Retro Review: The Alienist

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I read this years ago and picked it up again to prepare for the miniseries. I just love it. Carr magically incorporates a ton of historical detail without bogging the story down - in fact, he elevates it. It’s incredible.

The sense of realism is, actually, its distinguishing factor for me. The authenticity is what makes this different from your run-of-the-mill historical mystery novel. It has everything typically found in crime fiction: horrific murders, exciting chase scenes, a theatrical climax ... but this does not feel like a novel written decades after the action - it feels like a novel written by someone who was actually there. 

Docked a star for melodrama and for the implausible open-mindedness of the main characters. But The Alienist is a spectacular accomplishment and a classic. Don't shy away from the length or the occasionally dry language because the story is worth your investment. It feels academic and scholarly but it's highly entertaining. I recommend for fans of New York, for fans of history, and for fans of good old-fashioned detective work.

The Alienist on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Little Stranger

4 stars. Absolutely wonderful. I can't get enough of Sarah Waters' writing, and she really nailed it with The Little Stranger. First of all, it's right up my alley: a creepy, haunted mansion tale with echoes of Rebecca and Dickens and even Jane Eyre. It's about a doctor who cares for and eventually gets to know a small, formerly wealthy family: Roderick, young soldier injured in the war, Caroline, his sister, and their mother. The family seems nice enough, and the good doctor is completely enamored with their house, Hundreds Hall (good name for a house). But then strange things start happening - unexplained noises, objects being moved, footsteps in the hall - causing each member of the family to unravel in destructive and tragic ways.

Character-wise, Waters stuns. Her protagonists often make well-intentioned but ignorant choices, and the doctor is no different: he demonstrates a very human and very complicated (and very male) lack of self-awareness. I love reading about individuals like that - I rooted for him, I rolled my eyes at him, I was compelled to stick with him until the very end. And the way she writes women (women as products, as victims, under pressure, as strong individuals, capable of great love and great harm) is out of control outstanding. Each character is distinct and charming and gorgeous on paper.

Plot-wise, The Little Stranger is dense, but I wanted more. All of her books are like that - you don't realize you're reading a pageturner because the writing is so detailed and sort of ... steady, and slow. But the heartbeat of this is absolutely addictive. Her pacing is phenomenal.

Theme-wise, insert all the heart-eyed emojis here. The "scares" are few, and very traditional, but they got me. I was sufficiently creeped out. The end gave me chills; I jumped at every noise after putting this down. The ambiguity is absolutely lovely, and left me with a delightful sense of curiosity and wonder. What exactly do we mean when we say "haunted house" ? How do we deal, emotionally, when a house changes around us, falls into disrepair, becomes a source of stress rather than comfort? When the damage creeps inward? Where does that negative energy go? Ugh, I loved it. Henry James, eat your heart out.

Docked a star, per my hard and fast rule, for a UDD (Unnecessary Dog Death). You've been warned.

The Little Stranger on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: Lincoln in the Bardo

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

5 stars. Hmmm. Interesting. Amusing. When I shut the cover I found myself saying, “....okay, Lincoln in the Bardo, if you say so.” It’s that kind of book. Creative, of course. Innovative, even. Strong in style and originality. Funny, really funny. 

I would say, though, that the whole thing felt kind of like a … graduate course exercise? Or an amateur experiment? It’s difficult to articulate my discomfort with the enormous amount of praise this book has received. 

It is certainly something new. And I must commend Saunders for shedding a new light on one of the most studied, read-about, written-about figures in history.

Okay - update - it’s been about a month since I finished this book and I can’t stop thinking about it, or raving about it to my friends. Apparently, I loved it. I think I’m attracted to the risky nature of the writing - I mean, this is a ballsy book. I’m baffled by how Saunders mixed the funny, the odd, and the painful and got such an engaging story. This whole thing is just a giant “....what? ….how?” for me. 

In a good way, I think.

Lincoln in the Bardo on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

3 stars. Well, I think I can see why people loved this so much. It's full of Stuff That People Like. Old Hollywood glamour, scandals, a peek behind the curtain, a plucky journalist, dialogue that sounds more like written word, true love, melodrama, plus complicated, sexual women, and a plot that gets wrapped up with a neat little bow.

It's about Monique, a young journalist trying to find her stride after her husband's departure. She is shocked to discover that Evelyn Hugo, screen legend, has decided to give her her life story in pursuit of an honest biography. Evelyn has been in the public eye since the 50's, and has a string of scandals to prove it. But Monique very quickly realizes that there's much more to Evelyn than her persona implies, and the two women slowly connect over the power of love, and the power of truth.

