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alexandriaslibrary's reviews
186 reviews
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A new all-time favorite!! I am so grateful for McNallys for republishing this classic, and for Ursula Parrott to document the experiences of a modern woman nearly 100 years ago.
Patricia, 24, finds herself alone after her husband decides their progressive marriage is /too/ much for him. She now must learn what it means to be an Ex-Wife (her and her crew of divorcees muse “An ex-wife is a young woman for whom the eternity promised in the marriage ceremony is reduced to three years or five or eight.”)
So charming, charismatic, and heartbreaking, Patricia is a beacon in the canon of “Sad Girl Lit”.
The ending stirred similar emotions as “My Antonia” did (another all-time fav) and I ended up crying at the end. Brilliant til the end, what a gem
Patricia, 24, finds herself alone after her husband decides their progressive marriage is /too/ much for him. She now must learn what it means to be an Ex-Wife (her and her crew of divorcees muse “An ex-wife is a young woman for whom the eternity promised in the marriage ceremony is reduced to three years or five or eight.”)
So charming, charismatic, and heartbreaking, Patricia is a beacon in the canon of “Sad Girl Lit”.
The ending stirred similar emotions as “My Antonia” did (another all-time fav) and I ended up crying at the end. Brilliant til the end, what a gem
Nightwork by Christine Schutt
dark
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A solid story collection from the 90s! These stories feel alive, built out, and realized. Schutt isn't following the modern MFA style, instead these stories pan in and out and around the world of women living difficult lives.
These stories are not necessarily linear or easy. They are mostly 5-10 pages, and I found myself rereading immediately after finishing. Great if you like the gritty, experimental fiction of the 90s.
These stories are not necessarily linear or easy. They are mostly 5-10 pages, and I found myself rereading immediately after finishing. Great if you like the gritty, experimental fiction of the 90s.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
funny
reflective
for the girlies who feel a spiritual connection to 7-11 or have ever had a superiority complex while working retail
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I love when major publishers take a chance on experimental literature! Headshot is a character study of 8 teenage girl boxers at their national competition in Reno, Nevada. Each chapter is framed as a bout between the girls and is an intense study of what has driven them to this level and how are they different than the girl on the other side of their gloves.
This book will probably not be for everyone, there is no traditional plot, no dialogue, no real physical interaction of the characters outside of sparse boxing lingo (the author is not a boxer and as someone who grew up watching boxing you could feel that). I think by the end of the 7 matches, I was a little tired and mainly motivated to finish out of curiosity for who won. I also think that it was a little difficult to keep track of all 8 boxers, except for the fact that each girl basically got two main personality traits that are repeated on every page (Artemis has sisters, Andi watched a boy drown as a lifeguard, Rachel wears a weird hat).
I really like Bullwinkel's voice and am excited for her future work.
This book will probably not be for everyone, there is no traditional plot, no dialogue, no real physical interaction of the characters outside of sparse boxing lingo (the author is not a boxer and as someone who grew up watching boxing you could feel that). I think by the end of the 7 matches, I was a little tired and mainly motivated to finish out of curiosity for who won. I also think that it was a little difficult to keep track of all 8 boxers, except for the fact that each girl basically got two main personality traits that are repeated on every page (Artemis has sisters, Andi watched a boy drown as a lifeguard, Rachel wears a weird hat).
I really like Bullwinkel's voice and am excited for her future work.
Rent Boy by Gary Indiana
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Needed a five-star read in my life and Rent Boy & McNallys pulled through!
A recently reprinted, gritty novella from the 90s about male sex work, nightlife in New York City, and grandiose musings of sex, the body, work, connection.
Danny is a gay sex worker in his 20s who works as a waiter at a hip bar frequented by the art scene elite, hangs around with his fellow rent boys, and winds up in a scam with his achingly beautiful friend Chip.
"What are they smiling at? The fact that they know there will always be a museum of perfect boy bodies to worship at, and any item can be had for less than two hundred dollars an hour."
A recently reprinted, gritty novella from the 90s about male sex work, nightlife in New York City, and grandiose musings of sex, the body, work, connection.
Danny is a gay sex worker in his 20s who works as a waiter at a hip bar frequented by the art scene elite, hangs around with his fellow rent boys, and winds up in a scam with his achingly beautiful friend Chip.
