Showing posts with label Literary fiction. Show all posts

Wednesday, 3 October 2018

#bookreview: where I intensely dislike award-nominated books from my MA reading list #AnnasMA

Normal People by Sally Rooney
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disclaimer here: I would not normally ever, EVER pick up this book on my own. I'm only reading it because it's on my MA reading list.

First up: UGH PUNCTUATION. I hate this no-quotation-marks style. Hated it when Cormac McCarthy used it, hate it now. I know it's a stylistic thing, but... well, I guess I'll just say it's not a style I like.

Normal People is a story of abuse. It's the story of Marianne who goes from terrible relationship to terrible relationship and allows herself to be abused because it's all she's ever known. In a way, it's gripping because you just want Marianne to get out of this, get out of all this crap she's living with, but she just goes from bad to worse. Everything in her life is tied around Connell and his acceptance/rejection of her, and it's ridiculous because even though he doesn't actually hit her or anything, it's obvious (to me, at least) that he's an oblivious idiot who is obviously using Marianne for his own benefit. It's not to say that she didn't get anything out of it--she did--but if this is what relationships are like in the 21st century, I'm glad I'm not in one. Maybe I'm too prudish for this book. Marianne has a warped idea of "submission" and part of the story veers into something BDSM-like relationships, except Marianne did not seem to like it very much, even if she somehow craved it.

On the other side, it also explores Connell's anxiety and depression, and how desperately he needs Marianne in his life to make him feel normal and in control, even though he's seeing/dating other people. It's just... messed up.

The shifting timelines--each chapter jumps a few months, and then hops back a little to cover important missed events--was sometimes a little confusing. The constant segueing between present tense and past tense feels fluid at times, but awkward at times. Maybe I'm not a very close reader but with all the jumps, it gives the book a very floating/fluid feel, and I sometimes don't really know when it is anymore.

All in all, Normal People is a dark, stark look at relationships and youth in Ireland.

I guess the writing is good and all, I just didn't like the subject matter very much.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: Also read as part of my MA reading list.

This is a depressing book about depression and addiction to drugs. Protagonist (what's her name? I forget) is running away from her perfect life (where she has all the privileges in the world) because she is depressed and her parents died and she never got any love from them.

I don't know what to say about this except that it's a bleak, dreary world and I fell asleep halfway through, but I finished it anyway.

It wasn't so much "rest and relaxation" as it was "drugged stupor." Well, to each their own?

View all my reviews

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

#bookreview: The Feminist Edition

I was supposed to post my review of Mosaics on release day last week (May 1), but couldn't finish it before I flew off for my holiday.

So instead, I'll give you two reviews for one today!

First up is Mosaics 2, an anthology of brilliant women writing, followed by Women's Work, a hauntingly beautiful tale.

Mosaics 2: A Collection of Independent Women by Nina Perez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women, Mosaics 2 is a collection of stories, poetry, art and essays that talk about the vast undefinable experience of being a woman.

Painted Truths and Prayer Beads (Nillu Nasser Stelter) is the grudging meeting between local whites and their immigrant neighbours; explosive, angry, loving, understanding. Starting Over (Zen DiPietro) takes you to the stars in another story of immigration, another story of people seeking refuge from war and the devastation that it leaves in its wake. Sunshower (Kim Wells) takes you to the end of the world, where knowledge in a woman is deemed as witchcraft, haunting enough, until you reach Like Father (Audrey T. Carroll), the dark story of Andrea's meeting with the local rich hermit. Which is also why you don't follow strange men home, especially when there are really bad stories about him. This turns hauntingly beautiful (and sweet) in Durnushka (Nikki Richard). Forever an Other (Joan Brown) stirs up your blood for Mamie and Naomi and the way they're always outcasts for the colour of their eyes and skin. Rounding it all up is The Lion and the Dragonslayer (Jennifer R. Donohue), which puts a satisfied smile on your face, or at least mine.

There's much more to this anthology - these are just the ones that I loved the most, and obviously I love the fiction (sorry, poets!) - but maybe these are enough to make you want to read more.

Mosaics is unapologetically all about women and their experiences (real and imagined. I mean, sexism isn't real, is it? But dragons undoubtedly are...). It has a strongly feminist slant and isn't exactly all straight. Or abled. Or cis. Or white.
A good read, overall.

*Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Women's Work by Kari Aguila
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Even when women have taken over the world, fear lingers.

It is a deep-rooted fear of men. Not of the men they know, who they keep in their houses and make decisions for. But the fear of strange men; those without a controlling, subduing factor in their lives, prone to anger and violence. Because the sisterhood cannot conceive of any one man on his own who is good, and kind, and loving. They teach nonviolence as one of the main tenets of the Habits of Humanity, but when it comes down to it, these women are as capable of violence as the next man.

When a strange man appears on her doorstep with a very sick boy in tow, Kate must decide whether to give in to her fear and chase them away, or to help them. But her decisions, as slowly, as carefully, as distrustfully, as she makes them has repercussions on everyone: herself, her family, the man and his son, her community, the policies and laws that guide their new lives.

