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allegedly_miri's reviews
57 reviews
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
5.0
This book offers in equal parts an incredible bleakness, and a resilient hope. It is pretty difficult to read, especially toward the end when the bleakest parts of humanity are the central theme. I really enjoyed it though, and feel winded after reading it as though I’ve got plenty to think about over the next week.
Great Apes by Will Self
4.0
This one feels like cheating because I find Will Self so effortlessly readable that of course I was going to enjoy it. The book is based on a bizarre conceit that every now and then gives way to a brilliant turn of phrase or something totally unexpected. It made me laugh out loud several times.
That being said, there is no reason for it to be this long, once the central theme is established. I did skim paragraphs here and there, and the main story did sometimes get lost in ripples of “I’m a smart man writing a smart book here’s how smart I am”. It was immensely enjoyable though, and the last page took me by surprise.
It was occasionally off-putting and a little insensitive to… essentially anyone who isn’t a white dude, but the depth of the world-building did actually have me having to readjust to human people around me once I’d finished.
That being said, there is no reason for it to be this long, once the central theme is established. I did skim paragraphs here and there, and the main story did sometimes get lost in ripples of “I’m a smart man writing a smart book here’s how smart I am”. It was immensely enjoyable though, and the last page took me by surprise.
It was occasionally off-putting and a little insensitive to… essentially anyone who isn’t a white dude, but the depth of the world-building did actually have me having to readjust to human people around me once I’d finished.
The Business by Iain Banks
2.0
Not what I’ve come to expect from Banks. It was bloated and dry - full of unlikable characters who didn’t really stir any kind of emotion in any situation. Still readable, with glimmers of potential. But even the conclusion lets this one down and I can’t help feeling he could have gone so much further in fewer pages.
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
4.0
This was a hard one to read, stepping over the gore and uncomfortable, sickening language, but one that was worth the struggle. Given it’s subject matter, it handles things more delicately than I expected and refrains from being purely indulgent viscera.
It’s a great parable about scarcity, humanity, and all the obvious overtones come through well - but it also seems to summarise the idea that people only act when injustice affects them specifically. The ending particularly seemed to highlight this sentiment, and it was a real shock to turn the page and discover it.
Great, neat little book. Felt like Brave New World’s tour through the facility and kept the story tight so that the world around it could be built up tall.
It’s a great parable about scarcity, humanity, and all the obvious overtones come through well - but it also seems to summarise the idea that people only act when injustice affects them specifically. The ending particularly seemed to highlight this sentiment, and it was a real shock to turn the page and discover it.
Great, neat little book. Felt like Brave New World’s tour through the facility and kept the story tight so that the world around it could be built up tall.
Divided Kingdom by Rupert Thomson
2.0
I wanted to give it more but it just felt so confusing and inconsistent at times. Other times it was genius, with great pacing and humour and interesting characters… but so much of it didn’t make sense… so I don’t know. I guess you could say I’m divided on this one.
Many of the plot lines didn’t go anywhere and there wasn’t really much point to any of it. The mood was set beautifully, but for what? Some things were skirted over while others dwelt on, and it was usually the wrong way around. The final “twist” was just a bit… naff. I’m disappointed because the first half of this book set it up to be spectacular, but nothing ever came of it.
Many of the plot lines didn’t go anywhere and there wasn’t really much point to any of it. The mood was set beautifully, but for what? Some things were skirted over while others dwelt on, and it was usually the wrong way around. The final “twist” was just a bit… naff. I’m disappointed because the first half of this book set it up to be spectacular, but nothing ever came of it.
Πώς να σκοτώσεις την οικογένειά σου by Bella Mackie
1.0
It was a struggle to finish this one. What an exhausting read. The narrator is so deeply unpleasant that I couldn’t muster up the energy to root for her at all, making the whole thing sort of useless. Little threads of (not very original) plot are held together by endless pages of ‘edgy’ takes on her fellow young people, long descriptions of how deeply attractive and beautiful and perfect she is, and it’s just incredibly shallow and dull. If it was at all self aware I’d give it a pass, but it isn’t. I think the author genuinely thought this sort of approach would make the character appealing. Glad it’s over.