesta o să vină Crăciunul...]]> 200 Maja Lunde 6067886685 Nona 5
The story centers around Kristian, a boy whose family has forgotten all about joy after the loss of his older sister, Junia. Once a joyful time, Christmas now feels distant and cold, and Kristian, whose birthday is on Christmas Eve, feels his family has been replaced by sad copies of who they used to be when his sister was still alive. One snowy day, Kristian meets Hedvig, a lively but mysterious girl who rekindles his festive spirit. As their friendship grows, he begins to uncover secrets about Hedvig and her strange house, which challenge his understanding of loss and acceptance.

The characters are loveable, both Kristian and Hedvig filled me with delight and longing for a childhood when I would actually enjoy winter and snowy days. Kristian's empathetic nature made me relate to him the most, and his own journey is one of navigating his own sorrow while trying to reconnect with the joy of Christmas. As for the red-headed Hedvig, I saw in her the actual spirit of Christmas, radiating life and happiness in the smallest of things. She's the embodiment of the importance of living in the present.

The story - one of grief and healing, but also of kindness, friendship and hope - made me tear up. Children's stories have a knack for getting me emotional, more so than adult tales ever will. It's one of those books that simply capture the magical essence of Christmas and it took me back to childhood, where fairy-tales were possible. And it's even more magical because of Lisa Aisato's vibrant illustrations, that bring the characters and the story to life.]]> 4.41 2018
author: Maja Lunde
name: Nona
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: for-my-inner-child, for-rainy-days, fantasy
review:
I think I will always love children's books, and especially those for Christmas. After all, I'm just a bigger child, always in search of heartfelt and magical stories to warm my winters. Maja Lunde's "Snow Sister" is absolutely lovely, hauntingly beautiful. It's a story about love, but also about grief, as so many are, but, of course, being a children's book, the ending cannot be other than hopeful. And paired with the gorgeous illustrations by Lisa Aisato, this book is both a visual and emotional gem.

The story centers around Kristian, a boy whose family has forgotten all about joy after the loss of his older sister, Junia. Once a joyful time, Christmas now feels distant and cold, and Kristian, whose birthday is on Christmas Eve, feels his family has been replaced by sad copies of who they used to be when his sister was still alive. One snowy day, Kristian meets Hedvig, a lively but mysterious girl who rekindles his festive spirit. As their friendship grows, he begins to uncover secrets about Hedvig and her strange house, which challenge his understanding of loss and acceptance.

The characters are loveable, both Kristian and Hedvig filled me with delight and longing for a childhood when I would actually enjoy winter and snowy days. Kristian's empathetic nature made me relate to him the most, and his own journey is one of navigating his own sorrow while trying to reconnect with the joy of Christmas. As for the red-headed Hedvig, I saw in her the actual spirit of Christmas, radiating life and happiness in the smallest of things. She's the embodiment of the importance of living in the present.

The story - one of grief and healing, but also of kindness, friendship and hope - made me tear up. Children's stories have a knack for getting me emotional, more so than adult tales ever will. It's one of those books that simply capture the magical essence of Christmas and it took me back to childhood, where fairy-tales were possible. And it's even more magical because of Lisa Aisato's vibrant illustrations, that bring the characters and the story to life.
]]> 57305320 Oxenberg & Bernstein (America de peste pogrom) a autorului român Cătălin Mihuleac. Cine va începe să citească această carte n-o va mai putea lăsa din mâini, pentru că romanul lui Mihuleac poate orice: provoacă râsul și plânsul, meditația și îndoiala, ne ia cu el și ne răvășește.�� �� GABRIEL RATH, Die Presse

„America de peste pogrom e un roman aflat într-un echilibru instabil între burlesc și gravitate, dar de o forță indiscutabilă.�� �� ������é�����پ��Dz�]]> 264 Cătălin Mihuleac 9735069520 Nona 4
Eu am foarte mare ciudă pe sistemul de învățământ românesc și pe modul în care glorifică anumite evenimente istorice, dar alege să ascundă sub preș altele, care ar „strica�� imaginea de țară creștină, primitoare, mereu oprimată, mereu controlată de marile puteri pe care suntem îndoctrinați să o credem de mici copii. Așa aflăm noi doar de bătăliile pentru patrie și de eroi, dar nu și de momentele în care conducătorii acestei țări au luat decizii oribile. Mișcarea legionară este romantizată, iar Pogromul de la Iași - evenimentul despre care vorbește Cătălin Mihuleac în acest roman - este cu totul omis din cărțile de istorie. Sau era, cel puțin în vremurile când eram eu ș���DZ����.

(Spre deosebire de noi, germanii învață de mici despre Holocaust și adevăratul rol al țării lor în Al Doilea Război Mondial. Dar asta e altă discuție ce nu-și are neapărat locul aici.)

„America de peste pogrom�� e o carte care mi-a creat reacții pe care nicio altă carte - de la „Jurnalul lui 66��, și aceea extrem de puternică - nu a mai făcut-o. Rar somatizez când citesc ficțiune, dar iată, aici am stat cu sufletul la gură, cu nervii vibrând, cu mâinile tremurând de nervi, de durere, de neputință. De furie că nu știm, că ni se ascund lucruri, că autoritățile tac, că profesorii preferă să vorbească doar de gloria neamului, nu și de mizeriile pe care le-au făcut ai noștri. Ai noștri, nu alții care au trecut pe aici. Pentru că Pogromul de la Iași nu a fost orchestrat de alții.

Romanul lui Mihuleac pleacă de la povestea unei imigrante românce din Iași, care este angajată de o firmă din SUA ce exportă haine second-hand în România, ajungând să se căsătorească în familia care deține această afacere. Sânziana (Suzy) nu este evreică, dar familia „adoptivă�� este. Însă Bernsteinii își ignoră - ba chiar neagă - originile românești, ceea ce lui Suzy îi creează confuzie. De ce, când atâția evrei de origine română - scriitori, pictori, cineaști - au creat lucruri remarcabile și au ajuns nume mari în respectivele domenii, la nivel mondial, familia Bernstein preferă să-și ascundă trecutul, inclusiv faptul că au fost victime ale evenimentelor violente din 27-30 iunie 1941?

Iar Suzy investighează, cu tenacitatea celui ce vrea să înțeleagă, poate cu perseverența fostului elev român care a trăit o viață într-un oraș ce și-a ascuns cea mai oribilă faptă. Povestea lui Suzy se împletește cu cea a familiei Oxenberg - Jacques, celebru ginecolog al epocii, medic evreu ce ajuta femeile deopotrivă evreice și creștine să nască „elegant��, prin cezariană, pentru a nu-și „distruge�� aparatul genital; Roza, soția sa, admiratoare a culturii germane (!), care își dorește să traducă în germană și să publice în țara lui H!tler o antologie a scriitorilor români; Lev și Golda, copiii lor. Toți victime, într-un fel sau altul, ale pogromului.

Povestea pendulează între aceste două planuri temporale - prezentul anilor 2000, în care România este inundată de marfă second-hand de la americani, și anii 1930-1940, cu frământările lor, cu iminența - și apoi izbucnirea - războiului, cu legionarii, cu regele iubitor de artă, dar crud, cu generalul antisemit. Și cu multitudinea de scriitori, avocați, medici ale căror voci s-au ridicat în ură, împotriva evreilor.

Cartea oferă o perspectivă profundă asupra acestui episod tragic din istoria României și explorează, prin intermediul familiei Bernstein, impactul acestuia asupra generațiilor următoare. E o carte a violenței, a traumei ascunse sub preș, a durerii de neconceput. O carte ce se concentrează cu precădere asupra a două personaje feminine cu destine diferite, dar care ajung să se întrepătrundă. Femei care ajung să se înțeleagă la un nivel profund, dincolo de granițe, de timp și de vorbe.

I-am apreciat lui Mihuleac documentarea minuțioasă. Chiar dacă personajele cărții sunt inventate, ele ar putea fi orice familie de evrei ieșeni din acea vreme. Contextul istoric, în schimb, este excelent documentat. Și uneori brut, jupuit de orice înfloritură. Violența acelor zile, ura viscerală a populației Iașului față de evrei, violurile, lipsa aproape completă de umanitate sunt descrise fără ornamente. M-au îngrețoșat, m-au îngrozit, m-am simțit neputincioasă. Și mă bucur că a ales această cale, mă bucur că mi-a adus în fața ochilor faptele cumplite ale oamenilor din acele vremuri, inclusiv ale unora pe care îi admiram, în ignoranța mea (Ionel Teodoreanu, printre alții).

Contrastul dintre România și America devine un filtru prin care autorul examinează identitatea, trauma și exilul. România interbelică - cea pe care o romantizăm, de multe ori -, e un loc al suferinței și al nedreptății, iar Pogromul de la Iași, prin violența lui care a îngrozit până și pe „artizanii�� Holocaustului, e simbolul suprem al cruzimii și al colapsului umanitar. Amintirile celor care au supraviețuit pogromului arată imposibilitatea vindecării unor răni atât de adânci în contextul unei societăți care refuză să-și asume trecutul. Prin contrast, SUA devine, pentru evreii care au reușit să scape, un simbol al supraviețuirii și al oportunității, un loc în care se pot construi vieți noi, în care trecutul poate fi uitat sau măcar ascuns bine sub preșul capitalismului cinic.

Am avut, însă, o relație de love-hate cu proza. Inițial am apreciat tonul ușor ironic, zeflemitor, ba chiar umoristic, pe alocuri. Dar pe măsură ce am înaintat cu lectura, mi s-a părut prea mult. Ce am considerat inițial incisiv și direct s-a transformat în absurd. La un moment dat, umorul lui Suzy m-a iritat și a dat o notă de superficialitate faptelor descrise. E singurul motiv pentru care nu îi pot da 5*.

Un lucru mai spun, în contextul evenimentelor politice din toamna/iarna lui 2024, care mi-au și dat impulsul să citesc acest roman: am identificat, cu frică în suflet, anumite idei ale legionarilor anilor 1940 în discursurile unui anumit candidat la prezidențiale. Cum ar fi articolul unui anume doctor Burebista (pseudonim, evident) intitulat „Femeia româncă trebuieşte a naşte româneşte��.

E un roman pe care aș vrea să-l citească toată lumea. Pentru că avem nevoie să simțim acea frică, acea groază, avem nevoie să înțelegem că românul nu este acest patriot creștin, bun la suflet, primitor, pâinea lui Dumnezeu. Ci că suntem, indiferent de ce încearcă să ne vândă cărțile de istorie din școală, capabili de cele mai oribile fapte.]]> 4.21 2014
author: Cătălin Mihuleac
name: Nona
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/21
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: romanian-authors, historical, omgs
review:
Ce carte nepotrivită pentru perioada Crăciunului! Și totuși, ce carte potrivită pentru perioada de instabilitate politică prin care trece România!

Eu am foarte mare ciudă pe sistemul de învățământ românesc și pe modul în care glorifică anumite evenimente istorice, dar alege să ascundă sub preș altele, care ar „strica�� imaginea de țară creștină, primitoare, mereu oprimată, mereu controlată de marile puteri pe care suntem îndoctrinați să o credem de mici copii. Așa aflăm noi doar de bătăliile pentru patrie și de eroi, dar nu și de momentele în care conducătorii acestei țări au luat decizii oribile. Mișcarea legionară este romantizată, iar Pogromul de la Iași - evenimentul despre care vorbește Cătălin Mihuleac în acest roman - este cu totul omis din cărțile de istorie. Sau era, cel puțin în vremurile când eram eu ș���DZ����.

(Spre deosebire de noi, germanii învață de mici despre Holocaust și adevăratul rol al țării lor în Al Doilea Război Mondial. Dar asta e altă discuție ce nu-și are neapărat locul aici.)

„America de peste pogrom�� e o carte care mi-a creat reacții pe care nicio altă carte - de la „Jurnalul lui 66��, și aceea extrem de puternică - nu a mai făcut-o. Rar somatizez când citesc ficțiune, dar iată, aici am stat cu sufletul la gură, cu nervii vibrând, cu mâinile tremurând de nervi, de durere, de neputință. De furie că nu știm, că ni se ascund lucruri, că autoritățile tac, că profesorii preferă să vorbească doar de gloria neamului, nu și de mizeriile pe care le-au făcut ai noștri. Ai noștri, nu alții care au trecut pe aici. Pentru că Pogromul de la Iași nu a fost orchestrat de alții.

Romanul lui Mihuleac pleacă de la povestea unei imigrante românce din Iași, care este angajată de o firmă din SUA ce exportă haine second-hand în România, ajungând să se căsătorească în familia care deține această afacere. Sânziana (Suzy) nu este evreică, dar familia „adoptivă�� este. Însă Bernsteinii își ignoră - ba chiar neagă - originile românești, ceea ce lui Suzy îi creează confuzie. De ce, când atâția evrei de origine română - scriitori, pictori, cineaști - au creat lucruri remarcabile și au ajuns nume mari în respectivele domenii, la nivel mondial, familia Bernstein preferă să-și ascundă trecutul, inclusiv faptul că au fost victime ale evenimentelor violente din 27-30 iunie 1941?

Iar Suzy investighează, cu tenacitatea celui ce vrea să înțeleagă, poate cu perseverența fostului elev român care a trăit o viață într-un oraș ce și-a ascuns cea mai oribilă faptă. Povestea lui Suzy se împletește cu cea a familiei Oxenberg - Jacques, celebru ginecolog al epocii, medic evreu ce ajuta femeile deopotrivă evreice și creștine să nască „elegant��, prin cezariană, pentru a nu-și „distruge�� aparatul genital; Roza, soția sa, admiratoare a culturii germane (!), care își dorește să traducă în germană și să publice în țara lui H!tler o antologie a scriitorilor români; Lev și Golda, copiii lor. Toți victime, într-un fel sau altul, ale pogromului.

Povestea pendulează între aceste două planuri temporale - prezentul anilor 2000, în care România este inundată de marfă second-hand de la americani, și anii 1930-1940, cu frământările lor, cu iminența - și apoi izbucnirea - războiului, cu legionarii, cu regele iubitor de artă, dar crud, cu generalul antisemit. Și cu multitudinea de scriitori, avocați, medici ale căror voci s-au ridicat în ură, împotriva evreilor.

Cartea oferă o perspectivă profundă asupra acestui episod tragic din istoria României și explorează, prin intermediul familiei Bernstein, impactul acestuia asupra generațiilor următoare. E o carte a violenței, a traumei ascunse sub preș, a durerii de neconceput. O carte ce se concentrează cu precădere asupra a două personaje feminine cu destine diferite, dar care ajung să se întrepătrundă. Femei care ajung să se înțeleagă la un nivel profund, dincolo de granițe, de timp și de vorbe.

I-am apreciat lui Mihuleac documentarea minuțioasă. Chiar dacă personajele cărții sunt inventate, ele ar putea fi orice familie de evrei ieșeni din acea vreme. Contextul istoric, în schimb, este excelent documentat. Și uneori brut, jupuit de orice înfloritură. Violența acelor zile, ura viscerală a populației Iașului față de evrei, violurile, lipsa aproape completă de umanitate sunt descrise fără ornamente. M-au îngrețoșat, m-au îngrozit, m-am simțit neputincioasă. Și mă bucur că a ales această cale, mă bucur că mi-a adus în fața ochilor faptele cumplite ale oamenilor din acele vremuri, inclusiv ale unora pe care îi admiram, în ignoranța mea (Ionel Teodoreanu, printre alții).

Contrastul dintre România și America devine un filtru prin care autorul examinează identitatea, trauma și exilul. România interbelică - cea pe care o romantizăm, de multe ori -, e un loc al suferinței și al nedreptății, iar Pogromul de la Iași, prin violența lui care a îngrozit până și pe „artizanii�� Holocaustului, e simbolul suprem al cruzimii și al colapsului umanitar. Amintirile celor care au supraviețuit pogromului arată imposibilitatea vindecării unor răni atât de adânci în contextul unei societăți care refuză să-și asume trecutul. Prin contrast, SUA devine, pentru evreii care au reușit să scape, un simbol al supraviețuirii și al oportunității, un loc în care se pot construi vieți noi, în care trecutul poate fi uitat sau măcar ascuns bine sub preșul capitalismului cinic.

Am avut, însă, o relație de love-hate cu proza. Inițial am apreciat tonul ușor ironic, zeflemitor, ba chiar umoristic, pe alocuri. Dar pe măsură ce am înaintat cu lectura, mi s-a părut prea mult. Ce am considerat inițial incisiv și direct s-a transformat în absurd. La un moment dat, umorul lui Suzy m-a iritat și a dat o notă de superficialitate faptelor descrise. E singurul motiv pentru care nu îi pot da 5*.

Un lucru mai spun, în contextul evenimentelor politice din toamna/iarna lui 2024, care mi-au și dat impulsul să citesc acest roman: am identificat, cu frică în suflet, anumite idei ale legionarilor anilor 1940 în discursurile unui anumit candidat la prezidențiale. Cum ar fi articolul unui anume doctor Burebista (pseudonim, evident) intitulat „Femeia româncă trebuieşte a naşte româneşte��.

E un roman pe care aș vrea să-l citească toată lumea. Pentru că avem nevoie să simțim acea frică, acea groază, avem nevoie să înțelegem că românul nu este acest patriot creștin, bun la suflet, primitor, pâinea lui Dumnezeu. Ci că suntem, indiferent de ce încearcă să ne vândă cărțile de istorie din școală, capabili de cele mai oribile fapte.
]]> 31299 196 Agatha Christie 1572705647 Nona 3
Set in a student hostel in London, the story begins with a curious list of petty thefts - from a single shoe to a diamond ring, from boric acid to a stethoscope, items disappear mysteriously, creating suspicion among the residents. Poirot is drawn into the case by his secretary, Miss Lemon, whose usually impeccable efficiency is disrupted by her sister’s (who is the administrator of the hostel) distress over the missing items.

What begins as a puzzling but seemingly harmless investigation quickly escalates into murder, revealing a tangle of secrets and rivalries among the hostel residents. To this, Agatha Christie adds a conspiracy involving cross-border smuggling, involving some of the residents, so Poirot must untangle the web of lies to uncover the killer’s identity.

I enjoyed the diversity of the characters. Unlike other (most) of Agatha Christie's books, we don't have a family here, but rather a diverse cast of characters with seemingly no other connection between them other than the status of residents in this hostel on Hickory Street. The author crafted a microcosm of post-war London, where many international students came to study. Each character is distinct, with their quirks and secrets. However - and as much as I understand that Christie was a product of her times -, this is one of the most rasist books of hers. The students from non-European backgrounds are described in ways that reflect the stereotypical perceptions of the 1950s and the tone is often patronizing toward non-European cultures. Sure, Christie explores issues like immigration and cultural integration, and, while they add intricacy to the mystery, the racism didn't sit well with me.

(The TV episode, on the other hand, does this in a more subtle and less xenophobic way, but the distraction there is given by the abundance of mice that plague the hostel.)

The mystery itself is complex, the smuggling adding a layer of complexity that expands the story from a simple theft issue. Christie definitely built tension, with every clue leading to more questions. I've read the novel before, as I said, but that was many years ago and I'd forgotten whodunnit - and didn't really pick up on many of the clues either. Poirot was, as always, on top of his game, and his attention to every little detail led to solving all the mysteries tied to this hostel.

I would not consider this one of Agatha Christie's best mysteries, but it remains an enjoyable read and an image of the prejudices of those times.]]> 3.78 1955
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1955
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/17
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: classics, mystery, made-to-movie
review:
I've read and reread "Hickory Dickory Dock" many times over the years. It was one of my favorite Agatha Christie mysteries when I was a teenager. I don't know why, maybe because it was about students, maybe because it was a play on the nursery rhyme (not the only Christie mystery that starts from a poem), maybe because of the playful title, maybe because of Miss Lemon, always a favorite character.

Set in a student hostel in London, the story begins with a curious list of petty thefts - from a single shoe to a diamond ring, from boric acid to a stethoscope, items disappear mysteriously, creating suspicion among the residents. Poirot is drawn into the case by his secretary, Miss Lemon, whose usually impeccable efficiency is disrupted by her sister’s (who is the administrator of the hostel) distress over the missing items.

What begins as a puzzling but seemingly harmless investigation quickly escalates into murder, revealing a tangle of secrets and rivalries among the hostel residents. To this, Agatha Christie adds a conspiracy involving cross-border smuggling, involving some of the residents, so Poirot must untangle the web of lies to uncover the killer’s identity.

I enjoyed the diversity of the characters. Unlike other (most) of Agatha Christie's books, we don't have a family here, but rather a diverse cast of characters with seemingly no other connection between them other than the status of residents in this hostel on Hickory Street. The author crafted a microcosm of post-war London, where many international students came to study. Each character is distinct, with their quirks and secrets. However - and as much as I understand that Christie was a product of her times -, this is one of the most rasist books of hers. The students from non-European backgrounds are described in ways that reflect the stereotypical perceptions of the 1950s and the tone is often patronizing toward non-European cultures. Sure, Christie explores issues like immigration and cultural integration, and, while they add intricacy to the mystery, the racism didn't sit well with me.

(The TV episode, on the other hand, does this in a more subtle and less xenophobic way, but the distraction there is given by the abundance of mice that plague the hostel.)

The mystery itself is complex, the smuggling adding a layer of complexity that expands the story from a simple theft issue. Christie definitely built tension, with every clue leading to more questions. I've read the novel before, as I said, but that was many years ago and I'd forgotten whodunnit - and didn't really pick up on many of the clues either. Poirot was, as always, on top of his game, and his attention to every little detail led to solving all the mysteries tied to this hostel.

I would not consider this one of Agatha Christie's best mysteries, but it remains an enjoyable read and an image of the prejudices of those times.
]]> 158853 The best story Hemingway has written... No page of this beautiful masterwork could have been done better - Sunday Times]]> 99 Ernest Hemingway Nona 3 classics
Anyways. This is a book of 99 pages which took me an incredibly long time to finish. I liked the first 20 pages and the last 10, or, more specifically, those pages where the old man was NOT at sea. And where the boy is present. (The boy was my favourite thing about this novella.) Everything else was a chore and I felt the need to stop every 5-10 pages to avoid falling asleep.

I didn't read this as a tale of resilience - although I know this is what it's supposed to be. To me, it is a tale of stubbornness, of ego (as the old man himself says at some point). The story follows Santiago, an elderly Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. Determined to break his unlucky streak, he goes out to sea one morning and hooks a giant marlin. What follows is an epic struggle between the old man and the fish, a battle of endurance and willpower.

As I said in the beginning, the passages featuring the boy - who makes it his life's purpose to help the old man survive, by bringing him food and coffee, - were my favourite. They are emotional and tender and they made me care about both characters' fates. I was also struck by the acute feeling of loneliness that (maybe) comes inherently with the life of a fisherman.

Hemingway also talks about the bond between man and nature, the harmony that comes along when there's respect, even in a situation where man is a hunter. The old man views the marlin as a worthy adversary and respects it even after the fish's death. The conflict is nuanced, it becomes not only a fight for survival or conquest, but a deeper interaction that stems from admiration and a sort of dependency. It's the paradox of human existence: the need to exploit nature for survival while wanting to preserve its beauty and integrity.

But I return to the prose, which was the death of all joy in reading this novella. I hate, as a rule, minimalist writing. There are passages of painful beauty, but they are few and they couldn't drag me into the story. I felt the pacing too slow, and the repetitiveness - while understandably intrinsic to an activity such as fishing - made me lose all interest in the outcome. I guess monotonous is the word I'm searching for.

I'll try more Hemingway at some point, but this was not the book for me.]]> 3.73 1952
author: Ernest Hemingway
name: Nona
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1952
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/16
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: classics
review:
My relationship with American classics is difficult. I don't always get along with the writing style. I need to try more Hemingway, but something didn't click for me here. The subject, for sure - fishing is by no means anywhere on my list of interests, in fact it bores me to death as an activity and it bores me to read about it in any context. But also the prose - it felt... childish, maybe? Unfinished? Like a bad translation from another language, done with Google Translate? I don't even know how to describe it.

Anyways. This is a book of 99 pages which took me an incredibly long time to finish. I liked the first 20 pages and the last 10, or, more specifically, those pages where the old man was NOT at sea. And where the boy is present. (The boy was my favourite thing about this novella.) Everything else was a chore and I felt the need to stop every 5-10 pages to avoid falling asleep.

I didn't read this as a tale of resilience - although I know this is what it's supposed to be. To me, it is a tale of stubbornness, of ego (as the old man himself says at some point). The story follows Santiago, an elderly Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. Determined to break his unlucky streak, he goes out to sea one morning and hooks a giant marlin. What follows is an epic struggle between the old man and the fish, a battle of endurance and willpower.

As I said in the beginning, the passages featuring the boy - who makes it his life's purpose to help the old man survive, by bringing him food and coffee, - were my favourite. They are emotional and tender and they made me care about both characters' fates. I was also struck by the acute feeling of loneliness that (maybe) comes inherently with the life of a fisherman.

Hemingway also talks about the bond between man and nature, the harmony that comes along when there's respect, even in a situation where man is a hunter. The old man views the marlin as a worthy adversary and respects it even after the fish's death. The conflict is nuanced, it becomes not only a fight for survival or conquest, but a deeper interaction that stems from admiration and a sort of dependency. It's the paradox of human existence: the need to exploit nature for survival while wanting to preserve its beauty and integrity.

But I return to the prose, which was the death of all joy in reading this novella. I hate, as a rule, minimalist writing. There are passages of painful beauty, but they are few and they couldn't drag me into the story. I felt the pacing too slow, and the repetitiveness - while understandably intrinsic to an activity such as fishing - made me lose all interest in the outcome. I guess monotonous is the word I'm searching for.

I'll try more Hemingway at some point, but this was not the book for me.
]]> 13432303 Textele ce alcatuiesc volumul sînt precum niste clipuri fine, subtile, exact cit trebuie de lungi, un filigran de umor, amestecat cu sentinte grave, bine ascunse intr-o armatura de absurd. (Sebastian A. Corn)]]> 92 Doru Stoica 6068113094 Nona 0 to-read 4.00 2009
author: Doru Stoica
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58315697
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.]]> 295 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 6064311754 Nona 3
This book was surprisingly fun! People say it's disgusting, but to me, it was not; maybe I've seen too many horror movies and it doesn't affect me anymore. It was just a good old classic, gothic, horror. And I was all for it.

When Catalina Doyle, a sweet, light-hearted woman, married to a British owner of a silver mine, sends a weird, frantic letter to her uncle, he sends his daughter - and Catalina's cousin - Noemí to investigate and make sure Catalina is ok and well taken care of by her husband's family. There are concerns about her health and about her sudden marriage, as her husband's family has lost most of their wealth during the Mexican revolution and may be profiting from Catalina's inheritance.

Noemí travels to the remote countryside and discovers a creepy, disintegrating mansion invaded by mold and an even creepier family who has all sorts of crazy rules such as no talking during dinner and not driving into town unaccompanied. As Catalina's health starts to decline, Noemí takes it upon herself to find a cure and investigate, because her husband doesn't seem to want to get her the help she needs. But weird and scary things start to happen to her as well and she finds herself trapped in the mansion, unable to get away.

I found the story quite gripping, despite the slower start. I don't particularly mind the slow exposition, because it got me the change to get to know the characters and connect with them, especially with Noemí, who evolves from a carefree socialite always dressed to the nines and ready for fun to a sort of superhero trying to save herself, her cousin and other people from the darkness that took over the house. The other characters didn't do much for me, they are more of a backstage presence, but some of them impact the story significantly here and there, directing the events. The Doyles are appropriately creepy, with Virgil, Catalina's husband, stealing the stage occasionally, as he changes his personality and disposition, making Noemí question her sanity and appropriateness.

