lindserature's reviews
670 reviews

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Sonia returns to her motherland Palestine after years away to escape some messy romantic entanglements and reconnect with her roots, in particular her sister. While there, she reluctantly joins the cast of a production of HAMLET, quickly falling under the spell of her fellow actors. She experiences violence, confusion, and discoveries of the parts of herself she thought she’d left behind. 

I loved the backdrop of Palestine in this novel. While the locale is obviously a hot topic right now, I appreciated that this was more of a story about a woman’s nostalgia for better days while visiting her homeland (and therefore, in some ways, a metaphor for Palestine itself) rather than an overt attempt to take on modern issues in the area. 

However, reading this book did feel like a chore. I had a mental block preventing me from picking it up, which may have been due to my lack of interest in its characters — who, despite being interesting on the surface, have no real depth or motivation, perhaps because there are so many of them — or another aspect of the story that I can’t quite put my finger on. I could only stomach a chapter or two at a time, which typically isn’t the case for me.

Positive note though: This book encouraged me to do some more digging into Palestine and its history, which is always a good thing! Overall, I get why this was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, but it does not have my vote for the win. Three stars. 

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

“I soon had to admit that what I did by myself couldn’t excite me, only what Lila touched became important. If she withdrew, if her voice withdrew from things, the things got dirty, dusty.”

This book is a character study of Elena, the narrator, and her friend Lila, growing up together in 1950s Italy. It details their friendship from the ages of six to sixteen, as they grow together and learn to navigate the world around them. 

Having had my own brilliant friend and being able to very much relate to the emotions in this book, I had high expectations. I typically love character studies, but found this one to be shallow. It is told mostly through explanations rather than scenes, which is a technique that reminds me of writers like Franzen, who sometimes does the same. However, I found Ferrante’s writing and study to be less skillful, thoughtful, and complete than Franzen’s, and the result was a boring and repetitive mess. I kept expecting something to happen, but it’s all just a jumble of names — too many minor characters with no real distinction between them — and relationships with these characters that blossom with little foundation. I really thought I’d love this book, as I’d heard so many great things, but it fell flat in every possible way. 

Piglet by Lottie Hazell

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Piglet is a woman who has struggled with her body her entire life, but with her fiancé, Kit, it all seems to matter a little less. His family is wealthy, so she leaves her own lower-class family behind. She has a great job as a cookbook editor and is in line for a promotion. She and Kit have just purchased a home, and she is intent on filling it with elaborate food and good friends. Everything is going her way, until one night, two weeks before the wedding, Kit makes a confession that rocks her to her core. From there, she begins to unravel.

This novel touches on a lot of topics. The most obvious is body image, offering a personal connection for nearly every female reader. Piglet’s childhood nickname is cruel, but she can’t lose it or the lore that comes along with it, that she is always wanting too much. Her sister is revealed to have an eating disorder as well, which adds an interesting layer to the story. The food metaphors throughout are tastefully done (ha! See what I did there?) and give the characters and their struggles a little something extra. 

Another major topic here is class. Piglet is embarrassed of her lower-class family and tries her best to leave them behind, but when everything falls to pieces, for all their faults, they’re the ones by her side. They do have their own self-serving motivations as well, which is another interesting view of class and how it affects relationships. 

Kit’s infidelity and Piglet’s reaction to it — and Kit’s reaction to that — are an important statement on the lies we tell ourselves. Right up until the end, Piglet tells herself it will be different, that she will feel differently, once they are married, but it just isn’t that easy. Sometimes, as Piglet’s relationship with her friend Margot shows, our friendships are the only things that save us.

Overall, this is a great debut. I can’t wait to see more from Hazell in the future! 

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

When her daughter, Rita, is found hanging in the local church, Elena embarks on a journey. Elena knows that her daughter could not have killed herself, but her Parkinson’s is holding her back from finding the answers she so badly needs. She travels to call in an old debt to finally find out what happened to her daughter.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. It was one of the least enjoyable reading experiences I’ve ever had, and I know that it will haunt me for a long time. But it was also extremely clever in its exploration of bodily autonomy and the role of caregivers. It is an extremely interesting, poignant, and heartbreaking look at the importance of perspective and personal freedoms. Both a difficult and fantastic read. Four stars. 

Side note: I fucking hate Rita and I truly hope she suffered. 

