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nothingforpomegranted's reviews
666 reviews
Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by Jim McCloskey, John Grisham
fast-paced
4.5
This was utterly jarring and wholly engrossing. John Grisham and Jim McCloskey alternated chapters to tell ten stories of wrongfully convicted murderers, replete with details about the cases and the complicated journey through appeal, retrial, and sometimes vindication.
Though it was certainly distressing to read case after case of poor investigation at the hands of police detectives and laziness or corruption on the part of prosecution attorneys and judges, I appreciated Grisham and McCloskey’s tone of optimism throughout. The writing, despite gruesome, graphic details, maintained a light, page-turning rhythm that balanced the horrors of the cases with the prevailing sense of hope necessary for fighting criminal cases. I do think that this book would be better consumed slowly to avoid the stories blurring together; after all, each of these cases and individuals deserves the attention of their own story, not just that of the collective.
I recommend this to lovers of true crime or mystery readers interested in trying out nonfiction.
Though it was certainly distressing to read case after case of poor investigation at the hands of police detectives and laziness or corruption on the part of prosecution attorneys and judges, I appreciated Grisham and McCloskey’s tone of optimism throughout. The writing, despite gruesome, graphic details, maintained a light, page-turning rhythm that balanced the horrors of the cases with the prevailing sense of hope necessary for fighting criminal cases. I do think that this book would be better consumed slowly to avoid the stories blurring together; after all, each of these cases and individuals deserves the attention of their own story, not just that of the collective.
I recommend this to lovers of true crime or mystery readers interested in trying out nonfiction.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Brendan O’Hea, Judi Dench
fast-paced
4.75
Compelling, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny—this memoir in interviews solidified for me Judi Dench’s reputation as one of the greatest Shakespeare players of all time. After a seven-decade long career, Dame Judi Dench sat down with fellow actor Brendan O’Hea to reflect on the plays, the characters, and the love of the words. Despite her rapidly deteriorating sight, which prevented her from reading the audiobook, Judi Dench’s character shines through each line and laugh, with a treat of extra passages recited from memory at the top of each chapter!
I wasn’t anticipating the interview structure when I began the book, but I loved how authentic the conversation felt, especially on audio. It was a fabulous surprise to hear the laughter and the jokes, as well as the true passion, and I truly felt like I was sitting in the living room with them and a cup of tea. Dench’s lewd jokes and sharp critiques were unexpected as well, and I laughed out loud more than once from surprise and genuine amusement. The deep reflections on each character and Dench’s firm belief that the job of the actor is to perform the words, not explain them away, were moving. I certainly would have benefitted from knowing a few of the plays more closely, but O’Hea did an excellent job structuring the interview around the scenes so even in my ignorance I could appreciate and understand the flow of the story. A truly excellent memoir, highly recommended on audio, especially if you enjoy Shakespeare or books about entertainment and industry. For lovers of Shakespeare, I also recommend Enter the Body by Joy McCullough and That Way Madness Lies by Dahlia Adler.
I wasn’t anticipating the interview structure when I began the book, but I loved how authentic the conversation felt, especially on audio. It was a fabulous surprise to hear the laughter and the jokes, as well as the true passion, and I truly felt like I was sitting in the living room with them and a cup of tea. Dench’s lewd jokes and sharp critiques were unexpected as well, and I laughed out loud more than once from surprise and genuine amusement. The deep reflections on each character and Dench’s firm belief that the job of the actor is to perform the words, not explain them away, were moving. I certainly would have benefitted from knowing a few of the plays more closely, but O’Hea did an excellent job structuring the interview around the scenes so even in my ignorance I could appreciate and understand the flow of the story. A truly excellent memoir, highly recommended on audio, especially if you enjoy Shakespeare or books about entertainment and industry. For lovers of Shakespeare, I also recommend Enter the Body by Joy McCullough and That Way Madness Lies by Dahlia Adler.
Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation: A History of Literary Paris in the Twenties and Thirties by Noel Riley Fitch
informative
slow-paced
3.75
This biography was informative, detailed, and mostly engaging. Beginning with Sylvia Beach’s move to Paris in 1916, it follows her career and the growth of Shakespeare and Company for about twenty years. Beach created a home for literary expats who became utterly devoted to her. Despite certain tensions among the authors (and rare tensions with Sylvia herself), Shakespeare and Company solidified itself as a landmark for the writers and artists of the twenties and thirties, and it was a joy to know that I had purchased the biography from the reimagined storefront in Paris.
