Scan barcode
edgwareviabank's reviews
597 reviews
That Can Be Arranged: A Muslim Love Story by Huda Fahmy
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
Very quick read, I breezed through the ebook version in an hour. It felt like a straightforward story taking the main character from A to B, and I was hoping for deeper / more complex cues for reflection for readers. It would be a good for readers who are approaching the topics for the first time. As far as I'm concerned, I learned a handful of new facts about Muslim culture, but the general dynamics of families, Muslim dating and arranged marriages were nothing I hadn't already read about or heard about before. I'd be happy to read more of Huda Fahmy's comics, as overall, I did enjoy the lighthearted tone.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I love fiction that revolves around the immigrant experience and belonging, so I was very happy to find this book at the library very shortly after hearing about it for the first time online. At a time when I'm reading at a very slow pace, I appreciated that it's made out of very short stories, written with spare prose that still manages to hit on deeply emotional notes. Common themes are memories, loss, wanting to hold on to one's roots (to the cost of feeling displaced in a new country that's meant to offer a new life), the belief that dignity is achieved through sacrifice.
The stories themselves were a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed about half of them, and found the other half not quite satisfactory (not enough connection to the characters, or not digging deep enough for me to feel I was really getting the message at the core).
My favourites:
The stories themselves were a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed about half of them, and found the other half not quite satisfactory (not enough connection to the characters, or not digging deep enough for me to feel I was really getting the message at the core).
My favourites:
- Paris - a factory worker observes her workplace dynamics from a detached point of view, as she reflects about why she seems to be standing outside of it all, and whether she actually wants in.
- Randy Travis - a mother develops an obsession with a country music star as her coping strategy against displacement, and the illusion of a better life just out of sight.
- Mani Pedi - a failed boxer carves out a small oasis of contentment taking up a job at his sister's nail salon.
- Edge of the World - a young woman remembers her estranged mother, and sees the signs of the deep loneliness that eventually led her to leave.
- A Far Distant Thing - memories of an old childhood friend surface as the protagonist reflects on how their paths diverged later in life.
- Picking Worms - a mother and a daughter realise that working hard isn't a guarantee of getting ahead in life; a privileged young man doesn't get something he'd longed for.
Family Politics by John O'Farrell
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.0
3 stars because of a few select scenes that really made me laugh (special mention for the presence of a character called Sally Smith-Smith, and Emma's reaction to the gifts from Dylan's girlfriend).
However, the book as a whole is quite repetitive, and feels very on-the-nose with the contrast between Tory-hating parents and their Conservative son (both the serious moments and the humorous ones constantly hit on the same notes). I wasn't overly invested in the characters. Even though I've lived in the UK most of my adult life, getting familiar with the narratives around politics and class, I felt I probably just wasn't the target audience for this book. It's very British humour, which isn't necessarily a negative, but didn't quite work for me this time.
However, the book as a whole is quite repetitive, and feels very on-the-nose with the contrast between Tory-hating parents and their Conservative son (both the serious moments and the humorous ones constantly hit on the same notes). I wasn't overly invested in the characters. Even though I've lived in the UK most of my adult life, getting familiar with the narratives around politics and class, I felt I probably just wasn't the target audience for this book. It's very British humour, which isn't necessarily a negative, but didn't quite work for me this time.
The Pathless Path: Imagining a New Story For Work and Life by Paul Millerd
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: A Feminist's Guide to Investing by Camilla Falkenberg
informative
medium-paced
2.75
Knife River by Justine Champine
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Gorgeously written. I loved Jess's voice, the fraught relationship between her and her sister, and the tense atmosphere of her going back to her hometown. In fact, the "back to hometown" setting is the very reason I picked up this book, because I'm a sucker for mysteries set within this sort of narrative.
I still found the book a slog to get through. I was expecting better pacing - this is a REALLY slow going book. It's as if the author was overly worried with establishing sense of pace, when she could comfortably have achieved that with fewer descriptive passages. This all comes at a cost of the mystery that brings Jess back to Knife River, with lots of small clues and teasers across the book that come to nothing a few pages later. It's effective at getting across the anguish of a family living in doubt and grief, but not so much at keeping the reader's interest up.
I still found the book a slog to get through. I was expecting better pacing - this is a REALLY slow going book. It's as if the author was overly worried with establishing sense of pace, when she could comfortably have achieved that with fewer descriptive passages. This all comes at a cost of the mystery that brings Jess back to Knife River, with lots of small clues and teasers across the book that come to nothing a few pages later. It's effective at getting across the anguish of a family living in doubt and grief, but not so much at keeping the reader's interest up.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Meh. I had high hopes, as the reviews described a book that should be right up my street. I didn't hate it, but I didn't exactly like it either.
My overall impression is it tries too hard to be zany. Greta comes across as the most relatable, and while her gallows humour hits the mark, it's not often enough for a book that's described as partly comedy. Big Swiss was just extremely unlikeable to me, so I really couldn't step in Greta's shoes and find her attractive.
3 stars because I enjoyed much of the middle section. The story is slow to kick in at the beginning, and the final chapters, after the inevitable happens (no spoilers), drag on a bit too much.
My overall impression is it tries too hard to be zany. Greta comes across as the most relatable, and while her gallows humour hits the mark, it's not often enough for a book that's described as partly comedy. Big Swiss was just extremely unlikeable to me, so I really couldn't step in Greta's shoes and find her attractive.
3 stars because I enjoyed much of the middle section. The story is slow to kick in at the beginning, and the final chapters, after the inevitable happens (no spoilers), drag on a bit too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent
All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud and Fine Art by Orlando Whitfield
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
I wasn't expecting a spiritual type of book, because it was recommended to me in a conversation about completely something else. I went in with an open mind, though spiritual books are very not for me, but found the initial section about the inner voice way too repetitive and directionless (now you're telling me my inner voice isn't really me talking, what am I supposed to do about it?). I have no patience for more of this, I'm afraid. Glad I gave up before the religious parts other reviewers warned of.