Don't mind me, just reading this so I can read Ava Reid's Lady MacBeth.
I read the Folger Shakespeare Library edition which I'm unable to update due toDon't mind me, just reading this so I can read Ava Reid's Lady MacBeth.
I read the Folger Shakespeare Library edition which I'm unable to update due to Goodreads issues. It included good notes. Also this play was much shorter than I expected. Was worth a read!...more
If you read the first two books in this series and found yourself quite attached to Signa Farrow, the girl who cannot die, and no particular attachmenIf you read the first two books in this series and found yourself quite attached to Signa Farrow, the girl who cannot die, and no particular attachment to Blythe Hawthorne, the girl Signa cannot let die, or worse yet if you dislike Blythe - boy do I have bad news for you with this book. This book is centered entirely on Blythe and Fate as they navigate a seemingly loveless marriage. However, as time passes, their relationship grows and evolves. Along the way, Blythe discovers more about herself - why is she having flashbacks to a life she doesn't recall? Is there, perhaps, more to Blythe than meets the eye?
I had no particular attachment to Signa or Blythe going into this so the perspective shift didn't bother me. Honestly, I found this book to be the strongest in the series. The romance was very good. The mysteries in this book were kind of a let down, they weren't as central to the story as the mysteries were in the two previous novels in the series. Still, I really enjoyed this and am glad I saw this series through to the end.
Sorrow and trouble and bitterness will hound you and yours and the children of yours until Lynn falls and rises again.
So says the curse that has
Sorrow and trouble and bitterness will hound you and yours and the children of yours until Lynn falls and rises again.
So says the curse that has allegedly been placed on the Lynn family. Tearle Lynn is rumored to have killed his father, Nial Lynn, and fled in the dead of winter without a trace, years ago. When Tearle's son, Corbet, returns to the small village to repair Lynn Hall, he catches the eye of both sisters Rois and Laurel Melior. Rois, the wild younger sister who narrates this tale, becomes obsessed with Corbet and his past and the curses placed upon his family while domestic, betrothed Laurel slowly loses herself to loving Corbet.
Moonlight streaked the winds; in the mingling of moon and leaf I saw things that were neither, riding the wild winds. Night-black horses moved fluidly above the ground, silver harness sparked a silver light. Faces as pale and beautiful and distant as the moon flowed past me, as beautiful as Corbet's face. I heard their voices, the heartbeat of hooves, indistinct in the fall and whirl of leaves, the tense, singing winds. I could not move; I could scarcely remember anymore if I were human, or something the wind would snatch up and carry away into the season's end.
This is the first of the ten Patricia McKillip books that I've read that have been narrated in first person. Oddly enough, I'm not sure if it made for a stronger story or not. I've grown so accustomed to the multiple story lines she usually writes and weaves together in the end that this was something of a change of pace. This is ultimately a story about the love between two sisters and the lengths that Rois goes to in order to save her sister. While not one of my favorite McKillip novels, I certainly enjoyed my time with it.
Coraline and her parents have just moved into a new flat. Bored and neglected, Coraline enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring. Then, she discoveCoraline and her parents have just moved into a new flat. Bored and neglected, Coraline enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring. Then, she discovers a door in her new flat - at first, there appears to be only bricks behind the door. Then, she discovers a whole other world with her "other" parents and "other" neighbors behind the door. It is an interesting world, but soon her "other" parents want her to stay and in order to do that, they must make Coraline like them, by sewing buttons in her eyes...
Let me preface this review by stating that I have owned this book for sometime and did not run out to get it the second I heard of Neil Gaiman's scandal. I'm not trying to separate the art from the artist either, I acknowledge the accusations against Neil Gaiman and don't want to detract from them. Coraline is my favorite movie so of course I wanted to read the book someday and today just so happened to be the day.
Oddly enough, I prefer the movie to the book. The structure of the movie just makes more sense - Coraline spends more time with her "other" parents before they ask her to remain in their world. That part of the novel (novella?) appears rushed. That other world in the movie is more attractive, as well - in the book it is interesting, no doubt, but the movie version is the better lure for trying to get Coraline to stay. Still, I did find this really enjoyable and creepy overall.
