More than anything, it is the gentleness of this novel that I love. It has the most extraordinarily soft touch, one of wonder and grace, of beauty andMore than anything, it is the gentleness of this novel that I love. It has the most extraordinarily soft touch, one of wonder and grace, of beauty and light. Part of this is Piranesi himself, who is a character so without dark and selfish ambitions and so wholly dedicated to reverence, discovery, worship and consideration.
His whole world is the House. An enormous, seemingly endless structure of halls in various stages of decay or ruin. Each hall is lined with statues of different proportions and themes, some halls are mostly intact, some have caved in, some are flooded with rain, some are flooded by the sea. The sea that surges up in tides, the greatest threat of the house, unless, of course, you know it and anticipate it. Piranesi does. Piranesi knows the House intimately, and the House is what he dedicates his life to. He enjoys its splendor, he bears witness to its beauty, he takes care of its dead and is grateful for its gifts.
As childlike and naive as he seems (and often is), he is also a scientist. He approaches questions, doubts and mysteries with a rational mind wanting to uncover the truth. It was honestly quite surprising just how reasonable, insightful and aware of his own shortcomings (and the shortcomings of his methods) he is. This novel would be a lot longer if Piranesi was only half as capable of critical thinking. He has a remarkable talent for looking at the world and accepting it as it is, even as it changes, even as he learns its darker secrets. This also sets him apart from the only other living person in the House: The Other. The Other is in pursuit of a Great and Secret Knowledge which he believes will grant him incredible powers. He is, to the reader’s discerning eyes, clearly a Bad Guy, but to Piranesi he is a friend, even if they do wildly differ on their approach to and appreciation of the House. The Other thinks it (and Piranesi) valuable for what they can give him, however Piranesi knows the truth of it:
“The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of Itself. It is not the means to an end.”
Which is, in itself, a beautiful way of thinking about anything. It’s how we should all be thinking. And I believe it might give Piranesi this sense of equilibrium, because if the House is enough in itself, then so is he. The wisdom and the gift of the House is not the power it might hold, but its very existence, Piranesi understands this innately, and so it gives him what seems to be its true gift: Peace.
Piranesi is also a novel of transgressions, of stepping beyond boundaries both moral and physical. Transgression, apparently, can also mean the spread of the sea over land areas which cannot be a coincidence. The House, those who inhabit it and those who pursue it are all transgressive but in wildly different ways. And transgressions are transformative; whether it was done by or to you, you don’t come out the other side the same. It can define you and unmake you. Remake you (?). I found this aspect of the story endlessly fascinating.
Especially fascinating is the way the novel deals with identity and the crucial act of identifying. Identifying yourself, others and the world around you. The way we choose to do this says more about us than about the thing we're trying to identify. Piranesi, for instance, is a name given to the narrator by the Other and is likely not his real name. I was curious about the title of the novel and I looked it up, and it was a delightful discovery. Knowing the meaning of the name unlocks a deeper understanding of how the Other views the narrator and the world around him. And, if you know how to apply it, also unveils part of the mystery of the story. (view spoiler)[Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an 18th century architect. He is most known for his etchings of Rome and “Imaginary Prisons”; a series of drawings depicting massive labyrinthine rooms of a somewhat fantastical nature. Fictional Piranesi is, of course, trapped in one such place, which is at first a prison and then eventually a home. (When is a prison not a prison? Oh, when you forget yourself and love it.) Clarke’s Piranesi is given his name by the man who trapped him in the first place, which, as the text states, is a cruel joke indeed. (hide spoiler)]
As dark as the story gets it never loses its soft touch. The kindness of the House might be infinite, but so seems the kindness of this novel. So much of it is Piranesi, who simply floored me as a character. I adore him. As deep as my love is for Piranesi as deep is my hatred of some of the other characters. Truly, if I could sink my hands into the pages of this novel I would strangle them myself. Rarely have I been so livid while reading anything, I’m genuinely amazed Clarke managed to drag it out of me.
It is a very different novel than I anticipated, but it is undeniably a Susanna Clarke story. It has the telltale wit, depth and attention to detail that is so integral to her as an author. Her vision is clear, her ambition high and her execution, as ever, unwavering.
“May your paths be safe, [...] your Floors unbroken and may the House fill your eyes with beauty.”...more
I adore this novel for a myriad of reasons, some of them deeply personal. Is it a good book? I think so. Does it also speak to parts of me that are juI adore this novel for a myriad of reasons, some of them deeply personal. Is it a good book? I think so. Does it also speak to parts of me that are just a little broken? Yes. It does.
There are, as others have pointed out, many ways this novel falls somewhat short. The Big Mystery is very obvious and easy to figure out (and takes up seemingly very little of the story), there are inconsistencies in the worldbuilding (what spirits can or cannot do makes very little sense) and the writing is at times repetitive and clichéd.
However, I can make allowances for most of that, because what this novel does get right, it gets really, really right.
Cemetery Boys is about Yadriel, a trans boy struggling to make his family and community accept him for who he is. He completes the ritual to become a full-fledged brujo on his own for this very reason, and when his cousin Miguel goes missing that very same day, it’s the perfect opportunity to help and prove himself. However, in trying to find Miguel he instead calls forth the spirit of Julian, a recently deceased teen, and when Yadriel fails in trying to send him to the afterlife the real trouble starts. Together, they try to solve Julians murder, discover what happened to Miguel and find a way for Yadriel to prove himself a brujo.
“It made Yadriel feel ashamed of who he was. Their blatant rejection felt personal because it was personal. It was an outright rejection of who he was—a transgender boy trying to find his place in their community.”
The central conflict of the novel is one of rejection and acceptance, and these things are largely dealt with internally. This is also why the focus is on Yadriel, and by extension his growing friendship with (and feelings for) Julian. Cemetery Boys handles Yadriel and his feelings, both for Julian and with himself, with grace and understanding. I particularly like how it doesn’t shy away from the more complex emotions there are no easy answers or solutions to, such as being inadvertently hurt by loved ones, feeling the need to forgive callous mistakes, but not wanting to, and how exhausting it can be to constantly insist on being treated like who you are.
“Why did Yadriel always have to absolve people of their guilt? He didn’t want to be understanding. He didn’t have it in him to be forgiving this time.”
