badmom's reviews
496 reviews

The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.25

A story of extreme grief told through the eyes of a young, confused, and increasingly unstable person. Some instances of lovely description but on the whole a disconcerting and ultimately distressing examination of a family that cannot put itself back together after a series of tragedies.

Content Warnings

Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America by Linda Lawrence Hunt

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Well-researched and thorough account of an immigrant woman’s experiences in America during the mid-late 1800s. There are some redundant passages but overall, the story is marvelously detailed to include not only snapsots of everyday life but also the larger context of our nation’s growth both physically & intellectually.

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Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana

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emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Intriguing set of vignettes centered on people living in/associated with a Harlem apartment building targeted for gentrification. The characters’ flaws are highlighted but with loving care; they struggle because they’re at the mercy of a racist & classist system.

Content Warnings

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Intriguing mystery set in 1950s Mexico surrounding a young woman’s cousin, recently married but suddenly disengaging from her close-knit family. As the main character, a bold & brash (for the 1950s) adventurer, investigates she discovers that her cousin’s in-laws are essentially white supremacists. She also begins to realize their home harbors terrifying & dangerous secrets, and she might be ensnared as well.
The story is engaging most of tge way & written with soaring, sumptuous imagery at the start but unfortunately unravels once the secrets are revealed - the language ultimately feels more melodramatic soap opera than true, rich gothic.

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Zelda by Nancy Milford

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dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

Sweeping biography full of details (occasionally distracting or repetitive) about the public & private life of Zelda Fitzgerald, so often remembered only as the ‘original flapper’ who married the genius writer F. Scott and partied through the Roaring 20s.
Filled with her own writings - mainly to Scott but also other family members, friends, & doctors - plus marvelous first-hand accounts that develop a richer image + deeper understanding of this talented but troubled woman.

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The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Interesting structure that blurs conventional expectations of storytelling - an author’s fan writes to her and is soon invited to give feedback on her newest novel about a murder uncovered in a library that four strangers decide to investigate.
Switching back & forth from the increasingly outspoken letter-writer and the presumed novel chapters was sometimes a bit jarring, and a few details felt too-quickly thrown into place by the end.

Content Warnings