Take a photo of a barcode or cover
deathbedxcv's reviews
55 reviews
The Europeans: A Sketch by Henry James
4.0
“[…] an eyebrow which, if ladies wrote sonnets to those of their lovers, might have been made the subject of such a piece of verse - and a light moustache that flourished upwards as if blown that way by the breath of a constant smile”
* ‘The Europeans’ by Henry James, is described as “essentially a comedy contrasting the behaviour and attitudes of two visitors from Europe with those of their relatives living in the 'new' world of New England’ by Wikipedia user Rmackenzie on August 18, 2005, and as “[…] an early example of James’s lifelong project of internationalizing the novel and his prescient anticipation of what now is a familiar world of permeable borders and pluralized identities,” by Andrew Taylor, senior lecturer in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh circa 2008. It follows Baroness Eugenia Münster and Felix Young—the European siblings—as they travel to Boston, Massachusetts to try to bag their cousins. I see this entire story as a competition between Eugenia and Felix to see who can basically fxck ehm *clears throat* marry one of their American cousins first so that they can attain an American fortune. One of them wins, but I won’t tell you who! This is my second time reading something written by Henry James, and it’s like they say 2nd times the charm! I really liked this one. I loved how James describe the different settings of Germany and Boston, and how every character was painted so vividly I could picture them in front of me. Henry James is a pretty good writer and if he ever decides to make a career out of it, I feel like he could do very well for himself.
* ‘The Europeans’ by Henry James, is described as “essentially a comedy contrasting the behaviour and attitudes of two visitors from Europe with those of their relatives living in the 'new' world of New England’ by Wikipedia user Rmackenzie on August 18, 2005, and as “[…] an early example of James’s lifelong project of internationalizing the novel and his prescient anticipation of what now is a familiar world of permeable borders and pluralized identities,” by Andrew Taylor, senior lecturer in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh circa 2008. It follows Baroness Eugenia Münster and Felix Young—the European siblings—as they travel to Boston, Massachusetts to try to bag their cousins. I see this entire story as a competition between Eugenia and Felix to see who can basically fxck ehm *clears throat* marry one of their American cousins first so that they can attain an American fortune. One of them wins, but I won’t tell you who! This is my second time reading something written by Henry James, and it’s like they say 2nd times the charm! I really liked this one. I loved how James describe the different settings of Germany and Boston, and how every character was painted so vividly I could picture them in front of me. Henry James is a pretty good writer and if he ever decides to make a career out of it, I feel like he could do very well for himself.
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
5.0
“Tell your granddaddy what’s playing in your pretty brown head, my little melody. Name like a song. Like you were born and it was cause for the world to sing”
* ‘Red At The Bone’ by Jacqueline Woodson was for a lack of a better phrase or word, really fucking good holy shit. I swear if you haven’t read this already, go to your local library or your local book store and pick it up. Woodson’s words are beyond poetic. The way she forms this story through different perspectives all surrounding a Black Teen pregnancy in the 1990s was, and I’m sorry for using so many cliches, a Tour de France. I couldn’t stop reading it and I was really sad when it ended. Woodson also deals with race, generation gaps, wealth gaps, sexuality, and more! Although, I will say that the shift in perspectives was a bit jarring at first, I really appreciated the ones that were from the POV of the grandparents. It was like when your own grandma or grandpa tells you about their life…which is always something sweet to listen to.
* ‘Red At The Bone’ by Jacqueline Woodson was for a lack of a better phrase or word, really fucking good holy shit. I swear if you haven’t read this already, go to your local library or your local book store and pick it up. Woodson’s words are beyond poetic. The way she forms this story through different perspectives all surrounding a Black Teen pregnancy in the 1990s was, and I’m sorry for using so many cliches, a Tour de France. I couldn’t stop reading it and I was really sad when it ended. Woodson also deals with race, generation gaps, wealth gaps, sexuality, and more! Although, I will say that the shift in perspectives was a bit jarring at first, I really appreciated the ones that were from the POV of the grandparents. It was like when your own grandma or grandpa tells you about their life…which is always something sweet to listen to.