Women's Work starts off a little choppily, giving a glimpse through the main protagonist's eyes of the changed world that she lives in; it's not until the middle of the chapter, when she reaches the market, that names are assigned and identities established. Kari Aguila guides you gently into this strange, inconceivable world, where women finally have the upper hand. She's not all complimentary - Patrice and some of the women hold very extreme positions; Iris has her issues and has single-handedly built this community to where it is, but she is sympathetic enough to listen; Rhia and Sarah bring thoughtful, careful balance.

But at the core of it, as all our lives must be, it is Kate's own decisions and Kate's own heart that must guide her. She is wary, distrustful, and so is the stranger at her doorstep - him more so, because he has much more to lose. The need to value people as people is as urgent and important as ever, whether they are male or female. And though Kate is comfortable with the new society she lives in now, she also wonders - what's in store for her son? Will Jonah be able to be the doctor he wants to be? What's the terrifying age when he suddenly changes from an innocent child into a dangerous man? No one knows yet. They are the pioneers.

Aguila writes in third person, present tense, forming a very dream-like story; here, but not here, happening, but happened. It slows you down in your reading, helping you to savour the thoughts that are being thrown up. It's not entirely to my preference, but it works, for this story at least. It centres you on Kate's fears, the way she mistrusts people, even herself, the way she gradually opens up, the betrayal she feels over and over again.

If there's anything that doesn't work, it's the way that the ending feels rushed. I would have liked to see a little of what happens in between chapter 20 and the epilogue-like chapter 21, instead of a few summarising paragraphs.

* Note: I received a review copy via Edelweiss.

View all my reviews

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Speculative Literary Fiction - a #guestpost by @DavidLitwack

It's finally here! Children of Darkness - Book One in The Seekers Series is available NOW. Check it out on Amazon.com. FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. GET YOUR COPY

“A must-read page turner.” Kirkus Review

About the Book:

The Children of Darkness

The Children of Darkness is about a society devoid of technology, the result of an overreaction to a distant past where progress had overtaken humanity and led to social collapse. The solution—an enforced return to a simpler time. But Children is also a coming of age story, a tale of three friends and their loyalty to each other as they struggle to confront a world gone awry. Each searches for the courage to fight the limits imposed by their leaders, along the way discovering their unique talents and purpose in life.

"If the whole world falls into a Dark Age, which it could plausibly do, who could bring us out of it? According to David Litwack in The Children of Darkness, the only answer is us, now, somehow reaching into the future." - Kaben Nanlohy for On Starships And Dragonwings

Publication Date: June 22, 2015 from Evolved Publishing

Purchase Link: http://smarturl.it/Seekers1 FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23485495-the-children-of-darkness

Speculative Literary Fiction

Someone recently asked me why I use the term “speculative literary fiction” to describe the genre of my novels. While both terms are used frequently on their own, they are not often paired together.

Speculative fiction is a term coined by Margaret Atwood in an effort to avoid the hard-core sci-fi label (she said she needed a category that meant sci-fi without Martians). It has been used to describe a number of sub genres—space opera, techno-thrillers, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, even fantasy—basically anything that is not “real world.” The key to speculative fiction is the what-if aspect. What if the world as we know it was different in one or more ways? While this what-if, alternate history/alternate world approach can be used to explore future technology or just spin a good yarn, it also enables an author to focus on some theme by altering an aspect of the world as we know it.

Literary fiction is usually understood to mean quality writing, deeper characters and an exploration of universal themes.

So why combine the two? The primary purpose of declaring a genre is to set the expectation of the prospective reader. Using the term speculative fiction by itself can misrepresent a book. Readers might expect Star Wars or the Zombie Apocalypse, or an emphasis on some hypothetical technology such as faster than light spaceships or time travel. Literary fiction tends to imply real world, such as The Help or The Secret Life of Bees.

Many great books have speculative premises, but are literary in nature. Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a good example, or the works of Ursula LeGuin. Even a novel like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road might fit. While it’s certainly post-apocalyptic–we find out little about the cataclysm that brought about the current state–the author dwells on the relationship between the man and the boy, and the power of love. Another example might be Never Let Me go by Kazuo Ishiguro. While the what-if of this world is the use of cloning to grow organs, it’s told from the viewpoint of the clones, and shows much more about relationships and the human condition than about technology.

I use speculative literary fiction as a term to distinguish alternate history or alternate worlds, where the emphasis is not on whiz-bang technology, aliens, space travel or the like, but more on deeper characters and universal themes, brought to the fore by the unique difference in the imagined society or world.

Get Your Copy of The Children of Darkness Now!

About the Author:

The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.
Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned.
After publishing two award winning novels, Along the Watchtower and The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky, he’s hard at work on the dystopian trilogy, The Seekers.
David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

Website: www.davidlitwack.com
Facebook: David Litwack - Author
Twitter: @DavidLitwack

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Reviews!

