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emilyinherhead's reviews
1143 reviews
McSweeney's 25 by
These days, McSweeney’s collections are usually really diverse and representative across gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexuality, and this one, in contrast, felt rather dude-heavy (seven of the ten stories were written by men, most of whom are white). Granted, the most recent issue is #74, so we’re looking at quite a time gap since the release of #25. But still—that qualm aside, there were several weirdly gruesome, violent, or visceral stories, and the one super long one I mentioned, and I just didn’t find as much to love here as I normally do.
challenging
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Verdict: Eh!
These days, McSweeney’s collections are usually really diverse and representative across gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexuality, and this one, in contrast, felt rather dude-heavy (seven of the ten stories were written by men, most of whom are white). Granted, the most recent issue is #74, so we’re looking at quite a time gap since the release of #25. But still—that qualm aside, there were several weirdly gruesome, violent, or visceral stories, and the one super long one I mentioned, and I just didn’t find as much to love here as I normally do.
I did, however, ADORE the horse art by Amy Jean Porter that appeared at the beginning of each story!
Here are the stories I especially liked and/or that have stuck with me:
Here are the stories I especially liked and/or that have stuck with me:
- “The Tower” by Steven Millhauser
- “Love, the Frontier” by Emily Anderson
- “No Empress Eyes” by Padgett Powell
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Despite its length of almost 400 pages, it was a quick read. I can see why folks would be into a novel like this: it tackles difficult subjects, like domestic violence and generational cycles of trauma, and big “this is not okay, but also I love him” feelings, in a fairly page-turny and easy-to-digest way.
But to me the writing around these intense topics felt immature and overly simplified, like I was reading an adult novel in a poorly-constructed YA costume. Interspersed with the present-day sections, for example, we get a few peeks into protagonist Lily’s teenage years via her old diary, which is comprised entirely of letters to Ellen DeGeneres. I guess it makes sense for 15-year-old Lily’s thoughts, which largely center on her father’s violence toward her mother and her own growing relationship with a “homeless boy” who is squatting in her backdoor neighbor’s abandoned house, to lack nuance considering her age, but being in present-day 24-year-old Lily’s head feels mostly the same.
Her love interest and eventual husband, Ryle, is kind, thoughtful, understanding, sexy, and genuine—unrealistically perfect, frankly—except in the moments when he SUDDENLY AND IMMEDIATELY loses his temper and becomes violent out of nowhere. Getting to know him felt like swinging uncontrollably from one extreme to the other, without any sort of in-between, and as a result he didn’t feel real to me at all. Does he not ever, I don’t know, get mildly annoyed, or say a snide comment, or even yell, without getting physically violent? Is there really no emotional or behavioral gray area with this dude?
I will say, I appreciated the book a little more after reading the author’s note, where Hoover reveals that she based it on her own complicated experiences with domestic violence. During his struggles with alcoholism when Hoover was a child, her dad would physically harm her mom, but he was otherwise an okay person, and after her parents separated he grew to be a lot more loving and supportive, which left her with lifelong complex and confusing feelings toward him despite their good relationship. There were some sections of the novel that felt like abuse apology, especially before I knew how it ended, and learning more about Hoover’s own life made them a little more understandable. But still.
TLDR: I get it, and I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum, but it’s gonna be a no thanks from me, dog. I did that, I’ll listen to the discussion episode of The Stacks, and then I’ll happily move along to whatever book is next.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Let me begin by saying that I never would have picked up anything by Colleen Hoover on my own volition. I don’t mean that in a snobby way, just… she blew up on TikTok a couple of years ago, and I heard a lot about it and was aware of what kind of books she was writing, and I know myself and my tastes, and if she’s your jam I am happy for you, but personally I was more than okay passing on all of it.
But THEN, Traci Thomas had to go and pick It Ends With Us for The Stacks book club, and I’m committed to reading along with her selections this year, so I guess what I’m telling you is that I did, after all, read a Colleen Hoover book. And it was… as predicted, not for me.
But THEN, Traci Thomas had to go and pick It Ends With Us for The Stacks book club, and I’m committed to reading along with her selections this year, so I guess what I’m telling you is that I did, after all, read a Colleen Hoover book. And it was… as predicted, not for me.
Despite its length of almost 400 pages, it was a quick read. I can see why folks would be into a novel like this: it tackles difficult subjects, like domestic violence and generational cycles of trauma, and big “this is not okay, but also I love him” feelings, in a fairly page-turny and easy-to-digest way.
But to me the writing around these intense topics felt immature and overly simplified, like I was reading an adult novel in a poorly-constructed YA costume. Interspersed with the present-day sections, for example, we get a few peeks into protagonist Lily’s teenage years via her old diary, which is comprised entirely of letters to Ellen DeGeneres. I guess it makes sense for 15-year-old Lily’s thoughts, which largely center on her father’s violence toward her mother and her own growing relationship with a “homeless boy” who is squatting in her backdoor neighbor’s abandoned house, to lack nuance considering her age, but being in present-day 24-year-old Lily’s head feels mostly the same.