There's a long exposition where the author builds the characters, environment and overall atmosphere. I'm all for the gothic vibes of this story - gothic literature, in general, is right up my alley. Silvia Moreno-Garcia allowed me to get to know the people and the house, with it's moldy wallpaper and rusty pipes, its backyard cemetery and the fog surrounding it. I was thoroughly creeped out and entertained at the same time. The book is quite visual and it would make an engrossing movie. Not Mexican enough for what I was expecting based on the title, which is at least half misleading (sure, it takes place in the Mexican countryside, but the family and mansion are very British ).

Then, the horror part comes along and it's all rolling down the hill in the last third of the book, leaving me breathless. Part of it was predictable to me - the author talks a little bit too much about the mold for it not to play a significant part in the story -, but I was surprised by some of the aspects regarding the Doyle family and their history. The ending leaves room for a sequel, but I hope this sequel is never made; the story is great as it is.

I was not moved by the love story, nor felt any need for it. I'm not a fan of close proximity, not do I find it believable. It reads too cliché and reminds me of 90s action movies where of course they got together just because they survived a horrific event. Meh.

But, overall, this was a compelling story, fittingly creepy, eerie, unexpectedly gory at times, perfectly screenable if one would want to make a movie out of it.]]> 3.65 2020
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: Nona
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/10
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: horror, historical, mystery, thriller
review:
3.5

This book was surprisingly fun! People say it's disgusting, but to me, it was not; maybe I've seen too many horror movies and it doesn't affect me anymore. It was just a good old classic, gothic, horror. And I was all for it.

When Catalina Doyle, a sweet, light-hearted woman, married to a British owner of a silver mine, sends a weird, frantic letter to her uncle, he sends his daughter - and Catalina's cousin - Noemí to investigate and make sure Catalina is ok and well taken care of by her husband's family. There are concerns about her health and about her sudden marriage, as her husband's family has lost most of their wealth during the Mexican revolution and may be profiting from Catalina's inheritance.

Noemí travels to the remote countryside and discovers a creepy, disintegrating mansion invaded by mold and an even creepier family who has all sorts of crazy rules such as no talking during dinner and not driving into town unaccompanied. As Catalina's health starts to decline, Noemí takes it upon herself to find a cure and investigate, because her husband doesn't seem to want to get her the help she needs. But weird and scary things start to happen to her as well and she finds herself trapped in the mansion, unable to get away.

I found the story quite gripping, despite the slower start. I don't particularly mind the slow exposition, because it got me the change to get to know the characters and connect with them, especially with Noemí, who evolves from a carefree socialite always dressed to the nines and ready for fun to a sort of superhero trying to save herself, her cousin and other people from the darkness that took over the house. The other characters didn't do much for me, they are more of a backstage presence, but some of them impact the story significantly here and there, directing the events. The Doyles are appropriately creepy, with Virgil, Catalina's husband, stealing the stage occasionally, as he changes his personality and disposition, making Noemí question her sanity and appropriateness.

There's a long exposition where the author builds the characters, environment and overall atmosphere. I'm all for the gothic vibes of this story - gothic literature, in general, is right up my alley. Silvia Moreno-Garcia allowed me to get to know the people and the house, with it's moldy wallpaper and rusty pipes, its backyard cemetery and the fog surrounding it. I was thoroughly creeped out and entertained at the same time. The book is quite visual and it would make an engrossing movie. Not Mexican enough for what I was expecting based on the title, which is at least half misleading (sure, it takes place in the Mexican countryside, but the family and mansion are very British ).

Then, the horror part comes along and it's all rolling down the hill in the last third of the book, leaving me breathless. Part of it was predictable to me - the author talks a little bit too much about the mold for it not to play a significant part in the story -, but I was surprised by some of the aspects regarding the Doyle family and their history. The ending leaves room for a sequel, but I hope this sequel is never made; the story is great as it is.

I was not moved by the love story, nor felt any need for it. I'm not a fan of close proximity, not do I find it believable. It reads too cliché and reminds me of 90s action movies where of course they got together just because they survived a horrific event. Meh.

But, overall, this was a compelling story, fittingly creepy, eerie, unexpectedly gory at times, perfectly screenable if one would want to make a movie out of it.
]]> 29324449
„Îmi place să construiesc o poveste pornind de la lucruri mărunte, iar ciocolata este unul dintre lucrurile mărunte care îmi oferă pretextul de a vorbi despre istoria mare.�� (Care SANTOS)]]> 352 Care Santos 6067790076 Nona 4
I'll just start by saying I was an insufferable elitist when I first read this book and I have thus changed the rating of this gem where it belonged the first time. (I liked the book just fine back in 2017, but I was a prick. I also don't think it's chick-lit. I'll leave the previous review here because it's proof that people can grow if they want to.)

I still stand by everything I wrote back in 2017 except for "doesn't bring up any philosophical questions". Because Care Santos definitely included themes that made me ponder. Female resilience is one of these, and it shines through all three stories, as each of the protagonists is confronted with unique challenges shaped by the societal norms of her time.

Also, I just want to mention that Care Santos was the first author (through this book, in particular) who sparked my desire to see Barcelona. So she will always hold a dear spot in my heart.

The book is made up of three stories, each relevant for a particular time period. The stories are tied together by an object - a porcelain chocolate pot that is thought to have belonged to Madame Adélaïde de France, the fourth daughter of King Louis XV. More than just a functional object, the pot represents continuity, legacy, but maybe also the unspoken bond between generations of women. Its presence in each story weaves a thread through time, carrying with it memories and desires, not only the rich history of chocolate itself. As for chocolate, it also serves as a central concept, seen both as pleasure and temptation, but also as a symbol for the bittersweet complexities of life.

Sara's story (present)
Sara Rovira is a chocolatier in Barcelona who struggles to balance her career and her marriage, while harbouring a guilty secret she thinks no one knows about. I admired Sara for her will to obtain everything she wanted - be it her family, her business or (less morally desirable) her love life. There's a love triangle issue I don't usually approve of, or even enjoy in a novel, but the way this story is told - including the erotic passages - is quite delicate and non-judgemental, so I ended up not judging her either. For Sara, the chocolate pot becomes a source of inspiration, but mainly a symbol of the strong friendship that ties her to her husband and her best friend, a love triangle born during a chocolate course all of them attended in their 20s and that lasted over 20 years.

Aurora's story (19th century)
Aurora is a maid in the home of an industry magnate during the Industrial Revolution, a time when the art of chocolate-making was being transformed by technological advancements. Despite her lower status, she becomes a vital figure in the household due to her birth and subsequent condition of "milk sister" to Candida Turull, the family's only daughter. The Turull family marks the transition from artisanal chocolate-making to large-scale industrial production, which defined the era. Her story - a heartwarming one, in the end - explores class divides, but points out that status and wealth do not always bring happiness. While the first story may just be my favourite one, because I love strong women who know exactly what they want, this second one features one of the most delicate, touching love stories I've read about.

Marianna's story (18th century)
Marianna is the wife of a chocolatier in pre-revolutionary Barcelona, living in a time when chocolate was an artisanal luxury consumed primarily by the wealthy elite and only men could pertain to a guild and exercise this occupation. Together with her husband, she invented a machine that would efficientize chocolate making, an object much desired by the guild, but also by representatives from the courts of France and England. Marianna’s story highlights the struggles and resilience of women who supported their husbands�� work in an era when their contributions were often overlooked. The chocolate pot, which she receives as a gift from Madame Adélaïde de France, becomes a symbol of liberation from the gender constraints of those times. While I loved this story as well, mainly because of its historical context, I don't feel Marianna was truly the protagonist. The story (about her, but where her role is a rather muted one) is told from the perspective of Victor Guilllot, Madame Adélaïde's secretary and spy. This story reminded me of old cape and sword novels such as "The Three Musketeers", as it features many action scenes that include duels, spying and the good old "save the damsel in distress" trope.

In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel is the way it's written. Each story features a different style, somewhat matching the era it describes. The last part even includes one chapter written as a play, an homage to the art form that was so beloved during those times.

While it is mostly a character-driven prose, I appreciated the way Care Santos anchored each tale in the realities of their times, by inserting historical details that make it possible to accurately place them where they are supposed to be. Whether describing the pre-revolutionary aristocracy of Barcelona, the industrial advancements of the 19th century or the modern-day challenges of running a business, Santos grounds her narrative in well-researched context. Barcelona changes through the eras, is dressed up in consumes that reflect the times, but chocolate remains the common element that ties it all together.

Moreover, what this novel does well is to give voice to women from different historical periods, exploring how they navigate societal constraints while finding strength and purpose in their roles.

-----------------

To start, I just want to say that I didn't give it 4 stars simply because it cannot compare to classics and other authors that I've given 4 and 5 stars to, but I really liked this book. I'm actually surprised that I liked it so much, given that it's basically chick-lit.

It's an easy read, it doesn't require much effort and doesn't bring up any philosophical questions. However, the mixture of history, real persons and fiction is so well managed, that I found this book highly enjoyable. The characters are well defined and relatable and I found the stories well written and easy to engage with. The first one more so than the others, maybe because it happens in our times.

I liked the infusion of eroticism in the first story, it wasn't too over the top, just enough to give the reader a kick. And I found myself having chocolate cravings while I read the book (not that I don't crave chocolate on a daily basis), which means to me that the author was well-informed about the history and process of chocolate-making and she managed to put it all in writing in an engaging way.

Summer read, I picked it up because of the title, but I'm happy I did.]]> 3.73 2014
author: Care Santos
name: Nona
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/16
shelves: for-rainy-days, historical, romance
review:
Re-read Dec.2024

I'll just start by saying I was an insufferable elitist when I first read this book and I have thus changed the rating of this gem where it belonged the first time. (I liked the book just fine back in 2017, but I was a prick. I also don't think it's chick-lit. I'll leave the previous review here because it's proof that people can grow if they want to.)

I still stand by everything I wrote back in 2017 except for "doesn't bring up any philosophical questions". Because Care Santos definitely included themes that made me ponder. Female resilience is one of these, and it shines through all three stories, as each of the protagonists is confronted with unique challenges shaped by the societal norms of her time.

Also, I just want to mention that Care Santos was the first author (through this book, in particular) who sparked my desire to see Barcelona. So she will always hold a dear spot in my heart.

The book is made up of three stories, each relevant for a particular time period. The stories are tied together by an object - a porcelain chocolate pot that is thought to have belonged to Madame Adélaïde de France, the fourth daughter of King Louis XV. More than just a functional object, the pot represents continuity, legacy, but maybe also the unspoken bond between generations of women. Its presence in each story weaves a thread through time, carrying with it memories and desires, not only the rich history of chocolate itself. As for chocolate, it also serves as a central concept, seen both as pleasure and temptation, but also as a symbol for the bittersweet complexities of life.

Sara's story (present)
Sara Rovira is a chocolatier in Barcelona who struggles to balance her career and her marriage, while harbouring a guilty secret she thinks no one knows about. I admired Sara for her will to obtain everything she wanted - be it her family, her business or (less morally desirable) her love life. There's a love triangle issue I don't usually approve of, or even enjoy in a novel, but the way this story is told - including the erotic passages - is quite delicate and non-judgemental, so I ended up not judging her either. For Sara, the chocolate pot becomes a source of inspiration, but mainly a symbol of the strong friendship that ties her to her husband and her best friend, a love triangle born during a chocolate course all of them attended in their 20s and that lasted over 20 years.

Aurora's story (19th century)
Aurora is a maid in the home of an industry magnate during the Industrial Revolution, a time when the art of chocolate-making was being transformed by technological advancements. Despite her lower status, she becomes a vital figure in the household due to her birth and subsequent condition of "milk sister" to Candida Turull, the family's only daughter. The Turull family marks the transition from artisanal chocolate-making to large-scale industrial production, which defined the era. Her story - a heartwarming one, in the end - explores class divides, but points out that status and wealth do not always bring happiness. While the first story may just be my favourite one, because I love strong women who know exactly what they want, this second one features one of the most delicate, touching love stories I've read about.

Marianna's story (18th century)
Marianna is the wife of a chocolatier in pre-revolutionary Barcelona, living in a time when chocolate was an artisanal luxury consumed primarily by the wealthy elite and only men could pertain to a guild and exercise this occupation. Together with her husband, she invented a machine that would efficientize chocolate making, an object much desired by the guild, but also by representatives from the courts of France and England. Marianna’s story highlights the struggles and resilience of women who supported their husbands�� work in an era when their contributions were often overlooked. The chocolate pot, which she receives as a gift from Madame Adélaïde de France, becomes a symbol of liberation from the gender constraints of those times. While I loved this story as well, mainly because of its historical context, I don't feel Marianna was truly the protagonist. The story (about her, but where her role is a rather muted one) is told from the perspective of Victor Guilllot, Madame Adélaïde's secretary and spy. This story reminded me of old cape and sword novels such as "The Three Musketeers", as it features many action scenes that include duels, spying and the good old "save the damsel in distress" trope.

In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel is the way it's written. Each story features a different style, somewhat matching the era it describes. The last part even includes one chapter written as a play, an homage to the art form that was so beloved during those times.

While it is mostly a character-driven prose, I appreciated the way Care Santos anchored each tale in the realities of their times, by inserting historical details that make it possible to accurately place them where they are supposed to be. Whether describing the pre-revolutionary aristocracy of Barcelona, the industrial advancements of the 19th century or the modern-day challenges of running a business, Santos grounds her narrative in well-researched context. Barcelona changes through the eras, is dressed up in consumes that reflect the times, but chocolate remains the common element that ties it all together.

Moreover, what this novel does well is to give voice to women from different historical periods, exploring how they navigate societal constraints while finding strength and purpose in their roles.

-----------------

To start, I just want to say that I didn't give it 4 stars simply because it cannot compare to classics and other authors that I've given 4 and 5 stars to, but I really liked this book. I'm actually surprised that I liked it so much, given that it's basically chick-lit.

It's an easy read, it doesn't require much effort and doesn't bring up any philosophical questions. However, the mixture of history, real persons and fiction is so well managed, that I found this book highly enjoyable. The characters are well defined and relatable and I found the stories well written and easy to engage with. The first one more so than the others, maybe because it happens in our times.

I liked the infusion of eroticism in the first story, it wasn't too over the top, just enough to give the reader a kick. And I found myself having chocolate cravings while I read the book (not that I don't crave chocolate on a daily basis), which means to me that the author was well-informed about the history and process of chocolate-making and she managed to put it all in writing in an engaging way.

Summer read, I picked it up because of the title, but I'm happy I did.
]]> 222280708 Cu sânge rece primul mare „roman de nonficţiune�� al literaturii americane. Un roman cult emoţionant, intens, incitant.

„Nimeni nu va şti vreodată cum m-a afectat Cu sânge rece. M-a ros până în măduva oaselor. Aproape m-a ucis. De fapt, într-un fel, chiar m-a ucis.�� - Truman Capote

„Cartea lui Truman Capote îţi îngheaţă sângele în vine şi-ţi pune mintea la contribuţie. Un roman zguduitor.�� - The New York Review of Books]]> 423 Truman Capote 6067108380 Nona 4
I realize this sounds worse than it actually is. The book is not bad, it's just way too long and detailed in some areas where I didn't need details. On a rational level, I understand that Capote wanted to give a comprehensive image on what this murder did to the entire community - thus we are introduced to an exaggerated number of characters that have no impact on the story -, it's just that I found myself struggling to not skip these parts. I found no added value to getting to know the postal worker or the deputy's wife.

Capote was a pioneer of the true crime genre. This book reconstructs the brutal 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, and the subsequent capture, trial and execution of the two criminals, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. You could get the same basic story from a quick Google search. But the intrigue is not where this book's strengths lie - it's in how it combined the accuracy of journalism with the creativity of a novel, which ended up creating an unsettling yet captivating account of this real-life tragedy.

What amazed me was the amount of research Capote (with the help of his friend, writer Harper Lee) conducted to follow the investigation and obtain all the details from the locals, the police and the criminals themselves. In fact, he developed a particularly close relationship with Perry Smith and this connection allowed him to dig deeply into their psychological states and personal histories. This gave Capote the opportunity to garner the perspectives of the murderers and present much of the story from their point of view - which, on one side, gave complexity to the account, but on the other hand, raised some questions of ethics for me. Because a great part of this book is written from the perpetrators' perspective, I found his dramatized approach to somewhat romanticize their lives and find excuses for their acts of violence (in particular for Perry, who is portrayed as sympathetic, which overshadows the Clutter family and the gruesome nature of the murders). This didn't particularly sit well with me. I would have appreciated the same level of detail regarding other characters, which didn't benefit from the same level of detailing.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is the way it portrays the American (rural) society of the 50s and the innocence of small-town life. We have the Clutter family, which embodies what we are taught to believe is the American dream - a tight-knit family, who built a fortune through hard work, who goes to church regularly, with children who are elite students and never do anything rebellious. Capote provides insights into the rigid social hierarchies and relationships typical of small towns, where people know each other intimately, and the unfairness of these murders becomes a collective trauma and has a ripple effect in the entire community, creating a sense of uneasiness where before there was only trust, especially as, for a while, people believed that the murderer was one of their own.

There's nothing I can criticise regarding the prose. Capote's dedication to meticulously research the Clutter case, over the course of several years, can be seen in the factual accuracy that gives the narrative a strong foundation. He provides thorough descriptions of events, places and people, even of the daily routines of the different characters, which created an immersive experience. The journalistic precision was happily married with the novelistic and often lyrical storytelling, taking this book out of the dry nonfiction genre and blurring the line between fiction and journalistic investigation.

It was an interesting experience and, despite the gruesome realism of the events described within, an engaging read. There were moments where I could detach my mind and forget that we're talking about real events, and this made the account digestible and feel more like a mystery thriller than a nonfiction. The teenager in me who used to watch true crime documentaries on Discovery was delighted.]]> 4.00 1966
author: Truman Capote
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1966
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/10
date added: 2024/12/16
shelves: z_ps24, mystery, non-fiction, classics, made-to-movie
review:
Ever since I've read "The Swans of Fifth Avenue", I've wanted to understand what all the excitement about Truman Capote's masterpiece was about. I used to watch true crime documentaries some years ago, and this also contributed to creating high expectations about this book, which is part novel, part nonfiction. And, in fact, reading "In Cold Blood" felt exactly like watching a true crime documentary - with one significant difference: Truman Capote managed to bore me half of the time.

I realize this sounds worse than it actually is. The book is not bad, it's just way too long and detailed in some areas where I didn't need details. On a rational level, I understand that Capote wanted to give a comprehensive image on what this murder did to the entire community - thus we are introduced to an exaggerated number of characters that have no impact on the story -, it's just that I found myself struggling to not skip these parts. I found no added value to getting to know the postal worker or the deputy's wife.

Capote was a pioneer of the true crime genre. This book reconstructs the brutal 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, and the subsequent capture, trial and execution of the two criminals, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. You could get the same basic story from a quick Google search. But the intrigue is not where this book's strengths lie - it's in how it combined the accuracy of journalism with the creativity of a novel, which ended up creating an unsettling yet captivating account of this real-life tragedy.

What amazed me was the amount of research Capote (with the help of his friend, writer Harper Lee) conducted to follow the investigation and obtain all the details from the locals, the police and the criminals themselves. In fact, he developed a particularly close relationship with Perry Smith and this connection allowed him to dig deeply into their psychological states and personal histories. This gave Capote the opportunity to garner the perspectives of the murderers and present much of the story from their point of view - which, on one side, gave complexity to the account, but on the other hand, raised some questions of ethics for me. Because a great part of this book is written from the perpetrators' perspective, I found his dramatized approach to somewhat romanticize their lives and find excuses for their acts of violence (in particular for Perry, who is portrayed as sympathetic, which overshadows the Clutter family and the gruesome nature of the murders). This didn't particularly sit well with me. I would have appreciated the same level of detail regarding other characters, which didn't benefit from the same level of detailing.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is the way it portrays the American (rural) society of the 50s and the innocence of small-town life. We have the Clutter family, which embodies what we are taught to believe is the American dream - a tight-knit family, who built a fortune through hard work, who goes to church regularly, with children who are elite students and never do anything rebellious. Capote provides insights into the rigid social hierarchies and relationships typical of small towns, where people know each other intimately, and the unfairness of these murders becomes a collective trauma and has a ripple effect in the entire community, creating a sense of uneasiness where before there was only trust, especially as, for a while, people believed that the murderer was one of their own.

There's nothing I can criticise regarding the prose. Capote's dedication to meticulously research the Clutter case, over the course of several years, can be seen in the factual accuracy that gives the narrative a strong foundation. He provides thorough descriptions of events, places and people, even of the daily routines of the different characters, which created an immersive experience. The journalistic precision was happily married with the novelistic and often lyrical storytelling, taking this book out of the dry nonfiction genre and blurring the line between fiction and journalistic investigation.

It was an interesting experience and, despite the gruesome realism of the events described within, an engaging read. There were moments where I could detach my mind and forget that we're talking about real events, and this made the account digestible and feel more like a mystery thriller than a nonfiction. The teenager in me who used to watch true crime documentaries on Discovery was delighted.
]]> 58135425
Mateu Serra, un orfan răzbătător care are sclipirea de a transforma o mică brutărie de cartier într-o cofetărie modernă, va deveni întemeietorul unei dinastii. Alba, a cărei naștere pare să se afle sub semnul unei stele norocoase, vine pe lume în zorii zilei de Crăciun a anului 1926, când peste Barcelona se așază o ninsoare miraculoasă. Pasionată de dulciuri și înzestrată cu un talent neobișnuit, manifestat încă din copilărie, Alba nu-și dorește decât să lucreze la faimoasa cofetărie Escribà, de care intuiește că este legat drumul ei în viață.]]> 273 Christian Escribà 606779800X Nona 2
The book is written by Christian Escribà, the current owner of the Escribà Pastry Shop in Barcelona. He is the representative of the fourth generation of Barcelona confectioners who, in 1906, founded what would become the Escribà confectionery, today part of Catalonia's cultural and gastronomic heritage. Despite having written other books, mainly about pastry, this is his first novel and, although it is written in collaboration with writer Sílvia Tarragó, the fact that he's not really a novelist is quite visible.

But on to the plot and I'll rant afterwards. The book follows the story of Alba, a young woman passionate about cooking since she was a little girl. Her fate is intertwined with that of the Escribà Pastry Shop, that has been present in her life since she was born. Because of this, she is convinced that the magic of sweets is following her around and deciding her destiny.

Alba's tale is mingled with that of Mateu Serra i Capell, a poor boy with a passion for making bread, who first opened the “Forn Serra��, that will later become the Escribà Pastry Shop. The author takes us through the entire history of his family and the pastry shop, in a journey through Spain's history, marked by civil war, dictatorship and economic crises.

I really, really wanted to love this novel. It had all the ingredients to become a favorite - Barcelona (which I adore), pastry recipes, history. Unfortunately, Christian Escribà is not a novelist and he should have handed the story of his family to someone who is. The plot is patchy and jumps from one thing to another without continuity. The rhythm is uneven, with entire pages describing things in detail and then others where entire years have gone by in a split second. Barcelona, the place I fell in love with first through Zafón's writings and then by walking on its streets, was barely present, merely a shadow. And, although the author tried to include a little bit of Spain's history in the book, it felt like an afterthought - although both his family and the shop were very much impacted by the Civil War and Franco's regime.

As for the characters, I could not get close to anyone, not even to Alba, who's passion for baking I share. Her story had some poorly stitched drama that could have made her into an interesting character, but unfortunately it didn't. And I could not understand her decisions regarding her love life.

To summarize, for me, this was a book of missed opportunities. If it wanted to be a tribute to pastry making and to the Escribà family, it sort of was, but the inclusion of Alba's story took something away from that. If it wanted to be a love story, it failed - the relationship between Alba and her husband is bland, while the one with her lover is toxic. If it wanted to paint a picture of Barcelona and its history, this was also a wasted chance, because the historical context is not developed enough.

I wanted it to be emotional, to convey to me some of the charm of Barcelona, to be a tribute to creativity and the magic of pastry making, but it left me unsatisfied.]]> 3.05
author: Christian Escribà
name: Nona
average rating: 3.05
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/04
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: for-rainy-days, historical, romance, mehs
review:
Life these days is super crazy, so I needed something cozy to read. And a book about a pastry shop in Barcelona (one of my favorite places I have travelled to) was just what the doctor ordered. And, as a general vibe, it is cozy and it made me hungry - I mean, each chapter is named after a dish (most of them sweet) and the novel is filled with recipes that I'm eager to try out.

The book is written by Christian Escribà, the current owner of the Escribà Pastry Shop in Barcelona. He is the representative of the fourth generation of Barcelona confectioners who, in 1906, founded what would become the Escribà confectionery, today part of Catalonia's cultural and gastronomic heritage. Despite having written other books, mainly about pastry, this is his first novel and, although it is written in collaboration with writer Sílvia Tarragó, the fact that he's not really a novelist is quite visible.

But on to the plot and I'll rant afterwards. The book follows the story of Alba, a young woman passionate about cooking since she was a little girl. Her fate is intertwined with that of the Escribà Pastry Shop, that has been present in her life since she was born. Because of this, she is convinced that the magic of sweets is following her around and deciding her destiny.

Alba's tale is mingled with that of Mateu Serra i Capell, a poor boy with a passion for making bread, who first opened the “Forn Serra��, that will later become the Escribà Pastry Shop. The author takes us through the entire history of his family and the pastry shop, in a journey through Spain's history, marked by civil war, dictatorship and economic crises.

I really, really wanted to love this novel. It had all the ingredients to become a favorite - Barcelona (which I adore), pastry recipes, history. Unfortunately, Christian Escribà is not a novelist and he should have handed the story of his family to someone who is. The plot is patchy and jumps from one thing to another without continuity. The rhythm is uneven, with entire pages describing things in detail and then others where entire years have gone by in a split second. Barcelona, the place I fell in love with first through Zafón's writings and then by walking on its streets, was barely present, merely a shadow. And, although the author tried to include a little bit of Spain's history in the book, it felt like an afterthought - although both his family and the shop were very much impacted by the Civil War and Franco's regime.

As for the characters, I could not get close to anyone, not even to Alba, who's passion for baking I share. Her story had some poorly stitched drama that could have made her into an interesting character, but unfortunately it didn't. And I could not understand her decisions regarding her love life.

To summarize, for me, this was a book of missed opportunities. If it wanted to be a tribute to pastry making and to the Escribà family, it sort of was, but the inclusion of Alba's story took something away from that. If it wanted to be a love story, it failed - the relationship between Alba and her husband is bland, while the one with her lover is toxic. If it wanted to paint a picture of Barcelona and its history, this was also a wasted chance, because the historical context is not developed enough.

I wanted it to be emotional, to convey to me some of the charm of Barcelona, to be a tribute to creativity and the magic of pastry making, but it left me unsatisfied.
]]> 39295195 64 Lauren Graham 0349011540 Nona 3 non-fiction
This book is basically her 2017 commencement speech at her alma mater, Langley High School. A little bit expanded, but not so much. Sure, it's inspirational for high school students, and Lauren Graham is, as always, warm and funny, but it's still only a speech. She points out some key topics such as embracing the unknown and finding joy in the process, rather than stressing over achieving perfection. She draws parallels to her own experiences as an actor and a writer, but for anyone who has ever read at least one self-help book, there's nothing really groundbreaking about her advice.

I honestly don't recommend spending money on it, unless you're maybe, maybe a hard-core fan of hers.]]> 3.91 2018
author: Lauren Graham
name: Nona
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/11
shelves: non-fiction
review:
I love Lauren Graham, both as an actor and as a writer. But I honestly don't understand the point of this booklet. (Also, it was expensive af for its 60 pages in pocketbook format. That's a whole different story.)

