dejnozkova's reviews
135 reviews

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A story of jealousy and blind contempt born from the rigid hierarchies within Indian society, The God of Small Things tells of how oppressive societal structures quietly ripple into larger tragedy. Colonialism further emboldening a higher caste to shit on those who rank below them; the duties and burdens of womanhood encircling victims in bitterness and envy; the oppressor succumbing to the anxiety that the oppressed will someday punish their corruption and cruelty; the loneliness of clueless children condemned to expectation without being truly seen. The quiet suffering of each character culminates in a catastrophe that no one dares speak of. 

Arundhati Roy shrouds traumas in mystery, lifting veil after veil as she jumps around her narrative; the book skips from the past to the present to the future, in a more “stream-of-conscious” way of remembering, where one focus is interrupted by a memory or a reflection on a related event, which is then interrupted again by a different topic that is still somehow related to the greater narrative in a roundabout way. 

The novel is told more from the perspective of the children, whose confusion at the events that unfold highlight the senselessness of everyone’s suffering. Roy’s writing style is poetic and playful and captures this childhood lens by employing clever use of wordplay, rhyme, repetition, rhythm and poetry —not unlike children’s books or nursery rhymes. 

I very much loved Roy’s non-linear method of storytelling and I think it amplifies the power of each event throughout the book because past, present and future provide context for each other. It almost feels like the ENTIRE narrative is frozen in time because everything is Happening At The Same Time. Not exactly a spoiler but the novel ends at The Middle and not at The End, and it just leaves a profoundly bittersweet melancholy in you when you close the book. That underneath the layers of politics in book, it all boils down to people just trying to be people in a world that won’t let them. 

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

**audiobook format**

I listened to this book on my drive to and from the Adirondacks and not once was I bored. Usually I’m not one for stories centered completely on romantic themes, but between the flowing descriptions, the inner turmoil of the narrator, and the richness of the characters and the drama that envelops them, this book is definitely a page-turner (well, if I had been holding a physical copy it definitely would’ve been). 

“Giovanni’s Room” is an investigation of what it means to be a man, especially when confronted by one’s own affections for another man —this question being a central concern for the narrator/main character. His lover also forces him to confront the question of what love really is; is it an affection of convenience? Is it uncontrollable lust or chemistry? Is it what we pursue to paint a perfect picture in our futures, or the tether that keeps us clinging to life in our deepest moments of desperation? 

The book also addresses the matter of gay love when it is colored by class privilege. To a well-off American man with a distinct path and the promise of a prosperous future, it appears such a love is a result of commitment issues, loneliness, lust, and perhaps a desire for exploration, and even if he does feel for another man he can still pursue a stable [heterosexual] future when he casts his desires aside. But for an immigrant Italian from a poor village, who has already found himself outcasted with very little love for him at all, such a love may be drenched in passion, attachment, and romanticism; for a man like this, this love may be the only comfort he will ever find. This novel presents the sufferings of both being confined to the cage of self-denial, and of being in the desperate position of accepting a love that might be less than what one deserves. 

This novel is full of drama, betrayal, secrecy, internal struggle, romance, and passion. It holds a lens to how restrictive perceptions of masculinity touch the inner lives of average gay men who seek what almost everyone in this world seeks: love and belonging. 

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book was an addicting read —one of the fastest completion times I’ve had this year. The book follows the lineages of two sisters —one line following the story of slavery into America, while the other line remains home in Ghana, quite literally scarred from the events that severed the family. You follow each lineage generation by generation, parent to child, over several lifetimes. 

Yaa Gyasi manages to write beautiful characterizations of each of her protagonists despite each only holding the spotlight for a chapter. In the beginning I was worried that the constant changes between characters would end up confusing me but Gyasi makes the transitions effortless by weaving the end of a character’s chapter into the beginning of the next family member’s chapter. 

The most remarkable thing about this book is how Gyasi is able to communicate the tremendous scope of trauma caused by the slave trade and the domino-effect of suffering that continues to the present-day for both descendants of slaves and the descendants of those who stayed on the Gold Coast. She tells two very distinct stories to paint the picture of a larger narrative of loss, loneliness, oppression, perseverance, family, and love. There is a passage where one of her characters remarks how difficult it is to tell the history of Black America when every issue and event bleeds into another until the plot becomes so great and so vast that it is hard to coherently explain. But in just 300 pages Yaa Gyasi captures the essence of the damage that has permeated the histories of so many families, with scars that run generations-upon-generations deep. 

