wonderlake's reviews
29 reviews

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro

5.0

Children of Paradise by Camilla Grudova

funny

• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this on Kindle, 99p
It was on the Women's Prize Longlist- but of course not Shortlisted :P

I enjoyed it. I love going to the cinema/ watching films and it made me want to do that. 
It reminded me of old scuzzy cinemas in town that have closed down - too expensive to do them up? 
Reminded me of A confederacy of Dunces too, the grotesqueness.

Last Bus to Woodstock by Colin Dexter

mysterious

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Found listening to this tricky at first, after being familiar with adaptations such as "Endeavour" -young Morse and "Lewis" - old Lewis. 
Lovely but lethal  

Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful lighthearted

I bought these for kiddo (age 11). She loved them and since has been bugging me to read them so finally getting around to it - although obvs you can get thru them very quickly. 
Thinking back to when I was in school there was always a lot of taboo(?) about being friends with people outside of your year group, unless you knew them from being neighbours or something. 

Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

I listened to this as it was Longlisted for the Women's Prize 2023. I actually had the book out from the library at one point but never prioritised it/popular title

Initially I found it difficult to get into, it starts with a rally and bombastic speeches, but once I got used to the style I was glad I stuck with it. 
As I listened to it on audio some sections were really striking - the "I can't breathe". I am curious to have a look at a physical copy to see how this works in print. 
I dare anyone not to be moved by the scene where the Gukurahundi visit? - swoop on Destiny's ancestor's village and well masssacre them.
 
I can't wait to listen to "We Need New Names" (although it has a different narrator!) 

I'm applying to a company with a slogan of "The New Equation" and all I can think of is 'new dispensation'

Bolla by Pajtim Statovci

challenging dark sad

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this from the library after it was on the Longlist for the Dublin Literary Award 2023 (not shortlisted). 

I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel
Did not finish book. Stopped at 69%.

I bought this as a Kindle 0.99p deal after the Womens Prize for Fiction 2023 Longlist was announced. 

Initially I was drawn in - talk of 'the woman I am obsessed with' resonated somewhat as doesn't social media (seemingly?) break down barriers between posters/"influencers" as they share glimpses of their lives with us plebs and we imagine a connection that isn't really there if we can only afford to purchase the same $300 vase they have...

Our narator is also involved with 'the man I want to be with' although in what terms this is quite unclear as he is already married and already having affair #1 with 'the woman I am obsessed with'. It is readily apparent that he is a narcissist / red flag central, so in some ways one can sympathise with the narrator for being drawn into his orbit as this is what narcs thrive at - they belive they are so special and thus by extension you are special if they choose to associate with you. 

We learn that the narrator is also a cheat - she has a boyfriend. At first I thought oh well, maybe he's a crummy boyfriend so that she has to seek excitement/fulfilment elsewhere. The narrative is told in a choppy vignette style so we're never really sure of the status of the relationship between the narrator and her boyfriend but for me I was not able to continue reading after she decribes first being  emotionally and then physically abusive towards him: "And I don't mean Hollywood lady smacks...I belt him with my open hands " p144 Kindle 

Put me in mind of 'Luster' by Raven Leilani - "messy" young women of colour thirsty for white married cock. 
   

Death Sets Sail by Robin Stevens

And there we have it, the final mystery solved. 

We are told quite early on into the book that Daisy is going to die. ie. Theodora dies on one day and we are told that before the end of the next day Daisy will be dead too. However, naturally it is a very long day full of questioning and detection. 
So we neared the end of the novel, almost seemingly running out of pages, I mean you couldn't just have Daisy die and then The End. There would have to be chapters on how everyone was sad, and then starting to go about their Daisy-less lives.

So of course there had to be another 'twist' 
Felt a bit sad that Lavinina, Beanie etc didn't really feature. 
I was quite fd up of Daisy by the end. She wasn't heroic, she was a narcissist. Everone is her pawn. Is May going to be a 'Daisy in disguise'? She already seems that way, although maybe that's because she's being the "naughty little sister" trope 

Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel

emotional hopeful reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I read this off the International Booker Longlist 2023. 
- shortlist being announced on 18th April 
Many types of female relationships and ways of mothering are explored. 
Laura, very early on into the novel takes steps to protect HER way of life and is sterilised, age 33. Her close female friend Alina, who had seemingly been an ally in Laura's rejection of motherhood has in fact changed her mind. On the other hand her and her partner are struggling to conceive. 
The short chapters propel this along. 
Really glad to have read this. 
Reminded me of 'no one is talking about this' 

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Picked this because it was on a longlist - the Dublin literary prize? I read The Nothing Man(?)(2020) previously, and was in the mood for a dumb page-turner
I dislike books where you're not sure what's going on, or if the characters are being honest so ... this was a bit of a struggle. 
I mean, what are the chances... 
Also, hated the cops in it. 
Oh! as I was finishing reading it they started to tease the authors new one coming out in August(?) 
Like how do these writers churn out a book a year - they had another one between this and the 'coming soon' one (Run Time, 2022. The Trap will be 2023's release