"What are they smiling at? The fact that they know there will always be a museum of perfect boy bodies to worship at, and any item can be had for less than two hundred dollars an hour."
Leash by Jane DeLynn
dark
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Grotesque and not for the sensitive or squeamish! Leash follows an older lesbian who enters a BDSM relationship with an anonymous woman from a personals ad. This is what “Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke” wanted to be. Provocative and gnarly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Torture
Simpatía by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón
dark
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Longlisted for the International Booker, Simpatía is surprisingly accessible and plot-driven. Set in Caracas Ulises is married to Paulina who is estranged from her father Martín. However, Ulises and Martín start a friendship even after Paulina leaves the country. When Martín dies, he leaves Ulises the apartment he shared w Paulina, and his beautiful giant estate as long as Ulises promises to transform it into a dog sanctuary. (In the novel and in real life, Venezuela has had major political turmoil with over 7 million fleeing, causing a surplus of abandoned dogs.)
There’s a motley crew of characters who must work together to build the rescue, musings about dogs, the political history of Venezuela, dysfunctional family dynamics, and The Godfather. All in all, an enjoyable read and although there are dark moments, it’s not a slog or overly depressing.
There’s a motley crew of characters who must work together to build the rescue, musings about dogs, the political history of Venezuela, dysfunctional family dynamics, and The Godfather. All in all, an enjoyable read and although there are dark moments, it’s not a slog or overly depressing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Murder
Fairest: A Memoir by Meredith Talusan
emotional
hopeful
reflective
4.5
A perfectly crafted memoir in my opinion! Meredith Talusan is an albino, trans woman from the Philippines who immigrated to the US as a teen and attended Harvard in the 90s.
Interesting on so many levels: what does being albino mean in a colonized country that idolizes whiteness? How can you separate your own talent and intelligence with your perceived experience? What is the cost of beauty? What was queer life like at an Ivy League college in the aftermath of the AIDs epidemic?
Incredibly well-written, funny and alarmingly honest. Talusan is not afraid to reveal her insecurities or her less proud moments. All on the journey of coming out as a woman at the turn of the century.
Interesting on so many levels: what does being albino mean in a colonized country that idolizes whiteness? How can you separate your own talent and intelligence with your perceived experience? What is the cost of beauty? What was queer life like at an Ivy League college in the aftermath of the AIDs epidemic?
Incredibly well-written, funny and alarmingly honest. Talusan is not afraid to reveal her insecurities or her less proud moments. All on the journey of coming out as a woman at the turn of the century.
Bugsy and Other Stories by Rafael Frumkin
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Five short stories on the longer side (around 45-50 pages each) about mental health, queerness, sex work, and the modern condition.
I wish I would’ve liked these a bit more, the scenes are well built out and the dialogue is nice, but I think for me, personally I was turned off by the premise and plots. While some might like more “taboo” or “edgey” stories I think they aren’t necessarily for me. In one story a character drops out of college and finds solace working production in a Dominatrix porn dungeon. Another follows a newly 18-year old Twitch streamer whose obsessive fan plans to surprise her with diamond earrings.
I wish I would’ve liked these a bit more, the scenes are well built out and the dialogue is nice, but I think for me, personally I was turned off by the premise and plots. While some might like more “taboo” or “edgey” stories I think they aren’t necessarily for me. In one story a character drops out of college and finds solace working production in a Dominatrix porn dungeon. Another follows a newly 18-year old Twitch streamer whose obsessive fan plans to surprise her with diamond earrings.
People Collide by Isle McElroy
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Eli & Elizabeth are a newly married-for-convenience pair of writers. Elizabeth is a child of artists & Eli is from New Jersey. At the opening, Elizabeth has a teaching fellowship in Bulgaria and Eli, a former bartender, is along for the ride. However Eli realizes that somehow him and Elizabeth have swapped bodies and she (in his body) has disappeared.
This is the basic enough summary, but I wouldn’t recommend this book if you want action or sci-fi/spec fiction. It’s much more about the psychology of this couple (class differences, physical attraction, art) than anything else, however the dialogue and characterization is top notch!
This is the basic enough summary, but I wouldn’t recommend this book if you want action or sci-fi/spec fiction. It’s much more about the psychology of this couple (class differences, physical attraction, art) than anything else, however the dialogue and characterization is top notch!