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_darbi_'s reviews
296 reviews
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
the stepford wives is the primer for don’t worry, darling!
predictable ending, but captivatingly concise writing with an unfortunately timeless discussion on desired expectations for women by many cishet men. a little bit on the nose with contemporary trad wife discussions.
dated writing about bodies and image.
predictable ending, but captivatingly concise writing with an unfortunately timeless discussion on desired expectations for women by many cishet men. a little bit on the nose with contemporary trad wife discussions.
dated writing about bodies and image.
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
beautifully reflective immersive essays from alexander chee. topics range from rose gardening, tarot, and school immersions trips — to being a cater waiter to the wealthy, the aids crisis, and being a part of act up in san francisco.
favorite essays: the rosary, mr. and mrs. b, the querent, after peter, and the writing life.
the last few essays in the collection slowed down considerably and were geared towards more practical advice for those interested in professionally writing and/or those wanting to write their own autobiography, as the title promises.
(i want to read edinburgh now!)
favorite essays: the rosary, mr. and mrs. b, the querent, after peter, and the writing life.
the last few essays in the collection slowed down considerably and were geared towards more practical advice for those interested in professionally writing and/or those wanting to write their own autobiography, as the title promises.
(i want to read edinburgh now!)
Hoarders by Kate Durbin
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
i picked this book up to understand my mother.
in her poetry collection hoarders, kate durbin intimately examines the interior lives of over a dozen individuals through descriptive self-portraits of their hoards and their inextricably linked traumas.
our characters introduce themselves and walk us through their space, trying to explain why — some begging for a way out and others marveling in their ownership. you can’t help but feel empathy (and shock), especially for the spaces and people overcome by rot and fatigue.
some hoards are rooted deep in american consumerism (barbie, yankee candles, food). others look to collect entertainment (vhs, dvds, recordings) for visual overstimulation to drown out internal noise. still others collect life and companionship (cats and plants).
these narratives invite you to consider what objects you collect and why. how is consumption linked to a desire for control? why do we spend so much money and time on such pointless shit? why do we think owning things will heal us?
kate offers no solutions or condemnations — she just holds up the mirror.
*after reading, i found out that kate based this collection on the tv show hoarders and some of the collections and stories of participants!
**tiktok counterpart: heidi becker overconsumption core slam poetry
Old Enough by Haley Jakobson
as a tw, our protagonist (sav) is also actively learning how to survive sexual assault.
stars deducted for the reference to a birthright trip, vulvas being called vaginas, and a couple of character stereotypes.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
old enough felt like a hug from contemporary fiction. i want to be friends with candace (we would ROCK a karaoke duet!), attend wes’ open mic nights (duh! we would both wear green), and return to my gender, sexuality, and feminist philosophy classes and socratic discussions from college (s/o dr. lyles!)
in her debut novel, jakobson explores:
in her debut novel, jakobson explores:
- queer community!
- feeling imposter syndrome within your friend group
- long-term friendships evolving
- independently redefining your own values and still making errors in judgement
as a tw, our protagonist (sav) is also actively learning how to survive sexual assault.
stars deducted for the reference to a birthright trip, vulvas being called vaginas, and a couple of character stereotypes.
Fat Ham by James Ijames
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
fat ham evolves hamlet from a tragedy into something even greater: a tool to engage with generational trauma and have conversations about gender and sexuality through script.
i found myself laughing often with/at tio and nodding at some of juicy’s thoughts around growing up: “is that what grown feels like? sort of lonely and confused… ghetto as hell.”
so exciting to see james ijames bring shakespeare into a new era with a black and queer cast. (really loved the notes on casting and environment — dramaturg light!)
also, singing creep as a karaoke song at a bbq is insane and i love it.
i found myself laughing often with/at tio and nodding at some of juicy’s thoughts around growing up: “is that what grown feels like? sort of lonely and confused… ghetto as hell.”
so exciting to see james ijames bring shakespeare into a new era with a black and queer cast. (really loved the notes on casting and environment — dramaturg light!)
also, singing creep as a karaoke song at a bbq is insane and i love it.
