Tag: Literary Fiction

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This was the weirdest and most delightful piece of art I have had the fortune of reading lately. Completely unexpected but painfully imaginative, reading Our Wives Under the Sea feels much like staring at fine art: somewhat confusing, utterly beautiful.

Leah has returned from six months in a submarine a different person, or something different altogether. Plagued by whatever she found at the bottom of the ocean, she spends several hours a day in the bath, spacing out, and worrying her wife, Miri. What was supposed to be three weeks under the water became six months with no answers, and even with Leah back, Miri still has no idea what happened there. Whatever stuck with Leah, like leeches on her skin, is slowly dragging her farther and farther from Miri and the life they once shared together.

This book was, again, totally not what I expected. I would classify this more in literary fiction with an element of romance, than in the horror/sci-fi I was originally expecting. I didn’t dislike that at all, in fact, Armfield’s writing style is really suited to this in-between space of contemporary magic. The narrative felt rooted in life even as it was carried away in fantasy; her prose was utterly human and naturally, heartbreaking. This is the story of a marriage uprooted by uncontrollable circumstances, but so strong in its love that it endures even tragedy.

Some comments, with no particular feelings about them: I couldn’t quite pinpoint what this was supposed to be a direct comparison of. “Our wives under the sea” as a concept comes from Miri exploring chat rooms of people with missing family members, and stumbling upon one where wives pretend their husbands have gone on missions to space. “My husband in space”, or MHIS, sparks Miri’s thoughts about her own loneliness and sense of abandonment, as Leah is missing and not heard of for several months. She jokingly suggests the direct comparison name for her own situation, Our Wives Under the Sea. The chat room comparison feels like it could be hinting at military relationships, or those who have missing family members as one suggested. The fact that Leah returns changed and hard to connect with or “save” furthers this theory, but I don’t really like it as a comparison for these relationships and situations – so I prefer not to think that’s the point here. If you live it, and then read this, the two don’t fit in my eyes.

Further, the plot line is wildly interesting and intriguing, but (spoiler alert) comes to nothing concrete. The ending does not wrap anything about the mystery of Leah’s change into a neat little bow. As a horror fan, I wish it did, but as someone who read and understood this story as one of marriage and the strength of love, I understand it is not strictly necessary. And, in fact, maybe even more terrifying for not having the answers, but having to accept things for what they are.

This oddly compelling novel will probably top my list for general recommendations this year – I think anyone can take something from this book and I will keep trying to sell it to my fellow readers! This is a bit of a long-winded review, but this is really an interesting book to dissect. This would make an amazing book club pick, as I think a group read would generate tons of conversation. Weird as it turned out to be, I highly recommend Our Wives Under the Sea.

Have a fabulous weekend. 😉

Advertisement
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Wow. I waited way too long to read this book. I haven’t been this emotionally impacted by a book in a long while, and I can’t even think about this one without tearing up all over again.

This multi-generational drama follows two women living in Afghanistan from the 1950s up through the early 2000s. Mariam is a harami, born outside of wedlock and forever doomed by this fate. Married off at fifteen, she struggles to bear children and fears the daily storm of her husband.

Laila, a child of Kabul, is a teen when revolution hits the city hard, forever changing her own fate as a brilliant, college-bound young Muslim woman into something far more darkly shadowed. Laila and Mariam end up tied to the same cruel man, Rasheed, as the country they love crumbles around them.

Reading this book can be overwhelming and heavy at times, and I had to take quite a few breaks while listening in order to breathe and separate myself a bit. It’s really, really hard to read some of the intimate abuse as well as the harshness of the regime governing them in Afghanistan. I never knew the half of it, what women in this country faced for years and years and I’m sure even now, and there was almost a shock of disbelief for me with each new chapter.

For example, when the Taliban takes over, Laila talks about the new rules being played out on loudspeakers and written on flyers strewn all over Kabul. Things like women cannot leave the house unless accompanied by a man, no films or television, etc – and as I’m listening to that, it suddenly hits me that while what I’m reading is technically fiction, this is rooted in truth. This detail really happened. And I just…it didn’t even hit me the reality of these rules, this situation until I was reading about how affected these women on an everyday level. That’s why I think books like this are so important; I personally didn’t connect with the real world counterpart until I was emotionally connected to the characters in this story who were experiencing it.