I don't know if I'll be reading anymore of Neil Gaiman's books, given the accusations against him, which is a shame. He seems to have a lot of interesting books published but, alas.
A Certain Smile is narrated by Dominique, as she tells the story of her affair with an older man, Luc.
Dominique is good friends with both Luc and hisA Certain Smile is narrated by Dominique, as she tells the story of her affair with an older man, Luc.
Dominique is good friends with both Luc and his wife, Françoise, who seeks to make herself a friend of Dominque's. The couple buys her a coat early on in their relationship. When Luc suggests that he and Dominque start an affair, she is at first quite remote. However, eventually, Dominique begins to fall in love with Luc.
I don't know where I'd rank this among the three Françoise Sagan novels I've read (the other two being Bonjour Tristesse and That Mad Ache). They're all equally good in my eyes. If you're looking to read any of her work, any of these three books is a good place to start.
And yet, in certain melancholy moods, I felt forgotten. I'd fallen out of her thoughts. There was no longer any reason to exist in the world. I sof
And yet, in certain melancholy moods, I felt forgotten. I'd fallen out of her thoughts. There was no longer any reason to exist in the world. I softly repeated the word mamma a hundred times, until it lost all meaning and was only an exercise of the lips. I was an orphan with two living mothers. One had given me up with her milk still on my tongue, the other had given me back at the age of thirteen. I was a child of separations, false or unspoken kinships, distances. I no longer knew who I came from. In my heart I don't know even now.
A Girl Returned is told by an unnamed narrator, a young girl of thirteen who has been returned by the only parents she ever knew to her birth parents. There she experiences a much harder life - cruel siblings, slaps from parents, limited food, all while dealing with the upheaval of her life. The only solace she finds is in her sisterhood with Adriana, a girl of ten. This is a story of mother-daughter relationships and sisterhood.
I really enjoyed this one - would definitely recommend it to all lovers of translated Italian literature, mother-daughter relationships, sisterhood, and girlhood.
How infinitely charming those two years with him now seemed, those gay times I was so ready to give up just the other day... the freedom to think f
How infinitely charming those two years with him now seemed, those gay times I was so ready to give up just the other day... the freedom to think for myself, even to think wrongly or not at all, the freedom to choose my own life, to choose myself. I cannot say I wanted to "be myself," for I knew I was still soft clay. But I refused to be molded.
Bonjour Tristesse is narrated by Cécile, a seventeen year old girl, on a summer vacation in France. There she is staying with her father and his latest, younger mistress, Elsa. Both Cécile and her father are carefree individuals, content to pass the summer thoughtlessly - swimming and lazing about on the beach. Then her father invites Anne, a woman his own age and an old friend of Cécile's mother, to stay with them. Shortly thereafter, her father and Anne begin their own affair - threatening their carefree, frivolous lifestyle. Anne puts an end to Cécile's romance with Cyril, an older law student, and demands that Cécile study for her exam. Cécile grows resentful of the intrusion and plots to break up the romance between Anne and her father, with disastrous consequences.
What was the use of arguments or denials when she would receive them with contempt, as if I did not even exist, as if I were something to be squashed underfoot, and not myself, Cécile, whom she had always known.
This novel was a wonderfully atmospheric summer read - with the swimming and laying about on the beach in the sun and heat. Even Cécile and her father are "summer people" - carefree and lazy, content to do nothing while the days pass by. I found Cécile's journey fascinating - going from a carefree teenager to realizing that her actions have consequences and that other people have emotions and thoughts, and are fully fleshed out human beings. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a good coming of age, summer read!
Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki is translated from the Greek by Karen Van Dyck. In this novel, we follow three sisters over the course of three suThree Summers by Margarita Liberaki is translated from the Greek by Karen Van Dyck. In this novel, we follow three sisters over the course of three summers in a small, Greek town. The oldest is romantic Maria, the middle sister is the distant but beautiful Infanta, and the youngest is the wild and stubborn Katerina. The novel is mostly narrated by Katerina though it does offer the third person perspectives of other characters in the community.
