rip franz kafka you would have loved real estate brokers
some of these stories were really good and really captured the kafkaesque scary grueling monotrip franz kafka you would have loved real estate brokers
some of these stories were really good and really captured the kafkaesque scary grueling monotony of bureaucracy in modern life: undergoing MRIs you don't think you need, that elif batuman rendering of buying an apartment.
some of these were really good but not kafkaqesue: yiyun li's carrollian dialogue between punctuation, tommy orange's look at k-holes.
some stories were not good, but kafkaesque, which is kind of a compliment in and of itself really — rarely do you break from actual kafka to take the time to be like, wow, this is so lovely.
and some of course were neither good nor kafkaesque.
that's the trade you take, i guess.
bottom line: i mostly read this as an excuse to say kafkaesque, in case you couldn't tell.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
--------------------- tbr review
an all star lineup of authors writing like kafka? am i dreaming...more
sometimes you encounter an author's mind that's so one of a kind you're like yeah. i'll read whatever you writesometimes you encounter an author's mind that's so one of a kind you're like yeah. i'll read whatever you write...more
i love blurbs. now i get to read a book because an author i like told me to!
anyway.
for most of this book, you're kind of like "i wonder what's happeni love blurbs. now i get to read a book because an author i like told me to!
anyway.
for most of this book, you're kind of like "i wonder what's happening here." it's sort of ambling along, following a small group of characters. you've been dropped right in the middle of someone's life, and the narrator is not doing any more to explain where you are or why than someone's internal monologue would happen to touch on. for the first 200 pages, you'll just be like, "this is kind of weird." not bad, not good, not memorable, just weird.
then for the last few dozen you will feel such a range of emotions you might catch yourself crying without noticing.
bottom line: a very strange reading experience. i recommend it.
can't wait to read this armed with the knowledge i can picture a saoirse ronan performance as the protagonistcan't wait to read this armed with the knowledge i can picture a saoirse ronan performance as the protagonist...more
having that moment when you didn't like one book by an author but you think there's a chance you might like a different one (based on no evidence)having that moment when you didn't like one book by an author but you think there's a chance you might like a different one (based on no evidence)...more
“To encounter these achingly truthful, beautiful stories of newcomer Americans is like gazing up at the starry vault of a perfect night sky; it’s imme“To encounter these achingly truthful, beautiful stories of newcomer Americans is like gazing up at the starry vault of a perfect night sky; it’s immediately dazzling and impressive, and yet the closer and deeper you look, the more you appreciate the sheer countless brilliance.” — Chang-rae Lee
the way i just smashed that want to read button....more
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