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vanmeers's reviews
507 reviews
Helen of Troy, 1993 by Maria Zoccola
4.25
this was such an intriguing concept and the author narrated the book wonderfully. despite the wonderful narration, i think i’m personally doing the book a disservice by only having listened to the audiobook — i’ll definitely have to reread it in written form in the future as well to fully grasp the nuances!
Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
1.0
what a godawful book lmao
edit: the narration was so-and-so, but the piss poor storytelling by freida is honestly a crime and i don’t think i’ve read a book this bad in years.
the plot is a hitchcock inspired nightmare in which you, the reader/listener, gets mocked for following the red herrings set by the author — ‘oh, you thought /i/ was a killer? how stupid of you’ and the constant explanation by the characters is giving ✨ i never learned how to write a good story ✨ by ms mcfadden here. why are you telling me every single thing the characters do or think?
the plot twist was… well, i mean if you’re into badly written housewife dramas with a bit of murder then i’m sure it was peak literature. i expect more from a supposedly well liked author? my mistake.
oh, also, if you’re bipolar, then you’re a crazy psychopath — it’s great that we’re upholding the long lived tradition of painting mental illnesses like this 👌
edit: the narration was so-and-so, but the piss poor storytelling by freida is honestly a crime and i don’t think i’ve read a book this bad in years.
the plot is a hitchcock inspired nightmare in which you, the reader/listener, gets mocked for following the red herrings set by the author — ‘oh, you thought /i/ was a killer? how stupid of you’ and the constant explanation by the characters is giving ✨ i never learned how to write a good story ✨ by ms mcfadden here. why are you telling me every single thing the characters do or think?
the plot twist was… well, i mean if you’re into badly written housewife dramas with a bit of murder then i’m sure it was peak literature. i expect more from a supposedly well liked author? my mistake.
oh, also, if you’re bipolar, then you’re a crazy psychopath — it’s great that we’re upholding the long lived tradition of painting mental illnesses like this 👌
The Hillside Stranglers: The Inside Story of the Killing Spree That Terrorized Los Angeles by Darcy O'Brien
2.0
i'm always left wondering whenever a true crime book describes the murderer as "attractive", "sexy", or "a woman's man" if that's actually the case. especially considering how angelo's "relationships" were predominantly young women and girls in vulnerable positions. anyway, it's truly wild listening to this audiobook and hearing how truly incompetent the police were — although, what's new? they're always incompetent.
Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob) by Avan Jogia
4.0
while the audiobook was phenomenal, it's one of those books that sort of deserves to also be read as a physical copy – so catch me getting a copy of this sooner rather than later! it's definitely an interesting read, both beautiful and funny at times.
this review is also a reminder (to me) that i need to get my hands on mixed feelings as well!
this review is also a reminder (to me) that i need to get my hands on mixed feelings as well!
The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
4.75
If you loved Tender Is the Flesh, but Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird sadly wasn’t your thing, then you’ll absolutely love The Unworthy.
I went into The Unworthy not knowing much about it — I just knew I enjoyed Agustina Bazterrica’s previous two releases in english and that I was desperate to read this.
I wasn’t completely hooked at first, mostly because religious aspects never really work for me, but damn if it didn’t fully consume me by the end of it. It’s dystopian fiction at its finest. You’re blindly thrown into the story of a post apocalyptic world in which the main character, and other young women, are living in a cultish convent — trying to survive the dangers of the new world, of the leaders of the convent, and of each other. The narrative unfolds through the main character’s diary entries and through that you see the cruelty that’s seeping through the convent, but also the slight shimmers of hope, and of the world before.
These diary entries captivates you, especially when the past is revealed, and it’s the moments of past and new revelations that really brings the story to life — and makes it worth reading. The main character isn’t easy to love, but I think she’s easy to feel a lot of love and hurt for. Her stories of the Tarantula Kids, Circe and Helena really stuck with me. All what is said, but also all that is unsaid. It’s honestly a masterpiece in storytelling in my opinion.
It’s also, most importantly (to me), a queer story as well — it’s clear from the start and it’s even clearer by the end. Yes, it’s about the dangers of wars, technology and the destruction that comes from climate change due to mankind’s choices. But it’s also survival in a cruel world when you’re queer and it reminded me a hell of a lot of Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White. I know people have compared it to The Handmaid's Tale as well, but I’ll say the above is definitely also a case of comparison.
Anyway, TL;DR this was definitely worth reading and Bazterrica is a phenomenal storyteller. The translation of this was also phenomenally done by Sarah Moses (who translated the previous two books by Bazterrica). It’s a book that’ll stick with me for a while after I’ve finished it.
// Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
1.5
mediocre and badly written — if you like books that feels like a high schooler wrote it, you’ll probably love this. on the plus side it’s extremely quick to read 👍
Room to Dream by David Lynch
5.0
david lynch really was one of a kind <3 this was genuinely such a delightful read and the audiobook is definitely worth it! it was so interesting to hear kristine mckenna’s research first and then have david lynch talk about it afterwards. in his own words. it was honestly so immersive and it felt like you were having a direct one on one conversation with him.
it’s definitely a must-read for lynch fans but it’s just as interesting for anyone who’s interested in movie making and the life of someone as unique as david lynch.
it’s definitely a must-read for lynch fans but it’s just as interesting for anyone who’s interested in movie making and the life of someone as unique as david lynch.