Well, well, well, colour me surprised, I loved this novel.
This was quirky, strange, unusual, and occasionally amusing - all the female characters werWell, well, well, colour me surprised, I loved this novel.
This was quirky, strange, unusual, and occasionally amusing - all the female characters were traumatised, flawed, and unconventional.
There's even an old, three-hundred-year-old house, with lots of quirks. Greta, the main character and narrator, lives there, with the owner, fifty-something-year-old, Sabinne, somewhat eccentric. The house is located in Hudson, New York.
Greta is forty-five and works as a transcriber; her only income source is provided by a sex therapist, whose audio files Greta transcribes. She becomes fascinated with a young, Swiss woman, whom she nicknames Big Swiss. I'll leave it at that. If you decide you want to read/listen to it, it's best you know as little as possible.
Every relationship in the novel is flawed, as are the people in them. There is trauma galore, including suicide and suicide ideation, assault. There's cheating and very descriptive sex. Despite all the trauma mentioned above, this was not what I call, and detest with passion - trauma porn. The writing was breezy and flowed beautifully. This was strange, in a beautiful way.
Big Swiss was such a page-turner, I couldn't wait to get back to the audiobook, which was splendidly narrated by a cast of actors. I can't quite articulate why I liked this novel so much, I blame it on the writing and the narrators.
This was a strange novel, a mishmash of timelines, and characters connected in time by female disempowerment throughout different historical periods. This was a strange novel, a mishmash of timelines, and characters connected in time by female disempowerment throughout different historical periods.
Nathaniel Hawthorne plays a big role, which I found irritating, as he's put on a pedestal for having written The Scarlett Letter.
The second part of the novel is weird and makes no sense, even though it seeps with magical realism and time travel, I still expect it to be believable in the context of the previous parts of the novel.
It's as if Hoffman had all these stories that she strenuously decided to connect. Ultimately, I found this syrupy, too lovey-dovey and flowery. Luckily, it was quite short....more
I'm surprised I didn't feel much when listening to this novella, as it should have been right up my alley.
I found it overwritten, it had that debut quI'm surprised I didn't feel much when listening to this novella, as it should have been right up my alley.
I found it overwritten, it had that debut quality to it in that it was trying hard to impress, pretty much every little thing is over-described, I don't normally mind, but it bugged me in this novella.
I can't help but wonder if I would have felt differently had I read it instead of listening to it, but as it stands, I can't give this more than 3.5 stars....more
I can't remember why I wanted to read this, it has to be because of reading a positive review somewhere.
First - this was too long. Cleopatra is a t3.5
I can't remember why I wanted to read this, it has to be because of reading a positive review somewhere.
First - this was too long. Cleopatra is a twenty-five-year-old British artist living in New York. She's stunning, her American visa is about to expire. Frank(enstein) is an early forties successful advertising executive, who lives the cliches - works hard and parties hard. The two strike an instant relationship and consequently marry six months later. Both of them have their own parents' issues, albeit they're different.
This novel is not only about Cleo and Frank. It's about other people they know and who play an important role in their life. There's Zoe, Frank's much younger sister, Anders, a handsome Danish magazine executive, Santiago, a Peruvian restaurant owner and chef, Eleanor, a late thirties freelance writer, living with her mum. Some characters' stories were more gripping than others. I'll admit, somewhere around the mid-point I got annoyed and wondered what was the point of the novel and questioned if I should finish it.
I'm glad I stuck it out, as the last twenty per cent or so was much more satisfying. As with most things, some will love this novel, others will hate it.
Congratulations to Coco Mellors on her debut novel....more
This is Allan-Petale's debut novel. I borrowed this novel when it came out solely based on the cover, which I love. I returned it unread as I had otheThis is Allan-Petale's debut novel. I borrowed this novel when it came out solely based on the cover, which I love. I returned it unread as I had other books that occupied my time. But I discovered the audiobook, so I had no more excuses, especially when it runs for just over 6 hrs.
Locust Summer is a simple novel, in that it's very realistic. It's set in Western Australia, so some of the places were familiar. The narrator, Rowan Brockman, is a young journalist, who moved to Perth (the capital of Western Australia) away from his wheat farming family in Septimus. When his mum decides to sell the farm, he has to go back to help with the last harvest.
The patriarch's health is failing, as he's got dementia. His wife does the best she can to help, it's an arduous task. This is a novel about families and their dynamics, losses, regrets, nostalgia, and letting go.
