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khopeisz's reviews
123 reviews
Treasure Island!!! by Sara Levine
3.75
hey ummmmm what the f/ck? anyway, pouring one out for Richard. justice for Adrianna.
A Horse at Night: On Writing by Amina Cain
4.0
if the entries on an annotated bibliography were surrounded by uncluttered and insightful prose. somewhat entry level thoughts on writing and life, pointing readers in directions of deeper and profound works.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
4.5
would like to exorcise the philosophical distress for which this book is responsible. I’m so unsettled.
Spoiler: am docking points for the inconclusive setting. I don’t care if ‘the setting is not the point’—I wanted answers god dammit!
(will probably reread in like a year and come to conclude that the setting is indeed not the point, but leave me alone for now lol)
Spoiler: am docking points for the inconclusive setting. I don’t care if ‘the setting is not the point’—I wanted answers god dammit!
(will probably reread in like a year and come to conclude that the setting is indeed not the point, but leave me alone for now lol)
Hey, Zoey by Sarah Crossan
2.5
I would like to require blurbs to disclose whether or not the book I’m about to read was written in order fulfill some sort of contract. Im not insulted by these, it would actually allow me to extend more grace and understanding to the authors. I’m starting to sniff out the styles of a final book in an author’s two or three book deal. The writing is patchworked and brief, as it is in this book.
unfortunately the fragmentary, staccato storytelling felt more self important than reflective. The moment a scene picked up steam, I was soon transplanted into some other scene, or a thought, and the momentum was forced to rebuild, only to be cut short, and this went the cycle, which isn’t great for a book I think. I kinda get what we’re doing w the doll and the MC’s past trauma, but I was mostly bored by the alleged parallel.
I picked this up engaged by the speculative-ness as outlined in the marketing, and was disappointed. for me the most likeable character is the AI sexbot Zoey which is saying something lol. David was also okay. If I was supposed to sympathize with the other main characters, the writing would not allow me to.
The low rating is mostly because I was bored. The language wasn’t spectacular either, which is harsh to say. But the author is very successful in her own right! Maybe this wasn’t the best book of hers for me to read. Again, if she were fulfilling some sort of contractual obligation, then I’d be like “okay, come back to me when you’re done w that and can write w more passion.” I’d kinda be interested. Kinda.
unfortunately the fragmentary, staccato storytelling felt more self important than reflective. The moment a scene picked up steam, I was soon transplanted into some other scene, or a thought, and the momentum was forced to rebuild, only to be cut short, and this went the cycle, which isn’t great for a book I think. I kinda get what we’re doing w the doll and the MC’s past trauma, but I was mostly bored by the alleged parallel.
I picked this up engaged by the speculative-ness as outlined in the marketing, and was disappointed. for me the most likeable character is the AI sexbot Zoey which is saying something lol. David was also okay. If I was supposed to sympathize with the other main characters, the writing would not allow me to.
The low rating is mostly because I was bored. The language wasn’t spectacular either, which is harsh to say. But the author is very successful in her own right! Maybe this wasn’t the best book of hers for me to read. Again, if she were fulfilling some sort of contractual obligation, then I’d be like “okay, come back to me when you’re done w that and can write w more passion.” I’d kinda be interested. Kinda.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
4.25
A reflection in incoherent chunks:
I’m not sure if there are truly loose ends or if I just fell in love with each complicated, endearing character that I was greedy to hear more from them by the book’s end. I like books to end somewhat neatly in relation to its subject, and it will take a second read for me to determine whether this is the case for Martyr!
The language of the book was well done, however, there were times where I would read a sentence and go “did we really NEED that simile” lol. For example, what does “like a gold ring dropping into a bowl of milk” actually ‘mean’? Why not a ring slipping from a finger into a pond, where I understand the delicacy of the imagery and also the realism. When would a ring drop into milk? And would it, with regard to physics, not drop in delicately but with a big PLUNK? There were just a few similes that had me scratching my head like this lol, but they’re mostly in the first half of the book.
The dream sequences were my favorites. I particularly liked Roya and Lisa Simpson’s scene as well as the scene featuring Kareemy (my affectionate nickname for Kareem Abdul-Jabar, who I’m sure would love this book).