He is allowed to be angry and he is also allowed to falter in that anger, to forgive anyway. Him and Julian are great contrasts. Julian is abrasive and blunt and doesn’t give a fuck, if your family doesn’t want you, then you make your own. Yadriel is more accomodating, more gentle and has a deep history with his community that he doesn't want to sever. Both are okay, both can learn something from the other, and both do. This novel let’s them just be teenagers trying to do their best, navigating an increasingly confusing and difficult world, finding no easy answers to anything.
I think some readers are frustrated that the relationship between Yadriel and Julian takes centerstage and “distracts” from the murder mystery going on, perhaps especially because Yadriel is so immediately infatuated with Julian. However, I rather liked this aspect, because, first of all, they’re 16, what do you expect them to do? Solve a murder and a disappearance in three days? Unlikely. I liked that Thomas kept to the realism of being a teenager who wants to find answers, but is still limited by having to go to school, keeping up appearances and being, you know… a teenager, not a detective. I also appreciated that so much of the plot was essentially just internal growth for the characters.
It also simply made sense to me because rejection and acceptance are so important to the overarching plot of the novel, and so understanding how these things affect a person is extremely pivotal.
It’s a novel that’s very socially aware and it tackles being on the fringes of society in so many ways; by being gay, being trans, being an immigrant, being poor, and it understands how these things fit together. Yadriel is on the outside of his community, but that community is, in turn, on the outside of “general” American society. Yadriel’s family and community insisting on things being the way they’ve always been, this fear of change, is also a fear of losing the community; something that is genuinely happening. Members are being deported and those that are left are afraid of speaking to the police, despite someone being missing, because they’re being discriminated against. You close ranks to protect your community, but this hurts those inside the community who are different, who don’t entirely fit in. This has very negative ramifications and results, in the end, in more suffering.
Acceptance and understanding is the key to limiting violence. On every level of society.
It may be easy to dismiss Yadriel’s reluctance to release Julian as a result of having fallen in love with him, but I believe it goes deeper than that. Julian is not the first to accept Yadriel for who he really is, his mother and Maritza were on his side the moment he told them. But Julian is a stranger, he is someone outside of his brujx community who truly sees him and accepts him without reservations. As such, Julian - and his group of queer, marginalised friends - represent a new place to belong, a place to feel at home, to feel free, to feel loved. It’s no easy thing to say goodbye to something like that. Especially not if, on top of it all, it’s a person who has made you feel loved and desired. Desired not just in a sexy and romantic way, not just to mean irresistible, but also to mean wanted.
“The dimples of his tired smile made Yadriel light-headed. For the first time in a very long time, he didn’t feel like a lost cause.”
The book is about what disastrous and destructive lengths rejection makes us go to. Yadriel and [redacted] are mirrors of each other; they don’t fit into their community and they are refused their rightful place. The novel even has both of them doing illicit rituals in order to achieve something that has been denied them. [Redacted] is a story of what happens when you never find that place to belong, when you don’t get your Julian or your Maritza or an understanding family (or at least don’t feel that you do), and we understand the deep pain of that because we’ve spent this whole novel with Yadriel, feeling how desperate and lonely and unforgiving it can be. I really wish the novel had gone more into the motivations of [redacted], and that we lingered more at the confrontation, it all happens way too fast and there’s so much to get into with it. That is my main gripe.
However, I will always rather have a story falter on plot than on representation, and this really succeeds with the latter.
I believe parts of this novel might hit you harder if you are queer, especially trans/nonbinary. It certainly did me. Yadriel’s journey was a fucking suckerpunch. It hit a nerve. Some of it was due to Julian and his fierceness and loyalty, which is huge when you’re in a situation where you’re so vulnerable. Some of it was Matriz, who is just as fierce in her love, especially at the end.
Coming out means having to almost constantly fight a million big or small battles, and to have someone willingly and deliberately take some of the punches? To even throw a few back? In general it’s a gift to have someone in your life, a Julian, a Yadriel, a Matriz, who insists so intently on your place in the world (and their world). Who tells you, without wavering or hesitating, that you have worth, that you’re wanted. That is the plot of Cemetery Boys; finding your place in the world and the people who will defend it. That is the part of this story that really just floored me, and Aiden Thomas writes it so damn well. It will probably never fail to make me cry. It made me cry just writing this. God....more
This book reminded me of Human Acts by Han Kang. On the surface they are not particularly related, however, they both deal with the aftermath of dThis book reminded me of Human Acts by Han Kang. On the surface they are not particularly related, however, they both deal with the aftermath of deeply traumatic events and the memory it leaves.
The Deep does so quite explicitly. The wajinru are descendants of pregnant slaves who were thrown overboard and who drowning and dying, inexplicably, give birth to children who belong to the sea. Babies who, because they were breathing in the womb, managed to adapt and breathe underwater. A mythology first presented by the musical duo Drexicya and then expanded by the band clipping. in the song "The Deep", which is in turn expanded and continued in this particular novella.
The wajinru are not only descendants of slave women, they are the (very unintended) result of a violent and oppressive act. How do you cope with a reality like that? To be born from violence that great, hatred that strong? The wajinru decide to forget. Or forget most of the time. They choose one historian to keep the memories of their past, their history, their context, and then that historian shares it with the rest once a year so they do not fully forget where they come from and who they are as a people. But for the historian that knowledge is carried always and alone. It's a heavy burden that Yetu, the current historian, struggles with immensely. It's a burden that threatens to overtake her entirely, the memories so forceful and oppressive there's no room left for herself. It's a slow erosion that weakens her and will eventually kill her.
The dichotomy the novella presents and digs into is, in a way, the extreme individual self versus the extreme historical self. Who are you if you have no history? Who are you if you are entirely history? For Yetu her body and mind become a battlefield. The choice she makes to save herself is one whose consequences run much deeper than she imagined.
It's difficult to run from the past when it's tied so irrevocably to the present. You can forget it, but that places a harsh and unfair burden on those who do remember, those who have no choice but to remember. And in the end forgetting is also somewhat an illusion, because while your mind might struggle to recollect the events and remembrances of the past, the body does not forget so easily. Trauma is stored in more than just the mind, it lives in the flesh and bone and blood of anything that lives.
Living then becomes an act of defiance, of tribute, despite the context of your survival. But greater yet is the act of remembering, and of remembering together. To share the pain to lessen it and the joy to heighten it. To carry the past in vast hands into what you hope is a brighter tomorrow....more
Titlen er ret misvisende, for selvom denne bog ganske vist handler delvist om at investere, så handler den i langt højere grad blot om, hvordan du fårTitlen er ret misvisende, for selvom denne bog ganske vist handler delvist om at investere, så handler den i langt højere grad blot om, hvordan du får styr på og luft i din økonomi. Den er opdelt i 8 uger, hvor hver uge tackler et bestemt emne, men der er ingen grund til at læse den over 8 uger. Mange af kapitlerne og afsnittene kan man springe over, hvis man allerede forstår emnet, og meget af den er også designet til at give inspiration i form af interviews med forskellige mennesker, og ved at stille spørgsmål til læseren, som man kan se tilbage på senere. Det er en bog der vil gøre økonomi minder skræmmende, og som guider dig, på begynderniveau, til at finde ud af, hvad du kan få ud af dine penge.
Den er glimrende for en person som mig, der ved meget lidt om noget som helst, der har med økonomi at gøre, og først lige er begyndt at interessere mig for at få mine penge til at arbejde for mig.
Den giver en masse overskuelig og lettilgængelig information om alle aspekter af økonomi, og stiller løbende relevante spørgsmål, det er meningen læseren skal svare på (der er endda små felter du kan udfylde). Det lyder fjollet, og jeg udfyldte meget sjældent nogle af dem, men de fik mig alligevel til at tænke grundigt over status på min egen økonomi, hvad mine finansielle mål er og hvordan jeg gerne vil opnå dem. Det er en bog, der har til opgave at tvinge læseren til at forholde sig til sin egen økonomi i stedet for at tænke at det er for kompliceret og kedeligt.
Det er ganske givet ikke det mest sindsoprivende emne i verden, men ideen om at få styr på min økonomi, og opnå økonomisk uafhængighed på et tidspunkt i mit liv (hvilket er mit personlige mål) giver mig blod nok på tanden til at synes bøger som den her er the shit.
Jeg er uddannet humanist og guderne skal vide det ikke er en branche, hvor det flyder med hverken penge eller jobs. Hvis jeg vil have nogen chance for at opnå sikkerhed og uafhængighed i forhold til penge, så kommer det ikke til at ske ved bare at gå på arbejde hver dag og tro på det hele nok skal gå. Der skal mere aktiv handlen til, flere investeringer, flere konkrete valg i forhold til pension og opsparing. Sæt Kursen er fyldt med inspiration til, hvor man kan starte og hvordan man overhovedet kommer i gang med at finde pengene til at tænke lidt større.
Det er absolut en bog til begyndere, og der er ikke meget i den, der ikke kan findes andre steder. Men den gav mig lyst til at få styr på mine penge, og er en ekstremt overskuelig, tilgængelig og pædagogisk bog med en række forslag til videre læsning og steder med mere dybdegående info....more
I'm pretty sure reading this stole like 10 years of my life. It's so dense, but also a very thorough and accessible guide to the problem of The AuthorI'm pretty sure reading this stole like 10 years of my life. It's so dense, but also a very thorough and accessible guide to the problem of The Author. It reflects on and traces the origins of questions of what the author is, how that particular role has changed through time, and what these changes have meant for the way we understand literature.
They are immensely interesting questions, and though we perhaps do not often consider what it means that there is an author or even question the way we think of the author, it is something that permeates much of literary theory and is, in essence, inescapable if you really want to get a good grasp on why we are thinking of literature as we are... and what the crisis of literature, as Bennett puts it, is really about.
I can recommend it. Don't do what I did and read it all in one day because you stupidly underestimated how long it would take and it's required reading for a lecture in two days. Acquire it though, and use it as a reference. Get smarter! Have an existential crisis over authorship!
It deserves a better cover too. Because the one it's got is horrendous, and as this is not actually a terrible book it really shouldn't LOOK like one....more
In the introduction to this novel there is a quote by Toni Morrison, which seems to me to sum up the heart of the story: "... it was the right thing tIn the introduction to this novel there is a quote by Toni Morrison, which seems to me to sum up the heart of the story: "... it was the right thing to do, but she had no right to do it."
It might seem slightly contradictory, but of course it isn't. What Morrison so skillfully achieves in this story is to make the reader understand precisely how and why Sethe ends up doing something as atrocious as killing her own child. Morrison creates not only understanding, but empathy and sympathy for Sethe and her position.
I feel that Morrison quote is perfectly juxtaposed with this line from the novel, spoken by one of the white men come to force Sethe and her children back to slavery, when he is confronted with her deed:
"'What she want to go and do that for?'"
These are the questions that are asked and answered by Beloved. Why would she do that? How could it be a right thing to do?
Both can be answered somewhat simply: Because there are fates worse than death. Because Sethe understands that to die free means dying as yourself. It means dying as a whole person. It means being spared the humiliation and terror of being dehumanized.
Beloved is occupied with many things, but particularly the immediate ramifications of slavery on personhood and identity. The act of killing a child is an extreme example of the consequences slavery has and how long a shadow it casts. Death is an extreme measure, but one that seems almost humane in the light of the alternative. Because death presents a possibility of true freedom, it's going to a place where none can follow. Where you are not chained or hunted. Although, of course, this too is somewhat disputed in the story.
Because Beloved, the child who dies, comes back to life. A ghost and then something more, to haunt those left behind. Caught on the threshold between worlds she enters ours, as a very tangible and ultimately destructive reminder of a past that cannot be undone and a choice so steep there's no leaving its shadow.
The blame for these events are not on Sethe, but rather on the system and the people who brought her there. "'What she want to go and do that for?'" the white man asks, and never once recognizes that he drove her there. That to choose death over life, life must first become so unspeakably painful that there is nothing to gain from it. The complete failure of so many white people to understand that this is the reality they create endures to this day. Worse, of course, are those who do understand and who relish in it.
Sethe commits an unspeakable act in reaction to another unspeakable act. The latter so great we cannot help but understand why she makes the choice. The greater sin is not acting desperately when put it in an impossible situation, but rather in purposefully driving someone into a situation that demands such a sacrifice. Morrison conveys this with unflinching conviction, and unending compassion for Sethe, for Beloved, for Denver, for Paul D.