This book is basically her 2017 commencement speech at her alma mater, Langley High School. A little bit expanded, but not so much. Sure, it's inspirational for high school students, and Lauren Graham is, as always, warm and funny, but it's still only a speech. She points out some key topics such as embracing the unknown and finding joy in the process, rather than stressing over achieving perfection. She draws parallels to her own experiences as an actor and a writer, but for anyone who has ever read at least one self-help book, there's nothing really groundbreaking about her advice.

I honestly don't recommend spending money on it, unless you're maybe, maybe a hard-core fan of hers.
]]> 123136728 207 Samantha Harvey 0802161545 Nona 0 to-read 3.56 2023
author: Samantha Harvey
name: Nona
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57691996
Un adevărat mit american devine un cumplit coșmar pe patru roți.

Arnie Cunningham, un licean ca oricare altul, se îndrăgostește la prima vedere de o mașină Plymouth Fury din 1958, pe care fostul ei proprietar a poreclit-o Christine. Roșie ca flăcările iadului și veche de douăzeci de ani, aceasta ruginește, abandonată pe o peluză, iar adolescentul hotărăște să o repare, ajutat și de prietenul lui cel mai bun, Dennis Guilder. Arnie nu e nici pe departe popular și nu-și dorește neapărat un automobil, dar apariția lui Christine îl schimbă radical: devine, dintr-odată, mult mai sigur pe sine, mai bătăios, începe să iasă cu Leigh, cea mai frumoasă fată din liceu, în timp ce terifianta mașină pune stăpânire pe viața lui. Dennis și Leigh își dau seama că nu îl pot elibera pe Arnie din mrejele lui Christine decât dacă îi dezvăluie trecutul sângeros al acesteia.


��𳦴dz����Ի�ă����:
„Un Stephen King clasic, care te lasă fără suflare. Grozav! Cu atâtea momente tensionate, încât cititorul trebuie să facă eforturi să mai închidă, din când în când, cartea.��
The New York Times Book Review]]> 576 Stephen King 6064310863 Nona 4
I admit, I became annoyed after the first 200. I kept waiting for things to happen. Something, anything. But my frustration was finally over when Christine started to do her thing and unalive people. Is that a spoiler? I'm pretty sure it's not.

I feel like everyone knows the plot. Christine is a car - a big, old, red car - with a dark past. Arnie Cunningham, who is a socially awkward teenager, always the victim of bullying, buys Christine and begins to transform under her influence. As Christine's dark power grows, so does her grip on Arnie, leading to terrifying consequences for anyone who gets in her way.

The book is structured into three main parts, reflecting the progression of the story and Arnie’s transformation. The story is told from the point of view of Dennis Guilder, Arnie's best friend, who assists at his transformation and is the one to fight against Christine's malevolent powers. The first part is the one where the intrigue is set and we meet the characters, their friendship and the way Arnie ends up falling in love with Christine - because that's what it feels like. In fact, Arnie treats the car as he would a woman and starts spending most of his time with her. As Arnie’s relationship with Christine deepens, we witness his personality change and growing obsession.

The novel, as I said, starts slowly. King takes his time (too much time, in my opinion) to build the characters and setting, to the point where it became tedious and repetitive. Or maybe I'm at the age where books about teenagers and high school life have started to bore me. He goes quite deep into the topic of the American high school life, with the football, the cheerleading, the bullying, the dating - topics that are not my cup of tea anymore. However, I enjoyed the way he depicts the friendship between Arnie and Dennis, which is central to the story and drives the plot (and the ending).

The last third is where things really become exciting. The car becomes the central figure, embodying evil and wreaking havoc. The level of horror rises to its terrifying climax. I think I read the last 100 pages or in one go, unable to stop, heart beating and with gasping breath. King horrified me with the ending he chose for Arnie and his family (I hated, but understood and found perfectly reasonable the fate of Arnie's father, but I hated and didn't understand what he chose for Arnie and his mother. Oh well, it's always hit or miss with King's book finales.)

I appreciated the complex character development and the detailed, sensory-rich scenes painted by King. The tone shifts from nostalgic and reflective to tense and horrifying towards the end, as the tension builds up gradually. Will this be one of my favorite books in the King universe? Probably not, but it was a solid read and he has the talent to create emotions, whether through fear, nostalgia or empathy.]]> 3.97 1983
author: Stephen King
name: Nona
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/01
date added: 2024/12/08
shelves: thriller, made-to-movie, horror
review:
Stephen King made me care about a topic I normally don't, at all: cars. Had this book been 200 pages shorter, I would have loved it even more. But alas, King will be King and he has an amazing talent to drag out the plot incessantly for hundreds of pages.

I admit, I became annoyed after the first 200. I kept waiting for things to happen. Something, anything. But my frustration was finally over when Christine started to do her thing and unalive people. Is that a spoiler? I'm pretty sure it's not.

I feel like everyone knows the plot. Christine is a car - a big, old, red car - with a dark past. Arnie Cunningham, who is a socially awkward teenager, always the victim of bullying, buys Christine and begins to transform under her influence. As Christine's dark power grows, so does her grip on Arnie, leading to terrifying consequences for anyone who gets in her way.

The book is structured into three main parts, reflecting the progression of the story and Arnie’s transformation. The story is told from the point of view of Dennis Guilder, Arnie's best friend, who assists at his transformation and is the one to fight against Christine's malevolent powers. The first part is the one where the intrigue is set and we meet the characters, their friendship and the way Arnie ends up falling in love with Christine - because that's what it feels like. In fact, Arnie treats the car as he would a woman and starts spending most of his time with her. As Arnie’s relationship with Christine deepens, we witness his personality change and growing obsession.

The novel, as I said, starts slowly. King takes his time (too much time, in my opinion) to build the characters and setting, to the point where it became tedious and repetitive. Or maybe I'm at the age where books about teenagers and high school life have started to bore me. He goes quite deep into the topic of the American high school life, with the football, the cheerleading, the bullying, the dating - topics that are not my cup of tea anymore. However, I enjoyed the way he depicts the friendship between Arnie and Dennis, which is central to the story and drives the plot (and the ending).

The last third is where things really become exciting. The car becomes the central figure, embodying evil and wreaking havoc. The level of horror rises to its terrifying climax. I think I read the last 100 pages or in one go, unable to stop, heart beating and with gasping breath. King horrified me with the ending he chose for Arnie and his family (I hated, but understood and found perfectly reasonable the fate of Arnie's father, but I hated and didn't understand what he chose for Arnie and his mother. Oh well, it's always hit or miss with King's book finales.)

I appreciated the complex character development and the detailed, sensory-rich scenes painted by King. The tone shifts from nostalgic and reflective to tense and horrifying towards the end, as the tension builds up gradually. Will this be one of my favorite books in the King universe? Probably not, but it was a solid read and he has the talent to create emotions, whether through fear, nostalgia or empathy.
]]> 221833135
Un roman superb si nelinistitor in trei acte despre rebeliune si tabuuri, violenta si erotism si metamorfoza contorsionata a unui suflet.

Inainte sa inceapa cosmarurile, Yeong-hye si sotul ei aveau o viata cat se poate de normala. Dar visele - imagini coplesitoare, insangerate si brutale - o tortureaza pe Yeong-hye, facand-o sa incerce sa se elibereze de ele renuntand la carne. Acest mic act de independenta ii tulbura insa casnicia si pune in miscare un sir de evenimente din ce in ce mai grotesti. In timp ce intreaga ei familie se lupta sa recapete controlul asupra ei, Yeong-hye isi apara obsesiv alegerea, dandu-i o dimensiune sacra. In curand, incercarile apropiatilor devin disperate, supunand mai intai mintea, mai apoi corpul lui Yeong-hye unor violuri din ce in ce mai intruzive, aruncand-o pe aceasta in bucla unei instrainari bizare si periculoase. Apreciata de criticii din intreaga lume, Vegetariana este o poveste intunecata, alegorica si kafkiana despre putere, obsesie si lupta unei femei de a se elibera de violenta care ii stapaneste atat lumea exterioara, cat si pe cea interioara.

O privire complexa si inspaimantatoare asupra felului in care niste decizii aparent simple pot afecta vietile mai multor oameni... Intr-o lume in care corpurile femeilor sunt mereu in centrul atentiei, dorinta protagonistei de a disparea in sine insusi pare infricosator de familiara. - Vanityfair

Un roman despre sexualitate si nebunie care isi merita tot succesul. - Ian McEwan

Sclipitor... Vegetariana este un roman ingenios, incomod si de neuitat. - Publishers Weekly

Visuri intunecate, tensiune mocninda, violenta infioratoare. Acest roman sud-coreean e un regal. Este un roman senzual, provocator si brutal, mustind de imagini puternice, culori uluitoare si intrebari tulburatoare. Propozitie cu propozitie, Vegetariana este o experienta extraordinara. - The Guardian

Vegetariana isi are mai degraba radacinile intr-o proza scurta intitulata Fruits of My Woman, publicata cand aveam 26 de ani. Personajele sunt un barbat si o femeie. Intr-o zi, barbatul se intoarce acasa de la munca si descopera ca sotia lui s-a transformat intr-o planta, astfel ca o muta intr-un ghiveci, o uda si are grija de ea. - Han Kang]]> 247 Han Kang 6303216102 Nona 5 contemporary, omgs
This three-act novel made my skin crawl and gave me nightmares - not the kind Yeong-hye had, but others related to women's status in society. It's one of those books that make you feel grateful to be living in a (somewhat) normal bubble, where misoginism, although definitely not extinct, is maybe not so obvious. Then again... I may need to shut up about this, given what's happening around us.

There are three parts to this novel, narrated from the perspectives of three people who are affected by Yeong-hye, the protagonist. She, while at the center of the story, is not an active voice - we can barely see her through her own eyes, unless it's in moments where she recounts her nightmares. For the most part, she is merely a conduit for other people to express their fears, their internalized traumas.

Yeong-hye is an ordinary woman living in Seoul who, after a series of violent dreams, decides to stop eating meat. Her choice spirals into a rebellion against societal norms and triggers a chain of events that disrupt her relationships and identity. The first part, "The Vegetarian", is narrated by Yeong-hye’s husband, Mr Cheong, who is the embodiment of traditional patriarchal attitudes. I think maybe this part triggered me the most (though the others definitely have passages that enraged me) because Mr Cheong views his wife only as a domestic worker. The way he talks about her is awful, demeaning. This part, highlighting Yeong-hye's inital transformation and its impact on their marriage, is a means for the author to talk about the role of wives in Korean culture and the way society views those who rebel against a a rigidly conformist society.

"Mongolian Mark" shifts focus to Yeong-hye’s brother-in-law, an artist who becomes obsessed with her after learning of a birthmark on her body. This fixation leads to a surreal artistic project. His obsession blurs the line between love and lust and he starts associating artistic inspiration with her birthmark. Yeong-hye becomes a passive object in his artistic vision, she is objectified, reduced to the role of muse. The erotic imagery is definitely not romantic - in fact, there's nothing romantic about this novel in general, none of the relationships depicted here can be understood as such. As for Yeong-hye, we assist to her deterioration in terms of mental state, as she becomes more and more detached from herself and from reality, and prone to psychological manipulation.

The last part, "Flaming Trees", is narrated from the perspective of In-hye, Yeong-hye's older sister. The author shifts here the focus to familial bonds and sacrifice, while the protagonist's mental illness becomes more and more obvious. There's a lot of poetic symbolism in the way Han Kang depicts her descent into madness. The sisters�� shared childhood trauma, hinted at throughout the novel, becomes a key factor here - their repressed emotions, coming from the same root causes, take them on different paths in life. To me, this section read almost like a thriller, I was gasping for breath while I waited for the obvious conclusion.

There's an almost Kafkian vibe throughout the novel. The absurdity of societal rules and expectations, the alienation, the deep sense of existential loneliness reminded me of "The Metamorphosis". I adored Han Kang's prose, despite its minimalism - the novel is rich in poetic and symbolic imagery and she managed to create a surreal atmosphere which enhanced my emotions. And I definitely experienced many emotions while reading it, from disgust to despair, frustration, powerlessness, sadness, but also a lot of compassion towards Yeong-hye.

It's one of the most complex novels I've read in a long while, from an emotional and psychological perspective. I'd definitely recommend it, but with care, because of the many trigger warnings.]]> 3.84 2007
author: Han Kang
name: Nona
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: contemporary, omgs
review:
What a haunting, nightmarish book! I'm glad Han Kang won the Nobel Prize for literature, I don't think I would have read her books anytime soon otherwise.

This three-act novel made my skin crawl and gave me nightmares - not the kind Yeong-hye had, but others related to women's status in society. It's one of those books that make you feel grateful to be living in a (somewhat) normal bubble, where misoginism, although definitely not extinct, is maybe not so obvious. Then again... I may need to shut up about this, given what's happening around us.

There are three parts to this novel, narrated from the perspectives of three people who are affected by Yeong-hye, the protagonist. She, while at the center of the story, is not an active voice - we can barely see her through her own eyes, unless it's in moments where she recounts her nightmares. For the most part, she is merely a conduit for other people to express their fears, their internalized traumas.

Yeong-hye is an ordinary woman living in Seoul who, after a series of violent dreams, decides to stop eating meat. Her choice spirals into a rebellion against societal norms and triggers a chain of events that disrupt her relationships and identity. The first part, "The Vegetarian", is narrated by Yeong-hye’s husband, Mr Cheong, who is the embodiment of traditional patriarchal attitudes. I think maybe this part triggered me the most (though the others definitely have passages that enraged me) because Mr Cheong views his wife only as a domestic worker. The way he talks about her is awful, demeaning. This part, highlighting Yeong-hye's inital transformation and its impact on their marriage, is a means for the author to talk about the role of wives in Korean culture and the way society views those who rebel against a a rigidly conformist society.

"Mongolian Mark" shifts focus to Yeong-hye’s brother-in-law, an artist who becomes obsessed with her after learning of a birthmark on her body. This fixation leads to a surreal artistic project. His obsession blurs the line between love and lust and he starts associating artistic inspiration with her birthmark. Yeong-hye becomes a passive object in his artistic vision, she is objectified, reduced to the role of muse. The erotic imagery is definitely not romantic - in fact, there's nothing romantic about this novel in general, none of the relationships depicted here can be understood as such. As for Yeong-hye, we assist to her deterioration in terms of mental state, as she becomes more and more detached from herself and from reality, and prone to psychological manipulation.

The last part, "Flaming Trees", is narrated from the perspective of In-hye, Yeong-hye's older sister. The author shifts here the focus to familial bonds and sacrifice, while the protagonist's mental illness becomes more and more obvious. There's a lot of poetic symbolism in the way Han Kang depicts her descent into madness. The sisters�� shared childhood trauma, hinted at throughout the novel, becomes a key factor here - their repressed emotions, coming from the same root causes, take them on different paths in life. To me, this section read almost like a thriller, I was gasping for breath while I waited for the obvious conclusion.

There's an almost Kafkian vibe throughout the novel. The absurdity of societal rules and expectations, the alienation, the deep sense of existential loneliness reminded me of "The Metamorphosis". I adored Han Kang's prose, despite its minimalism - the novel is rich in poetic and symbolic imagery and she managed to create a surreal atmosphere which enhanced my emotions. And I definitely experienced many emotions while reading it, from disgust to despair, frustration, powerlessness, sadness, but also a lot of compassion towards Yeong-hye.

It's one of the most complex novels I've read in a long while, from an emotional and psychological perspective. I'd definitely recommend it, but with care, because of the many trigger warnings.
]]> 13493042
This production of Dracula is presented by what is possibly the best assemblage of narrating talent ever for one audiobook: Emmy Award nominees Alan Cumming and Tim Curry plus an all-star cast of Audie award-winners Simon Vance (The Millenium Trilogy), Katherine Kellgren (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Susan Duerden (The Tiger’s Wife), John Lee (Supergods) and customer favorites Graeme Malcolm (Skippy Dies), Steven Crossley (The Oxford Time Travel series), Simon Prebble (The Baroque Cycle), James Adams (Letters to a Young Contrarian), Nicola Barber (The Rose Garden), Victor Villar-Hauser (Fun Inc.), and Marc Vietor (1Q84).

LENGTH
15 hrs and 28 mins]]> 16 Bram Stoker Nona 5
I remember being mad, years ago, when I first read it, that Stocker made Dracula a Szekler. Way to take it personally... these days, I'm less inclined towards nationalism and I left my indignation aside. It's a fantastical story and must be treated as such. I can now enjoy this gothic jewel without too much annoyance towards this author who transformed Romania into a tourist destination for vampire hunters.

"Dracula" is an epistolary novel that takes us through the minds of various characters. The epistolary format adds layers of realism and tension, as the characters slowly piece together the horrifying truth about Dracula, this monster who infiltrates their lives through the good old "divide and conquer" method. I think Dracula is one of the most well-written villains in literature - and, of course, one of the most iconic, despite him being mostly present off-scene. In fact, Dracula is more than just a villain; he becomes a symbol of various fears of the Victorian era, such as xenophobia and exacerbated sexuality. As a supernatural being, he represents the persistence of ancient mystical forces in an increasingly rational world.

Stoker builds tension slowly - sometimes maybe too slowly, but hey, it's a Victorian novel and writers of the era loved to build carefully and with great attention to detail. The first time I read it, I hated the epistolary style, especially as it tended to repeat some information, presenting it from the points of view of multiple characters. Now, I could appreciate this narrative structure, as it allowed me to get a more intimate understanding of the characters, their thoughts and emotions, their beliefs and preconceptions (there's quite a bit of misogyny here, inherent to the era, of course), but also gave more realism to the story.

(By the way, the full cast audiobook is all the more compelling!)

This fragmented narrative and incomplete or delayed revelations in these documents (journal entries, letters, newspaper articles, ship logs) heighten suspense as the characters unravel the mystery, paralleling my own path of discovery. Already knowing the plot did not lessen my enjoyment - and, as much as I love the movie and Gary Oldman's performance, the horror is more subtle in the novel and thus more immersive.

Stoker definitely shines at crafting a dark, eerie mood which is basically essential to gothic literature. The novel gave me a perpetual feeling of dread - the settings (Dracula’s castle, the misty English countryside, the shadowy streets of London) are vividly described, setting a tone of foreboding, of isolation and mystery. Like a painter - I'm thinking of Rembrandt, maybe, him being a master of shadows - Stoker uses light and darkness, storms, decaying landscapes to enhance the tension and the horror.

Besides all these, the novel touches on psychological aspects, not only through Dr. John Seward and his asylum, but also by playing on the characters' fears and anxieties, which are often reflecting the concerns of Victorian society. Some of the characters, mostly Jonathan and Mina, deal with their trauma and fears, making them relatable and emotionally engaging.

It's a novel that will forever be on my re-re-reread list, as a staple of gothic literature, which turns out, is becoming maybe my favorite genre these days.]]> 3.95 1897
author: Bram Stoker
name: Nona
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1897
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves: fantasy, classics, horror, made-to-movie
review:
There are books to read once in a lifetime. And there are books to reread. "Dracula" is one of these.

I remember being mad, years ago, when I first read it, that Stocker made Dracula a Szekler. Way to take it personally... these days, I'm less inclined towards nationalism and I left my indignation aside. It's a fantastical story and must be treated as such. I can now enjoy this gothic jewel without too much annoyance towards this author who transformed Romania into a tourist destination for vampire hunters.

"Dracula" is an epistolary novel that takes us through the minds of various characters. The epistolary format adds layers of realism and tension, as the characters slowly piece together the horrifying truth about Dracula, this monster who infiltrates their lives through the good old "divide and conquer" method. I think Dracula is one of the most well-written villains in literature - and, of course, one of the most iconic, despite him being mostly present off-scene. In fact, Dracula is more than just a villain; he becomes a symbol of various fears of the Victorian era, such as xenophobia and exacerbated sexuality. As a supernatural being, he represents the persistence of ancient mystical forces in an increasingly rational world.

Stoker builds tension slowly - sometimes maybe too slowly, but hey, it's a Victorian novel and writers of the era loved to build carefully and with great attention to detail. The first time I read it, I hated the epistolary style, especially as it tended to repeat some information, presenting it from the points of view of multiple characters. Now, I could appreciate this narrative structure, as it allowed me to get a more intimate understanding of the characters, their thoughts and emotions, their beliefs and preconceptions (there's quite a bit of misogyny here, inherent to the era, of course), but also gave more realism to the story.

(By the way, the full cast audiobook is all the more compelling!)

This fragmented narrative and incomplete or delayed revelations in these documents (journal entries, letters, newspaper articles, ship logs) heighten suspense as the characters unravel the mystery, paralleling my own path of discovery. Already knowing the plot did not lessen my enjoyment - and, as much as I love the movie and Gary Oldman's performance, the horror is more subtle in the novel and thus more immersive.

Stoker definitely shines at crafting a dark, eerie mood which is basically essential to gothic literature. The novel gave me a perpetual feeling of dread - the settings (Dracula’s castle, the misty English countryside, the shadowy streets of London) are vividly described, setting a tone of foreboding, of isolation and mystery. Like a painter - I'm thinking of Rembrandt, maybe, him being a master of shadows - Stoker uses light and darkness, storms, decaying landscapes to enhance the tension and the horror.

Besides all these, the novel touches on psychological aspects, not only through Dr. John Seward and his asylum, but also by playing on the characters' fears and anxieties, which are often reflecting the concerns of Victorian society. Some of the characters, mostly Jonathan and Mina, deal with their trauma and fears, making them relatable and emotionally engaging.

It's a novel that will forever be on my re-re-reread list, as a staple of gothic literature, which turns out, is becoming maybe my favorite genre these days.
]]> 44244609
The serene and maternal Mrs Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr Ramsay, together with their children and assorted guests, are holidaying on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse Virginia Woolf constructs a remarkable and moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life. One of the great literary achievements of the twentieth century, To the Lighthouse is often cited as Virginia Woolf's most popular novel.

The Vintage Classics Virginia Woolf series has been curated by Jeanette Winterson, and the texts used are based on the original Hogarth Press editions published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf.]]> 224 Virginia Woolf 0099478293 Nona 5 classics, z_ps24
A lot of people say this is her best novel. I think I like "Mrs Dalloway" more, but that's only because I enjoyed the social criticism there. This novel is less about that and more about the subjectivity of time. But not only. We have discussions about gender roles, coming from an era when gender roles were still mostly patriarchal. Mrs. Ramsay, although a fleeting presence in person, impacts everyone around her even after her death. She's a symbol of emotional intelligence, contrasting to her husband's seemingly rational stance - even though, as the book progresses, we understand that he's also irrational, narcissistic and emotionally abusive.

The novel is divided into three parts - "The Window", "Time Passes" and "The Lighthouse". The first part introduces the Ramsay family and their guests at their summer home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The discussion revolves around a planned trip to the nearby lighthouse, which is delayed due to Mr. Ramsay's pessimism about the weather. However, this is just a basis for a larger conversation about the way each character perceives the world around them. Woolf points out the subjective nature of reality and how individuals construct their own truths, even when they share the same experiences. This is where the author talks about gender roles and power dynamics, by discussing the societal pressures placed on women to serve as emotional anchors and the challenges they face to assert some kind of independence.

The second part acts as a bridge, describing the decay of the Ramsays�� house during a ten-year period marked by war and loss. This is not a character-focused section, but rather a meditation on the inevitable passage of time and the impartial force of nature. The decay of the house mirrors the fragility of human life.

The final section follows some of the characters as they return to the house and they finally take the long-awaited trip to the lighthouse. Mostly through the thoughts of Lily Briscoe, Woolf gives closure to this family, a moment of unity in spite of their many differences and resentments. The remaining Ramsay children come to terms with their father’s complexities, even as their mother's presence is still strong, shaping their thoughts and actions.

Much like in her other books, Woolf’s prose is richly descriptive, lyrical, but often abstract. The stream-of-consciousness allows an intimate connection with her characters, their thoughts and emotions. The books lacks a conventional narrative plot, but as I'm not a plot reader, Virginia Woolf is exactly my kind of author. I am always in awe of the way she analyzes the human psyche.]]> 3.58 1927
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Nona
average rating: 3.58
book published: 1927
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/21
date added: 2024/12/01
shelves: classics, z_ps24
review:
Note to self: Virginia Woolf is not an author to be read when I'm really tired and anxious. She deserves my whole attention and it's blasphemous not to give it to her. Because, to me, her prose is perfection. She may not have the most interesting plots, but the way she assembles every piece of the intrigue and every thought of her characters, so seamlessly, blending into the environment, gets me submerged in her stories in an inescapable fashion.

A lot of people say this is her best novel. I think I like "Mrs Dalloway" more, but that's only because I enjoyed the social criticism there. This novel is less about that and more about the subjectivity of time. But not only. We have discussions about gender roles, coming from an era when gender roles were still mostly patriarchal. Mrs. Ramsay, although a fleeting presence in person, impacts everyone around her even after her death. She's a symbol of emotional intelligence, contrasting to her husband's seemingly rational stance - even though, as the book progresses, we understand that he's also irrational, narcissistic and emotionally abusive.

The novel is divided into three parts - "The Window", "Time Passes" and "The Lighthouse". The first part introduces the Ramsay family and their guests at their summer home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The discussion revolves around a planned trip to the nearby lighthouse, which is delayed due to Mr. Ramsay's pessimism about the weather. However, this is just a basis for a larger conversation about the way each character perceives the world around them. Woolf points out the subjective nature of reality and how individuals construct their own truths, even when they share the same experiences. This is where the author talks about gender roles and power dynamics, by discussing the societal pressures placed on women to serve as emotional anchors and the challenges they face to assert some kind of independence.

The second part acts as a bridge, describing the decay of the Ramsays�� house during a ten-year period marked by war and loss. This is not a character-focused section, but rather a meditation on the inevitable passage of time and the impartial force of nature. The decay of the house mirrors the fragility of human life.

The final section follows some of the characters as they return to the house and they finally take the long-awaited trip to the lighthouse. Mostly through the thoughts of Lily Briscoe, Woolf gives closure to this family, a moment of unity in spite of their many differences and resentments. The remaining Ramsay children come to terms with their father’s complexities, even as their mother's presence is still strong, shaping their thoughts and actions.

Much like in her other books, Woolf’s prose is richly descriptive, lyrical, but often abstract. The stream-of-consciousness allows an intimate connection with her characters, their thoughts and emotions. The books lacks a conventional narrative plot, but as I'm not a plot reader, Virginia Woolf is exactly my kind of author. I am always in awe of the way she analyzes the human psyche.
]]> 45032 488 Jane Austen Nona 0 to-read 3.86 1814
author: Jane Austen
name: Nona
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1814
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 22317623
Îmblânzitorul apelor este o nouă apocalipsă, este o veche tragedie, este o altă �� și, deci, unică �� poveste de dragoste. (Observator cultural)

A. R. Deleanu este un artist al stărilor depresive, un poet al elegiilor apocaliptice. Fin analist al ambiguităţilor şi un specialist al morbideţii, A. R. Deleanu este un scriitor în toată puterea cuvântului. (România literară)]]> 168 Flavius Ardelean 6068530256 Nona 0 to-read 3.90 2012
author: Flavius Ardelean
name: Nona
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195510667 Mai întâi, a vizitat mormântul soției, apoi s-a înrolat în armată.

Vestea bună este că oamenii au cucerit, în sfârșit, stelele. Vestea proastă este că planetele potrivite pentru a fi locuite sunt puține, iar rasele de extratereștri cu care ne luptăm pentru ele sunt numeroase. Așa că luptăm. Pentru a apăra Pământul și pentru a cuceri noi teritorii în spațiu. Departe de casă, războiul continuă de zeci de ani și Forțele Coloniale de Apărare caută întotdeauna noi recruți.

Toată lumea știe că atunci când ajungi la vârsta pensionării te poți înrola în FCA. Recrutorii săi nu caută tineri, ci oameni cu toată experiența și cu toate cunoștințele acumulate într-o viață. Odată înrolat, ești luat de pe Pământ și nu te mai poți întoarce niciodată. Vei lupta doi ani pe front. Și, dacă vei supraviețui, vei fi recompensat cu o casă pe una dintre planetele-colonii greu câștigate.