Looking forward to reading Allan-Petale's second novel....more
I've been on Goodreads for ten years! Incredibly, it's still an integral part of my social media life, that's thanks to the many wonderful people I caI've been on Goodreads for ten years! Incredibly, it's still an integral part of my social media life, that's thanks to the many wonderful people I came across here.
Without counting I know this year was the year of the audiobook for me, without them, I wouldn't have consumed so many books due to being busy.
This year I started and abandoned lots of books (I haven't kept track). Having so many wonderful library resources at my disposal affords me the freedom to pick, read or DNF, without the financial investment.
Despite the many abandoned reads and a few highly anticipated titles that ended up being disappointing, 2023 was another fantastic reading year.
Without further ado, my favourite titles, for different reasons: Fiction - In Memoriam by Alice Winn - debut historical fiction, WWI, boys boarding school, LGBTQI (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Everyone and Everything by Nadine J Cohen - debut Aussie contemporary, mental illness, grief, relationships (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - My Husband by Maud Ventura - translated from French, taut writing, read in two sittings (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Big Swiss by Jean Beagin - OMG! Original, quirky, funny, sexy (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister - interconnected short stories, books and writing are at its centre, top-notch writing (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Happiness Falls by Angie Kim - thriller, mixed raced couple and their kids, great narrator, smart (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - The Angry Women's Choir by Meg Bignell - Aussie novel, feminist, it made me want to join the choir (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Queen Bee by Ciara Geraghty - I almost crashed my car as I was laughing so hard while listening to this in the car - peri-menopausal 50 yo writer with everything happening in her life. (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - a classic I've been avoiding due to the bible thing. Kingsolver is becoming one of my favourite writers (my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - The Bandit Queens - delightful debut, feminist revenge, N of India - we need more books like these! (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Runt by Craig Silvey - middle grade novel about a girl on a farm and her dog named Runt - utterly cute, can't wait to watch the adaptation (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Wellness by Nathan Hill - immensely clever, informative, funny, real, it's long but worth it.
Non-fiction - Free by Lea Yepi - Albanian memoir about Albania pre and after the change of communist regime, fantastic writing (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Man-Made by Tracey Spicer - AI and its biases against women, POC and other minorities (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) - Wifedom - it's more of a fictionalised bio of Eileen O’Shaughnessy who was George Orwell's first wife. Spoiler: Orwell was not so great as a person. (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
That about wraps up my list of favourites. What else? I can't be bothered to count, but I figure about 70% of the books I read were written by female writers. I'm sure this will stay the same in 2024. I'm sure my audiobook consumption will outweigh the books I read in print next year as well.
Other than that, I don't make plans about what I will read, I let titles come to me.
Thank you for bearing with me. Happy New Year to all....more
Wow! That's one word that best summarises my feelings while listening to Grace Tame tell her story. Grace Tame was thrust into the public eye exactly Wow! That's one word that best summarises my feelings while listening to Grace Tame tell her story. Grace Tame was thrust into the public eye exactly two years ago when she was named Australian of the Year. (The Australian of the year is a "celebration of the achievements of extraordinary Australians, nominated from eight states and territories in four categories."). At 15, Grace Tame was groomed and raped by her 58-year-old teacher at a private girls' school in Hobart. Eventually the abuser was jailed, but Grace couldn't speak about her experience publicly under Tasmania's gag laws, even though the media and the perpetrator were free to do so. Hello, patriarchy! Grace was the catalyst for the #LetHerSpeak campaign. Spoiler, the laws were amended. Did I say that she was only 25 years old at the time? So that was a bit of background on Grace.
I thought I already knew quite a bit about her, as I follow her on Twitter and follow politics closely.
Grace is so much more than a victim of child sex abuse. She's so much more than a woman on the spectrum, who also has ADHD. She's fierce, outspoken, blunt, and passionate. She's a fitness freak and a yoga-certified instructor. In her 27 years of life, she's gone through so much. She's also a talented writer and artist. I'm trying hard not to put her on a pedestal (she dislikes that, and I agree with it on principle, but old habits die hard). She takes a good, well-deserved (in my view) swipe at the media machine and how they manipulate and exploit with no regard for people's wellbeing, especially when it comes to traumatised people. She dislikes the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) show "Better Date Than Never", which is a "reality show" ...more
The Soulmate was a satisfying contemporary domestic drama about two couples. One couple is made up of the estate lawyer, Pipa, her stay-at-home husbaThe Soulmate was a satisfying contemporary domestic drama about two couples. One couple is made up of the estate lawyer, Pipa, her stay-at-home husband, Gabe and their two daughters, Asha and Freya. Most of the novel is narrated by Pipa.