Death Is Hard Work by خالد خليفة, Khaled Khalifa
4.0
“There’s a big difference between an old man who dies in his village, surrounded by family and close to the cemetery, and one who dies hundreds of kilometers away from them all.”
* “Death Is Hard Work” by Khaled Khalifa is a dark comedy set during the current Syrian Civil War, which follows siblings Bolbol, Hussein, and Fatima as they attempt to pass through checkpoint and checkpoint so to complete their father’s, Abdel Latif, final wish of being buried in Anabiya. Khalifa manages to plant and grow a family tree which follows the events over the last forty plus years that have led to the current state of Syria. Allegorical is the relationship between the siblings, some would say, with Bolbol being the most timid, Hussein the most outspoken, and Fatima the most quiet. Judge yourself who or what each of them represent in this real world that we live in. I would say that the relationships within the entire family are meant to mimic Syria, both its politics and its people. It’s clear that transporting a loved ones body from one end of a country to the other under civil war is not the easiest task, but what makes it even more difficult is the family’s own history. I now understand why this novel has one and been nominated for so many international literary prizes. Also, Khalifa helped introduce me to Riyad al-Salih al-Hussein!
* “Death Is Hard Work” by Khaled Khalifa is a dark comedy set during the current Syrian Civil War, which follows siblings Bolbol, Hussein, and Fatima as they attempt to pass through checkpoint and checkpoint so to complete their father’s, Abdel Latif, final wish of being buried in Anabiya. Khalifa manages to plant and grow a family tree which follows the events over the last forty plus years that have led to the current state of Syria. Allegorical is the relationship between the siblings, some would say, with Bolbol being the most timid, Hussein the most outspoken, and Fatima the most quiet. Judge yourself who or what each of them represent in this real world that we live in. I would say that the relationships within the entire family are meant to mimic Syria, both its politics and its people. It’s clear that transporting a loved ones body from one end of a country to the other under civil war is not the easiest task, but what makes it even more difficult is the family’s own history. I now understand why this novel has one and been nominated for so many international literary prizes. Also, Khalifa helped introduce me to Riyad al-Salih al-Hussein!
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
5.0
“I disliked having a fork pointed at me and I disliked the sound of the voice never stopping; I wished he would put food on the fork and put it into his mouth and strangle himself.”
* ‘We Have Always Lived In The Castle’ by Shirley Jackson tells the story of the three survivors of a Blackwood Family Murder [SCREAMS!!!], and it’s literally one of the greatest I have ever read. The survivors are, from age of oldest to youngest; Julian aka Uncle Julian, Constance aka Connie, and Mary Katherine aka Merricat…there’s also Jonas the cat! It’s really cliché to say things like, “not everything is what it seems,” or “there are multiple sides to a story,” but with this classic by Jackson these cliches are actually very true and that’s what makes this novel so fucking good. Also, the story is told through the first person perspective of Mary Katherine Blackwood, who, being so young, gave a youthful rhythm to a novel about death and MURDER [SCREAMS AGAIN!!!].
* ‘We Have Always Lived In The Castle’ by Shirley Jackson tells the story of the three survivors of a Blackwood Family Murder [SCREAMS!!!], and it’s literally one of the greatest I have ever read. The survivors are, from age of oldest to youngest; Julian aka Uncle Julian, Constance aka Connie, and Mary Katherine aka Merricat…there’s also Jonas the cat! It’s really cliché to say things like, “not everything is what it seems,” or “there are multiple sides to a story,” but with this classic by Jackson these cliches are actually very true and that’s what makes this novel so fucking good. Also, the story is told through the first person perspective of Mary Katherine Blackwood, who, being so young, gave a youthful rhythm to a novel about death and MURDER [SCREAMS AGAIN!!!].