The plot of this book was so incredulous I was reading it both engaged and like “something like this could only ever happen in a book omg.” Did not take away from my enjoyment however.
Speaking of this, I felt that Cyrus’s present timeline contained too many coincidences. For example, I would have liked more scenes of Cyrus trying and failing at his poetry project prior to discovering Okideh. That he just immediately settles on Okideh, especially considering who she is, was just too neat.
Got misty-eyed a few times!
I do have one major complaint which is a spoiler so be warned. Why didn’t Linh invite Cyrus over after the death of Okideh? You don’t just confirm that your ex lover was the estranged mother to a man the day that said ex lover died and then just go well see you around I guess. Lol, my black ass would’ve had him at the house making sure he was eating and was all together well and giving him more details about this woman’s life up through the funeral. I know Linh mentioned she had wanted to do that but why on earth didn’t she??
Anyway, will read whatever book the author puts out next. Big recommend.
—
Coming back after some reflection. I can’t stop thinking about that last scene SPOILER with Cyrus and Z. I had started the section absolutely elated and near tears then finished the section completely bummed out once I realized what was happening. docking some points bc of that.
I’m not sure if there are truly loose ends or if I just fell in love with each complicated, endearing character that I was greedy to hear more from them by the book’s end. I like books to end somewhat neatly in relation to its subject, and it will take a second read for me to determine whether this is the case for Martyr!
The language of the book was well done, however, there were times where I would read a sentence and go “did we really NEED that simile” lol. For example, what does “like a gold ring dropping into a bowl of milk” actually ‘mean’? Why not a ring slipping from a finger into a pond, where I understand the delicacy of the imagery and also the realism. When would a ring drop into milk? And would it, with regard to physics, not drop in delicately but with a big PLUNK? There were just a few similes that had me scratching my head like this lol, but they’re mostly in the first half of the book.
The dream sequences were my favorites. I particularly liked Roya and Lisa Simpson’s scene as well as the scene featuring Kareemy (my affectionate nickname for Kareem Abdul-Jabar, who I’m sure would love this book).
The plot of this book was so incredulous I was reading it both engaged and like “something like this could only ever happen in a book omg.” Did not take away from my enjoyment however.
Speaking of this, I felt that Cyrus’s present timeline contained too many coincidences. For example, I would have liked more scenes of Cyrus trying and failing at his poetry project prior to discovering Okideh. That he just immediately settles on Okideh, especially considering who she is, was just too neat.
Got misty-eyed a few times!
I do have one major complaint which is a spoiler so be warned. Why didn’t Linh invite Cyrus over after the death of Okideh? You don’t just confirm that your ex lover was the estranged mother to a man the day that said ex lover died and then just go well see you around I guess. Lol, my black ass would’ve had him at the house making sure he was eating and was all together well and giving him more details about this woman’s life up through the funeral. I know Linh mentioned she had wanted to do that but why on earth didn’t she??
Anyway, will read whatever book the author puts out next. Big recommend.
—
Coming back after some reflection. I can’t stop thinking about that last scene SPOILER with Cyrus and Z. I had started the section absolutely elated and near tears then finished the section completely bummed out once I realized what was happening. docking some points bc of that.
Loneliness & Company by Charlee Dyroff
3.75
the entire time I was waiting for a big twist but never got it. also, while I was endeared by Lee, her characterization confused me. Why was she more socially disconnected compared to her peers? Is she on the spectrum? If so, would the argument still stand that technology and the dystopian society has made her who she is, or was she born this way? Likely she was nurtured this way, but she just stuck out as being Born Yesterday compared to someone like Veronika. Would have liked more scenes about just a general social ineptitude (we get one at that weird party where people are communicating via prompts). In sum, this was a cute and sweet read. Veronika and Lee bffls
Outline by Rachel Cusk
4.25
this book is in conversation with my life, with other books I’m reading, and with itself. I underlined so many lines, agreeing with many sentiments and fighting off the negativity but reality of others. I picked this one up having no idea what to expect. I read this not really as a book of fiction but as a philosophical text. while others may be put off by the lack of plot and the over abundance of dialogue, I appreciated these. I was thinking deeply. But this book is still a narrative, and so I enjoyed the detective work of piecing together the themes of the book and the characterization of the main character through the stories others told to her. Took my time with this one and could see this being a re-read.
Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon
2.75
If anyone comes across this, please note I’m a rambling reviewer, I also gave up on hiding the spoilers lol. So spoiler warning.
Contrary to other reviews I’ve seen, the writing style was the saving grace for me. It propelled me forward into a story that i ultimately did not enjoy. One thing, the author does love to itemize to the point of excess, to the point of holding me back. Give me one simple, lush description of an event and that’s all I need to be immersed. A grocery list of descriptions is overwhelming and removes me.
The mother’s chapters were more compelling, until they weren’t. The point at whichshe is informed by Ian that she lost her job was really a DNF point for me, and yet I persisted lol. It rubbed me the wrong way; I get a mother’s obsession, but not telling your job you’re in a crisis and then berating a colleague who attempted to help you, and also berating their more forward thinking ideas, detached me from her as a character. the mother’s downward spiral, I felt, was played kinda blah for me. I did not know who she was outside of an obsessive mom and then, following the conversation with Ian, an uptight b word. I became ambivalent to her. If her cutting off her hair was supposed to signal something to me, I didn’t care.
Additionally, I would have been more interested if the mother had done actual detective work instead of Google-alerting herself from place to place. The clues she finds of her daughter’s whereabouts are always just given to her. Like, what influenced this particular woman, overly mindful of carcinogens,
to eat at a diner of all places? How coincidental was it that the family who took her in also attended Rolo’s ex-wife’s church? It was all too neat for me.
I am exercising the most amount of objectivity I can for the daughter, Cory. As I have been 18 and have unreasonably resented my mother for merely everything and nothing. But damn, reading this on the page was so frustrating. At some point you’re just like, “surely your home has to be better than THIS bullshit!” and “for the love of god call your mother!!!” Cory has few redemptive qualities, which is a frustrating characterization of her. If she is loving and kind, her low-self esteem and her self-loathing override these at almost every opportunity. And I get where these qualities stem from, it’s just frustrating that we rarely have scenes of her as a person, enjoying things that she likes, perhaps endearing things that she does to cope with her traumatic past. The first scene of her was well done, but we quickly lose the thread to her endearing qualities.
I have nothing to say about Rolo. But I both read this book and listened to it on audio, and it might be because I’m nearing thirty, but I would like to ask audio book narrators to stop affecting voices for characters of the opposite sex or an alternate age. I felt like I was in fourth grade listening to my teacher. I liked that style of narration then, but not now. Very unserious lol.
The ending was curious to me. Where I hoped to be moved a la Mona Awad’s Rouge, I felt nothing for the mother daughter reunion. And that’s why I wanted to read the book in the first place. I felt that there were sentimental meditations on motherhood and daughterhood, but they came from two ultimately unlikeabke characters, so it feels wrong to agree with their outlooks. I don’t mind an unlikeable character, but redeem them more my god. Give them a moment in grace. Also, the end to me felt like a non-ending. I get Cory’s new drug addiction, but realistlically, would her mom not just send her to rehab for that? Also, why would Rolo push this drug on her when that’s how Kelly died (which did she? That whole thing confused me). If it was for coercion, he didn’t need to do that! Cory came to the island of her own accord. She didn’t need hardcore drugs to stay, but I guess she does when you’re trying to abide by a myth in which the protagonist descends to hell once a year or whatever.
As a Black™️ lol, Virgil’s outburst annoyed me. It felt cheap to use the only black character to invigorate moralism into the white character. Like, other books have been there done that. Get a new idea. Also, the whole drug storyline was just too loose for me. Despite its constant use and references, it sort of existed out in the hazy ether until Virgil brings some realism into the moment, which is probably why his outburst annoyed me more than swayed me. Why leave it to the only black character to do this?
Also, random, but is this a back-door Jesus book? I rarely read books where the Christians come across as well as they do in this one. I’m both paranoid and refreshed by this. Yet this juxtaposed with the misandry is interesting. I mean, I am also healing a very fractured outlook I have of men (as much as one can heal without tarping over survival instincts) but boy these ladies are terrified of men. I get why they are but philosophically it goes unchallenged.