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
our wives under the sea dips you, then drags you, deep into the ocean's darkness. i often felt like i was clawing to get out, to reach understanding, but the heavy pressure sat firmly on my chest as i attempted to uncover the state of leah and miri in this slow-moving narrative.
alternating perspectives offer glimpses into the history of their relationship and the reality of leah's dive. this structure allowed leah to have a voice despite her transformation upon return to land. (environmental descriptions of the seacraft were vivid and effective for all claustrophobic readers out there!)
sacrificial love is evident in this relationship and my heart broke at miri's unprecedented grasp towards understanding:to have the love of your life return but never be the same, not even in body. to watch your relationship unravel before your eyes, powerless in stopping it, only in control of how much of an accomplice you will be. experiences of grief and loss are universal but never identical — often intimately unexplainable. julia armfield breaks through in these introspective reflections manifesting in miri's internet explorations, desire for control, and in-person relationships.
i think i knew that my questions would never be answered. it didn't seem like the aim of the book to explain why and how and who, but i'm still left wondering...
alternating perspectives offer glimpses into the history of their relationship and the reality of leah's dive. this structure allowed leah to have a voice despite her transformation upon return to land. (environmental descriptions of the seacraft were vivid and effective for all claustrophobic readers out there!)
sacrificial love is evident in this relationship and my heart broke at miri's unprecedented grasp towards understanding:
i think i knew that my questions would never be answered. it didn't seem like the aim of the book to explain why and how and who, but i'm still left wondering...
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.25
my first introduction to maggie smith was in reading her viral poem "good bones" a few years back. reading the poem was an intimate reflection on how to raise children in a broken and terrible world — how to hope when everything is on fire.
you could make this place beautiful hosts similar reflections, however, smith's memoir is more of an ode to finding herself as a person and a writer (and subsequently as a mother) after the discovery of her husband's infidelity and the dissolution of this relationship.
through experimental prose and a variety of lenses, smith reflects on her relationship to her previous partner, her work as a writer, her work as a mother, and her loss/discovery of self. metaphor is heavy in this memoir and can sometimes be repetitive. i resonated with her crisis management and found myself enraged at the unjust behaviors of her previous partner. reading smith's descriptions of herself as a mother and the characters of her children were particularly raw and endearing. some of my favorite moments were the "a friend says every book begins with an unanswerable question" responses.
my primary critique? i feel this book could have been a bit shorter and still deliver the same narrative. however, the repetitive nature of the novel could be a reflection of the repetitive and exhaustive nature of this experience.
thank you for sharing your torma, your offering, maggie.
(allusions to joan didion throughout with references to magical thinking!)
you could make this place beautiful hosts similar reflections, however, smith's memoir is more of an ode to finding herself as a person and a writer (and subsequently as a mother) after the discovery of her husband's infidelity and the dissolution of this relationship.
through experimental prose and a variety of lenses, smith reflects on her relationship to her previous partner, her work as a writer, her work as a mother, and her loss/discovery of self. metaphor is heavy in this memoir and can sometimes be repetitive. i resonated with her crisis management and found myself enraged at the unjust behaviors of her previous partner. reading smith's descriptions of herself as a mother and the characters of her children were particularly raw and endearing. some of my favorite moments were the "a friend says every book begins with an unanswerable question" responses.
my primary critique? i feel this book could have been a bit shorter and still deliver the same narrative. however, the repetitive nature of the novel could be a reflection of the repetitive and exhaustive nature of this experience.
thank you for sharing your torma, your offering, maggie.
(allusions to joan didion throughout with references to magical thinking!)
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
self-care and hunger meet body horror with explorations of race, class, and consumption within the "wellness" space. decadent and dreamy descriptions contrast lines woven of grit and fatigue from an unnamed protagonist.
my only critique is that i felt like there was so much more to explore!what happened to lilith? what were all of the experiments at apothecare? what was life really like in the gunks? why didn't we have a confrontation between our mc and amelia, esp. after the docuseries? the ending felt too abrupt in relationship to the rest of the plot — i'm hungry for more!