During these three summers, we follow the sisters as they experience the highs and lows of love, discover secrets, and interact with their community. It's a light and warm read, perfect for the summertime.
I enjoyed this, though I wish we'd gotten more of Infanta's perspective (then again, that may have been the point since she is quite a distant character). I often struggle with novels where there are too many focal characters and I found my attention wandering a bit as I read from the perspectives of some of the characters in their community; I enjoyed the sections about the three sisters the most. This novel is quite meandering - nothing really happens, making it perfect for summer, in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone looking for a summer read about sisters.
That Mad Ache tells the story of thirty year old Lucile, who is the mistress of fifty year old Charles, a wealthy businessman. Then, at a dinner partyThat Mad Ache tells the story of thirty year old Lucile, who is the mistress of fifty year old Charles, a wealthy businessman. Then, at a dinner party, she meets thirty year old Antoine, a handsome but poor man who is the lover of an older woman, Diane, and through this connection he is able to be a part of high society functions. With Antoine, Lucile knows a passionate relationship while with Charles she has all her needs cared for and is able to pursue a life of leisure and pleasure. However, the time will come when she must choose between those two men and therefore those two lifestyles...
I loved this. It was a bit tell over show but for some reason I didn't mind, similar to Elena Ferrante's writing. I spent all day at work chomping at the bit, waiting to get back home to this to see how it would end - what Lucile's choices would be and how she would get there. It's a fascinating exploration of human nature - can carefree Lucile change her ways? Or is she always destined to be a hedonist?
Having also recently read Bonjour Tristesse, which was written when Sagan was a teenager, and this it was fascinating to see the evolution in her writing. I enjoyed both immensely and intend to read more of her works soon.
The Kites is translated from the French and is narrated by Ludo, a young man with hyperthymesia, or as he calls it, "an excess of memory." EssentiallyThe Kites is translated from the French and is narrated by Ludo, a young man with hyperthymesia, or as he calls it, "an excess of memory." Essentially, he never forgets anything. So one summer day in the woods as a youth, when he meets Lila, the daughter of a Polish aristocrat, he never forgets her. He meets her during the years prior to World War II - as their relationship grows, war draws near. Then, when war breaks out, Lila and her family disappear. Ludo searches for them and along the way joins the French Resistance after being exempted from the war due to being "certified" or, in other words, mentally unwell. On his quest to find Lila and to bring France back, the novel showcases a variety of memorable characters such as his eccentric kite-making uncle, Ambrose Fleury, an equally eccentric Michelin star chef, Marcellin Duprat, and a brothel madam, Julie Espinoza.
This novel is as much a love letter to France as it is a love story. I found the romance to be endearing but the dedication of the French to continue the fight against the Germans after the occupation to be inspiring. It was fascinating to read from the perspective of a French resistance fighter. All things considered, this is quite an uplifting read that ends on a hopeful note.
Soldier Sailor is narrated by Soldier as she speaks to her young son, Sailor, on her early years of motheShortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Soldier Sailor is narrated by Soldier as she speaks to her young son, Sailor, on her early years of motherhood. Her marriage is strained by the effects of child-rearing - and a husband who is unwilling to do his fair share in that regard - and the stress of raising a young son is palpable.
This book was a stressful and frustrating read. Stressful due to the strain of raising a young son and all the things that can go awry with that and frustrating due to Soldier's husband, a professor at the University of Weaponized Incompetence. The atmosphere is almost that of a literary thriller, which is a mark of great writing. Still, despite the stress and lack of support from her husband, Soldier's unconditional love for her son is heart-warming. I am not a mother, but still Soldier's story rings true of the experience, and it made me further appreciate the sacrifices that parents must make to raise their children.
While not my favorite of the shortlisted novels, I wouldn't be mad if this won! It is extremely well-written and I definitely recommend it.