I appreciated the sheer amount of detail that Fitch managed to squeeze into a not-very-long book. The quotations from contracts, letters, and conversations from a huge variety of characters indicated the tremendous amount of research that must have been involved in preparing for this project. At times, though, the sheer amount of content got in the way of the storytelling. Lists of names became hard to follow, and it was challenging to keep track of, especially, the lesser known authors and artists that Sylvia supported. The conflicts and tensions between them were, at times, interesting, but mostly I felt that the detail given those took away from the woman herself. This was especially the case with James Joyce who, despite being a key subject in the notoriety of Shakespeare and Company’s history, got far more than his fair share of pages—though Fitch certainly gets credit for making me thoroughly hate him, manipulative, ungrateful, and greedy as he was! Overall, this is worthwhile if you like books about books and are willing to put up with a bit of a slog or, alternatively, you enjoy keeping track of long lists of characters and dates and miss reading history textbooks.
I appreciated the sheer amount of detail that Fitch managed to squeeze into a not-very-long book. The quotations from contracts, letters, and conversations from a huge variety of characters indicated the tremendous amount of research that must have been involved in preparing for this project. At times, though, the sheer amount of content got in the way of the storytelling. Lists of names became hard to follow, and it was challenging to keep track of, especially, the lesser known authors and artists that Sylvia supported. The conflicts and tensions between them were, at times, interesting, but mostly I felt that the detail given those took away from the woman herself. This was especially the case with James Joyce who, despite being a key subject in the notoriety of Shakespeare and Company’s history, got far more than his fair share of pages—though Fitch certainly gets credit for making me thoroughly hate him, manipulative, ungrateful, and greedy as he was! Overall, this is worthwhile if you like books about books and are willing to put up with a bit of a slog or, alternatively, you enjoy keeping track of long lists of characters and dates and miss reading history textbooks.
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this.
Evelyn and Arden have been tied by fate for a thousand years, finding each other in life after life and usually falling in love. The twist is that, before their eighteenth birthday, one must kill the other so that they both die.
The novel is narrated from Evelyn’s perspective and shifts between lives, based primarily in Wales, 2022. I enjoyed Evelyn’s narrative voice. That her own memory of precious lives was spotty provided an explanation for the mystery for the reader. As she came to understand, so did we. Likewise, Evelyn’s complicated relationship with Arden was tense but filled with love, and Evelyn’s optimism was consistent. I didn’t love the ending, ambiguous as it was, and I think I would have preferred an ending in the underworld rather than the jump into the future where perhaps they meet again in a coffee shop .
Evelyn and Arden have been tied by fate for a thousand years, finding each other in life after life and usually falling in love. The twist is that, before their eighteenth birthday, one must kill the other so that they both die.
The novel is narrated from Evelyn’s perspective and shifts between lives, based primarily in Wales, 2022. I enjoyed Evelyn’s narrative voice. That her own memory of precious lives was spotty provided an explanation for the mystery for the reader. As she came to understand, so did we. Likewise, Evelyn’s complicated relationship with Arden was tense but filled with love, and Evelyn’s optimism was consistent. I didn’t love the ending, ambiguous as it was,
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
4.0
This historical novel was informative, creative, and warm. Set in Harlem of the 1920s, the book follows the career of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the "literary midwife" of several of the most prominent artists and authors of the Harlem Renaissance. Jessie is recruited to The Crisis by founder and editor Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois to be the literary editor, satisfying Jessie's dreams of writing and reading great works that contribute to the civil rights mission they are working for. However, Jessie's professional ambitions, though often supported and enhanced, are complicated by her fifteen-year affair with the married Dr. Du Bois, and she spends much of the novel debating her priorities and her desire for love.
