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mattk's reviews
113 reviews
Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Condominium by John D. MacDonald
4.0
A masterful novel of Florida and aging and nature's utter cold indifference to our bullshit. Finishing it on my 40th birthday in Key West was ... poignant.
Dress Her in Indigo by John D. MacDonald
3.0
I'm partial to the Florida-set Travis McGee books for obvious reasons; this Mexico-set adventure into the dark side of the hippie trail was a bit of a lesser entry. Despite a plot that gets a little too baroque for its own good, though, it's still full of the usual caustic and world-wise JDM observations.
Queenpin by Megan Abbott
4.0
Clear-eyed, cruel and clever. My first Abbott, and it won't be my last.
Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
3.0
The sky was a crisp, hot blue when I finished this book; I was drinking water out of a silver Yeti tumbler and wearing an Old Navy t-shirt with Costco shorts.
Seriously, so many brand names and descriptions of the sky. Every other page. It got exhausting. The book itself isn't bad -- standard cat-and-mouse thriller fare with a few welcome twists -- but this is the rare case where the TV adaptation far exceeds its source material.
Seriously, so many brand names and descriptions of the sky. Every other page. It got exhausting. The book itself isn't bad -- standard cat-and-mouse thriller fare with a few welcome twists -- but this is the rare case where the TV adaptation far exceeds its source material.