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purecomedy's reviews
396 reviews
True Detective and Philosophy: A Deeper Kind of Darkness (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series) by Jacob Graham, Tom Sparrow
challenging
informative
reflective
3.0
Like most essay collections on philosophy & pop culture, it's pretty uneven, but the few essays I particularly enjoyed (Dienstag, Donovan, and Hatab – off the top of my head) were worth slogging through.
Ostre przedmioty by Gillian Flynn
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It was even better than when I first read it years ago. Interesting characters, great twist and an unflinching look at the ways women can be cruel and violent too. It's amazing that this was Flynn's debut novel.
An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination by Cecilia Kang, Sheera Frenkel
Did not finish book. Stopped at 64%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 64%.
It's a really interesting book and well-written investigatin into how Facebook (more specifically, its top management!!) doesn't give a damn about privacy, especially if it can't earn them money. Unfortunately, I have to give up on this book for now because the rage and disgust I feel for Facebook (and Mark Zuckerberg :) ) during each reading session can't be healthy lol
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
challenging
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Pan i pani Fleishman by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
A good time for people who enjoy unreliable narrators and unlikable characters.
In an interview Brodesser-Akner said that she set out to write a book about how dating works these days. Fleishman Is In Trouble covers so much more -- it's about the dissolution of Toby and Rachel Fleishman's marriage, it's about the disillusion experienced by women-turned-mothers, it's about the New York upper middle class, it's about how marriage can feel like prison for both spouses. There's a lot to think about, though I don't think there's necessarily anything revelatory here. But Brodesser-Akner's style is smart and entertaining, as she slowly dissects leading and background characters. I'm very excited to see how she translated the novel into a TV script.
In an interview Brodesser-Akner said that she set out to write a book about how dating works these days. Fleishman Is In Trouble covers so much more -- it's about the dissolution of Toby and Rachel Fleishman's marriage, it's about the disillusion experienced by women-turned-mothers, it's about the New York upper middle class, it's about how marriage can feel like prison for both spouses. There's a lot to think about, though I don't think there's necessarily anything revelatory here. But Brodesser-Akner's style is smart and entertaining, as she slowly dissects leading and background characters. I'm very excited to see how she translated the novel into a TV script.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.75
How not to run a business: a case study.
Jokes aside, it's a gripping, well-written book. Carreyrou writes in a lively, engaging way and makes the people he describes come alive on the page. Even though, I already watched the documentary Inventor and the TV show The Dropout and read several articles on Theranos, some events still baffled me (not that the whole story isn't constantly baffling).
The only thing that distracted me every now and then was the higher pitch the narrator Will Damron would use when reading Holmes' lines. You know, it's Elizabeth Holmes doing her Theranos CEO voice, you gotta lower that pitch for the full experience, man.
Jokes aside, it's a gripping, well-written book. Carreyrou writes in a lively, engaging way and makes the people he describes come alive on the page. Even though, I already watched the documentary Inventor and the TV show The Dropout and read several articles on Theranos, some events still baffled me (not that the whole story isn't constantly baffling).
The only thing that distracted me every now and then was the higher pitch the narrator Will Damron would use when reading Holmes' lines. You know, it's Elizabeth Holmes doing her Theranos CEO voice, you gotta lower that pitch for the full experience, man.
Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Sometimes endearing, sometimes quietly unsettling, sometimes bizarre or provocative, but above all these stories prove that Murata is amazing at writing stories about (and for) "weirdos" and outsiders.
Ciemno, prawie noc by Joanna Bator
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
To nie jest bardzo zła książka. Bardzo dobra też nie jest.
Elementy lub zabiegi stylistyczne, które są ciekawe na początku (np. próby odwzorowania specyficznego stylu mówienia głównie postaci drugoplanowych lub epizodycznych), powtarzają się do znudzenia tak, że w połowie książki bardziej irytują niż ciekawią. Na początku "dziwność" kolejnych postaci jest interesująca, często nawet ujmująca, ale gdy pojawia się n-ta Bardzo Nietypowa Postać, staje się to po prostu śmieszne, przerysowane i nużące. Komentarz na temat polskiego społeczeństwa jest wyłożony łopatologiczne, jakby Bator nie wierzyła, że czytelnicy są na tyle inteligentni, że sami wyciągną wnioski na temat tego, co książka próbuje przekazać.