I loved both Mariam and Laila for different reasons. I saw more of myself in Laila’s feistiness, but Mariam’s gentle nature was warm and inviting, and made me care for her and her happiness. Their interactions with the other characters in the book were also enlightening, and I feel like they were just as important to telling the story as the actual plot; the way everyone interacts is informative of the culture in its own way. Everything about this book feels thoughtful and artfully composed to be heart-wrenching.

Sad as it is and hard as it is to read, this is just such an important book. It really shifted my perspective on world politics and opened my eyes to things I didn’t previously get/understand. I’m so glad I read it, finally pulling it out of the tbr pile – I wish I hadn’t waited so long to do so.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Other Possible Prompts: 22. An unlikely detective, 26. Has an “Author’s Note”

Trigger warning for this review: suicide and mental illness discussed throughout.

Quite possibly the fewest number of prompts a book has fit all year! I actually enjoyed this book for the most part, but I think it could’ve been at least one hundred pages shorter, hence my lower rating. The story is interesting, but I don’t know if it’s interesting enough to carry it nearly five hundred pages.

On the cusp of an incredible career in science, a Harvard degree, and his whole life ahead of him, Cady Archer’s brother Eric jumped from his dorm room window at Harvard University and left this world. His schizophrenia had turned his last few years into a disturbing frenzy, unlike the brother she had grown up with. Now, over a year later, Cady has decided to start her own degree there by joining the class as a freshman…however, there’s a lot more than legacy to her decision. Eric left behind a series of cryptic notebooks and unanswered questions, and Cady wants to know more about that last year of his life that took him from her.

As she meets his friends and teachers, and sees the sights he did, Cady grows increasingly confused by what she learns. Were Eric’s final months more than a delusion? Was he onto something with his concern about being watched – but too far into his illness to get the help and attention he needed? And what, then, of the voices she herself hears?

There was a lot going on in this book. There’s just…a lot of different story elements, so it becomes a bit hard to follow the point. I think it makes it entertaining, but as for the point she was trying to make…that was a bit lost in translation. There’s the mental illness aspect; Eric was schizophrenic, and evidently, Cady becomes concerned she is meeting the same fate. While she would already be predisposed to it, in her efforts to track Eric’s last movements, she put herself in the same environment that brought on his own schizophrenia and thus increased her odds of developing it. Then, it seems like maybe those voices are ghosts. Each of the voices in Cady’s head have historical reference at the college, which Cady picks up on from time to time. But then also, maybe they’re voices and bodies from another dimension? See there’s a lot happening here and it’s ultimately not clear to me, even at the end, which one we’re supposed to believe (or maybe we’re not supposed to care?).

Everyone Cady meets at Harvard sucks. I was going to sugarcoat it, but it’s honestly true. There isn’t a single character I liked without hesitation. Her roommates suck, her love interests suck, the professors suck. And while they’re not from Harvard, her parents, a central part of the story, also suck. Cady isn’t my absolute favorite, but she sucks significantly less than everyone else. I at least understood her; the other characters around her do really annoying, awful things with no rhyme or reason. It’s really no wonder Cady was having a bad time at Harvard.

There was an author’s note at the end detailing the historical research Serritella did to inform the personalities of the “ghosts”. I respect that, but what I was actually most worried about was her representation of schizophrenia. This is a huge part of the book, and truthfully I wouldn’t know if she had or had not done it justice, or given her characters and over-dramatized version of it. There is no mention of her background or research in this area, which bothers me. Has anyone read this and have some background knowledge that would shed some light on her representation of schizophrenia? I would be much more worried about this, than of her historical representation of some ghosts.

I think what bothers me most, even having enjoyed the ride of this story, is that it truly goes nowhere. The ending, in my opinion, clearly seems to be aiming for something, but misses its target. I couldn’t tell you what she meant by it.

This book was decent, but I don’t think I’m recommending it. I wouldn’t read it again, given the opportunity. Have a wonderful weekend.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Why did I resist this one so much?! I feel like I’ve said that a lot this year (writing from 2022)…I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a number of bestsellers that I probably wouldn’t have picked up, if not for friends’ recommendations or local booksellers’ praise. Book Lovers falls squarely in that category. And I loved it!

Feeling that she’s losing a beloved closeness with her little sister, Libby, city-girl and shark-like literary agent Nora agrees to a month’s retreat to the small town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. The pair set out with a list, written by Libby, of things you do in small towns according to literature: save a small business, ride a horse, and date the locals. While she remains committed to working through the “vacation”, she endeavours to help with the list before Libby’s third child arrives…the last thing she’s expecting is cold and ruthless book editor Charlie to be in Sunshine Falls, too. And they just can’t seem to stop running into one another.

