frances_frances's reviews
286 reviews

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Feeling generous so it's 5 stars rather than 4. Ottessa Moshfegh is so talented at creating deep, believably complex characters. Meandering slice of life novels often don't work for me but so far I love her work.
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

a reliably Peter Swanson little thriller
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Gave me exactly what I was expecting and wanting - a readable, straightforward, fast paced thriller. The writing is simple but decent and the pacing kept me engaged. Constant action, almost no frills. Overall, this book is nothing special but it really hit the spot.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

It was kinda flat, like there wasn't much suspense or buildup. The horror aspects were also underdeveloped. Worse though was the prose. It was pretty insufferable. A lot of effort with little payoff/impact. Felt a bit juvenile. 
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A beautiful book about confronting cycles of generational trauma and healing cultural, familial, and individual pain. This story required courage and intensive research on the part of Tessa Hulls and the result is impressive and inspiring.
My Husband by Maud Ventura

Go to review page

dark reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and thought it approached hetero marriage and patriarchal misogyny in a really interesting way. However, I was very disappointed by the ending. It was surprising, but also so frustrating because it undid all the work done in the rest of the book. The ending still speaks to hetero/nuclear family dysfunction but it greatly dilutes the narrator and her perspective. 

But besides the ending, I thought this book was an incredible, and original, commentary on misogyny, patriarchy, and the limitations of cishet nuclear familial dynamics. A lot of reviewers say this book is funny. It is satire but for me, it was disturbing rather than humorous. It made me feel suffocated and tense, which made for an engaging reading experience.
Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis

Go to review page

challenging funny reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I don't know how to review this book because I'm not sure I "got" the book. It's hard to tell what's satire and what's genuine. Maybe some of both? This book started as a series of essays by Jenny Fran Davis, which makes a lot of sense. The queer theory / history / analysis throughout the book sometimes feels like an essay, not unlike Detransition, Baby, which could also sometimes feel heavy handed. The difference though is that Torrey Peters managed to pack a novel with theory and analysis while also making it a coherent, entertaining story. Dykette explores lesbian identity and politics and perhaps has something to say about butch/femme dynamics and homonormativity, but at what cost? Again, I probably don't get the complexities of this book, but either way, the reading experience ultimately felt like pulling teeth.
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
nothing new to say and not very funny. main character is a nothing person and the book just feels insufferably hetero 
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

sometimes felt pointless and insufferable but also couldn't put it down. weirdly engaging while also possibly saying nothing.