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emilyinherhead's reviews
1043 reviews
McSweeney's #69 by Dave Eggers, Claire Boyle
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This is one of the strongest McSweeney’s collections I’ve read in recent memory. Usually there are a few stories that aren’t for me, or about which I have “meh” reactions, but not here. No skips! Even the letters at the beginning were especially strong.
These stories are all over the place in topic and plot details, but there’s a common undercurrent of weirdness that I really loved.
A few favorites from the collection:
These stories are all over the place in topic and plot details, but there’s a common undercurrent of weirdness that I really loved.
A few favorites from the collection:
- “The New Toe” by Zach Williams, about a father who is giving his son a bath when we notices a sixth toe that has sprouted on his son’s left foot
- “18 or 34 Miles from Perennial Square” by Max Delsohn, in which two trans masc lovers go camping, and when one wanders away from the campsite after a disagreement, he finds and hunts a wild dick in the woods with the hopes of having it transplanted onto himself
- “True, False, Floating” by Mel Kassel, about a young woman who, as part of her bachelorette party, invites three friends to have a bizarre and invasive rib-reading procedure
- “The New Maite” by Yohanca Delgado, in which the titular Maite, mentally and emotionally struggling after a couple of miscarriages, goes to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and ends up meeting a clone of herself
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a book about a lot of things: money, work, race, shame, gossip, misunderstanding, queerness, family, trauma, power, and more. It’s told from a few alternating points of view, which really plays up some of the drama.
And wow, what a ride. On the surface, not much happens, but when you tune in to the nuances of college dorm life, there’s a whole world of delicious detail to notice and sink into. The chaos of the 37-year-old journalist character, Agatha’s, life as well—girl.
I turned the pages of this book so fast, and I will be thinking about the trainwreck ending for quite a while. Come & Get It might not be for everyone, but the fact that Kiley Reid can tell a story is truly undeniable.
And wow, what a ride. On the surface, not much happens, but when you tune in to the nuances of college dorm life, there’s a whole world of delicious detail to notice and sink into. The chaos of the 37-year-old journalist character, Agatha’s, life as well—girl.
I turned the pages of this book so fast, and I will be thinking about the trainwreck ending for quite a while. Come & Get It might not be for everyone, but the fact that Kiley Reid can tell a story is truly undeniable.
Erasure by Percival Everett
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
If I didn’t already know this book was published in 2001, I would have completely believed that it just came out.
The plot is something I could see happening in 2024. Diligent, well-educated Black author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison writes a string of academically-focused books on a variety of subjects, yet fails to reach wider readership or gain critical acclaim; meanwhile, another Black author produces a pandering, over-the-top, dialect- and stereotype-laden novel about The Black Experience, and gets an enormous advance, a movie deal, and widespread popularity. And then, when Monk hastily dashes off a similar book under a pseudonym, as a mockery of the massively successful one, it instantly takes off.
Erasure is funny, sharp, and also deeply sad—as Monk’s life is exploding with new wealth and opportunity, he is also going through staggering personal loss. My only complaint is that when it ended, I wished there were more to the story.
The plot is something I could see happening in 2024. Diligent, well-educated Black author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison writes a string of academically-focused books on a variety of subjects, yet fails to reach wider readership or gain critical acclaim; meanwhile, another Black author produces a pandering, over-the-top, dialect- and stereotype-laden novel about The Black Experience, and gets an enormous advance, a movie deal, and widespread popularity. And then, when Monk hastily dashes off a similar book under a pseudonym, as a mockery of the massively successful one, it instantly takes off.
Erasure is funny, sharp, and also deeply sad—as Monk’s life is exploding with new wealth and opportunity, he is also going through staggering personal loss. My only complaint is that when it ended, I wished there were more to the story.
Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith
Patti Smith has a beautiful way of writing that is both mundane and dream-like. She describes what she’s doing and where she’s going in the physical world, but as she goes, she is making references, drawing connections, and remembering and learning from the past. To sum her up in a phrase, I’d call her a philosophical tumbleweed. Always observing.
