Review: The Run of His Life

5 stars. This is an epically-written, well-researched, carefully thought out narrative retelling of O.J. Simpson's crime, trial and aftermath. Instead of setting out to prove O.J.'s guilt (there's really no need), Toobin takes a deep dive into why he wasn't found so by the court. Beginning with the tragic murders and moving chronologically through the verdict, Toobin successfully navigates the many answers to that question: the sociological factors, including historical and regional context, the power and weirdness of fame and celebrity worship, the flaws of the justice system, the distinct and distinctly damaging personalities involved... and here we truly do have a fascinating constellation of characters caught in O.J.'s orbit.

It's true that Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman - the victims - typically aren't honored appropriately in any discussion of this crime or case. Ron Goldman, especially, is a virtually absent character in all the news stories, documentaries and trial analysis. And while Toobin could have dedicated plenty of words to Nicole and Ron's lives, rather than their deaths, that's not what this book is about. He does, to the best of his ability, emphasize the terribly sad nature of domestic violence cases, and the totally helpless last few days of Nicole's life. This is what earned the book five stars, for me. His focus? Clear - and not Nicole. But he never dims her light or diminishes her memory. He's respectful.

Beyond that, I couldn't put it down. It's essentially a sort of sociological thriller that should be required reading for lawyers, media moguls, history buffs, true crime buffs, celebrity worshippers, and more. There are twists and turns, jokes, cringeworthy mistakes, clownish characters ... it is high drama in a way only real life can be. Toobin injects a sort of mischievous charm into his words, winking at us and gasping with us when things get weird. And boy, do they.

I was a baby when all this went down, but I grew up in the 90s, and can't remember NOT knowing who O.J. Simpson was. That being said, I always knew him as a murderer. I really enjoyed getting a peek into why his downfall was so shocking and unbelievable for so many - for those who knew him as a star athlete, a golfer, a Hertz spokesperson, an only semi-talented comedic actor. I wish Toobin wrote a sequel, or an additional afterword, tracking Simpson's life after all of this. The continued legal troubles and criminal behavior, the Miami years... Toobin lent such a sharp eye to O.J.'s true character (he rightly paints him as an abusive, semi-literate, materialistic asshole), and I'd love to see him expand on that now.

Holy shit though, can we talk about the trial itself? What a perfect storm of egos and incompetencies. We know that the justice system is an imperfect system because it is a human system, and fuck, this really proves it. How can people be so smart and so dumb? So capable and so arrogant and so intelligent but so un-self-aware? How can people be so ignorant and racist and hopeful and well-intentioned? So brilliant and damaging at the same time?

Back on track: read this book. It's wonderful. It's engaging. It's educational and thrilling and heartbreaking.

The Run of His Life on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Real Lolita

3 stars. I enjoyed reading this, because I'm thirsty for all things Lolita right now. But this book has some issues.

Sarah Weinman writes here what is essentially an extended longread article connecting the kidnapping of Sally Horner to the subject of Nabokov's brilliant and controversial novel Lolita. She frames it almost as an expose - a revelation. Guess what?! She whispers, beckoning us closer: Lolita MAY have been based on a true story! And, upon not getting the reaction she wanted, continues: Nabokov MAY have covered it up! And, even further: Lolita is problematic!

I really appreciate your writing, Sarah, and your dedication to an important and fascinating subject matter. But here's the thing: this book comes across as a smug attempt to pat yourself on the back. So WHAT if Nabokov based his masterpiece on a true story, and covered it up? It's a fantastic footnote! But perhaps not a bombshell. I also think it's safe to say that many of us were not "tricked" into thinking Lolita is a love story, most who think that are not yet mature enough to comprehend the intricacies of the novel.

So perhaps it's not the approach taken here, but the tone. All that being said, the retelling of Sally Horner's story is deftly done, despite a lot of stretching. Sally Horner absolutely deserves attention, and Weinman paints a portrait of the kidnapping and investigation with vivid and appropriate contextual colors. This book overall is very readable, and very thoughtful. I enjoyed the tidbits about Navokov and his writing process. I enjoyed the strengthening of Vera's legacy.

I would recommend this for folks studying Lolita - not, honestly, true crime fans. It makes for a wonderful article and the writing really is quite good. But it doesn't come across as groundbreaking as it tries to.

The Real Lolita on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Lolita

2019 CHALLENGE: 1 YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT YET?! PER MONTH 08 / 12

5 stars. I feel like my whole life I've been hearing about what this book is - what it is, what it isn't, why it's genius, why it's criminal, why it's controversial. And now I can absolutely understand the urge to pick it apart, word for word; it certainly inspired a bit of obsession in me. I'm super unsurprised that readers and writers everywhere blindly grasp at Lolita's coattails trying to feel, at least, genius-adjacent.

