“In the ninth century BC, one woman ruled an empire stretching from the Mediterranean coast in Syria to present-day western Iran. Her name was Sammura
“In the ninth century BC, one woman ruled an empire stretching from the Mediterranean coast in Syria to present-day western Iran. Her name was Sammuramat, meaning ‘high heaven.’ The Greeks called her Semiramis. Sammuramat is the only Assyrian woman who succeeded in imposing her personality on history.”
Costanza Casati’s choices of Semiramis and Clytemnestra as heroines for her novels tells me all I need to know about her - brilliant researcher, champion of women, and overall literary badass!
Casati’s newest novel, Babylonia, and her acclaimed work, Clytemnestra, are told from a woman’s perspective - all-encompassing, inclusive of emotion, logic, strategy, rage, and passion. They feel their destiny in their bones and their intuition is a keen, blazing guide in all they do.
Casati’s storytelling always has me rapt. I find myself enamored with her heroines, their depth, fierce resoluteness and self-confidence, and the ability to love even with lives steeped in suffering. She weaves historical detail with emotional depth making her characters come to life and creating a vivid sense of the time.
Semiramis, the legend and the ruler, is made so real in Babylonia, that I felt her power with me as I read. She was written as a woman with the ability to love without being tied to another’s will or waste, loyal yet unwilling to betray herself. She sees, feels, and harnesses everything to her benefit but not without honor. We see everything from the heart of Semiramis - her destiny is the thread that ties everyone together.
The feel and flow of Babylonia, and the magnificently imagined Semiramis, is clearly informed by copious amounts of research. Each character we meet feels whole and real. Every piece of this tale is vividly believable and unromanticized, the horror of battle coloring every person and place, with superstition and fear of death forming the core of their everyday lives.
Casati weaves ancient texts and her own poetry into the narrative directing us to see how myth fed people’s perceptions and drives. She shares insights that illuminate the characters' longings and tell truths about human nature throughout time. The questions posed in the story tell us of the myths that shaped not only that time but ours too. I am left understanding that we are not so different from ancient people in our existential yearnings.
“To humans, everything seems indelible, permanent. What would we do, she wonders, if we knew that our actions don’t count, that everything keeps shifting and changing no matter our will? How would we act?”
If you loved Clytemnestra for its fierce heroine and complex portrayal of power and women’s roles in legend and history, you'll find yourself equally captivated by Babylonia. Both books show Casati's gift for bringing ancient heroines to life in all their complicated glory, but where Clytemnestra focused on personal vengeance, Babylonia shows us how one extraordinary woman shaped an empire while remaining true to herself.
I absolutely recommend this book to lovers of Greek and Roman mythology retellings, fans of dark academia, and anyone who appreciates beautiful, descriptive writing that brings the ancient world to life....more
I highlighted at least a quarter of this book. Rivers Solomon is an absolute genius.
I’m finding it difficult to put into words what Model Home is aboI highlighted at least a quarter of this book. Rivers Solomon is an absolute genius.
I’m finding it difficult to put into words what Model Home is about. One could say trauma, racism, family, the complexity of life as a human animal. It’s all those things, and the fact that much of it sounds like poetry to my ears, even the terrible parts, makes it so much more true. Solomon’s absolute honesty, awareness, and deft storytelling abilities took me on a ride that was both therapeutic and searing.
Every piece of this story was tied to each other, a perfect portrayal of real life - no matter how we try to compartmentalize it. The way the brutality of racism, the dehumanization it requires, and the complete selfishness and madness of it are reflected in every traumatic act and consequence throughout the novel. I was gripped by Solomon’s ability to express the pain ever-present in the world around us, and in ourselves. Our connection to one another, through emotion, belief, and circumstance, shapes our worlds inside and out. It can sometimes overwhelm us or blind us to our true selves. They also show us the amazing resilience of our inner flames in the face of total, personal obliteration, the fact of the emotional absence of many of our fathers, and the undeniable power of Mother.