Rating: 4 / 5
The Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist Rankings 1. Brotherless Night 2. Enter Ghost 3. Soldier Sailor 4. The Wren, The Wren 5. Restless Dolly Maunder...more
Mei is half-Japanese, half-white. She loses her Japanese mother at age 6, leaving her largely isolated as an Asian living in England. She grows up in Mei is half-Japanese, half-white. She loses her Japanese mother at age 6, leaving her largely isolated as an Asian living in England. She grows up in suburban Surrey, yearning to fit in, and also yearning for her best friend, Fran.
Yuki is Japanese and has come to London to pursue her dream of playing the violin. There she meets an older man who she begins to have an affair with.
Haruka lives in Japan, working in Tokyo's nightlife scene - partying and working as a sex worker. She lost her mother years before and she is still grappling with the effects of that loss.
This book is easy to describe but for the purposes of this review and avoiding spoilers, it is not. All I'll say is that the connection between these three women is slowly revealed over the course of the novel. Also, while the book is called "mongrel," a slur for a mixed race person, I felt like that aspect of Mei's identity isn't really explored in depth. I was looking for more along the lines of the exploration I saw in River East, River West. I suppose that was part of the point though, Mei is largely isolated from other Japanese people, facing racism based on her Japanese heritage - there is no nuance to the discrimination (which feels like a silly thing to type, when is racism ever nuanced? But I hope you catch my meaning).
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves books about women.
In 2018, a young man, Diégane Latyr Faye, reads a novel called The Labyrinth of Inhumanity and becomes obsessed with it. The Labyrinth of Inhumanity wIn 2018, a young man, Diégane Latyr Faye, reads a novel called The Labyrinth of Inhumanity and becomes obsessed with it. The Labyrinth of Inhumanity was published be a Senegalese author, T.C. Elimane, in the 1930s and then, following a plagiarism scandal, the author disappeared, never to publish another work. This novel is Faye's quest to find answers - it spans three continents and over 100 years, and is told from multiple perspectives and in multiple forms - narrative, articles, letters, etc.
I did really enjoy this novel but it wasn't quite all that I wanted it to be. The premise sounded similar to The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, a novel I read last year and was possibly my favorite book of the year. The Most Secret Memory of Men is immense in the lands and decades it touches upon, certainly, but it doesn't have the same layering of mystery as The Distant Hours. I loved the breadth of this, though, and the mysticism intermingled with the story but was slightly disappointed, I can't lie.
I would still highly recommend this novel to lovers of translated fiction with a wide scope.
The Maiden tells the stories of multiple women, but two in particular - Christian Nimmo and Violet Blyth, Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
The Maiden tells the stories of multiple women, but two in particular - Christian Nimmo and Violet Blyth, alternating between the perspectives of both. Christian Nimmo is accused of having an affair with her uncle and murdering him. Violet is the star witness at her trial. But what really happened and how did Lord James Forrester's death come to be?
Of the longlisted books for the Women's Prize for Fiction, this one jumped out to me immediately. And I did really enjoy it. Violet reminded me of a character from Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens, a book I read and enjoyed last year. The crime itself made for an interesting premise but the journey to that point and the aftermath were equally fascinating. I found this story to be well-plotted and equally well-paced, definitely deserving of its spot on the longlist. I also hope to read Kate Foster's next book coming out in June. Definitely recommend this one!...more
On a hot afternoon, Enero, El Negro, and their late friend Eusebio's son, Tilo, are fishing on an islandShortlisted for the International Booker Prize
On a hot afternoon, Enero, El Negro, and their late friend Eusebio's son, Tilo, are fishing on an island in the Paraná Delta. They struggle to catch a sting ray until Enero pulls out a gun and shoots it three times. Afterwards, the hang the stingray from a tree to rot. Later, Enero takes the ray back to the river and dumps it. This attracts outrage from the islanders against outsiders and they plot revenge against the three men.
This was not an easy read to follow along with due to the way this novel moves through time, backwards and forwards, without any clear direction on what time period you're in relative to any other time period. There are no chapters, the novel is broken up by page breaks, and there are also no dialogue tags so the novel almost resembles a work of prose. You really have no choice but to allow the river to take you, so to speak, and try your best to follow along.