(such a miniscule part of the plot, but intrigued by our human desire to immediately understand how such a horrible thing could happen and ultimately "necessitate" the production of a documentary. this need to sanitize experiences into entertainment for consumption by the masses so that viewers can choose sides or excuse their conscience by saying, "we suspected all along." it's bizarre.)
if you like weird books that will simultaneously horrify you with their realities while grounding you in social commentary, akin to tender is the flesh by agustina bazterrica and little eyes by samanta schweblin, natural beauty by ling ling huang is for you!
my only critique is that i felt like there was so much more to explore!
if you like weird books that will simultaneously horrify you with their realities while grounding you in social commentary, akin to tender is the flesh by agustina bazterrica and little eyes by samanta schweblin, natural beauty by ling ling huang is for you!
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
"Were we unusually dependent... Or were we unusually lucky?"
The Year of Magical Thinking is my first Joan Didion novel — and one where she immediately bears her soul, forever changed by the loss of her partner, John. This book was difficult for me to read — if/when you have ever experienced grief, these pages may sweep you back into your own years of magical thinking, your own histories with those you have lost.
Grief can be anywhere and everywhere all at once. It's often unpredictable in its entrance and its departure, but it's the type of guest that makes itself comfortable, never quite understanding the desire you have for it to leave. Didion explores the swirl and surrealist nature of her thoughts and retreat towards literature in the absence of John and the omnipresent hospitalization of Quintana. Her use of repetition throughout this memoir was powerful in solidifying the force of John in her daily life and what reminders of him continued to linger in her psyche and physical reality.
With so many sections of this book tagged and underlined, I will predictably find myself returning to these pages for comfort in future experiences of grief, much like Joan to different tomes <3
The Year of Magical Thinking is my first Joan Didion novel — and one where she immediately bears her soul, forever changed by the loss of her partner, John. This book was difficult for me to read — if/when you have ever experienced grief, these pages may sweep you back into your own years of magical thinking, your own histories with those you have lost.
Grief can be anywhere and everywhere all at once. It's often unpredictable in its entrance and its departure, but it's the type of guest that makes itself comfortable, never quite understanding the desire you have for it to leave. Didion explores the swirl and surrealist nature of her thoughts and retreat towards literature in the absence of John and the omnipresent hospitalization of Quintana. Her use of repetition throughout this memoir was powerful in solidifying the force of John in her daily life and what reminders of him continued to linger in her psyche and physical reality.
With so many sections of this book tagged and underlined, I will predictably find myself returning to these pages for comfort in future experiences of grief, much like Joan to different tomes <3
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nostalgia leans hard into this rating, but i’ve made it my goal to finish the chronicles of narnia this year! as a child, i always found it difficult to get past the magician’s nephew and would just end up rereading that story over and over again so that i could read the full series. taking a different path this time! (further motivated by the knowledge of greta’s future adaptations.)
beautiful allegories and descriptions that went over my head on my initial reads and i can now appreciate as an adult. i listened to the audiobook so that i could draw or walk simultaneously and the world became even more immersive! what a comfort aslan is! what a delight the beavers and mr. tumnus are!
*as much as i despise edmund, i try to see him as a reflection of myself, we are one and the same. additional notes on patriarchal remarks — trying to place this book in its historical context though. interesting to read while always deconstructing/reconstructing!
beautiful allegories and descriptions that went over my head on my initial reads and i can now appreciate as an adult. i listened to the audiobook so that i could draw or walk simultaneously and the world became even more immersive! what a comfort aslan is! what a delight the beavers and mr. tumnus are!
*as much as i despise edmund, i try to see him as a reflection of myself, we are one and the same. additional notes on patriarchal remarks — trying to place this book in its historical context though. interesting to read while always deconstructing/reconstructing!