Every time I review my highlights from Model Home, I see and feel something new. If you enjoy the writings of Rivers Solomon, I would also suggest Siren Queen by Nghi Vo. They are both skilled with metaphors and meaning, lace their words with both beauty and sorrow, and create queer characters that are whole and complex. ...more
I started reading this at 7PM and finished it at 3AM the next morning. Thankful for Kindle dark mode with books like these. It felt like I was an inviI started reading this at 7PM and finished it at 3AM the next morning. Thankful for Kindle dark mode with books like these. It felt like I was an invisible companion on Antonio’s journey, thirsting with him in the arid desert for justice and vengeance.
I’ve never been a fan of Westerns, but from the perspective of an infamous Mexican bandido with a half-golden heart, I was rapt. This tale has the perfect mix of historical detail, gorgeous prose, vivid imagery, and just enough magical realism to deepen the dual timelines and encourage existential questioning.
As an exploration of human nature, The Bullet Swallower is unflinching in exposing the dualities that exist in every person and everything. Some questions I found posed by this novel include: Is it possible to overcome burdensome ancestral legacies? Whose responsibility is it to end these so-called curses? Do good or bad really exist, or do we walk in a sea of gray? And as Antonio learned in his adventures, one can never guess where allies will come from or what they’ll look like.
I definitely recommend The Bullet Swallower if you’re a fan of magical realism, historical fiction, Westerns, and don’t take issue with the complexities that come with dual timelines and the mysteries of multi-verse. This was a fun ride that left me checking my boots for sand. ...more
Blackouts by Justin Torres is achingly gorgeous. It's hard to believe it's written as fiction when the characters and details are so vivid and true. HBlackouts by Justin Torres is achingly gorgeous. It's hard to believe it's written as fiction when the characters and details are so vivid and true. Historical references are woven together with poetic imagery, the entire range of human emotion is represented through intimate exchanges, childhood memories, and the raw, human experiences of suffering, survival, and making sense of it all.
I felt as though I was zooming in and out, micro and macro, seeing the human experience on the individual and societal levels. The beauty of the author's words made the journey seem gentle and flowing, reflective and insightful, even when the details of the story were harsh or oppressive. Through tales of people studied for the Sex Variants book and glimpses into the lives our our main characters, we see how connected we are as individuals to the whole, how our identities and beliefs about ourselves are shaped by these collective understandings that are so often based on bias, ignorance, and fear.
I'm really left in awe. Books like these make me feel so grateful for the author and their gifts. I will be reading this one again, soon. ...more
Young Queens by Leah Redmond Chang is a fascinating and beautifully braided story of the lives of three queens “as complex and flawed human beings, thYoung Queens by Leah Redmond Chang is a fascinating and beautifully braided story of the lives of three queens “as complex and flawed human beings, their potential co-existing alongside their faults and frailties.”
“Young Queens follows the interlaced lives of Catherine, Elisabeth and Mary over the course of two decades. Telling their stories as one reveals patterns about women and power that we may miss or discount when assessing any of them in isolation.”
I chose this book as my most recent read due to my interest in verifying the accuracy of some of my favorite TV series and films like Reign (2013–2017), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), and The Serpent Queen (2022). After reading Young Queens, all of these works will require a rewatch.
This book is so fascinating and fun (if you're a history nerd like me)! I found it every bit as delightful as the elaborate films and series! It’s not easy to write nonfiction that includes well chosen details and paints such a rich picture of history but is also thoroughly entertaining with gorgeous prose and flow. This book, a glass of wine, and a hammock in my backyard made for the perfect summer reading experience.
Whatever aspect of these queens lives is of most intrigue and interest for you personally, it’s in this book. From the perils of travel via carriage to new lands, the complicated issue of trust amongst royals, the gross ignorance of the times of the human body and its functions, the author deftly sorts through details large and small and presents a captivating look at these brave and bold young queens from all angles.
I found it interesting how mental health wasn’t even considered in the 1500s. The behaviors and emotional issues that would have been the result of oppressive patriarchy and the trauma of bodies and lives being currency with very little daily autonomy would be so great, but were often written off as laziness, bad habits, or a symptoms of a physical ailment.
One example of this is an observation of Elizabeth, at age 14, after her marriage to the 34 year old King Phillip, “There were other signs of disorder, hints that Elisabeth’s daily habits were less than healthful. Sometimes Catherine found Elisabeth self-indulgent, ready to ‘take to her bed as soon as she felt the least bit ill’. She neglected to exercise. She had a particular fondness for meat and a bad habit of snacking too much, which Catherine believed brought on the dreaded vomiting. Others in Elisabeth’s circle also noticed these bad habits.”
With limited tools and knowledge, people relied heavily on folk medicine and religion for support. “In the sixteenth century, people believed in the four humours, the medical doctrine preaching that the health of a person depended on the proper balance of four liquids coursing through the body: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. A mild predominance of any one liquid determined temperament. A person dominated by blood, for example, might be ‘sanguine’ or cheerful. A person tending towards bile might anger easily. A more severe disequilibrium among the humours, however, was the basis of disease.”
What a trip reading Young Queens! I am in awe of the author. I imagined her in libraries, pouring over letters and texts, fully immersed into the lives of these women. This is truly one of my favorite nonfiction reads in a long time. I would definitely recommend to fans of historical nonfiction, Catherine de' Medici (my favorite), Mary Queens of Scots, and Elizabeth of Valois! My favorite genre is generally fantasy, and this world of queens and kings truly satisfies that craving too. ...more
Paranormal mystery, crime drama, and YA best friend story all in one - heck yes!
As always, Melissa Albert gives us interesting, powerful, young womenParanormal mystery, crime drama, and YA best friend story all in one - heck yes!
As always, Melissa Albert gives us interesting, powerful, young women with complex backgrounds who face unusual, paranormal nemeses. Albert doesn’t try to instill bland moral lessons with her stories, she explores her characters evolving identities with refreshing authenticity.
This was a fast-paced read that didn’t take much time to get to the action. It contained many of the themes Albert’s other novels include, and that’s part of what I love so much about her books. She’s a master of describing dream worlds and bringing urban myths and classic fairy tales to life with dark, suspenseful vibes.
The Bad Ones left me with many questions about the technicalities of how, why, and what next in this story. I wonder if a sequel is in the plans? I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled! I can't wait for one or more of her books to become a movie/TV series.
I really enjoyed reading this (as I have every single one of her books). I kept thinking about it for weeks after I finished. I recommend this to Melissa Albert’s devoted fans and YA witches who need to spark a fresh reading streak. ...more
What a lovely story! I found this a relaxing, easy read that I was eager to return to and felt satisfied when finished. One might call it the perfect What a lovely story! I found this a relaxing, easy read that I was eager to return to and felt satisfied when finished. One might call it the perfect “beach read.”
Charming characters who all have some healing to do with ghosts from their past before they can get closure and open up to new experiences and a deeper understanding of their identities in the present.
No one is perfect, but everyone is loveable, almost everyone, in this light supernatural, magical realism read about an island and its inhabitants. The romance is just enough, the friendships are everything, and the mystery and anticipation had me cheering on Zoey and her crew.
This book found me after a string of reads that just weren’t doing it for me. It was a welcome retreat, and I’d recommend it for anyone who wants warm-hearted characters who are a little socially awkward but unfold with the gentle prodding of one daringly authentic protagonist with a knack for seeing into the heart of people. ...more
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young is an atmospheric tale of an island and the core families that have a lifelong bond with the land. It’s a taleSpells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young is an atmospheric tale of an island and the core families that have a lifelong bond with the land. It’s a tale of magic, romance, mystery, legacy, and murder set on a small island in the state of Washington.
The descriptions of Saiorse island were detailed and haunting, full of mystery and the potential for drama. I could feel the slow pace and secretive nature of life on the island.
I loved the way the chapters went from the present moment to the past, giving us a nice reveal of certain information. Reading chapters from different characters’ perspectives worked well in weaving the most important people into the story. The framework of the story was solid, but I felt it needed more character development, more show less tell, more magic, and more at stake.
The island is a character in itself, but I don’t know its motivations. Does it have a symbiotic or parasitic relationship with the people? I have so many questions about this aspect of the story, but they’d be spoilers. It felt like a major part of the novel was missing and I didn’t know how to feel about the main themes or the characters without knowing more about the island itself.
