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emilyinherhead's reviews
1043 reviews
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
The observations Adina sends through her fax machine are all so straightforward, but somehow in their simplicity they take on a poignancy and profundity that I didn’t expect. Her description of a friend moving away reminded me a little of a particular Mountain Goats lyric (“an astronaut could have seen the hunger in my eyes from space”) that always knocks me flat:
Just like the humans she encounters in her day-to-day life, Adina feels lonely, sad, and sometimes homesick, more so as her life continues and she experiences loss and begins to question her purpose. She is such a relatable character, and Marie-Helene Bertino portrays her so tenderly—the writing is truly gorgeous.
By the end of Adina’s story, I was sobbing, feeling seen and less alone, overcome by life’s brevity and beauty. It feels impossible to do it justice in a short review, so I will just say: what a special book. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Adina is an alien. She arrives to Earth, born to a single mother in Philadelphia who almost dies giving birth, the same day the Voyager 1 is launched. Her job is to observe humanity, and she takes constant notes which she then transmits to her supervisors via an old fax machine. On the surface, it’s a wacky premise. There is indeed a lot of humor in this book! But it’s so much less wacky than it sounds. And so much deeper, too.
If she believed the T-shirts sold on the boardwalk, a woman was a ball or chain, someone stupid you’re with, someone to lie to so a man can work out or drink beer. If she believed fathers on television shows, women were a constant pain, wanting red roses or a nice dinner out. If she learned how to be a girl from songs, it was worse. If she learned from other girls, worse still.
The observations Adina sends through her fax machine are all so straightforward, but somehow in their simplicity they take on a poignancy and profundity that I didn’t expect. Her description of a friend moving away reminded me a little of a particular Mountain Goats lyric (“an astronaut could have seen the hunger in my eyes from space”) that always knocks me flat:
The car is one of many chugging toward the boulevard, but it contains one of the only humans Adina loves. It is a family moment. She wonders if Hubble can see them with its powerful eye. Five people waving toward a retreating car.
Just like the humans she encounters in her day-to-day life, Adina feels lonely, sad, and sometimes homesick, more so as her life continues and she experiences loss and begins to question her purpose. She is such a relatable character, and Marie-Helene Bertino portrays her so tenderly—the writing is truly gorgeous.
The human lifespan was perfectly designed to be brief but to at times feel endless. A set of years that pass in a minute, eternity in an afternoon.
By the end of Adina’s story, I was sobbing, feeling seen and less alone, overcome by life’s brevity and beauty. It feels impossible to do it justice in a short review, so I will just say: what a special book. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Other People We Married by Emma Straub
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
After reading and loving many of Emma Straub’s more recent novel-length books, I’m not surprised that her debut story collection is also very solid. Here, as in her other work, she mainly focuses on her character’s inner lives and relationships to each other. I could feel a bit of clunkiness in certain places, some spots that could have been better polished, but overall her writing is clear and a pleasure to read.
Some favorite stories:
Some favorite stories:
- “Some People Must Really Fall in Love”
- “A Map of Modern Palm Springs”
- “Pearls”
- “Marjorie and the Birds”
Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom
In this short book of prose poetry, Kai Cheng Thom writes letters to everyone from “the compulsive caregivers” and “the ones who didn’t cry” to the more specific “Jesus Christ” and “J.K. Rowling.” In these letters, she shows remarkable tenderness, encouragement, and grace, even in situations that would normally merit considerable anger.
Much of this writing is directed toward folks who have been ignored, mistreated, or worse by society—trans femmes, especially trans femmes of color, sex workers—but even if you don’t fall into these particular categories, you will find abundant love and gentleness here.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
What happens when we imagine loving the people — and the parts of ourselves — that we do not believe are worthy of love? (5)
In this short book of prose poetry, Kai Cheng Thom writes letters to everyone from “the compulsive caregivers” and “the ones who didn’t cry” to the more specific “Jesus Christ” and “J.K. Rowling.” In these letters, she shows remarkable tenderness, encouragement, and grace, even in situations that would normally merit considerable anger.
