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atomic_tourist's reviews
355 reviews
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Better than the last two Moshfegh books I read (McGlue and Homesick for Another World, which were really disappointing). But don't know if it was good enough to convince me to ever pick up another one of her books. Time will tell.
A Thousand Brains by Jeff Hawkins
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Jeff Hawkins laid out some ideas that I thought were super interesting. I'm trying to get some neuro people *cough cough Oshani* to read A Thousand Brains to see if what he's saying has any merit. I really hope so, because the first two-thirds of this book impressed me and has, so to speak, changed my model of the world a little bit ;)
In the last third, Hawkins goes waaaaaay off track, talking about extraterrestrial life and asserting that faith in the afterlife is a "false belief," going so far as to list it alongside climate change denial as a threat to humanity. Such claims show a lack of understanding of humanity; every culture known to man, ever(!!) has had a religion. This is a fact that leads me to believe that religion is a necessary part of the human condition. Your own views on religion might change, but it is quite flippant to state, as Hawkins did, that the afterlife must be a false belief due to a lack of evidence. To be clear, Hawkins' anti-religion argument is confined to just a few pages, but I was disappointed that it made its way into a book that is otherwise full of compelling arguments.
(I am not claiming that heaven is "real" or that it is false. Just saying that the whole point is that no one knows and it's mighty bold of Hawkins to claim, without substantiation, that heaven is deffo not real.)
Another gripe: some of his other claims show a similar lack of social and historical analysis. For example, Hawkins asserts that humanity's intelligence is the reason our existence is threatened by a climate crisis. I actually think that this is a false belief. Any thorough understanding of climate change must involve an understanding of colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism. Without these forces, it is doubtful that we'd be experiencing climate change right now, seeing as there is a general consensus that climate change is related to processes that began during the Industrial Revolution. Intelligence is not the cause of the climate crisis, and saying so ignores the myriad cultures on this planet who are intelligent and would not have begat global warming on us.
Even with these flaws, Hawkins' writing was accessible and his thesis was original. I now have a deepened understanding of how my brain works, which is pretty neat. But also makes it tough to turn off that over-awareness that "I" am just a brain sitting in a dark skull. Help!!
In the last third, Hawkins goes waaaaaay off track, talking about extraterrestrial life and asserting that faith in the afterlife is a "false belief," going so far as to list it alongside climate change denial as a threat to humanity. Such claims show a lack of understanding of humanity; every culture known to man, ever(!!) has had a religion. This is a fact that leads me to believe that religion is a necessary part of the human condition. Your own views on religion might change, but it is quite flippant to state, as Hawkins did, that the afterlife must be a false belief due to a lack of evidence. To be clear, Hawkins' anti-religion argument is confined to just a few pages, but I was disappointed that it made its way into a book that is otherwise full of compelling arguments.
(I am not claiming that heaven is "real" or that it is false. Just saying that the whole point is that no one knows and it's mighty bold of Hawkins to claim, without substantiation, that heaven is deffo not real.)
Another gripe: some of his other claims show a similar lack of social and historical analysis. For example, Hawkins asserts that humanity's intelligence is the reason our existence is threatened by a climate crisis. I actually think that this is a false belief. Any thorough understanding of climate change must involve an understanding of colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism. Without these forces, it is doubtful that we'd be experiencing climate change right now, seeing as there is a general consensus that climate change is related to processes that began during the Industrial Revolution. Intelligence is not the cause of the climate crisis, and saying so ignores the myriad cultures on this planet who are intelligent and would not have begat global warming on us.
Even with these flaws, Hawkins' writing was accessible and his thesis was original. I now have a deepened understanding of how my brain works, which is pretty neat. But also makes it tough to turn off that over-awareness that "I" am just a brain sitting in a dark skull. Help!!
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was the November pick for the UM Women's Commission Book Club! Pretty much everyone agreed that Ana Reyes' debut novel had potential (now Somebody Told Me is playing in my head, lol).
But Reyes tried to pack too much into this short book: two timelines, a thriller plotline, a Borgesian-ly framed side plot about Maya's dad's novel, plus also a historical fiction side plot about military violence in Guatemala... Not to mention the (imo unnecessary) focus on Maya's current love interest, Dan.
I was also frustrated because for what feels like the billionth time, I wasted a few days reading a book marketed as a dark thriller that really didn't delve deep enough into the unknown, the mysterious, and the uncomfortable. At least for my tastes, The House in the Pines was too normie, which I realize sounds pretentious, but still... Guess maybe I should have seen it coming since it was a Reese's Book Club pick. Oh well.
But Reyes tried to pack too much into this short book: two timelines, a thriller plotline, a Borgesian-ly framed side plot about Maya's dad's novel, plus also a historical fiction side plot about military violence in Guatemala... Not to mention the (imo unnecessary) focus on Maya's current love interest, Dan.