Her book M Train is one of my very favorites, and while it may take Year of the Monkey some time to grow on me to that degree, I did immediately love the way Smith tidily encapsulates a calendar year. The added epilogue to an epilogue, which addresses the approaching coronavirus pandemic, is also excellent.
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
I could feel the gravitational pull of home, which when I’m home too long becomes the gravitational pull of somewhere else.
Patti Smith has a beautiful way of writing that is both mundane and dream-like. She describes what she’s doing and where she’s going in the physical world, but as she goes, she is making references, drawing connections, and remembering and learning from the past. To sum her up in a phrase, I’d call her a philosophical tumbleweed. Always observing.
Her book M Train is one of my very favorites, and while it may take Year of the Monkey some time to grow on me to that degree, I did immediately love the way Smith tidily encapsulates a calendar year. The added epilogue to an epilogue, which addresses the approaching coronavirus pandemic, is also excellent.
Yet I keep thinking that something wonderful is about to happen. Maybe tomorrow. A tomorrow following a whole succession of tomorrows.
Felicity: Poems by Mary Oliver
I don’t have much to say about this collection, other than Mary Oliver is a master of what she does, and what she does is write some of my favorite poetry I’ve ever read. In this collection, which is largely about nature and love, she made me cry several times, the most notable of which was about a cricket. So.
Favorites:
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
There is nothing more pathetic than caution
when headlong might save a life,
even, possibly, your own.
(9, from “Moments”)
I don’t have much to say about this collection, other than Mary Oliver is a master of what she does, and what she does is write some of my favorite poetry I’ve ever read. In this collection, which is largely about nature and love, she made me cry several times, the most notable of which was about a cricket. So.
Favorites:
- “Moments”
- “Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way”
- “Nothing is Too Small Not to Be Wondered About” (THE CRICKET ONE)
- “Storage”
- “I Did Think, Let’s Go About This Slowly”
- “A Voice from I Don’t Know Where”
Things take the time they take.
Don’t worry.
(3, from “Don’t Worry”)
Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee
Jonathan Abernathy is a young man who is deep in debt and willing to do almost anything to get out, including accepting the bizarre job of “dream auditor,” which involves entering other people’s dreams and identifying troubling elements for removal. But, though the stated goal of this work is to reduce the dreamers’ anxiety and increase their productivity, the actual result of Abernathy’s employment can only be described as chaos and, frankly, horror.
Through a surreal and dream-like story, Molly McGhee examines the real-world issues of poverty, burnout, and the American system of debt. Her writing creates a constant sense of unease and fear, even while much of this novel is simultaneously quite funny. I wildly cycled between feeling bad for Abernathy, despising him for being so clueless, and wishing I could shake him and give him a hug. The way McGhee lays out “what could have been” had Abernathy only acted a bit differently in a given situation, and then goes on to detail what he actually does and how it goes, is devastating.
This novel left me with a horrible feeling of dread, but I loved it. If you’re into weird books, pick this one up.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It is better to feel dread often, rather than always—isn’t it? Abernathy has already resigned himself to the trade off. He forgoes his fanancial instability and constant anxiety and instead accepts a shitty boss who he, somehow, both hates and empathizes with. What worker hasn’t made the same sacrifice?
Jonathan Abernathy is a young man who is deep in debt and willing to do almost anything to get out, including accepting the bizarre job of “dream auditor,” which involves entering other people’s dreams and identifying troubling elements for removal. But, though the stated goal of this work is to reduce the dreamers’ anxiety and increase their productivity, the actual result of Abernathy’s employment can only be described as chaos and, frankly, horror.
Through a surreal and dream-like story, Molly McGhee examines the real-world issues of poverty, burnout, and the American system of debt. Her writing creates a constant sense of unease and fear, even while much of this novel is simultaneously quite funny. I wildly cycled between feeling bad for Abernathy, despising him for being so clueless, and wishing I could shake him and give him a hug. The way McGhee lays out “what could have been” had Abernathy only acted a bit differently in a given situation, and then goes on to detail what he actually does and how it goes, is devastating.
