May Reading Recap
Hello, fellow book lovers! May was a mixed bag of great books and not-so-great books. How was your May reading month?
Biography of X by Catherine Lacey
Quick Synopsis: This 600-page “biography” (novel meant to read like the character’s biography) takes place in an alternate reality where a civil war divided the country into northern and southern territories. A nameless widow researches her private, late wife, X’s mysterious life, hoping to discover more about her.
Strong Points: What a unique concept! I loved the photographs that were sprinkled throughout the text. It made it feel as if this novel was a true biography. After doing some digging, I found that these photographs came from Wikipedia, and some were even commissioned by the author. The writing overall was really strong. Here are a few of my favorite passages. “Ignorant happiness can thrive in the most dreadful conditions." “Leaving him had meant each of us dying in the world we had lived in together." Beautiful.
Weak Points: While effective, the main character’s excuses for the abuse from her late wife got old. Artists don’t deserve to abuse others simply because they are artists. X was a pretentious, horrid person who thought her actions didn’t affect anyone around her. It was hard to read after a while since X was such an incredibly unlikable character.
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Quick Synopsis: This story is told through three generations of strong women from the Weyward family. One woman was accused of witchcraft in the early 1600s. Generations later, in 1942, Violet is not allowed to receive an education because she’s a woman. Several more generations after that, in 2019, Katie escapes an abusive relationship that has imprisoned her for years. All three women have Weyward blood running through their bodies, creating fearless women.
Strong Points: A nice pallet cleanser. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun and entertaining story. I particularly liked exploring each generation throughout the book through each woman's story. Wish I had a generational tale like this from my family.
Weak Points: Nothing really negative to say. Wasn’t necessarily beautifully written, but it was an entertaining story overall.
Writing Style: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li
Quick Synopsis: Two young girls, Fabienne and Agnes, live in a war-stricken town where they escape the world by creating make-believe stories and games. Fabienne hatches a plan to use these stories to get Agnes famous.
Strong Points: This is a beautiful story about childhood and friendships that fade over time. Life doesn’t always turn out as you planned. Sometimes people are destined to live an average life without hustle and bustle. And that's okay. Those quiet moments in life are sometimes the most cherished ones. I loved the author's voice. She had an effortlessly childlike voice that made these characters so realistic. It felt very natural, as if you’re hearing the thoughts of actual children vs. an adult writing about children. The story was so richly developed and left me thinking about it long after I put the book down. This one caught me by surprise.
Weak Points: I have no complaints on this one.
Writing Style: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
High Recommend
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Quick Synopsis: A female chemist living in the 1960s doesn’t get the recognition that her male colleagues do. After leaving the research facility she works at and pursuing a job as a cooking show host, she finds that she can empower other women and teach them a little bit of science.
Strong Points: Ummm… Hmmm… Maybe... Nope, nothing.
Weak Points: I’m going to preface this review by saying I am not the target audience for this book. It was a book I read for a book club, and not by choice. I am not a beach reads fan and could without a doubt qualify this as a beach read. My feeling is that there are so many good-quality books out there that I couldn’t possibly read them all in my life. And beach reads take up precious time that I could be reading those quality books. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk. Without further ado, here’s my review. Wow, I understand that it’s supposed to be lighthearted and fun, but I didn’t read that way. I read it as having incredibly unlikable, unrealistic characters and an unbelievable storyline that is so absurd that it’s certainly made for television. It was a chore to finish the book. I rolled my eyes more times than I had them read the words on the page. Anyway, you get the gist. Hated this book and couldn’t recommend it less.
Writing Style: 0.25/5
Characters: 0.25/5
Plot: 1/5
Flow/Pacing: 0.5/5
Overall Rating: 0.5/5
Avoid
A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak
Quick Synopsis: The story is structured in two parts: Poe’s life, told from the beginning, and the last years of Poe’s life, with expert’s insight throughout, debunking theories along the way.
Strong Points: When thinking about Poe or seeing pictures of him, I think of an unhinged, dark person. After reading this book, that couldn’t be further from the truth. While he struggled with alcoholism, he also had many friends and was a joyful person. Wes Craven said it best: “Poe wasn’t brilliant because he had the power to make people fearful; his brilliance stemmed from the recognition and understanding that we’re all fearful. He didn’t create the fear. He ingeniously tapped into what was already there.” He inspired generations and generations of writers. He also influenced many other parts of the world (ex., Baltimore Ravens NFL team). Yet his life was so tragic, and he lived in such poverty. If you’re at all interested in Edgar Allen Poe’s life, I would highly suggest this read.
Weak Points: It felt disjointed at times and jumped around a little. Then eventually, getting back to the original idea of the chapter.
Writing Style: 3.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
Quick Synopsis: Ever wonder what happened to those girls in classic horror cinema who managed to escape the killer? What becomes of their lives? This book explores just that. Welcome to a support group for the final survivors. After one of the girls goes missing, panic hits the group, and paranoia sets in.
Strong Points: I loved the concept of the last girls. It was fun to think about what their lives would be like after such a traumatic event. A few of the girls turned their tragedy into money and fame, while others locked themselves in their houses and always looked over their shoulders.
Weak Points: It felt a little long and completely disjointed in the second half. It could have been a fun story if it had been cut down to 200 pages. The characters felt flat and one-note. Overall, it felt like a fun concept that landed pretty flat.
Writing Style: 2.5/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Plot: 3/5
Flow/Pacing: 2/5
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Not recommend
"A man who limits his interests limits his life." - A Mystery of Mysteries by Mark Dawidziak
