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DAMN

From these shallows expands 
The mercy of the sea. 
My first house shall be built on these sands, 
My second in the sea.

 — PHENOMENAL SURVIVALS OF DEATH IN NANTUCKET

I've only read A Village Life by Glück so far, which was published almost after 40 years of Firstborn. The difference between the two is palpable. Firstborn is quite grim and personal, and I was amazed to see Glück following a form for her poems. I'll definitely say that she's improved, not that Firstborn was bad. I just think it didn't work as a collection.

In the summer peaches the color of sunrise
In the fall plums the color of dusk

Pretty.

It just... didn't do anything for me. I usually steer away from books that are likely to make me uncomfortable (in this case, pedophilia), and I kind of know I should've stopped after or at Chapter 4 but I have to give it to Ogawa that her writing is extremely engaging so I had to keep on going. Well, no, it just wasn't for me. Sex is another thing but dear Lord I was not expecting full-on BDSM. It is edgy, provocative, unsettling, disturbing, and requires readers to show great resilience at times and I just did not have it in me.

I also want to point out that this book is not written as commercial erotica so please don't go around comparing it with them.

"He found nothing noble in interpreting people's maladies, [...]"

A beautiful collection of stories. I remember reading the story A Real Durwan way back in 2014 or 2015 for my English Literature class, the story has stuck with me since then. It was a surprise to find it in this Collection. Anyway, you can literally taste India's essence in each of these stories. The characters are so true to their identities, and in each story, they stand out. I wouldn't go beyond describing these stories with the word simple as this is the best and most justified that I can do.

I am amazed and also a bit envious of how naturally Lahiri is able to narrate.

Favourite: When Mr. Pirzada Came To Dine

We often refer to years, and we’ve become quite childish already. I feel pretty tranquil. It’s enough for her to straighten the collar of my shirt, and that touch calms everything in the universe. Misfortune has reduced us to our essence. And nothing is left of us, apart from love.

Absolutely wonderful. There are so many great things about this book. I just hope that the translation does the original work justice or it'll be a huge disappointment. Anyway, I really liked the second chapter which focuses on the narrator's relationship with his son as they travel together. I love how emotional and gripping read this is. It may seem a bit monotonous to some people nut I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't stop vigorously highlighting my ebook; there were so many wonderful thoughts. 

wow... this was so new and refreshing!! i never would've thought this a debut novel! god, amazing!!!

I was a bit disappointed at the ending; I would've enjoyed a much more solid enclosure. The last 20 pages of the book felt quite rushed and weren't wrapped up neatly. Anyway, this was a lot of fun to read. I haven't read anything quite like it.

Hadn’t I thoughts, after all? A mind of my own? It cannot be infamy, I reasoned, to run or seek after glory, to love perfection, desire praise.

I enjoyed the book, not as much as I had hoped. I really loved Dutton's writing; the research work undertaken for the book also seems honest and extensive so I believe it did the Duchess justice. I don't think I've ever read a fictionalized account of a historical figure, or if I have I can't remember. This is a tricky task, to adhere to the facts to some extent while also adding new and imaginative elements. I think the book does this wonderfully. My only issue with the book was that it didn't introduce any passion or excitement in me while reading it.

Anyway, I would still recommend this. It's just missing some sort of fun element in my opinion.

"Standing at this border where land and water meet, watching the seemingly endless recurrence of the waves (though this eternity is in fact illusion: the earth will one day vanish, everything will one day vanish), the fact that our lives are no more than brief instants is felt with unequivocal clarity.
Each wave becomes dazzlingly white at the moment of its shattering. Farther out, the tranquil body of water flashes like the scales of innumerable fish. The glittering of multitudes is there. The shifting, stirring, tossing of multitudes. Nothing is eternal."

i don't even know how to review this. I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time now. i don't know if the translation does justice to the original work, it certainly did not dampen my enjoyment of the book. would 11/10 recommend. read it for the writing if not anything else.

"On cold mornings, that first …

"I'm going to miss you."

good god, i'm still crying. 

"By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better."

I just never want to run out of miss Oliver's poetry.

edit: I hope that the fact that I read this twice within the same month speaks to you.
/Buck Moon - From The Field Guide to Insects 

I wanted to read this because 'In The Dream House' has been on my tbr for a long time now. Although both differ widely in their genre, I wanted to make myself familiar with Machado before going into it.

This did not disappoint, not even slightly. The first story, The Husband Stitch, is by far one of my favourites, not only of this collection but in general. My only complaint with these stories is that they lacked a sense of coherency. I would've liked it more if they would've wrapped up with more intelligence (not that they aren't already, to some extent), and maybe the purpose of them is ambiguity (then, I'm the dumb one here). But, yes, anyway, I loved these, and I really hope Machado decides to write a full-length fiction someday.