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jennygaitskell's reviews
120 reviews
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
3.0
This is a companion novel to Life After Life. It might have been titled Death After Death.
I admire Kate Atkinson but this novel is not my favourite. I found it too often aloof, intrusively clever. It felt like hard work at times, sharing life's ordinary unwanted moments and hanging with some dully unpleasant characters, but the overall quality of the writing kept me reading. Some of the wartime scenes are astonishing and the ending is top notch.
I admire Kate Atkinson but this novel is not my favourite. I found it too often aloof, intrusively clever. It felt like hard work at times, sharing life's ordinary unwanted moments and hanging with some dully unpleasant characters, but the overall quality of the writing kept me reading. Some of the wartime scenes are astonishing and the ending is top notch.
The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories by Malcolm Bradbury
5.0
A collection of brilliant short stories from 1945 to the 80s, ranging across genres: crime, war, magic realism, social manners, kitchen sink, science fiction.
Some of the writing is so good it made me squeal. There are so many delicious surprises, in style, plot and how the short form is used. I was pleased to see the 'rules' for short stories being broken.
The early part of the anthology has more middle class problems than I'm interested in, but I can hardly blame stories for being of their time.
Some of the writing is so good it made me squeal. There are so many delicious surprises, in style, plot and how the short form is used. I was pleased to see the 'rules' for short stories being broken.
The early part of the anthology has more middle class problems than I'm interested in, but I can hardly blame stories for being of their time.
All That Man Is by David Szalay
4.0
In this series of short stories, men of increasing age face a defining moment. Each relates to a woman or women, each feels like a lost opportunity. There is some drop-dead gorgeous writing and I enjoyed the resonances and references between the stories.
These men think grand thoughts as they struggle to understand themselves, but I found no heroes. They're awkward, emotionally dumb, lacking empathy and take themselves too seriously. As a result, I could not love them.
These men think grand thoughts as they struggle to understand themselves, but I found no heroes. They're awkward, emotionally dumb, lacking empathy and take themselves too seriously. As a result, I could not love them.
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
4.0
This novel captures how weird the world can seem when you're feeling a little lost in it. The atmosphere is intoxicating, through the looking glass, if Alice were a directionless twenty-something with a manipulative Mum. The writing is vivid, at moments I could feel the Spanish heat, the jellyfish sting. I enjoyed following the wandering, self-questioning, self-misdirecting young woman, wanting to understand what she might be, succumbing to possibilities offered by others.
But there was a moment at the story's start I found implausible, and I was never completely convinced by the main character or her backstory.
But there was a moment at the story's start I found implausible, and I was never completely convinced by the main character or her backstory.
A Life of Adventure and Delight by Akhil Sharma
5.0
I loved these short stories. They were affectionate and funny, sincere and wise and impeccably written. Playfully linked, the stories made me gape and giggle, and each left me feeling I understood a little bit more about life.
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
3.0
This novel opens in Elly's childhood, with magical possibilities, about being different, having a sweet big brother in Joe, and an eccentric new best friend in Jenny Penny. I loved this part. I loved the rabbit.
The autobiographical style is perhaps why the long middle section of the book felt like a ramble to me, from one happening to another, lacking narrative drive. The magic is replaced by wine drinking and theatrics. There are some beautifully written moments, particularly about sailing. Some scenes were idealised, others schmaltzy.
Elly seems without purpose until the final section, and even then revealed too little about herself to become interesting to me. I cared much more about Jenny Penny and found myself wishing the book had been written from her point of view.
The autobiographical style is perhaps why the long middle section of the book felt like a ramble to me, from one happening to another, lacking narrative drive. The magic is replaced by wine drinking and theatrics. There are some beautifully written moments, particularly about sailing. Some scenes were idealised, others schmaltzy.
Elly seems without purpose until the final section, and even then revealed too little about herself to become interesting to me. I cared much more about Jenny Penny and found myself wishing the book had been written from her point of view.
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
5.0
This is a remarkable novel. It is a quest that begins at dawn, in a moment of clarity. Old Axl agrees to go with his beloved Beatrice to meet their son in a village they believe to be nearby. In the post-Arthurian land, nothing is certain. Almost everybody is bewildered by their short memory, and addled by fear of sprites and demons and ogres and dragons and buried giants, only some of which are superstitions. Sir Gawain and Wistan still have their wits, the last Knight from the west and the young Warrior from the east, but their motives are hazy. Axl and Beatrice are drawn into their schemes, and their journey becomes one into memory, personal and collective. It's ending, at dusk, blows the mist from what has gone before.
It's rare that I forget that I'm reading, but this writing had me enthralled. Rich with metaphor, subtle, reflective, melancholic. It also had me in tears. I was inspired.
It's rare that I forget that I'm reading, but this writing had me enthralled. Rich with metaphor, subtle, reflective, melancholic. It also had me in tears. I was inspired.