I know it’s been more than a week, but I am on summer time. Now how do we get summer time to be forever time? Working on that.
The Intermission was kind of a letdown for me. I am always up for some good domestic drama, but this was so similar to The Arrangement, a book I absolutely loved, and I couldn’t keep from comparing them. I didn’t really care whether Jonathan and Cass stayed together or not. You didn’t see them together all that much, and I didn’t care for either of them separately. Jonathan was okay but nothing to write home about. Early in the book, Cass makes a big mess at home and decides to just leave it for a few days when the cleaning lady will come, and after that, she was dead to me. I do not like a mess! Really, there was no chance of redemption after that and it kind of colored how I felt about the book overall. Pick up after yourself, Cass.
I was already swooning for Otessa Moshfegh, but My Year of Rest and Relaxation has made me a fangirl for life. I love how she practically dares you not to like her characters. I also loved how this narrator was essentially the anti-Manic Pixie Dream Girl. I’m not sure why the MPDG became a thing, like why guys started romanticizing mental illness in pretty girls, but this story of a beautiful girl (barely) dealing with depression throws that out the window. I loved this girl in spite of how deeply flawed she was, and I loved her weird friendship with Reva. Reva’s “you’re so skinny, no fair!” made me laugh so hard every time. This was such a strange, funny, sad book and I am so here for it and even the cover rocks, jeez Otessa, you’re so amazing, no fair.
Anne Tyler is another writer who has my eternal devotion. I always love her, will always read everything she writes, and I just devoured Clock Dance this week. Damn, this was so good. I love how she can show so much in just short glimpses. At one point it jumps ahead 20 years but you don’t feel like you missed anything because she is just so good at crafting a scene. This is a master class in showing, not telling. I really loved this story and this character Willa was so endearing. She kind of reminded me of my mom and I hope my mom reads this and loves it too, okay so get on it, PB!
I’m on some kind of roll this week, because next up was Our Kind of Cruelty, and guess what? Loved it! I was wary going into this, because it’s gotten mixed review, and I’m always disappointed by thrillers. This felt a little suffocating at times because of the first person narration; I was getting a little tired of being inside this guy’s head. The payoff was worth it though, and in the end it felt really important that we were only getting his point of view. I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this, and the ending is perfect frustrating infuriating inevitable. Even the acknowledgments were killer here.
Just started Elmet this morning, and I hope my hot streak continues. This wouldn’t have really been on my radar, but was recommended by one of my very best reader friends who has never let me down, so I have high hopes. Counting on you, Robin!