our world keeps breaking, over and over again. i have no choice but to believe that a new one is being born. (12)
Much of this writing is directed toward folks who have been ignored, mistreated, or worse by society—trans femmes, especially trans femmes of color, sex workers—but even if you don’t fall into these particular categories, you will find abundant love and gentleness here.
never surrender to the illusion that you are not enough; you are more than anyone dreamed you could be. (38)
Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Isabel, a librarian interested in old things and the passage of time, who moves deliberately and thinks deeply, who loves vintage clothing and the imagined lives of strangers in faded photographs, felt incredibly relatable to me. Her introspective and slightly melancholy inner life made for the perfect last reading experience of 2023.
Have You Been Long Enough At Table by Leslie Sainz
I wish the “notes” section at the end had been at the beginning instead, or at least that I’d known about it so I could have consulted it while I was reading. As it was, I felt a little lost throughout, not sure exactly what Sainz was writing about in many of her poems. If you’re not well-versed in Cuban culture and history, I’d recommend checking the notes before you begin—Sainz includes valuable information there about the references in and inspiration for her work.
Still, what beautiful phrases. I’d love to revisit this collection after doing more reading about Cuba.
Favorites:
“Sonnet with Ogun”
“Malecón / Miami”
(Thanks to Tin House for sending this finished copy to me!)
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I am so endable, and yet, I am kept. (from “Sonnet for Obatalá”)
I wish the “notes” section at the end had been at the beginning instead, or at least that I’d known about it so I could have consulted it while I was reading. As it was, I felt a little lost throughout, not sure exactly what Sainz was writing about in many of her poems. If you’re not well-versed in Cuban culture and history, I’d recommend checking the notes before you begin—Sainz includes valuable information there about the references in and inspiration for her work.
Still, what beautiful phrases. I’d love to revisit this collection after doing more reading about Cuba.
Favorites:
“Sonnet with Ogun”
“Malecón / Miami”
(Thanks to Tin House for sending this finished copy to me!)
Cantoras by Caro De Robertis
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
Listen, it’s the extended story of found family between a group of queer folks in Uruguay starting in the 1970s and continuing to the early 2010s, and it’s difficult and sad but also redemptive and hopeful. I don’t know what else to tell you.
McSweeney's #66 by Claire Boyle
3.5
This collection dragged a little in the middle for me, but the letters section of this collection was especially strong (Samantha Hunt! Kate Folk!), and I also particularly enjoyed “Pelican Paradise” by Nicky Gonzalez, “Dog Lab” by T.C. Boyle, “Willie the Weirdo” by Stephen King, and “The Little Men” by Carl Napolitano.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Despite being quite familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet, I’d guess that the last time I actually read the play in its entirety would have been… graduate school? It was a delight to revisit, and I especially enjoyed realizing how much of Shakespeare’s writing I understood on my own without the assitance of notes. Dude had a pretty great sense of humor, even in the midst of one of the most iconicly tragic love stories ever written.
Paper Towns by John Green
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I would have eaten this UP if I’d read it when it was released. As it is, some elements haven’t aged so well. There are some instances of the f- and r-words as casual slurs, for example, and such a heavy leaning on the manic pixie dream girl vibe, even if part of the book’s purpose is maybe to tear that stereotype down.
I did enjoy the story, and am not throwing any shade at John Green. But if you’re looking for something comparable that’s newer, queerer, and more relevant to the landscape now, I’d recommend Casey McQuiston’s I Kissed Shara Wheeler.
I did enjoy the story, and am not throwing any shade at John Green. But if you’re looking for something comparable that’s newer, queerer, and more relevant to the landscape now, I’d recommend Casey McQuiston’s I Kissed Shara Wheeler.
Role Models by John Waters
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Some sections of this memoir-in-tributes were more engaging than others, but I think this was mostly due to my not being super familiar with some of the people, concepts, and cultural touchpoints that Waters is referencing. His tone is really conversational and funny, which I love. He somehow manages to strike the rare balance between raunchy and tender.
Bobby may have a one-track mind but he puts the “gentle” in gentleman. He remembers not only big dicks but kindnesses, too. (214)