I think I preferred Selva Almada's Brickmakers to this but overall I really enjoyed trying to sort through the shifts in time in this novel. After all, not everything should be handed to the reader and some things should require interpretation and thought!
The Fair Folk tells the story of Felicity and her dealings with fairies. The first two parts are about her as a young girl, aged 8-10, as she meets faThe Fair Folk tells the story of Felicity and her dealings with fairies. The first two parts are about her as a young girl, aged 8-10, as she meets fairies in the woods. She is awed by them and their magic and longs to stay, but is told she cannot. The next four parts are about Felicity as a university student. Two of the fairies - Elfrida and Hob - are still with her, following her on her adventures. Meanwhile, she meets a professor with whom she attempts to learn more about the fairies - and what they want from her.
The first two parts were the strongest and most interesting to me. I cared most about the characters introduced in these first two parts, as well. Most of this novel, however, is centered around Felicity's life as a university student - her studies, her romance with the young actor Sebastian, and her dealings with the fairies and trying to discover more about them.
I thought this was an entertaining read - particularly for those interested in the fair folk and the myths and legends surrounding them!...more
Enter Ghost is narrated by Sonia Nasir, a moderately successful, British-Palestinian actress who, while oShortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Enter Ghost is narrated by Sonia Nasir, a moderately successful, British-Palestinian actress who, while on holiday from her life in Britain, comes to Palestine for the first time in many years to stay with her sister, Haneen. There, she meets Mariam who is directing a production of Hamlet in Arabic and Sonia ends up joining the cast, despite her initial reluctance. The story that unfolds is the process through which the play comes into existence and the many obstacles that the troupe encounters in bringing this play to life.
This story is told in possibly my perfect sort of prose - descriptive, but not too flowery, and engaging. This is an important story, as all stories about Palestine are, and details life in Palestine. How each character is able to move through their setting varies based on citizenship - some have Israeli passports, some, like Sonia, have only foreign passports, and some have only West Bank ID cards. They face interrogations and other obstacles from the Israeli soldiers. I found it fascinating to learn about. Some of the other obstacles the characters face are a mole in their ranks and violence from Israeli soldiers. And yet, the cast of this play persists through it all to get their play to opening night.
Hammad tries to paint a larger picture of life in Palestine through this novel. Amongst these is also some heartbreaking scenes about a character on a hunger strike in this novel.
I've never actually read Hamlet, so I can't comment much on that aspect of the novel - maybe my appreciation would be greater if I had read it, who knows! Either way, I highly recommend this one. This is well-deserving of its place on the shortlist of the women's prize for fiction....more
***6/13/2024*** Winner of the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction This was my favorite of the shortlist so I'm pretty pleased with this result!
***5/18/2024*****6/13/2024*** Winner of the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction This was my favorite of the shortlist so I'm pretty pleased with this result!
***5/18/2024*** Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Brotherless Night is narrated by Sashi as she recounts her time growing up in Sri Lanka and the early days of the civil war in Sri Lanka. It follows her close knit family which features Sashi's four brothers - Niranjan, Dayalan, Seelan, and Aran - as well as their best friend, K, and shows the violence wreaked upon them. Sashi spends her early days in Jaffna training to be a doctor and eventually goes to university to study medicine. Eventually, she starts working at the field hospital for "the movement" - the Tigers, an organization involved in fighting back against the government's oppression of the Tamil people.
Good fiction has the power to transport you to places you aren't familiar with and Brotherless Night definitely falls in that category for me. I had no idea about the civil war in Sri Lanka, which lasted 30 years, or the nature of that conflict. Told in such a deeply personal way, this novel brings the conflict to life. Characters you learn to love and care about are harmed and you feel for them and their families.
This was a truly excellent novel - super well-written and heartbreaking. I highly recommend it; definitely deserving of its place on the shortlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist Rankings 1. Brotherless Night 2. Enter Ghost...more
Loading...