I was also frustrated because for what feels like the billionth time, I wasted a few days reading a book marketed as a dark thriller that really didn't delve deep enough into the unknown, the mysterious, and the uncomfortable. At least for my tastes, The House in the Pines was too normie, which I realize sounds pretentious, but still... Guess maybe I should have seen it coming since it was a Reese's Book Club pick. Oh well.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
A nice read. I appreciated that Allende balanced sentimentality and depth. Her characters were all strong personalities but she resisted turning them into complete stereotypes. It's impossible for me not to compare Long Petal to Min Jin Lee's magnificent Pachinko, and where I think Petal fell short is that it doesn't spend enough time with its characters. Multi-generational sagas are meant to be lengthy works. When they're on the shorter side, like this novel, it means that we readers don't get to know all of the characters very well. I felt that Allende didn't fully flesh out Carme and Marcel, who represented the older and younger generations in the story, and their perspective was lacking.
Also, in a roundabout way, Allende's insertion of her relative (father's cousin), the Chilean politician Salvador Allende, as Victor's close friend, reminded me of Louise Erdrich's fantastic covid novel, The Sentence, where Erdrich inserts herself as the main character's boss. There's something salacious about a self-insertion into a work of fiction. It feels very intimate.
Also, in a roundabout way, Allende's insertion of her relative (father's cousin), the Chilean politician Salvador Allende, as Victor's close friend, reminded me of Louise Erdrich's fantastic covid novel, The Sentence, where Erdrich inserts herself as the main character's boss. There's something salacious about a self-insertion into a work of fiction. It feels very intimate.
סוגרים את הים by Yehudit Katzir
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
My second Yehudit Katzir book. The vignettes were all the sort of writing I am into right now: a little postmodern, with narrators who are tortured young women, yearning for something more. Unsure if it was intentional, but the title vignette strongly reminded me of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, and I lapped it up in one sitting during my lunch hour.
The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
medium-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? No
I was predisposed to like The Cherry Robbers, but it fell short of my expectations. It read like a poor imitation of The Virgin Suicides with a little bit of Alias Grace mixed in, but with a diluted narrative that left me wanting more.
It's tough to place my finger on exactly what annoys me so much about The Cherry Robbers. I think that similarly to Just Like Home, I hated that Sarai Walker tried to turn a genre associated with the macabre (Gothic-- though arguably this book isn't Gothic, but I digress...) and give it a happy ending with a queer twist.
I recognize that this sort of writing is healing for some people, but to me, it's soft and too easy. A good book challenges you and makes you dig deep. I read my fair share of fluff, but when I reach for something darker, I do so because it forces me to look inward and confront tough emotions like anger, grief, or confusion. This book did not do that. It was quite bland in its 'horror' because Walker didn't take big risks. So, while some people may feel that Walker's writing is genre-subverting, I think it's just lazy. Books like this make me think of reading Heather Love's Feeling Backward in college and how much it resonated with me; there's a real need for queer texts portraying darkness and complexity, and I can't stand literature that shies away from these emotions for the sake of a tidy narrative.
Off to read something else, I need a palate cleanser.
It's tough to place my finger on exactly what annoys me so much about The Cherry Robbers. I think that similarly to Just Like Home, I hated that Sarai Walker tried to turn a genre associated with the macabre (Gothic-- though arguably this book isn't Gothic, but I digress...) and give it a happy ending with a queer twist.
I recognize that this sort of writing is healing for some people, but to me, it's soft and too easy. A good book challenges you and makes you dig deep. I read my fair share of fluff, but when I reach for something darker, I do so because it forces me to look inward and confront tough emotions like anger, grief, or confusion. This book did not do that. It was quite bland in its 'horror' because Walker didn't take big risks. So, while some people may feel that Walker's writing is genre-subverting, I think it's just lazy. Books like this make me think of reading Heather Love's Feeling Backward in college and how much it resonated with me; there's a real need for queer texts portraying darkness and complexity, and I can't stand literature that shies away from these emotions for the sake of a tidy narrative.
Off to read something else, I need a palate cleanser.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
It was nice to get sucked into a YA novel again! Been a while since I enjoyed one this much. Took me a few chapters to get into the story, and the writing style didn't click for me (too pretentious for my tastes). But by the end, it was a page-turner. Waiting till I can get my hands on the sequel.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
One of the most fun mysteries I've read lately. I especially appreciated the depth and complexity of each of the characters.
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
dark
medium-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
EDITED TO ADD: Guinevere Turner wrote the film adaptation?! Guess I will have to suck it up and watch... Celesbians will be the death of me.
I have never in my life felt this unwell while reading a book before. Easton Ellis can string together pleasing sentences, sure, but I would say American Psycho is not a well-written book. This is because, as I was reading it, I asked myself, why did he write this? What is the point? And, you know what... I really couldn't find one. American Psycho is not a meaningful exploration of a psychopath's mind. It's not a statement on the 'American condition'. It is simply 400 pages of the vilest, most gruesome violence you could ever imagine. And it's all completely pointless!
