Y/N (2023) - Review

Y/N by Esther Yi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On sale: 21 March 2023

Writing in the first person, Esther Yi has delivered an unusual debut novel with an unnamed protagonist.

FIRST SENTENCE: "The pack of boys had released their first album in Seoul two years ago, and now they were selling out corporate arenas and Olympic stadiums all over the world."

THE STORY: She lives with her roommate in an ordinary life until she becomes fascinated by the boys lead singer Moon. He is everywhere and he is nowhere.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A difficult, literary book, beautifully written, but like trying to move through a confusing maze. I chose this book because of curiosity about why fans become so attached to boy groups. There were quotes on which to linger and consider. And I learned what Y/N means. It's not Yes/No. It is Your/Name.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF this sounds interesting to you. It has gotten many positive critical reviews.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "Y/N" by Esther Yi from NetGalley/Astra Publishing House, Astra House for my honest review.

View all my reviews

 

LETTERS FROM THE EARTH (1919) - Review

Letters from the Earth by Mark Twain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thought-provoking and witty, Mark Twain's "Letters From the Earth" is a collection of satirical essays, posthumously published in 1919. The book is a departure from Twain's more well-known works such as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

The book is a series of letters supposedly written by Satan who has come to earth and is sending reports back to heaven about the ways of humans. Through these letters, Twain critiques various aspects of society, including religion, politics, and human behavior. The angel's perspective is a fresh and often humorous one, and Twain uses it to shed light on some of the absurdities of human life.

One of the most striking things about "Letters From the Earth" is how relevant it is today. Many of the issues that Twain addresses, such as the excesses of organized religion and the foibles of politics, are still very much with us. Twain's writing is so timeless that it is easy to forget that the book was written over 100 years ago.

In terms of style, "Letters From the Earth" is a departure from Twain's more conventional works. The writing is more stream-of-consciousness and less structured than his other books, which gives the book a loose and informal feel. This style is well-suited to the content of the book, which is meant to be a series of informal letters rather than a formal treatise.

Twain's commentary on society and human nature is insightful and often brutal. He pulls no punches in his critiques, and is not afraid to point out the flaws and foibles of humanity. This is what makes the book so compelling, as it forces readers to confront their own beliefs and assumptions.

BOTTOM LINE: Whether you are a fan of Twain's other works or or not, this book is sure to captivate and challenge you. The wit and humor that are so characteristic of Twain's writing are in full evidence in this book, and the satire is both biting and insightful. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and entertaining read, "Letters From the Earth" is an excellent choice.

View all my reviews

 

FELLOWSHIP POINT (2022) - Review

Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On Sale: July 5, 2022

Our lives today are filled with quantity, which perhaps explains why readers shun longer books demanding more of our time. Not bothering to check the number of pages (560), I was drawn to "Fellowship Point" because of the older characters. (Also I grew up in Philadelphia vacationing summers in Maine, locations where the book is set.) Before I got very far into the book, I debated whether to continue but I picked it up again. Alice Elliott Dark has changed how I will be selecting books in the future. Quality first.

FIRST SENTENCE: "Such a perfect day for writing, gray and quiet."

THE STORY: Two eighty year old life-long friends decide it's time to make arrangements for the beloved summer land their families have owned for generations on the Maine Coast. Should the land be saved or developed?

Agnes is a famous children's author, who has never married, while her best friend Polly chose marriage and family. How is it that after all these years they end up on opposite sides of the proposed ownership of Fellowship Point?

WHAT I THOUGHT: Scattered with literary illusions and some lovely and not so lovely thoughts about aging, this is an insightful examination of women's lives. Parts of the story are told through journals and letters moving back and forth in time slowly revealing the secrets of the past. There are life lessons to be learned from the complicated, beautifully drawn, layered characters. The author has great insight into these two women, who are still worthy of the lives they've lived and the people they've loved. The writing is gorgeous; the cover is beautiful; and the ending is perfect.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for those who still find time to savor elegant novels. The book is a little overlong for today's reader.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "Fellowship Point" by Alice Elliott Dark from NetGalley/Scribner for my honest review.

View all my reviews

 

HER HERE (2021)

Her Here by Amanda Dennis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What does it mean to get inside another so you can find them? This complicated, hypnotic, and literate debut has been described as "a daughter coming to terms with the loss of her mother, and a mother coming to terms with the loss of her daughter."

FIRST LINE: "I have been up all night and now the day is gray, the narrow streets slick and silvered outside the taxi window."

THE STORY: Elena has not come to terms with her mother's death. Arriving in Paris to study, she accepts an invitation to meet with Siobhan, an old friend of her mother. Siobhan's daughter Ella, adopted and raised by a American family, has been missing for 6 years. Although she hadn't seen Ella since she was 3 months old, Ella had sent Siobhan a set of journals kept while she was living in Thailand. Siobhan offers to pay Elena generously to put aside her studies and re-interpret Ella's life using her journals as a way to find her. Elena reluctantly accepts but eventually begins to lose herself in the work.

WHAT I THOUGHT: It's a bit hard to get acclimated with the constant alternating between narrator and journals, but once engaged in the story the author provides subtle signals to guide the reader.

Using the names Elena and Ella is obviously another way to show how intertwined these two lives become, but it often causes the reader's flow to be interrupted while making sure which is which.

The language is beautiful and difficult with many esoteric references. Still the descriptions of Paris and Chiang Rai, Thailand are lovely and enticing.

BOTTOM LINE: If you are fascinated by the thought of reading an "existential detective story," don't hesitate to pick up Her Here. Otherwise it is not for the casual mystery reader.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Bellevue Literary Press/Net Galley for an honest review.

Trade Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bellevue Literary Press (March 9, 2021)
ISBN-10: 1942658761
ISBN-13: 978-1942658764

THE AUTHOR: Born in Philadelphia, Amanda Dennis studied modern languages at Princeton and Cambridge Universities before earning her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley and her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was awarded a Whited Fellowship in creative writing. An avid traveler, she has lived in six countries, including Thailand, where she spent a year as a Princeton in Asia fellow. She has written about literature for the Los Angeles Review of Books and Guernica, and she is assistant professor of comparative literature and creative writing at the American University of Paris, where she is researching the influence of 20th-century French philosophy on the work of Samuel Beckett. Her Here is her first novel.

View all my reviews

TOKYO UENO STATION (2020)

by Yu Miri

My rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

After death, Kazu, a homeless man finds his spirit lingers in Ueno Park, one of Tokyo's busiest stations. Speaking directly to us, he considers his life, his surroundings, and how he ended up 'sleeping rough'.

A little knowledge of Japan will enhance the experience of "Tokyo Ueno Station" although the conditions of homelessness exist all over the world. It's surprising how much seems familiar.

 

FIRST SENTENCE: "I used to think life was like a book: you turn the first page, and there’s the next, and as you go on turning page after page eventually you reach the last one."

Yu Miri, a Korean-Japanese author, has written a post-tsunami work in this relatively short novel, her most recent to be published in English. Her stream-of consciousness writing is gorgeous and haunting and sad. Morgan Giles' translation does not distract in any way.

Narrator Johnny Heller has a slightly raspy edge to his voice which allows the listener to immediately relate to his portrayal and be drawn into the story. His pronunciation of Japanese words and names seems impeccable.

Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins

Release date: 06-23-20

Penguin Audio

Unabridged

Narrated by Johnny Heller

Translated by Morgan Giles 

View all my reviews