Zaciekawiły mnie te początkowe przebłyski, ale niestety mam wrażenie, że koniec końców powieść zupełnie rozminęła się z efektem, który próbowała osiągnąć.
Elementy lub zabiegi stylistyczne, które są ciekawe na początku (np. próby odwzorowania specyficznego stylu mówienia głównie postaci drugoplanowych lub epizodycznych), powtarzają się do znudzenia tak, że w połowie książki bardziej irytują niż ciekawią. Na początku "dziwność" kolejnych postaci jest interesująca, często nawet ujmująca, ale gdy pojawia się n-ta Bardzo Nietypowa Postać, staje się to po prostu śmieszne, przerysowane i nużące. Komentarz na temat polskiego społeczeństwa jest wyłożony łopatologiczne, jakby Bator nie wierzyła, że czytelnicy są na tyle inteligentni, że sami wyciągną wnioski na temat tego, co książka próbuje przekazać.
Zaciekawiły mnie te początkowe przebłyski, ale niestety mam wrażenie, że koniec końców powieść zupełnie rozminęła się z efektem, który próbowała osiągnąć.
There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
5.0
Kikuko Tsumura is right: there really is no such thing as an easy job.
I was quite surprised to find that this book was first published in 2015. It feels very much apt for 2022 (and onward, I'm afraid), with its commentary on how work can overtake your life and become central to your identity and how it can be difficult to detach yourself from it.
As for the story, the magical realism elements seemed rather subtle, which I really liked. I'm usually not a big fan of the 1st person POV (it's not an instant DNF, but sometimes it can put me off the story), but it felt really fitting for this story and this main character. It was surprisingly entertaining and compelling to watch her seek out "easy" jobs (btw, her requirements for the jobs? Big Mood), then get overly involved in them within the first few days. At the same time, though, there was also something depressing about her not being able to let go of work issues.
Also, since I listened to the audiobook, Cindy Kay is a wonderful narrator. I really enjoyed her interpretation of the book and the way she would do voices for some characters without exaggerating and making them sound ridiculous.
I was quite surprised to find that this book was first published in 2015. It feels very much apt for 2022 (and onward, I'm afraid), with its commentary on how work can overtake your life and become central to your identity and how it can be difficult to detach yourself from it.
As for the story, the magical realism elements seemed rather subtle, which I really liked. I'm usually not a big fan of the 1st person POV (it's not an instant DNF, but sometimes it can put me off the story), but it felt really fitting for this story and this main character. It was surprisingly entertaining and compelling to watch her seek out "easy" jobs (btw, her requirements for the jobs? Big Mood), then get overly involved in them within the first few days. At the same time, though, there was also something depressing about her not being able to let go of work issues.
Also, since I listened to the audiobook, Cindy Kay is a wonderful narrator. I really enjoyed her interpretation of the book and the way she would do voices for some characters without exaggerating and making them sound ridiculous.
Please Miss: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Penis by Grace E. Lavery
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
While overall thought-provoking and enjoyable, I feel like it's a rather uneven work. I found some sections of the book very boring. I can accept that I didn't manage to understand the meaning of all chapters or the stories within them on the first read (I think it's the kind of work that requires you to read it closely and "connect the dots" on your own, which is in a way refreshing when a lot of media out there seems to mindlessly hammer its point). The anecdotal style was interesting, but there were many times when I thought the story would benefit from being expanded on before Lavery jumped to another topic.
Not an easy read and I think for many readers it could be a love-it-or-hate-it book, but, as usual, I really appreciated Lavery's witty voice and an original spin on the memoir.
Not an easy read and I think for many readers it could be a love-it-or-hate-it book, but, as usual, I really appreciated Lavery's witty voice and an original spin on the memoir.