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elliebotoman's reviews
97 reviews
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
4.25
never have i wanted to grab a cast of characters and shake them out of frustration
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo
3.25
a blistering novel following one woman's life from birth to motherhood as she tries to navigate misogyny, patriarchy, and gendered power dynamics in South Korea
while i did find nam-joo's discussion of citations throughout the text to be a little heavy-handed and distracting in the narrative flow, this read like a modern day parable, one that younger women around the world will find especially relevant and relatable.
cho nam-joo paints a portrait of her protagonist through these cycles of harm and oppression experienced by (and oftentimes also perpetuated and encouraged) by the multi-generational array of women around her, shows us how misogynistic thinking and value systems can become internalized and normalized until the sacrificing of women's careers, internal lives, passions, and dreams turn into an expected duty. i also appreciated how cho nam-joo presents this culture of misogynistic patriarchy as also harmful to the men in kim jiyoung's life (such as the pressure to provide, the strain on their marriage and relationships).
an incisive work of social, cultural, and political criticism through fiction
while i did find nam-joo's discussion of citations throughout the text to be a little heavy-handed and distracting in the narrative flow, this read like a modern day parable, one that younger women around the world will find especially relevant and relatable.
cho nam-joo paints a portrait of her protagonist through these cycles of harm and oppression experienced by (and oftentimes also perpetuated and encouraged) by the multi-generational array of women around her, shows us how misogynistic thinking and value systems can become internalized and normalized until the sacrificing of women's careers, internal lives, passions, and dreams turn into an expected duty. i also appreciated how cho nam-joo presents this culture of misogynistic patriarchy as also harmful to the men in kim jiyoung's life (such as the pressure to provide, the strain on their marriage and relationships).
an incisive work of social, cultural, and political criticism through fiction
How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm
3.0
"Rather, unarmed collective violence is one expression of that strength, one way of bringing down the seemingly invincible. Property destruction has always been essential to it. Can it ever acquire mas proportions in the climate struggle? Only if the movement first overcomes the taboo against it."
Lots of compelling arguments and interesting histories of violent resistance. Lost me at points with meanderings and over-explanations/summarizations that took away from the main points of this books but still an important read for the current moment.
Lots of compelling arguments and interesting histories of violent resistance. Lost me at points with meanderings and over-explanations/summarizations that took away from the main points of this books but still an important read for the current moment.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
3.75
I can see why people struggle with this book since the narrative pacing and style is so different from her other books. But honestly, I really loved the world-building and, living in New York myself, I thought she did a great job creating this adventure all across the city. Didn't leaving me super interested in the sequel, but if you're looking for a wild whirlwind of an adventure into urban fantasy, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this.
Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment by Hi′ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani Hobart
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
5.0
thermal colonialism
Bonjour Tristesse and A Certain Smile by Françoise Sagan
slow-paced
4.0
everyone’s drinking and flunking their law exams at the Sorbonne
Gentle Architecture by Malcolm Wells
4.0
about building with more kindness, less destruction, and an eye and ear open to the rhythms, aesthetics, and adaptations of the natural world
Seeing Making: Room for Thought by Susan Buck-Morss, Adam Michaels, Kevin McCaughey
3.75
mostly vibes with some theory organized with some great experimental book design
The Great Medieval Yellows by Emily Wilson
3.75
"of the fungi / I have done / apart no crime / can come"