bansheeslibrary's reviews
53 reviews
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
4.0
An interesting insight into the complexities of morality, existentialism and our impact on the people around us. Upsetting, traumatic but oddly hopeful. Do our actions have meaning? Do we matter?
Animal by Lisa Taddeo
4.0
Beautifully written prose and an absolute must read for lovers of complex protagonists who disturb, disgust and often delight us. Very slow paced but absolutely worth the buildup. A masterpiece of womanhood and rage & as always with books like these, check for trauma and trigger warnings. Not for the faint of hearted but also not the kind of book that should be.
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater
3.0
A good debut that I devoured in one night. I’ve followed Slater for years on various social accs and always loved her recommendations & reviews so I was really eager for her to release something feral and unhinged.
I mostly enjoyed Slaters characterisation of Roach & Laura and although I usually prefer more *flowery* description, Slater managed to balance both narrative voices well in a way that keeps the reader hooked on the story. I enjoyed the character juxtaposition Laura’s unravelling perfectionism and terror against Roach’s uncomfortable and increasingly menacing demeanour & the satirical insight into the increasing commercialisation of the book industry.
Unfortunately I felt that the narrative itself fell a little bit flat towards the latter stages of the novel and that whilst Slater did provide a resolution of sorts in a neatly tied bow- it just didn’t fit with the slow mounting terror of the rest of the book which I found disappointing. The last chapter in particular felt like a way to tie up loose ends in a convenient way rather than providing an additional few chapters exploring the consequences of this tension between the women in more detail and overall felt a little bit rushed.
Also not a criticism on Slater directly but worth noting- heard that the audiobook chose to make Roach sound working class and Laura middle class which was really unnecessary for the story and actually reinforces a lot of negative working class stereotypes and came off as quite classist! Not great!
That said- I do recommend this book and definitely think it’s worth a read and will most likely be a book I will reread. I know I will definitely read more of Slater’s in the future!
I mostly enjoyed Slaters characterisation of Roach & Laura and although I usually prefer more *flowery* description, Slater managed to balance both narrative voices well in a way that keeps the reader hooked on the story. I enjoyed the character juxtaposition Laura’s unravelling perfectionism and terror against Roach’s uncomfortable and increasingly menacing demeanour & the satirical insight into the increasing commercialisation of the book industry.
Unfortunately I felt that the narrative itself fell a little bit flat towards the latter stages of the novel and that whilst Slater did provide a resolution of sorts in a neatly tied bow- it just didn’t fit with the slow mounting terror of the rest of the book which I found disappointing. The last chapter in particular felt like a way to tie up loose ends in a convenient way rather than providing an additional few chapters exploring the consequences of this tension between the women in more detail and overall felt a little bit rushed.
Also not a criticism on Slater directly but worth noting- heard that the audiobook chose to make Roach sound working class and Laura middle class which was really unnecessary for the story and actually reinforces a lot of negative working class stereotypes and came off as quite classist! Not great!
That said- I do recommend this book and definitely think it’s worth a read and will most likely be a book I will reread. I know I will definitely read more of Slater’s in the future!
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
ugh. leaving this for now. really expected a combination of the cultish dark academia horror of bunny/ secret history but not getting anything beside general thriller vibes. although I can see the narrators obsession and temptation- there’s no longing as a reader to be seduced by it. it’s not bad* it’s just not interesting enough to keep my attention. Might come back at some point
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
4.25
The Motherthing is a grotesque, unhinged and at times hysterically funny
psychological domestic horror that explores the unique aspects of womanhood that
crave validation and love.
The story follows Abby as she navigates the aftermath of
her mother-in-law's suicide and the increasing tumultuous relationship with her
husband whose unhealthy attachment to his mother just seems to be getting worse.
Motherthing does a brilliant job at examining the roles and value women have within
society and the complexities of the dynamics of women's relationships.
psychological domestic horror that explores the unique aspects of womanhood that
crave validation and love.
The story follows Abby as she navigates the aftermath of
her mother-in-law's suicide and the increasing tumultuous relationship with her
husband whose unhealthy attachment to his mother just seems to be getting worse.
Motherthing does a brilliant job at examining the roles and value women have within
society and the complexities of the dynamics of women's relationships.
Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0