Welcome to Litsy!

I read eight books in April, and got one BINGO! Still haven‘t gotten to my #BookSpin pick, but hope to read it in May.

#BookSpinBINGO

After reading Weather and re-reading Dept. of Speculation, I gave Offill‘s first novel a try. Captivating characters, but oh so sad. I found the story both disturbing and heartbreaking. Glimpses of her current style made this an interesting read.

For two days I've been pondering how to rate this. The first half was a clear pick: we see through young Grace's eyes how she makes sense of the world by navigating the opposing tides of her scientifically-minded father and vibrant, charismatic and mythologising mother. When Anna's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and the marriage falters, it *should* have become unputdownable. Instead it ran out of steam. (Or maybe it's just that I did!)

Dept of Speculation was a favorite book of the year I read it and this one I also like very much. I like books of a young girl as the narrator, mother-daughter relationships, and interesting facts. This book has all of that.

#drift @TK-421

So while this book has very little plot, it was a very fast read for me and completely sucked me in. What Offill does with the 7-year-old's voice and reactions to the things that happen in her little world is extraordinary. Great read.

Engrossing, hard to put down. Unusual for me for a book without much of a plot...

When dental surgery has you down, it's always a good idea to read.

Story of my life. So engrossed in opening chapters of LAST THINGS, I almost missed my stop. Actually, if it were the story of my life, I would have missed my stop. Ah, reading.

Last book I read that I found myself still thinking about weeks later. Offill is a truly phenomenal writer.