The other couple is made up of the childless partnership between Max and Amanda, a wealthy, successful couple. The other occasional narrator of this novel is Amanda.
Pipa and Gabe have a house that is close to a popular suicide spot called the Drop. Gabe has managed to deter seven people from jumping. He's a local hero, known by the police. But he doesn't manage to save his eighth, Amanda.
Her death brings up all sorts of secrets and entanglements.
I'll leave it at that, as I don't want to give away too much.
So, if you're after something not too far-fetched, with a good pace and psychological insights, this should check those boxes....more
This novel is about two adolescent girls, Agnes and Fabienne, who form an intense friendship, in a rural town in post-war France. The story is narr3.5
This novel is about two adolescent girls, Agnes and Fabienne, who form an intense friendship, in a rural town in post-war France. The story is narrated by Agnes, who reminisces about their relationship and the past. Fabienne is the dominant, moody friend, Agnes is the follower and observer. One day, Fabienne decides to write a book about their lives. They make a game of it. She dictates her stories to Agnes, who's got better penmanship. They show their book to the local postmaster, who helps them get published, with only Agnes as the writer. Agnes becomes somewhat famous and ends up in a finishing boarding school in England.
This is a story of friendship, destiny or chance. It's an easy read, but it lost some steam towards the end, and I can't say it had the emotional punch I expected. It was however a good introduction to Yiyun Li's writing....more
Tresspasses is a competently written debut novel, set in Northern Ireland. Its main character is Cushla Lavery, a teacher at a local Catholic schoo3.5
Tresspasses is a competently written debut novel, set in Northern Ireland. Its main character is Cushla Lavery, a teacher at a local Catholic school. She's in her twenties but she doesn't have much of a personal life, she's either working as a teacher or at the family's pub or staying home to look after her alcoholic mother.
The Troubles are picking up steam. Cushla and her family live in a mixed community, the sectarianism is getting more extreme. How does one navigate these tumultuous times?
Cushla enters into a relationship with an older, married man. The usual complications arising from having to hide an illicit relationship are amplified by the fact that she's mixed up with a protestant. All around, people are being killed, and bombs are being detonated. I can't even imagine the stress of having to live through such volatile times.
I had high expectations as this was lauded by many. For some strange reason, I never felt fully engaged or cared that much. The writing was good but not as literary as I expected it....more
Wil Anderson is one of the most popular, successful comedians in Australia. He's the host of multiple panel shows, has one or two podcasts etc. He's aWil Anderson is one of the most popular, successful comedians in Australia. He's the host of multiple panel shows, has one or two podcasts etc. He's a busy guy. I watch his shows, occasionally listen to the podcast and watch his stand-up gigs, so I'm pretty familiar with his rants, views, and issues.
This book is about the last few years when the pandemic entered our lives. Wil's humour is observational and he sure enjoys a pun or two. (so do I).
If you're an anti-vaxxer, climate change denier, a believer in crystals, and naturopathy, then you'll be highly annoyed with his diatribes. As I hold the same opinions as him, I was amused, even though there was yet another case of preaching to the converted.
But hey, it was a quick entertaining read, or better said listen, and it was great to have it narrated by Wil himself....more
A short book about Mexican women, written in a simple, journaling like style.
Laura, a thirty-something woman and the narrator of this novel, decides A short book about Mexican women, written in a simple, journaling like style.
Laura, a thirty-something woman and the narrator of this novel, decides not to have children. Her decision breaks her long-term relationship.
Her best friend, Alina, works hard at getting pregnant, spending a lot of money in the process. When she eventually falls pregnant, after the exhalation and planning of a future life with the perfect baby, she finds out mid-pregnancy that her baby will very likely die when she's born. We hear of her anguish and everything she and her partner get through.
Laura has a neighbour whose eight-year-old son is abusive, throwing expletives and objects at his mum - those tantrums were something else, I found them disconcerting, to say the least.
This novel brings into view women's work. Even when women choose not to have children, they mother in other ways, better said, they care in other ways, by being there for their friends, relatives, neighbours, and parents.