The problem is, although it's not really a problem necessarily, is that this is a book full of Stuff That People Like, which is not Stuff That Kelly Likes.

I like Old Hollywood glamour, and complicated, sexual women, and I absolutely, wholeheartedly stand by the messaging here. This is a piece of good writing. Really good writing. Taylor Jenkins Reid has articulated so many things I believe: that love is complicated, that life is short, that people aren't black or white, that divorce is sometimes a win, that forgiveness is hard but crucial.

But look, it just didn't do it for me. I dislike predictability, and true love, and neatly packaged plotlines. I completely respect the writing, but I couldn't get totally into it. It wasn't really tangy or thought-provoking enough for me. Evelyn Hugo is a fascinating character, but at times she almost seemed ... messiah-adjacent, or something.

My goodness, people have written words and words and words on this book. I really do recommend it - three stars means I liked it! I basically read it in one sitting and any "faults" I find are my own, not the author's. It just didn't hit totally home for me. Hope that's cool.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Essex Serpent

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I really, really, really enjoyed this novel. It felt like reading Dickens, with the sweeping observational statements on social issues like housing and class, except the complex characterizations didn’t make me feel like I was drowning. Perry handles excess beautifully - the extra details aren’t tedious or superfluous or grandiose. It’s the sort of language I wanted from Fates and Furies - the opposite of heavy-handed.

It’s also like Jane Austen, except Perry doesn’t critique her characters from a place of arrogance - she critiques them from a place of kindness and understanding and wisdom and forgiveness of everyone’s flaws.

I’m not sure why I docked a star, as this is a mostly glowing review. I think maybe I was a little let down by the ending. 

I’m surprised this hasn’t been studied more often from a feminist angle. Here we have several multifaceted women who are capable of great good and great harm - who are self-reflective and yet at times horribly ignorant of the consequences to their actions. This is interesting, these complicated women who reflect the women I know and love in real life. They have broken out of cookie cutter form. 

More on this: several months ago I sent my guy a link to Joan Didion’s essay “On Self-Respect.” His reaction? “I … don’t get it. Why would someone behave in a way they wouldn’t respect? Why would anyone choose to act in a way they’d regret?” I actually don't really know, but in my experience an individual can be self-aware and still make mistakes. I guess that's why I’m fascinated by Cora’s character - her insecurities and anxieties coupled with her overwhelming confidence (arrogance?) and independence.

I think perhaps my favorite aspect of this novel is Perry’s demonstration of the blurred lines between friendship and love. She explores the bond between a man and a woman - sometimes a man and more than one woman; sometimes a woman and more than one man. I won’t dive into my thoughts on monogamy in general (basically, monogamy is weird), but I will say that I really, really appreciated it when - upon hearing Will declare his shock at loving her despite living in an incredibly happy marriage - Cora simply said, hey, I’m not surprised, you can love more than one person. 

You have enough love in you for that.

Truly one of my favorites of the year.

The Essex Serpent on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Paying Guests

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I have so much praise for this book, I hardly know where to begin.

First of all, Waters has a tremendous ability to build tension and maintain suspense without being predictable. It’s a story we’ve all heard: an affair, a murder, a cover-up, a scandal, heartbreak, social constraints … and yet somehow, it reads like a smooth thriller. A thriller of the heart, or something. I realize that makes it sound like a soap opera - and maybe it’s a little pulpy, but emotionally it’s incredibly sophisticated.

I am also particularly impressed by Waters’ ability to flip the lesbian historical novel upside down. I am certainly not an expert in LGBT literature, nor can I comment from a homosexual perspective, but it was refreshing to read about a protagonist who had already “discovered” her orientation, had already experienced her first lesbian relationship, had already come to terms with her identity. We see the confusion, fear and crisis normally found in a historical (or modern) novel like this instead in her love interest, Lillian.

This is a simple story, really. It’s contained. It goes deep instead of wide, which is why I have trouble understanding the comparison to Dickens. To Rebecca, certainly, although Waters I think is a little more straightforward (no hidden undertones here!). She drives things forward without sacrificing delicious details; in fact, the details are what drew me in - the glances, the moments of incredible anxiety, the nature of a smile - Waters examines huge themes by focusing on the cracks in the wall rather than the foundational issues. And it really works.

I have almost nothing to say about the language, which is a great thing. Waters is superb. She was born to write novels like this.

This is the type of book I might have enjoyed as a teenager, the type of book that maybe/possibly/probably should be taught to young people to expand their idea of sexuality through a historical lens. But it’s also quite simply about people - good people, decent people, admirable people - who do something wrong.

The Paying Guests on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: See What I Have Done

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

3 stars. This historical fiction novel focuses on a crime we all know and love: Lizzie Borden took an ax...

