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aserra's reviews
27 reviews
How Lovely To Be a Woman: Stories and Poems by Tiffany Michelle Brown, Tiffany Michelle Brown
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Horror and gore that is at times subtle, dramatic and cinematic at others, and always exhilirating. The prose soars, the dialogue believable and familiar. I particularly appreciate the index of content warnings included with the text. It's easy to skip if you don't want the warnings, crucial if you benefit from content warnings in your navigation in horror and other genres. Doesn't take away from or distract from the excellence of the short stories at all.
I want to read more from Tiffany ASAP.
I want to read more from Tiffany ASAP.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
This was the second story of Jackson's I've read and it was solid all around. Jackson has assessed what buttons she can push in a person and her characters and the treatment of the protagonists pushes emotional buttons without apology and to great effect. Outrage was the primary emotion that accompanied me through the read, and fear derived from that rage as cruelties stacked up against the protagonists.
Additionally, I called the plot twist and predicted another one of the book's major events within the first 18 pages. Regardless, the story was incredibly effective for me, which testifies to the strength of Jackson's craft.
If I had to ask anything more of this book, I would ask for a prequel book focused on the Blackwoods (infeasible, as this was Jackson's last novel), and I think Charles could've been a few degrees creepier with incredible results. I want to describe Charles as unequivocally sinister but, instead, I feel he's more plaintive, entitled, and irritating. I can understand why he wasn't taken to that level, though, and think this is an indication of preference rather than quality of the book.
For a quick, tense, gothic read, consider picking up We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Additionally, I called the plot twist and predicted another one of the book's major events within the first 18 pages. Regardless, the story was incredibly effective for me, which testifies to the strength of Jackson's craft.
If I had to ask anything more of this book, I would ask for a prequel book focused on the Blackwoods (infeasible, as this was Jackson's last novel), and I think Charles could've been a few degrees creepier with incredible results. I want to describe Charles as unequivocally sinister but, instead, I feel he's more plaintive, entitled, and irritating. I can understand why he wasn't taken to that level, though, and think this is an indication of preference rather than quality of the book.
For a quick, tense, gothic read, consider picking up We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Violence, Murder, and Classism
For Today I Am a Boy by Kim Fu
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
With an unapologetically forthright portrayal of this aggressively queer-unfriendly world and xenophobia's generational echoes in North America, Kim Fu stuns with her debut novel.
If one is (very fairly and understandably) looking for a more joyful story (along the lines of If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo), that is not this book (though the ending is happy) . If one can contend with the emotional challenges and portrayals of queerphobia, I highly recommend this novel. To me, it read as a trans, bildungsroman story prioritizing elucidation and a cogent appeal to compassion of cis readers. This entails certain pros and cons, of course, but I think it feels appropriate considering the author's individual standpoint.
Support a queer author and their incredible debut novel!
If one is (very fairly and understandably) looking for a more joyful story (along the lines of If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo), that is not this book
Support a queer author and their incredible debut novel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Racism
Author pronouns: he/she/they
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
challenging
reflective
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
3.75
Prepare for a crawling, yet poetically meandering read if you're picking this book up for the first time. It is written in Woolf's classic coveted stream of consciousness style. This doesn't make it a bad book if you don't like that style, it just means it isn't a book for you, most likely.
Quite honestly, I don't think I'm intelligent enough to fully grasp the profundity and implications of everything in the novel, but that didn't detract from my contentment with the text. Others undoubtedly comprehend and therefore appreciate the book much more fully than I do, just something to consider if you are reading this one review and wondering whether to pick this up.
Woolf's eloquent prose scrutinizes human nature and connection, highlighting, despite stark differences, subtle universalities with the extremely fluid and volatile POV. It is very worth noting, however, that this is a very white, privileged scrutiny of white, privileged people. This creates one's of the novel's few downfalls: it reinforces a white gaze within English literature. To expect diversity from this novel would be to set one's self up for disappointment. In the interest of balancing a deep admiration of Woolf's poetic prose and recognition of the stifling whiteness (Woolf was very actively ingrained in the myopism of white, upper class, 20th-century English society), this book earns a hearty 3.75 from me; an enjoyably challenging, reflective read from an excellent author who didn't express much interest in and subsequently did not venture outside the white world view in a work that examined the nature of humankind (which is, of course, not majority white).