This novel also touches on the machismo and femicide occurring in Mexico. Hopefully, things will change. It breaks my heart when I think about it....more
With its inventiveness, playful charm, occasional brilliance, and unabashed cheekiness, Dr. No is another impressive novel that left me thoroughly imp With its inventiveness, playful charm, occasional brilliance, and unabashed cheekiness, Dr. No is another impressive novel that left me thoroughly impressed me. Now, was it a flawless masterpiece? No! Admittedly, it did lose some of its steam in the second act, but nonetheless, it remained an immensely enjoyable read.
Short and snappy, this literary gem is a riot of wit, intelligence, and humour, asserting its individuality.
I am grateful to the Booker Prize for introducing me to Percival Everett via his novel The Trees. His writing is a testament to his extraordinary creativity and keen intellect. I'm looking forward to reading more by Everett.
Several complimentary reviews and the intriguing title prompted me to reserve the library audiobook.
To be honest, I didn't expect to love it as much aSeveral complimentary reviews and the intriguing title prompted me to reserve the library audiobook.
To be honest, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I consider myself a gold-card feminist, but my contrary personality makes me even more critical of books that appeal to my biases. My qualms were quickly put to rest, as I fell under its charm quite early.
The novel is set in Tasmania, the smallest state in Australia, an island on the SE coast of Australia.
The cast of characters is varied as far as age, origins, and life stories are concerned. I felt invested in everyone's stories. Unsurprisingly, they all have different viewpoints and grievances. The first character we meet, and probably the most developed, is Freycinet Barnes, a middle-aged mother of three, whose main job is looking after the family, chauffeuring the kids to their respective schools and after schools activities. She's a privileged middle-class woman. Then why is she feeling unsettled when on paper she's got a perfect life? One inauspicious day, she gets hit by a car and discovers something unexpected. Enter the West Moonah Women’s Choir, whose characters Freycinet finds fascinating. Their singing is out of this world. When they sing their troubles, Freycinet is hooked. She's accepted and embraced by the group. She gets to know Rossana, Bizzy, Kyrie, Avni, Irene, Dr Sally, Quin, Mary, and Eleanor.
I cried, laughed and raged.
Meg Bignell not only wrote this terrific novel, but she also did a great job narrating it.
I hope somebody grabs the TV/movie rights for this because it could make for a fantastic mini-series or movie.
Meanwhile, I'll go join the choir, I can't sing, but I've got plenty of built-up anger....more
The Dog of the North was a mess and a huge disappointment, especially considering how much I loved Mckenzie's The Portable Veblen.2 Some spoilers ahead
The Dog of the North was a mess and a huge disappointment, especially considering how much I loved Mckenzie's The Portable Veblen.
I like books with quirky female characters and, let's face it, lost people make for good subjects/stories. Unfortunately, I never believed Penny Rush - the thirty-something-year-old woman and the main character of this novel - was a real person.
My suspicions were raised early on. What woman accepts an offer from her grandmother's accountant, whom she had never met, to take lodgings at his place, only to discover that he was sleeping in his office and she was fine with taking his sofa while he slept on the floor? She's a woman with a family, recently with a job.
It was all farcical, unrealistic, unbelievable, and never funny. There's a paranoid eighty-something grandmother with literal skeletons in her backyard. A ninety-something grandfather with a beyond ridiculous wife. Besides one or two underdeveloped secondary characters, every other one is portrayed and behaves in ways that don't make sense.
There's an ad-hoc visit to Australia to look for Penny's lost-without-a-trace parents. Drama ensues on the plane. There's one ridiculous situation after another.
The cherry on this undercooked cake is that the ending is all over the place, it leaves so many threads untied, it's infuriating and I say that as someone who usually complains when things are wrapped up with a nice bow, but really, this type of novel requires closure and nice packaging.
Honestly, I just can't believe this novel was written by the same author who wrote The Portable Veblen.
I read this because of loving the author's previous novel, apparently, it's longlisted for the Women's Prize. WHY? Even the title is kind of random and Spoiler, the dog is mentioned a couple of times - that's it. So basically the blurb, the title and the covers are selling something that it's not there. You've been warned....more
I went into this having high expectations as many of my GR friends loved this novel. I also enjoyed two other books by Wilson.
Now is Not the Time to PI went into this having high expectations as many of my GR friends loved this novel. I also enjoyed two other books by Wilson.
