A Fairly Pleasant Light Read
Mad MabelI enjoyed this book despite the plot gaps and what I thought was an unnecessary, rather disappointing surprise at the end.
Reviews by Andrea (69)
Fast-paced and truly brilliant
The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the WastelandI absolutely devoured The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands. No spoilers in case you decide to read it, but it steams along at an amazing pace, gathering speed and power towards a thought-provoking and rather beautiful conclusion. I can't believe I read the whole thing in under 24 hours without skimming. I think it is a book one only needs to read once, but what a read that will be!
Artful, but somehow lifeless
The Last SupperI do love artistic writing. That's why I'm puzzled about my reaction to this book. After much thought, I think I understand why I feel like this. The prose is beautiful. Dreamlike. And I'm bored stiff; even a little depressed. I couldn't understand it, but now I think I do. Beauty is not the same as vitality. It's as if the writer is calling on me to admire their skill without considering what it would take for me to want to read on. And so far, the only scrap of humor has come from the author calling a 50-year-old an "old man." That made me laugh, but I don't think it was meant to. I almost feel bad about criticizing that book. I still respect the writer's artistry, but I think she forgot her readers along the way.
Struggled a Bit With This One, But It Has a Kind of Beauty
When the Cranes Fly SouthI found this book depressing, possibly because it deals with a man in the last year of his life, and I see my dad-in-law's frailty and frustration at his own physical and cognitive decline in it. Bo is a frail, elderly man who loves his dog. His son thinks the dog should be rehomed, and that's not the only conflict between them, even though they care about one another. Bo loves and misses his wife. He constantly thinks as if he were talking to her, but she has dementia, lives in an institution, and does not recognize her husband and son. He recalls his childhood, how he loved his mother but suffered under his dad's ungovernable temper and cruelty, and his working life in which he met his best friend. I had to skip to the end because it was depressing me, and I'm happy to say that Bo and his son come to understand one another better before his death. It's beautifully written, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.
Incredible
Watching Over HerThe story covers the life of an Italian sculptor who has lived through two world wars, personal struggles and successes, the rise and fall of fascism, and the dawn of feminism. It's a story about "spirit twins" who met at age 13 and whose connection somehow endures despite distance and differences. I don't think any review can do it justice, so I'll only add that everyone should read this truly beautiful book.