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izzyvb023's reviews
78 reviews
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
5.0
What a beautifully candid book this was. I started it yesterday and couldn’t put it down until i finished. Jennette has a way of storytelling that makes it seem almost fictional, but when you remember it’s all real, your heart breaks into a million pieces.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
5.0
There is so much to say about this book, but I will try to gather my thoughts. I realized that it’s not often you read a book that takes place in a single location for the entire story. It was really interesting to see how Patchett continued to make the location engaging. At the same time, there was a sort of monotony to it, forcing you to reckon with the monotony that the characters feel. Every single thing that happens takes several pages to describe in detailed prose. While I would normally get bored by this, i think this particular story and context called for it. Similar to the characters, i fell in love with the house and with the people in the book. I was rooting for all of them. In my heart I knew it couldn’t end well, but I wanted to hope. The ending came so quickly and left me just really heartbroken. It was simultaneously unexpected and expected, and I praise Patchett for that.
The Girls by Emma Cline
3.0
2.5 stars
I liked this book but i didnt love it.
I think it had some really beautiful moments and writing. And it was really interesting to read a first hand (albeit fictional) perspective of those 60’s girl cults. But the writing was hard to stomach sometimes. Lots of telling and not showing. Lots of unnecessary adjectives to make sentences longer.
I think the perspective of the 14 year old girl was really well done, and that stood out for me over the other parts. The way that Evie was desperate for attention and love and willing to do anything for it was so emblematic of the middle school angsty girl experience. However, i got lost a little in the sections where Evie was an adult. I liked it for its narrative changes and we could see how Evie reflected on the past. But, I didn’t really see the point or love it otherwise. I almost wish these parts had more reflection on what happened to suzanne and russell (and the others) and what Evie ended up doing, instead of the random side plot.
Liked:
- girl cult vibes (reading a lot of cult books right now for my research)
- perfectly captured the experience of being 14 and desperately craving attention
- great writing of characters like Russell: so equally enthralling and full of shit
Didn’t like:
- random side plots and characters like julian/Zav/dan
- the way older evie was written
- very slow at the beginning & spends a lot of time writing exposition
I liked this book but i didnt love it.
I think it had some really beautiful moments and writing. And it was really interesting to read a first hand (albeit fictional) perspective of those 60’s girl cults. But the writing was hard to stomach sometimes. Lots of telling and not showing. Lots of unnecessary adjectives to make sentences longer.
I think the perspective of the 14 year old girl was really well done, and that stood out for me over the other parts. The way that Evie was desperate for attention and love and willing to do anything for it was so emblematic of the middle school angsty girl experience. However, i got lost a little in the sections where Evie was an adult. I liked it for its narrative changes and we could see how Evie reflected on the past. But, I didn’t really see the point or love it otherwise. I almost wish these parts had more reflection on what happened to suzanne and russell (and the others) and what Evie ended up doing, instead of the random side plot.
Liked:
- girl cult vibes (reading a lot of cult books right now for my research)
- perfectly captured the experience of being 14 and desperately craving attention
- great writing of characters like Russell: so equally enthralling and full of shit
Didn’t like:
- random side plots and characters like julian/Zav/dan
- the way older evie was written
- very slow at the beginning & spends a lot of time writing exposition
Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain by Margaret Willson
4.0
I rarely read nonfiction, much less biographies, but I was absolutely captivated by Thuridur’s story! The narrative nonfiction style of writing that Wilson adapts makes this book incredibly readable and compelling. The research was very well done and thorough. I definitely got lost at some points trying to keep track of all the icelandic names and places; but once I just accepted that I would never remember them all, it was a much more enjoyable experience.
I’m glad I read this and learned about someone and something I knew absolutely nothing about beforehand.
I’m glad I read this and learned about someone and something I knew absolutely nothing about beforehand.
Bunny by Mona Awad
4.0
i think I scribbled “wtf” no less than 10 times in the margins of this book. Every couple of pages, I’d think “what did i just read??” And yet I couldn’t put it down.
