These 4 short stories could be best described as quirky! Fawn Parker is a local author (in Montreal) and I bought this little book at my favourite MonThese 4 short stories could be best described as quirky! Fawn Parker is a local author (in Montreal) and I bought this little book at my favourite Montreal bookstore, Drawn and Quarterly. The first two stories are definitely my favourite, but I enjoyed the writing style of all four overall! ...more
I finished this book yesterday and decided not to give it a star rating because I honestly don't know what to rate it! What a strange little fun book-I finished this book yesterday and decided not to give it a star rating because I honestly don't know what to rate it! What a strange little fun book- full of literary and historical references. Some sections were downright hilarious, while others flew right over my head! This book was almost like a fan fiction- imagining how these authors and artists interacted with each other and the world they lived it!...more
As with many short story collections, this was a bit of a mixed bag. The first three stories were really great (The Gypsy and the Bear, The Gospel AccAs with many short story collections, this was a bit of a mixed bag. The first three stories were really great (The Gypsy and the Bear, The Gospel According to Mary M. and Swan Lake for Beginners) In fact, Swan Lake for Beginners was my favourite from the whole collection and even though I find the collection went downhill from there, it was all worth it because of that one story. I enjoyed some of the other stories, such as The Isles of Dr. Moreau, the Saddest Chorus Girl in the World, and Bartok for Children, but most of the other stories really fell flat for me.
I think this collection could have definitely been shorter, as some of the stories were not that special. I was mostly disappointed because of how strong the first three stories were. It made me especially dissapointed when I read so many duds...
I love Kate Beaton's work, and these comics were no exception! I love her blend of humour and history.
I actually went and saw a talk with Kate Beaton I love Kate Beaton's work, and these comics were no exception! I love her blend of humour and history.
I actually went and saw a talk with Kate Beaton recently when an interesting turn of events occured. During the question and answer period, a man and woman got up and identified themselves as First Nations. They basically expressed their anger over a comic included in the collection. The comic in question is about Tom Longboat who was a long-distance runner who had survived the horrible residential school system (I highly recommend learning about this shameful aspect of Canadian history) Here is a link to the comic: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php... The man and woman let Kate Beaton know that they felt her comics made light of the residential school system. I hadn't read the comic yet, but once I did I definitely could see where they were coming from (although honestly, even if I hadn't found it offensive, it doesn't matter, because it is not my place to say what a another group should or shouldn't find offensive) Kate Beaton seemed quite shocked and expressed that she had wanted to treat Longboat like a hero-and that her intention had definitely not been to offend or hurt anyone. The question and answer period ended after that because Beaton seemed quite shaken up and on the verge of tears.
Overall it was an interesting experience, and made me feel quite uncomfortable. I think that my good friend Alyssa said it best, after the event, when she said that the reason we felt uncomfortable is because we felt complicit (at least, complicit in the culture that leads to these kinds of misunderstandings and hurt)...more
I found this book quite challenging to read. Honestly. I really had to push myself to finis this! Overall the writing is beautiful, and I really lovedI found this book quite challenging to read. Honestly. I really had to push myself to finis this! Overall the writing is beautiful, and I really loved the development of Stephen's character throughout the story. I would have loved to read this book for a class, or even with other people in a book club setting. I think discussion would have really improved my reading experience. ...more
I thought this was a really good introduction to the political situation in Cyprus. It was pretty easy to understand and fairly even-handed. It's the I thought this was a really good introduction to the political situation in Cyprus. It was pretty easy to understand and fairly even-handed. It's the first book I've read on this topic and I'd recommend it if you are interested in learning more about Cyprus! This is quite a small book so don't expect much deep analysis, but I was only looking for a quick and easy introduction so it was definitely a worthwhile read!...more
I thought this was a touching follow up to The Year of Magical Thinking. As usual with Joan Didion, the writing is beautiful. I'll be frank, this bookI thought this was a touching follow up to The Year of Magical Thinking. As usual with Joan Didion, the writing is beautiful. I'll be frank, this book made me sad. It might have been my state of mind while reading it, but I found this book really sad. I'd say keep that in mind before picking it up!...more
This was a really good book, and much more complex than it would seem at first. The writing was good, but what was especially strong was the plot, andThis was a really good book, and much more complex than it would seem at first. The writing was good, but what was especially strong was the plot, and the juxtaposition of the two women, Imogen and Blanche. It is also really interesting to see this book to address what was expected of men and women at the time the book was published, and pretty much turn these expectations inside out. I think this book has quite a bit to say about men and women and marriage, and is overall a very worthwhile read. ...more
This was a great novel! Beautifully written, wonderfully paced and interesting. I loved how the narrative flowed from character to character so smoothThis was a great novel! Beautifully written, wonderfully paced and interesting. I loved how the narrative flowed from character to character so smoothly. The novel was a bit of a slow read for me, but I do think this isn't the kind of book you want to rush through. Overall I loved the reading experience and look forward to reading more of Virginia Woolf very soon....more
This book was, overall, quite disappointing despite being an enjoyable read (insofar as it was easy to get through and did keep my attention.)
