Just finished James by Percival Everett. This was one of the more difficult ones for me to rank and I’ll likely have to sit with it awhile.
The premise as the retelling of Huck Finn was great and the parts the strayed from the orginial story were so beautifully told.
But the ending….. feels like the threw away the entire story and message for a different direction at the end. Wonder if others felt similar as I see this book universally praised.
This book took me about 6 months to read. Classic Steinbeck meandering through the story sprinkled with wisdom about the human experience.
Having said that, i don’t get the hype at all. People say this book changed their life
The characters are wonderful but they lack any sort of real depth:
Example: Adam goes from asleep to awake -> but his awakening is just slightly more present in his kids life and the world around him. No struggle to establish a relationship with the children he has been absent from their entire life, he essentially drops off from the sorry after Cathy leaves and becomes a vehicle to advance the plot and is welcomed back into the story at the very end
I can appreciate that Steinbeck write symbolic characters but everything felt frictionless which left me feeling a bit dissatisfied with a novel jam packed with wonderful insights
Any one else have a similar experience?
I am not a fantasy reader. Convert me! I loved ASOIAF but I want to be sucked into a short fantasy series or stand alone. Make me a believer
Books like the shining, annihilation that transport you and don’t let you escape even when you stop reading. Any suggestions?
Dude here, I usually read stories written by men about men. I’m looking for some good perspective on the female experience, or just a really good gripping story with women as MC.
I like knights dragons etc. I always see the vintage covers that look super cool but don’t know where to start and not interested in a full series
As a long time user and advocate for the brand, I was super disappointed with their customer service and willingness to help. Reached out about a defect with our car seat,they said while their new warranty covers it, the old one at time of purchase did not so nothing they can do. They have since left us unanswered with a newborn coming in weeks.
Anyone had a similar experience?
I had no expectations going into this one because I’ve never seen the movie.
I was surprised by how good this book was. It wasn’t supposed to be a fun story but I found myself engaged by the camaraderie with the group.
The story telling itself delivers a powerful anti-war message without trying to do so which gave it an authenticity beyond anything I have read before.
All Quiet on the Western Front 4.5/5
I see this book universally praised, but I just don’t get it. Steinbeck occasionally drops some bars in his writing on the human condition, but the story itself, is just kind of meh?
I’m finding myself losing momentum after each chapter when characters interact only to start the next chapter with 3-4 pages of seemingly overly descriptive text about nothing.
Am I alone here?
First time reading Connelly. Everyone says this is one of his best, but for whatever reason I found it so boring. The twists and turns were boring the connections felt guaranteed, and even the premise felt a bit unbelievable.
Probably just not my genre but curious if other felt this way or I’m tripping.
Preferably American history, I like novels where I feel like I can step into the time period. Fear and loathing, Easter of Eden, IT
I am starting a discord book club for the boys where we can share recommendation, discuss books, and read books together. I haven’t quite found one that fits the bill so I am going to create my own.
If you are interested let me know!