Kalliope
The following is a discussion post I wrote for my Women and Gender Studies intro course regarding this book, which we were asked to read for our “big assignment”:
I would like to take this opportunity to air some of my grievances about Typical American. I mean this as an opinionated response, and I don't mean to offend anybody who enjoys this book at all.
I had been looking forward to starting to read this book, because I tend to enjoy books about immigrants and foreigners who experience American culture for the first time. I initially thought it was an odd choice for a women and gender studies course, but as we began discussing intersectionality as it relates to feminism, I started to get excited to read it and examine the feminist and cultural underpinnings in the story. I especially like to hear Asian people's experiences in America, since I used to tutor Chinese and Korean people of varying ages in English speaking, reading, and writing.
However, I'll admit I am about halfway through the book and I am not enjoying it at all. The primary reason is the prose, or the way the story is told. Typical American is described on Goodreads as “a superbly engrossing story that resonates with wit and wisdom” but I don't see that at all. The prose is more often confusing, rushed, and not engaging than wise or witty. It's like the author spends too much time developing scenes that are neither important nor interesting and does not take care to develop ones that illustrate what the characters want or where the plot is going.
I also dislike the characters simply because they are not well-written or interesting or lifelike. It is difficult for me to care about them as people or about what happens to them in the story. I don't mind that at times they behave unethically and selfishly; many excellent books portray flawed characters. The difference is, however, that we become interested in these characters, either because of or despite these flaws. That is where the prose needs to come in to paint a picture of interesting, lifelike characters. For example, Rubeus Hagrid from Harry Potter is one of my all-time favorite characters. He is incredibly flawed; he is irresponsible and reckless, but the way he is written, as well as the times when he redeems himself, makes him enjoyable to read about.
This is not to say that the book does not have its instances where feminism, culture, and other ideas can be identified and examined. I'm just not enjoying the journey to get to those instances.
I love these books so much! They're so easy, so effortless, yet memorable, full of heart, and funny in an earnest and nostalgic way. I have absolutely loved the 3 before this one, and I really enjoyed this one as well. However, if I had to rank them, this one would probably be at the bottom. Not for any dealbreaker-type reason. It's just that Mia is in peak neurotic form in this story, almost to the point that I wanted to shake her! But I still loved it and devoured it in a day. I was so excited to revisit Mia's world and bask in the perfection that is Michael Moscovitz. Also exciting to learn that Mia and I are both Tauruses!
Anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with cults. As soon as this book showed up on my radar, I knew I had to read it and I knew I'd love it, too. And love it I did.
From what I can tell, most books dealing with cults are nonfiction, which can be heavy reads emotionally. This is a partly biographical book, very clearly inspired by the Mansons, taking place in 1960s California. But Cline does an amazing job of making it her own world, using eclectic and fantastical ways to describe the ordinary and the disturbing. Her prose alone deserves five stars.
My biggest complaint, though I really did enjoy the book, is that the author spent more time in places that weren't terribly important for the development of the larger story. Though this is a book about a girl who joins a cult, we really don't spend much time with the cult, or with the cult leader for that matter. I was hungry for more cult screentime, but what I got was present-day Evie tolerating characters who weren't particularly interesting, and who disappear before the book's conclusion. Prior to the murder, there is nothing to indicate that the cult is willing and able to kill anyone. I think that if Evie had been present for the murder (which happens in the last 40 pages of the book, making it feel sort of like an afterthought), we would have gotten to see more buildup and a more satisfying climax. We would have gotten to see the cult's descent from harmless hippies to the obedient murderers we came for.
This book NEEDS an extra 100 pages to hit my sweet spot. As it stands, though, I came away somewhat unsatisfied with how the story played out. How about a “sequel” from Suzanne's perspective, Emma Cline?
The reason why I'm reviewing this is not because I finished the book. The reason is, I accidentally misplaced my copy somewhere (trust me, I've looked for it), and none of the libraries around me carry it. I got sick of seeing this book on my Goodreads homepage and not being able to finish it, so I'm rating it based on my impression of the book so far. I'll probably find my copy right after I write this, because that's how the world works.