Though I tend to find historical fiction based so squarely on the lives of real people to be disconcerting, Victoria Christopher Murray has been consistently successful for me. As in The Personal Librarian, the characters about whom she chooses to write are captivating and well-drawn, and Murray's research is evident. I particularly appreciated the mention in the Author's Note that Murray read every issue of The Crisis published during the years that Jessie was working there in order to master the language. Indeed, the phrasing of sentences and the deliberate obfuscation of particular topics (namely, the details of Jessie and Will's affair) evoked a sense of propriety that belonged in the 1920s. At points, I felt that the plot dragged along or felt repetitive, especially with the several scenes of Will's travels and the uncertainty of the relationship. Though certain aspects garnered the quality of a motif--such as the room at the Hotel Olga--I mostly found that the book could have been about 50-75 pages shorter as we waited for Jessie to get a grip on herself and finally leave the affair. I also would have loved to see a bit more mentoring and editing! Thinking about how Jessie found these authors (whose names popping up were consistently a fun surprise) would have been even more meaningful if we got to see the transformation of drafts!
As an aside, I listened to this on audio, and I have to give tremendous credit to the producers and to narrator Robin Miles for the music and singing of the lyrics!
Though I tend to find historical fiction based so squarely on the lives of real people to be disconcerting, Victoria Christopher Murray has been consistently successful for me. As in The Personal Librarian, the characters about whom she chooses to write are captivating and well-drawn, and Murray's research is evident. I particularly appreciated the mention in the Author's Note that Murray read every issue of The Crisis published during the years that Jessie was working there in order to master the language. Indeed, the phrasing of sentences and the deliberate obfuscation of particular topics (namely, the details of Jessie and Will's affair) evoked a sense of propriety that belonged in the 1920s. At points, I felt that the plot dragged along or felt repetitive, especially with the several scenes of Will's travels and the uncertainty of the relationship. Though certain aspects garnered the quality of a motif--such as the room at the Hotel Olga--I mostly found that the book could have been about 50-75 pages shorter as we waited for Jessie to get a grip on herself and finally leave the affair. I also would have loved to see a bit more mentoring and editing! Thinking about how Jessie found these authors (whose names popping up were consistently a fun surprise) would have been even more meaningful if we got to see the transformation of drafts!
As an aside, I listened to this on audio, and I have to give tremendous credit to the producers and to narrator Robin Miles for the music and singing of the lyrics!
Honkers Under the Holly by Amy Award
3.75
This is silly. I’m glad it was a novella because I don’t think I had the stamina for another full-length Kingman novel right now. That said, it was really sweet to see Mack and Sarah Jane’s relationship develop. Despite not loving the books, I’ve totally fallen for this family and their community, including everyone’s favorite agent.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
4.5
I thought I didn’t like Emily Henry, but turns out I just didn’t like People We Meet on Vacation. The plot here was so absurd, but Miles was a perfect book boyfriend, just filled with love and total golden retriever energy in a bad boy package. Daphne was sweet, and I really loved the development of sexual and romantic tension between the two. My only qualm was the quasi third act breakup, but I’m glad it was brief.
The Anaconda Downstairs by Amy Award
2.0
This was not my favorite of the Cocky Kingmans series. I’ve been really enjoying the fluff, so reading them back to back felt like the only option, even though I can tell I’m getting tired of them as I read more. Anyway, I still love the Kingman family, which is really what’s keeping me going despite ridiculous pets (I honestly don’t find this trope cute), cringey dialogue, and a very repetitive plotline.
This one was particularly bad in terms of the dialogue, and the plot of Pen being off-limits made no sense. Who cares if she’s your brother’s fiancée’s social media manager? We’re all adults here.
This one was particularly bad in terms of the dialogue, and the plot of Pen being off-limits made no sense. Who cares if she’s your brother’s fiancée’s social media manager? We’re all adults here.
The P*ssy Next Door by Amy Award
3.25
This is my fault for reading all these books back to back, but the tropes are getting a bit repetitive here. All of the Kingsman brothers fall in love at first sight and capture the heart of their woman in less than a week? The character development in this one was particularly unimpressive, and the tension was over dramatized, especially calling a full family meeting to figure out if a long-distance relationship could work….I get that the brothers are close, but that’s weird. (The spicy scenes in this one were spicy indeed though, so no complaints there)
The Wiener Across the Way by Amy Award
3.5
I loved Declan, and Kelsey was sweet. I think mostly I just enjoy getting to know all the Kingsman brothers. This was definitely a Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce fanfiction, which was fun but a bit too on the nose.