Welcome to Litsy!

I really liked this. You can see and hear the Toni Morrison inspiration, but it is also uniquely not Morrison a bit more clipped, the characters not as deep, but in a good way.
The story itself is fascinating, told mostly through the POV of the couple's friend who goes to stay with them time after time while the wife keeps trying to kill the husband.
Interesting and engrossing read.

I put this audiobook on hold at my library when the #toblonglist came out and probably should have read the Litsy reviews first. I like the writing but nothing else came together for me- the plot, the characters. Gayl Jones is an author I have been told I must try again, and so I will, but this book did not work for me.

This was an ok story about a lady that is institutionalized after trying to kill her husband for not leaving her.

Life has been a struggle this week! I‘ve had a multi day allergic reaction, so here are some bails/hibernations.

House is too complicated for me to follow now, and Minder got some allergens trapped in it that are not helping my situation, so I‘m hibernating both.

The Birdcatcher is a true bail and truly awful book. I will NOT be returning to it. Not worthy of the NBA shortlist!

I can‘t deal with Fanone‘s voice and violence rn. May come back. 🤔

I am perplexed by this book‘s inclusion on the NBA fiction long list. It‘s…not good. It feels like an only partially realized examination of mental illness that ends up making that character simply look juvenile and obnoxious rather than imparting empathy. And there‘s no smooth narrative. I hope it‘s simply on the list to pay homage to her past work (which I have not read, but which is respected by many), though I don‘t think that‘s a good reason.

Gayl Jones has some amazing writing in this story. The flow of her words created an atmosphere that was transportive. Unfortunately though, the story just wasn't for me. The entangled relationships between the three friends that created a strange love triangle left me irritated, confused, and just uninterested.

I do plan on searching out other books by this author though since some of the writing was so good.