Reviews and Comments

Several of these stories will be rolling around inside my brain for a long time to come.

Okay, I haven't read all the notes at the back but whatever. I'm calling this finished. (I might skim the notes before I return it to the library; looks like there might be interesting stuff in there. But I am very tired and very sad and do not have an appetite for end notes tonight.)

Among its other virtues, this book reactivated my ever-present desire to see an aurochs in person. I always want to, but Enheduana really kicked that into high gear.

Here we go

I hate this with every part of me that's capable of feeling hatred! I am too tired to get into it all now, but ARGH. This really feels like what you'd get if you commissioned a devil to write a novel precision calibrated to annoy me, personally. Sandford's a more than competent writer; my ire is roused by content, not lack of storytelling prowess. ARGH!

Going to admit I went from kind of rolling my eyes at parts to "...well played, Lapena. Well played." (I kind-of-sort-of figured out the killer about 2/3 through, but was slightly wrong, and that's basically my sweet spot for this type of novel.)

Fell down a Wikipedia rabbit hole after finishing Shirley Jackson's Hangsaman, and now I need to find and read this one.

Blew my little mind, as we all knew it would

Eighteen pages in and this already owns.

...because Colleen is one of my very favorite people, so I don't know how much credibility I have when I say Knots rules and everyone should read it. Nearly made me cry on the light rail! A sensitive story about anxiety and complicated family dynamics told with humor and grace.

This is so good! I know I'll revisit it.

Struggling with the steady stream of racial slurs. Even if they're period appropriate or whatever, it's jarring for them to be voiced by the omniscient third-person narrator; I guess it feels like they're being lent a credibility or appropriateness that wouldn't be (as?) apparent if they were "only" put in the mouths of characters. I dunno. I think Stephenson is potentially Doing Something with that, and it might be interesting and edifying. In the meantime, though: jarring, and I struggle.

Lots of poignant, thought-provoking little moments. Darn fine book so far.

A friend is lending me his precious copy of this novel. So far I've only read the little prologue, but it's already a heck of a read. It's been a while, I think, since I've read anything so kinetic and full of movement? Looking forward to meandering my way through this eight billion page novel. (And taking very good care of it and returning it safe and sound, because I give back the books I borrow.)

...an author I admire mentioned she's reading this and it's extremely relevant to my interests, so. Want to Read.

Damn. It’s really good!