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elliecarr97's reviews
300 reviews
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
3.0
Okay so, firstly, I enjoyed reading this book; it’s a page turner. However, I don’t think it was necessary for Atwood to write a sequel to the masterpiece that is The Handmaid’s Tale. Part of what makes that book so shocking and powerful is its ambiguity. The Testaments answered 35 year old questions that were left unanswered for a reason. The characters had no way near the depth that the first novel had, and by nicely tying everything together and giving the book a happy ending (sorry if this is cynical) it diminished its power.
Don’t get me wrong the action style that Atwood has used and more active rebellion shows an urgency for resistance, I just didn’t feel that the style was as effective as the more symbolic style of The Handmaid’s Tale. Also, the plot twists weren’t really plot twists, they just confirmed everything I was suspecting and was obvious from the beginning.
The messages of the novel are still so relevant and important, I’m not saying they’re not, I’m just saying the execution of this - compared to The Handmaid’s Tale - weren’t as effectively explored in depth. Consequently, I don’t think it deserved to share the Man Booker prize with Girl, Woman, Other.
Don’t get me wrong the action style that Atwood has used and more active rebellion shows an urgency for resistance, I just didn’t feel that the style was as effective as the more symbolic style of The Handmaid’s Tale. Also, the plot twists weren’t really plot twists, they just confirmed everything I was suspecting and was obvious from the beginning.
The messages of the novel are still so relevant and important, I’m not saying they’re not, I’m just saying the execution of this - compared to The Handmaid’s Tale - weren’t as effectively explored in depth. Consequently, I don’t think it deserved to share the Man Booker prize with Girl, Woman, Other.
10:04 by Ben Lerner
4.0
10:04 is a contemporary novel grounded in real time - 2015 New York. The protagonist is in the midst of writing a novel, whilst thinking about the possibility of becoming a father in a city that he thinks may eventually end up underwater.
This novel captures a feeling of indeterminacy and what it is like to be alive in our contemporary world. I wouldn’t say this novel has a very gripping plot, but its meta-fiction and ideas are extremely clever.
This novel captures a feeling of indeterminacy and what it is like to be alive in our contemporary world. I wouldn’t say this novel has a very gripping plot, but its meta-fiction and ideas are extremely clever.
Outline by Rachel Cusk
4.0
Outline is a novel about story telling, and the desire to express and create. A writer goes to Athens to teach a writing course and becomes the audience to a series of narratives or monologues from the people she meets.
The style reminded me of 10:04, especially in how meta the text felt. It was as if the reader was being allowed to look in and see how a novel was written. The novel is cleverly set out; the protagonist asks the right questions to induce or prompt the response she is looking for, as if she is steering characters to express their anxieties or desires. We get to know the protagonist and her life somewhat, in her interactions with the other characters, but I was intrigued by her and wanted to know more.
The only thing I found a bit unrealistic or perhaps slightly pretentious was the way all the characters seem to speak in one universal voice and tone. All the monologues felt like polished prose, even though half of the characters aren’t writers. However, I still really appreciated and enjoyed the style and complexity of the text and each character’s narration.
The style reminded me of 10:04, especially in how meta the text felt. It was as if the reader was being allowed to look in and see how a novel was written. The novel is cleverly set out; the protagonist asks the right questions to induce or prompt the response she is looking for, as if she is steering characters to express their anxieties or desires. We get to know the protagonist and her life somewhat, in her interactions with the other characters, but I was intrigued by her and wanted to know more.
The only thing I found a bit unrealistic or perhaps slightly pretentious was the way all the characters seem to speak in one universal voice and tone. All the monologues felt like polished prose, even though half of the characters aren’t writers. However, I still really appreciated and enjoyed the style and complexity of the text and each character’s narration.
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
4.5
Ducks, Newburyport is an inner monologue of an Ohio housewife. From pies to gun violence, this is in depth and detailed narrative of one person’s anxieties, memories, and life.
This book is LONG - 1001 pages to be exact. I did cheat somewhat by listening to it on audible, although this was over 46 hours, much longer than it would have taken me to read it. There are few breaks in text, as well as lots of listing. If you read the book from start to finish and did a shot every time she says “the fact that”, you’d probably get alcohol poisoning.
Being inside this characters mind really makes you feel as if you know her. Ellmann uses a character who seems to be overlooked by most to comment on topics such as gun violence, racism, and climate change. I feel like I know the protagonist so well, and although the assumed audience is actually herself, since we witness her inner thoughts, it feels as if there is a relationship between her and the reader.
I would recommend this tentatively, because although I enjoyed it and think it’s a unique and excellent piece of literature, it is lengthy and some readers have called it tedious. The stream of consciousness style for this length of narrative is a huge achievement by Ellmann regardless.
This book is LONG - 1001 pages to be exact. I did cheat somewhat by listening to it on audible, although this was over 46 hours, much longer than it would have taken me to read it. There are few breaks in text, as well as lots of listing. If you read the book from start to finish and did a shot every time she says “the fact that”, you’d probably get alcohol poisoning.
Being inside this characters mind really makes you feel as if you know her. Ellmann uses a character who seems to be overlooked by most to comment on topics such as gun violence, racism, and climate change. I feel like I know the protagonist so well, and although the assumed audience is actually herself, since we witness her inner thoughts, it feels as if there is a relationship between her and the reader.
I would recommend this tentatively, because although I enjoyed it and think it’s a unique and excellent piece of literature, it is lengthy and some readers have called it tedious. The stream of consciousness style for this length of narrative is a huge achievement by Ellmann regardless.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
2.0
Okay so, this was recommended by a YouTuber (can’t remember who) as one of their favourite books. To be honest, I don’t understand having such a strong connection to it. It’s meant to be motivational and inspiring and on a surface level it is. It follows a seagull called Jonathan who is outcasted by his flock who only care about survival, not being able to fly really fast like Jonathan. Even in my description, this book lacks depth for me. It felt more like a children’s book, and although it’s a nice story and presents the mindset we should all aspire to have, it’s too simple for me to be that impactful.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
3.0
This book is darkly funny, but it’s marketed as a thriller and that just didn’t sit well with me. I would say it’s a very clever and sinister character study. It’s a easy, quick, and enjoyable read, but to be honest I wanted more from it. Although the premise for the book is excellent and the writing itself is great, the plot let the book down. It wasn’t shocking; the plot was actually quite predictable. I’m not sure if I would have rated the book higher if I wasn’t reading it with the expectation of a thriller. I kept waiting for a shocking plot twist and it never really happened.