“Litwack’s storytelling painted a world of both light and darkness–and the truth that would mix the two.” Fiction Fervor
“The Children of Darkness is a dystopian novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.” C.P. Bialois
“This is a satisfying exploration of three teens' journey into the unknown, and the struggles faced by all who seek true emancipation - both for themselves, and for the people they love.” Suzy Wilson
“Litwack's writing is fresh, and Nathaniel, Orah and Thomas come to life in your imagination as you frantically flip (or click) the pages of this book.” Anna Tan
“...many profound themes, lovely characterizations and relationships” R. Campbell
“I was enthralled and intrigued by the authors creation of this society... David Litwack has an enjoyable and captivating writing style.” Jill Marie
“...a perfect story for young adult readers, but its underlying theme and character development will keep any adult engaged.” Kathleen Sullivan

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

#bookreview: The Daughter of the Sea and Sky

The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky by David Litwack has launched! This fabulous title is available now on all online retailers and in your local book stores. You aren't going to want to miss this new literary journey exploring the clash between reason and faith, and the power of hope and love.

The Book

After centuries of religiously motivated war, the world has been split in two. Now the Blessed Lands are ruled by pure faith, while in the Republic, reason is the guiding light—two different realms, kept apart and at peace by a treaty and an ocean.

Summary: A mysterious nine-year-old from the Blessed Lands sails into the lives of a couple in the Republic, claiming to be the Daughter of the Sea and the Sky. Is she a troubled child longing to return home, or a powerful prophet sent to unravel the fabric of the Republic? The answer will change the lives of all she meets… and perhaps their world as well.
Author: David Litwack
Genre: Fantasy/Speculative Literary Fiction
Publisher: Evolved Publishing

My Review

The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky by David Litwack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Helena and Jason pull a refugee from the Blessed Lands out of her sinking boat, they didn’t expect that she would turn their lives upside down. Nine-year-old Kailani, who calls herself the “Daughter of the Sea and Sky”, cannot assimilate herself into the lifestyle of reason and logic in the Republic, but neither can she return to the Blessed Lands until her penance is over. In an attempt to rescue her from being sent to a correctional facility, Helena applies to be her temporary legal guardian until her tribunal date and brings her to the Glen Eagle Farm – the artist colony where her estranged mother lives.

On a general scale of things, I’d rate Litwack’s latest offering with 4 stars – the story is not so fast-paced that it makes you lose your breath and yet it’s not so slow that you get bored with it. It’s a beautifully written story, a little vague and dreamy at times, that touches on the divide between faith and reason, love and duty, and how an innocent child can somehow throw your life off-course.

Carlson and Benjamin offer counterpoints to each other – one man trying his best to protect a young girl even though it may cost him his job and his pension, the other with fanatical fire in his heart, doing all he can to use her for his own gain. Litwack’s characters are well-fleshed out, and because of that, easy to identify with – their hopes are sometimes your own, their foibles are often things we are guilty of but try to deny.

And that is also the reason why I would rate this 3-stars for personal enjoyment – because the battles fought felt a little too close for comfort, the questions raised leaving uncomfortable feelings in my chest. With these stirred emotions, the ending, while providing closure to the story, left me with a feeling that there should have been something more. There should have been a deeper meaning to this seemingly simple story. And maybe there is. I just have to discover it for myself.

I received this e-book for review from the author via Novel Publicity.

View all my reviews

Other books by David Litwack:
There Comes a Prophet
Along the Watchtower

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, 19 May 2014

Guest post: David Litwack on backpacking and new beginnings

The Book

Guest Post - On backpacking and new beginnings

In my earlier days, when I had younger knees, I loved to go backpacking in the mountains of northern New England. My favorite place to hike was the Lafayette ridge in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. The exposed ridge goes on for a mile and half along a knife edge, from the summit of Mt. Lafeyette across Mt. Lincoln to Little Haystack. For the entire way, there are magnificent views in all directions, that is, if the weather cooperates. And there’s the rub. The mountains of northern New England host some of the most violent and unpredictable weather on earth.
I made six attempts to climb the ridge, succeeding in only four. In the two others I was forced to turn back due to high winds that took my breath way. Each time, I’d park at the trail head, stare up at the craggy summit, and steel myself for the ascent. I was both exhilarated and scared, knowing how hard it would be, how far I had to go, and how the possibility always existed that I’d make a wrong choice and have to turn back. But always there was the upside of that magnificent view if I succeeded.
I’m reminded of that experience this week as I begin work on my fourth novel, the sequel to There Comes a Prophet. While writing a novel is easier on the knees, it’s a lot more work, a commitment of a year or more. It’s also fraught with risk, where one bad decision can lead down a thorny path that leads to nowhere or worse to a cliff you don’t see until it’s too late.
But worst of all, there’s always the possibility that you won’t find your way to the end, that some obdurate character will rebel or some miscreant plot element will rear its ugly head and shout: “No! You’re wrong! There’s no story to be found here.” But as I once again venture into the literary woods and take my first tentative steps along the path of blank pages, I’m reminded that, like with backpacking, there’s the hope of reaching that glorious summit. And that, after all, is why we writers write.

David Litwack, author of There Comes a Prophet, Along the Watchtower, and The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky
www.davidlitwack.com