As others have said, this book reads like a cross between Heathers, Frankenstein, and The Secret History. I was expecting more secret history/girly cult vibes, but was enthralled by the absolute horror created by the Frankenstein aspect. But make no mistake, Bunny certainly has a mind of its own as well.
Awad’s narrative choices in part 2 were particularly captivating-i felt like i was truly in the MIND of a bunny (or perhaps a bunny-made creation with no agency or choice in the matter).
Reminiscent on Woolf’s, “Mrs. Dalloway,” Awad’s “Bunny” truly immerses the reader into the writing and the chaotic rambling mind of the main character. I love reading a book that both a) makes me truly believe i am in the characters mind, and b) subsequently makes me question my own sanity and whether or not “im” the bad guy.
As others have said, this book reads like a cross between Heathers, Frankenstein, and The Secret History. I was expecting more secret history/girly cult vibes, but was enthralled by the absolute horror created by the Frankenstein aspect. But make no mistake, Bunny certainly has a mind of its own as well.
Awad’s narrative choices in part 2 were particularly captivating-i felt like i was truly in the MIND of a bunny (or perhaps a bunny-made creation with no agency or choice in the matter).
Reminiscent on Woolf’s, “Mrs. Dalloway,” Awad’s “Bunny” truly immerses the reader into the writing and the chaotic rambling mind of the main character. I love reading a book that both a) makes me truly believe i am in the characters mind, and b) subsequently makes me question my own sanity and whether or not “im” the bad guy.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
3.0
I understand the mixed reviews on this book, but i truly loved it. I was a big fan of the original trilogy in my tweenhood, so it was exciting to read this prequel as an adult.
Some people who hated it are citing how obnoxious and draining it was to read coriolanus describe his “poverty” and disdain for the rebels/districts when he was *always* in a privileged position that allowed him to succeed. Reader, that is the entire thesis of the book.
Those in power will always find a way to blame the oppressed for their oppression. The rich will always find a way to blame the poor for their conditions.
Take for example how wealthy politicians are stripping rural communities of their access to food stamps and healthcare, citing laziness and lack of intelligence as reasons for their poverty. Those same politicians are the ones who *create* and cyclically enforce that poverty again and again, finding some way each time to blame it on individual citizens. Another more prevalent example right now could be the situation in Gaza. The scene with Arachne in the zoo and the subsequent press from the capitol felt all too familiar. Arachne is killed by a child she taunts, tortures, and keeps locked in a cage. Once killed, the capitol vows to end this “district terrorism,” as if the child who killed her was a feral animal,
Any act of violence against oppressors is seen as terrorism if you are the one with the power and the keys to the cage.
While i admit, this book wasnt as gripping as the OG Hunger Games trilogy, it was a beautiful indictment of American values and the violence that ensues under late stage capitalism. Snow FULLY believes he is in the right when he commits every single one of his detestable actions. He doesn’t believe himself to be evil or oppressive. In fact, he is guided by a strong moral compass of justice, truth, and loyalty. Collins’s writing allows the reader a glimpse into this mindset and shows how paradigms like this make violent horrific people truly feel like they are acting with the best intentions. That *they* are the ones who are oppressed and poor and deprived.
Overall, i enjoyed the writing and i loved the references to the original trilogy. It was interesting to connect Snow’s actions in the earlier books to his circumstances and storyline in this book-to see how he became the detestable character he is.
Excited to see the movie!
Some people who hated it are citing how obnoxious and draining it was to read coriolanus describe his “poverty” and disdain for the rebels/districts when he was *always* in a privileged position that allowed him to succeed. Reader, that is the entire thesis of the book.
Those in power will always find a way to blame the oppressed for their oppression. The rich will always find a way to blame the poor for their conditions.
Take for example how wealthy politicians are stripping rural communities of their access to food stamps and healthcare, citing laziness and lack of intelligence as reasons for their poverty. Those same politicians are the ones who *create* and cyclically enforce that poverty again and again, finding some way each time to blame it on individual citizens. Another more prevalent example right now could be the situation in Gaza. The scene with Arachne in the zoo and the subsequent press from the capitol felt all too familiar. Arachne is killed by a child she taunts, tortures, and keeps locked in a cage. Once killed, the capitol vows to end this “district terrorism,” as if the child who killed her was a feral animal,
Any act of violence against oppressors is seen as terrorism if you are the one with the power and the keys to the cage.
