Delete this review bro

Been a while since I last posted in here, as after a really strong start to the year, I've hit a little lull. Not too many reviews to catch-up on.

Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Marukami

Every time I read a Marukami book I come away feeling the same. The man can write fantastic dream-like magic realist prose that just flows effortlessly, then he goes and ruins it every time he introduces a female character. I’ve read about 5 of his novels now, and I think this one is on the better side as pushes more into his spiritual free-form writing.

Still, for as much as I criticise, I always come away from his novels truly feeling something. Long lasting impressions.

3.5/5.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Thornton Wilder

The basic premise of this novel is a priest arrives in Peru, around the time several interrelated persons die in a collapse of a rope bridge. The priest, who witnesses this, spends the rest of the novel inquiring about the lives of the victims; seeking some cosmic answer to the event.

Despite being so short, the novel is punchy, vibrant. Wilder’s writing makes you feel as though you are a bystander on the streets of Lima watching the events unfold in real time. The narrative of the novel is circular; orbiting around the bridge until we see the links weave into one final swoop – and that is the profound conclusion reached at the end of the novel that intrinsic answer can be found in the love and connection between others.

4/5.
The Night Tiger – Yangsze Choo

Set in 1930s colonised Malaysia, the novel follows two characters – a young serving boy and a dancehall girl paying off family debts. Around the same time, there are a flurry of mysterious murders across the village; citing a man-eating tiger as the guilty party.

The first third of this novel really entranced me – the historical backdrop is not something I’ve ever really thought about (let alone read into) and the initial mystery and mythology was well-paced. Up until the point where the YA aspects of the novel started seeping through the cracks – the need to include bizarre romance to fill pages really irks me in modern writing, and unfortunately The Night Tiger is no different.

Still, a cute little read if you’re after something a little easy and more modern.

3/5.

ay if it worked for you all power to it but personally I thought it was underwhelming and there was a better novel there

is the movie worth checking out?

yeah that part dragged on for too long. Van helsing didnt even check if their blood types matched

that's really dope. find out when she's putting out a new novel, it's been FOUR years!

where do you find new stuff to read cuz rn i am struggling smh

what do you like/have read recently?

i usually get most of my reads either from here, or other social media places like youtube, instagram, even tik tok lol

the blood transfusion are the horror

Just as much - if not more - about the sexual desire and lustful undertones of the novel. Lucy’s pure, virginal blood, tainted by lustful vampire being sated by the strong “blood transfusions” of the strong men in the novel. About as overt as it gets.

The horror in that novel peaks at the point that Harker discovers he’s in Dracula’s house. Masterful writing until that point in that novel.

goodreads lists
book tok
this thread
book marks website
five books website

I just have a long TBR list full of classics and contemporary fiction that I'm always adding to. easy to find lists like 100 books to read before you die for example that can give you good recommendations too

Main issue for me is finding newer books tbh like let's say 2010 - present.

But yeah I've been on good reads and noted some down from this thread ofc

I got the opposite, way too much s*** I want to read. But I’m talking mainly non fiction

What are you mostly into usually?

I can share some relatively recent (2010s-now) bangers if you’re into literary fic, fantasy, sci-fi, and/or mystery/thrillers

I have almost no genre preference lol

obvs lit fiction is best but my fave book is never let me go

dont read too much sci-fi but the best thing ive read in years is the broken earth trilogy

let me drop like 200 more non fiction on you

Based off your last few posts:

-Piranesi by Susanna Clark (go into this completely blind, don’t even read the back of the book)

-History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (one of my favorite literary fics)

-Anxious People by Fredrick Backman (idk how to describe this and do it justice)

-Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (amazing book but also a scathing idictment on the prison-industrial complex & should be included in high school curriculums imo)

-11/22/63 by Stephen King (absolutely nothing like his other books, which I’m not really a fan of to begin with)

-The Will of the Many by James Islington (fantasy where the setting is heavily based on the roman empire, super dope and unique magic system)

-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

-Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

-Jade City by Fonda Lee (first book in a FIRE trilogy)

-Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (super weird and super fire)

thnx

ironically last book i bought but havent read yet (i barely have time during working year) is chain gang all stars