Her love interest and eventual husband, Ryle, is kind, thoughtful, understanding, sexy, and genuine—unrealistically perfect, frankly—except in the moments when he SUDDENLY AND IMMEDIATELY loses his temper and becomes violent out of nowhere. Getting to know him felt like swinging uncontrollably from one extreme to the other, without any sort of in-between, and as a result he didn’t feel real to me at all. Does he not ever, I don’t know, get mildly annoyed, or say a snide comment, or even yell, without getting physically violent? Is there really no emotional or behavioral gray area with this dude?
I will say, I appreciated the book a little more after reading the author’s note, where Hoover reveals that she based it on her own complicated experiences with domestic violence. During his struggles with alcoholism when Hoover was a child, her dad would physically harm her mom, but he was otherwise an okay person, and after her parents separated he grew to be a lot more loving and supportive, which left her with lifelong complex and confusing feelings toward him despite their good relationship. There were some sections of the novel that felt like abuse apology, especially before I knew how it ended, and learning more about Hoover’s own life made them a little more understandable. But still.
TLDR: I get it, and I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum, but it’s gonna be a no thanks from me, dog. I did that, I’ll listen to the discussion episode of The Stacks, and then I’ll happily move along to whatever book is next.
Salt Slow by Julia Armfield
These stories range in subject from a Catholic schoolgirl who becomes a mantis, to a woman who defiantly moves into a beach house belonging to the husband she is divorcing, to an all-female rock band whose shows somehow always lead to violence against area men, to a girl whose parents raise a wolf alongside her as a sister.
But there are common themes of transformation, queerness, power, and the sea, and I was left with a feeling that was equal parts thrilled and disgusted. The vibes aren’t too far off from State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg, or Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, so if you’re into those, definitely check this one out.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I’m delighted to report that this debut story collection has the same deliciously something’s-not-quite-right-here feeling of Armfield’s novel Our Wives Under the Sea, which was one of my favorites from 2022. Armfield has a real gift with language—she’s so good at creating an unsettling mood, and her descriptions are sometimes unexpected but always strangely apt.
The night is wide, uncurving, like the Earth might be flat and walkable from end to distant end. (89)
These stories range in subject from a Catholic schoolgirl who becomes a mantis, to a woman who defiantly moves into a beach house belonging to the husband she is divorcing, to an all-female rock band whose shows somehow always lead to violence against area men, to a girl whose parents raise a wolf alongside her as a sister.
But there are common themes of transformation, queerness, power, and the sea, and I was left with a feeling that was equal parts thrilled and disgusted. The vibes aren’t too far off from State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg, or Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, so if you’re into those, definitely check this one out.
No Name in the Street by James Baldwin
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
No Name in the Street is part memoir and part commentary about current events, politics, and race. It’s short and covers quite a range of topics, and while there are definitely some really insightful sections and quotes, as a whole it felt a little all over the place. This could be at least partially due to the formatting of the copy I read from the library, though, which I think might have been a first edition (from 1972)? It didn’t have any chapter divisions, and I’m wondering if a more modern printing would. Still, even if it doesn’t end up being my favorite Baldwin, I’m glad I read it and I’m looking forward to listening to the discussion episode of The Stacks podcast.
Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I zoomed through this novel in just a couple of days because it is completely delightful. It’s about Margo, a 19-year-old college student who (oops) sleeps with her English professor and (oops) ends up pregnant and (you do you) decides to keep the baby despite the father fully flaking on the situation.
I don’t want to go too far into the plot and ruin the pleasure of discovery, but I’ll just say that, to help soothe her titular money troubles, Margo creates an OnlyFans account and has her ex-pro-wrestler dad move in with her, and what ensues is much less slapstick and much more wholesome than I was expecting. This is an entertaining book to be sure, but it also has a big heart, and it takes on some serious issues in really nuanced and thoughtful ways. I just loved it.
I don’t want to go too far into the plot and ruin the pleasure of discovery, but I’ll just say that, to help soothe her titular money troubles, Margo creates an OnlyFans account and has her ex-pro-wrestler dad move in with her, and what ensues is much less slapstick and much more wholesome than I was expecting. This is an entertaining book to be sure, but it also has a big heart, and it takes on some serious issues in really nuanced and thoughtful ways. I just loved it.
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
To cut the tension and high stakes, there is some delightful comedic relief in the form of a character who occasionally uses a faulty speech translator and says things like “Surrender macaroon, robot . . . surrender macaroon cookie thing. Cookie is useless to you.” These particular moments reminded me a little of Marvin in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Overall, this book felt like the perfect balance of plotty, scientific, funny, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. I’m planning to discuss it with a few friends and I think it will make for excellent conversation.
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Mountain in the Sea is a science fiction thriller about octopuses, communication between species, written language, environmental conservation, and artificial intelligence. It’s a slow burn, with a few alternating points of view that gradually come together to reveal how they’re related. The plot itself was plenty engaging, but what I liked most were the musings about how we (and other creatures) think and speak, and what it means to be human.