I found This book was, overall, quite disappointing despite being an enjoyable read (insofar as it was easy to get through and did keep my attention.)
I found the writing style fine, but definitely very standard. The pacing was rushed, in my opinion. Months could go by in the course of a couple of pages. While this made the novel quite a fast read, it also made it a lot more superficial than I expected. I thought the plot was quite formulaic, as others have pointed out. The dramatic event that happens towards the end seemed forced, and was disappointing. So many of the characters seemed one-dimensional and I didn't really connect to them or their relationships. So, in general, I wasn't a fan of the plot despite loving immigrant narratives.
I can't really recommend this book to anyone, although I'm sure others might enjoy it despite its flaws....more
I was quite disappointed by this novel. I thought the writing style was just ok, there really wasn't anything special about the writing or the structuI was quite disappointed by this novel. I thought the writing style was just ok, there really wasn't anything special about the writing or the structure of the novel. The themes, the fakeness of Hollywood and violence, are interesting enough, but I didn't find that this novel could have done more than it did. I am keeping in mind that this was published at the end of the 1930s, and thus must have been a shocking book that might have shed some light on Hollywood. However, I don't find that this novel was interesting enough, or well written enough, to make it a must read book in any way and would thus not recommend it....more
I thought this was an enjoyable read and that the writing was quite good! I found certain plot points could have been expanded on though, and that mayI thought this was an enjoyable read and that the writing was quite good! I found certain plot points could have been expanded on though, and that maybe the novel was a bit too short and that the story ended without tying any of the loose ends. Overall it was a fun read, but an imperfect novel in my opinion. I look forward to reading more of Angela Carter's work in the future, however!...more
Before this week, I had never heard of Clarice Lispector. I stumbled upon an article from the New Yorker, about a collection of stories that was recenBefore this week, I had never heard of Clarice Lispector. I stumbled upon an article from the New Yorker, about a collection of stories that was recently published, in which Lispector's work was compared to Nabokov's. Needless to say, as a huge fan of Nabokov, I was intrigued. I picked up Near to the Wild Heart from the library the next day and started reading it immediately.
First of all, this is a beautifully written and translated book! I found an interview with the translator, Alison Entrekin which I highly recommend: http://bombmagazine.org/article/6721/ The writing style is quite poetic, although definitely not as flowery as Nabokov's (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just don't really see the connection to Nabkov that was made in the article I read)
The novel is told in a stream of consciousness style, and you get to learn a lot about Joana's thoughts and feelings. The plot loosely follows Joana from the death of her father, to her life at her uncle's house, to her marriage with Octavio.
