Josh Krysak
Overall, another solid entry for Glimmer Train. One story, above others, resonated and was so magical. “The Kind I Really Am' by Caro Beth Clark. Really good stuff.
*2.5 This was not one of my favorite collections from Glimmer Train, but I remain a dedicated subscriber to this great series.
Purchased this back issue because I'm a huge O'Nan fan and his short was good. Margo Rabb's was better. Excellent stuff that elevates this collection.
2.5 stars. Great writing and well-drawn characters, as I fully expected. Just not my cup, that's all. Still, enjoyable.
Exceptional. Some stories collected here I was familiar with and had read in other forays, including Blue Devils, which was my introduction to Ballantine so many years ago now when I picked up a used copy of the 1998 Best American Short Stories in the early 2000s, and others, I was not - but all are expertly crafted by the best living American writer with Ballantine's signature style that often captures all the things that make America and Americans and humans unique.
Exceptional. I just simply enjoyed everything about this book. Well written, smart dialogue, interesting storyline, great characters, mystery, intrigue. Highly recommended.
*2.5 stars. As always, exceptionally written and incredibly imaginative but too disjointed and ultimately fails to connect emotionally with the reader. Torpedoes lacks the through-line Ballantine needed to pull the wild, frantic and short-burst chapters together in any meaningful way.
*3.5 stars. Ballantine's writing is so wonderful but this novel was too disjointed and lacking some of the depth of his best works.
*4.5 stars Such a lovely return to Lake Wobegon and the brilliant cast of characters that are so familiar. Laugh-out-loud funny with razor-sharp skewering of small-town life and of the bizarre American political landscape and the global pandemic. Keillor is an exceptional satirist and a keen observer of the human condition.
This book is an exhaustive collection of the wonderful life lessons stacked in scene after scene in Martin Scorsese's masterpiece, Goodfellas. As a fan of this film, second in my mind only to The Godfather Part 2 in the history of gangster movies, this compilation of the insightful interactions that makes the movie pitch perfect is a fun and informative read. In the hands of Ferris, who is never afraid to dissect the deeper meaning of human exchanges, it is a valuable tool that walks the line between the violent fun and frenetic drama of the film and the relatable takeaways sprinkled liberally in nearly every scene. And to answer your question, yes David, Scorsese's Oscar for The Departed was a make-up call.
*2.5 stars. A bit overwritten and a bit heavy-handed and a bit tedious. John misses the opportunity presented by a fine concept and instead spends 300 plus pages spinning in a kind literary malaise, with very little for readers to connect with.
What an indictment of the horrors of war and the effects of war on all humankind. It looks at heroism and valor and courage in a very unique way and it's about WWI, not WWII, which tends to dominate such historical novels. I really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
*3.5 stars. A bit more contrived than necessary, but still another enjoyable foray into Provence and the lives of Verlaque and Bonnet.
Simply, Poe Ballantine is the best living writer. No one owns the craft as he does.
This book is just wonderful. I was drawn into the flawed and beautiful characters and the claustrophobic world of The Avenue almost immediately. It is such a perfect tapestry of humanity and so sweet without being schlock. Loved it.
*3.5 stars. I recognize the significance of this work for its time and appreciate the Lovecraftian writing style. There is so much more I want to know, but will forever be left wondering. Any enjoyable foray into one of the first works of bizarre fiction that helped pave the way for modern horror masters.
What a trip! Fever dream quality with all the quintessential Jackson hallmarks. And, darkly hysterical.
Loads of fun. A little too much gamer stuff for me, but I was completely drawn into the world and loved the 80s culture references. That's my wheelhouse.
Reread in fall 2019 - just as much fun.
*2.5 stars. There is something off about this book. I found Lucy and Ian unlikeable, for the most part, and the drawn out lesson from her insanity is so far removed from the narrative that I was just blah by that point. I get why she was upset and I see a very intriguing story hiding beneath this cosmetic one, but it never got there. It was too on the nose at times and other times meandered into meaninglessness. I liked the book references, obviously, and I don't question Makkai's writing talent, but I did suffer her soapbox approach to all her issue-driven parts of the story arch and it was too much for me. She wanted to show some mirroring between the horrors Ian was facing and the insanity he was permitted to endure by allowing him to highjack an adult for a road trip/escape and it just didn't work. It felt like a millennial railing against right wing ideology but having no chops to back it up or present an argument to the contrary...”Bush sucks. Religious zealots suck. Bigotry sucks...” But I (Lucy, Makkai) also suck because I can't face these real issues like an adult or in a meaningful way or even present a narrative between my two lead characters that does much of anything more than babble. I earn some grace because I fall back on books and the world they create and the lessons they hold and in these moments the story attempts to claw its way out...but, alas, I suck because I end right back in my whining, faux allegorical take. “I did a kinda awful thing, but I had reasons!” Meh.
A great crime novel with a Tana French feel. Real character development, coupled with a solid story and all the musts of a police procedural. I enjoyed this and I am now very much looking forward to Kurt Wallander's next case.