lelis's reviews
14 reviews
Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
The Natural Mother of the Child: A Memoir of Nonbinary Parenthood by Krys Malcolm Belc
fast-paced
3.0
Feels bad to have criticism of something so truly personal and engaging. I really do believe that this narrative has a lot of value to readers. But as other reviewers have said, the writing felt disorganized, potentially even unedited as an entire manuscript. I appreciated the honesty, and some of the poignancy with which Belc handled some sections, but the scattered content and disconnect throughout was difficult to place. I wasn't sure that the audience was clearly defined or that the general experience of the writing itself was defined at all. I don't believe that LGBTQA+ folks should at all tailor their experiences, and I am more likely to enjoy something real and honest in nonfiction writing. My issues with the book are more with how it all came together, rather than the actual content. It felt like it could have been longer, more clearly defined.
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
3.25
Not too much to say about this one. Yanagihara has always been a divisive literary figure and her voice, often interpreted as problematic, loomed over the release of this massive body of work. The premise alone never interested me. I waited until I could borrow it from a friend, and maybe that initial disinterest is why I received it so negatively. I just couldn't engage with it on any level beyond indifferent. Maybe I have already tired of this new genre of pandemic-centrist literature., in which we all point shiny new metaphorical fingers at a very real-world trauma that we have all lived through.
Life Is Everywhere by Lucy Ives
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really pushed myself through this one, and I honestly cannot believe that I finished it. I am fine with dense text, fine with unlikable characters and unreliable narrators, fine with a bit of elitism or modernist writing. Nothing about this novel worked for me. I found the prose incessant and unrelenting in a really unappealing way. I was left completely unsatisfied, with no real sense at all. It's hard to describe.
I normally don't expect novels to have a "purpose" and am generally fine if a novel doesn't have a strict narrative structure. But these characters and circumstances felt absolutely void of anything at all. It felt like an incredibly long text derived entirely from an MFA workshop.
I normally don't expect novels to have a "purpose" and am generally fine if a novel doesn't have a strict narrative structure. But these characters and circumstances felt absolutely void of anything at all. It felt like an incredibly long text derived entirely from an MFA workshop.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
3.75
i really did not expect to enjoy this book. i picked it up on a trip, and sure enough, during the first quarter or so of the novel, i was certain it just wasn't for me. but the latter half of the novel completely transformed my reading experience, and i ended up enjoying this little experiment quite a bit! if you can enjoy the first half of the ride, i think it pays off.
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön
3.75
i found myself hoping for more from this text, as it's so widely held with such high praise. i found it challenging as a workbook, and more speculative than concrete in terms of what the reader might be able to take into their individual lives.
Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
An immersive and beautiful little text. Difficult to explain. Easy to revisit, lovely to pass around a group of friends.