Now is Not the Time to Panic is an easy read, the writing is simple and natural, akin to YA. I didn't mind it, as I was after something that wasn't too taxing. I was invested, and my excitement was building up ... I liked the art part, the excitement of being "naughty" in such a good way.
Truthfully, I finished the novel and felt deflated, as in, is that it? I wanted more, there was something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. (I should have waited to write this after I had my 3 mugs of black coffee). Anyway, caffeinated or not, my disappointment with this novel stands.
I've just realised that the three novels I read by Wilson were all written from a young female POV. Interesting ... I wonder if it's a smart, market-driven decision, as women read more, although unlike men (#notallmen blah blah) women don't dismiss books that were written by men about male characters. (getting off my soapbox, until next time :-))...more
It's brutal, raw, and uncompromising, although the narrator, a second-generation non-white immigrant woman, cThis short novel packed a punch or two...
It's brutal, raw, and uncompromising, although the narrator, a second-generation non-white immigrant woman, compromises a great deal when it comes to her affair with a married man, who's also having affairs with other women. The narrator is obsessive, intense, and neurotic, both given to self-delusion and also astute observations on social media, influencers, race, colonialism, the patriarchy, the constraints of family and so on.
The voice is well done, I've listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Patel herself and it all felt very real. I also disliked everyone, particularly the man, a famous artist.
Patel's debut novel is well crafted and has an unrelenting rhythm to it that works well with the story. The incessant "the woman I'm obsessed with " and "the man I want to be with" - the subjects of the narrator's obsessions - are almost trance-inducing.
Looking forward to reading Patel's future works.
NB: The cover doesn't do this novel any favours. ...more
I picked this up based on some friends' raving reviews and seeing it on one of Obama's Favourites lists.
I don't read many graphic novels, so I don't h I picked this up based on some friends' raving reviews and seeing it on one of Obama's Favourites lists.
I don't read many graphic novels, so I don't have much to compare it to.
This graphic memoir is about Beaton's two years working in the oil sands in Alberta, Canada, a decision she made in order to pay her student loans. Not important, but I was surprised to learn that those loans were such a burden, I was under the impression that Canada's education system wasn't as unaffordable as the US one.
A somewhat naive young woman finds herself in one of the most toxic environments around - not only because of the oil extraction that causes irrevocable damage to the environment, but also because it's mainly inhabited by men, and we all know that men in groups act like ... (I don't want to insult the animals). #NotAllMenButMen
I live in a State where mining is huge. While most places are a few hrs away by plane, I know many who work there. They're referred to as FIFO (Fly-in-Fly Out) workers, due to their work schedules, which require them to fly to those camps, for 1-2 weeks, and then fly back home for a few days or a week. I'm aware of the disruptions to family life. The money is good. In Australia, there have been inquiries into the working environment on the mine sites, sexual harassment is rampant.
Reading about Beaton's experiences made me so angry on her behalf and every other woman. The structure and the story could have been a bit more cohesive - it's probably a limitation of the genre, and I don't have much to go by.
The drawings were OK, I particularly loved the landscape ones.
The strength of this book comes from bringing to light some unsavoury, unspoken truths. Here's hoping that since Beaton's time on mine camps, things improved greatly. I'm a sceptic. ...more
This goes onto my soon-to-be-created I'm-too-old-for-this-.... shelf.
The title is ironic, I'm sure unintentionally, as there was a lot of self-inflicThis goes onto my soon-to-be-created I'm-too-old-for-this-.... shelf.
The title is ironic, I'm sure unintentionally, as there was a lot of self-inflicted and made-up drama. Brooke, our heroine and narrator, is one neurotic young woman, who's still stuck on some misunderstanding from high school.
This was filled with tropes and cliches: the nerdy, neurotic girl falls for the cool and collected guy, enemies to lovers, fake dating and a few others. Sure, we expect the tropes and cliches in genre lit. The devil is in the detail, the detail was meah.
I thought I'd enjoy this more than I did due to being Aussie. But it was so irritating being in Brooke's head. Sure, some girls can be neurotic, over-thinkers etc., but I don't know, it was too much ... ahm, unnecessary drama.
What drove me up the walls were the guys, the dialogues and the interactions - they were so Hollywood rom-com-y, so unrealistic, I cringed throughout.
I hoped this would be the lighter enjoyable read to pull me out of my reading slump. I'll keep trying....more
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