I picked this up because I really love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a book I have read many, many times since first reading it in high school. I'm pleased to say that the two are similar, but I feel that Joy in the Morning is not nearly as charming nor environmentally encompassing. It relies quite a bit on dialogue, which I'm normally fine with, but I think in this case it's to the detriment of the story because so much of the setting is lost to the reader through dialogue. The characters are enjoyable, but I didn't grow to love them the way I did with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. However, that's probably due to the fact that I lost my book before finishing it.
It's worth checking out for the writing style, but it isn't Betty Smith's best work by any means. I initially picked it up from a used bookstore so I could have something to read on a car trip, and I think that's a great setting for a book like this.
“I know who he is.”
I didn't know this book existed until recently (although I have only just recently watched the first two seasons of the show, plus the movie Fire Walk with Me) but I think it is absolutely essential reading for those who are into Twin Peaks. It was very difficult to tear myself away from this book. It adds so much vividness and emotion to the character Laura Palmer, who viewers of the show/movie know, all told, very little about. I loved this so much; it was lucid and wild and mysterious and so, so sad.
This is my second Stephen King since The Shining in high school. Of the two I think I prefer this one; it is just as horrifying but has the advantage of being closer to home (possibly making it more horrifying?). Good horror, in my opinion, always has a sliver of sorrow included in it, and Carrie definitely has that. The thing that sometimes took me out of the story, though, was the interspersed in-universe pieces of writing (e.g. news articles, book excerpts, etc.). I much prefer to just read a straight narrative of events, rather than “accounts” of events, but that's just me. Happy Halloween!
I can see why this book is on so many favorites lists here on Goodreads! I really enjoyed this. Walls illustrates and expands her childhood world so broadly and fantastically that it indeed felt like fantasy. She wove the story of her childhood and adolescence like an adventure, when in reality it was stitched together with all the horrors of life–poverty, abuse, and unhealthy relationships. At times this book was very frustrating to read–not because of the writing style, but because of how horrific and sad the story was when it could have been anything else. Walls' parents were the most frustrating, yet fascinating, part of the story. They were larger-than-life in their selfish yet childlike and adventurous ways. They painted their experiences like a fairytale they were living in every moment, from petting a live cheetah to sitting hungry in a damp and freezing shack. Perhaps this is how they coped with the lives they led–making it a living story in the present. This is pretty much required reading for memoir lovers.
This was great! I read Eleanor and Park a few years ago, and I liked it quite a bit as well. Fangirl is very much in the same vein: the writing is quirky, emotional, and fun, and so are the characters. I loved the modernized yet classic coming-of-age elements in this story. Fanfiction is uncharted territory in literature, yet it's such a thriving commodity online for young people and adults. As someone who has read and written fanfiction, it was great to see the concept handled so well here. The romance was so sweet. Levi is one of the best male love interests in my recent memory. Burgeoning sexuality in the main character, Cather, is handled excellently. Though infuriatingly self-sabotaging and pessimistic at times, Cather is a great character to follow around in her world. She has a good heart, she is inquisitive and interested in things outside herself, and there. Is. No. Insta-love. THANK YOU!
I didn't give this one a 5-star rating mostly because 1) I didn't feel like the mom plot was wrapped up sufficiently. She wasn't there, then she was, then she wasn't again. I'd have loved to see more of this plot in the story since it was such a problem area for Cather. 2) The Simon Snow bits in between the chapters didn't always make sense in relation to the story itself. I think it would have been more cohesive if it had been strictly Cather's fanfic instead of random portions of her fanfic and the Simon Snow books. These are really small faults I found in the book, but they don't make it unreadable in the slightest. I really enjoyed Fangirl and would recommend it to anyone who loves YA.
I liked this! Sweet, nostalgic, and introspective are a few words I'd tack onto it. Unpredictable it is not. You don't have to be a genius to see where this story is going from the synopsis. But that's okay! I enjoyed the ride.
This book is in the John Green vein, but with one clear distinction: the characters (for the most part) talk like real people, not trendy smug philosophers. It has the sweet wistfulness of a John Green book. Is it stereotypical? A little. Is there obvious symbolism? Yes. Is it still a good book? Yes!
