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36 reviews

May Day Eve and Other Stories by Nick Joaquín

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3.5

now i understand the term joaquinesque 
A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin

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3.5

adore this one! prose is very matter of fact. makes me want to checkout her other works 

liked desiree's baby the most in this collection
Amigo Warfare by Eric Gamalinda

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3.5

a reread - adored gamalinda when i first read his works in Uni (2016ish)

two nudes - still my favorite 
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

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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? N/A

4.0

I am intensely satisfied with the ending and how it gives nothing away. Such a unique and compelling story! I love the neutrality of the prose and how it takes you to unexpected scenarios without fanfare. Will reread again and again when I'm feeling contemplative. 
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli

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dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Stark and precise retelling of a horrific gang-rape case of a Palestinian girl after the 1948 Nakba. Difficult subject, even more difficult to put down. 

#FreePalestine
#EndTheOccupation
Human Acts by Han Kang

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dark emotional informative sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I committed to reading more starting next year. 

I joined a book club and the first book is this one, I rushed to buy a copy and finish it before the event. I was excited to read again and especially this book was written by the 2024 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature.

I knew that the novel will center around the 1980s Gwangju Uprising in Korea. I knew I will be reading a translation and it will potentially have some lost cultural nuances. I was not prepared to bawl at this 220ish-page book. Han Kang's (and Deborah Smith's) prose is harrowing, brutally honest and gut-punching.