sharkybookshelf's reviews
511 reviews

Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami

3.0

In the distant future, humans are nearly extinct and live in small groups, supervised by “Mothers”…

I should preface this review with a caveat that dystopian/apocalyptic fiction isn’t really my thing - I might dabble from time to time, but this one made me realise that near-term dystopia works better for me. This was so far in the future and on such a scale that my brain struggled to make sense of it (I guess I need some sort of anchoring reference point if it’s in our world, otherwise make it futuristic sci-fi). I felt at a remove throughout and struggled to feel engaged.

That said, whilst it’s not the genre for me, I do appreciate that Kawakami is essentially exploring the idea of humanity: what makes us human, our need for connection and community, how ingrained is human nature, the tenacity of humans, motherhood, our place within the environment, the strengths and weaknesses of human nature and how they might play into the future of humanity. The writing is easy to read and accessible but there are big thoughts and a deceptive amount of depth behind it.

I very much enjoyed the way the book came together - each chapter (I can’t decide whether to call them interconnected short stories?) felt like a puzzle piece, with three overall picture coming into focus as each piece slots in. But the ending did leave me rather…deflated.

An accessible but deceptively deep exploration of the idea of humanity and how the (distant) future could play out.

Eurotrash by Christian Kracht

3.0

A middle-aged man embarks on a little Swiss road trip with his elderly mother, attempting to give away some of her unethically-amassed fortune…

An unfortunate case of too-high expectations and being in the wrong mood. I had only seen glowing reviews before picking this one up, so I was excited to have my socks laughed off… But that’s not quite happened.

It had potential - using humour can be a clever, fun and effective way of delving into dark topics, and Kracht doesn’t shy away from tackling the long shadow of WWII in Europe, the nature of wealth and how of it is acquired (bringing in complicity through ignorance or inaction) and reckoning with an abhorrent family history, privilege and guilt.

So there’s a lot in there that’s of interest, but the thing about humour is that it is deeply personal, and I just wasn’t in the mood for Eurotrash’s particular brand of irreverent and (falsely?) self-deprecating humour. I also suspect that the comedic aspect would work better for me in a visual medium, since so much of it revolves around absurd interactions - I can imagine myself really enjoying the story as a limited tv series, for example. But I digress.

The relationship between the narrator and his mother was wonderful to read though -  it’s a messy one between two fairly horrendous people, but under the sarcastic bickering, there was a touching tenderness between them.

A satiric romp reckoning with European and a repulsive family history, shot through with a quietly tender mother-son relationship.

PS - What a thoroughly excellent cover.

Elevator in Sài Gòn by Thuận
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.

A Vietnamese woman living in Paris returns to Sài Gòn for her mother’s funeral and finds herself delving into mysteries of her mother’s past…

Thankfully this wasn’t as dense and arduous as the previous novel I’ve read by Thuận (Chinatown), but instead it was…dull. Which isn’t exactly an improvement, and I ended up DNFing just over half way. I really should have DNFed it sooner but kept hoping it would pick up (it didn’t).

Whilst I did enjoy the glimpses of the details of life both past and present, found I simply wasn’t interested in the story itself. I wasn’t invested in the central mystery, the humour didn’t really land for me (humour in books is so personal) and I never once found myself itching to get back to the story. In fact, I read two whole other books whilst procrastinating from picking this one back up again.

Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie

3.0

Thebes, 2000BC - Imhotep, wealthy landowner and priest, arrives home with a concubine who wastes no time in sowing discord amongst Imhotep’s family, with fatal consequences…

This was…fine. When I realised this was set in Ancient Egypt and not on an archaeological dig (as I had erroneously assumed), I was expecting something much more unique. Whilst it’s clear that Christie has done her research on the details of life (as far as known) in 2000BC, and she was inspired by real papyri from the time, the plot ultimately hinges on basic human nature and really could have been set anywhere, anytime.

On one hand, this means it’s a very human, universal story. On the other…it’s a bit dull - there’s not a single plot point that requires this story to be set in ancient Egypt and that left me a little disappointed. The story felt transposed to the setting rather than tailored to it or a product of it. Even setting it on a dig would have likely been more satisfying. And maybe if the MC had more personality than a fish.

A closed circle, slightly dull multiple-murder mystery revolving around inter-family relationships and jealousies unnecessarily set 4000 years ago.

Absent In The Spring by Agatha Christie, Mary Westmacott

3.0

Returning from visiting her daughter in Baghdad, Joan Scudmore finds herself stranded in a rest house by flooding - alone with her thoughts, she contemplates her life…

This is now the third Westmacott I’ve read as part of my Sharky Reads Christie project, and although it was the least worst so far, I rather wish I hadn’t decided to include them (alas I am a completist).

It is a truly excellent character study and Christie perfectly renders a very specific variety of British woman: self-important, self-aggrandising, somehow involved in every singly thing happening in the parish, condescendingly thinks she knows what’s best for everyone but actually doesn’t understand the temperament of her family at all, largely oblivious. Colonial superiority abounds in every casual comment about the locals (be warned). It’s mildly satisfying to watch her slowly realise and confront the reality.

But here’s the thing, whilst it’s a richly drawn, acute (and lampooning) portrait, I just…didn’t really care. So it was fine, but frankly, reading this book added nothing of import to my life - I’ve met enough of this sort of person (the modern iteration is not so different), there’s no need to read about them also. Plus the ending was kind of frustrating.

A rich, astute and brutal character study, but also rather pointless.

Towards Zero by Agatha Christie

3.0

An awkward house party gathers at Gull’s Point, an elderly widow’s seaside home - a tension-filled holiday which ends in murder…

Apparently this was one of Christie’s top ten favourites, but…sorry Agatha, it didn’t quite wow me, although I did appreciate Superintendent Battle - there were a few genuinely funny moments.

It was a very clever solution, which I didn’t figure out, and I appreciate what Christie was doing with the different characters’ paths converging on a single moment (“towards zero”) - it is such an interesting idea to explore, the chance of being in the right place at the right time. But the set-up was just a little too convoluted for me, and the denouement felt a little contrived.

A clever, slightly philosophical closed circle murder mystery, but with a convoluted set-up.

The Edges by Angelo Tijssens

3.0

A man returns to his hometown to clear his late mother’s flat and cannot resist calling on a former lover…

This was good but slightly too abstract for me. It’s a story told in glimpses - they’re great glimpses, and powerful, but ultimately I would have liked more introspection from the narrator on the lasting impact of the various moments and experiences.

More of a heads up than a criticism: it also ended up being much more focused on the relationship between the narrator and his ex than I had anticipated. I was expecting much more exploration of the complexities of grieving an abusive mother. It’s there in the background, but mostly in surface-level glimpses rather than really reflecting on it. The title is “The Edges” not “The Depths” after all, so maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.

A decent story of facing one’s vulnerabilities and searching for acceptance and affection after a traumatic childhood, told in glimpses without much introspection.

How to Leave the World by Marouane Bakhti

4.0

Constantly asked to categorise himself - French? Moroccan? Gay? Muslim? - Bakhti has written a book in response…

I enjoyed this one, but must admit that although I only read it a few weeks ago, it has not proved particularly memorable. It’s filled with pithy, self-aware, snapshot observations but they are not quite tied together into a greater whole with staying power.

I love a story of messy identities that don’t perfectly fit into boxes, and it was interesting to read how the narrator navigated his relationship to his two cultures and how that changed over time - it’s a story of finding one’s place in the world (on multiple levels) and the expectations, shame, forgiveness and familial love that are part of that journey. I especially appreciated the perspective of growing up as a kid of the Moroccan diaspora in rural France (as opposed to the more frequently explored urban experience).

A sharp, jaunty story of complex identity, familial and societal expectations, self-acceptance, and forgiveness.

The Night of the Scourge: The Sister Bells Trilogy Vol. 3 by Lars Mytting, Deborah Dawkin

4.0

I was pretty excited to finally get my hands on the final instalment of Mytting’s Sister Bells trilogy - I’ve been (im)patiently waiting two years for it to be published in English. The first book remains my favourite (it’s basically a love letter to stavkirker and is SO bleakly atmospheric), but this was a fitting conclusion to the multi-generational saga and brings us to WWII.

Reviewing books that are part of a series without spoiling the previous books is always a bit tricky, so I’ll keep this vague. As with the two previous books, there’s a seam of magical realism running through the story, which I enjoyed, though this one was heavier on the biblical references.

Objectively, it was perhaps a little bloated (the rural Norwegian WWII experience is…comprehensive) and slightly over-dramatic, but I didn’t particularly mind. I really enjoy the atmosphere and strong sense of place in Mytting’s work and the way he writes so beautifully about anything to do with wood, so was happy to just immerse myself in the story and overlook any a-little-too-convenient coincidences in the plot.

The publisher’s blurb suggests that this can be read as a standalone, but I really wouldn’t recommend that - you’d miss out on so many layers of richness and historical context to the overall story. Honestly, it’s a silly suggestion.

A rich, atmospheric and dramatic conclusion to a multi-generational saga which highlights remarkable periods of change in Norway’s recent history.

Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico

4.0

Italian millennials Anna and Tom are living the dream in Berlin as digital creatives, but for a seeping feeling of ennui…

Admittedly, I wasn’t as gripped by this one as I thought I would be, largely due to the detached writing and it’s not as plot-y as I expected. But actually the writing perfectly suits the story and it turns out that it’s a book that lingers and has given me far more on reflection. It’s a short book, but there’s a lot packed in under the surface, and the more I think about, the more I appreciate it (I could almost bump my rating up to five stars).

Latronico has written an incisive and quietly scathing assessment of the impact of social media on our individual and societal contentment, particularly the millennial generation. That search for an aesthetic photo at the expense of actually immersing oneself in a place or experience, wanting life to look perfect without really putting in the work to appreciate what we already have or think too hard about what we’re really searching for (tangible connection), the thought that moving somewhere new (and pretty) will solve any dissatisfactions - he’s captured it all perfectly. (And the pointed accuracy of it all is frankly depressing.)

As a millennial myself, much of the book resonated with me, though it probably would have hit harder 5-10 years ago. Thanks to the visual nature and insidious ubiquity of social media, most (Western) millennials will immediately recall the viral photos which are described vaguely. Many will also recognise Anna and Tom’s experience of growing up whilst the internet was also “growing up” - honestly, what a weird time we all had.

I grew up as an expat, so that revolving door feel to the expat community, with people constantly arriving and departing and the dreamlike sense of impermanence also felt deeply familiar.

An incisive, quietly scathing and lingering story of the insidious nature of social media, the emptiness of it and how it makes us all a bit performative - a mirror for millennials.