Overall this was a very good book. I am definitely going to be buying myself a copy and re-reading it in the future, as I am sure there are many nuances that I missed. I also look forward to reading more of Lispector's work....more
This book was as good as I expected it to be! It is a good mix of entertaining and thought provoking, and was an overall very enjoyable read! I don't This book was as good as I expected it to be! It is a good mix of entertaining and thought provoking, and was an overall very enjoyable read! I don't know why it's taken me so long to get to Frankenstein, but I'm glad to have finally read it!...more
This was a very pleasant read that I was expecting to be quite tame, but ended up being quite violent! Overall it was very entertaining and I would saThis was a very pleasant read that I was expecting to be quite tame, but ended up being quite violent! Overall it was very entertaining and I would say I liked the translation! I would have liked to learn a bit more about the significance of Reynard the Fox in the introduction, but that is definitely something I can research on my own!...more
This book was an interesting account of Orwell's time being poor in Paris, and then in London. Overall it was a very informative book, with details abThis book was an interesting account of Orwell's time being poor in Paris, and then in London. Overall it was a very informative book, with details about how to survive on very little money, working in a restaurant in Paris and living on the streets of London with "tramps". There are also sections on London slang and a chapter where Orwell gives his opinion on the problems associated with homelessness, and how the lives of the homeless could be improved (which I found quite reasonable.)
I would say I liked the first half of the book better, I just found the parts that took place in Paris were more entertaining overall.
As many know, I really enjoy Orwell's nonfiction. While I didn't love this book in the same way that I loved Homage to Catalonia, I found this very good and a must read for any Orwell fan!
Rereading June 2015: Really enjoyed rereading this book! I just love rereading any of the Harry Potter books. It makes me feel very nostalgic and warmRereading June 2015: Really enjoyed rereading this book! I just love rereading any of the Harry Potter books. It makes me feel very nostalgic and warm and cozy. ...more
This book was such a fun, lighthearted read! Most of the characters were pretty crazy and the situations were all ridiculous, but this was so entertaiThis book was such a fun, lighthearted read! Most of the characters were pretty crazy and the situations were all ridiculous, but this was so entertaining! This is definitely a book to read if you're in the mood for something light, full of over the top drama but with a handful of quite likeable characters.
The plot was pretty predictable, and certain aspects were definitely clichéd. This didn't bother me much, however, because I didn't expect it to be highbrow literature anyway.
I'll definitely be reading the second book in the series when it comes out!...more
I really enjoyed reading this book! However, part of the fun I had while reading had more to do with some of the weird things the author says than witI really enjoyed reading this book! However, part of the fun I had while reading had more to do with some of the weird things the author says than with the actual message of the book.
I agree with the central premise that we should only keep possessions that spark joy (within reason, obviously.). I found this idea liberating in a way, because I felt I could give away those items I had been holding on to for various reasons (I had spent money on it, I received it as a gift etc.) I also really liked the idea of tidying up your space in one shot, instead of little by little. I also found her storage tips helpful.
Some parts of the book had me a bit more skeptical. First of all, Kondo makes quite a few huge claims. She says her method prevents "relapse", and implies that tidying up you house will lead to many different benefits, such as losing weight (although she stresses she has no proof). I can see why tidying up and decluttering can clear one's mind though.
Another thing is that certain sections were pretty hilarious- but I would say for the wrong reasons. I found myself laughing at Kondo at certain points of the novel. Specifically, when she describes socks being stored away in a drawer as them being on vacation, when she claims that talking to your house will make it communicate back to you (and let you know where you need to tidy) and the section where she texted her old cell phone to thank it for it's service... It could have been the translation, or some spiritual aspect that I just didn't get, but I found some of the paragraphs I read hilariously ridiculous.
Overall this book was helpful, has a very beautiful cover, and made me laugh (although possibly not for reasons the author meant) I would recommend it to someone who is in the process of decluttering or is interested in decluttering. ...more
I really enjoyed this novel! I thought certain aspects were really funny and charming, and overall it was a cute little story! I definitely recommend I really enjoyed this novel! I thought certain aspects were really funny and charming, and overall it was a cute little story! I definitely recommend reading an introduction if your edition has one, because I found the brief history of the novel was very interesting! ...more
Elli (The Bibliophile)
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Books:
2015
(53)
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