That’s what we are, we humans—creatures that can forget. We have a horizon, beyond which we can remember very little. Nothing can reside in our minds forever, etched into us. No resentment, and no joy. Time rubs it away. Sleep rubs it away—sleep, the factory of forgetting. And through forgetting, we reorganize our world, replace our old selves with new ones. (245)
To cut the tension and high stakes, there is some delightful comedic relief in the form of a character who occasionally uses a faulty speech translator and says things like “Surrender macaroon, robot . . . surrender macaroon cookie thing. Cookie is useless to you.” These particular moments reminded me a little of Marvin in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Overall, this book felt like the perfect balance of plotty, scientific, funny, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. I’m planning to discuss it with a few friends and I think it will make for excellent conversation.
The January Children by Safia Elhillo
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
The title of this poetry collection refers to the generation of Sudanese children born during British occupation, who were all given the birthday of January 1st and assigned a birth year based on their height. The poems talk about Sudanese diaspora and identity, and the tensions and overlaps between Arabness and Africanness. I especially liked the recurring figure of Abdelhalim Hafez, a popular Egyptian singer—the poems addressed to him create an interesting arc and framework for the collection as a whole. I picked this up for The Stacks podcast book club and while it isn’t a book I would have chosen on my own, I’m glad I read it.
A few of my favorite poems:
A few of my favorite poems:
- “the lovers”
- “bride price”
- “[& what is a country but the drawing . . . .]
- “portrait with asylum”
State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I sped through an early copy of State of Paradise and really enjoyed it. It’s part speculative fiction and part autofiction, based loosely on some details from Laura van den Berg’s life but also exploring how freaky and lowkey terrifying big tech companies and the state of Florida can be. And it’s short! A delightful fever dream of a reading experience that packs a punch—the book delves into climate change, the pandemic, family dynamics, past trauma, addiction, virtual reality, and a little bit of mystery.
Based on the subject matter and vibes, I would put this one in conversation with Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, Florida by Lauren Groff, and maybe Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin. So if you liked any of those, I bet you’ll enjoy State of Paradise as well.
Based on the subject matter and vibes, I would put this one in conversation with Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, Florida by Lauren Groff, and maybe Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin. So if you liked any of those, I bet you’ll enjoy State of Paradise as well.
Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Inciting Joy is a collection of thoughtful, funny, meandering, earnest, digging-deep essays, each one about a particular source of joy—the garden, time, losing your phone, dancing, and falling apart, to name a few. I had the pleasure of hearing Ross speak at my local indie bookstore back in April, and I’m delighted to report that the warmth and care he exudes in person is fully there in his writing as well.
And the digressions! At this event, he was constantly interrupting himself, getting distracted, following tangents, and sharing related anecdotes before ultimately making his way back to the original point, and as someone who does the same thing in conversations (and in thought processes, let’s be real, the tendency doesn’t require another person’s presence to be true), I was utterly charmed. Well, the essays are the same way. There are tons of footnotes, some of them multiple pages long, and often an idea will wind its way through a few different seemingly-unrelated stories before looping back around to stick the landing—which it always does, in the end.
I could go on and on about this book. These essays made me want to break up with my phone (again), get my back yard into shape for a garden plot (finally), compose a list of favorite (existing) and most-longed-for (hypothetical) cover songs, create more art, and be less shy about dancing in public. I absolutely loved all of it. If poking around in the complexities of human emotion is your jam and you’re down to follow a kind-hearted genius down a rabbit hole or two along the way, I bet you will too.
And the digressions! At this event, he was constantly interrupting himself, getting distracted, following tangents, and sharing related anecdotes before ultimately making his way back to the original point, and as someone who does the same thing in conversations (and in thought processes, let’s be real, the tendency doesn’t require another person’s presence to be true), I was utterly charmed. Well, the essays are the same way. There are tons of footnotes, some of them multiple pages long, and often an idea will wind its way through a few different seemingly-unrelated stories before looping back around to stick the landing—which it always does, in the end.
I could go on and on about this book. These essays made me want to break up with my phone (again), get my back yard into shape for a garden plot (finally), compose a list of favorite (existing) and most-longed-for (hypothetical) cover songs, create more art, and be less shy about dancing in public. I absolutely loved all of it. If poking around in the complexities of human emotion is your jam and you’re down to follow a kind-hearted genius down a rabbit hole or two along the way, I bet you will too.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The premise of this book is so good. Evelyn, the main character, is a scientist specializing in cloning, and her husband has just divorced her for a clone of her. She is a prickly person (described by said ex-husband as a hornet) with a dark past, and while I didn’t like her or agree with many of her choices, she makes for a compelling narrator for sure.
Because of the interesting and surprising turns the story takes along the way, and the growing sense of dread throughout, the ending felt a little lackluster and anticlimactic. Still, it was a quick, immersive, and enjoyable experience overall. I’d say the acknowledgments are a must, too—I appreciated the novel a lot more after reading them.
Because of the interesting and surprising turns the story takes along the way, and the growing sense of dread throughout, the ending felt a little lackluster and anticlimactic. Still, it was a quick, immersive, and enjoyable experience overall. I’d say the acknowledgments are a must, too—I appreciated the novel a lot more after reading them.