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marshalls_library's reviews
176 reviews
Dengue Boy by Michel Nieva, Rahul Bery
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.0
Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
The Book of X by @sarahroseetter adds to the growing list of books by and about women that I cannot relate to, but am nonetheless captivated and moved by.
Main character Cassie (like her mother and grandmother) are born with knotted stomachs that forever brand them as misunderstood outcasts. This condition affects Cassie's relationships with her family, other women, (disastrously) men, and most importantly herself.
The knot can be taken literally as an actual condition, or metaphorically to explore Cassie's emotional struggles. Given the broader world Etter creates where Cassie's family owns a local meat quarry where meat is literally mined for like coal, as a reader you're left to sus out the larger meaning behind the beautiful and surreal story that Etter tells.
The Book of X is beautifully written, devastatingly sad, and refuses to adhere to labels or genres. There are similarities between this and Etter's second novel, Ripe, but both stand confidently alone. I absolutely cannot wait to see what she does next.
Main character Cassie (like her mother and grandmother) are born with knotted stomachs that forever brand them as misunderstood outcasts. This condition affects Cassie's relationships with her family, other women, (disastrously) men, and most importantly herself.
The knot can be taken literally as an actual condition, or metaphorically to explore Cassie's emotional struggles. Given the broader world Etter creates where Cassie's family owns a local meat quarry where meat is literally mined for like coal, as a reader you're left to sus out the larger meaning behind the beautiful and surreal story that Etter tells.
The Book of X is beautifully written, devastatingly sad, and refuses to adhere to labels or genres. There are similarities between this and Etter's second novel, Ripe, but both stand confidently alone. I absolutely cannot wait to see what she does next.
African Psycho by Alain Mabanckou
challenging
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
2.75
African Psycho by Alain Mabanckou follows the exploits of ne'er do well, wannabe serial killer Grégoire as he seeks to emulate his town's most notorious killer and criminal. The problem is that Grégoire is a monumental screw-up who fails at this project as he has failed in life.
This type of setup sounds absolutely golden, and I really wanted to love it. Where I think it falls short is the translation because it's unfortunately very obvious that this is a translated book. The writing seems choppy and disjointed, and for a book that's meant to be a satirical, black comedy, none of it really lands.
The alternative is that this book just flat out went over my head, but even though I'm more than willing to admit that could be possible, I just don't think that's the case. I LOVE a flawed character/anti-hero centered story, but there has to be something redeeming about them to keep them from straying into unlikable territory. The most glaringly obvious example of this kind of failure is Jade Daniels from the chainsaw books by stephen graham jones. Grégoire doesn't approach those levels thankfully, but he's not a funny character, he's just a scumbag that you want to see fail.
If anyone out there sees this and has some insight as to how I might have missed something here, please let me know! Otherwise, this goes on the pile of "not bad, but not good either" books for me. Great idea/concept, but bad execution.
This type of setup sounds absolutely golden, and I really wanted to love it. Where I think it falls short is the translation because it's unfortunately very obvious that this is a translated book. The writing seems choppy and disjointed, and for a book that's meant to be a satirical, black comedy, none of it really lands.
The alternative is that this book just flat out went over my head, but even though I'm more than willing to admit that could be possible, I just don't think that's the case. I LOVE a flawed character/anti-hero centered story, but there has to be something redeeming about them to keep them from straying into unlikable territory. The most glaringly obvious example of this kind of failure is Jade Daniels from the chainsaw books by stephen graham jones. Grégoire doesn't approach those levels thankfully, but he's not a funny character, he's just a scumbag that you want to see fail.
If anyone out there sees this and has some insight as to how I might have missed something here, please let me know! Otherwise, this goes on the pile of "not bad, but not good either" books for me. Great idea/concept, but bad execution.
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Given the title, the (US) cover, and a blurb that's a bit heavy-handed when it comes to the importance of the titular character, it's easy to understand why some readers would make assumptions that this is an obsessive/forbidden love kind of story. The actual story is much more intriguing and layered.
