book reviews 2022

 

My memory is terrible. I think it's always been bad, but as I embrace the identity of "a woman of a certain age" more and more, I'm realizing it's only getting worse. It's always been for this reason that I record my experiences, whether or here or in other places both digital and not. So here I am again, for year fifteen in this space of beginning a list of the books I complete in this new year. My reading habits have had a rough go in the last two years, but I'm ever hopeful that no matter the number of books that get tallied here over the next twelve months, I'll still have spent happy time engaging with stories and information. This record began back in 2008, and it's been kept up through 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. 

18. 12/14/22

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy and John Jennings

When I purchased the novel, I also saw this graphic novel edition and thought it would make for an interesting companion read. It was much quicker to take in Dana's story in this format, but that's probably because I wasn't lingering on the images too long. It's difficult for me to form images in my head when I'm reading, so this addition gave more depth to the story but also more horror.

17. 12/13/22

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

No words that I could string together will be adequate enough to describe my experience with this powerful novel. Terror and horror play out in these pages, and it's all beyond anything I can even come close to understanding. But Octavia Butler pushes us to watch and listen as these past realities play out, and to try to see them through the eyes of a contemporary person. At times, I was surprised by the amount of sympathy Dana expressed toward the two most prominent white men in her life- her husband and the man who is responsible for her being ripped through time again and again. The parallels between their characters are important to examine and continue to consider when thinking about white people's actions and perspectives today. I was most struck by Dana's own experiences in meshing her 1976 sensibilities with the decisions she must make in an antebellum world of atrocities. There's no way a person could return to their present day in a whole condition, which we see both physically and metaphorically. In no way is this a comfortable read, and obviously, it shouldn't be. And it should be read for exactly that reason.

16. 12/1/22

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart 

It's been a couple of years since I read WE WERE LIARS, so I needed to read a summary before plunging into this prequel. As I read this story of the previous generation's experiences on the family island, the style and tone brought back memories of the other book, with some similar characterizations and a reminder of the *rich* family traits at play in this world. I found it hard to put down, but as I finished, I wanted the characters to quickly make their exits, as they're not terribly nice to be around, even just in my head.

15. 11/26/22

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

I've long appreciated Kwame Alexander's lyrical works for their poetic beauty, their incredible flow, and the joy and warmth he inevitably brings to every book he writes. This one is no exception, even as it tells of darkness much, much deeper than his other books. In his acknowledgements, Alexander speaks of his intentionality in creating a story that speaks of African experiences-- "Black history began way before 1619." The joy and spirit of the young protagonist is a marvel to read, and the terror he experiences, a testament to all those who were stolen from their lands.

14. 11/25/22

Blackout by Dhonielle, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

Utterly delightful. My heart raced in time with these characters'-- anxious, excited, afraid, and hopeful. What a freaking dream team of contemporary Black woman authors to come together, creating intertwined stories, each in their own style. The authenticity of the characters' voices is immediately apparent, and the stories are filled with the heaviness and lightness of late adolescence.

13. 11/17/22

A Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris

Oh, David. It takes bravery, or maybe just the total lack of fucks that comes with age, to put your private thoughts out there for all to read. While you're sometimes a bit of an ass, at least you're real. I've dog-eared pages that will be perfect to return to when I need an apropos of nothing kind of laugh.

12. 11/16/22

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Considering that a friend recommended this and knowing that said friend is going to read this, I'll choose my words carefully. I was not a fan. This writer is not my cup of tea. Okay, sorry, friend, but this was torturous from the start and only got worse, and then even more worse than I thought possible.

11. 9/22/22

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

I'm so happy to be a part of a new book club with some friends, and this is our second read together. The description of this novel had me super excited, because the premise of exploring one's life's regrets by changing past choices, thus leading to different lives, intrigues me as a concept. While I enjoyed reading it, I do wish the novel had a bit more depth to it. The way the other lives played out ended up being fairly predictable, and I kept wishing for some not-as-obvious introspection. The lack of suspense as to how it would all end left me a little disappointed, but the ride was still pleasant enough. The best thing coming from reading this was the introspection it inspired in my own life, and even as the universe likes to throw figurative wrenches at us on the regular, it's always a good thing to stop and acknowledge the good in where we are right in this moment.

10. 9/17/22

Extraordinary Insects: The Fabulous, Indispensable Creatures Who Run Our World by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson

A dear friend gave me this book a few months ago based solely on the cover and title, knowing that I have a curious wannabe-entomologist in my heart. This book made that part of me so satisfied with amazing tidbits and random facts. I dog-eared so many pages so I could read aloud a passage to anyone who would sit still long enough to hear it. Maybe others don't find bugs as fascinating as I do, but I hope this book finds its way to the people who will revel in its stories. But also, it would be helpful for even those folx who are not necessarily insect-enthusiasts to read this, because so much of the survival of our world rests on the backs of insects, and more research and willingness to learn is needed.

