Take a photo of a barcode or cover
marshalls_library's reviews
199 reviews
Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I love reading Murakami, I have a hard time writing about him. Given his body of work, I feel like an entire graduate-level seminar course could be devoted to him. For me, knowing deep down that I love his books is what's important, even though trying to describe why is tricky.
Dance Dance Dance is Murakami's sixth novel and picks up with the same narrator from A Wild Sheep Chase several years after the event of that book. While not a proper sequel, I think that the context of the character is important enough that you don't want to read these two books out of order.
DDD hits on themes of loss, not only in the sense of people who are no longer in the narrator's life, but also of direction in his life. He's searching to regain his footing and to make sense of how his past affects him presently.
The story is told with an eclectic cast of characters that include (among others) a psychic 13 year old girl, a famous actor, and a one-armed poet. Murakami weaves these characters into the narrator's life in a way that's not as bizarre as A Wild Sheep Chase or Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, but decidedly weirder than Norwegian Wood.
I remain blown away by Murakami's imagination and his ability to take readers on journeys that feel plausible and surreal in equal measure.
Dance Dance Dance is Murakami's sixth novel and picks up with the same narrator from A Wild Sheep Chase several years after the event of that book. While not a proper sequel, I think that the context of the character is important enough that you don't want to read these two books out of order.
DDD hits on themes of loss, not only in the sense of people who are no longer in the narrator's life, but also of direction in his life. He's searching to regain his footing and to make sense of how his past affects him presently.
The story is told with an eclectic cast of characters that include (among others) a psychic 13 year old girl, a famous actor, and a one-armed poet. Murakami weaves these characters into the narrator's life in a way that's not as bizarre as A Wild Sheep Chase or Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, but decidedly weirder than Norwegian Wood.
I remain blown away by Murakami's imagination and his ability to take readers on journeys that feel plausible and surreal in equal measure.
This is Amiko, Do You Copy? by Natsuko Imamura
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This Is Amiko, Do You Copy? is a difficult book for me to describe, which I suppose is fitting because I think ideas about communication and how we perceive each other are big components of the narrative.
Amiko is a free spirited girl with an older brother, and a baby sibling on the way. She's clearly a happy child in her own way, but it's her interactions with family and her school mates that cause friction. Amiko doesn't fit the mold of what constitutes "normal" behavior, and it's clear that she will always be an outsider.
This is a short book, but it packs a lot of depth and character development. It's hard to talk about some of the things that cause the friction I mentioned above without divulging parts of the books that the reader really should encounter on their own. This book reminded me a lot of Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata in the way that people who don't fit into societal expectations can never really escape those pressures.
I'm amazed at how quickly Imamura pulls you in, and by the end of this novella (which is a combination of endearing, heartwarming, and a little sad), all I want is for Amiko to grow up and keep being happy in her own way ðŸ˜
Amiko is a free spirited girl with an older brother, and a baby sibling on the way. She's clearly a happy child in her own way, but it's her interactions with family and her school mates that cause friction. Amiko doesn't fit the mold of what constitutes "normal" behavior, and it's clear that she will always be an outsider.
This is a short book, but it packs a lot of depth and character development. It's hard to talk about some of the things that cause the friction I mentioned above without divulging parts of the books that the reader really should encounter on their own. This book reminded me a lot of Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata in the way that people who don't fit into societal expectations can never really escape those pressures.
I'm amazed at how quickly Imamura pulls you in, and by the end of this novella (which is a combination of endearing, heartwarming, and a little sad), all I want is for Amiko to grow up and keep being happy in her own way ðŸ˜
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
When it comes to what I need from horror these days, The Lamb by @lucyrosecreates is giving me all the green flags. If you've been even remotely aware of my reading journey, you'll know that (with a few exceptions), I've grown pretty bored with mainstream horror. To the extent that I'm drawn to the genre these days at all, it's because so many women are producing such amazing work.
The Lamb feels timeless in a wonderfully disorienting way as it tells the tale of 11 year old Margot and her mother Ruth, who lure unsuspecting and lost travelers into their home where they are killed, cooked, and consumed. It very much feels like time has frozen for Margot and her mother, even as the rest of the world keeps spinning.