I didn't fully know many of the characters' motivations and found it difficult to feel for them because their actions didn’t always make sense. One example, the person on the island who was the main antagonist wasn’t creepy, intimidating, or conniving enough in action. We’re told they are, but not really shown it. I needed that character to be more dynamic for a core piece of the plot to come together. I couldn’t really picture what any of the characters looked like completely, nor did they have very complex personalities. I didn’t feel emotionally connected to them. The main romance felt lacking in emotion to me. It was stated strong emotions were felt by the characters, but I need to feel it when reading. This is an early copy of the novel, so if these things are further developed, I could see myself absolutely loving this book.
I was expecting a lot more magic and much sooner. I didn’t truly become interested in the story until 30% into the book. The storyline I was most drawn into let me down in the end with a conclusion that felt abrupt and unsatisfying.
Overall, I did enjoy this book because the prose is lovely and the plot has so much potential. I would definitely pick up a sequel if there were to be one. The setting and the magic of the island were my favorite aspects. If the characters were more developed, the story’s momentum picked up sooner, more magic was included, and we were shown instead of told a number of the details, I think I’d be swept away by this dark, romantic tale.
I would recommend this book. I found it a quick, enjoyable read, and I love the author. I would read anything by her and find it entertaining. I think Adrienne has a solid fanbase and all of her current fans would enjoy reading this....more
At first, I rated this book a three, but after letting my review marinate and re-reading sections of the novel, its brilliance really deserves a four.At first, I rated this book a three, but after letting my review marinate and re-reading sections of the novel, its brilliance really deserves a four. This book really is magnificent in many ways. The prose is gorgeous, real-life effects of trauma are woven into classic fairy tale architecture making the story inescapably disturbing. Grimm’s fairy tales always made me want to hide under the covers as a child, but Ava Reid gave new life to those dark themes making them more present, real, and emotionally compelling, but at times just too much to bear.
When I started reading the book, I was immediately pulled in by its elegance and poignance, intrigued by the story, captivated by the magic and monsters, but the intensity of the abuse at Marlinchen’s home, and one particular scene which I will never read again, made all of the things I loved about the book slip into the background. I felt betrayed in a sense.
One scene, one character, made me originally give this book a lower rating. I didn’t expect such a scene in a fantasy/fairy tale novel, no matter how dark. When I read it, I felt myself go numb. I was reading in bed and woke my husband up to tell him what I read so I could process it. I put the book down for several weeks. While there is a trigger warning here on Goodreads, I didn’t see it until after reading the book. The scene and the character could be removed entirely and the book would not be less for it in any way, and I would have been free to entirely cherish this skillful interpretation of The Juniper Tree.
After a few weeks of letting the book sit, and with apprehension, I returned to the story so I could finish and review it. I was again taken into this world and wrapped up in its dark, painful, and achingly beautiful tale. I found myself invested in every character (all but one, as mentioned above), even the monsters.
Trauma is the backbone of this story. It ties all of the characters together. Even the main romantic relationship seems to be a trauma bond built on the need to escape and to find belonging. I find this interesting because it’s something classic Grimm fairy tales didn’t flesh out. They were dark and disturbing, but Juniper & Thorn takes this to the next level by showing the symptoms and consequences of trauma in the characters’ lives. I can only imagine writing this novel was both cathartic and emotionally exhausting.
If one scene were removed, I would recommend this book to those who love very dark fairy tales and witchy fantasy, main characters who unfold and discover themselves before your eyes, and rich prose that pulls you through each page to the next. As it is though, I found the novel to be too triggering to recommend widely. I don’t regret reading it, but I do regret not checking Goodreads prior for the trigger warning....more
“What happens when somebody tells a story that has real people in it? What happens to the story; what happens to the teller; what happens to the peopl“What happens when somebody tells a story that has real people in it? What happens to the story; what happens to the teller; what happens to the people?”
Devil House by John Darnielle is part crime novel, part novel about a writer, writing. The main character, Gage Chandler, narrates most of the chapters. We hear the stories of his most successful book, The White Witch, and his current book, Devil House, and some of my favorite bits are the chapters that discuss his writing style and methods.
