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lostcanticles's reviews
892 reviews
Scary Monsters by Michelle de Kretser
Both stories in this novel - one set in the past, another in the near future - lived up strongly to the title. The novel never loses its eerie tone, with Lyle’s narrative in the near future being scarily plausible, and Lili’s narrative in the 1980s scarily (and sadly) true. Both were cleverly written and connected only by a single sentence. I guess it doesn’t matter which story you begin with, but had I began with Lyle’s I’d have been more unnerved and apprehensive.
Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino
4.0
Really good. I loved the way this talked about time, intimacy, family, friendship, a lot of things in general. The narrator’s internal monologues hit home a lot of times.
Sharing a few of my favorite quotes:
“The Internet is indifferent. It’s the people who ruin it, posting only highlights, like every night is Saturday night. But most of life is Wednesday afternoon, and no one thinks that’s meaningful.”
“Aging is easy, like falling down a hill. No choice involved. It’s reconciling yourself to loss that’s hard. I was eighty-five when I died. But I felt nineteen. I used to forget how old I was. I’d talk to you for long enough I’d think I was you. Then I’d look in the mirror and think, ack, who’s that old woman?”
“Sometimes I mistake presence for fondness. Even though those who are absent are normally the ones I love most. Perhaps because so many in my life have said, “I’m here, aren’t I?” when I’ve asked to feel their love.”
“Will you stay if I change into something you couldn’t anticipate and don’t recognize? Will you be honest with me when I’m present, about me when I’m absent? Will you encourage me to be as much like myself as possible? Will you hide what I use to cause pain?”
Sharing a few of my favorite quotes:
“The Internet is indifferent. It’s the people who ruin it, posting only highlights, like every night is Saturday night. But most of life is Wednesday afternoon, and no one thinks that’s meaningful.”
“Aging is easy, like falling down a hill. No choice involved. It’s reconciling yourself to loss that’s hard. I was eighty-five when I died. But I felt nineteen. I used to forget how old I was. I’d talk to you for long enough I’d think I was you. Then I’d look in the mirror and think, ack, who’s that old woman?”
“Sometimes I mistake presence for fondness. Even though those who are absent are normally the ones I love most. Perhaps because so many in my life have said, “I’m here, aren’t I?” when I’ve asked to feel their love.”
“Will you stay if I change into something you couldn’t anticipate and don’t recognize? Will you be honest with me when I’m present, about me when I’m absent? Will you encourage me to be as much like myself as possible? Will you hide what I use to cause pain?”
It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over by Anne de Marcken
3.0
Strange. I may not be able to describe this well should someone ask, but the prose was for me and not what I expected of a zombie book. I’m pleasantly surprised.
“I miss the way we retold each other the same stories as if we’d just remembered them. And the way we’d play along, asking questions to get at the details we already knew. I think it was so we would still recognize each other even as we changed.”
“I think of all the time I spent deciding. Imagine what I missed. My whole life. I know again that I missed it all with you. Almost all of it. It’s always so bad when I realize this again. But it is also always when I love you most.“
“I miss the way we retold each other the same stories as if we’d just remembered them. And the way we’d play along, asking questions to get at the details we already knew. I think it was so we would still recognize each other even as we changed.”
“I think of all the time I spent deciding. Imagine what I missed. My whole life. I know again that I missed it all with you. Almost all of it. It’s always so bad when I realize this again. But it is also always when I love you most.“
Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser
I received the arc of this book while reading another of the authors work, Scary Monsters. The beginning made me think I was still reading that, but in the end I found this quite similar to another book I’ve read that I could not put my finger on. Nonetheless, Theory & Practice was a good read.
I could describe the book through the author’s own words. It’s that “strange summer hour when reality slips,” how “time kept up its Now-Now-Now,” and “the not paying attention to what was going on, underestimating the pull of the horizon, and not spotting what was swirling out to sea.”
A very short read that was able to discuss a lot, especially on feminism, philosophy, academia. It’s about the simple mundane things, and also the bigger pictures. A blend of fiction and essays, some parts I feel were autobiographical. In a nutshell, I love this author’s prose; the way she writes her one sentences constructed to drive true, sharp points.
