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l1ndz7's reviews
536 reviews
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
5.0
This book was incredibly moving, devastating and completely reminiscent of world affairs. As the war was brought closer to Eilish’s family, it reminded me more and more of the occupation in Palestine and that the events that take place in this book have happened and are happening in places around the world right now. This is reality, maybe a far off reality to the West, but real nonetheless.
Normally, a book with huge paragraphs and no quotation marks would have been a DNF immediately (sorry not sorry Sally Rooney) but the writing was so poetic and urgent, I couldn’t stop reading. Yes, this took me months to read but it shook me and I had to put it down and read something else at times because it was so intense.
I listened to an interview of Paul Lynch shortly after writing this and watching that solidified Paul as an auto-buy author. He said that the writing structure was intentional and was meant to keep you in the moment and not just sympathize but empathize with Eilish. He also said that this novel explores the complexity of situations like this and make you realize how hard it is to leave everything you know. Once you read this, you will no longer say when asked questions like, “would you have left immediately when the Holocaust happened?” that you would. It’s never as easy it seems trying to escape something that you’re blind to and have very little knowledge about. Paul intended this novel to “decondition” us and I think he did so brilliantly. In addition, it also explores the problem with denial and how it’s useful to have until it’s not and if you deny long enough it ends up making everything worse.
What a fantastic novel. Well done, Paul Lynch 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Normally, a book with huge paragraphs and no quotation marks would have been a DNF immediately (sorry not sorry Sally Rooney) but the writing was so poetic and urgent, I couldn’t stop reading. Yes, this took me months to read but it shook me and I had to put it down and read something else at times because it was so intense.
I listened to an interview of Paul Lynch shortly after writing this and watching that solidified Paul as an auto-buy author. He said that the writing structure was intentional and was meant to keep you in the moment and not just sympathize but empathize with Eilish. He also said that this novel explores the complexity of situations like this and make you realize how hard it is to leave everything you know. Once you read this, you will no longer say when asked questions like, “would you have left immediately when the Holocaust happened?” that you would. It’s never as easy it seems trying to escape something that you’re blind to and have very little knowledge about. Paul intended this novel to “decondition” us and I think he did so brilliantly. In addition, it also explores the problem with denial and how it’s useful to have until it’s not and if you deny long enough it ends up making everything worse.
What a fantastic novel. Well done, Paul Lynch 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Murder, Grief, Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Police brutality, Child death, Genocide, and Dementia
A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
4.25
Really cute continuation of the Fractured Fables. I loved that it ended with and she lived “happily” not “happily ever after” 🥹
Palestine by Joe Sacco
4.25
This was the most in-depth graphic novel I’ve ever read. Apparently it’s called graphic journalism and it was so cool. Covered a lot of info. I had to take breaks because at times it was so much. It’s from the perspective of a white USA journalist who came to Palestine for two months to document what he saw. He went a really long time ago and it’s so sad to the familiarity between then and now… the occupation hasn’t stopped 😭
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
4.0
Very cute continuation of this novella series. I hope there’s more in store for Sibling Dex and Mosscap! Mosscap asks all the right questions ☺️
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
Poetic, moving writing connecting music to various events in our history and the authors own personal thoughts on those events and how they relate to him. Not the most interesting collection of essays for me. I couldn’t really relate or connect with everything he was saying about music. I listened to the audiobook and he spoke so fast, it was hard to keep up 😂 (yes, I know I can slow down the speed but if I’m on the normal speed and he sounds like I’m on 2x speed, that’s crazy!!). I still want to check out his other work, The Little Devil in America I believe it’s called. It was a favorite of many book readers I know last year.
My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon
4.0
This is my first Jennifer McMahon book and second book about demon possession. My first book was The Exorcist and I have to say, I liked this one better. The language in the Exorcist really took me out of it. I would definitely read from Jennifer McMahon again and I’m happy about that because I have another book of her, The Children on the Hill, on my shelves 😁
It is so hard to carry knowledge that only you know and believe when everyone else around you is either influenced by the dark entity you’re trying to banish or is in straight denial and thinks you’re crazy. I really sympathized with our MC, Ali, or Ali Alligator as her mom liked to call her. I do think in the rush of trying to prevent this entity from moving on to someone else, she made some silly choices. But, again, I sympathize because she’s desperate, alone and trying to protect her family against the supernatural. Something that not a lot of people believe in, especially her family. 😔
I think this is definitely more horror than thriller with a twist at the end. This book was nothing ground-breaking but it was fun.
It is so hard to carry knowledge that only you know and believe when everyone else around you is either influenced by the dark entity you’re trying to banish or is in straight denial and thinks you’re crazy. I really sympathized with our MC, Ali, or Ali Alligator as her mom liked to call her. I do think in the rush of trying to prevent this entity from moving on to someone else, she made some silly choices. But, again, I sympathize because she’s desperate, alone and trying to protect her family against the supernatural. Something that not a lot of people believe in, especially her family. 😔
I think this is definitely more horror than thriller with a twist at the end. This book was nothing ground-breaking but it was fun.
Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen
4.5
This was SOOOO adorable. I related to Garlic’s anxiousness and curiosity about the world and others. My only complaint is that it isn’t longer!!
Where Black Stars Rise by Nadia Shammas, Marie Enger
3.0
This was so bizarre and didn’t go in the direction I thought it would. Apparently it’s a retelling of The Yellow King which I’m not familiar with but feel like if I read it would make this story make sense. Added it to my tbr, maybe will reread this after.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
4.5
This was really difficult to get though but the writing was beautiful and poetic. I wanted to take my time with it. A fictional story with non-fiction footnotes was an awesome way to add social commentary. I didn’t really understand the ending… it was so abrupt and I wish we got a page or more of context or thoughts or something. Glad I buddy read this because maybe I’ll understand better after talking with her
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Confinement, Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
3.0
I’ve discovered that I don’t enjoy toxic relationships or unlikable main characters too much. Especially in the same book, yikes. I loved the LGBTQIA+ rep and the generational trauma from the occupation of Palestine (briefly and somewhat messily) discussed. It does end on a happy note which made me enjoy it more because this isn’t a happy book. She’s either cheating or getting cheated on. She’s a sex/love addict which was interesting to read about but she gets caught up in these silly situations that were relatable but at the same time frustrating to watch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship