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justinkhchen's reviews
517 reviews
Note to Self by Connor Franta
3.0
3 stars
I wouldn't call myself a die-hard Connor Franta fan, but from following his IG and casually checking out his YouTube videos form time to time, he seems to be one of the few YouTube-started personalities who remains humble, and genuinely connected with the world around him. This collection of personal essay, poetry, and photography wholeheartedly reflects that.
To support his content, I pre-ordered this back in 2017, but only got to reading it this year (2020), and the lag in time does somehow affect my overall enjoyment. Phrasing it in a positive light, it's a time capsule, but it also means, the book is now a little dated. In a world where we can engage with its author on a day-to-day basis, Note to Self's central theme of mental recovery (heavily referencing his breakup at the time), and the collection of color-saturated visuals (that was THE aesthetic in the late 2010s) feel irrelevant; both Connor and the world has since moved on.
Unexpectedly, I find the poetry the most enjoyable; it is the most 'timeless' and universally applicable content here. The self-reflecting essays are fine, but they don't dive deep into the subject matter they are discussing, so unless you are aware (or still remember at this point) the events around that time period, consuming them alone lack the emotional punch to resonate.
Overall, it was a fine, if at time shallow, dive into the mind of a 25-year-old Connor Franta. I'll be curious to see if someday he will try his hand at a poetry collection, or even fiction.
I wouldn't call myself a die-hard Connor Franta fan, but from following his IG and casually checking out his YouTube videos form time to time, he seems to be one of the few YouTube-started personalities who remains humble, and genuinely connected with the world around him. This collection of personal essay, poetry, and photography wholeheartedly reflects that.
To support his content, I pre-ordered this back in 2017, but only got to reading it this year (2020), and the lag in time does somehow affect my overall enjoyment. Phrasing it in a positive light, it's a time capsule, but it also means, the book is now a little dated. In a world where we can engage with its author on a day-to-day basis, Note to Self's central theme of mental recovery (heavily referencing his breakup at the time), and the collection of color-saturated visuals (that was THE aesthetic in the late 2010s) feel irrelevant; both Connor and the world has since moved on.
Unexpectedly, I find the poetry the most enjoyable; it is the most 'timeless' and universally applicable content here. The self-reflecting essays are fine, but they don't dive deep into the subject matter they are discussing, so unless you are aware (or still remember at this point) the events around that time period, consuming them alone lack the emotional punch to resonate.
Overall, it was a fine, if at time shallow, dive into the mind of a 25-year-old Connor Franta. I'll be curious to see if someday he will try his hand at a poetry collection, or even fiction.
Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami
4.0
4 stars
The overall experience of reading Killing Commendatore, for someone who has been a fan of Murakami's past work, would be like slipping into a well-loved sweater—familiar and cozy.
There are a lot of returning elements: male protagonist in his mid-30s, detailed passage about cooking, specific music references (you can easily generate a Spotify playlist from his novels), and explicit, yet lyrical depiction of sex. I actually appreciate these recycled motifs as they act as security blanket of sort—creating a familiar foundation for the more fantastical elements.
This is definitely a more leisurely-paced Murakami novel, which I enjoy in parts, particularly the first portion with all the portrait sessions. Though repetitive as a narrative device, it remains a joy to read because the characters get opportunities to develop, and lot of intriguing subject matters (such as the concept of reality) get brought up and discussed. However, when the narrative shifts in its last third, from a contemplative character studies, to a more magic-laden fantasy, the pacing sometimes lacks punch, and the story feels like it's losing steam, when it should be at its surrealist peak.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Killing Commendatore—at this point of Haruki Murakami's writing career, he has developed a consistent style/story universe that his fanbase will recognize and feel nostalgic to dive into, at the same time adorned it with fully-realized new ideas. Aside from the aforementioned pacing issue. This is Murakami in his top form.
The overall experience of reading Killing Commendatore, for someone who has been a fan of Murakami's past work, would be like slipping into a well-loved sweater—familiar and cozy.
There are a lot of returning elements: male protagonist in his mid-30s, detailed passage about cooking, specific music references (you can easily generate a Spotify playlist from his novels), and explicit, yet lyrical depiction of sex. I actually appreciate these recycled motifs as they act as security blanket of sort—creating a familiar foundation for the more fantastical elements.