So here's what Lolita is, for me: a profound, brilliantly-written profile of a rapist and his horrendous crimes. It's unlike anything I've ever read. And it's a captivating read.

[And because the world is ridiculous, I feel like I also have to spell out what Lolita isn't, for me: a tragic romance depicting forbidden love. I'm actually shocked it has been interpreted this way. Not once - not for a single sentence - did I experience any sympathy for the narrator. Not once did I consider Lolita seductive or complicit or consenting. Probably because I read this at an older age, and/or because I'm an ice cold unromantic, but also because, as we can define more easily now, there are many different types of rape, and rapists, and nonconsensual situations.]

The writing in Lolita is just so ... unexpected. The word choice. The dialogue. The completely distinct voices. It exceeded my very high expectations. I feel fulfilled. I feel like opening it up to page 1 and starting over. I feel like opening it up to a random page and dissecting a random paragraph. There are images here that will stick with me forever. I'm gushing and obnoxious and I know everyone already knows how great it is but I just loved it.

There is a thread of a fascinating theme here that I think is left unexplored sometimes: people, naturally, can't really be cleanly categorized into good and evil. There are certain extreme acts of great generosity or great harm that can put an individual in either, but for the most part, good people are quite capable of bad things, and criminals are quite capable of good things. I AM NOT EXCUSING A RAPIST, I'm trying to point out that Nabokov painted Humbert Humbert as a layered monster. Peeking into his brain is just so damn interesting. Lolita explores his inner nature ("He is horrible, he is abject, he is a shining example of moral leprosy...") with utter delight.

I think I'm going to read this again. Soon. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

Lolita on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: Zodiac

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. My reaction to this book: okay, what the actual fuck. 

Truth is stranger than fiction, indeed. 

Fans of true crime will really enjoy (?) this classic book detailing the crimes of the legendary zodiac killer, a man whose identity is still unknown. I could barely put it down despite the anxiety, discomfort and fear I felt while reading. I mean, I had nightmares. 

The story of the zodiac killer is attractive to obsessives, I think, because he exhibits so much obsession himself. The codes, the clues, the patterns, the timeline, the victims … he set out to say something, to send a message, and Robert Graysmith is committed - I mean really, really committed - to discovering the truth. There are so many different ways to examine the case: psychologically, sociologically, emotionally, medically … the murders occurred during an interesting time in American history and Graysmith could’ve easily filled the story with sweeping social observations about the end of an era (similar to the way the Manson murders ushered in the “end of the 60s”). Instead, he sticks to the cold hard facts because, well, they are fascinating. And horrible. 

Don’t read this for prose or plot or academic insight. Read this if, like me, you can’t resist staring into the face of pure evil. 

Zodiac on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Sherwood

3 stars. Annoyed. I really enjoyed Hunted but found this lacking. I knew almost immediately that I wasn't in the right mood for something that felt so incredibly YA, but I tried to give it a fair chance. Here's why it didn't work, for me:

1. I don't believe in young love, or even true love. I KNOW, I'm ice cold. But I simply cannot. Cannot. Wrap my head around the idea of two kids being in love. Infatuation? Of course! I don't mean to be rude, I'm just saying I couldn't relate. I thought I knew what love was at 16. I did not. In my experience, that's sort of true for everyone. Ah, youths.

2. I was supremely bothered by Robin's "voice" haunting Marian's mind and passing along guidance, like an amateur Obi Wan. I don't know, it just didn't feel like a mature facet of Marion's character growth. Romantic? Maybe. I recognize that this was a device that represented her grief and her growth. It just made me roll my eyes.

3. It was a little too on the nose with the gender stuff. I 100% support the message, just not the execution. My head is really sore from being beaten by that stick. Why yes, it is easier to fight the bad guys in pants. Please spell it out for me, this is groundbreaking. [Clarification: I absolutely adored the message and the underlying themes here.]

4. I love the idea of a gender-flipped Robin Hood, but didn't enjoy the specifics of the premise. Robin's ... ghost? What?

5. One of the primary antagonists was physically scarred, and his disfigurement was frequently highlighted as a feature of his villainy. So was his ambition, and intelligence. I'm not comfortable with this. I know, I know ... it turned out alright in the end. But I initially wanted to label this as problematic.

Here's the thing though (and perhaps I should've led with this) - by the end of it all, I was REALLY into it. I couldn't put it down. Marian really is such a badass and there were some seriously awesome twists and turns. The story of Robin Hood is super irresistible to begin with and I got way caught up in the fighting and the romance and the idea that symbols can inspire revolutions.

