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daneroberts's reviews
21 reviews
The Fetishist by Katherine Min
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What an enthralling, capturing, and harrowing read this was! Katherine Min has written nothing short of excellence in “The Fetishist”. From the set-up to the twists and turns to that ENDING, everything was so well done and thought through. My favorite part of this novel is that you can tell Katherine had fun writing this. Delving into these characters and their desires and motivators and personality was truly incredible. This is just such a good story!! Great follow through with the plot and character development. When an author’s writing just says things you already know without realizing that you know, it is such a comforting and affirming experience.
The topic of asian fetishism was handled with knowledge and unbias. Katherine crafted a space around this topic that at times was puzzling, sexy, queasy, and shocking. This book was well rounded and came at you at all sides. I can’t recommend this enough!
The topic of asian fetishism was handled with knowledge and unbias. Katherine crafted a space around this topic that at times was puzzling, sexy, queasy, and shocking. This book was well rounded and came at you at all sides. I can’t recommend this enough!
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Wow, quite the debut! My biggest fear going into this novel was my lack of knowledge regarding the history of English royals but it was mostly okay! I wasn’t so much confused about that as I was confused about the geographical elements of the story. The characters are constantly traversing various parts of England which all blended together for me at some point, but that’s just because I’ve never been to England.
Aside from that I was shocked and taken aback by Hal’s story and journey. The things his father put him and his family through were interesting and deep and complex and I found it fascinating. I love how much the author takes an alternative view on how and what we should feel about our trauma. How, naturally, it isn’t all laid out for us and the lines of good and bad are blurred.
My favorite part was, of course, anytime Hal and Percy interacted- I almost wish there was more of it. I don’t want this to be a romance novel by any means but I would’ve been happy with more Hal and Percy scenes because the way there are written is so enthralling and translucent in my mind, I truly got the dynamic. Their relationship was definitely the most realistic element I could call back to my own life and I enjoyed their perspective on it all.
Aside from my lack of Great Britain geography and some clunky dialogue writing, I was pretty blown away by Henry Henry. Especially as a debut, I truly appreciated the convoluted grey areas of religion, trauma, sexuality, and relationships.
Aside from that I was shocked and taken aback by Hal’s story and journey. The things his father put him and his family through were interesting and deep and complex and I found it fascinating. I love how much the author takes an alternative view on how and what we should feel about our trauma. How, naturally, it isn’t all laid out for us and the lines of good and bad are blurred.
My favorite part was, of course, anytime Hal and Percy interacted- I almost wish there was more of it. I don’t want this to be a romance novel by any means but I would’ve been happy with more Hal and Percy scenes because the way there are written is so enthralling and translucent in my mind, I truly got the dynamic. Their relationship was definitely the most realistic element I could call back to my own life and I enjoyed their perspective on it all.
Aside from my lack of Great Britain geography and some clunky dialogue writing, I was pretty blown away by Henry Henry. Especially as a debut, I truly appreciated the convoluted grey areas of religion, trauma, sexuality, and relationships.
The Book of Love by Kelly Link
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
My first time at trying out Fantasy and I think I bit off a little more than I can chew! Going to start with something shorter and more accessible next time.
Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Love love love the way Ainslie Hogarth writes. She has such a way of accelerating a scene with a character’s inner monologue and psyche that’s so exciting. The words flew off the page for me, it’s rare that something reads as easily as this did for me. The story was engaging and mysterious- could’ve been longer but since this comes out fairly recently to her last novel, I enjoyed this little morsel from her mind. I would recommend this to anyone who loves stories about chaotic women, redefining feminists, or if you just like good writing. I would read anything Hogarth writes.
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed Kiley Reid’s writing in this novel. I think the way she sets up her characters in these scenes and explains their body language is very enthralling. Unfortunately not a lot was really going on in these scenes.
I feel a little catfished from this book. Starting the novel got a bit tedious and I kept waiting for something juicy to happen. There was a lot of technical set up about the dorms and the job as an RA and just a lot of day-to-day mundaneness that I thought was unnecessary and uninteresting. I usually enjoy quiet, relatable, slice of life stories- and I did really enjoy Kennedy’s story which I feel like is the strongest narrative of the book.
The two main characters, Agatha and Millie, had little growth throughout their story and certainly not a lot of pay off. I just don’t feel like enough happened for me to care about how things ended up. Millie’s arc was bizarre and kind of shitty considering she’s a well meaning hard working college girl that just falls into a bad situation that she has no control over and it just sucks. And Agatha is so successful already that I didn’t really care about the aftermath of the climax.
