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#TOB2021
review
azulaco
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Pickpick

I liked this book for its unusual structure. I thought it had a lot of good things to say about the stereotypes that Asian-Americans face, and the fake script format made the presentation more interesting and more straightforward. Made me think. #ToB2021

britt_brooke Loved this one! 3y
17 likes1 comment
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azulaco
Luster: A Novel | Raven Leilani
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I almost bailed on this book because it was SO uncomfortably unhappy. I was waiting for the narrator to confess her addiction problem, because I‘ve never seen that level of painful-to-read self-hatred except in an addiction memoir. But it has gotten better, and I truly love the writing. Almost done now. #tob2021

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Mitch
Luster | Raven Leilani
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Women‘s Prize for Fiction longlist is out! Always a reliable place to go for inspiration.... got a Fav??

Ruthiella I‘ve only read the four books that also coincide with the #TOB2021 shortlist. I liked The Vanishing Half and Transcendent Kingdom. I loved Piranesi and Luster. 3y
Mitch @Ruthiella I‘ve been debating Piraneai - not sure if it might be too abstract for me but I‘m interested! 3y
eraderneely Can‘t choose amongst Piranesi, The Vanishing Half, and Transcendent Kingdom! 3y
See All 7 Comments
Ruthiella @Mitch I didn‘t find Piranesi to be abstract. If you liked the Narnia books, I recommend you give Piranesi a whirl. It‘s also pretty short. 3y
Hooked_on_books Detransition, Baby is inCREDible and gets my vote! The Vanishing Half is also fantastic. 3y
Mitch @eraderneely I‘ve read 2 of those 3 so maybe it‘s a sign I‘d like the third! ♥️ 3y
Mitch @Ruthiella 👍🏼 3y
75 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
rsteve388
Tender Is the Flesh | Agustina Bazterrica
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Pickpick

Wow! This whole book was a wild ride, from start to finish. The opening of the book made me horrified. But at some point through the book you accept the world the author has created, only to be fully surprised at the end. This was magnificent and a great dystopian novel. I am very glad I read this.

Fuck man this book was something else. The author plays with the reader like a child.plays with their food. Damn. #TOB2021 #TournamentOfBooks

BkClubCare Great review. 5 stack adds! 3y
veritysalter There is nothing to say but “wow” when you finish this one. You think you‘ll be disgusted and repulsed, but there‘s something so intriguing, you get sucked in and caught up in the story, drawing your own lines of humanity, taking sides and form heroes and villains out of the characters. An excellent book. 3y
50 likes9 stack adds2 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Mehso-so

My last #TOB2021 book and book two for #20in4 this month.

I enjoyed the vibrant setting of Cape Town, use of Afrikaans and the colorful characters in this novel about a pandemic where uncontrollable laughter is one of the symptoms of a deadly epidemic. So much is familiar-masks, elbow bumps, temperature takers at entrances...but the story never quite gelled for me. Great set pieces but I didn‘t find the whole convincing.

BkClubCare I dared to say this was fun! 3y
Ruthiella @BkClubCare It was fun in its way, for sure. I was also thinking, the book‘s resolution could also be seen as a metaphor for modern South Africa and the need to live in the present while also being aware of the past. 🤔 3y
34 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Ruthiella
Breasts and Eggs | Mieko Kawakami
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Mehso-so

I didn‘t get the depth and meaning that other readers got from this novel. Occasionally it really grabbed me-particularly the character of Yuriko and her idea that all parenthood is inherently selfish. But overall, I found it dull and the writing/translation uninspired. I don‘t care if Natsuko bought bottled water or whatever extraneous detail that did nothing for the story. My second to last read for #TOB2021 & #FabulousFebruary - book 4