Quite honestly, I don't think I'm intelligent enough to fully grasp the profundity and implications of everything in the novel, but that didn't detract from my contentment with the text. Others undoubtedly comprehend and therefore appreciate the book much more fully than I do, just something to consider if you are reading this one review and wondering whether to pick this up.
Woolf's eloquent prose scrutinizes human nature and connection, highlighting, despite stark differences, subtle universalities with the extremely fluid and volatile POV. It is very worth noting, however, that this is a very white, privileged scrutiny of white, privileged people. This creates one's of the novel's few downfalls: it reinforces a white gaze within English literature. To expect diversity from this novel would be to set one's self up for disappointment. In the interest of balancing a deep admiration of Woolf's poetic prose and recognition of the stifling whiteness (Woolf was very actively ingrained in the myopism of white, upper class, 20th-century English society), this book earns a hearty 3.75 from me; an enjoyably challenging, reflective read from an excellent author who didn't express much interest in and subsequently did not venture outside the white world view in a work that examined the nature of humankind (which is, of course, not majority white).
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism, War, and Death
Good Night, Willie Lee, I'll See You in the Morning by Alice Walker
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Simply: a decent book of poetry from the likes of great writer Alice Walker. It is, as always, disappointing, heartbreaking, and infuriating to see how little progress the States have made in anti-racist efforts in the decades since the penning and publication of these poems.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
Hysterical Water: Poems by Hannah Baker Saltmarsh
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
This incredible debut from Hannah Baker Saltmarsh synthesizes the author's experiences of motherhood, childbirth, mental health and thorough archival research into an intimate yet historical and informative collection. Throughout the poems, a communal, feminine aura permeates, surrounding the speaker and adding richness, depth, and population. Even as someone with no interest in child-rearing, these poems swept the wind out of me and shepherded slowly and with care. If you're like me and do not connect personally to the topics, Saltmarsh succeeds at evoking sympathy and fostering connection to the experiences of other women and herself throughout. Highly, highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A solid, fun, swashbuckling tale. It feels as though Stevenson simply wanted to indulge in a love for pirates and adventure, and did so shamelessly. It's a simple, straightforward read which left me content and sated by the end.
If you've seen the film adaptation "Treasure Planet" and are wondering how the book holds up: as one can infer from the different titles, the film takes many creative ways in a way I find brilliant, innovative, and positive. The book gave me a deeper appreciation for the film, and the creators' years-long fight to get it greenlit at Disney. They refreshed the classic while maintaining the integrity, keeping it appealing to modern audiences. The only, minor thing I wish had been retained in the film: the bit about Benjamin Gunn and his quest for toasted cheese! That would've fit in well in a children's film.
If you've seen the film adaptation "Treasure Planet" and are wondering how the book holds up: as one can infer from the different titles, the film takes many creative ways in a way I find brilliant, innovative, and positive. The book gave me a deeper appreciation for the film, and the creators' years-long fight to get it greenlit at Disney. They refreshed the classic while maintaining the integrity, keeping it appealing to modern audiences. The only, minor thing I wish had been retained in the film: the bit about Benjamin Gunn and his quest for toasted cheese! That would've fit in well in a children's film.
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism, Death, and Alcohol
Surfacing by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
Foremost, a disclaimer: as an admirer of Margaret Atwood's wielding of language from poetry to prose, most, if not all, of her books are likely to receive a rating of 3-stars or above from me, because I'm the kind of reader who derives great pleasure from glittering writing.
In my experience of reading, Surfacing manages to juggle a nuanced diachronic nature. The pacing of events are slow, while the prose constructs a quick highway for reading. Atwood's roots as a poet really shine through, I think, while establishing her as a tour de force in fiction (this was her second book of fiction published, if I'm not mistaken).
The characters are realistically, wonderfully, and often infuriatingly as layered and jagged as everyday people. With her expert crafting of character, Atwood paves a smooth road into the utter suspension of disbelief.