This book is, and somehow isn’t, what I was expecting. I don’t think I ever expected it to be a ~romantic comedy~ in its entirety, despite its Book Lovers title. However, there was *a lot* more romance than I thought there would be. I love Nora and Charlie’s dynamic. It feels both reminiscent of The Hating Game in its wit and simultaneously transcendent of it for how they fit together so well, so perfectly to serve the plot and their character growth. This isn’t wholly a romance, but it hits the mark for that as well.

I also love that, from the very beginning, Nora acknowledges that she will never be that small town girl people fall for, that she is cutting and calculating, loves the city, and is never going to soften for another person. She remains committed to that narrative and I love her all the more for it. Not everyone needs to get teary-eyed for small Christmas tree farms and towns where everyone knows everyone. City girls and hard-working bosses deserve love and happiness too! And not only do they deserve it, they can find it in places that aren’t those very small towns. I like the hopefulness of that message, and how surprising and refreshing it feels in the romance genre.

But the real reason I love this book all around is the storyline. There is so much more here than a love story. This is an awesome work of literary fiction, and while I may not have totally related to Nora, I connected with her, thought her story was well-composed and earnest. Her relationships with her sister and formerly her mother, her previous romantic entanglements, her clients – they were all very real and raw; even when things were bad you could feel every human reason why Nora was the way she was, as things slowly unfurled. I just really loved all of these characters, in their own way. Henry nails a small town-feel, but with a larger focal point: a bigger problem than that small town can solve. There’s a lot to love here.

Highly, highly recommend this one. Don’t be me, don’t resist. Just read it. ❤

Have a wonderful weekend!

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 20. Related to the word “gold”

Other Possible Prompts: 12. Set on at least two continents, 23. Author with an X, Y, or Z in their name, 33. A bilingual character, 41. Involves a second chance, 50. A person of color as the main character, 52. Published in 2022

This book was simply stunning. I am on a wildly good streak of books as of late, this one no exception. Carrie Soto is Back is somehow even better than I expected it to be, as Taylor Jenkins Reid has a habit of doing to me!

Six years ago, Carrie Soto retired from professional tennis the world record holder for most slam wins, among other things. Obsessed with tennis since childhood, she made a career out of her incredible tennis ability and need to win. Now, as she sits in the stands in 1994, she watches her world record for wins get broken by Nicki Chan, and makes the decision to come out of retirement and get her record back. This is Carrie’s journey back into tennis, and to finding herself.

I don’t even like tennis, but I couldn’t put this down. How does Reid do that?! I don’t like band books, either, but Daisy Jones & The Six was easily the best book I read last year. Carrie Soto will definitely be in my top three this year. While tennis plays a big part in Carrie Soto, Reid finds a way to keep it completely captivating – and there’s a lot more to it than just the games. This is about Carrie’s identity, who she is with and without tennis, and what the definition of success really is.

I think a lot of type A ladies are going to see themselves in Carrie. I certainly did. I loved her ruthlessness and need to win, but also her drive and her innate sense of direction. Sometimes it’s hard to like Carrie, but I always loved her. She can be tough and a bit mean, but she’s never wrong. Her story and her sense of self just click, and I think the lesson she learns in her return to the courts is a good one for all of us to take in, in a world that moves so fast. Though I have to say, the whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking “I genuinely hope this book ends with Carrie getting some sort of help…” and, spoiler alert, it does not. I think Carrie displays some behaviors of OCD, and her brashness clearly derives from a discomfort with losing (sounds familiar!). I loved her but it couldn’t be comfortable to live in her head, with her insecurities, and I wanted better for her.

The supporting characters in this book were also AMAZING! I loved Carrie’s dad, Javier, and her tennis partner, Bo. Her agent was also wonderful. I liked all of them for supporting Carrie while also nudging her in a direction that was healthier for herself, her mind and her body. They help make this story the learning journey it is and should be. They soften Carrie, in contrast to the way tennis hardens her around the edges.

I have a hard time conveying just how much I loved Carrie Soto is Back. Sometimes, a book walks into your life at just the right time, and I think it sticks with you a lot more for that. I’m so glad I read this one.

