It’s difficult to review this because it’s written wholly in her voice and is more like transcribed tapes of therapy sessions. I listened to the audioIt’s difficult to review this because it’s written wholly in her voice and is more like transcribed tapes of therapy sessions. I listened to the audiobook and that reinforced that perception.
Jim Bob is an abusive megalomaniac. I mean I already knew THAT but it’s nice to have a first person account from one of his victims. ...more
There are just a whole lot of dark thoughts and descriptions throughout this book.
I admire the author’s perseverance and dedication to her research iThere are just a whole lot of dark thoughts and descriptions throughout this book.
I admire the author’s perseverance and dedication to her research into this case, including paying substantial sums of money for the court transcripts. But she dwells so much on the schizophrenia in the one girl’s family and on the psychopathic fascination both girls had with grotesqueries, body horror, violence.
I like reading true crime because you learn a lot about a lot of things, not just crime. But this book was noticeably darker than usual.
I’ve given it four stars because it’s very well-written and thoroughly researched. It’s not the author’s fault I didn’t care for the subject matter. ...more
I’ll try to come up with a star rating at some point but it’s tough. It’s tough because this is an autobiography of a comedian so it’s going to be funI’ll try to come up with a star rating at some point but it’s tough. It’s tough because this is an autobiography of a comedian so it’s going to be funny. But the problem is that autobiographies should also be honest. Every time Suzy / Eddie comes to a hard or painful bit of his life he pulls his punches. The jokes in these places read kind of like flop sweat, like “don’t let them see me”. He’s constantly warring with wanting to be noticed but not wanting to be perceived. It makes some sections awkward. ...more
The audio book of this is not something I’ve enjoyed so I’m noping out. I MAY try to borrow a print copy but so far the story just isn’t engaging at aThe audio book of this is not something I’ve enjoyed so I’m noping out. I MAY try to borrow a print copy but so far the story just isn’t engaging at all. It’s more telling than showing, but the author seems to think if his telling is in a patois and uses racist terms for Jews it will come off as quaint, not plodding.
We do not agree. And I know it’s a “different time” but I’m just not enjoying hearing racist words used every other sentence. ...more
This book is deceptive in its simplicity, carrying you through the stories of grief and grandiosity that characterize the Booth dynasty. Cleverly we hThis book is deceptive in its simplicity, carrying you through the stories of grief and grandiosity that characterize the Booth dynasty. Cleverly we hear nothing from arrogant charmer Johnny. He is a mostly blank canvas filled in by the two sisters and one brother who all weathered his betrayal.
It’s a beautiful book, a dark book and a book that makes me eager to read Fowler’s other work.
This is one of those fantasy stories that is a dude’s wet dream about bisexual women. It reminds me of Myke Cole’s squicky book about the girl in the This is one of those fantasy stories that is a dude’s wet dream about bisexual women. It reminds me of Myke Cole’s squicky book about the girl in the big armor. It’s rude, exploitative and just NASTY. ...more
**spoiler alert** Lisa Jewell used to write Chick Lit, and those books were really fantastic. She shines at creating interesting characters for whom i**spoiler alert** Lisa Jewell used to write Chick Lit, and those books were really fantastic. She shines at creating interesting characters for whom it is easy to empathize. I’ve read many of her books several times.
Now, thirty years later, we’re all older. I don’t read chick lit much any more and apparently Lisa doesn’t write it. Apparently Lisa decided to be the 1,000th Girl On The Train and (instead of writing what she’s best at) shoehorn her talents into the nonlinear narrative messes that pass these days for “thriller” novels.
Kim—the mother / grandmother / protagonist—is a classic LJ character. Likeable, relatable, making her way through life. I would have enjoyed a novel about Kim’s crazy family, her attempt to find love at 40, etc. That would’ve been fun. Instead we pinball through time, bouncing back and forth with Kim through stupid intervals. “April 2016, October 2017, August 2018, six months later, five weeks earlier, two days after the sun explodes…” Kim’s daughter is missing and the people in the gothic mansion a mile (?!?) from Kim’s house have no clue where she is. OR DO THEY? (Answer: of course they do.)
It’s all a chick lit soap married to a gothic murder mystery and turned into a thriller by way of telling the story out of order. There are one and a half good books in here but they’re destroyed in the attempt to make the book fit the stupid nonlinear nonsense that has become the curse of the thriller genre.
Spoiler: Tallulah’s alive, being held on a boat in a drugged stupor by her narcissistic girlfriend Scarlett. Talullah’s boyfriend is an abuser who is murdered because he was abusing her. Everything else is just mustard on your shirt. ...more
This was faaaar too formulaic and anachronistic for me to get into. As a longtime student of the history of medicine I was aware of just HOW anachroniThis was faaaar too formulaic and anachronistic for me to get into. As a longtime student of the history of medicine I was aware of just HOW anachronistic it really was. And as a longtime reader who has read at least four other “daughters of physicians/apothecaries” books the formula was glaring.
I suspect people without my specific history may enjoy it because it is written approachably and moves at a decent pace. But for me it was altogether too much of nothing special. ...more
This gets two stars because I like the author and don’t want to give her one star.
But this? Not a good book. Not even a good account of a good story.This gets two stars because I like the author and don’t want to give her one star.
But this? Not a good book. Not even a good account of a good story.
I’m spoiled by having read a LOT about Sir Burton over the years. But having read Burton, Lost City of Z and several other accounts of explorers all I am is disappointed in this book.
It had possibility, and two very big personalities. But none of it feels real or even necessary. It seems like a book her heart wasn’t in. ...more
Starts off wonderfully but devolves into a gritty confusion. The author’s acknowledged mental illness permeates the book, dragging the latter half intStarts off wonderfully but devolves into a gritty confusion. The author’s acknowledged mental illness permeates the book, dragging the latter half into torpor. ...more
First, it’s not really about a murder mystery. That’s just the excuse to pull the reader into a polemic about such deep and never-eDNF
THIS BOOK. UGH.
First, it’s not really about a murder mystery. That’s just the excuse to pull the reader into a polemic about such deep and never-explored topics like “slavery is bad”, “racism is bad”, “the world is unfair to women”, and of course “men mistreat women.”
Seriously this book is ridiculous in its self-importance. It preaches at the reader in a pedantic way, and the themes it preaches upon are well-known themes that people take very seriously. Granted, there ARE racists aplenty in this world but I guarantee you none of them would even look twice at this book. The only people reading it are the choir of agreed folk who came into the book hating slavery and racism and are looking for an insightful fictional take, not something with training wheels.