Review: Daisy Jones & The Six

3 stars. Crap. I really wanted to like this one. I admire the premise and respect the author, but this just felt like a big ol' bowl of bland mush to me. 

This book takes the form of an "oral narrative," essentially a collection of related quotes from various players that tell the story. In this case, the "author" has "interviewed" the members of a famous fictional classic rock band from the 70s: Daisy Jones & The Six. We as readers hear firsthand about the formation of the band and its (this is not a spoiler) ultimate demise. 

Under the umbrella of an obvious Fleetwood Mac retelling, there are some really serious and interesting themes explored: the power and intimacy of performance, the pain and emotion of hearing or writing music, the heartbreaking challenge of addiction, the intensity of unrequited love, etc. I enjoyed the author's ability to write succinctly and with style about all of this. I also appreciated the representation of a female character who wanted to take an "untraditional" path in her life. 

I mean some of the passages about music hitting right and about clocking the person you’re attracted to and about the pressure of having to make sacrifices and Big Choices and stuff like that! So good.

However, like I said, it was bland, to me. It needed more pepper. I think this is a personal thing, but I desperately just wanted Billy and Daisy to communicate directly. I know firsthand how the line between hate and love can get blurry, but it's a pet peeve when so much can be solved and worked through with basic communication. And I GET IT - the point was that they communicated with their music. It just personally bugged me.

It also didn't seem very realistic in its depiction of three things: hardcore substance use disorder, creative differences in a famous band, and true love. The drug use is talked about seriously but I never felt like it was horrifying or a real threat to any of the characters. The clash of personalities in the band and musical jealousies were solved way too quickly. And the loyalty and trust of Billy's wife was WAY over the top angelic. What an obnoxious saint.

And, of course, as with her other books, the author wrapped this up in a neat little bow. Too neat. Ugh, I don't know, am I being too harsh? I couldn't put it down, that's for sure! And I did really love the way music was used and described and explored. My mind just really wasn't blown. On to the next. 

Daisy Jones & The Six on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Last Kingdom

2019 CHALLENGE: 1 RE-READ PER MONTH 11 / 12

5 stars. I'm taking some time off from work to travel, and my latest trip was to Denmark. Boy, is that place very epic and very awesome. Copenhagen was cozy AF; they really embrace the hygge there. It got me thinking about one of my favorite books, The Last Kingdom, which features some wonderfully savage viking Danes. And because in the winter time all I want to read is old school stuff about food halls and clanging swords, I thought it'd be perfect for my reading challenge.

This time, as opposed to the first time I read it (and the first time I watched the adaptation series), I really got this. It's about a man named Uhtred, a young English nobleman kidnapped and raised quite happily by the Danish warriors raiding his homeland. Throughout the story, the Danes successfully invade three of England's four kingdoms and are left facing Wessex, ruled by the pious King Alfred. Uhtred, with English blood and Danish loyalties, is caught in the middle.

It's the type of book that begs to be read aloud by a crackling fire under a cozy blanket, with a cup of ale or mulled wine in your hand, maybe with a plate of bread and cheese. Uhtred tells his story with incredible clarity and breathtaking action - the battle sequences are among the best I've ever read. This is perhaps cliche, but you will feel as though you are there. It feels so real.

History basically blows my mind, so I loved the level of detail as well. I learned so much about life back then - the little things, like basic traditions and habits of daily life - and the big things, like how people considered power and religion and family and identity. It is cinematic and sweeping with a lot of (excellent) characters yet Uhtred allows us a focused gaze, which is helpful. 

I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on religion. The clash of the two religions (England's Christianity and Danish paganism) is paid a great deal of attention, and I found the conflict, despite knowing its deep and profound significance, kind of amusing. The scene (I'm being intentionally vague here) involving Saint Sebastian and the arrows is one of the best scenes of literature I've ever encountered. Entertaining, brutal, and funny.

Keep in mind that, as other readers have mentioned, The Last Kingdom employs a writing style that may not appeal to everyone. It's brittle, it's detail-heavy, and it almost appears at first glance emotionless. This worked for me, but I'm sure it was boring for others. I'm just really attracted to that sort of smooth, cut-and-dry, concise, unapologetic writing and find it cleanly captivating.

I have this weird thing where I start series and never finish them, so one of my challenges next year will be to fix that. I'M STARTING HERE. I really love this book.

The Last Kingdom on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Name of the Rose

2019 CHALLENGE: 1 YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT YET?! PER MONTH 09 / 12

5 stars. I'm reminded of a quote from the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, of all things: "who is God, who is man? How many have been murdered over this question?"

[I am NOT comparing the two - they exist on different planets. Maybe in the same galaxy, though.]

The Name of the Rose is not an easy read. I might actually suggest a perusal of the Wikipedia page upon finishing just to tighten any loose knots. I had no trouble comprehending the basics, but the details - and in some cases the dialogue - were difficult to grasp. I have no shame in admitting I needed a dictionary! The details are really what makes this incredible, though.

As soon as William of Baskerville, a Franciscan friar, and his novice Adso arrive at a Benedictine abbey in Italy, they are greeted with trouble. A monk has been found dead under mysterious circumstances, and the abbot asks William to investigate. Through Adso's eyes we watch the mystery deepen and the bodies pile up.

This is not your typical cut-and-dry crime novel, though. William, an obvious Sherlock Holmes type, soon discovers that his basic investigation will have a broader and more complicated impact than he could ever imagine. And the more he pulls on threads, the higher the stakes climb.

I'm not a religious person, but I am deeply interested in religion. After all, it inspires so much good, and so much evil, and I so totally understand the power and the comfort of its rituals. I truly enjoyed Eco's wordy explorations of holy motivations and sin and religious priorities and heresy and belief. He ardently admires and carefully exposes the church with stunning dexterity and poise. The arguments, and the what-ifs, are fascinating.

Don’t worry, there's "cool stuff" here too: a literal library labyrinth, brutal murders, intense courtroom drama, sex, poison, and more. Despite being so challenging, I would describe this as a pageturner - I couldn't wait to pick it back up when I put it down.

But it's certainly not for everyone and it's certainly not a beach read. This is for those in a contemplative, studious mood. There are passages that are, quite honestly, Extra AF. I, Kelly, give you permission to skim these (as well as the Latin), because NOBODY WILL DIE and your reading experience won't suffer. I learned this reading Henry James - stop trying so hard, let the words wash over you, and ride the wave to the end.

The Name of the Rose on: Amazon | Goodreads

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