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maya

maya@bookwyrm.social

Joined 2 years, 5 months ago

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Gwen E. Kirby: Shit Cassandra Saw (Paperback, 2022, Penguin Books)

“Kirby has mastered the art of short fiction…A stunning collection from a writer whose talent …

A very feminist short story collection

Sometimes funny, sometimes reflective, and a very feminist short story collection. My favorites are: "Shit That Cassandra Saw That She Didn't Tell The Trojans Because At That Point Fuck Them Anyway" "A Few Normal Things That Happen A Lot" "Jerry's Crab Shack" "Here Preached His Last" and "We Handle It."

A well written human drama in a small society

Very well written about the complex relationships in a rural town in the 80s (There are similarities in Japanese rural communities, and it was no different anywhere else). Rather than a mystery of a missing girl it depicts a human drama in a small conservative society.

Benjamín Labatut, Adrian Nathan West: When We Cease to Understand the World (Paperback, 2021, New York Review Books)

A fictional examination of the lives of real-life scientists and thinkers whose discoveries resulted in …

Review on 'Goodreads'

I have mixed feelings about too much fictionalizing recent real people, but at the same time, I'm overwhelmed by how Labatut interweaves historical facts and imagination. It is horrifying to sense the duality that genius scientific discoveries possibly bring to unexpected destruction. It's hard to decide what genre this book fits into (hybrid of non-fiction, essay, and fiction, maybe?)

reviewed London rules by Mick Herron (Slough House, #5)

Mick Herron: London rules (2018)

"London Rules might not be written down, but everyone knows rule one: Cover your arse. …

Review of 'London rules' on 'Goodreads'

Incredible. So far, this is one of the best in this series. I laughed out loud sometimes. Every character have flaws which makes them unique and attractive.

reviewed Spook street by Mick Herron (Slough House, #4)

Mick Herron: Spook street (2017)

"What happens when an old spook starts to lose his mind? Do the Services have …

The Slough House series

After thoroughly enjoying Slow Horses on Apple TV+, I read the book volumes 1 through 3 in Japanese. There is no Japanese translation from volume 4, so I started reading the original version.

I just love this series! It's very funny and witty at times, then sad and dark at other times. I had never imagined the old spy suffered dementia....

Anthony Marra: Mercury Pictures Presents (2022, Crown/Archetype)

not a perfect but still beautifully written

Anthony Marra is one of my favorite authors. It was not as good as his previous titles (I really love "A Constellation of Vital Phenomena" and "The Tsar of Love and Techno"), and I struggled to read some parts.

However, there were paragraphs beautifully written and lingered in my memory, especially episodes about Nino and Anna.

Danièle Cybulskie, Anna Lobanova: How to Live Like a Monk (2021, Antique Collectors' Club)

Nice to learn a history and a way of self-reflection

Not a religious book to live “as” a monk but a very entertaining historical book with some wisdom for self-reflection.

Interesting to know the historical facts about monastic life in the Middle Ages and some ways of thinking in those days still could be applied to modern life.

It is also neatly designed with images from illuminated manuscripts, etc., so it could be a nice gift for anyone interested in the Medieval history.