“I try to honor the dead in my books. It’s one of the things, I hope, that sets me apart a little from my partners in true crime. When I read what others write about places where the unthinkable became real, the focus always seems off to me. Victims spend their entire time in the spotlight just waiting for the fatal blow, on a conveyer belt that leads to the guillotine: I pity their fates, but it’s hard to grieve for them, because the treadmill on which they ran feels specifically designed to kill them.”
The undercurrent running through this book is about the act of creating a story and honoring the subjects. How can we do that and create a story people want to read? How can story possibly convey a version of truth reverent of all the people involved?
Perspective and place color any story, making the deeper truths, beyond objective statements of fact, mirage-like. Every person can be seen in a million different ways through a million different eyes. So what is the truth we tell? Is anyone truly interested, or are their curiosities really expectations?
The character Seth explains this conundrum well, “‘They didn’t see me, and you don’t see me, and nobody’s ever going to see me except the people who actually know me outside of that whole story,’ he concludes - there’s no rancor in his voice, no anger. He’s just laying out the facts on the ground for me, making his case. ‘Unless you were actually inside, any story you end up telling will be some distortion.’”
All of Darnielle’s characters have depth and complexity, and I love when authors include gifted characters. Seth is noted as having a fantastic memory, vivid imagination, issues with focusing when something isn’t interesting to him but he has laser focus with his passion projects. He’s entrepreneurial and prefers small intimate conversations with one other person to crowds which can feel overwhelming. Gage Chandler says, “I get the feeling that there is no point in trying to hide things from Seth, who reads moments accurately while they’re still developing.”
While I found the writing to be spectacular, there were a number of repetitive details. Derrick getting ready for college, for example, seemed a detail I heard so much about, many pages devoted to his background that could have made their point much more quickly. “Enough with his college applications,” was one of my notes mid-way through the book. My larger curiosity kept me interested despite the many detours and sometimes draining detail.
I sense the writer had a deeper purpose in all of his choices, one that maybe even mirrored the internal experience of Gage Chandler, yet I found myself frustrated a number of times, wanting to get back to the really good stuff. There was an entire chapter that seemed completely unrelated to the story other than to link the truths of the children in Devil House to classic archetypes and mythologies (another version of their personal truths that would not be told in any crime novel, except Darnielle's). As I write this, I might be changing my stance on this chapter.
I expected this to be a horror story going into it, and while there were components of the crimes that were grotesque, it was not a horror novel.
“Even when we don’t find ourselves doing something wild, we sort out several selves along the line as we’re becoming the people we will be. It’s a constant, half-conscious process.”
This quote is talking about the character Angela, but I feel this applies to Chandler. He is half-consciously communicating with several layers of his Self while writing this book, integrating his experience. This is my favorite aspect of Devil House. It’s not just telling you the surface stories, it’s leading you through a half-conscious journey of growth and connections, which is in part possible due to the method in which the story is told. Really fascinating.
I would recommend this book. It was dense and not something to be devoured in one or two evenings, but it was so well-written and had layers of depth that kept me reflecting on human nature, story, and my own expectations while reading.
I think other writers, or wannabe writers, would enjoy this read, people who enjoy true crime or historical fiction, and philosophers who love a read about human nature....more
This is my first time reading anything by Melissa Febos, and now I’ve vowed to become a Febos completist!
Body Work by Melissa Febos offers creative nThis is my first time reading anything by Melissa Febos, and now I’ve vowed to become a Febos completist!
Body Work by Melissa Febos offers creative nonfiction essays about the vital importance of writing about trauma in a society that shames people into silence and the transformative internal work that goes along with reclaiming your story. We delve into how to write honestly about sex, how the process can make us more aware of the difference between internalized misogyny and our own truest desires, how to write about other people without destroying them or ourselves in the process, and some of the deeply spiritual aspects of writing.
While reading this book, I was also taking an online course in creative nonfiction. As a newbie, I felt frozen, staring at the blank page, questioning whether I could really write about trauma. I wanted to write about sex, queer sex, dissociation, growing up an unusually precocious and sensitive child, the pervasiveness of patriarchal oppression, and I needed to make it compelling and honest and to “excavate events for which I had been numb on the first go-around.” I saw myself in Febos, and seeing her thrive and heal and do so through writing gave me a framework to visualize what I want in my own creative life. Body Work found me at the exact moment I needed it most.
