horourke's reviews
65 reviews

Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill

5.0

Every story in this collection is exceptional. Gaitskill aptly captures the complicated, messy reality of womanhood through incredibly complex characters. Each story is a fully-fleshed look into these women’s lives, laying them bare without judgement. The theme of romanticizing a woman before you truly know her was prevalent and beautifully executed. Highly highly recommend.  

My favorites from this collection are “Daisy’s Valentine,” “A Romantic Weekend,” “Connection,” and “Heaven.” 

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

medium-paced

4.0

A murder mystery; a retrospective of youth; an exploration of who gets to be a victim, who gets justice, and when it’s too late for those decisions to be made. I really dislike when novels mention COVID as a way to show “relevance,” and I feel like Part 2 of this novel was written significantly later than the beginning half. Still, it was very engaging and interesting, if a bit long. 

SCAMMER by Caroline Calloway

2.5

Almost DNF which is insane considering the book is only 160 pages long. Maybe if she spent less time bragging about how good of a writer she is and more time actually writing good prose I would have enjoyed it more. A memoir that begs the reader to pity and adore its author without doing any of the legwork to elicit those emotions. Like the Vanity Fair profile said - she really only has one story to tell; her own. And she’s told us countless times over the last 10 years, so much so that now finally in book form, it’s incredibly underwhelming. 

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

medium-paced

4.0

Kinda like “The Bear” if everyone was sluttier and there were more drugs…

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a fresh take on the classic coming of age tale as we join our protagonist, Tess, through her first year in NYC. We get to witness her senses, desires, and knowledge grow during her time as a back waiter at a popular restaurant. She was so naive at times that my heart hurt for her, but that’s all part of growing up. 

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

4.0

this novel was absolutely brutal. spent a night sobbing as I finished it. great commentary on how society at large - and the state specifically - both exhalt and revile mothers, the unrealistic standards mothers  (especially WOC) face, the dangers of the surveillance 

state, and how our justice system is always more punitive than rehabilitative. the double standards added in by juxtaposing the men’s and women’s schools was a nice (but heartbreaking) touch. 

Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman

3.0

I have complicated feelings about this. I both hated and loved it at the same time. The prose is excellent, but also self-important and dense. The characters are complex, but also extremely unlikeable. I guess what baffles me the most is Eve, the narrator, and her worldview. It just is something I can’t empathize with at all. For me, Nathan always appeared transparently manipulative and coercive, playing with many women like his toys. Even so, the narrator struggled throughout the entire novel to recognize this, and his other partner still seems under his spell. I just don’t understand how such an unhealthy relationship dynamic can be so paradigm-shifting for multiple women?? It also surprised me how Eve was so unsure of herself and kept flip-flopping with her core values and beliefs. Like damn girl you’re almost 30, make up your mind!! Have a backbone!!

also if a man, or anyone for that matter, told me they intuitively “knew” my desires and that I secretly had a rape fantasy, I would punch them in the face. WTF!! and she kept seeing him afterwards. Again, the whole dynamic is baffling to me. Nathan claims to “know” what women want and provide it for them, but for me it seemed like he was just a good fuck and overly confident. His charm enraptured far too many women and I just wish they could be freed from his grasp.

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata
Did not finish book. Stopped at 65%.

Weird and off putting, but not in an enjoyable way. Dialogue was incredibly stilted and weirdly formal. Writing style didn’t impress me and the stories bored me at times 

Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

2.5

This collection came highly recommended but I didn’t really connect with it. The prose was unnecessarily dense and difficult to understand - I often found myself zoning out and having to re-read the same sentence multiple times. The stories in this collection are also so vastly different from one another that it almost felt like whiplash. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney

4.5

this is the first time i’m returning to this book since college. I feel as though I have a deeper understanding for the characters now - when I first read it I felt heartbroken by their actions, but now I can better appreciate their complexity. I was much less sad this time around. While Connell and Marianne can be frustrating, their relationship is fascinating and profound. To be loved is to be changed 

Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

emotional inspiring

4.5

This novel is both tender and daring. The characters are all fully realized, complex, and flawed. Despite their flaws, they’re all written in such a way that you can’t help but feel empathy toward them. I didn’t care for Preston and Robert’s chapters as much as Karina and Louisa’s - but I was still utterly enthralled by this book.