u/Infamous_Wave9878

A tragic love story in my eyes. Especially with the context of the letters between “Laura” and the doctor. I guess the real Laura, Veronica, was buried with a rose and her lover Marcia (Carmilla) used to leave roses on her pillow for her :( and it’s very obvious they were in love. I think if not for the introduction and footnotes of my edition I would have been disappointed, though immersed and having fun with the gothic story, because Le Fanu tries and fails to erase the queerness lol. I mean he describes her desire as mixed with repulsion in the book but in the letters it’s only desire and wanting Marcia always. It’s so obvious they’re lesbians especially after reading the letters Veronica wrote. Anyways I really enjoyed this it rekindled my love of gothic literature and made me feel nostalgia for wuthering heights and Jane eyre

The scribbles are so I don’t make it to easy and let you see my degree lmao

Based on these favorites what should I watch? I mostly am a sucker for either atmosphere or whimsy

The right is some of my favorites minus a bunch of library books and kindle cos my poor wallet can only have so many physical copies even tho I want and need in my soul a floor to ceiling library

The left is my tbr: left hand of darkness, blood Meridian, Henry & June, & house of the star

Help me choose 🥺

Ok I struggled with this around the midpoint. I almost dnf but I am SO glad I finished! What an original story. I loved all the descriptions of smell. It gave it a really unique texture.

The theme of obsession and alienation was explored well. I also really loved that he didn’t have a smell and in the cave has a breakdown about it and then when he creates a smell suddenly people notice him more so of course he wants to create a smell that will make him more than noticeable.

I have a lot of LOOSE thoughts about that so don’t judge me if I’m not very articulate. But I think it’s interesting that he can smell so well everyone else but not himself. It kinda says something about like what happens when you’re never understood the way you understand so deeply everything and everyone around you? But don’t understand yourself because you’re empty or what fills u is terrible but there’s also one grand piece of being able to perceive this way better than anyone else idk. In a way it was inevitable Grenouille would be so filled with hatred of people and their stench but it’s interesting to me that he covets them still even in the mask like way before the girls. It also interests me he makes all these mask like odors. Like the innocent one.. the one to drive people away.. etc. but he never reveals himself as the odorless man he is. Like he notices things so much and so deeply and obsessively outside of him that he can no longer stand his emptiness

There’s a lot more to it so I’m gonna stew on it since I just finished it and probably edit later cos this is my book ranting outlet as well as a fun challenge and way to find new books so don’t mind me if I rant into the void later

Edit: I guess the ending is him finally being a part of people and loved even tho no one can love him for his true self and he’s forever alienated. He can only be a part of something in such a gruesome physical way ? Also the love as perception theme and I keep circling obsession as well idk what a crazy book

My Name is Red

Human Bondage

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

The Sea, The Sea

I can’t choose. I am about to finish Perfume. Before that I just finished Pachinko. My favorite books I’ve read this year are Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, and Piranesi.

I enjoyed this. I liked learning more about the history between Japan and Korea. I thought it handled themes like diaspora and xenophobia with a deft hand. Especially all the ways it can manifest

Sometimes I felt disconnected from the characters individually though. But I did feel super connected to the family as a whole if that makes sense? Idk. I think it’s because it covered so much time & characters that I didn’t get to sit with one character for very long. Even Sunja and her mother who are there from the beginning I felt a bit disconnected from individually.

Overall I really enjoyed it tho. I thought it was well written and had a lot of history

I’m doing a book challenge to read a book a week and this will be 23/52 :) I started late so I think I’ve been reading more than one a week to catch up but anyways I’m so excited! I read voraciously as a kid and then a lot in college and then on and off for a bit after i graduated but now that i started the challenge and am just reading whatever i want i remember why i love reading so much!! Everything is endlessly interesting whether it be a classic an epic litfic fantasy adventure whatever it is idk im very content. I saw something about readers who were the type to hide under the covers late at night finishing their books will always be lifelong readers and if they stop they’ll start again and I think that’s very true to my life and very sweet.

There’s nothing like curling up in a bed with some tea or a snack and being swept into decades of a family in Korea and Japan or wherever the book might be set

But anyways im learning so much from this book! I knew vaguely about the history presented in it but ashamedly not anything deeper than surface level facts and information. An intimate epic set amidst history is exactly my type of thing and I’m loving the strong women so far. It’s keeping me enthralled.

A page turner with a lot of depth. I was literally in Italy for a bit reading this. I think the beauty in this book is how keen Elena’s eye is for other humans. She doesn’t shy away from the negative aspects of friendship in fact it’s like those make her love even deeper. The cast of characters is so vibrant as is the neighborhood that I felt like I lived there.

I’ve never read a book about friendship and girlhood quite like it and I loved it. Sometimes people are afraid to write about the messy bits of friendship idk. Or sometimes it feels contrived. But this just felt so damn authentic

Also she has a knack for making every little detail enthralling. I was completely absorbed and utterly invested in these people’s lives. I felt like I lived there.