The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
5.0
“Every morning in the bathroom getting ready I would repeat the same phrase to myself over and over again … Today I’m gonna be a tough guy.”
Just finished reading “The End of Eddy” by Édouard Louis…a brutal novel surrounding hyper-masculinity and how it affects the young Eddy Belleguele during his upbringing in a French Factory town. Eddy is gay no matter how hard he tries to fight it—a form of hyper masculinity within itself. Something that stuck with me is Eddy’s mantra “Today I’m gonna be a tough guy” because it made me reflect on what it means to be a tough guy. I remember growing up you’d be called gay for doing something that people thought was “girly”. You almost couldn’t escape the word, and that would have a profound effect on me growing up. It’s clear and has always been clear that hyper masculinity reigns strong when it diminishes everything that it tries so hard not to be. Personally, growing up in a hyper masculine culture, I sorta stopped caring about being called gay for liking certain things. When people, mostly those who identified as masculine, would call me gay I’d be like, “ok, so?” But not many people have that luxury in the world…
Just finished reading “The End of Eddy” by Édouard Louis…a brutal novel surrounding hyper-masculinity and how it affects the young Eddy Belleguele during his upbringing in a French Factory town. Eddy is gay no matter how hard he tries to fight it—a form of hyper masculinity within itself. Something that stuck with me is Eddy’s mantra “Today I’m gonna be a tough guy” because it made me reflect on what it means to be a tough guy. I remember growing up you’d be called gay for doing something that people thought was “girly”. You almost couldn’t escape the word, and that would have a profound effect on me growing up. It’s clear and has always been clear that hyper masculinity reigns strong when it diminishes everything that it tries so hard not to be. Personally, growing up in a hyper masculine culture, I sorta stopped caring about being called gay for liking certain things. When people, mostly those who identified as masculine, would call me gay I’d be like, “ok, so?” But not many people have that luxury in the world…
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
5.0
“Whether it had been for the best was not something I as yet fully understood. I only knew that, right now, sitting in the strong sunlight, its lingering memory in my breast was very painful. It hurt so much I could barely breathe.”
Just finished reading “Kitchen” and its companion story, “Moonlight Shadow” by Banana Yoshimoto. I had picked up this book from the library because I’ve seen Banana Yoshimoto’s name pop up a few times in lists like “contemporary Japanese writers” or “top ten Japanese writers.” But anyway what struck me the most is how sad this book is. I feel like there’s more death than life in this. It’s strange too because the book is almost therapeutic , I would say, since it allows the reader through the eyes of Mikage, Yoichi, Satsuki, Urara, and Hiiragi to experience death. I believe that what this book does beautifully is illustrate how death, while a part of life, can lead to some irrationality. Whether that irrationality be falling in love…or wearing your dead girlfriend’s school uniform
Just finished reading “Kitchen” and its companion story, “Moonlight Shadow” by Banana Yoshimoto. I had picked up this book from the library because I’ve seen Banana Yoshimoto’s name pop up a few times in lists like “contemporary Japanese writers” or “top ten Japanese writers.” But anyway what struck me the most is how sad this book is. I feel like there’s more death than life in this. It’s strange too because the book is almost therapeutic , I would say, since it allows the reader through the eyes of Mikage, Yoichi, Satsuki, Urara, and Hiiragi to experience death. I believe that what this book does beautifully is illustrate how death, while a part of life, can lead to some irrationality. Whether that irrationality be falling in love…or wearing your dead girlfriend’s school uniform
Wetlands by Charlotte Roche
5.0
Just finished reading Wetlands by Charlotte Roche…this is the type of novel that’ll have you saying “How can someone be this horny?” But really early, you realize that it’s a deeper more personal issue than that…surrounding family…and to think of one’s family not in connection to sex but parallel to it…a very intimate and disgusting novel…I loved it