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thebarandthebookcase's reviews
279 reviews
Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
5.0
This novel will stay with me forever. Through unflinching, expertly crafted prose, Melchor holds the reader’s attention with a vice-like grip, leaving one unable to look away despite the cruelty present on nearly every page. This is a relentlessly brutal yet sharply focused story centered around the murder of a woman known as The Witch in an impoverished small town in Mexico. The majority of the novel is split into four sections, each a single paragraph (it works, trust me), following a different character who has some relationship to the murder and their own stories to tell. Each section feels like a novella, rich in characterization and covering a breadth of tough themes, including violence, misogyny, homophobia, pedophilia, corruption, and addiction. This is an incredibly heavy book, yet critically so. It’s not enjoyable, but it’s a near-perfect piece of fiction that feels alive and is utterly unforgettable. A true modern classic.
Apartment by Teddy Wayne
4.0
Apartment is a stunning meditation on masculinity, loneliness, and self-fulfillment. The novel follows an unnamed narrator in a MFA program at Columbia University in 1996, where he struggles to connect with others or stand out among his peers in a cut-throat collegiate environment. The novel opens in a workshop during which the narrator’s manuscript is torn to shreds by his classmates. Billy, an effortlessly talented scholarship student, is the only student to defend the narrator’s work in class. The two quickly become friends, with Billy moving in to the narrator’s apartment. The reader watches as the friendship blossoms and slowly disintegrates, resulting in a shocking climax that I did not see coming. I unexpectedly became so invested in these characters and their complicated friendship, and was stunned upon turning the final page. If you’re looking for a short, literary page-turner, this is a solid option.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
4.0
The Guest List is a murder mystery set during a wedding on a remote island. The novel follows the perspectives of five characters: the bride, the best man, the bridesmaid, the plus one, and the wedding planner. Not only a whodunnit, the reader does not know who will be killed. As the secrets are unveiled, all of the characters have a motive, making this a tricky and fun mystery. I did mostly figure it out close to the end, which rarely happens for me!
Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin
3.0
I went into this one blind, only knowing it was a techno-horror novel about surveillance and connectedness. Little Eyes is a collection of stories about devices called “kentukis,” which are sweeping the globe. Kentukis are essentially Furbies with a camera: “dwellers” purchase a license to be randomly and anonymously assigned to a Kentuki, controlling the device on a computer and interacting with their “keepers,” people who opt to purchase a physical Kentuki. Keepers do not know who is watching them in their Kentuki, unless they get creative with communication. My jaw dropped once I discovered the premise in the first few pages, my mind brimming with ideas about where Schweblin would take the plot. Unfortunately, the stories left a lot to be desired.
The novel jumps back and forth between cities around the world, each following a different character, either dwellers or keepers. However, the disjointed narrative caused the stories to lose steam, and I never felt truly invested in any of them. Also, while the novel goes to some dark places, I feel that it only scratched the surface of the possibilities Kentukis would present. While the themes are clear, especially in present times where reliance on technology is critical, the book suffers in execution. Overall, it was still an interesting read and very short, so I think it is worth trying out if the premise interests you at all.
The novel jumps back and forth between cities around the world, each following a different character, either dwellers or keepers. However, the disjointed narrative caused the stories to lose steam, and I never felt truly invested in any of them. Also, while the novel goes to some dark places, I feel that it only scratched the surface of the possibilities Kentukis would present. While the themes are clear, especially in present times where reliance on technology is critical, the book suffers in execution. Overall, it was still an interesting read and very short, so I think it is worth trying out if the premise interests you at all.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
4.0
The Goldfinch has been on my TBR for so long. The Secret History is my favorite novel, and I was hesitant that I would be disappointed by The Goldfinch given my insanely high expectations. I’m so glad I decided to finally pick it up. While TSH remains my favorite of Tartt’s (I have yet to read The Little Friend), I admire The Goldfinch because you can feel how much fun Tartt is having in weaving this epic story.
The Goldfinch is a coming of age novel following Theodore Decker, a survivor of a terrorist attack at an art museum that kills his mother. Escaping the wreckage of the museum, he takes a famous painting, the consequences of which follow him throughout his life. I have seen many mixed reviews for this one, with the most common complaint being its length. I agree with some criticism that the novel is just a bit too long, and I found myself becoming slightly bored during some sections. However, the novel completely pays off in the end, and taken as a whole I feel that the length is justified in that every scene is critical to Tartt’s message and goal for the novel. It is clear that Charles Dickens was a primary influence here. The final pages are some of the most beautiful I have ever read - I reread them a few times before closing the book. Finally, The Goldfinch has one of my favorite characters in recent memory: Boris. I’m glad I read this for Boris alone!
The Goldfinch is a coming of age novel following Theodore Decker, a survivor of a terrorist attack at an art museum that kills his mother. Escaping the wreckage of the museum, he takes a famous painting, the consequences of which follow him throughout his life. I have seen many mixed reviews for this one, with the most common complaint being its length. I agree with some criticism that the novel is just a bit too long, and I found myself becoming slightly bored during some sections. However, the novel completely pays off in the end, and taken as a whole I feel that the length is justified in that every scene is critical to Tartt’s message and goal for the novel. It is clear that Charles Dickens was a primary influence here. The final pages are some of the most beautiful I have ever read - I reread them a few times before closing the book. Finally, The Goldfinch has one of my favorite characters in recent memory: Boris. I’m glad I read this for Boris alone!
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
4.0
This is one of the most anxiety-inducing, uncomfortable novels I have ever read. It messed me UP. The book follows a couple on a road trip to visit the boyfriend’s parents, while the girlfriend is thinking of ending the relationship. That’s really all I can say without spoiling, as what follows is WILD. This novel is truly best to go into blind - its a quick read with an unrelenting pace, and can easily be read in a single sitting. If you’re looking for a dread-inducing thriller/horror novel, look no further. Also, the film adaptation is coming this year on Netflix, starring Toni Collette (!!!!!).