To lose your sense of self, your personhood, your humanity, to have it stripped from you through violence, degradation and condescension is a fate worse than death. Which is why Paul D's words towards the end ring so powerfully true:
"'You your best thing, Sethe. You are.'"
Holding onto yourself when those around you attempt to beat it out of you is an almost impossible task. But if you manage to cling to just a sliver, there's hope....more
I really loved reading this. It felt incredibly familiar, even though I have zero actual experience with going to college in the US.
Something about iI really loved reading this. It felt incredibly familiar, even though I have zero actual experience with going to college in the US.
Something about it just struck so true. It hits a lot of very recognizable feelings and experiences, that sort of transcend the specific circumstances and just felt so real.
It chronicles the life of Susan, Esther and Daisy, who have ended up as roommates in college. Giant Days follows their every day life and the small and big things that take up their time. It's never anything big or dramatic, it's mostly all the small things that feel big and dramatic, and in a way, I guess, they are. Because they change your life. Friendship, break-ups, intimate conversations, failures, success, they all make up a life and they all shape up us into the people we become. As do the people we share all these things with.
It's a very warm, witty, wonderful and honest story, that might sometimes overdramatize what happens, but that only adds to the charm. This trio of girls are far from perfect, but their friendship is real, and their experiences, the small and the big, are a joy to follow. It reminds me of my early 20s, and as I'm only 25, some of it is still very relevant now. It tackles some very real subjects, like sexism and figuring out your sexuality, or even just deciding on your future.
It's the familiarity and the genuine affection and warmth the artists have for the characters that really sold this one. It was a delight. ...more
I love mystery and detective stories, and this gave me the exact same feeling of delight and bone-deep satisfaction as when I read or watch a very, veI love mystery and detective stories, and this gave me the exact same feeling of delight and bone-deep satisfaction as when I read or watch a very, very good crime story. I'm not talking about it being objectively good, necessarily, just that it makes me feel so good.
Goldie Vance is the story of Goldie Vance, who works as a parking valet at a hotel in the 60s, but who moonlights as a detective, whenever she gets a chance - and is allowed to help the resident detective solve cases.
In this case Goldie helps solve the case of a stolen necklace, that quickly takes a turn when the owner of the necklace also goes missing. Turns out much, much bigger things are at play and Goldie races against the clock to save the owner before whoever kidnapped him hurts him.
It's the sort of series where you know nothing bad will really happen. You know Goldie will save the day, and no harm will truly be done. But it's still exciting and still a really wonderful mystery. Part of it is the universe Hope Larson and Brittney Williams create. It's the 60s, but seemingly without the racism or prejudice of the time, which I like. They've taken all the best parts, said fuck it, and thrown out the bad parts. It allows for a lot more diversity, which the creators take full advantage off. And the best moment was Goldie seeing her crush Diane, through a shop window. That was incredibly sweet. And it's nice to exist in a version of the 60s where a young black woman can dream of becoming an astronaut without anyone telling her no.
I just loved most things about this. I loved the summery, 60s atmosphere. I loved this alternate Florida world where kick-ass mysteries happen all the time, where romance, mystery and adventure await just on the other side of the door. Where it's both quiet and exciting, pleasant and dangerous. It's a wonderful place to get lost in as you help solve crimes and go on milkshake dates.
I'm definitely gonna buy the physical copies of this series, and I imagine it's a story I'll come back to and re-read whenever I feel like going off to somewhere nice and pleasant while getting to do my favorite thing: Follow detectives around and solve crimes. ...more
I got this as an advanced reader's copy from the danish publisher, Klim. It'll be published in Denmark on the 1st of august this year.
The Seventh DayI got this as an advanced reader's copy from the danish publisher, Klim. It'll be published in Denmark on the 1st of august this year.
The Seventh Day is the story of Yang Fei, who wakes up in the afterlife shortly after his death. Here he first goes to the afterlife crematorium, but as he has no gravesite planned for him in the world of the living there would be no place for him to go to rest if he was cremated. So he leaves and ends up wandering the afterlife.
Yu Hua's version of the life after death is mostly a sort of limbo. It resembles the world the dead have left behind, and here Yang Fei remembers key moments from his life, and meets people he used to know, who have also crossed over into this other realm. He wanders looking for his father, a father who disappeared while Yang was still alive, but whom he is sure has also passed away.
Each person he meets help him both look for his father and understand his own death, and life. He helps them in return either offering up details of their life or helping them find lost loved ones or rest.
The afterlife may not be a paradise, but it is more pleasant than the world left behind. Here there is a real possibility of finding solace and refuge from the pain, tragedy and injustice of the living world. While the crematorium very much clings to the same class segregation as the world of the living, the moment Yang moves away from it, the world evens out much more. In this limbo people's flesh and skin falls away, turning everyone into skeletons, making them equal. Here a killer and his victim play chess with each other, here people continue the lives they led before, but with less worry.
It's both sad and moving. And there's a gentle beauty to it. The stories the characters tell of their lives are horrifying and unjust, but there's a distance to it. Not a distance that makes it less impactful, but there's a distinct feeling that in death these things mean something else. That they've moved on from them, that they can look at them from this other place and see them for what they were. The pain and the beauty at once.
Yu Hua has written a novel that is both hopeful and critical of society that many chinese people find themselves in. In this afterlife he has created a different sort of world, not a paradise, but a pleasant place, a place of increased understanding and love, where it's possible to wait out a better future in peace. Even if they may never see it.
It's a harsh, but very tender novel, that is full of dark humor, sharp critique and humanity. It's the first of his novels I've read, and it's apparently a little different from his other works, but I enjoyed it very much. It gives voice to those who must live with the injustices and the pain of an unequal society, and presents them, in some way, with a bit of hope. Or perhaps it's more the hope that hope will be there.
"I realised that the ground under our feet had just been pulled away, we were standing on air, and my w(Review copy from the publisher and Netgalley).
"I realised that the ground under our feet had just been pulled away, we were standing on air, and my words could not keep us from falling into the pit that had opened up beneath us."