Happy reading! 🙂

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 38. Don’t judge a book by its cover!

Other Possible Prompts: 29. Over 500 pages long (some versions), 41. Involves a second chance

Okay so, I was very skeptical of this one at first, but I’m super glad I read it. And honestly, as the prompt implies, I probably would’ve been more likely to pick it up if it had the cover to the right and not the old, paperback version I had in my hands. This one looks more thriller-like, which is sort of how I would describe this novel, versus the more literary fiction style cover of my copy.

This novel is hard to explain without ruining it! I’m going to keep it as general as possible, but just trust me when I say the intrigue and the twists are what will keep you reading! I think even the Amazon description of the book goes too far.

When CeeCee Wilkes was sixteen, she met a boy: Timothy Gleason, who captivated her and convinced her to do something that would haunt her forever. Now, thirty years later, Tim is being charged with the murder of Genevieve Russell, the woman he kidnapped, and her unborn child. But what CeeCee knows has the power to exonerate him, because no one killed Genevieve…and no one killed her daugther.

My boss and I frequently discuss books because we’re both readers, and we’re regularly trading novels. She said I absolutely had to read this one…and normally, these aren’t my style. I just had a feeling I wasn’t going to like Diane Chamberlain’s writing. And while I’m not sure I’d read another of hers, I am glad I read this one. It wasn’t what I expected from her and I didn’t find it preachy or even bad, and I definitely jibed with it – so it wasn’t that bad. This novel falls into more of a thriller crossed with a family drama, as opposed to the purely family drama I was expecting from Chamberlain.

My boss also told me not to read the description of the book, and not to read the first chapter until you finish the book. This is kind of why I’m hesitant to tell you much about the novel in the description, and I’d have to agree with her advice after having done it this way. She said it unfolds more like a winding mystery if you don’t. While it bothered my OCD a tad, I did give this a try (sort of). I just didn’t pay as much attention in the first chapter, so it didn’t actually make a big difference. I was more shocked and awed by the twists and turns of this book for having done this!

This one was just unexpectedly enjoyable for me. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be; while I thought it would be a family drama, the thriller aspect was a surprise. Even the family drama, which I would never pick up on my own, was captivating and interesting as it was told across many years, and you got to see each and every character grow up throughout the story.

And I actually loved all the characters. Except for the obviously awful ones, like Ken, most of them had redeeming qualities but were extremely human, so while they erred or did things I disapproved of, I couldn’t help but love them and want the best for them by the conclusion of the story. They’re by no means perfect, but they’re all likeable. They’re all people, written really, really well.

I think part of what makes that so interesting and important to note is that many of them have done horrible things. A lot of them have motives that make them do bad things, or they did bad things but they’re trying to move forward…the story forces you to grapple with the idea of what makes a person “a good person”, and just how much you’re willing to allow or forgive when they’re trying to move forward. I really liked this element and I think it’s the heart of what makes the story so captivating. What earns forgiveness?

So yeah, I definitely liked this more than expected. I never pick this stuff up so I was surprised I devoured it so quickly (I think this took me less than twenty four hours in total, even working a full day). I would definitely recommend it for a good mystery, but with some depth.

Have a wonderful week friends! 🙂

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

by maddison37055 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 22. An unlikely detective

I actually can’t come up with any other possible prompts for this one…this book has won awards, but it’s not from my country (but maybe it’s from yours?). It wasn’t part of my original plan to complete this one so I had a tough time fitting it in. That being said, let’s jump in!

After his neighbor’s dog is killed in the middle of the night, fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone sets out to figure out who killed Wellington the poodle. As he endeavours to solve the mystery and write this book, he ends up unraveling unexpected lies that affect him and his family, completely by mistake. Christopher, in trying to find Wellington’s murderer, ends up discovering all that he is truly capable of.

I know this synopsis sounds pretty cryptic, but honestly, you’re not going to get much more by reading the back of the book! The Curious Incident is written from Christopher’s perspective, and while it’s never explicitly stated, it becomes known to the reader that Christopher lies somewhere on the autism spectrum. He’s an absolute genius who can solve complicated math problems in his head, but he also can’t look people in the face when he talks to them and firmly believes that four yellow cars in a row means he’s going to have a bad day. So when things start going south for Christopher, he doesn’t notice or interpret it the same way that the other characters, or you or I might. The things that take precedence in his head are not the same things in yours, which makes this book not only enlightening but a very interesting perspective to read this family drama from.

