Yamato
Mediocre, but I still have some fondness for it because nostalgia is one hell of a drug
They really put all of the good short stories at the start of this compilation, leaving the middle and end to be a slog to get through.
If the book had the absolute balls to actually send Jane back to the 70s, this would be the most heartbreaking, emotional book ever, but the book plays it safe and goes for the happy ending, leading to a very enjoyable, wholesome lesbian romance
An unnecessary addition to the Simonverse, though it is great to see these characters one last time
Elizabeth Zott is one of the best protagonists out of the hundreds of books I've read and puts her into a multitude of scenarios that constantly put her charismatic personality against the patriarchy while she tries to dismantle the bigotry within society. Absolutely deserves the book of the year from Barnes and Noble.
It's not too late to fall in love, ask the special one out. After all, we have a short time left on this planet, so we might as well live with no regrets. The characters in the Simonverse are graduating, falling in and out of love, and dealing with the inevitability and consequences of moving onto the next chapter in life.
A very strong work from Murakami marred by an absurd amount of incest. Despite incest related complications, Murakami still weaves a compelling narrative with some shockingly progressive views for his time.
“If gender has always been a construct, then why not construct new ones?”
One of the most thought provoking short stories that I've read, making me reconsider my preconceived notions of gender and how it affects the world around us. The story around this short story might be more well known, but do yourself a favor and read this short story.
High school can be restricting, suffocating, torturous. But it can also lead to strong friendships, electric romance, and bitter rivalries with intensities stronger than anything else life can offer. I Kissed Shara Wheeler explores this in a fast paced, fun, emotional way.
Really powerful, well researched nonfiction narrative, but the sections detailing sports legislation are so painfully dull
When a town's entire culture is based on hockey, and something threatens to destroy that, how does the town react? Painful to read at so many moments, but kindness comes from unexpected places and maybe everything will all work out in the end. Beartown hits hard emotionally and isn't the best Backman story to start with,but is so worth it in the end. (Read trigger warnings before starting)