“Stay With Me” stretches from 1985 to 2008. We follow Yejide and Akin, who, in the four years they’ve been married have been unable to have children. In the midst of Nigerias growing political strife, we follow them and their marriage as it slowly corrodes and cracks and falls apart under the pressure of childlessness, and as more and more secrets see the light of day.
The first crack appears when one day it turns out Akin has taken a second wife. This is more than Yejide can bear, although she understands that she must. The only thing left for her to do, to get her husband to return to her, is to get pregnant first. So that is what happens. Akin, on the other hand, is still devoted to Yejide, but is trapped underneath society’s expectations the same as her.
The price for pregnancy, however, turns out to be steep, and it will take more than love or devotion for Yejide and Akin to make it through, especially when lie upon lie start infiltrating their lives. Their marriage may have been one of love, but it’s also built on secrets that are costly to face.
And slowly, but surely, as the secrets pile up, they are also revealed to Yejide, Akin and the reader. It’s a story told in layers, with each new revelation bringing a new piece to the puzzle, and forcing the reader to reevaluate the story they’ve been told, and for Yejide to reevaluate her marriage. Only at the very end does every secret and lie add up to an image of the truth, and this kept me glued to the page.
It’s a harsh book, at times almost unbearable to read, but also difficult to put down. Because you become invested in the characters and their inner lives, and you want to understand how their lives unraveled so fast – and why. This desire for the truth, and for redemption, meant I finished the book in only two days. I simply had to get to the end.
Ayòbámi Adébáyò has written a novel rich in details, descriptions and emotional turmoil. The horror of childlessness, as well as the endless grief these characters face, is handled with grace and empathy. She takes on grave subjects, but injects them with a warmth and a subtle hope, that make the book more than simple a tragic tale of loss and marital conflict. It’s also a story of deep love and hope for the future.
Yejide is a wonderful character, flawed and desperate, she nonetheless raises herself up whenever she’s forced down, and keeps going. With strength and determination. Until, of course, she breaks under the pressure. But even this is not a complete break, there is always, Adébáyò seems to say, room for healing and for a new beginning.
It is a novel that comes alive in your hands. The characters, the Nigerian setting, the plot and the detailed descriptions of the inner lives of Yejide and Akin makes this seem as though it took place. As though you witnessed these lives collide, crack, and begin again. You witness their pain, anguish and torment, but also a love and a compassion that insists on creeping through the cracks.
"Besides, what would be left of love without truth stretched beyond its limits, without those better versions of ourselves that we present as the only ones that exist?...more
Screw its blatant, ridiculous slut-shaming, and its romanticising of abusive, ILLEGAL behaviour.
I've had it with brooding heroes, whoScrew this book.
Screw its blatant, ridiculous slut-shaming, and its romanticising of abusive, ILLEGAL behaviour.
I've had it with brooding heroes, whose obvious disrespect, disregard for other's emotions and well being is made "ok" by the fact that they're hot as hell and make the heroine all weak in the knees.
I've fucking had it.
Kacey loses her entire family in a drunk driving accident, and now it's only her and her sister, Livie. After their uncle tries to sexually assault Livie, they move far away.
Here Kacey starts working in a stripclub as a bartender which, as she's very keen to constantly remind us, does not require her to take off her clothes. Then she proceeds to slut-shame every single woman who works there and actually does take of their clothes.
As if you're somehow cheap, slutty or gross because you chose to work in a stripclub. That's a valid line of work, and it should be respected. Women can do what they want with their bodies, and chose whatever work they want, as long as it's consensual. Respect that. Jesus.
Now for some spoilers.
Of course it turns out Trent is indirectly responsible for the accident that killed her family (it was his family's car, that he'd let a drunk friend of his borrow). This is not a surprise, it's so blatantly obviously the case that it couldn't even be described as a plot twist. And it isn't.
In a desperat attempt at giving her obvious plot twist an edge, Tucker adds a little something extra: the revelation that Trent stalked Kacey for two years, watched her from afar, hacked her email to discover she was moving to Miami and rented the apartment next to hers. And then insinuated himself into her life.
Then he proceeded to lie, manipulate her emotionally, and sleep with her, in the hope that he might "fix" her, and thus make her life better so she'll forgive him.
This is not me reading into things. It is explicitly stated, that his one reason for doing what he does, is so that she'll forgive him. He ruins her life, so that HE might be rid of his sense of guilt! YOU PIECE OF SHIT.
Also, the idea that he might be able to "fix" her life? HOW? What did he have in mind? Because what happens is that he makes her fall in love with him. Which I don't think is a valid plan for fixing someone's life, unless you truly believe your man-love is so powerful. It's just gross. Like stalking someone for two years is fucking gross.
And also illegal.
Listen, if someone came up to me and was like: "This is my husband", and I asked how long they've known each other, and they had to go "Oh, well, we met three years ago, but of course, he knew me longer, because he stalked me for two years out of a sense of guilt and desperate search for forgiveness for himself" I'd tell them to run for their goddamn lives.
Anyway, she then does forgive him, so his creepy stalker plan of fixing her life to obtain forgiveness totally works, and then they start a relationship and end up together to live happily ever after.
I'm fucking done. This whole thing is gross....more
I promised myself I'd go into a bookstore and buy a book I'd never heard of before, by an author I didn't know, since I never ever go into a store andI promised myself I'd go into a bookstore and buy a book I'd never heard of before, by an author I didn't know, since I never ever go into a store and buy a book I wasn't always planning on reading. Which is a shame. The result was the purchase of this slim Man Booker winning novel. And it wasn't a bad random pick, although I'm a little uncertain what it was REALLY trying to do.
See, I honestly don't know about this book. I found it very charming, and was easily swept into its languid prose, slow moving plot (if you can call it a plot) and the eccentric existences of Hotel du Lac. But on the other hand, I have no idea what it really gave me in the end.
Edith Hope is sent to Swiss Hotel du Lac, and told to think about her life and her choices, and only to come back when she's repented. As it's almost out of season only very few guests occupy the hotel, and they're all women. Edith soon becomes part of their daily life, with its small dramas and controversies.
She observes the other women, and tries to work them - and in turn herself - out. And this is where it gets a little uncertain. Because I can't decide if it's too stereotypical in its portrayal of women, or if it's confidently complex and subverts the tropes it gives us.