In See What I Have Done, we hear directly from a confused and criminal Lizzie, her well-intentioned but misguided sister, the traumatized household maid and a nefarious stranger, flashing back and forth between the morning of the murders, the days prior and the days that followed. 

This is weird in that I can see why those who loved this loved it, and also why those who hated it hated it. Promising premise, but I could smell the tryhard fumes a mile away. Halfway through I texted my sister and said, "This is unusual, but the author is obsessed with vomit and other bodily fluids. I am 50% in and every character has vomited in great detail at least once. It's like a motif with no purpose other than gross shock." She clearly tried to channel Gillian Flynn, who is excellent at peppering in grotesque details without being gross, and WAY overshot. That ball flew off the court, out of the field, and into the great beyond. There's a lot of barf.

Still, there's something so fascinating about this crime and I couldn't look away. We all can't really look away from the mystery of the Borden murders - the violence of the crime, the oddball characters, the twists and turns of the investigation. I enjoyed the different approach here and appreciated the attempt to draw a new picture. The uniquely-written perspectives bring depth to the characters we pull from history and the voices are distinct, if not a little cartoonish (again with the gross details - must EVERYONE have bad breath? Must EVERYONE have something stuck in their teeth?).

I have to say, it's an impressive debut. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting take on this case. There is always more than one side to the story, and we encounter several here. The writing is solid, with a few really stand-out moments, and the structure is unusual in a good way. It’s cool in that there are perhaps no good guys or bad guys, just troubled, troubling humans. It’s very vivid.

Open only if you have a strong stomach. 

See What I Have Done on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Golem and the Jinni

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I would go so far as to say that certain aspects of the golem and the jinni's experiences are very relatable. We have all felt like outsiders. We have all felt frustrated with our natural inclinations or limited by our tendencies. We have all felt restless or stuck by societal constraints. We have all, at some point, lived in fear of judgment by others. Why is it so challenging, then, to apply this mutual understanding - this compassion - to people who don't look like us? Who don't talk like us? Who don't share our religious beliefs?

It's a complicated and disheartening question that's easy to pull from this seemingly quiet narrative. Helene Wecker uses the perspective of an outsider - not only a cultural outsider, but a physical one - to whisper insights about our differences and our similarities and especially our rush to judge.

Yes, the message is critical in that sense. But I was struck by the depiction of goodness in this book; the resilience of human nature and the strength of human kindness. For some reason, we are prone to reject those who are different. But some of the characters in this story demonstrate a deep consideration for others despite (because of?) their differences.

Logistically - this book ran a little long for me. It drags in the middle, as many others have pointed out here. It perhaps could have benefited from some narrative editing. But the writing is so simple and elegant it almost feels suited for a slower, luxurious pace. The author develops her characters with tender loving care and dedicates space to illustrate their thoughtful layers.

Along those lines, the author, in my opinion, successfully demonstrates female complexity - especially when it comes to sexuality. We have several characters here that serve as willing, enthusiastic participants in sexual activity. No bewitched, confused victims here. There's ignorance maybe, or a disregard for consequences, but these women experience sexual pleasure and in some cases even initiate it. More of that, please.

I am neither Jewish nor Arabic, so forgive my error if I observe incorrectly here: the author seems to depict these cultures lovingly, carefully, and (unlike her obvious encouragement of tolerance and open-mindedness) without agenda. The customs and beliefs and traditions portrayed aren't labeled as right or wrong - they are simply vehicles for comfort, familiarity and perhaps true magic. I don't know if it is pro-religion, per say, but it certainly isn't anti. It's just part of the story.

I felt this book as a woman, and as an American.

The Golem and the Jinni on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Witches of New York

4 stars. In this charming and fiercely feminist story, three witches unite in 1880 New York: seventeen-year-old Beatrice (a talented young lady looking for magic and a new life in the big city), Eleanor St. Clair (a thirty-something owner of a useful shop called Tea and Sympathy - would like to go there, thanks!), and Adelaide Thom (a courageous young woman living with scars both visible and unseen). All three find companionship, support and magic by leaning on one another to fight traditional expectations, societal constraints and supernatural threats. There’s a surly talking raven, a Civil War vet, a Bird Lady, a Giant Obelisk, a villainous preacher and a couple of colorful ghosts ("Just as a child learns reading, writing, and arithmetic, the dead had to tackle their three Rs as well: revenge, regret, and reconciliation.") plus demons. It’s quite a crowd.

