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benjaminjournal's reviews
68 reviews
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
5.0
This shattered me. Simply one of the most stunning books I've ever read.
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
5.0
Rachel fucking Cusk.....honestly. A beautiful, ravaging piece. Art as truth and what is truth even mean? How does it play into creation? This deals with the narratives we write for ourselves. A lot about womanhood, motherhood, male privilege and female will. Freedom, what is freedom and freedom from identity, expectations and our own narratives? Plus a lot of gorgeous prose, nature descriptions and ART ART ART. 5 stars.
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura van den Berg
4.0
Loved the atmosphere and surreal qualities to these stories. Great writing and each story packs a punch. Dark, uncanny and David Lynch-esque.
Things I Don't Want to Know by Deborah Levy
5.0
5/5. I am a huge Levy fan. Reflecting from a mountainside hotel in Majorca, on her journey as a young woman, a mother and a writer. About the craft of finding the voice to write and dealing with the questions of home and belonging. Excited to read the rest of this series.
The Houseguest: And Other Stories by Amparo Dávila
3.0
Sad to say I found this collection disappointing.
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
5.0
One of the most unique things I've ever read. It definitely did demand patience of me and I couldn't breeze through this like other things -- many times I needed to take breaks after a chapter or two, which in the moment I wasn't sure if it meant something "negative". I've decided no. This book is perfectly itself. Many passages also truly made me feel seen, as a person who feels like they have one foot on the other side in terms of gender identity. Very powerful.
The Pixels of Paul Cézanne: And Reflections on Other Artists by Wim Wenders
5.0
Now one of my favorite essay collections by an artist about art. Wim Wenders, I love you for this! A book I'll be revisiting for many years to come.