This novel didn’t read as gluttonous and ravishing as the title and cover suggested. The writing was good enough to keep me coming back but this story needed a looot more meat on its bones.
I feel a little catfished from this book. Starting the novel got a bit tedious and I kept waiting for something juicy to happen. There was a lot of technical set up about the dorms and the job as an RA and just a lot of day-to-day mundaneness that I thought was unnecessary and uninteresting. I usually enjoy quiet, relatable, slice of life stories- and I did really enjoy Kennedy’s story which I feel like is the strongest narrative of the book.
The two main characters, Agatha and Millie, had little growth throughout their story and certainly not a lot of pay off. I just don’t feel like enough happened for me to care about how things ended up. Millie’s arc was bizarre and kind of shitty considering she’s a well meaning hard working college girl that just falls into a bad situation that she has no control over and it just sucks. And Agatha is so successful already that I didn’t really care about the aftermath of the climax.
This novel didn’t read as gluttonous and ravishing as the title and cover suggested. The writing was good enough to keep me coming back but this story needed a looot more meat on its bones.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
First off, I’ve been dying to talk about the age gap between the two main characters. I normally love a queer age gap romance plot, I think it’s relatable and messy and complicated and interesting by WHYYY on earth was Greta older than Big Swiss. Literally the implied age from every blurb I read seemed like Greta was younger and Big Swiss was older. Big Swiss is married, has a job, and a nice house in a rich part of New York while Greta is in between jobs and lives with a roommate in a dump, so naturally, I thought it was the other way around. Not the biggest deal but she’s called Big Swiss after all, which didn’t get explained.
What I did enjoy about this book was its absurdity. I felt like this all took place in an unrealistic, somewhat dystopian backdrop of Hudson. The way Beagin sets up her characters and situation seemed fast-paced, crazy kooky, and heightened. It was fun to picture things like that. However, I was not a fan of the seemingly random moments that were added just to be quirky and random and different. Little details that made no sense, and were never called back to like “Big Swiss carried around several condiments in her purse” and “She hated apples with everything in her.” It was just dumb! And a waste a time.
What else was a waste of time was some of the character introductions. Before meeting Big Swiss, Greta explains this whole past memory with waaay too many characters that are barely mentioned ever again. The story really doesn’t pick up until the two women meet and getting through the beginning was taxing.
I’m not mad that I read this book but I feel like I had a very specific idea in my head of what it was going to be and I was pleasantly, and unpleasantly, surprised when it wasn’t.
What I did enjoy about this book was its absurdity. I felt like this all took place in an unrealistic, somewhat dystopian backdrop of Hudson. The way Beagin sets up her characters and situation seemed fast-paced, crazy kooky, and heightened. It was fun to picture things like that. However, I was not a fan of the seemingly random moments that were added just to be quirky and random and different. Little details that made no sense, and were never called back to like “Big Swiss carried around several condiments in her purse” and “She hated apples with everything in her.” It was just dumb! And a waste a time.
What else was a waste of time was some of the character introductions. Before meeting Big Swiss, Greta explains this whole past memory with waaay too many characters that are barely mentioned ever again. The story really doesn’t pick up until the two women meet and getting through the beginning was taxing.
I’m not mad that I read this book but I feel like I had a very specific idea in my head of what it was going to be and I was pleasantly, and unpleasantly, surprised when it wasn’t.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was one of the best written books I’ve ever read. So incredibly poetic and prolific and inspiring. The way Akbar ruminates on the human meanings of life and death is nothing less of extraordinary. So many chapters will resonate with me for a long time; the Michelangelo chapter, how he frames his addiction, the wood chopping scene with Zee, and that ENDING! There’s nothing I would change, so so well done.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell
3.0
Thought this was going to go more in depth about the real trials and tribulations about modern anxiety and over-thinking. How information is constantly at our fingertips and how that does more harm than good. Although that concept was touched on, it was pretty streamlined. As someone who took Psychology 101 in high school there wasn’t a ton of new information here for me. Not bad just overall kinda basic!
P.S - What the hell was that queer mothering comment about in chapter 1?? I’m still perplexed over that.
P.S - What the hell was that queer mothering comment about in chapter 1?? I’m still perplexed over that.