There is a LOT going on here (and not in a bad way). I honestly would need much more space to do any real justice to this book, but what I can hopefully do is provide some important guide posts though about the plot and overall themes.
The unnamed main character is an English professor at a small liberal arts college, and in an open marriage with a fellow faculty member facing accusations of inappropriate relationships with former students. Jonas pointe out that assault or coercion is not at play here, and that speaks to the overall theme of generational divide with regards to how these situations are viewed. Younger people want to take and feather the husband, while the MC resents being called an enabler, despite the fact that the issue at hand is consensual sex between adults.
A new professor (Vladimir himself!) arrives on campus and becomes the focal point for the MCs struggles with aging and low self esteem, an escape for the professional/marital situation she finds herself in, and the inspiration to reignite her own writing career.
This book has a lot to say about relationships, power dynamics, the massive divide that exists between those of us who remember life before smart phones and social media, and those who don't, the minefield of aging, and our culture in general. My only real qualm with the book is the ending, which gives me the feeling Jonas wasn't sure how to wrap things up.
Despite a weak ending, I highly recommend this book. It's a difficult book to review, but an incredibly enriching book to read.
There is a LOT going on here (and not in a bad way). I honestly would need much more space to do any real justice to this book, but what I can hopefully do is provide some important guide posts though about the plot and overall themes.
The unnamed main character is an English professor at a small liberal arts college, and in an open marriage with a fellow faculty member facing accusations of inappropriate relationships with former students. Jonas pointe out that assault or coercion is not at play here, and that speaks to the overall theme of generational divide with regards to how these situations are viewed. Younger people want to take and feather the husband, while the MC resents being called an enabler, despite the fact that the issue at hand is consensual sex between adults.
A new professor (Vladimir himself!) arrives on campus and becomes the focal point for the MCs struggles with aging and low self esteem, an escape for the professional/marital situation she finds herself in, and the inspiration to reignite her own writing career.
This book has a lot to say about relationships, power dynamics, the massive divide that exists between those of us who remember life before smart phones and social media, and those who don't, the minefield of aging, and our culture in general. My only real qualm with the book is the ending, which gives me the feeling Jonas wasn't sure how to wrap things up.
Despite a weak ending, I highly recommend this book. It's a difficult book to review, but an incredibly enriching book to read.
Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Shirley Jackson's second novel, Hangsaman is the darkly comedic and emotionally fraught story of 17 year old Natalie Waite's psychological unraveling.
With a pompous, emotional bully father and a neurotic, alcoholic mother, Natalie was already in a bad place emotionally before leaving the suffocating confinement of home life for college. Add to that an assault during a family gathering just prior to her departure, and Natalie is teetering on the edge of a cliff.
At college, Natalie becomes caught up in the lives of one of her professors and his wife (a former student not much older than Natalie). This couple seems to mirror the dynamic of Natalie's mother and father, and it reinforces the claustrophobic sense of despair that Natalie is doomed to become her mother, desperately unhappy and trapped in her marriage.
Like Jackson's other earlier work, Hangsaman is a character study that is light on plot points. The writing style alternates between clear and direct at times, and surrealist and dreamlike at others. This is a perfect representation of Natalie's mental state as she navigates the complexities and politics of college life as well as the hold her family still exerts.
It's up to the reader to decide what is real, and what are invented coping mechanisms used by Natalie to move on from a traumatic past and chart her own course. If you're like me, you'll be rooting for Natalie the whole way, and see her as the sad, messy forebearer to the "good for her" characters on our shelves today.
With a pompous, emotional bully father and a neurotic, alcoholic mother, Natalie was already in a bad place emotionally before leaving the suffocating confinement of home life for college. Add to that an assault during a family gathering just prior to her departure, and Natalie is teetering on the edge of a cliff.
At college, Natalie becomes caught up in the lives of one of her professors and his wife (a former student not much older than Natalie). This couple seems to mirror the dynamic of Natalie's mother and father, and it reinforces the claustrophobic sense of despair that Natalie is doomed to become her mother, desperately unhappy and trapped in her marriage.