This novel left me with a horrible feeling of dread, but I loved it. If you’re into weird books, pick this one up.
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
Enid is a young, queer, neurodivergent woman who is deaf in one ear, terrified of bald men, obsessed with space and true crime, and convinced that someone is following her. She is both a mess of a character and a deeply lovable and relatable one.
Over the span of this story, Enid is worrying about her depressed mother, trying to succeed at work despite needing to collaborate with a bald collegue, finding her place amongst her late father’s “other family,” and trying to figure out who might be lurking around her apartment and why—all while navigating the complexities and nuances of her hearing loss and mental health.
Emily Austin is somehow able to balance humor and deep feeling in the most perfectly compelling way. I laughed, I got teary, I felt seen and comforted. I wanted to hug this book to my chest when I finished it. I’m already eagerly anticipating whatever Austin writes next.
(Thank you to Net Galley and Atria for my digital advance copy)
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Sometimes you have to joke about things like pickling murdered teenagers. It’s a coping mechanism. It takes the darkness out at the knees.
Enid is a young, queer, neurodivergent woman who is deaf in one ear, terrified of bald men, obsessed with space and true crime, and convinced that someone is following her. She is both a mess of a character and a deeply lovable and relatable one.
Over the span of this story, Enid is worrying about her depressed mother, trying to succeed at work despite needing to collaborate with a bald collegue, finding her place amongst her late father’s “other family,” and trying to figure out who might be lurking around her apartment and why—all while navigating the complexities and nuances of her hearing loss and mental health.
Whenever I see my mom watching her food cook in the oven, I sit next to her and look in. You can’t kill yourself in modern ovens. Well, I’m sure you coud. You could kill yourself with anything if you tried hard enough. When we sit there, though, I feel like we are moths drawn to the memory of what an oven can do to sad women.
Emily Austin is somehow able to balance humor and deep feeling in the most perfectly compelling way. I laughed, I got teary, I felt seen and comforted. I wanted to hug this book to my chest when I finished it. I’m already eagerly anticipating whatever Austin writes next.
(Thank you to Net Galley and Atria for my digital advance copy)
Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume
Ray, a man who is “too old for starting over, too young for giving up,” adopts a one-eyed dog appropriately called One-Eye, and this novel follows their relationship over the course of four seasons. In the first section, I thought I knew how their story would go, but goodness, I was wrong.
This isn’t a feel-good tale about an isolated older man who gains a renewed vitality and joie de vivre from caring for an animal. Ray gets out of his house, yes, and travels with One-Eye, yes, but he remains at a remove from the world, trapped inside his own paranoia, distrust, and dark past. In many ways I felt sad for him, and also afraid, unsettled.
But the writing! This is absolutely a language book, beautifully composed and begging to be savored. It’s written in second person, from Ray to the “you” of One-Eye. The descriptions of Ray’s world, his thoughts, what he sees in front of him, and what he remembers, are all gorgeous, even when the content is off-putting. And there are a few glimmering moments of hope in all the discomfort and tension:
Despite covering all four seasons, this story felt solidly cold, and a bit lonely, and perfect for reading in winter. I’ll be thinking about Ray and One-Eye for quite a while and looking forward to more of Sara Baume’s work.
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sometimes I see the sadness in you, the same sadness that’s in me. It’s in the way you sigh and stare and hang your head. It’s in the way you never wholly let you guard down and take the world I’ve given you for granted. My sadness isn’t a way I feel but a thing trapped inside the walls of my flesh, like a smog. It takes the sheen off everything. It rolls the world in soot. It saps the power from my limbs and presses my back into a stoop. (47)
Ray, a man who is “too old for starting over, too young for giving up,” adopts a one-eyed dog appropriately called One-Eye, and this novel follows their relationship over the course of four seasons. In the first section, I thought I knew how their story would go, but goodness, I was wrong.