When a woman named Eden arrives at the house, rather than falling victim to mother and daughter, she becomes a member of the family. It's here that the real unraveling begins as we realize what a monster Ruth actually is. If you're looking for books with complicated mother-daughter relationships, look no further.
As Ruth and Eden's relationship solidifies, Rose begins the masterful setup for the end of the book. I often worry about the endings with books like this, but Rose absolutely nailed it. From start to finish, The Lamb is beautifully written, incredibly dark, and painfully sad. If Rose were intimately involved in the process, it could also be one of the best horror movies ever made.
I said this yesterday and I'll say it again: The Lamb not only lives up to the hype, it EXCEEDS the hype. It is mind boggling that this is a first novel, and I absolutely can't wait to see what Lucy Rose does next.
The Lamb feels timeless in a wonderfully disorienting way as it tells the tale of 11 year old Margot and her mother Ruth, who lure unsuspecting and lost travelers into their home where they are killed, cooked, and consumed. It very much feels like time has frozen for Margot and her mother, even as the rest of the world keeps spinning.
When a woman named Eden arrives at the house, rather than falling victim to mother and daughter, she becomes a member of the family. It's here that the real unraveling begins as we realize what a monster Ruth actually is. If you're looking for books with complicated mother-daughter relationships, look no further.
As Ruth and Eden's relationship solidifies, Rose begins the masterful setup for the end of the book. I often worry about the endings with books like this, but Rose absolutely nailed it. From start to finish, The Lamb is beautifully written, incredibly dark, and painfully sad. If Rose were intimately involved in the process, it could also be one of the best horror movies ever made.
I said this yesterday and I'll say it again: The Lamb not only lives up to the hype, it EXCEEDS the hype. It is mind boggling that this is a first novel, and I absolutely can't wait to see what Lucy Rose does next.
Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The Plot (such that it is) - An aimless 18 year old pregnant pizza delivery girl becomes infatuated with a married woman (two years older than her mom) who she delivers pizza to. The infatuation grows while she generally treats her mom and boyfriend like crap, and when this woman eventually moves to a different town, you're hit with a truly weird and unsatisfying ending.
That's kind of it 🤷
There isn't enough of consequence happening here to say that this is a plot-based book. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing. Books can be devoid of plot and entirely focused on character development and still be a five star read.
The problem here is that the MC is not a compelling enough character to carry the weight of a novel. You can have a flawed character that is some combination of funny, endearing, sympathetic, or likable and the book can be a success. But the pizza girl isn't like the MCs in My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Boy Parts, or Ripe. She's just a dud that's veering beyond flawed, and into unlikable territory. She's no Jade Daniels from the Hacksaw books (which I don't think is actually possible), but when a character is headed in that direction, consider my hackles raised.
There is the tiniest glimmer of real character development at the end of the book with regards to the relationship she had with her dead, alcoholic father, and how this shaped her, but it's far too little, far too late to salvage what is otherwise a boring and meandering book.
I think there's room for growth here, but I wouldn't read anything else from this author until she's at least two or three more novels in. It wouldn't be worth the gamble for me to pick up her second novel.
That's kind of it 🤷
There isn't enough of consequence happening here to say that this is a plot-based book. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing. Books can be devoid of plot and entirely focused on character development and still be a five star read.
The problem here is that the MC is not a compelling enough character to carry the weight of a novel. You can have a flawed character that is some combination of funny, endearing, sympathetic, or likable and the book can be a success. But the pizza girl isn't like the MCs in My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Boy Parts, or Ripe. She's just a dud that's veering beyond flawed, and into unlikable territory. She's no Jade Daniels from the Hacksaw books (which I don't think is actually possible), but when a character is headed in that direction, consider my hackles raised.
There is the tiniest glimmer of real character development at the end of the book with regards to the relationship she had with her dead, alcoholic father, and how this shaped her, but it's far too little, far too late to salvage what is otherwise a boring and meandering book.
I think there's room for growth here, but I wouldn't read anything else from this author until she's at least two or three more novels in. It wouldn't be worth the gamble for me to pick up her second novel.