I think this book can reach many audiences in different ways. Gold Coast Africans and African-Americans both have their histories told in a way that is sentimental, heartfelt, and compassionate, bringing to light the pain felt by all African descendants, although in varying ways. I also think this book is great for people who have not had to carry the burden of such a dark history on their backs, and whose families have not had to shoulder such a burden for centuries; a lot of people do not realize that the events of the past have a rippled effect on the people of the present, even generations later. 

Overall a very beautifully written book with great care of the stories of the people while keeping an eye fixed on the greater picture. Yaa Gyasi is a captivating and clever storyteller. Usually I love character-driven novels but I feel like this was largely more plot-driven when you consider the scope she is attempting to capture. But by no means do I think this takes away from her characters, as she portrays them with care and nuance to effectively drive her narratives. 

Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Glück

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Louise Glück’s poetry captures a vulnerable sense of being lost in the sufferings of the world and crawling painfully towards wisdom and acceptance (and maybe a bit of resignation). Like many poets she uses her art to observe the world but half the time I think she ends up without much of an answer to the things she wonders about. A lot of her poetry is confessional and she often parallels her life and observations against Greek mythology (like, a lot). I’d say that she writes more softly, even when the subject matter is particularly dark. 

I definitely found a good many poems in this collection that I enjoyed and even the lonely ones felt like gentle embraces. I did get bored with the Greek and Christian themes after a while though —I just feel that these are overplayed. 

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.25

Anne Lamott is a truly talented writer with a witty and charming voice. She’s quite the realist but she approaches the hard stuff with humor and heartfelt encouragement. I like that this book offered genuine philosophies on life and writing, but overall, the labor of creation as a whole. She is very blunt about the struggles a writer faces and she herself is an honest and relatable person when it comes to sharing her experiences. 

If you’re looking for a book that will push you step-by-step how to create a written piece this book isn’t it. This book is meant to inspire and sympathize with fellow creators and offer therapy and advice for those undertaking an uphill creative battle. There were a few chapters in this book that got me off my couch and at my computer desk to write —and writing is something I’m too terrified and overwhelmed to attempt most times, even though I wish I would. 

Overall an enjoyable, funny read full of good advice and an inspiring attitude. 

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This is easily one of my favorite books ever, as it has fed both my mind and my soul. I definitely teared up at several points, and I also spent a lot of time reflecting. Truly a gift to read and I’m very very grateful. 

I think Robin Wall Kimmerer’s voice is a refreshing one in the discussion of environmental awareness and the future of the human race on this planet. In this book of essays she weaves together wisdoms from indigenous tradition, scientific study, and personal experience to provide a holistic view of what our relationships with our planet are and could be. She makes the case that sometimes the most important teachers in this world are the beings some societies mark as simply resources for consumption. Throughout “Braiding Sweetgrass” she emphasizes the importance of gratitude and acknowledging the gifts of abundance we are so naturally blessed with, and highlights the reciprocity required between us and other living things so that we all may thrive. 

What was especially exciting to me was that Kimmerer reinforces the validity of indigenous practices with the support of her extensive knowledge of botany as a science. She explains why specific methods of harvesting, controlled fires, and alternative methods of agriculture are genuinely successful in not only sustaining humanity in the short-term, but also ensuring the prosperity of the plants and animals we rely so heavily on for life —ultimately feeding into a reciprocal cycle, a give-and-take, that continues to feed us for generations to come. This, of course, also becomes a critique of our consumption-motivated culture which seeks to hoard resources to depletion. 

I also thoroughly loved how Kimmerer contrasts western and indigenous philosophies when she explains relationships between humans and other members of the natural world. She introduces mythologies, etymologies, and traditions to demonstrate that it’s not only a logistical issue but an issue of the mind and the heart. That a certain set of values can lead to destruction, while a different mindset might contribute to long-term sustainability and balance. So not only is this a book about the environment, it is also a book about humanity; the legacies and fates of humans and plants and animals have been, and always will be, inseparable. 

Robin Wall Kimmerer bundles this presentation together with a poetically flowing writing style that gives enough attention to detail to place you in her memories without muddying the image. Every essay plays in your head like a movie, especially her more personal ones. 