I’m far from the first to read and enjoy Haddon’s novel – this book has been a well-loved book club pick for almost twenty years. I’m just finally getting around to it now…being, you know, in my early 20s. And I get why: I think for many people who don’t have friends and family on the autism spectrum, this can be eye opening. I don’t think the majority of the general public understands all the intricacies of it all, and so this book, presented as a narrative rather than a list of facts, can give them a lens through which to view this experience. And it’s beautifully done, 100%. I think the only reason this book didn’t blow me out of the water was that I had this prior experience and knowledge to read it with. I grew up around a family of teachers and special education teachers. I have family on the autism spectrum. Friends, too. Once you start to “get it”, you pick up on it in different situations, and the behaviors and thought processes are less shocking to you than it was to say, the strangers in this book. Instead, you just laugh or nod your head and move on.

Even without that incredible revelation to accompany my reading experience, this is a very good book. The perspective adds that depth, but the story that Haddon unravels is a wonderful coming of age tale and yes, a good mystery. About halfway through he really had me because I was gasping as I read along. “Nooooo, he didn’t!!” ~Me at like 5pm Wednesday night. I have to hand it to him, the yarn isn’t lacking here, and the imperfect resolution to this tale is raw and honest.

While this is a short novel, I certainly think the content is worth the read. I’ll definitely be recommending it to my teacher friends if they haven’t already read it. I laughed, I commiserated, and I even teared up a bit. This is a good one.

Have an awesome week, friends.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

by maddison37055 ♥ 5 Comments

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

This book took me by surprise. Mexican Gothic drew a lot of attention when it first released, I believe, because it was a choice for Book of the Month. I grabbed a copy then, but it’s just been sitting on my shelf (my recent theme is kicking my TBR’s ass…oh, waiting on me to read you for several years, have you? *Cracks spine*) . My friend read it last year and didn’t care for it, but told me I would probably like it. She was correct: this is good stuff friends.

Noemí Taboada is a strong willed socialite. After her cousin Catalina sends a confusing and concerning letter to her father, Noemí is forced to leave behind her life of parties in Mexico City for High Place, to check on Catalina. There, she finds an intriguing cast of characters in her in-laws, the Doyles, a long forgotten wealthy family of mine owners, and their home surrounded in silver and rot.

It doesn’t take long for things to start going awry. Catalina’s behavior is far more concerning in person. The Doyles have many rules, and won’t seek the proper medical attention for Noemí’s cousin. And Noemi has begun to sleep walk again…something is wrong at High Place, and Noemí would die to find out what it is.

I had a lot of expectations for this book just based on what people had *told* me it was about, but it blew them out of the water. My biggest expectation was that it would be along the lines of a Shirley Jackson novel. Anyone that regularly reads my blog sees me compare things to Shirley Jackson, or preach my love for her, on a fairly regular basis. She’s a genius and a visionary, not appreciated in her own time. While Moreno-Garcia’s writing did have a similar tone and darkness to it, I think what was most missing from my expectation was the ambiguousness. Jackson tends to leave a lot up to the imagination. Moreno-Garcia, in contrast, wrote with rich and colorful detail, so much so that I could practically see High Place in my mind. I could picture the characters, their quirks, everything in striking color. Which is good, because it seriously adds to this book to have all that.

The story within this novel is wild and fanciful. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting; it kept me guessing right up to those very last chapters. I don’t want to give too much of it away, but it was so delightfully creepy and horrifying, and all the characters so perfectly malicious. This is the exact kind of horror I love to read, that requires that extra level of depth and thought.

I discovered, upon gathering my photo for this post, that THIS BOOK IS GOING TO BE A HULU SHOW!!! If done well, it’s going to be truly incredible to watch on screen. I think of it akin to The Haunting of Hill House show… if a good troupe of actors plays these incredible characters, it should be an absolute delight. They truly made the story, and I think any good visual representation of it will require some damn good acting.

Since it took me so long to pick this one up, I’m dying to know…have you read Mexican Gothic? What were your thoughts? Did you love the story, or get bogged down in the details? My friend felt personally that the writing style was too similar to Jackson, and because she didn’t care much for Jackson, she had to drag her way through it.

Overall, if your tastes are anything like mine, I highly recommend Mexican Gothic. Grab a copy. Seriously!

I hope you all have an amazing week as we head into fall!