Like Jackson's other earlier work, Hangsaman is a character study that is light on plot points. The writing style alternates between clear and direct at times, and surrealist and dreamlike at others. This is a perfect representation of Natalie's mental state as she navigates the complexities and politics of college life as well as the hold her family still exerts.
It's up to the reader to decide what is real, and what are invented coping mechanisms used by Natalie to move on from a traumatic past and chart her own course. If you're like me, you'll be rooting for Natalie the whole way, and see her as the sad, messy forebearer to the "good for her" characters on our shelves today.
McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Set in the 1850s, the (protagonistant-hero?) McGlue awakens hungover and injured in the brig of a ship, accused of murdering his long-time friend Johnson. From there, Moshfegh weaves McGlue's booze-tinted memories together with his journey to port where he will inevitably stand trial.
If you've read Moshfegh before, you know that she's a master at creating characters that are as compelling and empathetic as they are flawed and broken. Given McGlue's mental and physical state, the reader has no choice but to go along for the ride as Moshfegh pulls the curtains back, one darkly beautiful chapter at a time.
Something that Moshfegh does exceptionally well is her handling of internalized and societal homophobia. Some of the language here is rough, but there's simply no way to superimpose modern morality onto this kind of period piece. Unfortunately I've seen a disappointing number of reviews that write this book (or Moshfegh) off as bigoted. Had those reviewers actually finished the book, the absolutely heartbreaking tale of McGlue and Johnson would have revealed itself to them
As far as debuts go, Ottessa Moshfegh should be commended for such a boldly dark and challenging narrative. She's clearly one of the most unique voices in modern fiction, and continually proves that no style or genre can define her.
If you've read Moshfegh before, you know that she's a master at creating characters that are as compelling and empathetic as they are flawed and broken. Given McGlue's mental and physical state, the reader has no choice but to go along for the ride as Moshfegh pulls the curtains back, one darkly beautiful chapter at a time.
Something that Moshfegh does exceptionally well is her handling of internalized and societal homophobia. Some of the language here is rough, but there's simply no way to superimpose modern morality onto this kind of period piece. Unfortunately I've seen a disappointing number of reviews that write this book (or Moshfegh) off as bigoted. Had those reviewers actually finished the book, the absolutely heartbreaking tale of McGlue and Johnson would have revealed itself to them
As far as debuts go, Ottessa Moshfegh should be commended for such a boldly dark and challenging narrative. She's clearly one of the most unique voices in modern fiction, and continually proves that no style or genre can define her.
In the Miso Soup by Ryū Murakami
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami has been on my radar for several years. The idea of a violent look at the underground sex industry in Tokyo, told through the eyes of a local guide (Kenji) and his American client (Frank), sounded like a great premise.
The final product didn't come together for me unfortunately. I think the reason for that is largely to do with the fact that there are two different concepts being shoehorned together. Had the book taken a deep dive with Kenji, Murakami could have produced a compelling tale about isolation and identity in pre-Y2K Japan.
Frank is a bizarre character that doesn't really provide much, save for being the instigator of an ultra-violent scene halfway through. His inclusion really detracts from Kenji, who ultimately had a more compelling story to tell. This one scene is where you get the American Psycho comparisons and it was all just so unnecessary.
I wouldn't go so far to say this was a bad book. It was entertaining for the most part, but it could have been a great book. Solidly middle of the road for me, and not a book I would categorize as a "must read" by a long shot.
The final product didn't come together for me unfortunately. I think the reason for that is largely to do with the fact that there are two different concepts being shoehorned together. Had the book taken a deep dive with Kenji, Murakami could have produced a compelling tale about isolation and identity in pre-Y2K Japan.
Frank is a bizarre character that doesn't really provide much, save for being the instigator of an ultra-violent scene halfway through. His inclusion really detracts from Kenji, who ultimately had a more compelling story to tell. This one scene is where you get the American Psycho comparisons and it was all just so unnecessary.
I wouldn't go so far to say this was a bad book. It was entertaining for the most part, but it could have been a great book. Solidly middle of the road for me, and not a book I would categorize as a "must read" by a long shot.