9. 9/4/22

The Memory Librarian and Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, Eve L. Ewing, Yohanca Delgado, and Shree Renée Thomas

I finished this collection of short stories the day after having the amazing pleasure of seeing authors Janelle Monáe, Alaya Dawn Johnson, and Yohanca Delgado speak about the book and its dystopian, afro-futurist world. The stories extend the world Monáe created with her DIRTY COMPUTER album and 'emotion picture', and in that expansion, the hope and love grows more and more. The intentional centering of Black, queer, nonbinary, and trans characters is valuable and so necessary. I appreciated the varied perspectives, some unfamiliar and others deeply relatable. Speculative fiction isn't a genre I have read much of, yet this reading experience was undeniably transformative for me.

8. 8/24/22

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Read this for a new book club and it came highly recommended. Gothic isn't a typical genre for me, but I have been known to enjoy a bit of a mystery, and this was just fantastic. My margin notes document my confusion, bewilderment, and growing suspicions. Thematically, this novel was very similar to a blockbuster film from a few years ago-- I felt a connection between them from early on in the book. If you're looking for a quick read full of gothic tension, grab this one!

7. 7/21/22

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Holy cow, this novel was perfection. The protagonist's voice rang so true and genuine to me, and there were many themes that were relatable and applicable to my life in this moment, making it sometimes a painful read. Painful but affirming in knowing someone else understands. Mental health themes always draw me in, and this was just a superb representation.

6. 5/29/22

Lion by Saroo Brierley

Saroo Brierley's life story is pretty incredible and definitely deserving of being witnessed. He tells his story of survival with an optimistic tint, which was sometimes hard to believe considering he lived on the streets of Calcutta as a 5 year old child, but I accepted his conscious choice to keep everything positive. I never saw the movie, but it's now on the list.

5. 3/22/22

Guardians of the Louvre by Jiro Taniguchi

My husband picked this up from the library especially for me when he was looking for manga for our kid. While it's not a common genre for me, I really got into the story and was amazed at the artwork. I spent one day of my life in The Louvre in 2017, and the images here were so realistic they brought back memories. The storytelling here was a bit out there, with fantastical elements that weren't necessarily linear, but I enjoyed the time out of my comfort zone.

4. 3/13/22

Fools in Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales Edited by Ashley Herring Blake and Rebecca Podos

What could be better for snippets of reading during a vacation week than a book of short stories? This YA collection of sweet little love stories- most queer, some not- was just perfect, filled with the tenderness and earnestness of late adolescence that us older readers can enjoy with a bit of nostalgia. It was a lovely escape from real life in short sittings.

3. 2/15/22

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

After being wholly taken in by the limited series adaptation of this book earlier this year, I sought out the novel. While I know the first medium is always influential in forming preferences, I think that even had I read the book first, I likely still would have preferred the onscreen version. This original source material is bleaker and lacks some of the magic that was evident in the still-pretty-dark show. I found less hope in the human spirit and significantly less emphasis on the importance of human connections in the novel, as well. It's still an incredibly engaging story with interesting characters, but the show makes so many changes in both plot and characterization that I found more touching.

2. 1/12/22

The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver

Mason Deaver has written another novel with an adolescent protagonist working through pain and sharing their story in an authentic voice that hits hard. I read this in one sitting over the course of an afternoon, shifting in my seat through tough parts until I couldn't hold it in anymore and sobbing through the end. Liam, the protagonist, comes to some realizations about their relationships with their parents that were meaningful in special ways to me, hard to read and full of hope at the same time.

1. 1/3/22

Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever by John McWhorter

A nonfiction romp about the linguistic histories of nine curse words (plus a couple offshoots) is apparently just what I needed. The fact that it was a gift from my husband that he first heard about on NPR only makes this reading experience even more perfect. I found this to be quite fascinating, especially when it confirmed and explained why certain words are used the way they are, in ways that I just *know* to be true even if I couldn't explain why. (Profanity in English apparently works wonderfully when it's a one-syllable word with a hard consonant at the end... there is actual satisfaction from uttering these sounds together. I KNOW!!) The author's interjections of personal experiences keep the humor in what is surprisingly often rather academic. I loved this particular thought: "Curse words are not just vulgar and thoughtless. They morph and meander and slip according to predictable, and even elegant, contours of cognitive associations. A final metaphor, perhaps: shit is elegant!"

Happy reading,