Rated Carl's Doomsday Scenario 8/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as the first. There were the typical hilarious parts that made me laugh loudly as I was reading, but it didn't seem quite as engaging as the first. I can't quite put my finger on "why."
Alas, the show WILL go on, because I'm quite invested in the future of Carl, Donut, Mordecai, and Mongo.
Rated Marlena 8/10
A dark and moody story of the teenage friendship between two young women and the weight that the loss of one friend casts over the rest of the other friend's life. Reminiscent of [b:The Girls|26893819|The Girls|Emma Cline|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492065338s/26893819.jpg|42856015] and [b:Eileen|23453099|Eileen|Ottessa Moshfegh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1479545528s/23453099.jpg|43014905] in tone and structure; like those books, this one is presented as retrospective, and like them it concerns drugs, violence, depression, the families we're stuck with and the families we create, and the incredible intensity of the attachments young women make with one another. Mild spoiler: it sets up as though there's a ~twist~, a mystery or puzzle that gets solved, but really doesn't play out that way (not a bad thing, just don't expect [b:Gone Girl|19288043|Gone Girl|Gillian Flynn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1397056917s/19288043.jpg|13306276] or whatever).
Rated Swing Time 8/10
There's so much going on in this story it's hard to do it all justice - it starts with the treacherously close friendship of two biracial girls growing up in London and spirals out into the wider world, taking in Parliament, the Gambia, and pop stardom even as the memory of their friendship has a gravitational pull over the whole story. Really well-done in terms of rich characters, pacing, emotional depth, political insight and vivid detail; there's maybe 10% too much plot but it still all hangs together well. Highly recommend!
Rated Canto yo y la montaña baila 10/10
Rated Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War 8/10
Very Mary Roach-y, which I mean as a compliment; her writing is very clever and her curiosity is contagious. As she notes in the preface, this is very much not about the science of weapons, but rather a series of essays on how scientists attempt to keep the troops clothed, fed and healthy in both normal and dire circumstances. There are poignant moments and funny ones, but the former are somewhat underplayed relative to the latter given the weight of the subject matter. Not my favorite of her books but a good, quick and thoughtful read.
Added Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) to Want to Read
Wants to read The Master and Margarita
Rated Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West 10/10
Test review
Finished reading Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
Wants to read Pretty Monsters: Stories
Rated Gone Girl 6/10
I very much understand what the big deal is about this book and also very very much understand why it bothers so many people. It is very compelling and clever and well-built; there is a twist about halfway through that I sort of saw ahead of time, and then some counter-twists that I did not expect. I can kind of recommend it if you like that sort of thing, but....<br/><br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS <br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>-<br/>...it hinges on two unpleasant archetypes of women. One, which is directly critiqued, is "Cool Girl," who is down for whatever and never asks for anything and defies "girliness." The other, which is not really critiqued, is "Jealous Vindictive Crazy Girl Who Lies to Punish People," which is presented waaaay too earnestly. There's a sourness about the whole book that makes it much less fun to read than it should be, even as you really want to find out how all the pieces fit together. <br/>
Rated The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 8/10