John Perry profită de ofertă și pleacă la război, fără să aibă habar ce îl așteaptă acolo. Pentru că atât adevărata luptă, la ani-lumină de casă, cât și transformarea prin care va trece sunt mult mai grele și mai ciudate decât orice și-ar fi putut imagina.



„Meritul lui Scalzi nu este numai acela că a scris o poveste extraordinară, ci și că a revitalizat un subgen literar care părea că nu mai are nimic de spus. RĂZBOIUL BĂTRÂNILOR este, din punctul meu de vedere, cea mai bună serie military science-fiction.��
Marian Coman, redactor-șef Armada]]> 314 John Scalzi 6064316497 Nona 4 sci-fi Me and "Old Man's War": a temporary fling?

I don't expect this series to change the way I view the genre, I will never enjoy fight scenes and the idea of conquering anything on land or in space by force, but everything else about the book was quite enjoyable. John Scalzi's light humour and especially the way he built John Perry's character were delightful.

In Scalzi's universe, mankind has expanded outside planet Earth and started to colonize other planets. The universe is, as expected, populated with other races, and Earth is competing with aliens to obtain and maintain hold of planets and resources. This task is given to the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF), a military organization entrusted to protect humanity’s colonies and securing new planets for colonization. What makes the CDF unique is its recruitment strategy: it enlists exclusively old people from Earth, which are volunteers who trade their aging bodies for genetically enhanced ones, equipped with advanced physical capabilities and technology. Basically, CDF is promising these people new lives in the colonies, if they serve (and survive!) 10 years in this military organization.

The story centers on John Perry, a 75-year-old man who signs up for the CDF after his wife's death. Perry leaves Earth behind, gets a new, genetically upgraded body, and is thrown straight into the chaos of interstellar war, where he goes through exactly what one would think he should go through: a brutal training period (think G.I. Jane or any other movie which focuses on recruits), an adjustment period where he's merely cannon fodder, and many brutal battles with different alien species who want the same planets Earth wants - because, apparently, all species have the same requirements in terms of resources and life support conditions.

The story is not one would call original. People who have seen enough military inspired movies (sci fi or otherwise) or read books in this genre would probably find it predictable. Even I did, although, as I said, this is not my genre. John Perry’s arc follows a fairly traditional "hero's journey" structure �� an ordinary man pushed into extraordinary circumstances, learning to adapt and becoming a leader. The alien encounters don't bring much originality either, it's mainly us versus them, a trope that's been overused in most alien sci-fi media. The ethical dilemma regarding the morality of war and killing alien races that are just there to survive reminded me of Starship Troopers. Gosh, I used to watch that movie on repeat when I was a teenager!

But the predictability factor didn't impact my enjoyment too much. The book was a lot of fun to read. John Perry is a relatable character whose desire for survival and youthfulness I absolutely related to. I mean, who wouldn't want a second life when you're old and squeaky? A new, strong body that doesn't crack at the joints, a straight back and the energy to run marathons without feeling you'd die after ten steps? Where do I sign up for that?

Scalzi’s writing is infused with humor, often dry and self-deprecating. Perry's voice is exactly the one I would expect from a cynical, but not yet defeated elderly guy. Also, his love story with his wife is *goals*. He made my heart grow three sizes when he told his friends that the only thing he misses from his former life was being married to her.

I'm surprising myself at how much I liked this novel. Behind the hard Sci-Fi and military plot, there's human drama and moving moments of friendship and reflection. And it gets extra points for being short and easy to read. I'll certainly continue with this series.]]> 3.00 2005
author: John Scalzi
name: Nona
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/15
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves: sci-fi
review:
Me and military anything: not a love story.
Me and "Old Man's War": a temporary fling?

I don't expect this series to change the way I view the genre, I will never enjoy fight scenes and the idea of conquering anything on land or in space by force, but everything else about the book was quite enjoyable. John Scalzi's light humour and especially the way he built John Perry's character were delightful.

In Scalzi's universe, mankind has expanded outside planet Earth and started to colonize other planets. The universe is, as expected, populated with other races, and Earth is competing with aliens to obtain and maintain hold of planets and resources. This task is given to the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF), a military organization entrusted to protect humanity’s colonies and securing new planets for colonization. What makes the CDF unique is its recruitment strategy: it enlists exclusively old people from Earth, which are volunteers who trade their aging bodies for genetically enhanced ones, equipped with advanced physical capabilities and technology. Basically, CDF is promising these people new lives in the colonies, if they serve (and survive!) 10 years in this military organization.

The story centers on John Perry, a 75-year-old man who signs up for the CDF after his wife's death. Perry leaves Earth behind, gets a new, genetically upgraded body, and is thrown straight into the chaos of interstellar war, where he goes through exactly what one would think he should go through: a brutal training period (think G.I. Jane or any other movie which focuses on recruits), an adjustment period where he's merely cannon fodder, and many brutal battles with different alien species who want the same planets Earth wants - because, apparently, all species have the same requirements in terms of resources and life support conditions.

The story is not one would call original. People who have seen enough military inspired movies (sci fi or otherwise) or read books in this genre would probably find it predictable. Even I did, although, as I said, this is not my genre. John Perry’s arc follows a fairly traditional "hero's journey" structure �� an ordinary man pushed into extraordinary circumstances, learning to adapt and becoming a leader. The alien encounters don't bring much originality either, it's mainly us versus them, a trope that's been overused in most alien sci-fi media. The ethical dilemma regarding the morality of war and killing alien races that are just there to survive reminded me of Starship Troopers. Gosh, I used to watch that movie on repeat when I was a teenager!

But the predictability factor didn't impact my enjoyment too much. The book was a lot of fun to read. John Perry is a relatable character whose desire for survival and youthfulness I absolutely related to. I mean, who wouldn't want a second life when you're old and squeaky? A new, strong body that doesn't crack at the joints, a straight back and the energy to run marathons without feeling you'd die after ten steps? Where do I sign up for that?

Scalzi’s writing is infused with humor, often dry and self-deprecating. Perry's voice is exactly the one I would expect from a cynical, but not yet defeated elderly guy. Also, his love story with his wife is *goals*. He made my heart grow three sizes when he told his friends that the only thing he misses from his former life was being married to her.

I'm surprising myself at how much I liked this novel. Behind the hard Sci-Fi and military plot, there's human drama and moving moments of friendship and reflection. And it gets extra points for being short and easy to read. I'll certainly continue with this series.
]]> 146515252
Abia așteptau să stea aici!

Un wellness retreat idilic s-a deschis pe o insulă de pe coasta engleză, promițând odihnă și relaxare. Insula, cunoscută localnicilor drept Reaper’s Rock, are un trecut întunecat: a fost cândva terenul unui criminal în serie și se zvonește că ar fi blestemată.


Acum nu mai pot pleca!

Un cadavru este găsit sub pavilionul de yoga, aparent victima unei căzături tragice. Dar detectiva Elin Warner află curând că femeia nu se număra printre oaspeți.


Și ar face orice să scape.

Elin descoperă tot mai multe secrete, iar, când o altă persoană se îneacă în timpul unei scufundări, Elin începe să suspecteze că aceste morți nu au, de fapt, nimic accidental. Dar de ce oaspeții acestei stațiuni de lux au devenit țintele unui ucigaș? Elin trebuie să descopere criminalul înainte ca refugiul să se transforme în iad.

„O poveste la fel de înfiorătoare ca insula ce îi slujește drept cadru. Să nu aveți încredere în niciunul dintre protagoniștii Refugiului!��
Stacy Willingham, autoarea bestsellerului internațional Scânteie în beznă

„Vocea lui Pearse e incredibil de puternică în Refugiul. Suspansul crește și tot crește, atingând un punct culminant incredibil.��
David Baldacci

„Undeva, unde să te retragi să îți vindeci rănile. Un refugiu. Pare un spațiu în care poți să te simți în siguranță, nu-i așa? Doar că, uneori, răul stă la pândă tocmai în astfel de locuri. Izolare, tensiune, mister �� cele trei cuvinte care definesc cel mai bine noul roman al lui Sarah Pearse.��
Marian Coman, redactor-șef Armada]]> Sarah Pearse 606431561X Nona 3 thriller, mehs, mystery
"The Refuge" follows exactly the same pattern as the first novel in the series: a luxurious location, a natural phenomenon of some sorts that isolates it from the rest of the world (here, a storm versus a... snow storm - original, I know), a murder with connections to the past of that particular location, some kind of connection to Elin (not close family, because we don't want her to be too traumatized, but some kind of family), reckless detectiving because she's only motivated by high-risk situations... Did I miss anything?

I swear, this woman needs to abandon this job. It seems like wherever she goes, trouble follows. Her boyfriend is right in telling her she actively searches for trouble because she can't handle a normal life.

The story is set on a remote island off the English coast, where a luxury retreat has been build (the architect of this retreat being Elin's boyfriend). The story revolves around a mysterious death on this island - a woman who was not supposed to be on the island (because she had cancelled her trip) is found dead, apparently accidentally. But of course it's no accident and other deaths follow, all of them apparently connected to the island's dark past, when a school for misbehaved children used to function on the land. The story also discusses, as a subplot, the conflict between the greediness of real estate developers and the need to preserve wilderness through ecological measures.

We have multiple perspectives that add layers to the mystery as each character’s secrets are gradually unveiled. Besides Elin, we also follow a group of people from the same (extended) family who had decided to take a vacation on the island, to reconnect. This family has secrets of their own, because three sisters cannot possibly love and support each other without backstabbing. (Also, how many tragedies can one family go through? It felt overreaching.)

I enjoy closed-setting books, even when it feels repetitive. There's a level of dread that just doesn't happen with open-setting stories. There's an eerie, atmospheric setting that shifts suddenly from
the peaceful, dreamy retreat to the claustrophobic environment created by the storm. Although I did not guess the [spoilers removed] killer, I at least had a hunch about one other person who is involved in one of the murders.

The characters didn't particularly speak to me. Elin is still meh - though less annoying and slightly less incapable than in "The Sanatorium". She is veeeery Die Hard! She gets shot at, beaten up, thrown a boulder at and she is still capable of swimming through the cold water in a storm to save the day. But she cares about nothing else than that adrenaline shot she gets when she puts herself in dangerous situations and honestly, even if she saved the day, I hope Will finds himself someone who cares about him at least to the same extent as about her job.

As for Hana, I couldn't care less. In fact, that entire group is a toxic bunch of people who don't talk to each other about anything important and keeps backstabbing each other. Family, right? The novel clearly struggles with character depth.

The pacing was a bit off. There's a slow build-up and then everything just falls apart really fast towards a bloody conclusion.

I would maybe recommend this author to not so experienced readers. I'm pretty sure thriller fans would find this tropey and a bit clumsy, but it can also be quick and fun for people who don't dwell on each detail.]]> 3.84 2022
author: Sarah Pearse
name: Nona
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/12
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves: thriller, mehs, mystery
review:
Well, hello, it's "The Sanatorium" all over again! (With a slightly less annoying Elin. Just slightly.)

"The Refuge" follows exactly the same pattern as the first novel in the series: a luxurious location, a natural phenomenon of some sorts that isolates it from the rest of the world (here, a storm versus a... snow storm - original, I know), a murder with connections to the past of that particular location, some kind of connection to Elin (not close family, because we don't want her to be too traumatized, but some kind of family), reckless detectiving because she's only motivated by high-risk situations... Did I miss anything?

I swear, this woman needs to abandon this job. It seems like wherever she goes, trouble follows. Her boyfriend is right in telling her she actively searches for trouble because she can't handle a normal life.

The story is set on a remote island off the English coast, where a luxury retreat has been build (the architect of this retreat being Elin's boyfriend). The story revolves around a mysterious death on this island - a woman who was not supposed to be on the island (because she had cancelled her trip) is found dead, apparently accidentally. But of course it's no accident and other deaths follow, all of them apparently connected to the island's dark past, when a school for misbehaved children used to function on the land. The story also discusses, as a subplot, the conflict between the greediness of real estate developers and the need to preserve wilderness through ecological measures.

We have multiple perspectives that add layers to the mystery as each character’s secrets are gradually unveiled. Besides Elin, we also follow a group of people from the same (extended) family who had decided to take a vacation on the island, to reconnect. This family has secrets of their own, because three sisters cannot possibly love and support each other without backstabbing. (Also, how many tragedies can one family go through? It felt overreaching.)

I enjoy closed-setting books, even when it feels repetitive. There's a level of dread that just doesn't happen with open-setting stories. There's an eerie, atmospheric setting that shifts suddenly from
the peaceful, dreamy retreat to the claustrophobic environment created by the storm. Although I did not guess the [spoilers removed] killer, I at least had a hunch about one other person who is involved in one of the murders.

The characters didn't particularly speak to me. Elin is still meh - though less annoying and slightly less incapable than in "The Sanatorium". She is veeeery Die Hard! She gets shot at, beaten up, thrown a boulder at and she is still capable of swimming through the cold water in a storm to save the day. But she cares about nothing else than that adrenaline shot she gets when she puts herself in dangerous situations and honestly, even if she saved the day, I hope Will finds himself someone who cares about him at least to the same extent as about her job.

As for Hana, I couldn't care less. In fact, that entire group is a toxic bunch of people who don't talk to each other about anything important and keeps backstabbing each other. Family, right? The novel clearly struggles with character depth.

The pacing was a bit off. There's a slow build-up and then everything just falls apart really fast towards a bloody conclusion.

I would maybe recommend this author to not so experienced readers. I'm pretty sure thriller fans would find this tropey and a bit clumsy, but it can also be quick and fun for people who don't dwell on each detail.
]]> 218518906
Într-o seară, după o petrecere cu prietenii și o discuție rațională, Celia și Luke hotărăsc să se căsătorească. Au un comun un apartament și o pisică, rutine agreabile și o afecțiune constantă, deși deloc spectaculoasă. În anul care se scurge între logodnă și ziua nunții, fericitul cuplu, prietenii și rudele celor doi își intersectează traiectoriile și se confruntă neașteptat, iar întâmplările trecutului și ale prezentului compun un tablou complicat. Archie și Marie, foștii parteneri, rămân prezenți în viețile celor doi logodnici, sora Celiei are suspiciuni privind fidelitatea viitorului cumnat, și peste tot acest ghem de relații și duplicități plutește îndoiala supremă: mai au convenția și tradiția o componentă semnificativă în lumea noastră, sau căsătoria e un bibelou vetust, prețuit doar de mătușile care nu-și pun niciodată întrebări? Celia și Luke vor găsi un răspuns în drum spre altar.]]> 280 Naoise Dolan 6060974805 Nona 3
I can't say I found myself too much in the lives and dilemmas of Celine and Luke, the two protagonists. In fact, I doubt I would even be friends with any of them. But I rooted for Celine to find her voice and make the right decision. I've met too many "complicated" men in my life, men who are afraid of commitment and never take responsibility for their actions, to have any patience for characters such as Luke.

The plot follows these two people as they prepare for their wedding. They meet at a fairly young age and have a relationship that progresses naturally - one could say - to this outcome, despite Luke telling Celine over and over again that he "doesn't do relationships". Yet, when confronted with the possibility of her getting out of the relationship, he proposes to her, thus taking them both on a road that neither wants to take.

Dolan created an exploration of modern relationships - though if this is "modern", I don't want to be part of it. What she explores here is relationships between adults who never grow up and never want to assume any responsibility for themselves, their growth and their love life. These people (but Luke especially) are in a never-ending search, never being content with what they have or having patience to build something durable, instead always searching for the next thrill - something better, prettier, more exciting. The novel is structured around five narrators: Celine, Luke and their close friends, each offering unique perspectives on love, marriage and loyalty.

Dolan discusses here the fluid and often contradictory nature of love. Celine and Luke’s relationship, while built on affection and a shared history, reveals how love can be elusive or conditional. Both characters have moments of doubt about their feelings and the future, which contrasts with the societal expectation of what a “happy couple�� should look like. I'll maybe sound conservative, but I don't believe in fluidity where it comes to relationships; one is either committed or not. Once someone starts to stray, that's not fluidity, that's lack of love/ emotional immaturity/ responsibility. The issue of fidelity is a major theme, and it's not just about physical cheating, but also emotional infidelity; and sometimes infidelity doesn't even mean another person, as in Celine's situation, where she's more committed to her career than to Luke. When drawing the line, their relationship feels incredibly toxic, but they are stuck in a loop of deceit and deflection that keeps them blocked in a place they don't want to be in.

Celine's arc is an emotional and mental journey of self-discovery and confrontation with the realities of love. As she explores her dissatisfaction in the relationship, she begins to question her identity and her future. As for Luke, he's a fuccboi who struggles with his own insecurities and desire for control. But no matter his vulnerabilities and inability to truly connect with Celine on a deeper level, I can't find him even a little bit likeable (ok, at least he feeds the cat!).

I know the author is queer and probably wanted to write a book that represented the community, but I find it a bit unrealistic that everyone is either bi or gay, even in the same family. Besides, is she really making a service to this community when she makes everyone sleep with everyone else? The book is a big swinger party. The characters are so stereotypical that I could not believe they were written by a queer author.

I enjoyed, for the most part, the sharp and witty writing style. She uses a minimalist prose that I'm not a fan of, normally, but it sort of worked here, given the age group this book probably targets. What didn't work for me was the change in perspective - all chapters are written in 3rd person, except for Luke's, but his internal voice is no different than the tone of the other chapters, so what was the point of that? I also hate when authors use pages where they only write one sentence. It's wasteful. It didn't work for Matt Haig and it didn't work here.

I also found the book a bit too preachy. The characters are uber-analytical and dissect their own motives and relationships with a level of scrutiny that is sometimes absurd. It feels like all of them spend their time either in a therapist's office or reading self-help books. Dolan's style makes the novel feel as though it's pushing some sort of message or moral about relationships rather than simply observing them. The dry humor and detached tone, though entertaining, also came off as slightly cynical. But maybe that's just the Irish way.

I think "The Happy Couple" is quite a clever analysis of the complexities of love and commitment. It was a fast, easy read that involved me to some extent, although it didn't make me care about most characters, but it opens up a dialogue about the imperfections of relationships in the larger context of ever-shifting expectations.]]> 2.94 2023
author: Naoise Dolan
name: Nona
average rating: 2.94
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/06
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: contemporary, for-rainy-days, romance
review:
I generally don't like funny books. And I avoided Sally Rooney at all cost. And yet... I liked this? (to some extent). It was the perfect subway read. Short chapters, unassuming yet flowing prose, snappy dialogues, insightful themes.

I can't say I found myself too much in the lives and dilemmas of Celine and Luke, the two protagonists. In fact, I doubt I would even be friends with any of them. But I rooted for Celine to find her voice and make the right decision. I've met too many "complicated" men in my life, men who are afraid of commitment and never take responsibility for their actions, to have any patience for characters such as Luke.

The plot follows these two people as they prepare for their wedding. They meet at a fairly young age and have a relationship that progresses naturally - one could say - to this outcome, despite Luke telling Celine over and over again that he "doesn't do relationships". Yet, when confronted with the possibility of her getting out of the relationship, he proposes to her, thus taking them both on a road that neither wants to take.

Dolan created an exploration of modern relationships - though if this is "modern", I don't want to be part of it. What she explores here is relationships between adults who never grow up and never want to assume any responsibility for themselves, their growth and their love life. These people (but Luke especially) are in a never-ending search, never being content with what they have or having patience to build something durable, instead always searching for the next thrill - something better, prettier, more exciting. The novel is structured around five narrators: Celine, Luke and their close friends, each offering unique perspectives on love, marriage and loyalty.

Dolan discusses here the fluid and often contradictory nature of love. Celine and Luke’s relationship, while built on affection and a shared history, reveals how love can be elusive or conditional. Both characters have moments of doubt about their feelings and the future, which contrasts with the societal expectation of what a “happy couple�� should look like. I'll maybe sound conservative, but I don't believe in fluidity where it comes to relationships; one is either committed or not. Once someone starts to stray, that's not fluidity, that's lack of love/ emotional immaturity/ responsibility. The issue of fidelity is a major theme, and it's not just about physical cheating, but also emotional infidelity; and sometimes infidelity doesn't even mean another person, as in Celine's situation, where she's more committed to her career than to Luke. When drawing the line, their relationship feels incredibly toxic, but they are stuck in a loop of deceit and deflection that keeps them blocked in a place they don't want to be in.

Celine's arc is an emotional and mental journey of self-discovery and confrontation with the realities of love. As she explores her dissatisfaction in the relationship, she begins to question her identity and her future. As for Luke, he's a fuccboi who struggles with his own insecurities and desire for control. But no matter his vulnerabilities and inability to truly connect with Celine on a deeper level, I can't find him even a little bit likeable (ok, at least he feeds the cat!).

I know the author is queer and probably wanted to write a book that represented the community, but I find it a bit unrealistic that everyone is either bi or gay, even in the same family. Besides, is she really making a service to this community when she makes everyone sleep with everyone else? The book is a big swinger party. The characters are so stereotypical that I could not believe they were written by a queer author.

I enjoyed, for the most part, the sharp and witty writing style. She uses a minimalist prose that I'm not a fan of, normally, but it sort of worked here, given the age group this book probably targets. What didn't work for me was the change in perspective - all chapters are written in 3rd person, except for Luke's, but his internal voice is no different than the tone of the other chapters, so what was the point of that? I also hate when authors use pages where they only write one sentence. It's wasteful. It didn't work for Matt Haig and it didn't work here.

I also found the book a bit too preachy. The characters are uber-analytical and dissect their own motives and relationships with a level of scrutiny that is sometimes absurd. It feels like all of them spend their time either in a therapist's office or reading self-help books. Dolan's style makes the novel feel as though it's pushing some sort of message or moral about relationships rather than simply observing them. The dry humor and detached tone, though entertaining, also came off as slightly cynical. But maybe that's just the Irish way.

I think "The Happy Couple" is quite a clever analysis of the complexities of love and commitment. It was a fast, easy read that involved me to some extent, although it didn't make me care about most characters, but it opens up a dialogue about the imperfections of relationships in the larger context of ever-shifting expectations.
]]> 218182165
Nu, nu e o glumă. E știință, e realitate, e�� ApIscalips.

G. P. Ermin prezintă un viitor tulburător, în care colapsul coloniilor de albine declanșează un efect domino devastator, împingând omenirea spre extincție. Singura noastră speranță? Inteligența Artificială (dar nu chiar așa cum îți imaginezi).

Oare vom reuși să supraviețuim fără albine? Și ce rol joacă extratereștrii în toată această poveste?

Descoperă un roman science-fiction plin de referințe culturale, speculație științifică și politico-economică și o doză sănătoasă de paranoia. ApIscalips nu este 100% distopie, cum nu este 100% nici istorie alternativă. Ficțiune SF de extrapolare socială, poate. Cu siguranță, o narațiune cutremurătoare, o explorare brutală a consecințelor ignorării semnalelor de alarmă ale naturii, o poveste despre disperare, luptă și o ultimă șansă pentru omenire.

Citește ApIscalips și află dacă mai avem un viitor!]]> 243 G.P. Ermin 6069027248 Nona 4 sci-fi, romanian-authors
Iar „ApIscalips�� nu doar că mi-a pus creierul pe bigudiuri, dar mi-a indus o stare de anxietate care m-a ținut câteva zile. Pe bune, am visat războaie nucleare și roiuri de albine, dovada faptului că romanul lui G.P. Ermin a avut ecou puternic în subconștientul meu stresat de viață.

Sunt două aspecte care mi-au plăcut mult la acest roman: tema și structura. Legat de cel de-al doilea, e meritul Andreei Sterea. Eu simt nevoia de lore și worldbuilding în cărți, e foarte important pentru mine să înțeleg contextul mai larg în care se încadrează povestea, iar extrasele din ziare intercalate între capitole, care au venit cu explicații suplimentare sau mici anecdote, m-au introdus mai mult în poveste și m-au făcut să-mi pese de acest Pământ distopic de unde albinele dispar.

Tema predominantă - dispariția albinelor și sindromul colapsului coloniilor de albine - nu este una nouă. Am mai citit despre asta și în „Istoria albinelor�� a Majei Lunde. În plus, este o preocupare curentă în comunitatea științifică, nu doar o teorie, ceea ce o face cu atât mai „juicy�� pentru ficțiunea speculativă și nu numai. Modul în care autorul abordează tema, însă, e unul interesant. G.P. Ermin ne duce într-un viitor nu foarte îndepărtat, unde Inteligența Artificială e destul de dezvoltată încât să poată influența omenirea și să ia decizii.

Povestea se desfășoară pe două planuri narative - pe Pământ, avem o IA care se infiltrează în societatea albinelor, pentru a le ghida cu scopul de a asigura supraviețuirea acestei specii esențiale pentru planetă. În spațiu, întâlnim un extraterestru care, aflat pe o navă de cercetare a unui imperiu extins ce este mereu în căutare de resurse, se întâlnește cu o sondă Voyager, aflând astfel de existența Pământului.

M-a atras mai mult povestea lui Saviour, această IA al cărei scop este salvarea albinelor de miere. Pentru că însăși problema albinelor e în sfera mea de interes, abordarea m-a fascinat. L-am văzut pe Saviour ca pe un eco-terorist și mi-am pus întrebarea dacă misiunea sa este trasată de la cap la coadă de creatorul său sau dacă lui Saviour doar i s-au transmis niște obiective (salvează albinele) și a ales ea mijloacele prin care să facă asta. De altfel, cartea pune multe întrebări legate de viitorul și capabilitățile IA care țin nu numai de domeniul tehnic, ci intră pe ogorul filosofiei și eticii. Fiind oarecum și în domeniul meu de activitate (în cybersec, zona de IA devine o preocupare din ce în ce mai mare), abordarea și problematica mi-au stârnit interesul.

Cât despre povestea extraterestrului Sri, cred că ea nu este necesară decât pentru a ne arăta finalul demersului lui Saviour, puteam trăi foarte bine și fără ea. E simpatic Sri și are aceleași dileme morale pe care le-ar avea orice om de știință a cărui misiune ar fi hijacked de armată. Cred că principala mea critică (și nu e una exclusiv legată de această carte, ci ține de majoritatea SF-urilor cu sau despre extratereștri pe care le-am citit) este că Sri este prea uman. Dincolo de modul de gândire, G.P. Ermin ne spune că respiră și îi bate inima. Mi-ar plăcea, în general, mai multă inventivitate pe zona asta.

Sigur, cartea nu este centrată pe personaje decât în măsura în care ele contribuie la misiunea ce le-a fost trasată. Dar eu nu sunt cititor de plot și am nevoie și de worldbuilding, dar mai ales de analiză psihologică și credibilitate. Dacă nu putem vorbi de așa ceva în cazul lui Saviour, la Sri - dacă tot e atât de umanizat - partea aceasta putea fi aprofundată.

Cu ce rămân? Cu niște coșmaruri despre viitorul omenirii, unul nu complet improbabil, și cu dorința de a citi și celelalte cărți ale autorului.]]> 4.46 2024
author: G.P. Ermin
name: Nona
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/04
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: sci-fi, romanian-authors
review:
Mă bucur că avem literatură SF interesantă în România. Nu-s eu cel mai mare cititor de Sci-fi, mai ales din zona hard, dar e mereu revigorant să întâlnesc volume care vin cu premise fascinante care mă fac să meditez.

Iar „ApIscalips�� nu doar că mi-a pus creierul pe bigudiuri, dar mi-a indus o stare de anxietate care m-a ținut câteva zile. Pe bune, am visat războaie nucleare și roiuri de albine, dovada faptului că romanul lui G.P. Ermin a avut ecou puternic în subconștientul meu stresat de viață.

