What do you do with a book that mostly works as a slice-of-life story verging on the dramatic when it’s supposed to be funny?
Tag Archives: Food for thought
‘My Murder’ A Critique of Lurid Interest
True crime may be alluring, but Williams doesn’t mince words when it comes to who makes the most alluring victim, even in the future. The victims are all fair, fairly young, and fairly attractive, and everyone is fully aware of how narrow a demographic the victims here represent.
‘Crane Husband’ a Critical Look at Love, Art
The Crane Husband is a meditation on responsibility and art and what love actually means, and so beautifully written that even with material like this you may still feel that you could fly away when you reach the end.
‘Shutter’ a Mystery Marred by Blur
Shutter has the makings of a fantastic story that takes its character far beyond the tropes of a typical murder mystery protagonist, but by the climax, I only felt exhausted.
‘Rose House’ Chilling in its Plausibility
This is not a horror novel, but its premise manages to be spine-tingling for the picture it paints—not bleak, exactly, but pragmatic to the point of irrationality, yet difficult to argue with.
‘The Facemaker’ Revives a Forgotten History
Reading The Facemaker also feels like an act of witnessing something that shouldn’t have ever been forgotten. We did this to ourselves, from the standpoint of humanity, and over a hundred years later, we haven’t stopped.
‘Killers’ a Romp with a Razor-Sharp Edge
Killers of a Certain Age is a book about aging and killers and betrayal, but its heart is oddly wholesome and comforting. While I wouldn’t call this a cozy read, it’s one that makes me look at the people around me a little more positively—and at the objects around my house as so many potential murder weapons.
‘American Summer’ A Nuanced Portrayal of Trauma, Humanity
While An American Summer can be hard to read at times, it’s not hopeless. Nor are the people Kotlowitz writes about reduced to stereotypes. Rather, he has clearly taken the time to build the relationships that foster vulnerability.
‘The Wager’ A Harrowing Survival Tale
In fairness, at this point, I’d read a takeout menu if David Grann wrote it. But his writing, and research, continue to be rich and compelling.
In ‘Linghun,’ Ghosts Haunt More than Houses
In Linghun, the refusal to grow after tragedy is almost tangible, bringing with it cascading tragedies. There is no happy ending with a setup like that, but there is one that is as tender as it is tough to swallow.
Ring Reads 