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lapvona is weird, darkly funny, gross, and absolutely captivating. In other words, it's a Moshfegh book.
The latest in a string of seemingly endless creative evolutions, Moshfegh has written a medieval fairy tale, complete with castles, lords, villagers, bandits, a witch, and a "virgin" birth for good measure. If you pitched that book to me and didn't tell me who the author was, I'd say "hard pass."
But when you tell me it's Moshfegh's latest...well that changes everything.
With Lapvona, Moshfegh continues to demonstrate her depth as a writer. You can't really compare any of her books with each other because she is absolutely unrestrained by style, structure, or genre. The only thing that remains consistent is her voice, and that's an incredible feat. It's hard to describe that voice to a newcomer, but for people who know, all I really have to say is that Lapvona is a Moshfegh book. I love that such a simple statement can mean so much.
She's definitely not for everyone and I can easily see people getting frustrated and feeling very put off by her writing. And the thing is, that's totally fine. Rip it apart if you want. Other people's opinions about books you like or don't like shouldn't have an impact on you one way or the other.
As for the fans who have yet to read this one, good lord that ending! It's the funniest and most Moshfeghian thing I've ever read and I am absolutely here for it 😂
The latest in a string of seemingly endless creative evolutions, Moshfegh has written a medieval fairy tale, complete with castles, lords, villagers, bandits, a witch, and a "virgin" birth for good measure. If you pitched that book to me and didn't tell me who the author was, I'd say "hard pass."
But when you tell me it's Moshfegh's latest...well that changes everything.
With Lapvona, Moshfegh continues to demonstrate her depth as a writer. You can't really compare any of her books with each other because she is absolutely unrestrained by style, structure, or genre. The only thing that remains consistent is her voice, and that's an incredible feat. It's hard to describe that voice to a newcomer, but for people who know, all I really have to say is that Lapvona is a Moshfegh book. I love that such a simple statement can mean so much.
She's definitely not for everyone and I can easily see people getting frustrated and feeling very put off by her writing. And the thing is, that's totally fine. Rip it apart if you want. Other people's opinions about books you like or don't like shouldn't have an impact on you one way or the other.
As for the fans who have yet to read this one, good lord that ending! It's the funniest and most Moshfeghian thing I've ever read and I am absolutely here for it 😂
The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Elizabeth Richmond at first glance seems like an ordinary young woman, doing all of the quiet and normal things that seemingly normal women do in the world of Shirley Jackson's imagination. It's never that simple though, because part of what makes Jackson so fascinating is her ability to create chaos and tension that bubbles under the surface until her characters slowly and inevitably unravel.
In the case of Elizabeth Richmond, her unraveling takes the form of four distinct personalities sharing the same headspace that scheme against and sabotage each other, much to the chagrin of her emotionally damaged aunt/caregiver, and her overly confident psychologist. The way her different personalities jockey for power and play her aunt and doctor against each other is equally entertaining and horrifying.
The Bird's Nest is the story of Elizabeth's mental illness, and examination of how dangerous and scary our minds can be if they betray us. Even the ending (which might appear to be happy to some) is dripping with dread and reminds us how fragile our sanity really is.
It's also a clear example of how versatile Jackson's writing was. More than just a horror writer (and I don't mean that as a slight), Jackson is most importantly the godmother of the sad, messy girl literary fiction books that so many of us devour today. You'll find that here, with The Sundial, and especially with Hangsaman.
This is a dense and slow paced book that demands your attention, so don't approach this thinking it's a fast and easy read. Of her four novels prior to The Haunting of Hill House, The Bird's Nest was actually my least favorite of the bunch, but that's more of a testament to how good the other three books are, and not about anything lacking here.
Please do yourself a favor and work your way through her earlier works!
In the case of Elizabeth Richmond, her unraveling takes the form of four distinct personalities sharing the same headspace that scheme against and sabotage each other, much to the chagrin of her emotionally damaged aunt/caregiver, and her overly confident psychologist. The way her different personalities jockey for power and play her aunt and doctor against each other is equally entertaining and horrifying.
