Author Archives: mkevane

For some reason in leading up to the start of teaching classes in Sept. I did a lot of skim-reading in the last two months rather than complete book. But worthwhile a usual to keep track. Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains … Continue reading →

Henry James, Washington Square. I gave up about 2/3 way through. As usual with James, he just takes forever to advance the plot, and the long decriptions of character and motivations just make the reading tedious. Skimming to denouement, I … Continue reading →

Mostly light reading these two months, with Vila-Matas in reserve occasionally. Adrian Tchaikovsky, Made Things. Throwaway fantasy short novel. The usual. Fine for kids. At this point he must be able to write stuff like this in 2-3 days? Benjamin … Continue reading →

Rachel Kushner, Creation Lake. Reminded me of Elizabeth Hand. A moody, philosophical novel, but on the whole meadering writing and for me not very inspiring. Eventually, I gave up about p. 270 with 100 pages left. At some point I … Continue reading →

Scott Alexander Howard, The Other Valley. Nicely done, sort of YA, regretful, and grim (like a woodcut!) time-travel story. Adrian Tchaikovsky, The Doors of Eden. Disappointing multi-earth multiverse story, a la Terry Pratchett. Some interesting evolution possibilities, but the plot … Continue reading →

I only use this blog to keep track of my book reading. Guy Gavriel Kay, A Brightness Long Ago. Excellent fictionalized novel with the Palio in Siena! Georges Simenon, Le passager du “Polarlys”. I was unimpressed. Enjoyed the French. I … Continue reading →

My second time to read Nocturno de Chile, by Roberto Bolaño. I really missed a lot in the first feverish read about two years ago! Highly recommend multiple reads.

Book club discussed Shopgirl, by Steve Martin. It’s a slight novella, later turned into a movie (book reads as a script, we thought, with stage directions and present-tense narrator). We mostly intensely disliked, and were disappointed. It came across as … Continue reading →

I started to intensely dislike his prose style halfway through the novel, in the long scene with Connie (“Slowly her head came up, and he saw her face clear, and his voice quickened and gathered strength.”), and then just could … Continue reading →

I read Azúcar, by Nii Ayikwei Parkes, a few months ago, but forgot to add to reviews. Enjoyable and light. Not as rich for me as Tail of the Blue Bird. I kept waiting for the novel to go deeper, … Continue reading →

I read James Ellroy, My Dark Places, while overlapping with 2666. The misogyny, the femicides… can get overwhelming. I give Ellroy a lot of credit for putting down in writing a person’s dark places. We humans do not like to … Continue reading →