open_ears_now's reviews
35 reviews

This novel made me appreciate English writing from the 1800s. It’s a simple thing to write “she loves him”, but it’s much better to read pages upon pages of descriptions of emotion. 

I adore Jane Eyre. I loved her dialogue with Mr. Rochester. She’s smart and witty. Her growth throughout the novel is wonderful to behold. Her directness and standing up to men in her life was a joy to read. 

I did not feel the same about Mr.Rochester.

Even without reading Wide Sargasso Sea, I felt we only received his side of the story. There’s something much more there, and I thought he was not the victim he made himself out to be. Yes, he did get hurt by his wife, but he also locked her away for years. They had ways of helping people back then, and he had the means to do so.

I'm biased, I'm a Celtics fan.

Absolutely loved that the book not only covered The Big Three, but everything before, during, and after - including up to the 21-22 season. 

It's easy to make games exciting. Holley made everything that goes on in a front office exciting as well. If you are a fan of basketball, I highly recommend this book (even if you hate the Celtics).

A book of perfect length that is a bit hard to follow narrative wise. This is by design. Like a ghost and wandering mind, we jump to the past and the present. 

There are no chapters. It just feels like one long flowing thought, reflecting upon a past life. I stopped myself from saying that the book jumps to the future. Maybe it's actually the present - and we just spent the past few pages in the past.

Kazu leads a sad, unlucky life. There isn't anything happy in this book. It's just regret - a life that Kazu wanted to change, but really had no control over. Now a ghost, spirit, or some entity - he drifts around places and memories.

This feels like a novel to experience. I recommend attempting to read it through in the fewest amount of times, or all the way through if possible. 

I first got this book, and this particular edition that I have self-added, in high school. According to the stamps in the back, it was last borrowed in 1993 - before I was born. 

I have started it many times over the years. I consider it a triumph to finish it. 

The first few times I failed - I think I just got bored. I couldn't relate. The last time I failed was because I attempted to take notes on every character, every chapter. If you make reading homework, you'll never finish a book.

I could finish it now because I can relate, in a least a small way. I'm older now and an adult. Like everyone else, we're all dealing with the hard parts of life. Like all hard parts of life, they can all be fixed - with money.

This is the novel's focus. Ethan has no money and is an honest man. Everyone tells him that it is a fault to be honest. You can't get money if you are honest. Ethan attempts to take control of his life, if not for him, then for his children and wife. Steinbeck details Ethan's wrangling of his thoughts and emotions. 

It all comes to a singular moment, a singular chapter - where I sincerely thought that Ethan was going to go through something I didn't want him to. The feeling was so strong I wanted to dive into the book to hold him back. After that moment I felt tense for the rest of the book, feeling like something, or everything, will go wrong. A book that can hold you to that is a great book.

The dialogue is my favorite part of this book. Especially between between Ethan and his family. Every conversation between Ethan and Mary, his wife, was something I adored. It was quick, it was witty. It felt like the TV show The Gilmore Girls! 

I wish the final few chapters were longer. We dove so much into the inner turmoil of Ethan in other parts of the book, I wanted to be more of that in the end. Also, is Steinbeck smacking me in the face with what morals he thinks are right or wrong? Doesn't every author do that? 

Great read. Maybe I'll move to an old New England town by the sea.

Yet another book devoured. I love the writing. Vandermeer weaves narration, flash backs, thoughts, and dreams masterfully. Terms and ideas introduced early perpetuate throughout the novel, by the characters thoughts and by the narration (terroir). Some questions answered, but so many more made.