apriltrepagnier's reviews
67 reviews

Zero Days by Ruth Ware

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

My rating on this book is weird. I loved 3/4 of the book. I was also ready for it to be over. Weird, I know. The story is strong, and I LOVE the mysteries Ware concocts. Unfortunately, this one slowed way down in the pacing. The emotions and the narrations got extremely repetitive. I called the villain way early (which is a first in my Ware experiences). The end was a bit much for me as it didn’t seem necessary and felt a little hokey. Still, Ware is an author I will return to. It is possible that my slight disappointment with this one stems from my expectations created by other books I have read by her. 

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Rating / reviewing this book is damn near impossible. Was the writing excellent, the story well told, and the imagery wonderfully done? Of course it is. Boo is a professional with a Pulitzer; obviously she can write a great book. Is it brutal and sad? It is. It will piss you right off. Is the story true? She says it is, and that's where it gets tough. You can't slip into the fictional world where the brutal is devastating, but not really devastating. You can't consider a character without regard because they are not characters - they are people. You can't get to the last page and pick up the next one because now there are questions - what happened to Abdul? Did Manju get to be a teacher? What were Boo's intentions? How do we place this in the context of "poverty porn?" Is this book changing anything? Is it supposed to? What happens to the money a work like this generates? Did Sunil ever achieve his goal of being an early riser? Did his formula for not hating himself work?

I don't know the answers to any of these questions. I only have suggestions. First, know what you are getting into when you pick this one up; the abuse and corruption is overwhelming. Second, read the "Author's Note" at the end first. I didn't, and I wish that I had thought to. I understand perhaps why Boo didn't put it there; it is tone-deaf to position the ideas of the white American journalist first. However, there were a lot of uncomfortable conflicts I had while reading this book that would not have been so distracting if I better understood her intentions and methods first. 

Worth it? Absolutely. Am I really ready to get back to Ruth Ware? Damn straight. 

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This plot is all over the place. It gets a bit repetitive in spots, but overall, it was a great "whodunit." The action will have you second-guessing yourself. It was a fun read with a satisfying ending. Disclosure: The last book I read was the opposite - a thin plot and a horribly unsatisfying ending. While I stand by my recommendation of this book, it was a welcome recovery from the title before. 

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

This one was not for me. I probably wouldn’t have finished it if it hadn’t been for book club. I didn’t like Margot. The plot was thin. Then the ending, ugh!! I felt like if I had the decency to finish reading it, the author could have had the decency to finish writing it!  

We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958 by Fintan O'Toole

informative medium-paced

4.0

An excellent primer on Irish...history? I don't know exactly what I would call it. O'Toole begins in 1958, the year he was born (or 1948 if you include the prelude), and moves through six (seven) decades of Irish social, political, economic, religious, and cultural history. It makes for an eclectic and fascinating read. Grounded in enough research to be authoritative, and personal enough to leave room for discussion.    

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This one is tough...first, malicious violence is always hard for me; this book is full of it. Next, I never warmed up to the main character. There is just something about Smita that just never settles for me. I tried to consider her backstory, her trauma, her profession - nothing worked. She always remained just tolerable. Mostly, this book leaves me with so many questions about the author's intent - all the violence is waged by one group. Maybe this is simply a characteristic of the story. But, it put me on guard for subliminal propaganda that I just can't move away from. However, all that said, I hated when I had to put this book down, and took every opportunity to pick it back up. I was so invested in Mohan, Abdul, Meena, and Abru. I wanted everything for them. This is one that will stick with me for all the best and worst reasons.  

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

challenging medium-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

4.5

If you are expecting to grasp the whole of this book (or any of Rushdie's work) in one read, prepare to be disappointed. This is likewise true if you are looking for something easy. While the layout seems linear in time, it is not; bits and pieces of timeline are scattered throughout. This is a challenging read, but a beautiful work that deserves attention. 

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

4.0

A sprawling epic that spans many characters and decades. Beautiful narrative the uses the lives of people from different backgrounds, cultures, professions, and locations to illustrate human connectivity, family dynamics, and influences of systems of power. A bit long in the telling and the cast can get muddled, but the entwined threads come together nicely. 

Lost Gods by Brom

adventurous dark tense 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? Yes

4.0

This is not the type of book I typically read. It was recommended by a friend, the cover is awesome, so I gave it a go. I am glad I did. It does slow down a bit in the middle and I think it could have cut some there and added it to the end, but other than that, this book was a ton of fun. Weird monsters, a textbook hero's journey, religious pokes without preach, and enough philosophical brain worms to make the gears turn. The characters have a good mixed of fatally flawed and eternally redeemable. I added Brom's newest release, Slewfoot, to my bookclub's suggestion list; I hope it gets picked soon! 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

4.5

Another excellent novel by R.F. Kuang. There is so much going on in this book - I hardly know where (and frankly, if) to begin. What Kuang does so expertly is create conversations around heady and confrontational topics that actually allow for conversation. She does not create heroes and villains; she creates dynamic characters with virtues and flaws. 

I will say the book I read was not the book I was expecting. The reviews on the jacket centered on appropriation and white privilege, which are definitely major themes. However, I think another important conversation that seems to be prevalent in her novel is the way in which these ideas are transformed into bumper stickers and battle lines without any real desire for growth and understanding. 

"Though it doesn't matter what the truth is. No one spreading these rumors cares about fact-checking or due diligence. They'll use phrases like 'I think it's important to know' and 'I just found out' and 'sharing this so my followers are aware,' but deep down they're all so fucking delighted, gorging themselves on this hot gossip, thrilled at the chance to take Athena Liu down."