“Many years had to pass before I’d realise that life isn’t about wishes coming true but about the slow revelation of what we really wished.“
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc!
I could describe the book through the author’s own words. It’s that “strange summer hour when reality slips,” how “time kept up its Now-Now-Now,” and “the not paying attention to what was going on, underestimating the pull of the horizon, and not spotting what was swirling out to sea.”
A very short read that was able to discuss a lot, especially on feminism, philosophy, academia. It’s about the simple mundane things, and also the bigger pictures. A blend of fiction and essays, some parts I feel were autobiographical. In a nutshell, I love this author’s prose; the way she writes her one sentences constructed to drive true, sharp points.
“Many years had to pass before I’d realise that life isn’t about wishes coming true but about the slow revelation of what we really wished.“
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc!
Rental House by Weike Wang
3.0
I’ve gathered unique insights from reading books from this author, and Rental House is no different. This book centers on the lives of an interracial couple, the setting being the rental houses they have lived in with their respective in-laws through the years.
There’s not much in the way of plot, Rental House served more as a character study of Nate and Keru, subtly highlighting the ways in which they differ, their relationship with one another’s side of the family, how satisfied they are with their jobs, etc. and how all of these make up their relationship. I thought everything to be very honest, and very real. I admired the author’s social commentary in Joan Is Okay, I’m saying the same for this one. It’s exactly one of the reasons (aside from the prose and deadpan humor) why I await her new releases.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc!
There’s not much in the way of plot, Rental House served more as a character study of Nate and Keru, subtly highlighting the ways in which they differ, their relationship with one another’s side of the family, how satisfied they are with their jobs, etc. and how all of these make up their relationship. I thought everything to be very honest, and very real. I admired the author’s social commentary in Joan Is Okay, I’m saying the same for this one. It’s exactly one of the reasons (aside from the prose and deadpan humor) why I await her new releases.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc!
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
4.0
I enjoyed this immensely! I went into this blindly, all I knew was that this was Amal El-Mohtar’s solo debut. Having loved Time War, there really wasn’t much that needed to be said.
Every phrase and word choice made reading this feel like a classic fairytale and a love song, though it is also a murder ballad in a way. The magic system in this book is grounded on grammar, which I found very fitting considering the lyrical prose and the hold this author has over language. Those familiar with Time War or Amal El-Mohtar’s other short stories would anticipate the way she creates worlds and introduces magic systems, in my opinion she leaves a lot for the reader to interpret themselves; this book isn’t different in that regard. The riddles and wordplay used throughout the novella to move the story along or make a point were also so satisfying and fun to read.
Can’t help but share one of my favorite passages (because so true!! that’s how you describe a man lmao):
“Queen of ducks and angels. You shall have poems written to you with a quill on fire. You shall have songs sung to you by enchanted harps. Whole branches of grammar will be invented only to praise you…demand better than to be worshipped by a crumb.”
*The review copy I was granted has a sneak peak at Amal’s upcoming short story collection. Looking forward to that as well.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc.
Every phrase and word choice made reading this feel like a classic fairytale and a love song, though it is also a murder ballad in a way. The magic system in this book is grounded on grammar, which I found very fitting considering the lyrical prose and the hold this author has over language. Those familiar with Time War or Amal El-Mohtar’s other short stories would anticipate the way she creates worlds and introduces magic systems, in my opinion she leaves a lot for the reader to interpret themselves; this book isn’t different in that regard. The riddles and wordplay used throughout the novella to move the story along or make a point were also so satisfying and fun to read.
Can’t help but share one of my favorite passages (because so true!! that’s how you describe a man lmao):
“Queen of ducks and angels. You shall have poems written to you with a quill on fire. You shall have songs sung to you by enchanted harps. Whole branches of grammar will be invented only to praise you…demand better than to be worshipped by a crumb.”
*The review copy I was granted has a sneak peak at Amal’s upcoming short story collection. Looking forward to that as well.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Stayed up later than I should finishing this. I may be leaning more towards a 3.5 but gonna sit on this for a while so we’ll see.