My only negative critique with this book is its organization. She has a few different essays that might cover the same plant or subject but she chooses to place them in entirely different chapters. And this is probably because these essays touch slightly different themes, but with such a variety of subjects it’s hard to see the relationship or theme of each chapter or how they’re related? But honestly in the grand scheme of things it really did not impede my ability to understand her points and the greater picture so I think this book still deserves its full five stars for being such a well-rounded book tackling so many different angles and layers. 

I am enthusiastic to recommend this book to anyone who cares about indigenous people, our plant and animal neighbors, and the future of our species as a whole. It’s intelligent without being too intimidatingly academic for the average reader, written to reach as many people as it can. And for as scary and depressing as the issues Kimmerer touches on, this manages to be a truly wholesome book regardless. It’s clear that these essays were written with a lot of thought, hope, and love. 

The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch

adventurous funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book started off pretty slow tbh, but once it picked up I really started enjoying it. Charles, the protagonist, is also the narrator and he is dramatic and irrational but insists that he is reasonable and the only sane person, which is the fun of it. While he is a bit annoying and frustrating to listen to (honestly I’d find him insufferable if I ever met him), the wild things that happen to him and the tea he slowly reveals about his personal life is what keeps you turning the pages. 

This book is about finding self-awareness and also the dangers of nostalgia and seeing what we want to see in lieu of accepting things as they are, especially in regard to the people we love (or believe we love). If you love unreliable narrators, skillfully painted characters, introspection and self-reflection, gossip and drama, and character development this is a very enjoyable book if you can manage the slower pace in the beginning. 

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I just really enjoyed this book. The characters are flavorful and vibrant with personality, especially the protagonist. They come from disadvantaged backgrounds, people who are discarded, ignored, looked down upon, and are made to feel like they have nowhere to go, but Kingsolver portrays them with love and admiration and details a wholesome story of hope. Most of the characters are women, all with their own strengths and flaws, who help each other grow throughout the novel. What I loved most is that this novel is about finding belonging —the emphasis on found family, the concept of “it takes a village to raise a child”, the message that people from very different backgrounds can find strength in each other.

This book touches on topics such as identity, family, motherhood, adoption, acceptance, immigration, poverty and finding inner-strength. Some characters have small-town-life upbringings in poverty and with a lack of education, and they have been cornered into what they feel are pre-determined roles they don’t have much say in. Other characters are indigenous immigrants who have floated from place to place managing the loss of their home and their family while carrying the burden of trauma and fear everywhere they go. These people all come together to support each other in finding a path to self-determination and healthy love and support. A very wholesome novel about overcoming life’s trials by having sympathy for others and growing as a person from those experiences. 

Calling Out After Slaughter by M. Carmen Lane

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.0

This is a more unknown poet and I know that her work would be extremely valuable to queer people and indigenous and/or black people and I think that she should get exposure for her raw and powerful work. Her poems come off simple in appearance but they rip open scars —not only those of her own but those that members of her community suffer as a whole. Lane boldly covers sensitive topics like sexual assault, racism, hate crimes, racial/ethnic identity, sexual and ethnic identity, and her own personal traumas. Just like the contrasts in identities and issues she covers, the language she uses is a jarring contrast between vulgarity and tender vulnerability. 

While I have a respect for this collection of poetry I do admit it wasn’t to my personal taste in way of style. She is a lot more blunt and in my opinion her work doesn’t come off as “poetic” to me (a quality that I recognize is subjective, especially in regards to contemporary poetry); I tend to like poetry that has more of an eloquence, more nuance and metaphor, clever turns of phrase, wrapping tough or intimate topics in artistry and elegance, etc. whereas the short staccato’d style she employs doesn’t give much opportunity for her voice to breathe and sink in; her poems feel more like gut-punches that are designed to overwhelm. Which again some people may like so 🤷🏼‍♀️ That being said I would like to see Lane to have a larger readership because I know there definitely are people who would appreciate both her style and her voice. 

Poems by Elizabeth Bishop

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

I love how Elizabeth Bishop paints pictures in your mind; her descriptions are so precise and honest that you can feel you’re standing where she stood. She’s not a grandiose or overly romantic, flowery poet but an observant realist who sees and appreciates things as they are. While many of her poems express melancholy over loss and memory they’re not exactly self-pitying or tragic? They’re reflective, more as lessons learned and realities to be accepted, however sad they may be. At other times she isolates joy in the little things, fishes and sunrises and maps and travel, slowing down life’s small moments so the reader can meditate on them with her. Reading Bishop is therapeutic and makes you feel well-traveled and well-lived.