Even my cold, cold heart is positively delighted by an archery contest.

I do recommend this. I just don't think I was in the mood, to start.

Also, the ending is very abrupt.

Sherwood 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: Dare Me

4 stars. Dreamy. Smooth and silky like milk chocolate. More like dark chocolate - something with a slight bitter tingle. It doesn't remind me at all of my own adolescence; Megan Abbott painted something entirely new for me. But the slimy threads of emotion, and the extremes, are familiar. The impulses, the obsession, the rage, the fear and fascination - the knowledge that, as a young woman, you have no idea what you're doing, and you're terrified it'll show. Dare Me is all that and more.

Addy Hanlon has always been second-in-command to her BFF and captain of the cheer squad, Beth. But when a beautiful new coach arrives, enthralling and inspiring the girls, Beth feels threatened and lashes out accordingly. Addy spends the course of the novel completely ruled by her confusion as the battle unfolds; she's torn between her intense loyalty to Beth and the promise of something dangerously attractive from her coach. A bunch of vicious, dieting, female, teenage athletes? What could go wrong?

With Megan Abbott at the wheel, absolutely nothing. Her writing is so melodic, so interesting. I couldn't put it down. She does female rage so well, that's no secret, but I felt like she properly conveyed female desire here as well. Sometimes, especially as a teenage girl, you just want. You want power or control or attention or sex or revenge or more from life and you don't even know why or how but it drives you completely. I thought that was written quite well here.

And female friendships of course, ugly and beautiful and fleeting.

My girl crush on Megan Abbott (have you SEEN her Instagram feed?) only grows.

Dare Me 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: The Dry

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. You’ve heard the story a thousand times: detective with a dark past returns to his small hometown and ends up solving a murder. The usual. Oh, and don’t forget secrets. Secrets are revealed. 

This is exceptional, though. It’s a neat little thriller with strong characters and a transporting atmosphere. It’s bleak and brutal but well-balanced by the protagonist’s determined good intentions. Harper also captures an overly done setting - suffering small town - in a way that lends to the story rather than drowning it in tropes and archetypes. And beyond that, The Dry is a true page-turner - I almost wish I hadn’t correctly identified the killer before the big reveal. It’s super satisfying and intense.

I don’t know why, but I expected something amateur-ish and rambling from this book. I was truly and pleasantly surprised and am impressed with the writing as a whole. It did remind me of Sharp Objects and Into the Water and Sycamore and other similar books, but this one really crackled on its own. It was concise, well-paced, dark and fresh. I will absolutely and quite happily read on to the next book.

The Dry on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Faithful Place

4 stars. I was in the mood for something immersive, detailed and adult. Tana French always delivers. Faithful Place centers on Frank Mackey, a successful undercover detective called home when a suitcase is unearthed. The suitcase belongs to his first love, Rose Daly, who had ditched him for London twenty years ago. Thrown into his past among the people he swore to forget, Frank becomes determined to find out why Rose left without her possessions and broke his heart. Nothing is as it appears to be in this twisty mystery.

Compared to the first two books in this series, Faithful Place is the shortest, most predictable, most traditional mystery. It also threads more clearly the brisk Irishness only faintly felt in the other two. It's more focused on family, and class, and forgiveness. It's a slightly - only slightly - more believable premise. Frank is as deeply characterized as you'd expect, though much more charming and less mopey (sorry, Rob and Cassie!). It's all-around excellent.

I know this has been said every which way, but Tana French really is So Damn Good. Her colloquialisms and sharp turns are like disgustingly amazing. She somehow takes "shouldn't-investigate-but-investigates-anyway" to a whole new level. The layers of commentary about family and socioeconomic class are intricate and compelling. I feel like I learned a TON about Ireland - and about people. Seeing the world through Frank's eyes provided a unique, unforgettable reading experience.

This one is also surprisingly romantic - I suppose all of her books sparkle in a certain romantic way. I found it to be a bit melodramatic here (I don't really believe in "teen love"), and yet somehow charming. But it's also fucking brutal. It's not a feel-good book, it's just sort of darkly satisfying. And while I guessed the twist early on, I enjoyed feeling French dig her heels in with certain characters. She's smack dab on top of what makes a good novel and I ate up every word. Also, I think she may have nailed the 80's.

It's hard to make recommendations for these books, because there aren't many to compare. They're all just psychologically beautiful; quintessentially and delightfully Tana French. I want to study why they work so well.

Faithful Place on: Amazon | Goodreads