This isn’t a feel-good tale about an isolated older man who gains a renewed vitality and joie de vivre from caring for an animal. Ray gets out of his house, yes, and travels with One-Eye, yes, but he remains at a remove from the world, trapped inside his own paranoia, distrust, and dark past. In many ways I felt sad for him, and also afraid, unsettled.
But the writing! This is absolutely a language book, beautifully composed and begging to be savored. It’s written in second person, from Ray to the “you” of One-Eye. The descriptions of Ray’s world, his thoughts, what he sees in front of him, and what he remembers, are all gorgeous, even when the content is off-putting. And there are a few glimmering moments of hope in all the discomfort and tension:
I realise that your were not born with a predetermined capacity for wonder, as I’d believed. I realise that you fed it up yourself from tiny pieces of the world. I realise it’s up to me to follow your example and nurture my own wonder, morsel by morsel by morsel. (148)
Despite covering all four seasons, this story felt solidly cold, and a bit lonely, and perfect for reading in winter. I’ll be thinking about Ray and One-Eye for quite a while and looking forward to more of Sara Baume’s work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
McSweeney's #72 by James Yeh
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
This issue isn’t as long as it would seem from the page count. It’s broken up into three mini-books: one contains letters and stories like a traditional McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, one has a play called “The Headliners,” and one is Tim Heidecker’s diary “From the Bus” about his summer 2023 The Two Tims tour.
A few of my favorite stories include:
— “Washing Up” by Erin Somers, about a woman who lives in a car wash
— “Time of Useful Consciousness” by Lauren Spohrer, about a fact-checker and also plane crashes?
— “Adjective” by Kristina Ten, about an immigrant woman’s experience at a new job, written in a Mad Libs format
The play, based on two actual vaudeville performers, Eva Tanguay and Julian Eltinge, is a sad, funny, and thoughtful look at queerness, self-expression, and fame during the early 1900s.
I enjoyed Tim Heidecker’s tour diary more than I expected to, considering that I haven’t seen the show, heard his music, listened to “Office Hours Live,” or watched much Tim & Eric. In my mind he’s the pretentious guy from that one I Think You Should Leave sketch who burns his mouth on gazpacho and asks for a nutcracker. But yes, a fun time to ride along on his bus and be inside his head for a bit.
A few of my favorite stories include:
— “Washing Up” by Erin Somers, about a woman who lives in a car wash
— “Time of Useful Consciousness” by Lauren Spohrer, about a fact-checker and also plane crashes?
— “Adjective” by Kristina Ten, about an immigrant woman’s experience at a new job, written in a Mad Libs format
The play, based on two actual vaudeville performers, Eva Tanguay and Julian Eltinge, is a sad, funny, and thoughtful look at queerness, self-expression, and fame during the early 1900s.
I enjoyed Tim Heidecker’s tour diary more than I expected to, considering that I haven’t seen the show, heard his music, listened to “Office Hours Live,” or watched much Tim & Eric. In my mind he’s the pretentious guy from that one I Think You Should Leave sketch who burns his mouth on gazpacho and asks for a nutcracker. But yes, a fun time to ride along on his bus and be inside his head for a bit.
Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Essentially, this is a book about a dysfunctional marriage where the two people need to get a divorce and move on but for some reason they just won’t do it. They’ve both had affairs and outside relationships with each other’s full knowledge, they don’t love each other like they used to, and they both know it’s over. And still, their marriage limps along for three-hundred sixty-one pages.
I didn’t hate Life Before Man, but I also didn’t love it. Many of the ideas were probably edgy and fresh when it was published in 1979, but in 2024 they lack impact. None of the characters are particularly likable or sympathetic, which isn’t a dealbreaker in itself, but I also simply didn’t care about them or what they were going through. Their problems aren’t especially interesting. This could have been about a hundred pages shorter.
I didn’t hate Life Before Man, but I also didn’t love it. Many of the ideas were probably edgy and fresh when it was published in 1979, but in 2024 they lack impact. None of the characters are particularly likable or sympathetic, which isn’t a dealbreaker in itself, but I also simply didn’t care about them or what they were going through. Their problems aren’t especially interesting. This could have been about a hundred pages shorter.