Gotcha

Let me know what you think when you get around to chain gang all stars (or anything else)

These s***s look fire thanks OG real for Jade City tap in our book club bro

ktt2.com/ktt2-book-club-28880

🙏🏽 say less

Heaven
Mieko Kawakami

Been getting through some shorter books this month and I decided to end it on a book that's been in my TBR for quite some time now. Heaven follows this unnamed protagonist in middle school who's being relentlessly bullied. He has a lazy eye (which impairs his vision as well). At the beginning of the novel, he starts corresponding with this girl by the name of Kojima, who is also being bullied. They only talk through letters for the first chapter but then eventually start meeting up and building a friendship. For the first half of the book, I found it sort of meandering at times aside from the bullying sequences which were extremely graphic. These weren't just some normal bullies. They were sadistic kids who reveled in the suffering of others. Then there was a moment midway through that it clicked where Kawakami was going with the story. At its core, there is a philosophical meditation pulsating through this novel that centers around themes about suffering and morality. The narrator is caught between two ideologies... 1. There is strength in the suffering that him and Kojima receive. That enduring the bullies is choice that they are choosing to opt-in on. That there will be some sort of reward or catharsis at the end of this. The second ideology is extremely nihilistic... 2. This isn't about right and wrong, this is about what you accept and choose the put up with. I found both ideologues displayed quite clearly and without obstruction or bias, leaving it to the reader to decide what is right. great book.

4/5

4 heaters in a row

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

set in 1348, this is a historical fiction horror novel that follows a disgraced knight and a mysterious young girl as they travel through France trying to avoid the black plague and monsters from another world. not usually the type of book I go for, but this was a fun read that I couldn't put down. felt like at times it just went from one action scene to another without much time to breathe, but the action scenes were well written and I was entertained throughout the novel. would definitely recommend for anybody who likes both horror and historical fiction or who enjoyed the Arya/Hound storyline from GoT

8/10

Butcher's Crossing by John Williams

novel telling the story of a Harvard dropout in the late 19th century who travels west in search of meaning. not your typical western, this story possessed the same patient and understated storytelling that Williams exhibited in Stoner and was thoughtful and well written while also maintaining a level of tension throughout. I really liked the book but do yourself a favor and avoid the movie lol

9/10

Letter from an Unknown Woman & Other Stories by Stefan Zweig

wanted to read more Zweig after enjoying Chess Story so tried this short story collection with the especially popular titular story. I enjoyed that but there was another story that I thought was even better. Zweig is quickly becoming one of my favorite discoveries this year. he writes with profound psychological understanding and elegant yet simple prose. kind of hard to describe but there's just something about his writing that really resonates with me and I'll definitely continue reading through his work

8.5/10

The City And Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

gonna drop more thoughts in the Murakami thread but if you like Murakami you'll like his latest novel. a portrayal of a man stuck between two worlds and losing sight of which one he really belongs in. nothing groundbreaking for Murakami, but just well executed and his prose is always enchanting. maybe top 3 favorite novel of his, I'd put it up there with 1Q84 for sure

9/10

Great month!

This s*** was so fire tbh! The magic system is dope. Everything is so action-packed and stylish. The was like a mafia story told with an east asian backdrop. I love the fact that it actually feels like adult fantasy. I read this so fast cause I just couldn't put it down. Can't wait to get into Jade War & Jade Legacy in December!
-------------------- 5/5 stars!

I'm so glad I ended up reading this in November because if there was ever a book that was made to be read in November, it's this one. This was really well written, and it could kind of get slow at times but I always felt like I needed to know what happened next and around page ~150 I was hooked. I also hated all the characters, which I kind of like if done right. -------------------- 4.2/5 stars!

This was probably one of the best books I've ever read. This had it all-- scifi elements, historical fiction, lit fiction, thriller. I am not a Stephen King fan so I am surprised that I loved this book so much. There is also a pretty direct tie-in with IT lol. This contained one of the greatest love stories I've ever read. At almost 900 pages obviously there will be times where the plot slows down (which is not necessarily a bad thing) but I never felt like this book ever got too slow. Can't recommend enough. -------------------- 6/5 stars!

Have you read The Remains of the day?