I'm leaning towards the latter, but I think a case can be made for the former too.
Because while it's a story with a sharp focus on women, it's also all women who are measured, in small ways, by their relationship with men. Either because their husbands died or they've been abandoned by them. Or they're the other woman. So they're left on the fringes of society, slightly outside what everyone else thinks is acceptable and they've come to Hotel du Lac.
Mr. Neville, a man who arrives at the hotel later on, vehemently tries to convince Edith that the life she's been living isn't worth it, and that he can give her a comfortable position inside the societal norm and all the freedom that come with it.
But it's also a novel that, I think, insists there is nothing wrong with Edith's life at all, with none of these women's lives. That Mr. Neville is a total d-bag who simply assumes he knows what Edith needs, without actually understanding her inner life and passions at all. And Edith may be prejudiced against her own sex, she may accuse them of some ridiculous things, but this is also because she's incapable of turning this judging eye towards herself, and that she has to learn too. I don't know if she does, but I think the experiences lends her a sympathy towards herself and her gender.
I just don't know. I'll have to read it again someday. But for now I found it had a nice melancholy charm, and I loved its focus on women and their inner and outer lives. Other books have definitely done it better, but this one I liked too.
For a random pick in the bookstore it was definitely not bad at all. ...more
"I felt the pain and glory of growth, was straining and shuddering with it."
I loved Binti and this is a stunning sequel.
A year after Binti left home,"I felt the pain and glory of growth, was straining and shuddering with it."
I loved Binti and this is a stunning sequel.
A year after Binti left home, watched her entire spaceship get massacred by Meduse, and became a hero by stopping an intergalactic war, she's immersed in her studies at Oomza Uni and friends with Okwu, one of the Meduse who murdered her fellow travellers.
She's suffering from PTSD, and trying to make sense of her new life and identity. So she decides to travel home and make amends to her family as well as participate in her people's pilgrimage, hoping it might clear her head and heart.
She feels alienated, and not just because she's been infused with Meduse DNA, but because she's the first of her people to travel into space to study, because she defied the expectations of her family and her people. She's not sure where she belongs anymore.
So her and Okwu travel to earth. Okwu is the first of its species to ever come to earth in peace, and Binti? She just hopes her family will forgive her for running away and following her dreams.
Neither Binti or Home are particularly action-packed. It's a series that's focused on character progression, on Binti's journey towards her destiny. And Home lives up to the many connotations of its title.
Binti comes home, but finds it is much different from how she left it, and that she, too, is much different. It turns out the change that is looming over her has just begun, and she might find herself even further removed from her family by the end of it.
Binti continues her journey, and discovers strange, unnerving parts of her own heritage - and the part she may still have to play in the grander scheme of things.
And it goes deeper into the violence of prejudice. How culture is what binds us together, but does so by also creating an "us" and a "them" and that bridging that gap may cost more than she is truly willing to pay.
I'm honestly still just blown completely away by the amount if story Nnedi Okorafor manages to pack into so few pages. This doesn't feel like a 160 page novel, it feels like it's 300 hundred with the amount of feeling, world-building and exposition it gives us.
It feels a little like an interlude (a finely crafted, immensely important interlude - a sort of calm before the storm) to the third and final book, The Night Masquerade. And I cannot wait to see where she takes us.
Every single time I read an Okorafor book I'm left with a feeling of wonder and excitement. I'm continuously impressed with the scope of her vision and her unwavering courage to carry it out with such precision and style.
Long story short, I love this fucking series and I cannot wait for the final book....more
"One of the issues about the whole ‘being alone’ stance is not having anyone to share the world’s problems with."
This is a wonderfully charming, witty"One of the issues about the whole ‘being alone’ stance is not having anyone to share the world’s problems with."
This is a wonderfully charming, witty and warm novel, that I genuinely expected to be a little different than it was.
I expected it to be a fun, light read about finding love and figuring out life, but it actually cut deeper than that. Not a lot, but some, at least. Sofia's struggles to balance her life, love, ambitions and family were honestly the best part of the book, because it felt real. Like it wasn't simply thrown in to create plot complications.
Considering Sofia's own trouble writing a book that's all fluff and not real depth, it's apt that this novel takes on the same issue. And while I loved the love story, it was suitably sweet and toe-tingling great, it was Sofia and her coming to terms with herself and the life she wants that really struck me.
It's been compared a lot to Bridget Jones, and it's not hard to see why, but they're very distinct. Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged has something wonderful to say about being a practicing muslim trying to find love, and also simply existing in a world that is, often, far from understanding. And it tells its story with wit and genuine warmth, which makes it a lovely little ride of a story.
There's apparently a sequel, although I don't think it needs it. The ending is, perhaps, a little too out there, so I get how a sequel would be needed to pull it back in. But even so. It's romantic. I liked it. A charming choice for an afternoon on the couch or in the sun....more
An utterly adorable, lovely and all-round good book that made my eyes turn into little hearts and my tears turn into fucking rainbows.
Molly has so faAn utterly adorable, lovely and all-round good book that made my eyes turn into little hearts and my tears turn into fucking rainbows.
Molly has so far in her life had exactly twenty-six crushes and precisely zero kisses. And at seventeen years old, she's very, very ready for that to be remedier.
First off, I love Molly. And I love that she's a fat protagonist looking for love, there really isn't enough of that. But most of all I love the fact that she doesn't hate her body. As she states herself, she's mostly just afraid everyone else will. That is wonderful, and truly the kind of body positivity wee need more of. Molly is insecure, absolutely, and it is partly about her body, but mostly it's about the fact that she's never had sex, let alone a single kiss, and at this point she's a little unsure if she'll even know how to get there. It seems to come so naturally to everyone else, but not to her.
But when sexy hipster Will, and cute Lord of the Rings loving Reid at work, both start maybe showing interest Molly finally has her chance... if she dares take it.
And if perhaps finding love for the first time wasn't enough, Molly's twin sister, Cassie, has just found herself her first girlfriend, and the two sisters face the very real possibility that they're growing apart. This was one of the book's greatest strengths. Seeing them navigate their relationship as intimacies arise for the both of them was fascinating and moving. They've always been each others closest companion, so what happens when someone else threathens to take that place?
The diversity and inclusiveness in this book is astounding. There's black characters, including one of Molly's moms, a bisexual mom, a pansexual Korean-American love interest, a jewish love interest, plenty of lesbians, minor gay side-characters, and asexuality is mentioned. And I know there are gonna be some shitheads out there going "it feels so forced!!!" and let me tell you, it doesn't. Becky Albertalli doesn't write in poetic, lush prose, but she does one thing very very right, and that's keeping her stories realistic and natural. She nails it in Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda and she nails it here. There is nothing forced about this book, not a single sentence.
It just gets so many things very right. Falling in love for the first time, and the insecurities about sex, about love, about kissing. The way you act all irrational when you're falling in love and lash out at people. And female friendships! It gets them so, so right. And it's a fucking delight that they aren't in any way diminished or used for drama. They're supportive and beautiful.
And honestly, Reid is so fucking adorable I wanted to smooch his face myself.
It's just a really good book, it's sweet, it's moving, and it gets a lot of things very right. You can tell Albertalli took the time to craft a world that is true to the one we live in. And it pays off, it feels vibrant and alive.
There's also a small cameo from some much beloved characters from Simon, although it took me a while to figure out it was the same ones. I'm a little slow at times. But I love that these two stories exist in the same world.
Becky Albertalli hasn't let me down, and after this I'm pretty certain she never will. Her stories make the world brighter, better and more beautiful. She fills them with warmth and kindness and respectful inclusion. Bless her....more
I'd forgotten I knew exactly what the plottwist of this book was, until the moment I sat down to read it. I'd also forgotten I'd once decided not to rI'd forgotten I knew exactly what the plottwist of this book was, until the moment I sat down to read it. I'd also forgotten I'd once decided not to read it. Which I'm glad I forgot, because it is actually a very sweet, fascinating novel.
It's the story of 18-year-old Maddy, who's never set foot outside her house. She dreams about it, and imagines what the outside world might be like, the thing is... she's deathly allergic to it. If she goes outside it could mean death.
So all she does is dream. Until Olly moves in next door. Suddenly she's falling in love, hard and fast, and when just thinking about someone gives you butterflies, simply chatting with him won't be enough. So they meet. Then they touch.
And soon a life lived in isolation is never going to be enough. Maddy will have to decide what she's willing to risk to really live, and, for just once in her life, be absolutely, transcendingly happy.
That part of the story I liked, because I recognised it. We've all been young and in love and felt like we had to risk some things for that - although a lot less than what Maddy risks.
I did feel they maybe fell in love a little too fast, but on the other hand, that is how it works when you're young.
And then... the twist. Which sort of ruins the book a little, because the more you think about it, the more wildly unrealistic it is. It doesn't ruin it completely, it's still a lovely novel about first loves, and choosing what life you want to live, what sort of person you want to be, and what really means something in this world.
But it would've worked better, I think, without the twist.
(view spoiler)[ Alright, so it turns out Maddy isn't and never was allergic to the world. Her illness is a lie, and she's been trapped in this house for 18 years because her mother didn't want to lose her, like she lost her husband and son.
I just... It feels like that shouldn't be POSSIBLE?? That someone ought to have fucking realized what was going on? That maybe Maddy could've googled something about needing more tests, not fucking done by her mother? And Carla maybe, I don't know, calling the fucking police if she suspected something was up.
And then the truth is out and Maddy is persuaded to stay with her mother? WHO TRAPPED HER FOR 18 YEARS? THE HELL? She does move out soon after - good call - not sure where she got the money though.
And nothing happens to the mother? Although she's clearly mentally ill? She can't keep being allowed to be a doctor, but no mention is made of it. I just can't believe trapping your own daughter in a house for 18 years is in any way legal. I get why Maddy wouldn't want to do anything about it, and she was treated well, but come on. It's so fucking messed up.
Yeah, I couldn't really accept it. Also because it seemed to be a sort of Deus Ex Machina just to find a way for Olly and Maddy to be together easily. I'd have liked it better if they'd had to find a way around her being sick instead.
God, can you imagine how messed up you must be as a kid, if you find out your mom trapped you and lied to you for 18 years? And basically took a way your chance at a normal teenage life and childhood? What the fuck, man.
I wanted them to go deeper into that, because it changes EVERYTHING. It's suddenly not just a cute teenage romance, it's a messed up story of abuse of power?
I just find it so wildly unrealistic that nothing more comes of it and can't really accept it. (hide spoiler)]...more
(I got my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher!)
I was feeling pretty low and beaten down by the state of the (I got my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher!)
I was feeling pretty low and beaten down by the state of the world, and I was craving, beyond measure, a sweet, sexy, just straight up cute-as-a-button romance.
And this one-hundred percent delivered.
This is just very wholesome and nice and delightful. The chemistry between Theo and Jamie was wonderful, and their witty, electric banter was everything I needed. You honestly want them to make out from their very first encounter and the longer they go on, the more you sit on the edge of your seat and just wait for it.
For Theo to finally realize that no, this is not how you feel about a best friend. And no, this is never gonna just be a friends with benefits situation. Because Jamie has quickly become the best part of Theo's day and vice versa.
Apart from the utterly lovely romance, it was also a book that surprised me in a lot of ways. One was Theo's relationship with his partially blind sister, Leone. They adore each other, and the genuine regard and respect they have for each other made me smile, it reminded me of my own brother. And Leone's disability is never a hindrance or made a big deal, it just is.
I was also surprised by the (however brief) inclusion of a demisexual character. Thank you for that.
It's not a book that looks too deep at anything, and I suspect some might find it a little weird Theo takes so long to realize his feelings for Jamie. But as someone for whom it took very long to realize they were bisexual, it made a lot of sense. When you're not expecting to feel anything for someone of the same gender, the brain will do some odd jumps to explain why you feel what you feel.
Just a very, very cute book, that definitely brightened my life a little when I needed it. And it was very well written, with likable characters and a toe-tingling romance.
I might very well seek out more from Anyta Sunday if this is the sort of books she writes....more
This is honestly such a cute, heartwarming and wonderful novel. I fell completely in love with both Rishi and Dimple, and their story of falling in loThis is honestly such a cute, heartwarming and wonderful novel. I fell completely in love with both Rishi and Dimple, and their story of falling in love and figuring out what the future is going to be like is an absolute delight to read.