Come-read-with-me I just started this and am a bit in the fence. There have been so many great reviews and I was worried that I was the only one who didn‘t get it!!! I‘ll keep reading but it‘s nice to know that it‘s not “just me!” 3y
Suet624 @Come-read-with-me definitely not just you. I rarely bail on a book, but I gave up 1/2 way through. 3y
Ruthiella @Suet624 @Come-read-with-me I always feel a bit bad when I don‘t feel the love that others get from an author/novel. But it‘s good to not be alone in my feelings! 🙂 3y
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Come-read-with-me @Ruthiella @Suet624 I‘m going to keep going. I keep thinking there must something better coming! 3y
Suet624 @Come-read-with-me I‘m glad. Let us know how it goes. 💕 3y
Centique I couldn‘t get into this one and gave up but wasn‘t sure if it was timing - so it‘s interesting to hear how you went. Our tastes are often similar so I‘m thinking I don‘t need to try it again then 👍 3y
Ruthiella @Centique I would give it a miss. I wouldn‘t mind giving the author another chance in future, however. 3y
36 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Ruthiella
A Grain of Wheat | Ngugi wa Thiong'o
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This is my stack for the #FabulousFebruary readathon. All are in various stages of completion and I might even manage to finish the tagged book tonight. 😃

Also, on my e-reader, I just downloaded Breast and Eggs from the library-my last #TOB2021 🐓 book other than the pictured The Down Days.

BarbaraBB I am curious of down days! 3y
Cathythoughts And I‘m curious about The Tragedy of Arthur.... 3y
Cathythoughts I‘m stacking Arthur 👍🏻❤️ 3y
See All 8 Comments
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB So far The Down Days is giving me a more lighthearted dystopia feel...like there‘s an evil undertone (this is South Africa after all) but the surface is jaunty and colorful. 3y
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts I‘ve read Angelica and The Egyptologist by Phillips previously and really admired his talent. I definitely want to read his entire catalog. 3y
BarbaraBB That sounds great 3y
BookNAround I went to high school with Arthur. And fun fact, a friend of mine had such a crush on him we frequently spent our free time in school trying to put her in his way. 🤣 My guess is he never noticed the two annoying freshmen (he was a senior) trailing him all over the building. 3y
Ruthiella @BookNAround Wow! That‘s neat! He does have lovely eyes in his author pic. I would have crushed on him as a teenager too probably. 😀 3y
50 likes8 comments
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BkClubCare
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I am going to find the start of the end of this and skip most of the middle. Just sayin‘. This book is proving to be not my kind of book. #readingthendfirst #ToB #ToB2021 #flowerypretentiouslanguage #ugh #drivingmetodistractioninfirst10pages #penisdoesyoga #tumescentzucchini #obviatednicety

Megabooks I thought it was mediocre. 3y
BkClubCare @Megabooks - took me a while to find another goodreads review that shared similar concerns but I felt validated. LOL 3y
27 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
kwmg40
Tender Is the Flesh | Agustina Bazterrica
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Mehso-so

This is a good story that's clever, satirical and thought-provoking, but it's also one of the most revolting books I've ever read. The author does not hold back in providing us the gruesome details of dining on human flesh.
#TournamentOfBooks #tob2021

I'm a bit late with my #20in4 update but I managed 16 hours and 40 minutes. Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting!

#ShutdownReadathon @Squidget

DieAReader 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
Andrew65 Brilliant, well done 👏👏👏🙌🎉🥳🍾🥂🍾🥂😊 Thanks for playing along. 3y
28 likes2 comments
review
kwmg40
Piranesi | Susanna Clarke
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Pickpick

This is my favourite of the #TournamentOfBooks shortlist books I've read so far. It's beautifully written, atmospheric and full of surprising moments. Even better than Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and much shorter! #tob2021

#ShutdownReadathon @Squidget

DieAReader 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
BarbaraBB Have you read them all? I loved this one too but find it hard to choose a favorite. So many good ones this year!! 3y
Cathythoughts I loved this book ✨ 3y
batsy A wonderful book that I frequently think about ❤️ 3y
kwmg40 @Squidget Thank you!

@BarbaraBB I've read only 5 from the ToB list so far, but I hope to get through more of them before the event starts. I agree that the list looks great this year!

@Cathythoughts @batsy Nice to see so much love for this book!
3y
36 likes5 comments