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

SPOILERS AHEAD. CONTINUE READING AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Solène is the mother of a preteen who is obsessed with a boy band, August Moon. At one of their meet and greets, she and her daughter meet Hayes Campbell, a twenty-year-old member of the band, and the two immediately have a connection. What follows are descriptions of art pieces, international locations, and a ton of sex. 

That’s it. A wealthy, forty-year-old woman meets a hot, rich, smart, sweet, talented, well-endowed guy half her age who falls in love with her and they have a ton of vanilla sex. No real conflict for 90% of it. No round characters. That’s the whole book.

Oh, there are some pseudo-conflicts. The daughter is upset that her mother is fucking a member of her favorite boy band, because at age twelve she is also “in love” with him and thinks he chose the mother over her. And then there’s the part where their relationship is made public by the paparazzi and she freaks out, because apparently she didn’t expect the insanity that goes along with dating a famous guy. The naïveté is wild. There’s also the parts where she gets upset every single time her pop star boyfriend speaks to another woman, or she finds out that he’d had sex with someone before her. It feels very much like the author is inventing a bunch of bullshit conflicts because there is no real one for most of the story and she didn’t want to give her characters any actual flaws or struggles. It’s maddening. 

Even more than that though are the problematic aspects, specifically the sexual comments about underage girls. There are several throughout the book, but here’s one example: in one chapter, we find out that the first time Hayes met Solène, he told his bandmate that he just wanted to “fuck her mouth.” In the same chapter, moments after this is revealed, he goes to pick up the daughter (aged thirteen at this point) from a fencing match, and she’s just gotten her braces off. He comments that she has exactly her mother’s mouth. Solène even realizes this is not a great comment as she hears it, but doesn’t do or say anything about it. What???

I do hear that the movie is an improvement so I will probably watch that, but overall, this book is a mess. One and a half stars, but the extra half star is just for the ending.

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

“…and the prophet sings not of the end of the world but of what has been done and what will be done and what is being done to some but not others, that the world is always ending over and over again in one place but not another and that the end of the world is always a local event, it comes to your country and visits your town and knocks on the door of your house and becomes to others but some distant warning, a brief report on the news, an echo of events that has passed into folklore…”

Eilish Stack, her husband, and their four children live in Ireland in the near future when one night, they hear a knock at their door; the police are there to interrogate her husband. So begins this gripping, terrifying novel about a tyrannical government and what happens to those living in its grasp. Eilish goes to great lengths to preserve her family and remain in the place she has always called home, but some things just cannot be saved.

This novel presents a dystopia, but it feels far too real; at several points, I found myself researching the history of the GNSB and the gardaí (which is not great!) to ensure that I hadn’t missed a major part of history. The Stacks’ story is an incredible allegory for the Syrian conflict and the refugee crisis it caused, and forces a different perspective. Eilish’s situation is not specific to Ireland or Syria or anywhere else; she is a mother trying to save her children. It is easy to empathize with her plight, and not a far leap to find empathy for millions of others who have found themselves in similar situations.

Something else I appreciate about this book is the harrowing and realistic look at Alzheimer’s. Eilish’s struggle with her father very closely mirrors the struggles I have seen my own family experience, and I would venture to guess that this is true for many readers. The scene where he calls in the middle of the night asking where his wife has gone is heartbreakingly familiar. This aspect of the story adds another layer to already-rich plot and characters.

I also really liked the formatting. The lack of paragraph breaks include the reader in the confusion and tedium and endlessness felt by the characters, which I felt was clever and unique. I’m a sucker for the rare book that involves the reader.

Overall, absolutely fantastic, even if it dragged a little in parts. Four and a half stars.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Our unnamed narrator works in near-future Britain for a department that has recently gotten hold of time travel technology. Several “expats” from different points in time are brought over, and the narrator is chosen to be a “bridge” for one of them, guiding him into and teaching him about this new world in which he finds himself. Things, of course, get complicated.

There are a lot of things I loved about this novel. It is beautifully written and spans several genres: sci-fi, romance, spy, adventure. The characters — Graham and Margaret in particular — are richly drawn and highly lovable. The pacing is interesting; it’s mostly a slow burn until the last two chapters, where the action picks up and things get exciting. It touches on a lot of modern issues, like climate change, immigration, and racism, but reframes them in an interesting way. There are some gorgeous and poignant passages, particularly at the end, that made me look at things in a different way, as the best writing should. There is a lot to love and appreciate here. I’ve been waiting for months to get my hands on it, and I’m so glad I finally did. A wonderful read. Four stars. 

