Category Archives: Book and film reviews

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 →

I chuckled at the semi-pompous self-deprecation in this fairly decent intro book. Clearly written for a “market” and not really any academic contribution.

I’d talk about this book, at a coffeehouse, for hours!

Just, pretty amazing. Ruiz-Tagle was actually a writer in the Pinochet period?

Very competent writing, starts off strong with good plot and characterization, but then just becomes plodding as the obvious plot slowly (excruciatingly so) unfolds. Will they cross the mountain pass? Yes! Will he marry the princess’s handmaiden? Yes! Will the … Continue reading →

Camille Bordas Colorin Colorado. I read it twice. Second time with a close read, three pages of notes. Great short story for breaking down structure. Shame seems to be the central theme on the surface. Is there something lurking underneath? … Continue reading →

Sparingly, I use godawful. This was one of those occasions. Lots of imagination, fine. But as a novel where the reader is immersed and transported? It did not work for me at all. Too many adjectives?

A very nice review from The Guardian is here. I enjoyed this short collage-novel. Lots of abrupt paragraphs, but a coherent mood and flow. A bit absurd, a bit melancholy. Apparently it is part of a quartet of similar approaches. … Continue reading →

Lo único que quiero escribir es que estoy bastante seguro de que en mi lista de 10 libros a leer otra vez antes de que me muera esta novela estará incluida.