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joppen's reviews
46 reviews
Wetlands by Charlotte Roche
3.0
The person I’m dating read this book to me, mostly in the times that we had to only FaceTime date because of quarantine.
It’s a really interesting book, it felt to me like a prototype of Fleabag. Sort of that exploration of someone who is mentally ill and acts out in sexual, unsafe, and gross ways because of it. But Wetlands spends SO much time focusing on the details of how gross and unsanitary and inconsiderate its protagonist is that once it gets around to the “oh that’s why she’s like that” part it doesn’t really feel like enough. Especially because it’s ultimately given very little focus.
Still fun to hear my partner read it and EVERY chapter have them be like “oh god I forgot about this this part is so gross”
It’s a really interesting book, it felt to me like a prototype of Fleabag. Sort of that exploration of someone who is mentally ill and acts out in sexual, unsafe, and gross ways because of it. But Wetlands spends SO much time focusing on the details of how gross and unsanitary and inconsiderate its protagonist is that once it gets around to the “oh that’s why she’s like that” part it doesn’t really feel like enough. Especially because it’s ultimately given very little focus.
Still fun to hear my partner read it and EVERY chapter have them be like “oh god I forgot about this this part is so gross”
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
4.0
A pretty daunting book to pick as my first foray back into reading for fun after years of not doing that. The book drags a bit, but even when it does it stays compelling just through admiration of all the clear research and time Larson put into piecing it all together. It also gave me a greater appreciation for Chicago, and I’m excited to visit sites in the book that still exist.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
4.0
Glad I read this and especially glad my 60 year old father read this. Challenging and saddening and hopeful at the same time. A great jumping off point for someone who wants to confront their own racism and how to extinguish it.
Catch Me If You Can: The Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit! by Frank W. Abagnale, Stan Redding
2.0
One of the few cases of a movie being better than the book.
The book was fine though, I was genuinely interested in all the details of how Frank pulled off his schemes, enough to willfully ignore the consistent sexism throughout the book.
I was extremely frustrated with the ending, though. Like it ends on a cliffhanger? For no reason? And then there’s immediately an afterword written in the third person briefly detailing what happened to him next. That’s like the part I was most excited to read about from his perspective!!
ALSO there’s a q&a in the back of the book that only paints him as a more horrible person? Like he talks about how the US prison system should be less lenient and also literally says that the TSA should profile people to prevent plane hijackings. What an asshole.
The book was fine though, I was genuinely interested in all the details of how Frank pulled off his schemes, enough to willfully ignore the consistent sexism throughout the book.
I was extremely frustrated with the ending, though. Like it ends on a cliffhanger? For no reason? And then there’s immediately an afterword written in the third person briefly detailing what happened to him next. That’s like the part I was most excited to read about from his perspective!!
ALSO there’s a q&a in the back of the book that only paints him as a more horrible person? Like he talks about how the US prison system should be less lenient and also literally says that the TSA should profile people to prevent plane hijackings. What an asshole.
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
5.0
I don’t know what it was about this book that grabbed me more than like any book I’ve read in years but yeah I like couldn’t put it down. Super compelling basically all the way through. So many times I found myself having thoughts about something a character just said and then reading the protagonist having those same thoughts. That was cool. Reading is fun.
I do think the book gets a little messy plot wise towards the end but I was still engaged so perfect score for me.
I do think the book gets a little messy plot wise towards the end but I was still engaged so perfect score for me.
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