Sunt două aspecte care mi-au plăcut mult la acest roman: tema și structura. Legat de cel de-al doilea, e meritul Andreei Sterea. Eu simt nevoia de lore și worldbuilding în cărți, e foarte important pentru mine să înțeleg contextul mai larg în care se încadrează povestea, iar extrasele din ziare intercalate între capitole, care au venit cu explicații suplimentare sau mici anecdote, m-au introdus mai mult în poveste și m-au făcut să-mi pese de acest Pământ distopic de unde albinele dispar.

Tema predominantă - dispariția albinelor și sindromul colapsului coloniilor de albine - nu este una nouă. Am mai citit despre asta și în „Istoria albinelor�� a Majei Lunde. În plus, este o preocupare curentă în comunitatea științifică, nu doar o teorie, ceea ce o face cu atât mai „juicy�� pentru ficțiunea speculativă și nu numai. Modul în care autorul abordează tema, însă, e unul interesant. G.P. Ermin ne duce într-un viitor nu foarte îndepărtat, unde Inteligența Artificială e destul de dezvoltată încât să poată influența omenirea și să ia decizii.

Povestea se desfășoară pe două planuri narative - pe Pământ, avem o IA care se infiltrează în societatea albinelor, pentru a le ghida cu scopul de a asigura supraviețuirea acestei specii esențiale pentru planetă. În spațiu, întâlnim un extraterestru care, aflat pe o navă de cercetare a unui imperiu extins ce este mereu în căutare de resurse, se întâlnește cu o sondă Voyager, aflând astfel de existența Pământului.

M-a atras mai mult povestea lui Saviour, această IA al cărei scop este salvarea albinelor de miere. Pentru că însăși problema albinelor e în sfera mea de interes, abordarea m-a fascinat. L-am văzut pe Saviour ca pe un eco-terorist și mi-am pus întrebarea dacă misiunea sa este trasată de la cap la coadă de creatorul său sau dacă lui Saviour doar i s-au transmis niște obiective (salvează albinele) și a ales ea mijloacele prin care să facă asta. De altfel, cartea pune multe întrebări legate de viitorul și capabilitățile IA care țin nu numai de domeniul tehnic, ci intră pe ogorul filosofiei și eticii. Fiind oarecum și în domeniul meu de activitate (în cybersec, zona de IA devine o preocupare din ce în ce mai mare), abordarea și problematica mi-au stârnit interesul.

Cât despre povestea extraterestrului Sri, cred că ea nu este necesară decât pentru a ne arăta finalul demersului lui Saviour, puteam trăi foarte bine și fără ea. E simpatic Sri și are aceleași dileme morale pe care le-ar avea orice om de știință a cărui misiune ar fi hijacked de armată. Cred că principala mea critică (și nu e una exclusiv legată de această carte, ci ține de majoritatea SF-urilor cu sau despre extratereștri pe care le-am citit) este că Sri este prea uman. Dincolo de modul de gândire, G.P. Ermin ne spune că respiră și îi bate inima. Mi-ar plăcea, în general, mai multă inventivitate pe zona asta.

Sigur, cartea nu este centrată pe personaje decât în măsura în care ele contribuie la misiunea ce le-a fost trasată. Dar eu nu sunt cititor de plot și am nevoie și de worldbuilding, dar mai ales de analiză psihologică și credibilitate. Dacă nu putem vorbi de așa ceva în cazul lui Saviour, la Sri - dacă tot e atât de umanizat - partea aceasta putea fi aprofundată.

Cu ce rămân? Cu niște coșmaruri despre viitorul omenirii, unul nu complet improbabil, și cu dorința de a citi și celelalte cărți ale autorului.
]]> 28116739
In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how subjective experience crept into being—how nature became aware of itself. As Godfrey-Smith stresses, it is a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared. Tracking the mind’s fitful development, Godfrey-Smith shows how unruly clumps of seaborne cells began living together and became capable of sensing, acting, and signaling. As these primitive organisms became more entangled with others, they grew more complicated. The first nervous systems evolved, probably in ancient relatives of jellyfish; later on, the cephalopods, which began as inconspicuous mollusks, abandoned their shells and rose above the ocean floor, searching for prey and acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so. Taking an independent route, mammals and birds later began their own evolutionary journeys.

But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess? Drawing on the latest scientific research and his own scuba-diving adventures, Godfrey-Smith probes the many mysteries that surround the lineage. How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually “think for themselves��? What happens when some octopuses abandon their hermit-like ways and congregate, as they do in a unique location off the coast of Australia?

By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind—and on our own.]]> 257 Peter Godfrey-Smith 0374227764 Nona 0 to-read 3.86 2016
author: Peter Godfrey-Smith
name: Nona
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199267594
În timpul răsturnării guvernului mexican, tatăl lui Beatriz a fost executat, iar casa lor distrusă. Când frumosul Don Rodolfo Solórzano o cere în căsătorie, Beatriz nu ia în seamă zvonurile despre moartea subită a primei lui soţii, preferând să aleagă siguranţa pe care moşia lui de la ţară i-o va oferi. E hotărâtă să aibă din nou o casă a ei, indiferent de ce o va costa. Dar Hacienda San Isidro nu este sanctuarul pe care şi-l închipuia ea.

Când Rodolfo se întoarce la lucru în capitală, somnul lui Beatriz e invadat de viziuni şi voci. Ochi invizibili îi urmăresc fiecare pas. Sora lui Rodolfo, Juana, nu dă importanţă temerilor lui Beatriz �� dar de ce refuză să intre în casă noaptea? De ce arde bucătăreasa tâmâie de jur împrejurul bucătăriei şi însemnează uşile cu simboluri stranii? Ce s-a întâmplat de fapt cu prima Doña Solórzano? Beatriz ştie cu certitudine doar două lucruri. Ceva nu e în regulă cu hacienda. Şi nimeni de acolo nu o poate salva. Căutând cu disperare un ajutor, se agaţă de tânărul preot, Padre Andrés, ca de un aliat. Nefiind un preot obişnuit, Andrés va trebui să se bazeze pe talentele lui de vrăjitor ca să se lupte cu malefica entitate care bântuie hacienda şi să o apere pe femeia faţă de care simte o atracţie puternică, interzisă. Dar s-ar putea ca nici măcar el să nu poată înfrânge forţele întunericului. Departe de a fi un refugiu, San Isidro poate fi pierzania lui Beatriz.]]> 366 Isabel Cañas 9733415545 Nona 4
The plot. Beatriz, a young impoverished woman coming from a a family with opposite political views than the current regime (and, thus, persecuted), makes the decision to marry a rich hacienda owner, Don Rodolfo Solórzano, to escape poverty and a life of servitute in her rich aunt's house. After she moves to the remote estate called Hacienda San Isidro, she discovers that the house holds dark, terrifying secrets, related to her husband's first wife, who had died there. The picture is completed by the arrival of Padre Andrés, a priest who holds dark secrets himself, which go against the views of the Catholic Church.

The story is set in a post-revolutionary Mexico, which was a time of significant political and social turmoil. The Mexican War of Independence had ended, but the country was by no means at peace. Instead, the society is profoundly fractured, despite the new government's apparent stance to abolish the caste system that puts the creole population in a much privileged position than the indigenous one. As a fan of historical fiction, and especially of Latin America's history, with its turbulent past marked by colonialism, this book spoke to me at a deeper level. Colonialism and patriarchy are prevalent themes in this novel.

To be fair, I appreciated these themes - and the atmospheric setting - more than the actual plot. I did revel in the horror, but this element was less related to the plot and more to the setting. I found the events predictable and solved the mystery early on, basically just waiting for Beatriz and Andrés to catch on. I also want to note than I didn't care for the romantic element and found it completely unnecessary, albeit raising issues regarding celibacy inside the Catholic priesthood.

The characters. Beatriz makes for an interesting, complex protagonist. Although she doesn't align with my views on verticality (she marries for money, with a man who is a political adversary of her revolutionary father), her desperation for stability and security was understandable. She is a relatable combination of ambition and sensitivity - despite her desire to get out of poverty, she still yearns, in the end, for the same things she grew up with, a home with a person she can truly love. Her journey is one of strength needed to confront both societal oppression and the supernatural threats she encounters at San Isidro.

But I think I liked Padre Andrés more. He's permanently conflicted between two worlds - Catholicism (religion brings him peace of mind) and Indigenous traditions. This duality makes him a much more complex and interesting character to follow and I'm glad the autor decided to make this book a dual POV and showed us his perspective - and journey - as well. His involvement in Beatriz’s fight against the haunted house comes with spiritual and cultural elements that bring authenticity to the story and enrich the plot. His character arc involves moving from a place of reluctance and personal guilt to one of active protection and empowerment.

Rodolfo and Juana, unfortunately, make for a boring couple of antagonists. Or not necessarily boring - being abusive is never boring, but unoriginal and maybe not developed enough to give them the complexity I yearn for.

The atmosphere. This is definitely the strongest element of the novel and it's the one that made me stay with the book as much as I did. People coin this as a combination of "Rebecca" and "Mexican Gothic" and, while I see elements of both, "Hacienda" is definitely its own story and vibe.

The hacienda is both magnificent and menacing, with a palpable presence that hints at malevolent forces lurking within its walls. I think Isabel Cañas exceled in creating an atmosphere imbued with dread, drawing on classic Gothic elements such as the haunted house, but infusing them with a uniquely Mexican perspective. The imagery is lush and haunting, filled with rich descriptions. There was a degree of repetitiveness that took something out of the horror element, but overall I enjoyed this take on the haunted house trope.

Also, I appreciated the author’s portrayal of post-revolutionary Mexico, that added historical texture, highlighting the social and political turbulence of the time and their impact on social classes and identities.

The prose. Cañas�� prose is richly detailed and vivid, as is fitting for a gothic novel. However, I found her prose a bit too purple for my taste, I with she'd toned down the adjectives and metaphors a bit. But overall, the descriptions of Hacienda San Isidro are layered with sensory imagery that made this world both beautiful and unsettling.

It was a great. Halloween-ish read for me, a blend of horror and historical fiction which I'd definitely recommend to everyone who loves Daphne du Maurier's works.]]> 3.74 2022
author: Isabel Cañas
name: Nona
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/31
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves: historical, horror, mystery, z_ps24, thriller
review:
I don't read as much horror as I would maybe like to, but October must come with at least one book. And I'm always surprised, for some reason, when I find great ones that are not SK. Isabel Cañas's novel ticks a few boxes for me - it's a gothic horror set in an incredibly atmospheric location AND it has historical fiction elements. So yes, it was a succes.

The plot. Beatriz, a young impoverished woman coming from a a family with opposite political views than the current regime (and, thus, persecuted), makes the decision to marry a rich hacienda owner, Don Rodolfo Solórzano, to escape poverty and a life of servitute in her rich aunt's house. After she moves to the remote estate called Hacienda San Isidro, she discovers that the house holds dark, terrifying secrets, related to her husband's first wife, who had died there. The picture is completed by the arrival of Padre Andrés, a priest who holds dark secrets himself, which go against the views of the Catholic Church.

The story is set in a post-revolutionary Mexico, which was a time of significant political and social turmoil. The Mexican War of Independence had ended, but the country was by no means at peace. Instead, the society is profoundly fractured, despite the new government's apparent stance to abolish the caste system that puts the creole population in a much privileged position than the indigenous one. As a fan of historical fiction, and especially of Latin America's history, with its turbulent past marked by colonialism, this book spoke to me at a deeper level. Colonialism and patriarchy are prevalent themes in this novel.

To be fair, I appreciated these themes - and the atmospheric setting - more than the actual plot. I did revel in the horror, but this element was less related to the plot and more to the setting. I found the events predictable and solved the mystery early on, basically just waiting for Beatriz and Andrés to catch on. I also want to note than I didn't care for the romantic element and found it completely unnecessary, albeit raising issues regarding celibacy inside the Catholic priesthood.

The characters. Beatriz makes for an interesting, complex protagonist. Although she doesn't align with my views on verticality (she marries for money, with a man who is a political adversary of her revolutionary father), her desperation for stability and security was understandable. She is a relatable combination of ambition and sensitivity - despite her desire to get out of poverty, she still yearns, in the end, for the same things she grew up with, a home with a person she can truly love. Her journey is one of strength needed to confront both societal oppression and the supernatural threats she encounters at San Isidro.

But I think I liked Padre Andrés more. He's permanently conflicted between two worlds - Catholicism (religion brings him peace of mind) and Indigenous traditions. This duality makes him a much more complex and interesting character to follow and I'm glad the autor decided to make this book a dual POV and showed us his perspective - and journey - as well. His involvement in Beatriz’s fight against the haunted house comes with spiritual and cultural elements that bring authenticity to the story and enrich the plot. His character arc involves moving from a place of reluctance and personal guilt to one of active protection and empowerment.

Rodolfo and Juana, unfortunately, make for a boring couple of antagonists. Or not necessarily boring - being abusive is never boring, but unoriginal and maybe not developed enough to give them the complexity I yearn for.

The atmosphere. This is definitely the strongest element of the novel and it's the one that made me stay with the book as much as I did. People coin this as a combination of "Rebecca" and "Mexican Gothic" and, while I see elements of both, "Hacienda" is definitely its own story and vibe.

The hacienda is both magnificent and menacing, with a palpable presence that hints at malevolent forces lurking within its walls. I think Isabel Cañas exceled in creating an atmosphere imbued with dread, drawing on classic Gothic elements such as the haunted house, but infusing them with a uniquely Mexican perspective. The imagery is lush and haunting, filled with rich descriptions. There was a degree of repetitiveness that took something out of the horror element, but overall I enjoyed this take on the haunted house trope.

Also, I appreciated the author’s portrayal of post-revolutionary Mexico, that added historical texture, highlighting the social and political turbulence of the time and their impact on social classes and identities.

The prose. Cañas�� prose is richly detailed and vivid, as is fitting for a gothic novel. However, I found her prose a bit too purple for my taste, I with she'd toned down the adjectives and metaphors a bit. But overall, the descriptions of Hacienda San Isidro are layered with sensory imagery that made this world both beautiful and unsettling.

It was a great. Halloween-ish read for me, a blend of horror and historical fiction which I'd definitely recommend to everyone who loves Daphne du Maurier's works.
]]> 53375912 ���ձ�> 281 Antonio Machado 8417430962 Nona 4 Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino, y nada más;
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
sino estelas en el mar.

Machado is what I call poetry. I'm not a fan of the dry, emotionless contemporary verses, that have zero atmosphere and speak of mundane things. There's no soul there. Instead, this is soul, it's emotion, it's beauty.

I love this edition, of course, with its gorgeous illustrations that match Machado's reflective and melancholic tones so well. It's a collection of his most significant poems from volumes such as "Soledades", "Campos de Castilla", "Nuevas canciones" and others.

Machado's poetry is introspective, simple, yet addresses complex and philosophical themes. But I initially fell in love with his verses because of his nature scenes, in a time when I was deeply enamored (and still am) of Spain. A great part of his poetry is dedicated to the Spanish landscape, and his imagery of Sevilla, Granada, Castilla and other parts of the country made me nostalgic even though I have just returned from a trip to his beloved Andaluzia.

Some of his poems (especially the early ones) veer towards Simbolism, capturing a solitary and dream-like atmosphere as he explores themes of sorrow, as well as the passage of time and ephemeral nature of life. Others are more rooted in Realism and take a turn towards a more austere ambience. And throughout his work, I admire the simplicity of language and construction, that maintains beauty without becoming overly pretentious.]]> 3.80
author: Antonio Machado
name: Nona
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/26
date added: 2024/10/31
shelves: poetry, for-rainy-days, classics
review:
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino, y nada más;
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
sino estelas en el mar.

Machado is what I call poetry. I'm not a fan of the dry, emotionless contemporary verses, that have zero atmosphere and speak of mundane things. There's no soul there. Instead, this is soul, it's emotion, it's beauty.

I love this edition, of course, with its gorgeous illustrations that match Machado's reflective and melancholic tones so well. It's a collection of his most significant poems from volumes such as "Soledades", "Campos de Castilla", "Nuevas canciones" and others.

Machado's poetry is introspective, simple, yet addresses complex and philosophical themes. But I initially fell in love with his verses because of his nature scenes, in a time when I was deeply enamored (and still am) of Spain. A great part of his poetry is dedicated to the Spanish landscape, and his imagery of Sevilla, Granada, Castilla and other parts of the country made me nostalgic even though I have just returned from a trip to his beloved Andaluzia.

Some of his poems (especially the early ones) veer towards Simbolism, capturing a solitary and dream-like atmosphere as he explores themes of sorrow, as well as the passage of time and ephemeral nature of life. Others are more rooted in Realism and take a turn towards a more austere ambience. And throughout his work, I admire the simplicity of language and construction, that maintains beauty without becoming overly pretentious.
]]> 61078894
Malik, protejatul lui Lakshmi, artista care facea minunate tatuaje cu henna, a crescut si a terminat cursurile unei prestigioase scoli. Atunci cand devine ajutorul directorului administrativ al Palatului Regal din Jaipur, trebuie sa il ajute pe acesta sa duca la indeplinire construirea unui cinematograf modern. Dar Malik descopera destul de repede ca nimic nu s-a schimbat in Orasul Roz: banii si favorurile se impart cu generozitate doar celor foarte discreti. Balconul noului cinematograf se prabuseste chiar in timpul inaugurarii, iar vina este aruncata pe cel mai la indemana tap ispasitor. Malik isi da seama ca secretele din Jaipur sunt mai intunecate decat isi imaginase si ca numai Lakshmi, cea care le cunoaste cel mai bine, poate indrepta lucrurile.]]> 398 Alka Joshi 606431298X Nona 4
The plot. Years after the events in "The Henna Artist", we return to Lakshmi, now married and living with her husband in Shimla, a remote town at the feet of the Himalaya mountain. Lakshmi works with her husband at the local clinic, where she employs her knowledge of herbs to help the women in the community. Malik, her protégé, is now a young man with a bright future. He returns to Jaipur to work as an apprentice for the palace administrator, Manu Agarwal, Lakshmi's old friend.

The book follows two main plotlines: one in Jaipur, the other in Shimla. While in Jaipur, Malik is involved in the construction of the Royal Jewel Cinema, an opulent new theater financed by the royal family. But, during the opening night, a balcony of the theatre collapses, killing two people and injuring many others, and Malik discovers a conspiracy involving cheap materials used during the construction.

The Shimla plot follows Nimmi, a young widow whom Malik falls in love with, who discovers her brother is using his sheep flock to illegally traffic gold into the country.

Neither of the plotlines is particularly believable, and the mystery was of course predictable. As a reader, everything was clear right from the start and I was just waiting for the characters to catch on, which took something out of the overall enjoyment. The novel has an overall Hallmark-movie vibe with an exotic setting, and that's not bad on principle - it was comforting and enjoying -, but it wasn't particularly exhilarating either.

The characters. Malik did not make for a very plausible character. Even with all his street cred, I doubt that a twenty-year-old with no previous construction experience whatsoever would be capable of uncovering a mystery such as this one. His relationship with Nimmi was beautifully built and showed his tender side which he developed as an adult.

Lakshmi, on the other hand, was as delightful as in the first volume. She showed growth and empathy and a journey of self-reinvention. Her role here is less about her personal development and more about being a guide, protector and moral compass for Malik and, to some extent, for Nimmi, but even so, she keeps being a prominent figure.

The atmosphere. As in the first volume, I think the atmosphere is the strong point of Alka Joshi's novels. The book immersed me in the vibrant atmosphere and cultural richness of India, with its two contrasting settings: the opulent city of Jaipur and the tranquil, mountainous Shimla. The novel is a sensory experience, with its colors, its scents and tastes. But "The Secret Keeper of Jaipur" is more than just a cultural exploration; it also focuses on class distinctions and societal roles. Thorough showing us the serene mountain town Shimla, with its mist-covered hills and cool weather, Joshi presents a more rustic, close-knit community where traditional customs prevail and relationships are built on trust and familiarity.

It was delightful to experience another side of India, far from the opulence of Jaipur's palaces, where corruption is hiding behind grand architecture and luxurious events. Life in Shimla is slower, more grounded and straightforward. It also presents an opportunity to discuss the patriarchal norms that shape the lives of women in this society.

I quite liked the novel and it provided me with a change of pace after some heavy reading. It's not groundbreaking, but it supplies enough food for thought and a gorgeous setting that made me swoon.]]> 4.09 2021
author: Alka Joshi
name: Nona
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/26
date added: 2024/10/31
shelves: for-rainy-days, historical, mystery
review:
(3.5*) More than two years later, I'm returning to this trilogy in hopes I'll be once again delighted by the exoticism of India. Especially for the food. And I know Alka Joshi caters mostly to a Western audience, but I enjoy reading about places where it's unlikely I will ever travel, so I don't particularly care.

The plot. Years after the events in "The Henna Artist", we return to Lakshmi, now married and living with her husband in Shimla, a remote town at the feet of the Himalaya mountain. Lakshmi works with her husband at the local clinic, where she employs her knowledge of herbs to help the women in the community. Malik, her protégé, is now a young man with a bright future. He returns to Jaipur to work as an apprentice for the palace administrator, Manu Agarwal, Lakshmi's old friend.

The book follows two main plotlines: one in Jaipur, the other in Shimla. While in Jaipur, Malik is involved in the construction of the Royal Jewel Cinema, an opulent new theater financed by the royal family. But, during the opening night, a balcony of the theatre collapses, killing two people and injuring many others, and Malik discovers a conspiracy involving cheap materials used during the construction.

The Shimla plot follows Nimmi, a young widow whom Malik falls in love with, who discovers her brother is using his sheep flock to illegally traffic gold into the country.

Neither of the plotlines is particularly believable, and the mystery was of course predictable. As a reader, everything was clear right from the start and I was just waiting for the characters to catch on, which took something out of the overall enjoyment. The novel has an overall Hallmark-movie vibe with an exotic setting, and that's not bad on principle - it was comforting and enjoying -, but it wasn't particularly exhilarating either.

The characters. Malik did not make for a very plausible character. Even with all his street cred, I doubt that a twenty-year-old with no previous construction experience whatsoever would be capable of uncovering a mystery such as this one. His relationship with Nimmi was beautifully built and showed his tender side which he developed as an adult.

Lakshmi, on the other hand, was as delightful as in the first volume. She showed growth and empathy and a journey of self-reinvention. Her role here is less about her personal development and more about being a guide, protector and moral compass for Malik and, to some extent, for Nimmi, but even so, she keeps being a prominent figure.

The atmosphere. As in the first volume, I think the atmosphere is the strong point of Alka Joshi's novels. The book immersed me in the vibrant atmosphere and cultural richness of India, with its two contrasting settings: the opulent city of Jaipur and the tranquil, mountainous Shimla. The novel is a sensory experience, with its colors, its scents and tastes. But "The Secret Keeper of Jaipur" is more than just a cultural exploration; it also focuses on class distinctions and societal roles. Thorough showing us the serene mountain town Shimla, with its mist-covered hills and cool weather, Joshi presents a more rustic, close-knit community where traditional customs prevail and relationships are built on trust and familiarity.

It was delightful to experience another side of India, far from the opulence of Jaipur's palaces, where corruption is hiding behind grand architecture and luxurious events. Life in Shimla is slower, more grounded and straightforward. It also presents an opportunity to discuss the patriarchal norms that shape the lives of women in this society.

I quite liked the novel and it provided me with a change of pace after some heavy reading. It's not groundbreaking, but it supplies enough food for thought and a gorgeous setting that made me swoon.
]]> 221033113 112 J.R.R. Tolkien 9731033440 Nona 5
This book is pure old-school, slapstick comedy. Mr. Bliss, an eccentric man with a passion for collecting hats, buys himself a yellow motor-car with red wheels and has tons of adventures with it, from running over people and getting robbed by bears to crashing a picnic. He's not a positive character in the sense if children's books (at one point, quite the opposite), but he's a lot of fun to follow.

This whimsical story, initially created by Tolkien to entertain his own children, is hilariously illustrated and - if read in Tolkien's original script - is a very intimate experience that reminded me of the stories my grandmother used to invent on the spot.

While I think this book is mostly for Tolkien fans and collectors (especially as it includes some Easter eggs that point to "The Hobbit" and TLOTR), children and adults alike can also have much fun with it.]]> 4.50 1982
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Nona
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1982
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/30
date added: 2024/10/31
shelves: for-my-inner-child, fantasy, z_ps24
review:
Mr. Bliss is the cutest thing ever. Except for the Girabbit. That's even cuter.

This book is pure old-school, slapstick comedy. Mr. Bliss, an eccentric man with a passion for collecting hats, buys himself a yellow motor-car with red wheels and has tons of adventures with it, from running over people and getting robbed by bears to crashing a picnic. He's not a positive character in the sense if children's books (at one point, quite the opposite), but he's a lot of fun to follow.

This whimsical story, initially created by Tolkien to entertain his own children, is hilariously illustrated and - if read in Tolkien's original script - is a very intimate experience that reminded me of the stories my grandmother used to invent on the spot.

While I think this book is mostly for Tolkien fans and collectors (especially as it includes some Easter eggs that point to "The Hobbit" and TLOTR), children and adults alike can also have much fun with it.
]]> 219871548
Din cuprins:
Fugind de toamna, ca pasarile calatoare ne-am lasat dusi de vint �� Exista euri paralele; cind sintem noi singuri si noi cu cineva iubit? �� Nu toate fetele frumoase stiu ca sint frumoase �� Gindurile pot trece pirleazuri �� Timpul si visele �� Despre misterul cirligelor �� Ea, cea indragita �� Fantasme si duplicitate: El]]> 7 Aurora Liiceanu Nona 4
Ea și El nu au nume, dar sunt prezențe vii, care acaparează. Cartea e structurată ca o serie de ședințe la psiholog, deși naratoarea - care nu e Ea - nu spune niciun moment asta. E o continuă destăinuire, o incursiune intimă în sufletul Ei, femeia care iubește verdele și pe El, un bărbat căsătorit pe care îl câștigă și îl pierde. Pe El îl cunoaștem din poveștile Ei și din jurnale și scrisori, o imagine marcată de sentimentele Ei, de acel dulce-amar pe care îl dă despărțirea de o mare iubire.

Folosindu-se de această poveste, în care Aurora Liiceanu pare că a împletit o experiență proprie (într-un interviu cu dumneaei pentru revista Tango, povestește despre iubirea pe care a trăit-o cu un polonez, El din această poveste fiind, de asemenea, polonez), autoarea vorbește despre complexitatea relațiilor de iubire și se avântă în analiza psihologică a cârjelor, a dependenței, a narcisismului. Explorând viața și relația celor doi și expunându-le vulnerabilitățile, prezintă o perspectivă profundă asupra felului în care se construiesc și se transformă relațiile de-a lungul timpului.

Cartea (mă feresc să-i spun roman) e oarecum și o critică subtilă la adresa idealizării iubirii romantice, demitizând ideea de relație perfectă și arătând compromisurile și complexitățile din viața de cuplu. Autoarea păstrează un ton echilibrat, evitând să judece personajele, ci mai degrabă arătându-ne umanitatea lor, cu toate contradicțiile și slăbiciunile care vin la pachet cu asta.

Mi-a plăcut enorm proza doamnei Liiceanu, poezia din spatele analizei psihologice, referințele literare (și nu numai) pe care le strecoară în text. A fost o lectură provocatoare, care m-a lăsat cu întrebări despre ce înseamnă cu adevărat o relație, cum se transformă ea în timp și cât de mult putem cere de la persoana iubită fără a o constrânge.]]> 3.33 2016
author: Aurora Liiceanu
name: Nona
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/20
date added: 2024/10/30
shelves: romanian-authors, contemporary
review:
Îmi doream de multă vreme să citesc o carte de-ale doamnei Aurora Liiceanu și m-am bucurat când am găsit-o pe aceasta pe Voxa. Cartea aceasta a fost o întreagă experiență - roman, studiu psihologic despre relații, autoficțiune. Pendularea între aceste aspecte m-a lăsat inițial confuză, dar pe parcurs m-a cucerit din ce în ce mai mult.

Ea și El nu au nume, dar sunt prezențe vii, care acaparează. Cartea e structurată ca o serie de ședințe la psiholog, deși naratoarea - care nu e Ea - nu spune niciun moment asta. E o continuă destăinuire, o incursiune intimă în sufletul Ei, femeia care iubește verdele și pe El, un bărbat căsătorit pe care îl câștigă și îl pierde. Pe El îl cunoaștem din poveștile Ei și din jurnale și scrisori, o imagine marcată de sentimentele Ei, de acel dulce-amar pe care îl dă despărțirea de o mare iubire.

Folosindu-se de această poveste, în care Aurora Liiceanu pare că a împletit o experiență proprie (într-un interviu cu dumneaei pentru revista Tango, povestește despre iubirea pe care a trăit-o cu un polonez, El din această poveste fiind, de asemenea, polonez), autoarea vorbește despre complexitatea relațiilor de iubire și se avântă în analiza psihologică a cârjelor, a dependenței, a narcisismului. Explorând viața și relația celor doi și expunându-le vulnerabilitățile, prezintă o perspectivă profundă asupra felului în care se construiesc și se transformă relațiile de-a lungul timpului.

Cartea (mă feresc să-i spun roman) e oarecum și o critică subtilă la adresa idealizării iubirii romantice, demitizând ideea de relație perfectă și arătând compromisurile și complexitățile din viața de cuplu. Autoarea păstrează un ton echilibrat, evitând să judece personajele, ci mai degrabă arătându-ne umanitatea lor, cu toate contradicțiile și slăbiciunile care vin la pachet cu asta.

Mi-a plăcut enorm proza doamnei Liiceanu, poezia din spatele analizei psihologice, referințele literare (și nu numai) pe care le strecoară în text. A fost o lectură provocatoare, care m-a lăsat cu întrebări despre ce înseamnă cu adevărat o relație, cum se transformă ea în timp și cât de mult putem cere de la persoana iubită fără a o constrânge.
]]> 4576801 224 Mario Vargas Llosa 9732803134 Nona 5 faves, omgs 3.85 1987
author: Mario Vargas Llosa
name: Nona
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1987
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves: faves, omgs
review:

]]> 220544072 Aici, oamenii încă mai pun carne la garniţă, adună fructele, coc pâine și ţes covoare, dar viaţa fiecăruia se împarte în „înainte�� și „după��. Aproape fiecare dintre ei a pierdut pe cineva drag. Dar învață să trăiască mai departe și sunt încredinţaţi că, atâta timp cât mai ai un strop de putere, trebuie să-i ajuţi pe cei aflaţi în impas. Uneori, chiar pe un inamic. Astăzi, orașul e același �� cu ninsori în februarie și aromă de miere pe câmpurile din împrejurimi în septembrie, cu bătrâni buni la suflet și încăpăţânaţi. Numai viaţa e altfel.]]> 264 Narine Abgaryan 6060974791 Nona 5
These 31 stories make up an entire world of loss - but in the end also of hope. But to get to that hope, I went through an entire universe of pain. I don't know how she could write them, where she found the courage and the power to put pen to paper, but I'm grateful that it exists. Many of us live in a bubble where war is merely a distant reality that we barely think about. Five minutes on the news that make us feel sorry, in a distant way, about the people who go through that reality, but we move on, we barely think about those people as people who live and love and lose their loved ones. We like to think of ourselves as empathetic and yet we focus on the most visible conflicts, those that are significant at a geopolitical level, and forget about all the others.

Abgarian's stories are set in her native Berd, a town in Armenia that has lived through more than 35 years of conflict, a conflict no one really talks about, because why should we care about an area that doesn't have oil or Jewish people? But this conflict has shaped myriads of lives in unimaginable ways and taken many others.

This book is not about war, but about the lives war has shaped. Abgarian does not talk about the political implications or about the larger historical context, but focuses on experiences at a very intimate, micro level - on the lives of the tailor, the undertaker, the driver, the housewives, the nurses, the refugees, the mothers and fathers and grandparents, the wives and husbands, the children. Each of these 31 stories is connected to the others until one can draw a big interconnected family tree where ties are defined by loss. There are love stories here, of incredible tenderness. There are stories about community, about helping each other and forgiveness. There's humor woven in together with the pain, and a a delicate balance between light and dark that leads to slivers of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.

A collective tragedy, but also a very personal one, depicted with Abgarian's signature lyricism that makes each character feel life family. You'd think that she cannot possibly build memorable, relatable characters in just a few pages of a story, and yet this intricate network of relationships and her attention to detail make this a reality. Mainanț Țatur, Atanes, Kolinanț, Armenuș, Anna, Arto are all real people to me, and Berd is a real place, with its centuries-old traditions, its colors and its dishes that have the power to comfort and heal.

This book is a very compassionate portrayal of human strength in the face of overwhelming tragedy and it broke me more than any other book ever did.]]> 4.29 2018
author: Narine Abgaryan
name: Nona
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/20
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves: omgs, faves, contemporary, shorts
review:
How can I write about the most painful book I have ever read without feeling that my soul is torn to pieces? I've read many books that were painful - memoirs, stories of war, loss, unimaginable tragedy - but the way Narine Abgarian writes makes these tales incredibly heartbreaking.

These 31 stories make up an entire world of loss - but in the end also of hope. But to get to that hope, I went through an entire universe of pain. I don't know how she could write them, where she found the courage and the power to put pen to paper, but I'm grateful that it exists. Many of us live in a bubble where war is merely a distant reality that we barely think about. Five minutes on the news that make us feel sorry, in a distant way, about the people who go through that reality, but we move on, we barely think about those people as people who live and love and lose their loved ones. We like to think of ourselves as empathetic and yet we focus on the most visible conflicts, those that are significant at a geopolitical level, and forget about all the others.

Abgarian's stories are set in her native Berd, a town in Armenia that has lived through more than 35 years of conflict, a conflict no one really talks about, because why should we care about an area that doesn't have oil or Jewish people? But this conflict has shaped myriads of lives in unimaginable ways and taken many others.

This book is not about war, but about the lives war has shaped. Abgarian does not talk about the political implications or about the larger historical context, but focuses on experiences at a very intimate, micro level - on the lives of the tailor, the undertaker, the driver, the housewives, the nurses, the refugees, the mothers and fathers and grandparents, the wives and husbands, the children. Each of these 31 stories is connected to the others until one can draw a big interconnected family tree where ties are defined by loss. There are love stories here, of incredible tenderness. There are stories about community, about helping each other and forgiveness. There's humor woven in together with the pain, and a a delicate balance between light and dark that leads to slivers of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.

A collective tragedy, but also a very personal one, depicted with Abgarian's signature lyricism that makes each character feel life family. You'd think that she cannot possibly build memorable, relatable characters in just a few pages of a story, and yet this intricate network of relationships and her attention to detail make this a reality. Mainanț Țatur, Atanes, Kolinanț, Armenuș, Anna, Arto are all real people to me, and Berd is a real place, with its centuries-old traditions, its colors and its dishes that have the power to comfort and heal.

This book is a very compassionate portrayal of human strength in the face of overwhelming tragedy and it broke me more than any other book ever did.
]]> 219291786
În lumea artistică extravagantă și boemă a Vienei începutului de secol XX, patru dintre femeile care au pozat pentru arta erotică, revoluționară a controversatului pictor Egon Schiele se întâlnesc: Gertrude, sora lui posesivă, hotărâtă și geloasă, Walburga Neuzil, modelul și amanta sa, o tânără săracă, dar cu o voință de fier, și cele două surori Harms, Edith și Adele, ambele visând să-i devină soție. Mai mult de un deceniu, ele riscă totul �� reputația, familia, sănătatea mintală și a sufletului �� în încercarea de a-l păstra pe bărbatul pe care îl venerează. Pe măsură ce Primul Război Mondial le schimbă complet viețile, iar pandemia de gripă spaniolă devastează Europa, obsesia lor pentru pictor rămâne singura constantă. Vrăjite de incandescența lui Egon Schiele care, precum flăcările, fascinează, dar și distruge, ele iubesc și trădează, se consumă dinapoia pânzelor pictorului, devenind nemuritoare tocmai prin acestea.]]> 456 Sophie Haydock 6060974619 Nona 0 to-read 4.21 2022
author: Sophie Haydock
name: Nona
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58357224 225 Elie Wiesel 6067107007 Nona 5
Wiesel was 15 when he and his entire family were deported. First to Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald, only to be evacuated from this last camp just a few days before the Soviet army liberated it. He was a teenager who not only believed in God, but spent countless hours studying the Talmud and the Cabala, despite being considered too young for that. In fact, faith is a big part of his memoir - one of the most significant elements in "Night" is Wiesel's struggle with his faith as he witnesses and endures the horrors of the concentration camps. During times of extreme suffering, some people turn to their god, and others start questioning why would god allow so much suffering, and he was definitely questioning.

What stood out to me the most is the dehumanization that all these people went through. Wiesel depicts quite vividly how the concentration camps stripped people of their dignity, turning them into numbers rather than individuals. We may have a romanticized image of the heroic Jewish people, which I blame on commercial historical fiction that tends to point out all that community and helping each other. However what Wiesel shows here is that people are people and will react in unpredictable ways in traumatic situations. It's not only about the brutality of the guards, but also about the way prisoners began to lose their empathy and compassion for each other (even between family members such as fathers and sons) in the fight for survival. The instinct for survival often led prisoners to make what look like cruel decisions that went against moral principles (Wiesel himself deals with guilt over these choices.)

The relationship with his father is central to the book and described in a very raw, very intimate fashion. At one point, Wiesel is conflicted between the desire to survive and the pain of watching his father suffer after so much time spent fighting against all odds and supporting each other.

I think Wiesel's direct, unembellished style makes this book even more painful and bleak and accurately mirrors the desolate reality he lived through. This is not fiction and pretty phrases are not needed, he uses the simple language of someone who just recounts his life experience, but this adds to the emotional impact and allows the horror of the events to speak for itself.

This book will be hard, if not impossible to forget. Maybe we should read memoirs more than historical fiction, we need to have an accurate view, directly from the survivors, of those times and events. ]]> 4.59 1956
author: Elie Wiesel
name: Nona
average rating: 4.59
book published: 1956
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/18
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: biography, z_ps24, non-fiction
review:
How can I comment on such a book? What can one say about the experiences of a teenager who saw his father die of dysentery in a concentration camp, whose mother and baby sister were both killed shortly after their arrival at Auschwitz?

Wiesel was 15 when he and his entire family were deported. First to Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald, only to be evacuated from this last camp just a few days before the Soviet army liberated it. He was a teenager who not only believed in God, but spent countless hours studying the Talmud and the Cabala, despite being considered too young for that. In fact, faith is a big part of his memoir - one of the most significant elements in "Night" is Wiesel's struggle with his faith as he witnesses and endures the horrors of the concentration camps. During times of extreme suffering, some people turn to their god, and others start questioning why would god allow so much suffering, and he was definitely questioning.

What stood out to me the most is the dehumanization that all these people went through. Wiesel depicts quite vividly how the concentration camps stripped people of their dignity, turning them into numbers rather than individuals. We may have a romanticized image of the heroic Jewish people, which I blame on commercial historical fiction that tends to point out all that community and helping each other. However what Wiesel shows here is that people are people and will react in unpredictable ways in traumatic situations. It's not only about the brutality of the guards, but also about the way prisoners began to lose their empathy and compassion for each other (even between family members such as fathers and sons) in the fight for survival. The instinct for survival often led prisoners to make what look like cruel decisions that went against moral principles (Wiesel himself deals with guilt over these choices.)

The relationship with his father is central to the book and described in a very raw, very intimate fashion. At one point, Wiesel is conflicted between the desire to survive and the pain of watching his father suffer after so much time spent fighting against all odds and supporting each other.

I think Wiesel's direct, unembellished style makes this book even more painful and bleak and accurately mirrors the desolate reality he lived through. This is not fiction and pretty phrases are not needed, he uses the simple language of someone who just recounts his life experience, but this adds to the emotional impact and allows the horror of the events to speak for itself.

This book will be hard, if not impossible to forget. Maybe we should read memoirs more than historical fiction, we need to have an accurate view, directly from the survivors, of those times and events.
]]> 58020614 Refăcînd istoria unei familii de-a lungul unui veac, din Belle Époque pînă în cotidianul corporatist, cu biografii feminine pline de iubiri, împlinite sau nu, de dramatism și de demnitate, Simona Antonescu reușește să își captiveze cititorul strecurîndu-i sentimentul că prezentul nu e numai ceea ce se întîmplă sub ochii noștri, ci și ceea ce s-a întîmplat cîndva, într-o legătură de cauzalitate, iar trecutul conține în el posibilitatea prezentului.
În umbra ei este o carte marca Simona Antonescu, plină de suspans, de intrigi alambicate, ce par a se prelungi de la o generație la alta, dar și încărcată de nostalgie, ce revigorează cu mult farmec adevărul unei lumi pe care cititorul o simte vie, seducătoare, încărcată, pînă la ultima pagină, de mister.
Este și cartea unei reveniri la sine, a asumării sinelui prin scris. �� spune naratoarea, «o voce interioară pe care nu o asculți este o parte din tine pe care nu o lași să trăiască».�� (Bogdan Crețu)]]> 328 Simona Antonescu 9734684434 Nona 0 to-read 4.26 2021
author: Simona Antonescu
name: Nona
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214378086 304 Colm Tóibín 6060974309 Nona 3 On the other hand, the movie had emotion and made me care about Eilis, so I guess this is one of those rare occurrences when the movie is better than the book (a lot of it is Saoirse Ronan's merit, she's great).

To preface this, I want to say that (1) I understand this is "the Irish unsentimental way" (although Oscar Wilde, man...) and also that (2) the author wanted it to be a very detached view, from the outside. But it's just not my cup of tea.

Colm Tóibín tells the very uneventful, very "normal" (in a way) story of Eilis Lacey, a young woman from a small town in Ireland who moves to Brooklyn in the 1950s in search of a better life. When I say uneventful, I only mean it in the sense that there are no big twists or over the top drama that happens. In fact, Eilis's life is filled with things that happen to her, as is any immigrant's life. She goes through big changes that significantly impact her life - moving away from home, across an ocean, where she has to adapt to a whole new society is never easy.

And that's completely fine. We need mundane stories as much as we need exciting ones. The novel is about personal growth as much as it is about immigration, identity and displacement. Eilis's story is also a clash between duty and personal desire. She is permanently split between two places, struggling to find a sense of belonging. In a way, at a smaller scale, I understood her conflicting pulls between the small town she has lived in all her life, where everything is familiar and comfortable, and the excitement of a big city and a new, flashy life.

My issue is that much of this is merely implied. We are, and are not, at the same time, in Eilis's head. I felt like she was watching herself from afar, merely commenting on her life in a very disengaged manner, as would a stranger. Even the death of her sister was brushed over with incredible lightness of tone. Where was the pain?

I watched an interview with the author on YouTube where he talks about leaving many things unsaid purposefully, because "one cannot say it all in a novel". And while I understand that this was a very intentional approach, what it did for me was make me not care at all about what happens to Eilis. This detachment, this almost complete lack of any spark, any emotion, led also to MY detachment, as a reader, from the character's fate.

I'm not a plot reader, but, while I don't care as much about the events, I do care about characters. And while this novel could be called character-driven, I return to this dispassionate storytelling to say that it did not show me enough (or at all) of Eilis's inner struggles. Moreover, Eilis barely makes any decision herself - everything is arranged for her, she doesn't have to fight for anything, never has a moment of self-doubt until the very end, all her choices are "the easy way out". I did not feel intimate with her story, did not feel the need to root for her; she - and, consequently, the novel - felt flat from beginning to end.

There was one moment when she almost made me care for her (and not in a good way) - [spoilers removed]

In the end, I only felt sad for Eilis's mother. Yes, she was a bit manipulative, in the way that parents are, sometimes, when they (feel they) are left alone. I see it with my grandmother, and also, to some extent, with my father. But, as someone who decided to not leave the country because of aging parents and grandparents, I can't help but think of Eilis as selfish.

I understand this novel has a sequel, which significantly changes the tone. I'm curious - as I'm curious to read at least one more novel from this writer. But maybe not anytime soon.]]> 3.71 2009
author: Colm Tóibín
name: Nona
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/16
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: for-rainy-days, made-to-movie, mehs, historical, romance
review:
What, exactly, is the point of this book? I feel that it just... exists. It floats purposelessly in the universe. It's the most blah book I've ever read. It didn't even annoy me, there's nothing good or bad I can say about it. I guess Colm Tóibín managed to make me feel absolutely nothing throughout reading his book. On the other hand, the movie had emotion and made me care about Eilis, so I guess this is one of those rare occurrences when the movie is better than the book (a lot of it is Saoirse Ronan's merit, she's great).

To preface this, I want to say that (1) I understand this is "the Irish unsentimental way" (although Oscar Wilde, man...) and also that (2) the author wanted it to be a very detached view, from the outside. But it's just not my cup of tea.

Colm Tóibín tells the very uneventful, very "normal" (in a way) story of Eilis Lacey, a young woman from a small town in Ireland who moves to Brooklyn in the 1950s in search of a better life. When I say uneventful, I only mean it in the sense that there are no big twists or over the top drama that happens. In fact, Eilis's life is filled with things that happen to her, as is any immigrant's life. She goes through big changes that significantly impact her life - moving away from home, across an ocean, where she has to adapt to a whole new society is never easy.

And that's completely fine. We need mundane stories as much as we need exciting ones. The novel is about personal growth as much as it is about immigration, identity and displacement. Eilis's story is also a clash between duty and personal desire. She is permanently split between two places, struggling to find a sense of belonging. In a way, at a smaller scale, I understood her conflicting pulls between the small town she has lived in all her life, where everything is familiar and comfortable, and the excitement of a big city and a new, flashy life.

My issue is that much of this is merely implied. We are, and are not, at the same time, in Eilis's head. I felt like she was watching herself from afar, merely commenting on her life in a very disengaged manner, as would a stranger. Even the death of her sister was brushed over with incredible lightness of tone. Where was the pain?

I watched an interview with the author on YouTube where he talks about leaving many things unsaid purposefully, because "one cannot say it all in a novel". And while I understand that this was a very intentional approach, what it did for me was make me not care at all about what happens to Eilis. This detachment, this almost complete lack of any spark, any emotion, led also to MY detachment, as a reader, from the character's fate.

I'm not a plot reader, but, while I don't care as much about the events, I do care about characters. And while this novel could be called character-driven, I return to this dispassionate storytelling to say that it did not show me enough (or at all) of Eilis's inner struggles. Moreover, Eilis barely makes any decision herself - everything is arranged for her, she doesn't have to fight for anything, never has a moment of self-doubt until the very end, all her choices are "the easy way out". I did not feel intimate with her story, did not feel the need to root for her; she - and, consequently, the novel - felt flat from beginning to end.

There was one moment when she almost made me care for her (and not in a good way) - [spoilers removed]

In the end, I only felt sad for Eilis's mother. Yes, she was a bit manipulative, in the way that parents are, sometimes, when they (feel they) are left alone. I see it with my grandmother, and also, to some extent, with my father. But, as someone who decided to not leave the country because of aging parents and grandparents, I can't help but think of Eilis as selfish.

I understand this novel has a sequel, which significantly changes the tone. I'm curious - as I'm curious to read at least one more novel from this writer. But maybe not anytime soon.
]]> 202379086
De la o poveste aștepți să te uimească și să te transporte pe tărâmuri miraculoase, în care totul pare recognoscibil, dar nimic nu e la fel. O poveste bună folosește imaginația ca pe o baghetă magică și țese cu ea lumi și povești cu tâlc și profunzime, surprinzând natura umană, dar ducând-o mereu dincolo de limitele realului, comunului, ordinarului. Toate acestea și ceva în plus le face Dan Matei în basmul său, Zmeul Zmeilor. Fantast și ludic, autorul reinventează personaje din basmul popular și din mitologie într-un melanj narativ plin de savoare, umor și acțiune, în care binele e mai surprinzător decât răul, iar bunătatea și prietenia sunt nodurile care leagă totul și pot salva lumea. Și, până la urmă, după cum știm, călătoria e adevărata bucurie, nu destinația. - Cosmin Perța

Un manuscris provocator, incitant, cu substanță, care m-a atras încă dinainte de a ști ce soarta i-a hărăzit autorul său. Un basm cult despre eroii pe care obișnuim să îi aflăm încă din copilărie, însă cu alte conotații și cu un alt destin literar. O călătorie inițiatică, împletită în cuvinte alese, ca un filigran, la capătul căreia aflăm valoarea prieteniei, omnipotența unui copil, valorile-repere care ne animă în drumul personal spre nesfârșire. - Violeta Borzea]]> 168 Matei Dan 6069576756 Nona 0 to-read 4.54
author: Matei Dan
name: Nona
average rating: 4.54
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 42656096 384 Thomas Cullinan 0141987901 Nona 3
This is a historical novel set during the American Civil War. The story takes place in a girls' boarding school in Virginia. One of these girls finds a wounded Union soldier, Corporal John McBurney, in the woods and brings him inside the school to be nursed back to health by the headmistress, Martha Farnsworth, who is known for her healing skills. Soon, all the women and girls in the school become fascinated by the charming soldier, each in their own way. McBurney, who is manipulative and cunning, quickly learns to play on the insecurities and desires of each woman to ensure his safety and to get what he wants. His presence stirs suppressed desires and rivalries between the girls, but also long-buried emotions.

The dynamics between the characters become increasingly complicated. Martha Farnsworth loses control over the school, as the girls start to see McBurney whether as a potential lover, a saviour or simply as entertainment and a means of escaping an otherwise secluded life. Cullinan builds an atmosphere of mistrust and fear which culminates in a chilling act of revenge.

I was initially enthralled by this atmosphere created by the author. I could hardly breathe as the school becomes more and more crowded and the climate more and more tense. The isolated setting of the boarding school serves as a catalyst and intensifies the women's emotional responses to McBurney. It's a slow-burning thriller where the intrigue is carefully constructed. However, I found the pacing uneven - too slow in the beginning and rushed towards the end. After a while, it became predictable (though I would have imagined the ending more violent, but hey, women don't act that way!).

The novel is built on shifting perspectives. Each woman inside the school takes her turn to tell the story (we never hear Johnny's perspective, though). This multi-perspective approach means we get to see the events from various angles, but also plays on the unreliable narrator trope. Each woman interprets the events based on her particular desires and life experience, as their ages range from 10 to 30+ (I assume, we are not told the ages of the two teachers and the slave). Each character's version adds layers to the story, creating ambiguity about motives and intentions and thus amplifying the psychological tension.

Unfortunately, with very few exceptions (Amelia and Marie, mainly, but also Mattie, who at least speaks with her own unique voice), all women sounded exactly the same. Here lies my main issue with this book. The characters are flat and indistinguishable and clearly written from the perspective of a man who has no idea what women are like. Cullinan paints a very disparaging picture of these women - they are all weak, incapable of taking action, easily manipulated, constantly fighting among themselves and fainting like crazy. I call this book "Mean and Stupid Girls". They are stereotypes driven primarily by their repressed sexual desires and jealousy. In Cullinan's mind, women are reduced to mere players in a drama driven by male influence. McBurney also lacks complexity, his motivations are shallow and his erratic behavior is not backed up by true character development.

Also, for a story set during the Civil War, there's little historical context and Cullinan ignores completely the social issues that led to said war. Mattie, the only black character (and also a slave) is almost a copy of Mammy from "Gone with the Wind", except a lot less fleshed out.

I think the book is interesting as an exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the struggle between control and desire. Its strengths lie in the atmospheric storytelling and psychological warfare, but the pacing made it hard to read (that, and the veeeery small font in this edition) and the way Cullinan handled gender dynamics made me cringe.]]> 3.31 1966
author: Thomas Cullinan
name: Nona
average rating: 3.31
book published: 1966
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/13
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves: thriller, historical, classics, made-to-movie
review:
Some male authors really don't understand women. And Thomas Cullinan took his preconceptions to a whole new level of cringiness. It's bad, guys. All his women are weak, catty and faint every other page. It's really a pity, because this book had potential to be a favourite. I love gothic fiction, novels with dark and claustrophobic atmosphere.

This is a historical novel set during the American Civil War. The story takes place in a girls' boarding school in Virginia. One of these girls finds a wounded Union soldier, Corporal John McBurney, in the woods and brings him inside the school to be nursed back to health by the headmistress, Martha Farnsworth, who is known for her healing skills. Soon, all the women and girls in the school become fascinated by the charming soldier, each in their own way. McBurney, who is manipulative and cunning, quickly learns to play on the insecurities and desires of each woman to ensure his safety and to get what he wants. His presence stirs suppressed desires and rivalries between the girls, but also long-buried emotions.

The dynamics between the characters become increasingly complicated. Martha Farnsworth loses control over the school, as the girls start to see McBurney whether as a potential lover, a saviour or simply as entertainment and a means of escaping an otherwise secluded life. Cullinan builds an atmosphere of mistrust and fear which culminates in a chilling act of revenge.

I was initially enthralled by this atmosphere created by the author. I could hardly breathe as the school becomes more and more crowded and the climate more and more tense. The isolated setting of the boarding school serves as a catalyst and intensifies the women's emotional responses to McBurney. It's a slow-burning thriller where the intrigue is carefully constructed. However, I found the pacing uneven - too slow in the beginning and rushed towards the end. After a while, it became predictable (though I would have imagined the ending more violent, but hey, women don't act that way!).

The novel is built on shifting perspectives. Each woman inside the school takes her turn to tell the story (we never hear Johnny's perspective, though). This multi-perspective approach means we get to see the events from various angles, but also plays on the unreliable narrator trope. Each woman interprets the events based on her particular desires and life experience, as their ages range from 10 to 30+ (I assume, we are not told the ages of the two teachers and the slave). Each character's version adds layers to the story, creating ambiguity about motives and intentions and thus amplifying the psychological tension.

Unfortunately, with very few exceptions (Amelia and Marie, mainly, but also Mattie, who at least speaks with her own unique voice), all women sounded exactly the same. Here lies my main issue with this book. The characters are flat and indistinguishable and clearly written from the perspective of a man who has no idea what women are like. Cullinan paints a very disparaging picture of these women - they are all weak, incapable of taking action, easily manipulated, constantly fighting among themselves and fainting like crazy. I call this book "Mean and Stupid Girls". They are stereotypes driven primarily by their repressed sexual desires and jealousy. In Cullinan's mind, women are reduced to mere players in a drama driven by male influence. McBurney also lacks complexity, his motivations are shallow and his erratic behavior is not backed up by true character development.

Also, for a story set during the Civil War, there's little historical context and Cullinan ignores completely the social issues that led to said war. Mattie, the only black character (and also a slave) is almost a copy of Mammy from "Gone with the Wind", except a lot less fleshed out.

I think the book is interesting as an exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the struggle between control and desire. Its strengths lie in the atmospheric storytelling and psychological warfare, but the pacing made it hard to read (that, and the veeeery small font in this edition) and the way Cullinan handled gender dynamics made me cringe.
]]> 768889
The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. In the northern wastes, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. And Robb's defences are ranged against the South, the land of the cunning and cruel Lannisters, who have his young sisters in their power.

Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the wall is breached, no king will live to claim it.]]> 663 George R.R. Martin 0006479901 Nona 5 4.47 2000
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Nona
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves: faves, omgs, fantasy, made-to-movie
review:

]]> 208419744
AGATHA CHRISTIE este unul dintre scriitorii care nu au nevoie de nici o prezentare, pentru că opera lor a trecut cu brio testul timpului și al cititorilor din toate epocile și generațiile. Cu peste 2 miliarde de cărți vândute și cu traduceri în mai mult de 100 de limbi, Agatha Christie este surclasată în acest top numai de Biblie și de William Shakespeare. Autoare a 66 de romane polițiste și a 14 colecții de povestiri, 19 piese de teatru, o autobiografie, volume de non-ficțiune și povestiri amuzante din călătoriile realizate alături de soțul ei, cu numeroase ecranizări inspirate de romanele ei, Agatha Christie își merită cu prisosință locul în biblioteca oricărui iubitor de literatură.

De aceea, Editura Litera are plăcerea să îți prezinte opera Agathei Christie într-o colecție excepțională �� și totodată accesibilă ��, de care să te poți bucura alături de întreaga familie pentru mulți ani de acum înainte. Volumele cartonate, cu o grafică elegantă și superbe ilustrații ale copertelor puse în valoare de elementele ornamentale argintii repetitive �� care dau astfel eleganță și unitate colecției ��, se ridică la înălțimea calității scriiturii acestei adevărate regine a romanului polițist.]]> 263 Agatha Christie 6303192424 Nona 5
This time, the body of a young woman in a white party dress is discovered in Colonel Arthur Bantry's library. The victim is identified as Ruby Keene, a dancer from a nearby hotel, and her presence in the library is both baffling and scandalous. Colonel Bantry is known as an upstanding member of society and his wife, a friend of Miss Marple's, asks the sharp-witted amateur detective for help, because of her extensive knowledge of human nature. Indeed, as the investigation proceeds and Miss Marple gets to know all the people involved in the Ruby Keene's life, she draws parallels with other situations where people in the village have displayed the same type of behaviour. This, in turn, allows her to uncover the killer.

The plot is of course complicated by the introduction of various suspects, because it wouldn't be Agatha Christie without throwing a few red herrings at us. But Miss Marple is shrewd and digs deeper, uncovering hidden connections among the characters and thus leading to a cleverly built finale.

The novel is well-paced and I finished it in one sitting. There are a few surprising twists and, of course, Christie's particular preference for family dramas is not forgotten. Miss Marple's sharp mind and her ability to see through the facade of ordinary lives definitely shines here.]]> 3.88 1942
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1942
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/06
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves: classics, mystery, for-rainy-days, made-to-movie
review:
"The Body in the Library" must be one of my favourite Miss Marple mysteries! It plays on the classic trope of a library murder, but Agatha Christie, of course, has her own take on it and makes it exciting. The story is, once again, set in St. Mary Mead, which I'm convinced it must be the most dangerous of the quiet English villages, or else Miss Marple just attracts trouble somehow. Maybe St. Mary Mead is Britain's Sunnydale, but instead of vampires we have posh killers.

This time, the body of a young woman in a white party dress is discovered in Colonel Arthur Bantry's library. The victim is identified as Ruby Keene, a dancer from a nearby hotel, and her presence in the library is both baffling and scandalous. Colonel Bantry is known as an upstanding member of society and his wife, a friend of Miss Marple's, asks the sharp-witted amateur detective for help, because of her extensive knowledge of human nature. Indeed, as the investigation proceeds and Miss Marple gets to know all the people involved in the Ruby Keene's life, she draws parallels with other situations where people in the village have displayed the same type of behaviour. This, in turn, allows her to uncover the killer.

The plot is of course complicated by the introduction of various suspects, because it wouldn't be Agatha Christie without throwing a few red herrings at us. But Miss Marple is shrewd and digs deeper, uncovering hidden connections among the characters and thus leading to a cleverly built finale.

The novel is well-paced and I finished it in one sitting. There are a few surprising twists and, of course, Christie's particular preference for family dramas is not forgotten. Miss Marple's sharp mind and her ability to see through the facade of ordinary lives definitely shines here.
]]> 6547258 The mists rule the night...
The lord ruler owns the world.

For a thousand years the ash fell.
For a thousand years, the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years, the Lord Ruler reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Every attempted revolt has failed miserably.

Yet somehow hope survives.
A new kind of uprising is being planned, one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the courage of an unlikely heroine, a Skaa street urchin, who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a mistborn.

What if the prophesied hero had failed to defeat the Dark Lord? The answer will be found in the Mistborn trilogy, a saga of surprises that begins here.]]> 647 Brandon Sanderson Nona 4 fantasy, teen-ya
Sanderson's fantasy does not have elves and orcs, but it has an interesting magic system based on burning metals. It's an epic fantasy set in a sort of dystopian world, where the sun is red and the sky rains ash. This world, called the Final Empire, has been ruled for the past thousand years by a powerful and immortal tyrant called the Lord Ruler, and society is split in two social castes: the nobility, who are tightly controlled by the Ruler through his monopole on a rare and powerful metal, and the skaa, who are basically slaves owned by the Lord Ruler, who lends them out to the nobility.

The plot centers on a rebellion meant to overthrow the Lord Ruler, led by the charismatic Kelsier and his group of misfits, all with their own set of skills and powers. Vin, a young street thief with undiscoverd magical abilities, is also recruited into this group and is trained to play a significant part in the rebellion by impersonating a noble heiress and gathering valuable intel. As the story progresses, Vin discovers her true potential and becomes an integral part of the revolution.

The novel reads exactly like a superhero action movie, complete with multiple fight scenes where we are told over and over again what metal each character burns and what is the consequence of burning that metal. After a while, it became repetitive. Were it not for the magical system and the world Sanderson created (although I wish fantasy writers would abandon the feudal systems, it's extremely overdone), the plot would have nothing original. The lawbreakers turned rebels trope has been done before and not only once. As has the unlikely hero trope. I've grown tired of the main female character who is an underdog but somehow has amazing powers and becomes the savior of the world.

Speaking of the characters, I honestly could not grow to care about anyone in particular. They didn't feel fleshed out enough, complexity is barely hinted and when present, is mainly done through exposition. I appreciated the author's choice of fate for Kelsier (though Mesia-type characters are not new), but the rest of his gang blended together and I remained with no lasting impression about anyone in particular. As for Vin, I said before that she fits a certain typology very present in today's fantasy literature. I will add that Sanderson does not particularly do women well - Vin is the only female character with a prominent position and she, of course, turns out to want "what all teenage girls want": wear pretty dresses and be kissed by the boy she likes (in what is a completely unconvincing insta-love story). Her internal dialogue with her missing brother is another element that adds to the repetitiveness.

Sanderson doesn't complicate his existence with elevated language (except for his obsessive use of the word "maladroitly") and complex narrative constructions, his writing contributing to the overall impression of a blockbuster flick.

But what made this installment a success, despite all my contrivances, is the magical system (Allomancy). I appreciate that it is explained in detail, we know what each metal does and how it affects the user and the environment. I also got interested in the Lord Ruler's story, told to us bit by bit through entries in a journal. The final reveal and the novel's ending, although they came too swiftly (given the rhythm of the story), make me want to continue the series. I'm very interested to know what happens to this world after that ending (and maybe more about the apocalyptical event that led to the current state of the environment).

In the end, it was a fun read (albeit it could have been way shorter) and I understand now what Sanderson is a favorite with contemporary (and especially young) readers.]]> 4.52 2006
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nona
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/14
shelves: fantasy, teen-ya
review:
My initiation into the Mistborn universe was kind of fun. Like an MCU action movie back when they were good. I understand now why he is so loved. Sanderson's not Tolkien... but who is? Sometimes, a good old flick works (almost) just as well as a good old classic.

Sanderson's fantasy does not have elves and orcs, but it has an interesting magic system based on burning metals. It's an epic fantasy set in a sort of dystopian world, where the sun is red and the sky rains ash. This world, called the Final Empire, has been ruled for the past thousand years by a powerful and immortal tyrant called the Lord Ruler, and society is split in two social castes: the nobility, who are tightly controlled by the Ruler through his monopole on a rare and powerful metal, and the skaa, who are basically slaves owned by the Lord Ruler, who lends them out to the nobility.

The plot centers on a rebellion meant to overthrow the Lord Ruler, led by the charismatic Kelsier and his group of misfits, all with their own set of skills and powers. Vin, a young street thief with undiscoverd magical abilities, is also recruited into this group and is trained to play a significant part in the rebellion by impersonating a noble heiress and gathering valuable intel. As the story progresses, Vin discovers her true potential and becomes an integral part of the revolution.

The novel reads exactly like a superhero action movie, complete with multiple fight scenes where we are told over and over again what metal each character burns and what is the consequence of burning that metal. After a while, it became repetitive. Were it not for the magical system and the world Sanderson created (although I wish fantasy writers would abandon the feudal systems, it's extremely overdone), the plot would have nothing original. The lawbreakers turned rebels trope has been done before and not only once. As has the unlikely hero trope. I've grown tired of the main female character who is an underdog but somehow has amazing powers and becomes the savior of the world.

Speaking of the characters, I honestly could not grow to care about anyone in particular. They didn't feel fleshed out enough, complexity is barely hinted and when present, is mainly done through exposition. I appreciated the author's choice of fate for Kelsier (though Mesia-type characters are not new), but the rest of his gang blended together and I remained with no lasting impression about anyone in particular. As for Vin, I said before that she fits a certain typology very present in today's fantasy literature. I will add that Sanderson does not particularly do women well - Vin is the only female character with a prominent position and she, of course, turns out to want "what all teenage girls want": wear pretty dresses and be kissed by the boy she likes (in what is a completely unconvincing insta-love story). Her internal dialogue with her missing brother is another element that adds to the repetitiveness.

Sanderson doesn't complicate his existence with elevated language (except for his obsessive use of the word "maladroitly") and complex narrative constructions, his writing contributing to the overall impression of a blockbuster flick.

But what made this installment a success, despite all my contrivances, is the magical system (Allomancy). I appreciate that it is explained in detail, we know what each metal does and how it affects the user and the environment. I also got interested in the Lord Ruler's story, told to us bit by bit through entries in a journal. The final reveal and the novel's ending, although they came too swiftly (given the rhythm of the story), make me want to continue the series. I'm very interested to know what happens to this world after that ending (and maybe more about the apocalyptical event that led to the current state of the environment).

In the end, it was a fun read (albeit it could have been way shorter) and I understand now what Sanderson is a favorite with contemporary (and especially young) readers.
]]> 219835165 (Ana Barton)

Mărturisesc că am citit cartea Petronelei Rotar de două ori. Prima dată am citit-o încercând să înţeleg fuga, un fel de du-te vino ameţitor. Plecări, veniri, localităţi, toată lumea fuge aparent pe undeva şi constant de propria persoană. Personajul principal stă locului doar vreo câteva săptămâni şi numai când are depresie acută.
A două oară am citit volumul ca să îmi delimitez mai clar portretele: nu numai portretul Alexei sau cel al lui Călin, cele două personaje principale, ci şi portretul personajului psihodramă, portretul părinte-feminin, portretul părinte-masculin, portretul personajului „societate românească��. Fiecare dintre ele devine pe rând personaj principal, chiar şi numai pentru câteva secunde, şi apoi decor, obiect de recuzită în caruselul unui roman care poate fi citit pe foarte multe planuri. Ceea ce uneşte toate aceste planuri este sinceritatea. Onestitatea dusă până la extrem a unei femei sfâşiate între inerţia de a se minţi prinsă în construcţiile sociale care i-au fost inoculate şi incapacitatea de a trăi aşa.
Ca o disecţie făcută pe viu, cartea Petronelei este construită în jurul revelaţiei dureroase că, deşi ne ascundem sub un munte de mecanisme de apărare cotidiene, de noi înşine nu avem unde să fugim.
(Anca Mizumschi)

Șarmul imediat al scrisului Petronelei Rotar vine din faptul că ea tratează literatura ca pe o problemă personală. Una directă, intensă și presantă, care nu suferă amânare. Ea vine în literatură așa cum vii la confesor, la psiholog: aducând cu tine complicațiile cele mai intime și mai chinuitoare ale vieții tale personale, lucrând direct în materia lor dureroasă pentru a ajunge la vindecare. E deopotrivă o formă de curaj literar �� și una de generozitate. O astfel de carte curajoasă și generoasă, vorbind despre abuz și violență și rezistența în fața lor, e și cea de față. Sunt sigur că va însemna ceva important �� pentru victimele abuzurilor și cele ale literaturii, deopotrivă.
(Radu Vancu)]]> 5 Petronela Rotar Nona 2
„Orbi�� e un roman introspectiv și, suspectez, foarte personal. Nu doar pentru că Alexa, personajul principal, e jurnalistă în Brașov. Acum niște ani, citeam blogul autoarei și cartea s-a simțit ca o extensie a acelui blog.

Cartea e despre relații toxice și cum se poate ieși din ele. Alexa, o jurnalistă cu multe conexiuni în orașul în care lucrează, se căsătorește cu Călin, un tip cu multe probleme - alcoolism, narcisism, ceva traume din copilărie nerezolvate. Narațiunea urmărește încercările Alexei de a scăpa de acest tip și de a se înțelege pe ea, inclusiv prin detalierea ședințelor de psihodramă la care participă. Pe măsură ce se desfășoară acțiunea, descoperim, prin rememorări, modul în care evoluează și se finalizează relația dintre cei doi. Protagonista trece printr-un proces de conștientizare a faptului că trăiește într-o relație distructivă, care o face să sufere atât psihologic, cât și emoțional.

Acțiunea acestui micro-roman nu este de domeniul fantasticului. Oricine poate fi „orbit�� de iubire și se poate minți că trăiește o mare dragoste doar pentru că sexul e bun, ignorând toate semnele abuzului. Sunt mii de femei în lumea asta incapabile să iasă din astfel de relații, mii de femei care nici nu-și dau seama că sunt abuzate emoțional. E posibil ca un astfel de roman, pentru cititorii cărora nu le pasă de alte aspecte în afară de subiect, să fie o experiență zguduitoare.

Eu nu am putut să trec peste două aspecte. Unul este construcția personajelor. Petronela Rotar s-a concentrat atât de mult pe predatul lecției că a uitat complet că oamenii sunt ființe complexe. Atât Alexa, cât și Călin urmează un tipar simplist. El e lupul cel rău, ea e Scufița Roșie. Numai că basmele trebuie să rămână în copilărie și adulții au nevoie de povești plurivalente. Nimeni nu este exclusiv bun sau exclusiv rău. Și habar nu avem de ce a început relația celor doi, care a fost procesul de îndrăgostire. Mi-a fost imposibil să empatizez cu protagonista fără a o înțelege în profunzime. Poate dacă romanul ar fi fost mai lung, autoarea ar fi avut timp să dezvolte mai mult personajele. Așa cum e, se folosește mult de repetiție pentru a ne băga pe gât ura față de Călin și mila față de Alexa.

Al doilea element care m-a scos din poveste este stilul. Nu mi s-a părut o carte gândită, dospită. Dacă pe un blog poți deșerta tolba vorbelor fără prea mare analiză, într-un roman e nevoie de ceva mai multă muncă de revizuire. Narațiunea încărcată cu colocvialități nefiltrate („bărbac-su��, „ta-su��, englezismele fără număr, alăturate unor expresii forțat poetice) nu a mers deloc la mine.

De asemenea, am avut impresia, pe parcursul lecturii, că autoarea cam urăște femeile. Când vorbești despre ele cu apelativul „femele�� sau pui eticheta de „slinoasă�� soției înșelate, ceva nu e tocmai în regulă acolo.

Probabil că sunt persoane care s-au regăsit în personaje și care au nevoie de astfel de validări pentru a-și explica comportamentul și neputințele. E nevoie pe lumea asta și de Backmani, și de Haigi, și de Rotari. Dar e genul de literatură care la mine nu prinde.]]> 2.50 2017
author: Petronela Rotar
name: Nona
average rating: 2.50
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/14
shelves: contemporary, romanian-authors, mehs
review:
Nu-mi plac cărțile care dau lecții pe față. Dacă vreau teorie, citesc nonficțiune. Nici nu-mi place când autorii explică unor cititori adulți lucrurile de parcă s-ar adresa unor copii de grădiniță. Mare parte din literatura feminină (de consum) din România urmează acest tipar foarte lipsit de subtilitate, de parcă nu ar avea încredere autoarele ca cititorii (sau cititoarele, publicul e majoritar feminin) să-și formeze propria opinie dacă nu li se spun lucrurile verde-n față.

„Orbi�� e un roman introspectiv și, suspectez, foarte personal. Nu doar pentru că Alexa, personajul principal, e jurnalistă în Brașov. Acum niște ani, citeam blogul autoarei și cartea s-a simțit ca o extensie a acelui blog.

Cartea e despre relații toxice și cum se poate ieși din ele. Alexa, o jurnalistă cu multe conexiuni în orașul în care lucrează, se căsătorește cu Călin, un tip cu multe probleme - alcoolism, narcisism, ceva traume din copilărie nerezolvate. Narațiunea urmărește încercările Alexei de a scăpa de acest tip și de a se înțelege pe ea, inclusiv prin detalierea ședințelor de psihodramă la care participă. Pe măsură ce se desfășoară acțiunea, descoperim, prin rememorări, modul în care evoluează și se finalizează relația dintre cei doi. Protagonista trece printr-un proces de conștientizare a faptului că trăiește într-o relație distructivă, care o face să sufere atât psihologic, cât și emoțional.

Acțiunea acestui micro-roman nu este de domeniul fantasticului. Oricine poate fi „orbit�� de iubire și se poate minți că trăiește o mare dragoste doar pentru că sexul e bun, ignorând toate semnele abuzului. Sunt mii de femei în lumea asta incapabile să iasă din astfel de relații, mii de femei care nici nu-și dau seama că sunt abuzate emoțional. E posibil ca un astfel de roman, pentru cititorii cărora nu le pasă de alte aspecte în afară de subiect, să fie o experiență zguduitoare.

Eu nu am putut să trec peste două aspecte. Unul este construcția personajelor. Petronela Rotar s-a concentrat atât de mult pe predatul lecției că a uitat complet că oamenii sunt ființe complexe. Atât Alexa, cât și Călin urmează un tipar simplist. El e lupul cel rău, ea e Scufița Roșie. Numai că basmele trebuie să rămână în copilărie și adulții au nevoie de povești plurivalente. Nimeni nu este exclusiv bun sau exclusiv rău. Și habar nu avem de ce a început relația celor doi, care a fost procesul de îndrăgostire. Mi-a fost imposibil să empatizez cu protagonista fără a o înțelege în profunzime. Poate dacă romanul ar fi fost mai lung, autoarea ar fi avut timp să dezvolte mai mult personajele. Așa cum e, se folosește mult de repetiție pentru a ne băga pe gât ura față de Călin și mila față de Alexa.

Al doilea element care m-a scos din poveste este stilul. Nu mi s-a părut o carte gândită, dospită. Dacă pe un blog poți deșerta tolba vorbelor fără prea mare analiză, într-un roman e nevoie de ceva mai multă muncă de revizuire. Narațiunea încărcată cu colocvialități nefiltrate („bărbac-su��, „ta-su��, englezismele fără număr, alăturate unor expresii forțat poetice) nu a mers deloc la mine.

De asemenea, am avut impresia, pe parcursul lecturii, că autoarea cam urăște femeile. Când vorbești despre ele cu apelativul „femele�� sau pui eticheta de „slinoasă�� soției înșelate, ceva nu e tocmai în regulă acolo.

Probabil că sunt persoane care s-au regăsit în personaje și care au nevoie de astfel de validări pentru a-și explica comportamentul și neputințele. E nevoie pe lumea asta și de Backmani, și de Haigi, și de Rotari. Dar e genul de literatură care la mine nu prinde.
]]> 63277682 High fantasy, low stakes �� with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream �� for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is a cosy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts �� perfect for fans of TJ Klune, Katherine Addison and T. Kingfisher.]]> 312 Travis Baldree 1035007312 Nona 3
Cozy fantasy is not a genre I gravitate towards, but this book came at the right time. When real life deals you negativity, a book about coffeeshops may be just what the doctor ordered. I didn't expect the book to rock my life and it didn't, but I did feel like I was playing one of those cosy - build-your-own-establishment - video games.

The story follows Viv, an orc who is tired of the adventuring (aka, robbing and killing) life and decides to retire and open a coffee shop in a town that has never heard of coffee. Despite her lack of business experience, Viv invests all of her energy and money into this venture and is determined to create a peaceful and welcoming space for the community and share her love of coffee with everyone she meets. She faces many challenges, from the business-related ones, such as attracting customers, to others that are outright dangerous, like dealing with the local mafia-type organization. But, being a cozy novel, Viv ends up building meaningful relationships with the townsfolk, who help her realize her dream, and maybe finding love.

I'm not going to say the plot is in any way exciting. Sure, there's a moment there when difficulties (in the form of an old and disgruntled gang member, a subplot which I could have lived without) arise, but the story is predictable and it leads to a happy ending. There are no major twists or surprises, it's mostly vibes and feel-good. And that's alright, vibey books must exist and Baldree created such a delicious atmosphere that I mostly forgot about everything else.

But I think what I would have wanted is a more fantastical approach to the whole coffeeshop, instead of the old latte and cinnamon bun we all know and love. We have that in real life, how about some more exotic ingredients, maybe?

There's a main theme that circles around community and friendship which made my heart warm. Baldree talks about the importance of connections and supporting one another. Viv’s journey is as much about finding a place where she belongs as it is about running a successful business. The community, filled with quirky characters, reminded me a bit about Gilmore Girls (Viv is not too far removed from Luke, they are equally grumpy and socially awkward). I found the characters endearing and relatable, albeit somewhat static and underdeveloped, and Cal the rattkin builder was definitely my favourite.

Also, Mr Baldree, can we have a novel about the Madrigal? She was (or could have been, had we seen her enough) the most interesting character in the book.

This was definitely a feel-good novel. Not impressive, forgettable, simplistic, but relaxing. And it did give me a cookie recipe I'd like to try out. ]]> 3.97 2022
author: Travis Baldree
name: Nona
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/05
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves: fantasy, for-rainy-days, romance, z_ps24
review:
3.5* Very cutesy, very demure, very perfect for autumn. And if you're like me, a coffee and sweets addict, very tempting.

Cozy fantasy is not a genre I gravitate towards, but this book came at the right time. When real life deals you negativity, a book about coffeeshops may be just what the doctor ordered. I didn't expect the book to rock my life and it didn't, but I did feel like I was playing one of those cosy - build-your-own-establishment - video games.

The story follows Viv, an orc who is tired of the adventuring (aka, robbing and killing) life and decides to retire and open a coffee shop in a town that has never heard of coffee. Despite her lack of business experience, Viv invests all of her energy and money into this venture and is determined to create a peaceful and welcoming space for the community and share her love of coffee with everyone she meets. She faces many challenges, from the business-related ones, such as attracting customers, to others that are outright dangerous, like dealing with the local mafia-type organization. But, being a cozy novel, Viv ends up building meaningful relationships with the townsfolk, who help her realize her dream, and maybe finding love.

I'm not going to say the plot is in any way exciting. Sure, there's a moment there when difficulties (in the form of an old and disgruntled gang member, a subplot which I could have lived without) arise, but the story is predictable and it leads to a happy ending. There are no major twists or surprises, it's mostly vibes and feel-good. And that's alright, vibey books must exist and Baldree created such a delicious atmosphere that I mostly forgot about everything else.

But I think what I would have wanted is a more fantastical approach to the whole coffeeshop, instead of the old latte and cinnamon bun we all know and love. We have that in real life, how about some more exotic ingredients, maybe?

There's a main theme that circles around community and friendship which made my heart warm. Baldree talks about the importance of connections and supporting one another. Viv’s journey is as much about finding a place where she belongs as it is about running a successful business. The community, filled with quirky characters, reminded me a bit about Gilmore Girls (Viv is not too far removed from Luke, they are equally grumpy and socially awkward). I found the characters endearing and relatable, albeit somewhat static and underdeveloped, and Cal the rattkin builder was definitely my favourite.

Also, Mr Baldree, can we have a novel about the Madrigal? She was (or could have been, had we seen her enough) the most interesting character in the book.

This was definitely a feel-good novel. Not impressive, forgettable, simplistic, but relaxing. And it did give me a cookie recipe I'd like to try out.
]]> 219663443 Vocea lui Anatol mă extrage din acest viitor.
�� N-ai de ce să fii îngrijorată, draga mea.
Îmi pun capul pe umărul lui. În fața noastră, prin fereastra deschisă, vedem piațeta înflorită.�� Romanele autoarei Virginie Grimaldi, născută în 1977 și laureată a premiului E-crire Auféminin în 2014, sunt bestselleruri (O să-nțelegi când o să fii mai mare, Era și timpul să aprind iar stelele, Când amintirile vor veni să danseze).]]> 6 Virginie Grimaldi 9733415898 Nona 3
The book explores the power of community as it revolves around an elderly couple, Marceline and Anatole, and their friends from a small French neighborhood, all of whom are being forced out of their homes by a city hall development project that plans to tear down their houses to build a school and parking lot. While the plot is predictable from the start, unless one believes in fairytales (I am marking realism as a plus here), it was emotional to follow this group's fight against "the establishment". The elderly residents, led by Marceline, fight back against the project, but their struggle is more than just a battle against demolition - it's about preserving their past, their shared experiences and the sense of identity tied to the neighborhood they've lived in for more than 40 years.

At its core, the novel is one about the sense of belonging and attachment to places and memories. With each chapter, Grimaldi, mostly through the eyes of Marceline, reveals fragments of the characters' lives, filled with moments of joy, sorrow and love. There was a point where I had the feeling that the book veered towards soap-opera - the repetitiveness of the drama in Marceline and Anatole's lives, that led, time and time again, to their estrangement from their daughter, got tiring after a while. Due to this, I had a hard time to deeply connect with most characters.

Grimaldi did what Backman failed - made an elderly, grumpy character endearing to me. Marceline made me laugh from time to time (the others not so much, I found some of them ridiculous stereotypes). She was the most believable and relatable, and I loved her when she started to find her own voice and stand up to her controlling, old-fashioned husband. Maybe because I would have wanted my grandmother to do the same, but unfortunately she didn't.

Grimaldi's writing is very tender and sometimes humorous. However, the short chapters and the quick alternation between past and present took me out of the story multiple times. For such a short book, she tried to cram in every life experience these people had, but left little time to actually develop these experiences. Maybe because of this, we are rather told, not shown how what characters are like; she didn't really allow them time to grow.

It's a short and sweet novel that would make for a nice chick-flick. I think I'd watch it in a lazy afternoon. The book itself was a quick read (one afternoon was enough for it) and it has an uplifting quality by underlining the importance of solidarity and community and the need to cherish the small moments in life. It also reminded me about my own grandparents and that is always lovely.]]> 4.00
author: Virginie Grimaldi
name: Nona
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/29
date added: 2024/10/03
shelves: contemporary, for-rainy-days, telenovela
review:
Cute, inoffensive... Hallmark-movie-ish. I feel like Virginie Grimaldi is this decade's Cecelia Ahern. I would have loved her books (or, at least, this one, I have not read others) in my 20s. Now, I found it pleasant, heartwarming, but a bit too sweet for my taste.

The book explores the power of community as it revolves around an elderly couple, Marceline and Anatole, and their friends from a small French neighborhood, all of whom are being forced out of their homes by a city hall development project that plans to tear down their houses to build a school and parking lot. While the plot is predictable from the start, unless one believes in fairytales (I am marking realism as a plus here), it was emotional to follow this group's fight against "the establishment". The elderly residents, led by Marceline, fight back against the project, but their struggle is more than just a battle against demolition - it's about preserving their past, their shared experiences and the sense of identity tied to the neighborhood they've lived in for more than 40 years.

At its core, the novel is one about the sense of belonging and attachment to places and memories. With each chapter, Grimaldi, mostly through the eyes of Marceline, reveals fragments of the characters' lives, filled with moments of joy, sorrow and love. There was a point where I had the feeling that the book veered towards soap-opera - the repetitiveness of the drama in Marceline and Anatole's lives, that led, time and time again, to their estrangement from their daughter, got tiring after a while. Due to this, I had a hard time to deeply connect with most characters.

Grimaldi did what Backman failed - made an elderly, grumpy character endearing to me. Marceline made me laugh from time to time (the others not so much, I found some of them ridiculous stereotypes). She was the most believable and relatable, and I loved her when she started to find her own voice and stand up to her controlling, old-fashioned husband. Maybe because I would have wanted my grandmother to do the same, but unfortunately she didn't.

Grimaldi's writing is very tender and sometimes humorous. However, the short chapters and the quick alternation between past and present took me out of the story multiple times. For such a short book, she tried to cram in every life experience these people had, but left little time to actually develop these experiences. Maybe because of this, we are rather told, not shown how what characters are like; she didn't really allow them time to grow.

It's a short and sweet novel that would make for a nice chick-flick. I think I'd watch it in a lazy afternoon. The book itself was a quick read (one afternoon was enough for it) and it has an uplifting quality by underlining the importance of solidarity and community and the need to cherish the small moments in life. It also reminded me about my own grandparents and that is always lovely.
]]> 214202945


AGATHA CHRISTIE este unul dintre scriitorii care nu au nevoie de nici o prezentare, pentru că opera lor a trecut cu brio testul timpului și al cititorilor din toate epocile și generațiile. Cu peste 2 miliarde de cărți vândute și cu traduceri în mai mult de 100 de limbi, Agatha Christie este surclasată în acest top numai de Biblie și de William Shakespeare. Autoare a 66 de romane polițiste și a 14 colecții de povestiri, 19 piese de teatru, o autobiografie, volume de non-ficțiune și povestiri amuzante din călătoriile realizate alături de soțul ei, cu numeroase ecranizări inspirate de romanele ei, Agatha Christie își merită cu prisosință locul în biblioteca oricărui iubitor de literatură.

De aceea, Editura Litera are plăcerea să îți prezinte opera Agathei Christie într-o colecție excepțională �� și totodată accesibilă ��, de care să te poți bucura alături de întreaga familie pentru mulți ani de acum înainte. Volumele cartonate, cu o grafică elegantă și superbe ilustrații ale copertelor puse în valoare de elementele ornamentale argintii repetitive �� care dau astfel eleganță și unitate colecției ��, se ridică la înălțimea calității scriiturii acestei adevărate regine a romanului polițist.]]> 347 Agatha Christie 6303192491 Nona 3 mystery, classics
"4.50 from Paddington" starts out with a pretty gruesome murder witnessed by Miss Marple's friend, Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy. Mrs. McGillicuddy is on a train to St Mary Mead when she sees a man strangling a woman in another train that briefly runs parallel to hers. However, when no body is found, the police dismiss the claim and it's up to Miss Marple to uncover the truth. So, the premise is compelling: an eyewitness to a murder that seemingly leaves no trace.

However, Miss Marple was not as involved as I would have liked. She is unable to investigate the case herself and we barely see her and her sparking wit. Instead, she enlists the help of the very efficient Lucy Eyelesbarrow, a clever and resourceful young woman, to infiltrate the household near where the crime must have occurred. The novel progresses as Lucy investigates the Crackenthorpe family, who are hiding secrets of their own, that may or may not be tied to the murder. These secrets lead to many twists and turns and - gasp! - even more murders.

I was sad to see so little of Miss Marple, but Lucy, who plays a more active role in the plot, is a refreshing addition. She could have been established as an interesting character for future mysteries, but she does not appear in other novels. I was disappointed by the resolution Agatha Christie found for her - of course she must get married in the end! Unfortunately, Christie does not do romance well, as a general note.

As for the Crackenthorpe family, with their individual eccentricities and financial difficulties, they serve as an intriguing bunch of potential murderers that are worth analyzing. Agatha Christie explores, as in many of her novels, family dynamics, adding here a financial component that is bound to create tension between parents and children.

As with many of her novels, "4.50 from Paddington" has a slow-building narrative, but things get tenser as the plot progresses towards its inevitable conclusion. The resolution ties together clues that had been artfully hidden in plain sight. I liked the character dynamics and the idea of the train murder, though the ending fell in the "meh" category.]]> 3.60 1957
author: Agatha Christie
name: Nona
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1957
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves: mystery, classics
review:
Leave it to Agatha Christie to take what would constitute a basic murder and turn it into an exciting, convoluted mystery involving war veterans, a missing actress and arsenic poisoning! Though, for this one, I guessed the culprit and (part of) their motivations, the book was, as always, fun to read.

"4.50 from Paddington" starts out with a pretty gruesome murder witnessed by Miss Marple's friend, Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy. Mrs. McGillicuddy is on a train to St Mary Mead when she sees a man strangling a woman in another train that briefly runs parallel to hers. However, when no body is found, the police dismiss the claim and it's up to Miss Marple to uncover the truth. So, the premise is compelling: an eyewitness to a murder that seemingly leaves no trace.

However, Miss Marple was not as involved as I would have liked. She is unable to investigate the case herself and we barely see her and her sparking wit. Instead, she enlists the help of the very efficient Lucy Eyelesbarrow, a clever and resourceful young woman, to infiltrate the household near where the crime must have occurred. The novel progresses as Lucy investigates the Crackenthorpe family, who are hiding secrets of their own, that may or may not be tied to the murder. These secrets lead to many twists and turns and - gasp! - even more murders.

I was sad to see so little of Miss Marple, but Lucy, who plays a more active role in the plot, is a refreshing addition. She could have been established as an interesting character for future mysteries, but she does not appear in other novels. I was disappointed by the resolution Agatha Christie found for her - of course she must get married in the end! Unfortunately, Christie does not do romance well, as a general note.

As for the Crackenthorpe family, with their individual eccentricities and financial difficulties, they serve as an intriguing bunch of potential murderers that are worth analyzing. Agatha Christie explores, as in many of her novels, family dynamics, adding here a financial component that is bound to create tension between parents and children.

As with many of her novels, "4.50 from Paddington" has a slow-building narrative, but things get tenser as the plot progresses towards its inevitable conclusion. The resolution ties together clues that had been artfully hidden in plain sight. I liked the character dynamics and the idea of the train murder, though the ending fell in the "meh" category.
]]> 108262438
Two kids meet in a hospital gaming room in 1987. One is visiting her sister, the other is recovering from a car crash. The days and months are long there. Their love of video games becomes a shared world—of joy, escape and fierce competition. But all too soon that time is over, fades from view.

When the pair spot each other eight years later in a crowded train station, they are catapulted back to that moment. The spark is immediate, and together they get to work on what they love—making games to delight, challenge and immerse players, finding an intimacy in digital worlds that eludes them in their real lives. Their collaborations make them superstars.

This is the story of the perfect worlds Sadie and Sam build, the imperfect world they live in and of everything that comes after success: money. Fame. Duplicity. Tragedy.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow takes us on a dazzling imaginative quest as it examines the nature of identity, creativity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play and, above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.

©2022 Gabrielle Zevin (P)2022 Penguin Audio]]> 14 Gabrielle Zevin Nona 3 z_ps24, mehs Dear authors,
Please stop describing books as being about friendship when they are really not.
Sincerely,
Someone who is sick and tired of toxic relationships being portrayed as "friendship"

I don't know if this trend started with "My Brilliant Friend" - probably not though, but that's the book that most annoyed me on this topic. And now this one. People who think Sam and Sadie are friends have no idea what true friendship is. Their relationship is as toxic as cyanide and they are both awful, awful people. Mind you, I'm not saying they are not realistic. People like them exist irl. But if you sell me a book about friendship, it better be about friendship.

The plot. The story revolves around Sam Masur/ Mazer and Sadie Green, two childhood friends who reconnect in their twenties and start creating video games together. This leads to the founding of their company, Unfair Games, where they strive to create immersive virtual worlds. Through their ups and downs—ranging from creative differences to personal conflicts—the book captures the volatility of long-term partnerships and the challenge of balancing work with a personal relationship. I was mildly interested in the plot. I'm not a hard-core gamer and I don't play any of the types of games they focus on in the book, but I play stuff from time to time and have been somewhat connected to the industry in the past. I can't express my opinion on the accuracy, but I liked the exploration of the video game industry, with the permanent conflict between creativity and the pressure of financial success and public recognition.

Zevin discusses the role of women in the industry and how often they were relegated to a supporting role rather than seen as the creative force behind the product. This is, to some extent, true even today, but it was definitely more prominent in the early 2000s. There are other themes discussed here - rivalry vs. friendship, loss and grief, the long-term effects of childhood trauma, power imbalance in relationships, miscommunication.

The characters. There is no growth. That ending does not imply growth. The characters stay the same from when they are 9 until the book ends: childish. I liked Marx, he was the glue that held it all together despite Sam and Sadie being childhood "friends", but he didn't manage to save the general impression. I also would have prefered there be zero romance in this novel. Why does it always have to be romance? Is it so had to write a novel with purely platonic relationships?

But Sam and Sadie - mostly Sam, though - I hated. They do not grow up, remain selfish and immature until well into adulthood. Sam, particularly, has no excuse for his crappy behaviour. He manipulates Sadie, manipulates the public into thinking "Ichigo" was his game ("because the public doesn't believe women can make games") and has a toxic approach towards grief ("We work through out pain" - NO! "You're weaker than I thought" - [spoilers removed] - ASSHOLE). Also, he has the same attitude toxic men in general have: he thinks friendship entitles him to being accepted as a romantic partner. In the end, he is not Sadie's friend, he always has an ulterior motive.

Sadie, on the other hand, never acknowledges anyone else's pain but her own and leaves Sam [spoilers removed] But I found her attitude more justifiable than his, anyways.

The writing. Gabrielle Zevin is not a bad writer. Her prose flows beautifully most of the time. But the novel is extremely and pointlessly long and tedious and what was the reason behind the change of narrator in the chapter [spoilers removed] Oh, I know, I know! It's only for drama. No other point except let's make readers cry. Also, she made sure to include every possible "political" issue that appeals to contemporary readers today.

One more thing that got me mad: why, for the sake of all that is holy, does Zevin never address the issue of Sadie and Dove's relationship? The power imbalance, the s3xual assault, they are brushed over with levity. I would maybe expect something like this from a male writer from 50 years ago, but from a contemporary female writer? Nope.

I don't know how this book got the glowing reviews it did. Maybe because it's woke af, except that it only pretends to be woke af. Deep down, it's not. Writing this review actually made me even more annoyed. The 2.5* are for the interesting premise and for the nostalgia it brought me regarding video games.]]> 3.99 2022
author: Gabrielle Zevin
name: Nona
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/21
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: z_ps24, mehs
review:
Dear authors,
Please stop describing books as being about friendship when they are really not.
Sincerely,
Someone who is sick and tired of toxic relationships being portrayed as "friendship"

I don't know if this trend started with "My Brilliant Friend" - probably not though, but that's the book that most annoyed me on this topic. And now this one. People who think Sam and Sadie are friends have no idea what true friendship is. Their relationship is as toxic as cyanide and they are both awful, awful people. Mind you, I'm not saying they are not realistic. People like them exist irl. But if you sell me a book about friendship, it better be about friendship.

The plot. The story revolves around Sam Masur/ Mazer and Sadie Green, two childhood friends who reconnect in their twenties and start creating video games together. This leads to the founding of their company, Unfair Games, where they strive to create immersive virtual worlds. Through their ups and downs—ranging from creative differences to personal conflicts—the book captures the volatility of long-term partnerships and the challenge of balancing work with a personal relationship. I was mildly interested in the plot. I'm not a hard-core gamer and I don't play any of the types of games they focus on in the book, but I play stuff from time to time and have been somewhat connected to the industry in the past. I can't express my opinion on the accuracy, but I liked the exploration of the video game industry, with the permanent conflict between creativity and the pressure of financial success and public recognition.

Zevin discusses the role of women in the industry and how often they were relegated to a supporting role rather than seen as the creative force behind the product. This is, to some extent, true even today, but it was definitely more prominent in the early 2000s. There are other themes discussed here - rivalry vs. friendship, loss and grief, the long-term effects of childhood trauma, power imbalance in relationships, miscommunication.

The characters. There is no growth. That ending does not imply growth. The characters stay the same from when they are 9 until the book ends: childish. I liked Marx, he was the glue that held it all together despite Sam and Sadie being childhood "friends", but he didn't manage to save the general impression. I also would have prefered there be zero romance in this novel. Why does it always have to be romance? Is it so had to write a novel with purely platonic relationships?

But Sam and Sadie - mostly Sam, though - I hated. They do not grow up, remain selfish and immature until well into adulthood. Sam, particularly, has no excuse for his crappy behaviour. He manipulates Sadie, manipulates the public into thinking "Ichigo" was his game ("because the public doesn't believe women can make games") and has a toxic approach towards grief ("We work through out pain" - NO! "You're weaker than I thought" - [spoilers removed] - ASSHOLE). Also, he has the same attitude toxic men in general have: he thinks friendship entitles him to being accepted as a romantic partner. In the end, he is not Sadie's friend, he always has an ulterior motive.

Sadie, on the other hand, never acknowledges anyone else's pain but her own and leaves Sam [spoilers removed] But I found her attitude more justifiable than his, anyways.

The writing. Gabrielle Zevin is not a bad writer. Her prose flows beautifully most of the time. But the novel is extremely and pointlessly long and tedious and what was the reason behind the change of narrator in the chapter [spoilers removed] Oh, I know, I know! It's only for drama. No other point except let's make readers cry. Also, she made sure to include every possible "political" issue that appeals to contemporary readers today.

One more thing that got me mad: why, for the sake of all that is holy, does Zevin never address the issue of Sadie and Dove's relationship? The power imbalance, the s3xual assault, they are brushed over with levity. I would maybe expect something like this from a male writer from 50 years ago, but from a contemporary female writer? Nope.

I don't know how this book got the glowing reviews it did. Maybe because it's woke af, except that it only pretends to be woke af. Deep down, it's not. Writing this review actually made me even more annoyed. The 2.5* are for the interesting premise and for the nostalgia it brought me regarding video games.
]]> 52674156
But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.]]> 12 Madeline Miller Nona 4 z_ps24, fantasy, romance
But here the Trojan War and the a-holeness of the Greek "heroes" is not the central aspect of the book. Instead, it's centered on the love story between Achilles and Patroclus - which, to be clear, has nothing to do with Homer's epic poem, where these two were friends almost like brothers, but never lovers. It's important to make this distinction because a lot of people think they know "The Iliad" just because they've read some modern retellings. And, while I normally feel strongly against significantly changing the source material, I've never cared about Achilles, so... whatever.

Told from the perspective of Patroclus, this novel reinvents the epic myth by adding more depth and emotional complexity to these characters. Miller took the original story and weaved this tale of love and loss, humanizing the half-god and giving a voice to Patroclus. Even more - while Achilles is the title character, in reality the story is more that of Patroclus, an exiled prince who is sent to the court of King Peleus in his boyhood as punishment for killing another child. There, he strikes an unlikely friendship with Peleus's son and, as the two grow up together, their friendship blossoms into a profound and tender love, contrasting sharply with the violent and fate-driven world they inhabit.

Miller plays on the conflict between personal desire and destiny. Achilles, obsessed with his own legend, and Patroclus, who values their love above all else, clash as the story progresses toward its tragic end. She deconstructs the concept of heroism, to some extent, showing Achilles as both larger than life and deeply flawed, pride being his main attribute. On the other hand, Patroclus remains largely the same, faithful to his values and to his love for Achilles, even when the "hero" strays from it.

There's nuance to the characters, despite Patroclus staying mostly flat throughout the book. But through his eyes, we see a humanized, digestible version of Achilles, despite his arrogance. Is Achilles' yearning for immortality in the form of eternal glory stupid? Of course it is, but we have to remember that the entire Greek mythology is built on the concept of glory through acts of heroism (even when that heroism is based on extremely foolish reasons). The tension between these two sides of Achilles—his desire to be remembered and his love for Patroclus—drives much of the narrative conflict.

But ultimately, I think Madeline Miller can write a story about baking bread and make it beautiful. Her prose is lyrical, echoing the timelessness of ancient myths, but remaining accessible to a modern audience. I found authenticity in the dialogue and even the descriptions of violence, while brutal, are not gratuitous. I was afraid the love scenes would be cheesy and overly sentimental - I'm not a fan of romance books in general, especially contemporary romance -, but they retain a tenderness that does not become cloying nor salacious.

By focusing on the love story and not on the Trojan War and telling these men's tale from childhood until their "glorious" deaths, the author managed to get me intimately involved with these characters - especially since, as with "Circe", her focus is less on the hero and more on the characters shaping the hero's destiny.]]> 4.17 2011
author: Madeline Miller
name: Nona
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: z_ps24, fantasy, romance
review:
Honestly, kudos to Madeline Miller for taking my most hated character from Greek mythology and making him bearable and - to some extent - likeable. Yes, I'm talking about Achilles. To be fair, as much as I love Greek mythology in general, the story of the Trojan War is the one I like the least - I've never understood the fascination with "heroes" who conquer and sack cities just for the sake of glory.

But here the Trojan War and the a-holeness of the Greek "heroes" is not the central aspect of the book. Instead, it's centered on the love story between Achilles and Patroclus - which, to be clear, has nothing to do with Homer's epic poem, where these two were friends almost like brothers, but never lovers. It's important to make this distinction because a lot of people think they know "The Iliad" just because they've read some modern retellings. And, while I normally feel strongly against significantly changing the source material, I've never cared about Achilles, so... whatever.

Told from the perspective of Patroclus, this novel reinvents the epic myth by adding more depth and emotional complexity to these characters. Miller took the original story and weaved this tale of love and loss, humanizing the half-god and giving a voice to Patroclus. Even more - while Achilles is the title character, in reality the story is more that of Patroclus, an exiled prince who is sent to the court of King Peleus in his boyhood as punishment for killing another child. There, he strikes an unlikely friendship with Peleus's son and, as the two grow up together, their friendship blossoms into a profound and tender love, contrasting sharply with the violent and fate-driven world they inhabit.

Miller plays on the conflict between personal desire and destiny. Achilles, obsessed with his own legend, and Patroclus, who values their love above all else, clash as the story progresses toward its tragic end. She deconstructs the concept of heroism, to some extent, showing Achilles as both larger than life and deeply flawed, pride being his main attribute. On the other hand, Patroclus remains largely the same, faithful to his values and to his love for Achilles, even when the "hero" strays from it.

There's nuance to the characters, despite Patroclus staying mostly flat throughout the book. But through his eyes, we see a humanized, digestible version of Achilles, despite his arrogance. Is Achilles' yearning for immortality in the form of eternal glory stupid? Of course it is, but we have to remember that the entire Greek mythology is built on the concept of glory through acts of heroism (even when that heroism is based on extremely foolish reasons). The tension between these two sides of Achilles—his desire to be remembered and his love for Patroclus—drives much of the narrative conflict.

But ultimately, I think Madeline Miller can write a story about baking bread and make it beautiful. Her prose is lyrical, echoing the timelessness of ancient myths, but remaining accessible to a modern audience. I found authenticity in the dialogue and even the descriptions of violence, while brutal, are not gratuitous. I was afraid the love scenes would be cheesy and overly sentimental - I'm not a fan of romance books in general, especially contemporary romance -, but they retain a tenderness that does not become cloying nor salacious.

By focusing on the love story and not on the Trojan War and telling these men's tale from childhood until their "glorious" deaths, the author managed to get me intimately involved with these characters - especially since, as with "Circe", her focus is less on the hero and more on the characters shaping the hero's destiny.
]]> 63907563
Cartea lui Stejărel Olaru nu este doar o biografie tradițională. Contextul și împrejurările în care Nadia Comăneci a crescut și s-a format, familia, gimnastele din generația sa, antrenorii, și mai ales puzderia de informatori, securiști și decidenți politici, care au țesut o încâlcită plasă de relații în jurul ei menită să o țină captivă în mod irevocabil, toate acestea sunt scoase la iveală de autor. În drumul spre glorie, Nadia a trecut prin stări diferite. Când însingurată și aproape de abandon, când disperată și supusă, adesea neînțeleasă și folosită, dar mereu perseverentă, ambițioasă, visând cu îndârjire să atingă perfecțiunea. Și a atins-o. �� AURORA LIICEANU]]> Stejarel Olaru 6069519701 Nona 4
Cartea lui Stejărel Olaru nu a fost ce mă așteptam, în sensul că nu este o biografie a fostei gimnaste, cât mai curând o analiză a modului în care regimul comunist a monitorizat și controlat viața personală și publică a sportivei prin infiltrarea în toate straturile vieții ei, inclusiv după retragerea din activitate. Cartea se bazează pe documente de arhivă, mai ales din dosarele fostei Securități. Deși Nadia a fost o vedetă mondială după performanțele sale extraordinare de la Jocurile Olimpice din 1976, în spatele scenei, regimul de la București o considera un simbol important al propagandei și a intervenit adesea în deciziile sale personale și profesionale.

În ciuda titlului, cartea pare totuși mai mult despre Bela Károlyi și regimul de teroare, de stat în stat, pe care l-a impus la Onești. Este o analiză dură a vieții și carierei fostului antrenor, un om portretizat ca un monstru narcisist căruia îi păsa mai mult de gloria personală decât de gimnastele pe care le antrena. Nu am de ce să contest această imagine, sunt nenumărate dovezi că ce scrie în carte e real, inclusiv din mărturii de după fuga din România și perioada în care a antrenat echipa de gimnastică a SUA. De altfel, fosta Securitate și-a făcut treaba minuțios și există mărturii nenumărate, înregistrate în diverse forme, despre fiecare mișcare și fiecare declarație, publică sau privată, a lui Károlyi.

Cartea m-a îndurerat, tratamentul „aplicat�� Nadiei și colegelor ei de echipă a fost crunt. Cei care spun că nu există performanță fără bătaie și înfometare ar trebui să-și facă un control la căpuț. Să lași sportivii fără mâncare, să-i supui la regimuri stricte de deshidarare (mi s-a făcut pielea de găină când am citit cum gimnastele beau apă din bazinul toaletei sau apa de la duș pentru că nu erau lăsate să bea apă!), să-i înjuri și să-i bați cu pumnul în cap nu sunt metode sănătoase de a face performanță. Omul a fost un monstru imatur emoțional și manipulator, care a încercat să dea vina pentru comportamentul său pe un copil(!) care a fost izolat de familie și de tot ce putea să însemne o copilărie cât de cât normală.

Probabil că mi-ar fi plăcut să citesc mai multe despre Nadia ca om și sportiv și mai puține despre Károlyi, totuși activitatea extinsă de monitorizare a regimului comunist este un subiect pe care ar trebui să-l cunoască fiecare om din țara asta. E important să înțelegem până unde s-a mers cu recrutarea informatorilor și cu modalitățile de infiltrare în viața populației. Nadia era un „bun național��, considerată mai puțin om și mai mult proprietatea statului comunist, și, deși se spune că era „o privilegiată a regimului��, viața ei în România nu a fost liberă. Dimpotrivă.

O recomand tuturor celor care cred că performanța nu se face decât cu biciul, tuturor tinerilor care habar n-au cum erau lucrurile înainte de decembrie 1989, dar și tuturor „nostalgicilor�� care au serioasă nevoie de trezire la realitate.]]> 4.33 2021
author: Stejarel Olaru
name: Nona
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/19
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: non-fiction, sports, romanian-authors, z_ps24
review:
Ce bine documentată este cartea asta! Ar fi trebuit să mă aștept la așa ceva, dar tot m-a surprins cu minuțiozitatea cu care prezintă toate fațetele „relației�� tumultuoase dintre Nadia Comăneci și statul român, dar și cu cei care i-au devenit antrenori pentru o perioadă, Bela și Marta Károlyi.

Cartea lui Stejărel Olaru nu a fost ce mă așteptam, în sensul că nu este o biografie a fostei gimnaste, cât mai curând o analiză a modului în care regimul comunist a monitorizat și controlat viața personală și publică a sportivei prin infiltrarea în toate straturile vieții ei, inclusiv după retragerea din activitate. Cartea se bazează pe documente de arhivă, mai ales din dosarele fostei Securități. Deși Nadia a fost o vedetă mondială după performanțele sale extraordinare de la Jocurile Olimpice din 1976, în spatele scenei, regimul de la București o considera un simbol important al propagandei și a intervenit adesea în deciziile sale personale și profesionale.

În ciuda titlului, cartea pare totuși mai mult despre Bela Károlyi și regimul de teroare, de stat în stat, pe care l-a impus la Onești. Este o analiză dură a vieții și carierei fostului antrenor, un om portretizat ca un monstru narcisist căruia îi păsa mai mult de gloria personală decât de gimnastele pe care le antrena. Nu am de ce să contest această imagine, sunt nenumărate dovezi că ce scrie în carte e real, inclusiv din mărturii de după fuga din România și perioada în care a antrenat echipa de gimnastică a SUA. De altfel, fosta Securitate și-a făcut treaba minuțios și există mărturii nenumărate, înregistrate în diverse forme, despre fiecare mișcare și fiecare declarație, publică sau privată, a lui Károlyi.

Cartea m-a îndurerat, tratamentul „aplicat�� Nadiei și colegelor ei de echipă a fost crunt. Cei care spun că nu există performanță fără bătaie și înfometare ar trebui să-și facă un control la căpuț. Să lași sportivii fără mâncare, să-i supui la regimuri stricte de deshidarare (mi s-a făcut pielea de găină când am citit cum gimnastele beau apă din bazinul toaletei sau apa de la duș pentru că nu erau lăsate să bea apă!), să-i înjuri și să-i bați cu pumnul în cap nu sunt metode sănătoase de a face performanță. Omul a fost un monstru imatur emoțional și manipulator, care a încercat să dea vina pentru comportamentul său pe un copil(!) care a fost izolat de familie și de tot ce putea să însemne o copilărie cât de cât normală.

Probabil că mi-ar fi plăcut să citesc mai multe despre Nadia ca om și sportiv și mai puține despre Károlyi, totuși activitatea extinsă de monitorizare a regimului comunist este un subiect pe care ar trebui să-l cunoască fiecare om din țara asta. E important să înțelegem până unde s-a mers cu recrutarea informatorilor și cu modalitățile de infiltrare în viața populației. Nadia era un „bun național��, considerată mai puțin om și mai mult proprietatea statului comunist, și, deși se spune că era „o privilegiată a regimului��, viața ei în România nu a fost liberă. Dimpotrivă.

O recomand tuturor celor care cred că performanța nu se face decât cu biciul, tuturor tinerilor care habar n-au cum erau lucrurile înainte de decembrie 1989, dar și tuturor „nostalgicilor�� care au serioasă nevoie de trezire la realitate.
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In these times of conventional prosperity, the people of Voulhire are struggling for a national identity. Faith, science, and magic�� each in their own jealous way�� offer promises of a perfect world. Each offer an identity to those uncertain of their purpose.

But a darkness lingers about the kingdom of Voulhire, this tiny continent adrift in an envious world, filled with powerful people who have plans of their own.

In these uncertain times, an immigrant has arrived from a war-torn land, eager to repay the opportunity his new home has given him.

As the people around him endure the rising tensions, they can only dream of what their nation will one day mean to the world. But they cannot possibly imagine what this immigrant will one day mean to them.]]> 319 Matthew Tysz Nona 3 fantasy, mehs
I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Review to follow once I'm allowed to.]]> 3.32
author: Matthew Tysz
name: Nona
average rating: 3.32
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/18
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: fantasy, mehs
review:
2.5*

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Review to follow once I'm allowed to.
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