Gabriela
Sometimes a book tugs at your heartstrings just the right way, which means you spend a good chunk of the book having either an existential crisis or feeling intense emotional pain (in the best way possible). This is a wonderful story about life, death, and regret. I cannot recommend this highly enough. One of my favorite reads this year!
Madeline Miller doesn't miss! This was so different from The Song of Achilles, yet it still shares the same essential qualities of what makes a compelling novel. This story had a chokehold on me since the moment I first started reading it. Without giving any spoilers, this was the perfect book to transition me from the hot summer days to the hopefully soon to come autumn vibes. A new favorite, for sure.
PS: If you are going to read both, read Song of Achilles first. They're standalone, but they make many references to that story here. Unless you're already super well versed in Greek mythology, then it probably won't make a difference.
3.5. I didn't know about Ariel Levy before reading this book, but I thought this was a compelling memoir. Without getting into many spoilers, it's about wanting to have it all in life, the sacrifices we are forced to make (especially as women), it's about love, lust, marriage, motherhood, grief, addiction, and growth. The writing is fantastic and I highlighted so many quotes that hit really close to my heart.
However, I experienced something weird reading this; while I related or empathized with a lot of what she went through, I also felt somewhat disconnected with the story and therefore didn't feel like it hit me emotionally in the way I wanted it to. I know that is a weird thing to say about someone's real life story. So many tragic things happened. But I didn't connect with the text in the way such a story should've. It's the kind of book I am glad I read, but I'm not going to run to recommend to everyone around me.
This is a difficult book to rate. The story at face value is delightful, heartwarming and inspiring. I fell in love with these characters and their stories. I laughed and teared up in so many moments! I think this story will stay with me forever. The writing and tone of the book reminded me of reading a children's story, while also being incredibly profound.
While reading it, I thought it was quite effective at discussing the harms of queerphobia, xenophobia, and the power of found families. However, I have read that the author took inspiration from The 60s Scoop to develop this plot, an abhorrent period of indigenous genocide in Canada. The final text is not really about that, but it does feel a bit icky to use events from that period as plot points of a feel-good fantasy book.
Ultimately, my rating reflects my experience and enjoyment of the book in its final form, not the author's sources of inspiration. You're free to take that context into account when choosing wether or not to read this book.
3.5. I did enjoy reading this, but not as much as I expected. It was interesting, definitely more character-driven than plot-driven. This falls in a weird spot for me because, of course it's disturbing, but also not disturbing enough to feel like it was challenging my thoughts or expectations. I know that's a weird thing to say, but I just think Irina had very clear psychopathic tendencies so I didn't find her actions to be that unpredictable. In a way, I did feel like I understood this character's worldview, which is to Eliza Clark's credit. I liked reading it. I can see why some people loved it. It was good, but not great.
Merged review:
3.5. I did enjoy reading this, but not as much as I expected. It was interesting, definitely more character-driven than plot-driven. This falls in a weird spot for me because, of course it's disturbing, but also not disturbing enough to feel like it was challenging my thoughts or expectations. I know that's a weird thing to say, but I just think Irina had very clear psychopathic tendencies so I didn't find her actions to be that unpredictable. In a way, I did feel like I understood this character's worldview, which is to Eliza Clark's credit. I liked reading it. I can see why some people loved it. It was good, but not great.
I thought this story was incredibly engaging and compelling, even reading this as a 30-year-old. These characters had a lot of depth and felt like real, complete people. Ultimately, this is a coming of age story about characters who feel like a path has been traced for them, but they have lost themselves in the process of doing “what's expected from them.” This novel also explores topics like identity, sexuality, and friendship. As a YA novel, I think it is very successful and delivers a powerful message to young people. It made me laugh. It made me cry. And it was definitely a page-turner. Alice doesn't miss, doesn't she?
Wow. Certainly one of my favorite reads of this year. This a powerful story that explores the idea of bodily autonomy vs imposed control. It approaches this topic from a variety of angles and perspectives, including religion, motherhood, and illness. Elena is dealing with a severe case of Parkinson's while also coming to terms with her daughter's death. Her grief and denial takes her on a journey to understand her daughter and her role as a mother. An intense story that will grip you tight and challenge your own ideas about the themes presented here.
4.5. I loved it. It was so good. I have to admit I struggled through the first part because of the immense amount of places, rooms, and things described, but I was so intrigued with the story and the way Piranesi saw the world. I know this book will not be for everyone, but I thought it was beautifully written, with an engaging plot, and characters that you couldn't help want to know better. Ultimately, I think this is a story about identity, about connecting with others, and connecting with your environment. How seeing the world through the lens of being grateful, kind, and curious will reveal the true beauty of our surroundings. Piranesi's empathy and passion for life was so compelling and pure.
Sometimes a cheesy romcom books just hits all the right notes for you (and maybe hits a bit too close to home). Their chemistry was undeniable, but I think my favorite parts were about Nora and Libby's relationship. This is a book about love, but also identity, family, grief, and what the compromises life forces us to make in the pursuit of the happiness of those you love. This is definitely not a book everyone would deem worthy of five stars, but when a book hits you in a very specific way, you gotta give it to it. Also, I devoured this in 24 hours!
4.5 stars. I absolutely adored this story. These characters stole my heart. I will say the setting and plot of this story is as cheesy as it gets, but it's the best kind of escapism. It was so heartwarming, and sad, and vulnerable. I appreciated the discussions of mental health and how it approaches queerness. I cried, screamed, and laughed. I absolutely recommend this book!
This book has no business being this fun and sweet. Really loved it. It's probably a 4.25 for me. They have great chemistry and the characters are so well written. I find stories like these to be a harder for me to suspend my disbelief on, but that doesn't make the experience of reading it any less fun. Oh, I wish we lived in a society closer to what was portrayed here...
This book was insane. Unhinged. But ultimately so enjoyable and fun. My internal monologue was mostly “wtf is going on” but in the best way possible. I really liked it, but it's also the kind of book I can't imagine recommending to anyone I know. It's simply bizarre. So if this sounds like a rabbit hole you'd like to go down into, it will be certainly an exciting experience.
Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. I loved this story and these characters. I did struggle to get through it and stay with it for long periods of time; I finished 10 books between me stating this book and finishing it! But I am so glad I kept coming back to it. In the end, this was a wonderful story about love, grief, and found families.
3.5 Joan Didion is a spectacular writer. I did find the exploration of grief interesting, complex, and nuanced. I found her tendency to focus on getting information and taking control in moments of crisis relatable. However, for a book focused on so many emotionally charged topics, this book made me feel nothing. I cannot put my finger on why this is, but it did not tug on the heartstrings in the way I wanted it to. If I had to guess, this same tendency to rationalize emotional situations to prevent yourself from feeling the full extent of the pain had the same effect on me, as a reader. It was good, but it wasn't great.
If I could give it six stars, I would. This book is an absolute delight to read. Open Water is written in some of the most lyrical and poetic prose I've ever read; its words feel like music. I rarely do this, but I had to read most of this book aloud because the rhythm and lyricism demanded to be experienced that way. I underlined and tabbed so many amazing quotes and many profound ideas. I love it.
This book is about love, music, language, identity, joy, and the fears that unfortunately come with the black experience in many cities. It's subtle and brutal at the same time. This is a book that both softly sings to you and loudly screams about how much pain there is in love, in being, in being perceived, in being vulnerable, in being reduced to a body. I encourage you to listen to this book with the Open Water Spotify playlist nearby; the music will only enhance and help tell this delightful story.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. And I'm pausing my book-buying-ban to go buy Caleb's new book immediately!
The beginning of this book almost put me in a reading slump. Something about the pacing felt off. This felt like watching a reality show about rich people. The second half of the book did get better, the story managed to grip me, and I was satisfied with the story. However, I just didn't connect with the characters in any deep, meaningful way. Maybe I'm not the target audience, being a young woman without kids, but something about the writing style prevented me from caring about these fictional characters. I also feel like Mara's thing had so much more to give, and so much potential to add this additional element to the story. With so much tragedy and drama, I was hoping to feel something more as I read these pages. Alas, it's the story that we got. And it's a good story, but not a great story. It's probably a 3.5 if I could give half-star ratings.
I loved the story and the concept a lot. The only thing that holds this back from being a five-star rating is the writing style. There were so many times that I wished the author/translator had painted a picture with words instead of plainly describing the scene. It lacked beautiful writing, but it was rich in compelling stories, characters, and moments of devastating emotions. I cried like a baby reading this book more than a few times. I will read the other books in this series because I think the concept of this cafe is special and worth revisiting.
If I didn't have to give full stars, this would likely be a 4.5, but I'm rounding up because I really loved this book. I loved getting to know these characters. Through reading this book, you start to get to know Eleanor, her way of thinking, her routines, and her story. Told from her perspective, you see the world through her eyes and the stories she tells herself. It's equal parts delightful and tragic. I miss her already!
I really enjoyed this book. I found myself desperate to know where this went, on the edge of my seat with every chapter. The end was more subtle than I expected, but as I grapple with my expectations, I am also fascinated by how this story was told. It takes time to understand this story, told through the lens of the mothers of several generations. It's a study on motherhood, the expectations people put on women and mothers, grief, and generational trauma.
The book's climax was undeniably in the middle of the book. The second part of this book explores grief in a very detailed and compelling way. But it also loses a bit of the tension by punching you in the heart early on, as we try to understand that event through the eyes of someone we don't know is a reliable narrator or not.
What holds this book back from a 5-star rating is its ending. I kept expecting a huge twist or some chapter that revealed something that made everything suddenly make sense. We didn't get that, but rather we confirmed the suspicion we had all along. For as thrilling and confused as I was throughout the chapters, I wanted something more impactful as an ending.