One of my favorite essays in Body Work is A Big Shitty Party: Six Parables of Writing About Other People. I feel relieved to have read this essay before publishing anything of note! Febos shared her own mistakes, regrets, and shifts in perspective with such insight that my own immaturity as a writer felt impossible to ignore. I had ideas for essays that had long been brewing that weren’t necessarily cruel nor untrue, but they could sting someone. Febos reminded me, “There are good essays that there are good reasons not to write,” but also, “…a difference in individual truths is not always a conflict. So long as we don’t try to speak for each other, there is room in our house for more than one story.”
I’m always looking for books that illuminate the experience of gifted children (a term that’s not always appealing, and yet we don’t have any other highly recognizable terms for intellectually advanced kids and adults), as these children tend to have difficulty seeing themselves reflected in the world. She describes her heightened perceptivity, openness to spiritual experience, early advanced reading and writing abilities:
“I wanted to be a writer very young because writer was the only role I could see myself occupying in society, the only one that might hold everything that I was: queer, overly emotional, burdensomely perceptive, reluctant to do any kind of work whose purpose was opaque to me, ravenous in ways that made me an outlier. It was an occupation that seemed to offer respite and relief, but also was connected to the sublime—it offered the gift of self-forgetting, a transcendence on the other side of which lay insight. I did not think to compare this with any description of religious experience, because I had not read any. Now, it seems obvious.”
My copy of Body Work is so laden with highlights, it’s impossible to pick out the most profound or exciting quotes. I felt magnetically drawn into the writing world of Febos with each essay. This book is like a course in itself, and I’m sure I’ll read it dozens of times over the next few years both to learn and measure my learning and just to hear the voice of someone who actually gets it…someone who has done the work, knows the work never ends, and sees transformation and art as necessary to one another.
I recommend this book to writers of all experience levels, and to anyone who has ever considered telling their own story through memoir. If you consider yourself an intersectional feminist, queer, contemplative, and literary, this book is a dreamscape of inspiration.
I just started reading this book for the second time and have already found new understandings of the story! Nghi Vo is fantastic! She's masterful at I just started reading this book for the second time and have already found new understandings of the story! Nghi Vo is fantastic! She's masterful at creating unconventional, complex, magical worlds without overexplaining the mechanics. She teaches us her magic by immersion into beautiful yet ominous realities.
Dark magic is the life force that propels Hollywood’s elite to stardom in Siren Queen by Nghi Vo. Those willing to sacrifice whatever is asked get a chance to burn so brightly they become almost untouchable, immortal in more ways than one. These silver screen stars to be are willing to trade their mortality, and often their freedom, to mysterious forces so that they may rise above their own mundane humanity and the confines society has prescribed them.
Some of my favorite aspects of this novel were the Friday night fires and The Hunt, the world-building, the powerful protagonist, and the LGBTQ+ themes and characters. The magical world built is intricate but not tedious. There are worlds within worlds, subcultures, and secrets. The sex scenes are so well done I found myself gripping my Kindle a bit more intensely.
I felt as though I was an invisible companion standing right next to the protagonist, Luli Wei (her acting name) throughout the book. Her power and ambition, curiosity and passion were tangible. I felt how bright her star was burning before we knew who/what she would become.
“You’d rather be proud than happy,” Tara said, squeezing my hand. When I looked slightly offended at her words, she reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “It’s part of you. I don’t think you would fight it if you could.”
Luli wanted to ascend, to leave behind what was forced upon her and live a life of her own choice, no matter how fraught with danger. She forged loyal connections with people who had an unusual spark and natural talent and didn’t let fear stop her from confronting even the most powerful players. And when she did, she knew how to stay cool because letting someone know you’re on the run inside is as good as giving them your soul.
Both a sophisticated fantasy novel and intriguing LGBTQIA romance, Siren Queen is my favorite book of 2022 so far. I would definitely recommend this read to fans of the Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo, Sorrowland by Rivers Soloman, The Hazel Wood series by Melissa Albert, and The Magicians by Lev Grossman....more