McKay's tone is matter-of-fact and humorous, but there's an undercurrent of anger, causing The Witches of New York to feel light and heavy at the same time. It tries to be fun and deep. The danger never seems real and we completely expect a happy ending, but it tackles such important, weighty subjects: the strength, courage and fortitude of women, the power of friendship, the complicated and wonderfully imperfect nature of being female, the struggle of being female, the struggle to push against the patriarchy when it pushes back twice as hard. It's lovely, really, and sends an important message.

It's not flawless. There are a lot of characters here - fleshed out characters with agency, to McKay's credit - but it almost feels Dickension (not in a good way). It was a little hard for me to keep track of; a little too expansive for its own good. Perhaps McKay was trying to emulate Jonathan Norrell and Mr. Strange? A lot of it just seemed unnecessary. I love stories with layers, but this one had too many. I also question the romantic subplot(s) - ladies, you don’t need a man/significant other to live fulfilling lives!

And there's a very, very, very apparent lack of diversity. This is about female empowerment - as it turns out, white female empowerment. I would've been very interested and very happy to read any included diverse voices, and I think, considering the time and place of this book's setting, they would've added a lot. Overlooking these voices is counter to the aforementioned message. 

Despite these weaknesses, The Witches of New York is strong. It made me smile. It's very well-researched and the details are absolutely charming, which reminded me somewhat of The Alienist (only the tidbits about New York! That book is not for the faint of heart!). I really rooted for our heroines and appreciated such an intense (if not well-rounded) exploration of female identity. I’ve never read Practical Magic, but I’ve seen the movie, and can guess that it has similar vibes. I found myself wanting to bookmark the tea recipes and try the little magic tricks for warding off evil. Ami McKay is an excellent and sophisticated writer and it shows. I wanted something soothing and quiet, and this delivered, with a lot of meaning tucked in its pages. 

The Witches of New York on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Perfume

3 stars. I have this thing that I would probably describe as perfect music memory: if you play for me a song I've heard before, I can tell you when I heard it last, even if it was 20 years ago, and where I was when I heard it, down to the very last detail. Trust me, I'm of average intelligence, and it's basically just a useless party trick, but that part of my brain is, I guess, extra cool.

This book is about a man whose nose is, apparently, also extra cool. Perfume tells the story of Jean-Baptise Grenouille, a young man in eighteenth century France with a perfect sense of smell. He is able to identify, analyze, dissect and produce even the faintest aroma, and his skill lends itself to an obsession - a drive to capture and cultivate an ultimate perfume made from the scent of beautiful young virgins.

Grenouille is a psychopath - which adds a compelling layer to the character study. His entire existence is driven by scent. The premise itself is wonderfully challenging and the writing - as in, the way the author stitches together his words - is lyrical and lovely. But my eyes glazed over many, many times. I should've eaten this up, but it took me a bit long, primarily because, I think, there is literally no one to root for in this book. I'm all for an anti-hero, but this sort of feels, occasionally, like a writing exercise the author did to prove he could write abhorrent characters. And he succeeds, mostly:

Grenouille broke out in a different jubilation, a black jubilation, a wicked feeling of triumph that set him quivering and excited him like an attack of lechery, and he had trouble keeping from spurting it like venom and spleen over all these people and screaming exultantly in their faces: that he was not afraid of them; that he hardly hated them anymore; but that his contempt for them was profound and total, because they were so dumb they stank; because they could be deceived by him, let themselves be deceived; because they were nothing, and he was everything!

But it's detrimental to Perfume's overall success as an engaging novel. It can apparently be quite boring, venturing into the mind of one male selfish bastard after another. And it gets weird, too, and not in an interesting, fascinating way - in a kind of uncomfortable, this-author-is-jerking-off-to-himself, sort of way (I'm pointing in particular to the middle of the book, when things dragged and rambled a bit).

Ultimately, though, I sincerely enjoyed the exploration of scent, maybe only because I'm a huge nerd about sensory triggers and the way our senses impact and interact with our brain waves. Pheromones and all that: 

For people could close their eyes to greatness, to horrors, to beauty, and their ears to melodies or deceiving words. But they could not escape scent. For scent was a brother of breath. Together with breath it entered human beings, who could not defend themselves against it, not if they wanted to live. And scent entered into their very core, went directly to their hearts, and decided for good and all between affection and contempt, disgust and lust, love and hate. He who ruled scent ruled the hearts of men.

And then, that ending. Brilliant! I loved it. An astonishing and perfect conclusion. Enough to bring this up from 2 stars to 3 - I really, really liked it. Read this if you're in the mood for something luscious and unique. I think of it sort of as a Rembrandt - an intelligent, eye-catching, stimulating portrait painted with dark, moody colors. There are components of this (the premise, the writing, the ending) that are truly memorable and great.

Perfume on: Amazon | Goodreads