This is definitely a more leisurely-paced Murakami novel, which I enjoy in parts, particularly the first portion with all the portrait sessions. Though repetitive as a narrative device, it remains a joy to read because the characters get opportunities to develop, and lot of intriguing subject matters (such as the concept of reality) get brought up and discussed. However, when the narrative shifts in its last third, from a contemplative character studies, to a more magic-laden fantasy, the pacing sometimes lacks punch, and the story feels like it's losing steam, when it should be at its surrealist peak.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Killing Commendatore—at this point of Haruki Murakami's writing career, he has developed a consistent style/story universe that his fanbase will recognize and feel nostalgic to dive into, at the same time adorned it with fully-realized new ideas. Aside from the aforementioned pacing issue. This is Murakami in his top form.
The Box Man by Kōbō Abe
2.0
2.5 stars
I'm usually down 'out-there' novels that explore the boundary of written word storytelling, but I might have found my boundary with The Box Man; the reading experience was like watching an arthouse film — where you know you should be moved and impressed, but instead you find yourself disengaged and completely at loss.
Perhaps I simply wasn't in the mood for a stream of consciousness narrative — where provocative vignettes remain broken, circling in its own loop, and never build towards a coherent whole.
There are still foundational elements I thoroughly enjoy: the formation of the Box Man is extremely well-realized, and the discussion on being the observer, vs. being observed, is very intriguing. I even appreciate the fragmented narration, up to a point. Oh, and there are some beautiful prose to be found here.
I'm usually down 'out-there' novels that explore the boundary of written word storytelling, but I might have found my boundary with The Box Man; the reading experience was like watching an arthouse film — where you know you should be moved and impressed, but instead you find yourself disengaged and completely at loss.
Perhaps I simply wasn't in the mood for a stream of consciousness narrative — where provocative vignettes remain broken, circling in its own loop, and never build towards a coherent whole.
There are still foundational elements I thoroughly enjoy: the formation of the Box Man is extremely well-realized, and the discussion on being the observer, vs. being observed, is very intriguing. I even appreciate the fragmented narration, up to a point. Oh, and there are some beautiful prose to be found here.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
3.0
3 stars
The 'book-within-book' structure turned out to be a pretty clever repackaging of an 'unreliable narrator' story.
I also appreciate the last sentence of the novel brought the whole book full circle and gave context to the opening text. That was a neat touch.
The last 50 pages or so is a roller coaster, very thrilling with the relentless layering of new information. Home Before Dark doesn't end up being a horror novel (more of a mystery thriller with a dash of supernatural), I kind of enjoy this genre-bending turn of events, but I wonder if people would feel being cheated out of a promised haunted house story, based on its promotional materials.
The ending fixed one of my complaints from earlier, which is the mediocrity of the House of Horrors section; looking back through the lens of Ewan Holt writing it in desperation as a cover-up, it made sense why it is filled of haunted house cliches (a wife in insistent denials) and convenient scenarios (the communication with Curtis through the bells was hilariously stupid—and worked perfectly on the first try!).
Even with the clever ending, Home Before Dark still has some lingering issues, with its clunky story logic (the discovery of Dane in the Polaroid is equivalent to the CSI 'Let's Enhance' meme) and inconsistent character development (Maggie often reacts very dramatically for no apparent reason), which is why it sits at a 3 ranking for me overall.
The 'book-within-book' structure turned out to be a pretty clever repackaging of an 'unreliable narrator' story.
I also appreciate the last sentence of the novel brought the whole book full circle and gave context to the opening text. That was a neat touch.
The last 50 pages or so is a roller coaster, very thrilling with the relentless layering of new information. Home Before Dark doesn't end up being a horror novel (more of a mystery thriller with a dash of supernatural), I kind of enjoy this genre-bending turn of events, but I wonder if people would feel being cheated out of a promised haunted house story, based on its promotional materials.
The ending fixed one of my complaints from earlier, which is the mediocrity of the House of Horrors section; looking back through the lens of Ewan Holt writing it in desperation as a cover-up, it made sense why it is filled of haunted house cliches (a wife in insistent denials) and convenient scenarios (the communication with Curtis through the bells was hilariously stupid—and worked perfectly on the first try!).
Even with the clever ending, Home Before Dark still has some lingering issues, with its clunky story logic (the discovery of Dane in the Polaroid is equivalent to the CSI 'Let's Enhance' meme) and inconsistent character development (Maggie often reacts very dramatically for no apparent reason), which is why it sits at a 3 ranking for me overall.