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jess_esa's reviews
511 reviews
A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories by Mariana Enríquez
2.5
(2.5) I absolutely loved Enríquez’s last short story collection The Dangers of Smoking in Bed but this didn’t hit as hard for me. I found myself rushing through a lot of the stories and only a couple of them gave me the chills in the way the last collection did. I’d certainly recommend reading this if you’re a fan of her work but just don’t go in comparing it with the last one.
Happy Days by Samuel Beckett
5.0
This play truly is my existential nightmare. Whether you take it as a devastating portrait of aging, a disengaged marriage, or a tender meditation on our daily routines and things we distract and amuse ourselves with, it will get to you. The world is haunting, and you feel trapped in the sand with Winnie just reading/watching. I think there is something lost in just reading it rather than seeing it, but if you can only read it, do!
The Future Was Color by Patrick Nathan
3.5
Mixed feelings about this one. It's beautifully written, profoundly devastating and erotic at times, but it loses track from the midpoint and doesn't get it back until the very last moments — the last portion of the book was so tender. It's the kind of book you can't help but read out amazing quotes from, but you also can't wait to finish it.
The Lover by Harold Pinter
3.5
A real strange one. I like how this could just as easily be staged as a sad comedy or an intense psychological drama.
Old Times by Harold Pinter
4.0
Nine times out of ten these absurdist plays end up being about lesbians and I'm here for it.
Camille by Alexandre Dumas jr.
4.0
Devastating. The novel doesn't quite have the impact of the play for me, but I can see why this story has inspired so many great writers and directors. Imagine not having Moulin Rouge or La Traviata! (less)
The Changeling by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley by Tony Bromham
I can’t believe I’m going to be spending the next month with this play. It definitely makes you appreciate Shakespeare more. Justice for Isabella.
2.0
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo is one of those authors I always read and enjoy even when they’re not that good, but this one is definitely her weakest. It’s like a mashup of her other books with a different coat of paint, fewer stakes, and a pretty godawful ending. I enjoyed the main characters Luzia and Santangél, but the side characters are pretty weak. The last third of the book, when it finally picked up the pace was gripping, and that’s kind of all I have to say about it. It also feels very dated in terms of structure and style. It's like it’s been sitting around for ten years. It’s worth reading, I did finish it, but don’t go in with high expectations.
3.5