(Edit: I know the main topic Easton Ellis is getting at is the massive consumerism of the 80's and the soul-sucking culture of Wall Street. But the insanely gruesome violence, and I say this as a self-avowed horror and slasher junkie, was a tasteless way of accomplishing this. I would even say that it failed at accomplishing it completely, hence my distaste of the book.)
Below are some of my raw thoughts (and jokes, because that's just who I am):
1) Who in the book club nominated this book for true crime? I hope they know Patrick Bateman was not, in fact, a real person...
2) Almost shelved this as a graphic novel because, if anything, it's certainly graphic...
3) Book club people said they liked the endless, droning, descriptions of suits because it "shows that Patrick is a narcissist." I'm not a psychologist, but I don't think the definition of a narcissistic personality is being preoccupied with clothes. I'm under the impression that it has to do with how you see yourself and how you treat others. If an obsession with fashion makes you a narcissist.... then half of this city would fall under that category. So, in my book, the ceaseless descriptions of what every. single. character is wearing are annoying and completely purposeless.
4) Shockingly, it passes the Bechdel test! Guess you could say American Psycho is a feminist slay?
I have never in my life felt this unwell while reading a book before. Easton Ellis can string together pleasing sentences, sure, but I would say American Psycho is not a well-written book. This is because, as I was reading it, I asked myself, why did he write this? What is the point? And, you know what... I really couldn't find one. American Psycho is not a meaningful exploration of a psychopath's mind. It's not a statement on the 'American condition'. It is simply 400 pages of the vilest, most gruesome violence you could ever imagine. And it's all completely pointless!
(Edit: I know the main topic Easton Ellis is getting at is the massive consumerism of the 80's and the soul-sucking culture of Wall Street. But the insanely gruesome violence, and I say this as a self-avowed horror and slasher junkie, was a tasteless way of accomplishing this. I would even say that it failed at accomplishing it completely, hence my distaste of the book.)
Below are some of my raw thoughts (and jokes, because that's just who I am):
1) Who in the book club nominated this book for true crime? I hope they know Patrick Bateman was not, in fact, a real person...
2) Almost shelved this as a graphic novel because, if anything, it's certainly graphic...
3) Book club people said they liked the endless, droning, descriptions of suits because it "shows that Patrick is a narcissist." I'm not a psychologist, but I don't think the definition of a narcissistic personality is being preoccupied with clothes. I'm under the impression that it has to do with how you see yourself and how you treat others. If an obsession with fashion makes you a narcissist.... then half of this city would fall under that category. So, in my book, the ceaseless descriptions of what every. single. character is wearing are annoying and completely purposeless.
4) Shockingly, it passes the Bechdel test! Guess you could say American Psycho is a feminist slay?
The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team by Kara Goucher
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
WOW!! What a year it has been for Oiselle-backed athletes and their memoirs. First, Lauren Fleshman's memorable read, Good for a Girl, and now Kara Goucher's The Longest Race.
In my review of Fleshman's book, I mentioned having admired her from a young age. Similarly, I've looked up to Kara Goucher since my high school running days. Actually, when my local running store opened back in 2015, their grand opening included an unveiling of a sculpture of none other than Kara herself! I'd see Kara's likeness every time I got a new pair of shoes, and I've been a fan ever since.
The Longest Race reaffirms why I see Kara as a role model. It's one of the bravest books I've ever read. For her to go on the record and implicate the sport's biggest names in a doping and abuse scandal... that takes guts. I follow the sport of running quite closely so I was aware of Alberto Salazar's fall from grace, but I couldn't grasp how abusive and manipulative his behavior was before reading Kara's memoir. What really struck me was the way in which Nike supported him and made Kara's life so miserable for standing up to him.
This should be required reading for any runner, in my book. And maybe even any sports fan. Go read it!!
In my review of Fleshman's book, I mentioned having admired her from a young age. Similarly, I've looked up to Kara Goucher since my high school running days. Actually, when my local running store opened back in 2015, their grand opening included an unveiling of a sculpture of none other than Kara herself! I'd see Kara's likeness every time I got a new pair of shoes, and I've been a fan ever since.
The Longest Race reaffirms why I see Kara as a role model. It's one of the bravest books I've ever read. For her to go on the record and implicate the sport's biggest names in a doping and abuse scandal... that takes guts. I follow the sport of running quite closely so I was aware of Alberto Salazar's fall from grace, but I couldn't grasp how abusive and manipulative his behavior was before reading Kara's memoir. What really struck me was the way in which Nike supported him and made Kara's life so miserable for standing up to him.
This should be required reading for any runner, in my book. And maybe even any sports fan. Go read it!!