Dimple has her future planned out. She wants to be a programmer and a web developer, come what may. And attending Insominia Con, a six-week program where different teams compete to develop the best app and win acclaim, is a unique opportunity for Dimple to mark herself early in the field she desperately wants to be part of. She's surprised when her parents agree to let her attend without a fight... and it turns out they have ulterior motives.
Unbeknowst to Dimple, they've been planning for her to get married to Rishi, the son of some of their friends. And wouldn't Insomnia Con just be a perfect place for them to meet and get to know each other? Rishi knows about this and thinks Dimple knows too, but Dimple doesn't. So their first meeting is about as awkward as you can imagine.
Slowly they start up a friendship, but Dimple is certain that love - and definitely marriage - will only get in the way of her dreams. Rishi, on the other hand, is excited to get married, to start a family and settle down. And while they're off to a rocky start, the feelings that grow between them soon become difficult to ignore. So should they?
When Dimple Met Rishi does a wonderful job of depicting the struggle both Rishi and Dimple go through. Not just of falling in love when it is (or feels) terribly inconvenient, but also realizing that the plan you'd made for the future might not be what you really want. It's very much a story that deals with trying to balance the future your family wants for you and the future you want for yourself.
Dimple and Rishi are as different as could be. Dimple loves programming, she's ambitious, she's smart, and she has no more than a passing interest in the culture her parents are from. Rishi is attached to this culture, and honoring it and celebrating it is very important to him, and where he sees a potential marriage between them as a wonderful opportunity, Dimple sees it as a hindrance.
Together they try to navigate the expectations of their families, themselves and the world around them as they do their best to create a world that is their own. And craft a future that feels right for them.
It's honestly the most charming, delightful lovestory. I'm half in love with Rishi myself, and I absolutely adore his dedication to Dimple and his culture, and the way he insists on not letting anyone get him down. And Dimple is fantastic in her stubborn bravery to be the best, and to make it in a field that isn't kind to her sex. It handles a lot of very real, very relevant topics, while also being an utterly adorable romance between two dorks who just can't figure out how much they really love each other. It's wonderful. ...more
“Yeah, there are no more ‘colored’ water fountains, and it’s supposed to be illegal to discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in “Yeah, there are no more ‘colored’ water fountains, and it’s supposed to be illegal to discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in too-tight cuffs when I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s clear there’s an issue. That things aren’t as equal as folks say they are.“
Justyce McAllister's life is going the right way. He's excelling in school and on his way to one of the top universities in the US. Then one night, as he's trying to help his drunk ex-girlfriend get home safely, he's arrested and has to spend hours sitting on the curb, waiting to be set free.
He's done nothing wrong, in fact, Justyce was sure he'd been doing everything right. He's well dressed, educated and respectful, he’s never committed a crime, he’s followed all the rules. But that night he learns that it doesn't matter how much he's trying, there are plenty of people - people in positions of power - who won't see any of it. People who will insist on only seeing the color of his skin and automatically assume he's up to no good.
As Justyce learns this he is suddenly standing face to face with a society full of prejudice, racism and discrimination. He could, to some extent, ignore it before, but now it's hit him personally and there's no going back. In an attempt to work out how to face and navigate this new reality he starts writing letters to Martin Luther King Jr.
Dear Martin is a story of police brutality, and the fight for equality. Told through the eyes of Justyce, a young, black man with his whole future ahead of him, it's also very much a story of how to learn to fight back without losing yourself. How do you stand face to face with a society that is in almost every way designed to make you fail? When you realise that in the end it might not matter how well you're doing, some racist cop could still kill you for no reason other than the volume of music in your car.
It's a difficult, complex and well written novel, that handles the precarious balance of wanting to fight back while also not losing faith in the future. Justyce must find his own way through the chaos, injustice and heartbreak that follows that one fateful evening and doesn't end until more even more blood has been spilled.
But it's also a wonderful story of all those other things that make up a teenage life: love, friendship, family, school, and dreams for the future. Justyce finds his strength through his friends, teachers, and every single person who stands by him. Each show him a different way of coping, a different form of fight, and through them he finds his own way. His own truth.
Nic Stone has written a novel that was at times unbearable to read because of its unrelenting honesty, but it's also full of nuance, compassion and strength. Stone is not afraid to tackle her subject head on, but she does it with deep understanding and respect for the subject matter, as well as her characters. Each character is given fears, doubts, passions and hopes. Each is their own person, and each has their flaws and strengths. Each finds their way to fight back and keep going, despite the hate, and Justyce finds, through it all, his own reasons to keep standing, to keep fighting.
There may be an abundance of people trying to keep him down, but there are just as many trying to keep him up. There's always hope for the future.
"Yeah, I grew up in a rough area, but I know I’m a good dude, Martin. I thought if I made sure to be an upstanding member of society, I’d be exempt from the stuff THOSE black guys deal with, you know? Really hard to swallow that I was wrong. All I can think now is ‘How different would things have gone had I not been a black guy?’“...more
I helped kickstart this, because I was so intrigued by the premise. An erotic graphic novel about a 61 year old mortal man falling in love with a vampI helped kickstart this, because I was so intrigued by the premise. An erotic graphic novel about a 61 year old mortal man falling in love with a vampire? Hell yes. These are the vampire stories we deserve.
But honestly this is a very, very tender, warm and loving story of the love that blossoms between two men - one of which will live forever. It's at its heart a story about the things that love will conquer and blind us to, and the dangers of loving truly and deeply, when one of you are destined to leave this earth so much sooner than the other.
And it's an erotic graphic novel. Very erotic. Which I liked. And while it really does put everything on display, it does it with such emotion. And you feel you're trapped in a moment of love between two people. It felt very honest, although, not being a gay man, I don't know how accurate it is.
On the whole I found it incredibly moving. And I cried a lot. Maybe because I was reading it right after breaking up with my boyfriend. But even without that, I think I would've still cried. It's that sort of story.
There's simply something captivating about genuine affection between two people. It punches me right in the heart.
The art is spectacular, too. It's all in black and white and it just fits the story so perfectly? It's all slightly rough lines, soft curves and so much heart. You can tell this is a creation born of passion from Noora Heikkilä, and I cannot wait for the sequel. ...more
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