The Bird's Nest is the story of Elizabeth's mental illness, and examination of how dangerous and scary our minds can be if they betray us. Even the ending (which might appear to be happy to some) is dripping with dread and reminds us how fragile our sanity really is.
It's also a clear example of how versatile Jackson's writing was. More than just a horror writer (and I don't mean that as a slight), Jackson is most importantly the godmother of the sad, messy girl literary fiction books that so many of us devour today. You'll find that here, with The Sundial, and especially with Hangsaman.
This is a dense and slow paced book that demands your attention, so don't approach this thinking it's a fast and easy read. Of her four novels prior to The Haunting of Hill House, The Bird's Nest was actually my least favorite of the bunch, but that's more of a testament to how good the other three books are, and not about anything lacking here.
Please do yourself a favor and work your way through her earlier works!
Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la Cerda
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Reservoir Bitches is a gritty collection of short stories all told by women in contemporary Mexico, who are largely unphased by the real life horrors surrounding them (violence against women, organized drug/crime, poverty). As a commentary on these real life horrors, the book absolutely works as it teeters between terrifying and terribly sad.
Where this collection fell short for me was the lack of a distinguishing voice across the characters. The stories are all told from the first person perspective, and these characters largely talked and acted the same way to the point where they all ended up blending together. Some of the stories are interconnected and some are standalone, but the blending together of the characters was something I struggled with throughout the entire book. The characters ended up lacking depth and believability in my mind.
This wasn't a bad collection, but it wasn't my favorite. My opinions also shouldn't turn you off if this is one you've had your eye on. It was longlisted for this year's International Booker Prize after all, and I think you owe it to yourself as a reader to branch out to translated fiction. Comfort zones are great, but they're also predictable. Even your favorite author was new to you at some point!
Where this collection fell short for me was the lack of a distinguishing voice across the characters. The stories are all told from the first person perspective, and these characters largely talked and acted the same way to the point where they all ended up blending together. Some of the stories are interconnected and some are standalone, but the blending together of the characters was something I struggled with throughout the entire book. The characters ended up lacking depth and believability in my mind.
This wasn't a bad collection, but it wasn't my favorite. My opinions also shouldn't turn you off if this is one you've had your eye on. It was longlisted for this year's International Booker Prize after all, and I think you owe it to yourself as a reader to branch out to translated fiction. Comfort zones are great, but they're also predictable. Even your favorite author was new to you at some point!
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Something that's occupied quite a bit of my thinking in recent months is that the divide between those who experienced life before social media, smart phones, and the distorted view of reality that comes along with it, and those who haven't, seems to be more and more pronounced.
It was with that in mind that Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico ended up being my favorite read last month and will probably make it onto my top ten (perhaps 5) of the year.
Anna and Tom are freelance web designers living in Berlin, and the perfect example of people who don't know what to do with themselves (or who they are) if they weren't able to base their lives around what they see on their phones. A natural extension of this of course is that a huge part of their identities are wrapped up in the dishonest way they portray themselves online.
Whether it's the food they cook, the plants they fill their apartment with, or the virtue signalling song and dance routine that is their political activism, Anna and Tom are empty shells, striving for authenticity, but incapable of ever finding it.
Perfection is a brilliantly written (and translated) examination of what happens when life is reduced to what you see on your phone.
It was with that in mind that Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico ended up being my favorite read last month and will probably make it onto my top ten (perhaps 5) of the year.
Anna and Tom are freelance web designers living in Berlin, and the perfect example of people who don't know what to do with themselves (or who they are) if they weren't able to base their lives around what they see on their phones. A natural extension of this of course is that a huge part of their identities are wrapped up in the dishonest way they portray themselves online.
Whether it's the food they cook, the plants they fill their apartment with, or the virtue signalling song and dance routine that is their political activism, Anna and Tom are empty shells, striving for authenticity, but incapable of ever finding it.
Perfection is a brilliantly written (and translated) examination of what happens when life is reduced to what you see on your phone.
The Fervor by Alma Katsu
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Alma Katsu has made a name for herself by imbuing historical fiction with horror/thriller elements, so using the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII as a way to shine a light on what was happening in the U.S. during the pandemic was an admirable project for her to take on.