Gray After Dark by Noelle W. Ihli

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I’ve seen a lot of the man vs. bear question on social media recently. For those of you who are unfamiliar: you’re trapped in the woods. Which would you rather be with: a bear, or a male stranger? Many women are choosing the bear, and many men cannot understand why. I think that this novel is a pretty good explanation, both of one specific scenario and as a thematic representation of the larger issue. 

Miley is an Olympian biathlete still reeling from a car accident five years ago. While nursing the phantom pain in her shoulder, she starts working at a mountain lodge. Despite rumors of another staff member who disappeared years ago, Miley goes running on a trail — and is met with Fred and Hamish, two doomsday peppers who take her prisoner.

This is apparently based on a true story, but I’m not sure how loosely. It’s an intriguing premise and definitely a page turner, with lots of action and excitement. 

I don’t think it needed both perspectives or benefited from them at all. I didn’t feel that I gained anything from Brent’s voice, except annoyance; I really did not like him, though admittedly I can’t put my finger on a reason. I also felt that the ending was abrupt, with a lot of repetition in the middle sections. 

Still, this is a compelling, interesting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Three stars. 

(I’m picking the bear, by the way.)

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

adventurous emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

(Please do not come for me!)

Vianne and Isabelle are sisters living in 1940s France during the German occupation, and they are completely at odds. Ten years her sister’s junior, Isabelle is still reeling from Vianne’s treatment of her when their mother died, while Vianne is attempting to take care of her small family. When war comes to their doorstep, the sisters are forced to confront their differences and take on roles in the war, Isabelle as part of the resistance, Vianne trying to keep her loved ones safe as the Germans invade her town and home.

For nearly the past decade, THE NIGHTINGALE has been recommended to me endlessly. Each time I say that I am weary of World War 2 / Holocaust literature, this book is the first one mentioned as one I should try. I have been extremely reticent, but finally gave in. I hate to say that I was right: I did not like this book. I didn’t like the inconsistencies in storytelling; or that it reads like YA (nothing wrong with that, just not what it’s billed as); or the repetitive and dull writing style. I hated the characters that were more like caricatures, somehow both over the top and flat. Hannah takes absolutely zero risks here, and I felt every bit of it.

The reason I am more than a little sick of reading about this time period is that there are just so many books about it. For me, nothing will come close to touching the emotional impact of NIGHT; I don’t think it’s possible. Aside from that, unless a novel or film is doing something interesting or fresh (ie ZONE OF INTEREST, ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, JOJO RABBIT, THE BOOK THIEF), it’s just a retelling of the same, tired story. Stories just like THE NIGHTINGALE have been told for nearly a century, and in much better ways. I don’t see what’s special about this one.

Then again, everyone seems to love it, so who am I to judge? It is definitely a page turner, and has some interesting moments. I appreciated the multi-faceted character of Beck and his relationship with Vianne; I also thought the father was well done. Overall though, I don’t quite get the hype. 2.5 stars. 

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

“Language, too, was a knife. It could cut open the world and reveal its meaning, its inner workings, its secrets, its truths. It could cut through from one reality to another. It could call bullshit, open people’s eyes, create beauty. Language was my knife. If I had unexpectedly been caught in an unwanted knife fight, maybe this was the knife I could use to fight back.”

I have been enamored by Rushdie and his writing since I first encountered HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES in a literature class during my freshman year of college. That magical book pushed me to research him and his life, in particular the fatwa that was issued against him in 1989. I believe he is one of the most influential and enduring symbols of the power words and stories can have on this world. 

But he is not only a symbol; he is a man, a fact that is sometimes easy to forget, especially after the 2023 attack against him (detailed in his latest book, KNIFE). This book is a constant reminder of his humanity in ways that no other book I’ve read has achieved. I did feel that he was being overly humble at several points (maybe in response to criticisms of his memoir, JOSEPH ANTON?). Rushdie is a literary giant, but often downplays his fame and influence. It must be difficult to find a balance between humility and honesty, but this is a successful attempt to remind the world that he is more than his stories: he is a father, a husband, a friend. I had some issues with tone and storytelling, but the last three chapters are particularly strong, giving us a look into the man behind the symbol. 

As Rushdie says, “Words are the only victors.” This book is a timely reminder of the importance and power our stories carry.