The story leaves the reader with much to dwell on, and I found myself frequently flipping back to early pages in the novel to connect the dots. A mysterious, intellectual read. Is is Atwood's best novel? I don't think so, but great nonetheless. As I continue to unpack and attempt to draw more connections, the rating of this may change (likely to increase).
In my experience of reading, Surfacing manages to juggle a nuanced diachronic nature. The pacing of events are slow, while the prose constructs a quick highway for reading. Atwood's roots as a poet really shine through, I think, while establishing her as a tour de force in fiction (this was her second book of fiction published, if I'm not mistaken).
The characters are realistically, wonderfully, and often infuriatingly as layered and jagged as everyday people. With her expert crafting of character, Atwood paves a smooth road into the utter suspension of disbelief.
The story leaves the reader with much to dwell on, and I found myself frequently flipping back to early pages in the novel to connect the dots. A mysterious, intellectual read. Is is Atwood's best novel? I don't think so, but great nonetheless. As I continue to unpack and attempt to draw more connections, the rating of this may change (likely to increase).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Abortion, and Mental illness
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie
informative
medium-paced
2.75
Surprisingly, this self-help book from the 80s holds up, I think. The writing is not eloquent, but it is accessible and conversational, which matters more for its particular subject. The structure is intuitive, and coping mechanisms it includes are relevant yet. As a child of an alcoholic, what Beattie describes was very familiar and accurate.
One understandable side effect of reading this book is that you may spot codependency in everyone around you. I believe Beattie iterates this at least once, but to iterate it again: everyone displays some codependent traits from time to time. This doesn't mean everyone is pathologically codependent.
With this being a book from the 80s, there is a glaring lack of observation of intersectionality in all manifestations of codependency. Perhaps there is a more contemporary text that addresses codependency with comparable astuteness to Beattie and incorporates intersectional factors into the elucidation.
What the book could've done without, with no excuses for the time of its genesis, is less Christianity shoved down the reader's throat. Turning to God and having faith in God are legitimate coping mechanisms listed alongside the rest. Not having faith in God is listed as a symptom of codependency. Faith can be helpful, it can be a cathartic tool, but faith does not look the same for everyone. Christianity is not everyone's faith, and should not be embedded into a book that aims to be a professional, objective guiding tool. The consistent emphasis on this one religion throughout the text undermines Beattie's credibility, which is a shame, because she has useful things to say.
One understandable side effect of reading this book is that you may spot codependency in everyone around you. I believe Beattie iterates this at least once, but to iterate it again: everyone displays some codependent traits from time to time. This doesn't mean everyone is pathologically codependent.
With this being a book from the 80s, there is a glaring lack of observation of intersectionality in all manifestations of codependency. Perhaps there is a more contemporary text that addresses codependency with comparable astuteness to Beattie and incorporates intersectional factors into the elucidation.
What the book could've done without, with no excuses for the time of its genesis, is less Christianity shoved down the reader's throat. Turning to God and having faith in God are legitimate coping mechanisms listed alongside the rest. Not having faith in God is listed as a symptom of codependency. Faith can be helpful, it can be a cathartic tool, but faith does not look the same for everyone. Christianity is not everyone's faith, and should not be embedded into a book that aims to be a professional, objective guiding tool. The consistent emphasis on this one religion throughout the text undermines Beattie's credibility, which is a shame, because she has useful things to say.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Disclaimer: this is my first Agatha Christie novel ever
Simply: a very solid, compelling mystery! I only put it down due to exhaustion, then finished it the next day. It was immensely satisfying to deduce for myself who I thought the culprit was. Christie gives you all the information--you can solve the mystery after being introduced to the characters properly, if you want.
It should be acknowledged: this book was originally published under an extremely racist title.
Simply: a very solid, compelling mystery! I only put it down due to exhaustion, then finished it the next day. It was immensely satisfying to deduce for myself who I thought the culprit was. Christie gives you all the information--you can solve the mystery after being introduced to the characters properly, if you want.
It should be acknowledged: this book was originally published under an extremely racist title.