While i admit, this book wasnt as gripping as the OG Hunger Games trilogy, it was a beautiful indictment of American values and the violence that ensues under late stage capitalism. Snow FULLY believes he is in the right when he commits every single one of his detestable actions. He doesn’t believe himself to be evil or oppressive. In fact, he is guided by a strong moral compass of justice, truth, and loyalty. Collins’s writing allows the reader a glimpse into this mindset and shows how paradigms like this make violent horrific people truly feel like they are acting with the best intentions. That *they* are the ones who are oppressed and poor and deprived.
Overall, i enjoyed the writing and i loved the references to the original trilogy. It was interesting to connect Snow’s actions in the earlier books to his circumstances and storyline in this book-to see how he became the detestable character he is.
Excited to see the movie!
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
5.0
I think everyone should read this book. I wish I had read it in highschool instead of reading “heart of darkness.” But, books find us when we need them most, I suppose. A true 5/5 for me for so many reasons.
First, the storytelling is immaculate. Kingsolver weaves together the 5 narratives to create such a fascinating epic. Some books are just stories, and books are literature. This book is certainly the latter.
I think this is the kind of book that means something different to everyone. For me, i was really drawn to the gender aspect: motherhood, womanhood, and how these descriptions change with and for the characters over time. What does it mean for this to be a book told only by women and girls? How does each woman gain AND lose her independence throughout the novel?
I was also really interested in the religious aspect and how religion took different forms for each person in the book. (That is, each person except Nathan and Rachel. They never really change). Religion was a stagnant, immovable object for every character at the very beginning. But, for each woman, it changed drastically and in different ways as a result of their experiences in the Congo. As someone who has grappled with evangelicalism and grew up surrounded by southern missionaries, but has since adapted their faith, I felt as if I was experiencing these same stories alongside Leah, Adah, Ruth Maya, and Orleanna. I was reliving my own stories and learning new ones along the way.
I find it really interesting that a lot of the negative reviews surround the book’s depiction of Christianity. I suppose that’s why the book is banned in several schools too. If all you took from the book is “Christianity bad,” then I don’t think you actually read the book or understood it.
There is so much more I could say about this book regarding disability, politics, The Apocrypha, growing up, etc etc. i never thought id say this, but i almost wish i was a student again just so i could pull my favorite quotes and write essays on them.
Anyway. A very longwinded way to say: read this book. And if you do, id love to discuss it
First, the storytelling is immaculate. Kingsolver weaves together the 5 narratives to create such a fascinating epic. Some books are just stories, and books are literature. This book is certainly the latter.
I think this is the kind of book that means something different to everyone. For me, i was really drawn to the gender aspect: motherhood, womanhood, and how these descriptions change with and for the characters over time. What does it mean for this to be a book told only by women and girls? How does each woman gain AND lose her independence throughout the novel?
I was also really interested in the religious aspect and how religion took different forms for each person in the book. (That is, each person except Nathan and Rachel. They never really change). Religion was a stagnant, immovable object for every character at the very beginning. But, for each woman, it changed drastically and in different ways as a result of their experiences in the Congo. As someone who has grappled with evangelicalism and grew up surrounded by southern missionaries, but has since adapted their faith, I felt as if I was experiencing these same stories alongside Leah, Adah, Ruth Maya, and Orleanna. I was reliving my own stories and learning new ones along the way.
I find it really interesting that a lot of the negative reviews surround the book’s depiction of Christianity. I suppose that’s why the book is banned in several schools too. If all you took from the book is “Christianity bad,” then I don’t think you actually read the book or understood it.
There is so much more I could say about this book regarding disability, politics, The Apocrypha, growing up, etc etc. i never thought id say this, but i almost wish i was a student again just so i could pull my favorite quotes and write essays on them.
Anyway. A very longwinded way to say: read this book. And if you do, id love to discuss it