In all, and all and all lol, from the blurb I was hoping to be moved by a book on the complex linkages of mothers and daughters, and absolutely did not get that. This book took me a day to read however, and for that I thank it.
Contrary to other reviews I’ve seen, the writing style was the saving grace for me. It propelled me forward into a story that i ultimately did not enjoy. One thing, the author does love to itemize to the point of excess, to the point of holding me back. Give me one simple, lush description of an event and that’s all I need to be immersed. A grocery list of descriptions is overwhelming and removes me.
The mother’s chapters were more compelling, until they weren’t. The point at which
Additionally, I would have been more interested if the mother had done actual detective work instead of Google-alerting herself from place to place. The clues she finds of her daughter’s whereabouts are always just given to her. Like, what influenced this particular woman, overly mindful of carcinogens,
to eat at a diner of all places? How coincidental was it that the family who took her in also attended Rolo’s ex-wife’s church? It was all too neat for me.
I am exercising the most amount of objectivity I can for the daughter, Cory. As I have been 18 and have unreasonably resented my mother for merely everything and nothing. But damn, reading this on the page was so frustrating. At some point you’re just like, “surely your home has to be better than THIS bullshit!” and “for the love of god call your mother!!!” Cory has few redemptive qualities, which is a frustrating characterization of her. If she is loving and kind, her low-self esteem and her self-loathing override these at almost every opportunity. And I get where these qualities stem from, it’s just frustrating that we rarely have scenes of her as a person, enjoying things that she likes, perhaps endearing things that she does to cope with her traumatic past. The first scene of her was well done, but we quickly lose the thread to her endearing qualities.
I have nothing to say about Rolo. But I both read this book and listened to it on audio, and it might be because I’m nearing thirty, but I would like to ask audio book narrators to stop affecting voices for characters of the opposite sex or an alternate age. I felt like I was in fourth grade listening to my teacher. I liked that style of narration then, but not now. Very unserious lol.
The ending was curious to me. Where I hoped to be moved a la Mona Awad’s Rouge, I felt nothing for the mother daughter reunion. And that’s why I wanted to read the book in the first place. I felt that there were sentimental meditations on motherhood and daughterhood, but they came from two ultimately unlikeabke characters, so it feels wrong to agree with their outlooks. I don’t mind an unlikeable character, but redeem them more my god. Give them a moment in grace. Also, the end to me felt like a non-ending. I get Cory’s new drug addiction, but realistlically, would her mom not just send her to rehab for that? Also, why would Rolo push this drug on her when that’s how Kelly died (which did she? That whole thing confused me). If it was for coercion, he didn’t need to do that! Cory came to the island of her own accord. She didn’t need hardcore drugs to stay, but I guess she does when you’re trying to abide by a myth in which the protagonist descends to hell once a year or whatever.
As a Black™️ lol, Virgil’s outburst annoyed me. It felt cheap to use the only black character to invigorate moralism into the white character. Like, other books have been there done that. Get a new idea. Also, the whole drug storyline was just too loose for me. Despite its constant use and references, it sort of existed out in the hazy ether until Virgil brings some realism into the moment, which is probably why his outburst annoyed me more than swayed me. Why leave it to the only black character to do this?
Also, random, but is this a back-door Jesus book? I rarely read books where the Christians come across as well as they do in this one. I’m both paranoid and refreshed by this. Yet this juxtaposed with the misandry is interesting. I mean, I am also healing a very fractured outlook I have of men (as much as one can heal without tarping over survival instincts) but boy these ladies are terrified of men. I get why they are but philosophically it goes unchallenged.
In all, and all and all lol, from the blurb I was hoping to be moved by a book on the complex linkages of mothers and daughters, and absolutely did not get that. This book took me a day to read however, and for that I thank it.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
4.25
what a beautifully written and layered story. perfect summer literary read. I felt connected to nearly every character, even the minor ones (though I felt an appropriate distance from the patriarchs of the Van Laar family).
Some spoilers ahead.
I thought it interesting as more of a meta-narrative about the author and the structure of the story that the book practically omits mentioning indigenous people in all conversations about land and ownership. There’s a sentence about them and that’s it. Would the social commentary, the driving force of the novel, have collapsed had the author fully engaged in discussion about the indigenous people of the Adirondack region? Would that have upset the somewhat black and white portrayal as Locals=good guys, wealthy outsiders=bad guys? And I say somewhat black and white because the one bad local, Sluiter, is written with more likeability than not. We’ve never been given proof that he committed those crimes, and it is implied that while he is kinda a gross guy, during a moment in which he could have taken advantage of a young girl (Tracy) it is he (likely) who comes to her aid. So if we were to address that the locals, I.e. good guys, themselves were not originally locals…would the scales have tipped? Moore is occupied with providing Justice in this book (which, in todays publishing world of books with loose non-endings, I’m happy about); would she have felt compelled to supply Justice to locals whose own origins were brought into question? Or are the metrics of morality here reserved only for poor white people vs wealthy white people, blue vs white collar, with no attention paid to nonwhites who may occupy either class? The omission of a thorough examination of the indigenous life was just more interesting to me as a meta-observation. I’m not sure how much of this ramble will make sense. I have a fever :/
I think it should also be noted that while there are moments of tension in this book, it is not a genre thriller. It is plotty, but not a hardcore character study. You shadow characters and somewhat understand them through moments of conversation and reflection. Still, you will like every character you are supposed to like and dislike every character you are supposed to dislike. And while the fate of Bear Van Laar did not surprise me, it did sadden me.
My main complaint (wasn’t the earlier ramble a complaint? it was just a ramble!) was the believability of TJ’s leaving Barbara out without much resources for several months. I don’t know what adult would do that? Like put her up in a motel or something, but leave her to fend for herself? I know these folks are all traumatized, but is trauma just an all encompassing excuse for reasoning away motivations that don’t make sense? Idk 🤷🏾♀️ I have a fever!!
Overall, I enjoyed this book thoroughly—but Liz Moore I have questions!
Some spoilers ahead.
I thought it interesting as more of a meta-narrative about the author and the structure of the story that the book practically omits mentioning indigenous people in all conversations about land and ownership. There’s a sentence about them and that’s it. Would the social commentary, the driving force of the novel, have collapsed had the author fully engaged in discussion about the indigenous people of the Adirondack region? Would that have upset the somewhat black and white portrayal as Locals=good guys, wealthy outsiders=bad guys? And I say somewhat black and white because the one bad local, Sluiter, is written with more likeability than not. We’ve never been given proof that he committed those crimes, and it is implied that while he is kinda a gross guy, during a moment in which he could have taken advantage of a young girl (Tracy) it is he (likely) who comes to her aid. So if we were to address that the locals, I.e. good guys, themselves were not originally locals…would the scales have tipped? Moore is occupied with providing Justice in this book (which, in todays publishing world of books with loose non-endings, I’m happy about); would she have felt compelled to supply Justice to locals whose own origins were brought into question? Or are the metrics of morality here reserved only for poor white people vs wealthy white people, blue vs white collar, with no attention paid to nonwhites who may occupy either class? The omission of a thorough examination of the indigenous life was just more interesting to me as a meta-observation. I’m not sure how much of this ramble will make sense. I have a fever :/
I think it should also be noted that while there are moments of tension in this book, it is not a genre thriller. It is plotty, but not a hardcore character study. You shadow characters and somewhat understand them through moments of conversation and reflection. Still, you will like every character you are supposed to like and dislike every character you are supposed to dislike. And while the fate of Bear Van Laar did not surprise me, it did sadden me.
My main complaint (wasn’t the earlier ramble a complaint? it was just a ramble!) was the believability of TJ’s leaving Barbara out without much resources for several months. I don’t know what adult would do that? Like put her up in a motel or something, but leave her to fend for herself? I know these folks are all traumatized, but is trauma just an all encompassing excuse for reasoning away motivations that don’t make sense? Idk 🤷🏾♀️ I have a fever!!
Overall, I enjoyed this book thoroughly—but Liz Moore I have questions!