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (his first novel and published in 1982) concerns Etsuko, a woman now living on her own in England, and the memories of a summer in post-war Nagasaki. This particular summer is marked by the arrival of Sachiko, a single mother and her daughter, Mariko.
The stark contrast between Etsuko and Sachiko is the strongest plot point throughout the book, with Etsuko representing a more traditional female role with regards to her husband (for the time period) compared to Sachiko's undoubtedly chaotic and unconventional nature (especially with regards to her daughter).
At times I felt like this was a very simple story, and at other times, I felt like a lot was going over my head. I would attribute that to a very formal and rigid writing style, and the fact that I haven't read fiction that is meant to represent post-war Japan.
I don't think I can make a definitive call about Ishiguro until I read something else by him (which I will do at some point), but there was the issue of animal cruelty/death that ultimately served no purpose to the story, which is a pretty big red flag for me. If that's included there better be a compelling reason, and that was not the case here.
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-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
2.75
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (his first novel and published in 1982) concerns Etsuko, a woman now living on her own in England, and the memories of a summer in post-war Nagasaki. This particular summer is marked by the arrival of Sachiko, a single mother and her daughter, Mariko.
The stark contrast between Etsuko and Sachiko is the strongest plot point throughout the book, with Etsuko representing a more traditional female role with regards to her husband (for the time period) compared to Sachiko's undoubtedly chaotic and unconventional nature (especially with regards to her daughter).
At times I felt like this was a very simple story, and at other times, I felt like a lot was going over my head. I would attribute that to a very formal and rigid writing style, and the fact that I haven't read fiction that is meant to represent post-war Japan.
I don't think I can make a definitive call about Ishiguro until I read something else by him (which I will do at some point), but there was the issue of animal cruelty/death that ultimately served no purpose to the story, which is a pretty big red flag for me. If that's included there better be a compelling reason, and that was not the case here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Out by Natsuo Kirino
dark
mysterious
tense
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
3.0
Out by Natsuo Kirino centers around four women who work the graveyard shift at a box lunch factory. One of these women, Yayoi, very early in the story reaches her breaking point and kills her cheating drunk of a husband who gambles away all their money. What follows is the messy tale of how she ropes her friends into disposing of the body, and the ensuing fallout.
On the surface, this sounds great. I was expecting something with strong bonds of friendship between the women (all of whom undoubtedly live tough lives) banding together to carve out something better for themselves.
My hopes quickly started to unravel as the relationship between the friends falls apart, while the plot became increasingly scatterbrained and unfocused. Kirino introduces a connection between Yayoi's husband and a former Yakuza member turned pimp/illegal gambling hall owner which ends up creating an endless amount of unnecessary offshoots to what should have been the main focus. This character also looms large at the end of the book (which was a confusing and anger-inducing mess).
This certainly wasn't the worst book I've read by a long shot. I was really hoping for things to wrap up in a satisfying way, but that's the gamble you take with a new-to-you author. I finished this with strong feelings that Kirino should have taken the basic premise, scrapped the rest and started over. As-is, this book was way too long and unfocused. There's definitely not enough here to make me want to pick up another book by Kirino.
On the surface, this sounds great. I was expecting something with strong bonds of friendship between the women (all of whom undoubtedly live tough lives) banding together to carve out something better for themselves.
My hopes quickly started to unravel as the relationship between the friends falls apart, while the plot became increasingly scatterbrained and unfocused. Kirino introduces a connection between Yayoi's husband and a former Yakuza member turned pimp/illegal gambling hall owner which ends up creating an endless amount of unnecessary offshoots to what should have been the main focus. This character also looms large at the end of the book (which was a confusing and anger-inducing mess).
This certainly wasn't the worst book I've read by a long shot. I was really hoping for things to wrap up in a satisfying way, but that's the gamble you take with a new-to-you author. I finished this with strong feelings that Kirino should have taken the basic premise, scrapped the rest and started over. As-is, this book was way too long and unfocused. There's definitely not enough here to make me want to pick up another book by Kirino.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape