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ginger_curmudgeon's reviews
370 reviews
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
This isn’t a usual read for me. A friend told me how she joined a bookclub and was told that when they read this the commentary wasn’t aligned with the actual book so I went into this blind as a bit of a challenge. I didn’t read descriptions or reviews of the book. After reading it, I checked the description on the back cover and I’m glad I didn’t look at it first. I would have been annoyed.
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I couldn’t put this down. I assume because of the ease of the writing style, but also the story itself, which is a fairly interesting premise.
Mallory isn’t the most likable character, but she’s the second best of the bunch. (Adrian is the best, but doesn’t get enough development.) There’s some inconsistency in her character development. We’re told she’s religious and that she has issues with memory. Other than her wearing a cross necklace and possibly attending church outside of the book, there’s not much religion to her. The memory issues are presented as a reason to doubt Mallory’s side of things, but they don’t appear other than in mention. There’s no evidence of memory issues.
There are other moments of inconsistency with Rekulak’s writing. In one scene Mallory’s sponsor is drug testing her. Mallory grabs a paper cup. Then the cup is plastic. Then the cup is paper again and she’s now having to take it from her sponsor. It’s a very small point, but these inconsistencies frustrate me when I discover them.
I expected more horror, but think it is more mystery/thriller with horror elements. That’s probably why I enjoyed it as much as I did.
One thing I definitely appreciated is that the flash forward isn’t a quick wrap up. There’s a bit more depth to it than you’d usually get. That makes it feel more complete.
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Wow. Just wow. There’s so much here, but it’s really good. This is definitely not a quick read. For me, at least, this is involved and is better taken slowly, over time.
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
A couple warnings: there is an Oedipal thread, sex between an adult and a minor, violence toward animals, and a dream about nonconsensual incest sex.
There’s also some fantastical elements: people and cats talking to each other, another realm, things falling from the sky.
Warnings aside, this is a well written story about time, purpose, understanding and reconciling the past, and searching for identity. One thing I don’t necessarily enjoy is that some things are left a bit up in the air. You’re led to believe some things, but there’s possibility they didn’t happen. I don’t usually enjoy that.
It’s not often that I make note of passages or quotes when I read a book, but I left this one with three. I wasn’t in love with this book for a good part of it, though I never hated it, but I loved it by the time I finished.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Incest
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
I had high expectations for “My Brilliant Friend” because it’s been consistently popular and receives rave reviews from readers. This was such a letdown though. I’m not sure I liked anything about it.
Elena and Lila are incredibly unlikable. Maybe that changes as they grow older, but to honest, I started skimming around page 140 and that’s how I finished this. To be fair, I’m not sure I cared for any of three characters.
I kept wondering they the two girls were even friends. Lila is kind of a jerk.
I can’t be the only one who thought Elena has a thing for Lila.
Ferrante’s writing didn’t mesh with me either. Maybe it’s partly the translation, but some of the descriptive choices are frustrating as is the sentence structure.
I was sure I’d like this and read all four books in the series. That’s not the case though.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
For the first 30 - 40 pages, I didn’t care for Benedict’s writing style. It felt like she was trying to write a literary fiction version of an Agatha Christie mystery and it felt clunky. I’m not sure if her writing settled a bit or I was just accustomed to it, but I wasn’t bothered after that.
None of the characters are particularly likable, except perhaps Mrs. Castle. Most of them have moments, but not enough to make them fully likable.
I wasn’t surprised by who did it, but I was a bit surprised by how things wrapped. It was a bit quick and sudden, like most procedural shows.
All that said, for a Christmas cozy mystery like something from Christie, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would when I first started the book.
Love Junkie by Robert Plunket
3.5
“Love Junkie” left me with mixed feelings. After reading the descriptions and some of the quotes, I was looking forward to this, but then it was a very slow go for me and I can’t say for certain why.
This reminds me of Truman Capote meets “Keeping Up With Appearances” with a couple ladies I’ve known along the way added to the mix.
Mimi is desperate for attention and acceptance. She goes to great lengths to get those things, but it only lasts so long until the men she’s desperately trying to get to accept her show their true feelings and leave her sad and in need of a new target. Maybe on that sense it hits too close to home.
Mimi is also obsessed with maintaining certain outward standards that might be of her creation. She is sort of 1980s NYC version of Hyacinth Bucket in that way. She’s very concerned with how others perceive her, to the point that she lies to her therapist and hides things from him.
Plunket set the novel in NYC in the early stages of the AIDS epidemic and his portrayal fits that time period pretty well. He doesn’t call it out by name, but references things like skin lesions, dramatic weight loss and looking tired and rundown. You know what’s going on with the characters without it being named. I appreciate this portrayal.
Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis
3.0
I didn’t love “Dreadful” and I didn’t hate it. It’s OK. I wasn’t really impressed or disappointed.
It reads like young adult fantasy, not adult.
None of the challenging moments appear to be all that challenging. Resolution always comes quicker than it seems like it should. Even the big scene toward the end. I won’t say it was entirely easy, but I anticipated more of a struggle.
This easily sets up a sequel or series, but I’m hoping it’s standalone. Either way, I wouldn’t continue with the series if that ends up being the case.
Frisk by Dennis Cooper
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
“Frisk” is book two of the George Miles Cycle. I still wasn’t as drawn in as I would have liked, but still enjoyed it.
I expected George to be in this book, but he isn’t other than maybe the occasional nameless reference.
So far, for me, the desire and affection for these boys isn’t as apparent as in “The Sluts”. The language is more sparse and it’s leaving me wanting more. Maybe that’s the point?
Closer by Dennis Cooper
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
When I read “The Sluts”, I learned that the novel was similar to Cooper’s George Miles Cycle so of course I had to read them.
“Closer” is the first book of five. Cooper’s writing is much rougher here, but it was written 14 years sooner.
One of the biggest differences is style. “The Sluts” tells the story through message boards, online reviews and emails. “Closer” tells the story as it happens. There’s still a question of narrator reliability in “Closer”, but not as much.
I went into this expecting to be unable to put it down like with “The Sluts” and that wasn’t the case. I still enjoyed it, but maybe not as much. I’m hoping the rest of the books capture my attention better.