Unfortunately The Fervor reads very much like a book where Katsu knew the point she wanted to make, but then constructed everything else around it, to the detriment of plot, character development, and consistency.
Using the Japanese Fu-Go balloon bombs as the historical basing for the rest of the story, Katsu reimagines these as the delivery method for a virus-based attack (which is very on the nose with the covid-related aspect of this book), but also ties in a Japanese folk lore element that never really goes anywhere.
With that relatively weak starting point, the rest of the story rambles along with plot holes, loose ends, and underdeveloped characters. The book then ends rather abruptly, and it felt to me like she had written herself into a corner and just threw in an uninspired thriller-style ending where she wrapped up of all the things she'd either left you wondering about (or that you had forgotten completely). It honestly felt very much like a Scooby Doo episode ending.
To be clear, my opinions on this book aren't dismissing or otherwise making light of what was happening in the U.S. a few years ago (having worked for an Asian American owned small business gave me a depressing and scary view of it). At the end of the day, I just think this book was a bit of a mess.
Unfortunately The Fervor reads very much like a book where Katsu knew the point she wanted to make, but then constructed everything else around it, to the detriment of plot, character development, and consistency.
Using the Japanese Fu-Go balloon bombs as the historical basing for the rest of the story, Katsu reimagines these as the delivery method for a virus-based attack (which is very on the nose with the covid-related aspect of this book), but also ties in a Japanese folk lore element that never really goes anywhere.
With that relatively weak starting point, the rest of the story rambles along with plot holes, loose ends, and underdeveloped characters. The book then ends rather abruptly, and it felt to me like she had written herself into a corner and just threw in an uninspired thriller-style ending where she wrapped up of all the things she'd either left you wondering about (or that you had forgotten completely). It honestly felt very much like a Scooby Doo episode ending.
To be clear, my opinions on this book aren't dismissing or otherwise making light of what was happening in the U.S. a few years ago (having worked for an Asian American owned small business gave me a depressing and scary view of it). At the end of the day, I just think this book was a bit of a mess.
The White Book by Han Kang
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This is my second book by Han Kang (the first being The Vegetarian) and both books leave the reader without the proper context to understand/enjoy what's happening. Once you've done the digging you'll be in better shape, but if you go in blind, you're in for an uphill climb.
For The Vegetarian, it's presented as a novel, but it's actually three novelettes revolving around the same main character, but told from different perspectives. They weren't originally published together, yet the book is packaged and presented as a novel. That's actually a pretty important point and it goes a long way in explaining why the second section comes at you from our of nowhere.
As for The White Book, Kang uses white objects in the context of a meditative look at grief. There's no real narrative or plot structure here, but almost something that reads like poetry. It's sad, melancholy, and actually quite beautiful.
It turns out that this book is actually part memoir, as Kang is her parents' third child, but the first to survive the first few months of life. The whole of this book actually deals with her mother's grief and how it impacted the author. This context really changes things and helps the reader grasp what Kang aims to do with this book. I've never read anything quite like this, and I enjoyed it for what it was.
What this book would really benefit from is actually an author's note at the beginning to provide context. Even some reviews of the book don't mention the autobiographical nature of the book and I think readers would have a better experience if they knew that going in.
For The Vegetarian, it's presented as a novel, but it's actually three novelettes revolving around the same main character, but told from different perspectives. They weren't originally published together, yet the book is packaged and presented as a novel. That's actually a pretty important point and it goes a long way in explaining why the second section comes at you from our of nowhere.
As for The White Book, Kang uses white objects in the context of a meditative look at grief. There's no real narrative or plot structure here, but almost something that reads like poetry. It's sad, melancholy, and actually quite beautiful.
It turns out that this book is actually part memoir, as Kang is her parents' third child, but the first to survive the first few months of life. The whole of this book actually deals with her mother's grief and how it impacted the author. This context really changes things and helps the reader grasp what Kang aims to do with this book. I've never read anything quite like this, and I enjoyed it for what it was.
What this book would really benefit from is actually an author's note at the beginning to provide context. Even some reviews of the book don't mention the autobiographical nature of the book and I think readers would have a better experience if they knew that going in.