allymute's reviews
299 reviews

We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadeh

informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Raja Shehadeh's memoir/biography of his father seamlessly blends Aziz Shehadeh's civil and political advocacy with their relationship. As the writer goes through his father's papers, both writer and reader learn more about his character.

Shehadeh's memoir has me asking, what is the "right" method of defending the autonomy of your people when the global powers consider any advocacy wrong? How are Palestinians supposed to fight for their freedom when the "appropriate" resistance is a threat? Aziz Shehadeh was most likely assassinated for his notable work. While these questions are not answered, we must recognize the names and different ways that Palestinians fight for their freedom. 

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The slower character build up in the beginning of the novel was worth the payoff. A suspenseful and worthy read.

How to Communicate: Poems by John Lee Clark

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

4.0

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

3.75

Listening to the audiobook was a treat. Lulu Miller has a wonderful narrative voice, and I loved the surprise of hearing from her wife and child at the end. Had more biography and less memoir than I expected, but enjoyed the story nonetheless. 

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

challenging emotional tense slow-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? Yes

4.25

Hammad takes her time in unraveling the intricacies of her characters. Enter Ghost reminds us of the power of education and the arts in Palestinian's, and other oppressed people's, resistance to the brutality of empire. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Islamophobia and Murder

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 Hard to rate this one. The first half of these stories were fascinating - intersecting the physical toll of capitalism and patriarchy. The second half of the stories were good but didn’t feel very connected. Would definitely read more by Chung. 

Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler

challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

A fabulous writer, as always. Noted that this collection doesn’t run with one cohesive theme, but are just compiled together. My highlights are Bloodchild, Speech Sounds, and Amnesty. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Body horror

Minor: Incest

Vera Kelly Is Not a Mystery by Rosalie Knecht

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for the galley! Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein is a slow novel that explores the inspiration behind Mary Shelley's famous work. There are two timelines; one in 1816 on the famous Switzerland excursion, and 1812 Scotland, where she forms an intimate friendship with family acquaintance Isabella. Eekhout explores how grief, the supernatural, and heartbreak help inspire one of the most important science fiction novels of all time. All though the novel becomes a tad repetitive in its second half, Eekhout's voice and Watkinson's translation pay a notable homage to the forever iconic Goth. 

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This is one of those books that is incredibly well-written and simultaneously insufferable. Like other Highsmith works, will have to chew on this for a little bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse