raych

There are no words to express how beautiful and profound this story is

Revisado: 09-26-23

Nothing I can say will be able to describe the way John Steinbeck captured me with this novel. It’s a story of good and evil. A tale of family that we choose and that we inherit. An excerpt of the human experience and the way it is ingrained within all of us. The story spans through multiple families and generations and encapsulates each character so deeply that the reader is able to learn so much from their individual experiences as well as the connections they make. It was beautiful. I would love to read this for the first time again. It was so raw, so human, and unspeakably beautiful.
The narration added to the story in such a wonderful way as well, and Richard Poe’s slight tone shifts and voice changes never felt grandiose or cartoonish. This feels like a story passed down through generations and told over candlelight by your mysterious grandfather. It feels like a story that sticks with you forever. It was wonderful. Thank you John Steinbeck

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Enlightening for Some, Tedious for Others

Revisado: 08-08-23

Sheila Heti manages to tell the story of the life of an incredibly average woman and find deep spiritual and philosophical meaning in her mundanity. This book isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t even really for me. It felt very much like a “stream of consciousness” as another review put it. A lot of ideas about life and god and love are explored, and anyone who is interested in those things and can read a more abstract novel would likely enjoy this.
There were a couple moment during the listen that made me wince. One was about halfway through when Mira’s father dies and his soul enters her being. The author describes this transition as….an ejaculation?? She does this not only once but multiple times in different ways, but somehow the word ejaculation is used at least 4 times throughout a shockingly short period of time. She even says she feels the warmth like…you know. Now I’m not a prude but I just have to ask myself why this was a deliberate choice Heti made, maybe I’m not seeing it the way she intended. There are other instances of very sexual analogies being made despite the book being entirely non sexual, so I wonder if this is serving as some kind of thematic device or if it’s just provocative to grab our attention.
Overall this was a short read that tries to tackle very complex ideas in a unique format that doesn’t follow the traditional structure of storytelling. I am glad I read this although it didn’t speak to me in the ways it did other readers, that’s okay!! Sheila Heti is clearly a great writer and I look forward to seeing what she works on in the future

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Simple Story of Families and an Easy, Possibly Unfulfilling Read

Revisado: 08-03-23

This novel follows a family filled with complexity, mystery, and sorrow. Anne Patchett has a way of writing the characters that is extremely compelling. I found myself particularly intrigued by the sibling dynamic the narrator and his sister share.
However, I wanted more from it. I believe the narration coming solely from Danny’s perspective limited the author when talking about broader themes or diving further into other characters. I respect that this was an intentional choice and made us feel closer to the two main protagonists, and it did work to highlight the mystery of their parents and the feelings of uncertainty. Yet Danny tended to lack the emotional depth that would have made this story more fulfilling. I found myself wanting Maeve’s thoughts or feelings to be addressed in a way that was not through Danny’s perspective.
I feel like the third part of this felt very rushed. There is so much more that could have been said to tie up the story. Did Norma and Danny talk about their issues with their moms and the way it changed them?? Did Danny ever actually address the parallels between him and his father? We know he forgave his mother and Andrea but we never get much insight as to how that process looked, which is a wasted opportunity. I kept waiting for Danny to show some emotion or have a moment of vulnerability, but in every instance he felt dull and closed off, giving the reader the impression that this is just how Danny is, but I wanted him to have more depth because the story and the characters were beautiful and full of potential.
I think Ann Patchett is a lovely writer and the way she built up these characters and the story was still very enjoyable. All in all, it’s a simple tale about a family who we follow from beginning to end. We grow to love to characters and the unconventional family they create, and that is still beautiful.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Wonderful

Revisado: 07-25-23

I felt so moved, so seen, so connected to the world around me while reading this. In a time where we are so often isolated from other’s experiences, John Green invites us to listen and feel and laugh and cry. The Anthropocene invokes countless feelings and this book manages to capture them with such wonderful storytelling. This was truly a beautiful and well balanced collection of stories.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

“You light a fire early in your girlhood."

Revisado: 05-05-23

Nightbitch is the story of a mother who in her exhaustion descends into madness, or freedom, depending on how you view the story. I was surprised that the top reviews for this book were mostly negative and dismissive, writing this novel off as a “mommy finds herself” story, and it is that but it’s also far more.
We watch as a mother loses herself and her desires and becomes disillusioned with the expectations of womanhood. Her frustration with her world grows into rage which manifest in her becoming a dog. I enjoyed the metaphor of this whole thing, and I think the depictions of violence were occasionally difficult to listen to but provided a necessary dichotomy between the woman’s desires and her responsibilities. I don’t believe the violence was used gratuitously for shock value often, but if I ever read this again my mind could change.
I think the story was at its best when the reader was unaware of the reality of the situation. I found myself wondering if this suburban mom was actually a dog or if she was simply going insane, but Rachel Yoder doesn’t leave much room for interpretation in the end of the story. I was frustrated by the ending because she spells out the themes of the book so blatantly, as if she doesn’t trust her own writing and ability to convey the message through the story. I’m not familiar with her other work, but I thought the themes and metaphors in this novel spoke for themselves. It’s very clear why this mother would be compelled to let lose of her animalistic desires and be free from the constraints of her life. I found myself relating to her rage and her tendency to swallow it, and I related to the desire to just be free of it all. I believe Yoder captures the frustration of many of our mothers beautifully without dismissing it as “selfless sacrifice” or “maternal love”. She conveys the pain that motherhood has caused while also viewing it as an act of godly creation. The choice to make her experiences an art piece was expected, but underwhelming for me personally. The ending felt rushed and anticlimactic, with people just accepting that this women becomes an animal and the main character explaining at length what the story has been telling us for the past seven hours. This really leaves little room for interpretation as I mentioned earlier. Overall this was a good story with very compelling themes, beautiful descriptions of complex emotions, and I enjoyed it very much although It could have been improved.
But the narration was awesome in my opinion, I think the voice fit the tone and sarcasm of the story very well.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

A beautiful coming of age story and so much more.

Revisado: 05-03-23

Their Eyes Were Watching God is so beautifully written and narrated. I feel that all young people, especially women and people of color, will see themselves in Janie’s story. I appreciate Hurston’s inclusion of the dialect from that time and the narration really immerses you in the story and setting. Hurston does a wonderful job of conveying the social, political, and racial issues of the time without ever needed to say it in bold print. We see through the descriptions and thoughts of the characters how their place in the world effects their well-being and we watch as Janie grows to reject the life that’s expected of her. I believe the interpretation of Janie’s journey will be different depending on who you ask, but regardless this is a story of empowerment despite the chains of presumption. Thank you Zora Neale Hurston

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Insightful, Classic, and Surprisingly Funny

Revisado: 04-04-23

It took me a long time to read this but I’m glad I did. Slaughterhouse-Five invites us to look at the devastation of war while recognizing how difficult it is to grasp that level of tragedy. The passive and continuous mentions of the death that surround the protagonist and narrator simultaneously call attention to the injustice while also portraying the way humans will desensitize themselves to such horrors. I loved the science fiction aspect and how Vonnegut included philosophical ideas of free will, time, and death within the Tralfamadorian’s world. The first and last chapters being from the author’s perspective is very interesting, and I found it very enjoyable to have the added context. This along with the non linear fashion of the story might make it difficult for some readers to listen in audio format, but overall Vonnegut’s writing skills are evident in his ability to create a cohesive story and complex characters in a plot that adopts the Tralfamadorian idea of time.
This is an important novel on the ethical implications and aftermath of war that invites the reader to think critically about complex topics while still being witty, sarcastic, and even fantastical.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Heartwrenching

Revisado: 11-15-18

This is for sure a classic. His ability in amazing story telling is undeniable, and though the book faces some criticism I don’t think anyone can deny that it made you feel for the characters, every single one.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña