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lialeahlio's reviews
358 reviews
In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Grief
Evenings & Weekends by OisÃn McKenna
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
DNF @ 32%
The characters are bland. I couldn't care less about them. They were caricatures of people no matter how much exposition and back story the writer tries to implement. The writing is admirable at times but overall it sways from hard facts to rhythmic prose, it is inconsistent.
But, the last straw was the miscommunication trope, every single conflict in this book is boiled down to miscommunication. I can't bear another page of just avoidance and assumptions. Just stop.
The characters are bland. I couldn't care less about them. They were caricatures of people no matter how much exposition and back story the writer tries to implement. The writing is admirable at times but overall it sways from hard facts to rhythmic prose, it is inconsistent.
But, the last straw was the miscommunication trope, every single conflict in this book is boiled down to miscommunication. I can't bear another page of just avoidance and assumptions. Just stop.
All Fours by Miranda July
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The hype for All Fours by Miranda July is real.
All Fours follows a middle aged woman as she traverse through change and self (re)discovery. Miranda July shifts the lens and retells a different side of aging and growth from the perspective of an emotionally starved artist stuck in a happy marriage drowning in anxiety. The varying aspects of parenthood, specifically motherhood, are explored through the characters past and present experience, all the while showing a modern take on what it means to be a family. The balance between physical and emotional changes of the main character are intertwined beautifully to show a refreshing take of "girl failure" but make it middle aged. What makes All Fours incredible is the relatability in the complexities of femininity and sexuality Miranda July presents to readers. There is beauty that comes with age in a time when the world is telling young girls to fear aging. Miranda July's wit and unorthodox writing style gives the book that flair that will immediately immerse readers as though you are watching a train wreck happening in real time, unable to look away.
Even though I liked this book, I would say this book is very millennial coded and very privileged. Not everyone can uproot their whole life, raise a gender neutral child, and live a queer lifestyle unapologetically. What made the book down to earth are the themes, so if you can overlook the privileged background the main character comes from then this book might be for you.
All Fours follows a middle aged woman as she traverse through change and self (re)discovery. Miranda July shifts the lens and retells a different side of aging and growth from the perspective of an emotionally starved artist stuck in a happy marriage drowning in anxiety. The varying aspects of parenthood, specifically motherhood, are explored through the characters past and present experience, all the while showing a modern take on what it means to be a family. The balance between physical and emotional changes of the main character are intertwined beautifully to show a refreshing take of "girl failure" but make it middle aged. What makes All Fours incredible is the relatability in the complexities of femininity and sexuality Miranda July presents to readers. There is beauty that comes with age in a time when the world is telling young girls to fear aging. Miranda July's wit and unorthodox writing style gives the book that flair that will immediately immerse readers as though you are watching a train wreck happening in real time, unable to look away.
Even though I liked this book, I would say this book is very millennial coded and very privileged. Not everyone can uproot their whole life, raise a gender neutral child, and live a queer lifestyle unapologetically. What made the book down to earth are the themes, so if you can overlook the privileged background the main character comes from then this book might be for you.
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0