The characters are likable; the story is compelling. I liked the romance quite a lot. It's written sweetly and intelligently, taking note of the little things in a young person's experience. This book makes me want to read–is that weird to say?
My biggest complaint is the writing: Yoon slipped into the “tell, don't show” category more than once. She was trying to cram quite a lot of happenings into a small amount of space. There wasn't enough room for feelings to be felt by the reader. The introduction of emotion in the main character is rushed at times. Look, if I'm going to read a story about a girl who has been cloistered for eighteen years, I want to really experience it. For example, surely she has some social hang-ups, having only been in the presence of a few people in her life? Why is Maddy so perfect in this story? Why is she so composed, intelligent, and articulate? She doesn't even really struggle with her illness much. Olly serves as the catalyst for her yearning to escape the bubble. Before that, though, she doesn't seem to struggle with any character flaw. The only thing I can point to is her complete lack of regard for how a credit card works. Because, wow. :P
I will commend Yoon on her use of illustration and non-traditional text in the story. She includes emails, tickets, receipts, drawings, and notes, which I thought gave the story more style and character where a paragraph of text may not have had much punch. Who doesn't like to look at pictures? :)
I'd totally recommend this! Like I said, it's sweet and romantic. I like how it deals with illness and relationships between people.
This was so fascinating. I'm not really one of those people who studies serial killers, but I do find them interesting to learn about–especially Aileen Wuornos. Like many of them, if she had been given a fairer chance starting out in her life, perhaps her legacy would have been a more constructive one. This book covers 11 years of Aileen's life in prison for the murder of six men (technically seven, but one of the bodies remains undiscovered). It covers all the tediousness and minutia of prison life, but often Aileen reminisces on her life and tells childhood stories. This was the reason I read the book. I wanted to hear her life experience. Who did she care about? What did she care about? What did she like? What did she dislike? Before long my questions got more specific. Why did she have such disdain for people of color? Why did she have such a hard time accepting her own homosexuality when she made frequent references to it in her letters? Why does she deny being abused as a child, when she was a frequent runaway from her home?
Before anyone asks, no, of course I don't applaud her actions. She was a murderer; she confessed herself that all seven men were killed in the first degree. But I cannot write her off because of this. I honestly feel sorry for her; in some ways I kind of like her as a person. Her life experience and character is fascinating to me, and I would recommend this book to anyone who shares my view.
This book is truly a warm cup of cocoa (or dare I say, a cup of raspberry cordial?) for the heart and mind. My inner nature-loving, romance-loving, country girl was beaming from ear to ear reading this. All the characters were so sweet and lovable, even the not-so-nice ones. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
This was fun! I love the idea of devotionals, but had never found one that suited my taste. The authors divide up the week by subject: Monday is history, Tuesday is literature, Wednesday is visual arts, and so on. The book also shows you what week of the year you are on, which is great to help you track your progress. I enjoyed certain subjects (history, philosophy, and religion) more than others (visual arts), but that is to be expected. I love learning, and this little book filled that sweet spot for me. Would definitely recommend!
This is not normally my kind of book. I'd never heard of this author before stumbling onto the book at the Biltmore gift shop (apropos!). I needed something to read on the ride back, so I picked it up. The writing was good, the characters were fine, and the setting was rich and alluring. But until about 3/4 of the way through, this didn't seem at all like a Christian fiction story. There are allusions to the Bible here and there, but nothing to qualify it as such. Religion doesn't seem to be a factor in any of Tillie's decision-making till it's thrust into the story at the climax.
I disliked the love interest and most of the other male characters in the story. They were one-dimensional and leaned misogynistic. Mack's disregard of Tillie's values and choices made me uncomfortable. I don't know exactly what we're supposed to learn from Tillie, because her reasoning turns on a dime. I was with her until she cited God as her reason for the decision. It honestly came out of nowhere.
All things considered, though, this is nothing more than fluffy marshmallow. It's pretty inoffensive and light. I got pretty much what I expected aside from a twist in the story I genuinely did not see coming.
I saw some people complaining about the sexual content in the book. All I have to say is, what sexual content are they talking about? There's a scene, yeah, but it was written in the least lewd manner possible.
